Shili Beach — administratively part of Shili Borough, Magong — sits about 6 km south of Magong city centre, facing the Taiwan Strait to the southwest. It is the largest and best-equipped natural swimming beach on Penghu’s main island. The beach stretches about 500 m along a gently curving bay; the seabed gradient is mild, and at low tide the shallow zone extends far from shore, providing a wide area of waist-deep-or-less water. Changing rooms, showers, and a staffed lifeguard station make it one of the few beaches on the main island that operates as a proper bathing facility. Accessible by direct bus service and requiring no boat trip, Shili has long been the go-to summer spot for Magong residents. On peak weekends, local students, families, and short-stay visitors all converge here. Compared with the outer-island beaches of the Southern Islands reachable only by ferry, Shili represents the everyday, unhurried side of Penghu — less remote, more immediately accessible.
Highlights
Sand and Water Colour are Shili’s central draw. The beach is composed of coral sand — fine-grained, off-white, bright in strong light, and firm underfoot without sticking to the feet. At low tide you can walk a good distance from shore and remain in shallow water. Water colour transitions from clear, light green near the shoreline to deep blue further out; on calm days you can look down through the water and see the rippled sandy bottom. Compared with beaches in Penghu’s Southern Islands, Shili’s water quality is occasionally affected by algal blooms in late spring to early summer, but within the context of the main island it remains clear, and conditions are stable throughout peak summer.
The Rocky Intertidal Zone is a corner of Shili that rarely appears in travel guides yet is worth exploring. To the north of the sand, a low reef platform is exposed at low tide; you can walk out along the rocks and observe intertidal life at close range — sea urchins, hermit crabs, periwinkles, and sea lettuce are all easy to find in the crevices. This is one of the few spots on Penghu’s main island where you can examine reef ecology up close without taking a boat, making it particularly good for families with children. Wear non-slip water shoes when stepping onto the reef, and follow a no-take, look-only approach.
Sunset Views are another highlight, though often overlooked. The bay mouth faces southwest, and around the summer solstice the sun sets almost directly in front of the beach. The warm tones against the reflective wet sand at low tide make this one of the better sunset photography spots near Magong. Plan to arrive after 17:30, and check the Central Weather Administration’s tide forecast in advance — the sand extends furthest and reflects most strongly at low tide.
Getting There and Nearby
Bus is the most convenient option. From Magong Main Station, take Bus Route 51 (about 20 minutes) and alight at the Shili Swimming Beach stop (PEN300005, approximately 120 m from the beach entrance) — 2 minutes on foot. If the timing does not suit, Shili West stop (PEN300004, 220 m) and Pudesi Temple stop (PEN300006, 240 m) are also within easy walking distance. All three stops are served by the same route, so you can choose whichever is most convenient. For current schedules, check the Penghu County Public Bus and Ferry Authority timetable.
Visitors on scooters can head south from Magong city along Provincial Highway 20, then follow signs to Shili after passing Aimen — about 15 minutes. A free open-air car park sits beside the beach, but during peak weekends it typically fills before 10:00 AM. Depart early or visit on a weekday; if the car park is full, roadside parking along the approach road is the only alternative.
Nearby sites worth combining: Pudesi Temple is a 5-minute walk north of the beach. It is the spiritual centre of the Shili community, dedicated to Baosheng Dadi; the temple is modest in size but sees regular worshippers, and its forecourt is a gathering spot for local residents in the evenings — a useful place to observe the community’s daily rhythm. Cycling 10 minutes north brings you to Aimen Beach, which has a shorter bay arc but equally fine white sand and calmer water, making it well suited for families with young children. Continue 10 minutes east to reach Lintou Park, where a cluster of wells dating from the Japanese colonial period and a windbreak casuarina trail provide welcome shade after time on the beach. If time allows, the southern loop half-day route — linking Shili, Aimen, and Lintou in sequence — covers the highlights of Penghu’s southern main island in about 1.5 hours by scooter, all without boarding a boat.