The awe-inspiring work of Mother Nature has always astonished us! Although the well-known Azure Window natural arch in Malta attracted tens of thousands of visitors annually, it collapsed amidst a rainstorm on March 8 local time and disappeared in front of our eyes. The once beautiful scene is now only a mere memory.
As we express our sorrow on the sudden disappearance of such a beautiful scene, Director Fang Cheng-kuang of the Penghu National Scenic Area Administration said God may have closed the Azure Window, but the Whale Cave still exists at Penghu. The Whale Cave was originally a basalt sea cliff which turned into the sea arch we see nowadays after years of seawater erosion. It gained its name as it resembles the head of a whale coming out of the ocean. Although we hope the Whale Cave will not end up like the Azure Window, the power of Mother Nature is unpredictable. Given that visitors can admire this unique geographical landscape of the Whale Cave from a close distance, it is definitely worth paying a visit.

Although Xiaomen Island is only an 0.5 km2 islet, besides the Whale Cave, it also has geological and geographical features which make it a miniature version of the Penghu archipelago. Known as an outdoor geology classroom, visitors can discover spherical basalts, and iron-producing quartzose sandstone and clay deposits. Other unique features of Xiaomen Island include coquinoid limestone containing animal fossils, unique rock formations created by water erosion, and other amazing geological landscapes.

Xiaomen Island also has cultural features, such as beehive farming at the Stone Wall Garden, and Shigandang ornamental stone tablets. Visitors should also definitely not miss the opportunity to visit the Xiaomen Geology Gallery to understand the geological features of Penghu!

In addition, to implement the policies of “no littering at attractions” and “keeping trash off the ground”, trash bins at certain sites within the region were removed from March 2017. Penghu National Scenic Area Administration reminds visitors that they should take nothing with them except the beautiful views and should leave nothing behind except their footsteps! This takes everyone’s efforts, and it is the responsibility of everyone to maintain the environment and quality of tourist sites. It is hoped that all visitors can behave as considerate citizens, demonstrating their public concern and protecting Mother Nature and the environment together.