Xiao Men Yu Introduction
Xiaomen Island is located at the northern tip of Xiyu Island, separated by a waterway about 20 meters wide. A bridge has been built to connect the two islands. Although the entire island has an area of only 0.5 square kilometers, the geological and topographical landscape of Xiaomen Island is a microcosm of the Penghu Archipelago, earning it the nickname of an outdoor geological classroom. Xiaomen Island features a lava plateau with higher terrain in the north and lower in the south. The eastern, northern, and western coasts of the island consist mostly of basalt cliffs, while the southern coast is where villages are concentrated. Here, you can see porous basalt with a spherical structure, as well as various geological landscapes like the island's distinctive iron-rich quartz sandstone, iron-rich clay layers, gray shell rock mixed with animal fossils, and small badlands shaped by erosion. The island's most famous attraction, "Whale Cave," is named for its shape, which resembles a whale's head poking out of the water. Originally a basalt cliff, the Whale Cave has been continuously eroded by seawater, evolving into today's "sea arch," which allows people to understand the process of coastal erosion. Additionally, Xiaomen Island features cultural landmarks such as the beehive field-style vegetable houses and Shigandang, as well as the opportunity to explore the geological mysteries of Penghu at the "Xiaomen Geological Museum," which should certainly not be missed!
