Written by Mr. William van den Broek
Imagine blue skies, clean pristine waters, tranquility, sandy beaches, sunshine, friendly people, nice historic sites, amiable temperatures all year around, excellent and affordable seafood cooked to perfection, a sunset which will dazzle your eyes and put you into a romantic mood, surrounded by water and has been in existence for million s of years, we have the basalt rocks and geological sites to prove it, than why not travel to paradise, Penghu, located in the Taiwan straits.
Penghu is a group of islands in the Taiwan Strait on the south west coast of Taiwan and has unique geological world class sites, a lingering coastline; enviable natural resources and has over a thousand years of human habitation. For foreign travelers, it is the best kept secret, as the island is still rustic and unspoiled by ugly developments and urban intrusions.
Domestic travel is on the up rise in Taiwan seeing people have more leisure time, more disposable income and all are seeking safe destination where they can learn more about their own country. Penghu is only a fourty minute flight from Taipei and even shorter from Taichung and Kaohsiung. You may also travel by ferry though this takes a little bit longer. Penghu is a jewel in the ocean and the island is waiting to be explored. Many who come here for the first time cannot belief their eyes when confronted by this treasure of an island, which still holds its charm. The people from Taiwan, nor their overseas counterparts, are aware that Penghu, previously called the Pescadores, has the only archipelago in South East Asia with some of the best historical sites you can find anywhere in the world. Most people think about Penghu as a windy place but they have never visited and though it can get windy during some days in winter it is nothing like the wind they experience in places like Hawaii. In summer, the wind may play with you hair but most of the time you will experience cooler breezes which are welcome when the sun is setting while you partake in some refreshment on the beach or at the waterfront where you can experience the fireworks festival.
The Penghu tourism bureau and the county government are much aware that Penghu has much to offer to the tourist and have been instrumental with the cleaning up of the beaches, planting of over one million trees, encouraged the relocation of graves and beautified the parks so as to present a clean and caring tourism environment. Penghu’s economy relies on the fishing industry and all around the island you will find small quaint fishing villages with their own ports, much like one would find on a Mediterranean holiday. Freshly caught fish can be bought here or you can go to one of the many restaurants who know how to cook their seafood. The islands have not been asleep and much development has taken place over the last few years though this has been in keeping with the environment, Mac Donald’s, Seven Eleven Watson’s Giordano’s and Star bucks have added flair to the consumer market and the locals have been encouraged to up grade refurbish or redecorate their shops to keep up with the trend setters. The government also introduced a “Green Grassland” project and today they have grassed a total of 50 hectares. Many scenic routes have been established along the coast lines and the physical fit may take pleasure in a bike ride along the many constructed bicycle paths. The climate on Penghu is characterized by an average temperature of 23C all year around with a high of about 28.3C in July. Over the past few years Penghu has seen a steady flow of migrants mainly from Vietnam, Indonesia, Kampuchea and the white Caucasian population stands at 34.
