Diaoyu Island Introduction
Dinggou Island is located about one kilometer southeast of Jishan Island and is part of Huxi Township. The name "Dinggou" means ship anchor, which reflects the island's shape that resembles an anchor. The entire island is composed of densely structured columnar basalt, often containing olivine clasts. This diversity in columnar joints is due to the varied directions in which the magma flowed to the surface and cooled. After undergoing weathering and marine erosion, unique and diverse coastal landforms were created, earning it the nickname "Little Guilin at Sea." Due to its special geological landscape, Dinggou Island, along with Jishan Island and Xiaobaisha Island, is part of the Penghu County Basalt Natural Reserve, and landing on the island is prohibited. The general public can only view the island's scenery through boat tours. Because of its low human habitation, various precious conservation bird species come here to nest from April to September each year, such as the white-browed tern, the roseate tern, and the black tern, making it a must-visit birdwatching destination for bird enthusiasts! Additionally, from November to January each year, the rocks along Dinggou Island's coast produce natural "black gold" seaweed. During the Qing Dynasty, villagers from Huxi, Huidong, Baikeng, and Beiliao would take turns collecting seaweed from Dinggou Island, which is a shared industry among local fishermen. The general public is not allowed to land and collect seaweed!
