2-hour direct route launched: Tainan Anping–Dongji Islet, sailing from May 28

▲ Dongji Islet. (Photo / File photo / Reporter Chen Ziyin)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Travelers or those heading home can now take a boat from Tainan to Penghu in just two hours. Responding to the inconvenience faced by island residents who previously had to spend half a day traveling from the mainland, an operator has purchased its own vessel and applied for a new route. Starting May 28, regular ferry services between Tainan Anping and Dongji Islet in Penghu will officially begin.

In the past, due to the lack of a direct route, residents of Dongji Islet had to first fly to Penghu, then take another boat or flight to Wang’an Islet, and finally hire a boat to reach Dongji Islet. The journey was not only exhausting but also took over half a day.

▲ Dongji Islet was once known as “Little Shanghai,” but now showcases the stark beauty of desolation. (Photo / File photo / Reporter Chen Ziyin)

A tech entrepreneur from Dongji Islet decided to give back to their hometown by purchasing two vessels, “Dongji Fortune” and “Dongji Star,” and applying for two routes: Tainan Anping–Dongji Islet and Penghu–Dongji Islet. After a recent trial period, services officially began on May 28. The operator noted that the trip from Tainan Anping to Dongji Islet takes just two hours. Initially, one round-trip service will be available each Wednesday and Saturday, with tickets priced at NT$2,400. This significantly reduces travel time between the outlying islands and the mainland, providing convenience for local residents while also aiming to boost tourism in the Southern Four Islands.