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Updated Thursday, March 19, 2009 9:26 am TWN, By Emma Harries, Special to The China Post



	Squid drying in the afternoon sun at Hsi Yu Island. (By Emma Harries, Special to The China Post) More Photos (3)

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Lazy days on Penghu Island

People continue to live there and it's quite intriguing to see the aged residents enjoying a chat together while hordes of people wander past, photographing their homes and yards. The houses are built in traditional Fujian (福建) style and utilize local basalt rocks, creating an immensely photogenic village.

Another place well worth a visit is the aquarium, not least for the rather endearing models of sea life in the car park. The aquarium is home to several beautiful sea turtles and the obligatory touch pool, where you can turn a starfish over and watch the fascinating process of it righting itself. This would have made a great rainy day activity but don't miss having a photograph taken with your favorite crustacean rendered in polystyrene.

I feel I should confess that the majority of our days were spent lazing on Shili (時裡) Beach on the main island. This beach has evidently benefited from some of the huge amounts of money going into developing Penghu as a tourist destination while still being remote enough to avoid being overrun with crowds.

Tables, chairs and umbrellas are available for NT$200, a short walk from an outdoor restaurant serving drinks and snacks. In the evening, barbeques are set up so each table of diners can cook a selection of seafood.

Behind the restaurant is a large building housing enormous numbers of toilets, shower cubicles and changing facilities. Despite its size, word of mouth has yet to spread and I enjoyed the place to myself on most days.

Seafood is of course the main specialty of restaurants in Ma Gong and some are better than others. Those on the main strip leading down to the harbor tend to be quite pricy, particularly for just two people. We found a friendly place with great shrimp after exploring some of the quieter areas of town.

There are cheaper alternatives like buffets and coffeeshop-style meals if you can't face another dinner with fish eyes staring back at you from your plate. Outside Ma Gong, I would highly recommend Maholo surfing clubhouse at Shanshui Beach for their yummy homemade pizzas and enormous sandwiches.

There is also a clubhouse next door, where you can rent a surfboard and buy boardshorts. An entire market of souvenirs is located in a curious 'boat' in the waters of the harbor in Ma Gong, which despite appearances is actually static and made of concrete.

Seats on the domestic flights to Ma Gong (馬公) fill up rapidly, especially on the weekends so it is worth booking in advance. Jan and Sylvia of Guo Ye Sunrise B&B pick up guests from the airport.

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