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Simplified Chinese, Japanese, English, Korean Mokdo Island is 7 km from its southern neighbor, Kagi Island. The entire island measures 843 m in circumference and covers only 0.0244 sq km, making it a miniature island. It is famous for the Mokdo Lighthouse; aside from the lighthouse staff, there are no other residents. Mokdo lies north of Kagi and is the northernmost island of the Penghu archipelago. It got its name because its shape resembles a human eye. Another explanation is that the island, composed of basalt flat-topped mountains, also looks like the ink pot used by carpenters, so it was originally called “Ink Pot Island.” Mispronunciation later turned it into “Mokdo,” and because it sits at the very northern tip of Penghu, it’s also called “North Island.” Numerous reefs lie nearby, and shipwrecks have been common. During the Guangxu period of the Qing dynasty, the Mokdo Lighthouse was established to guide vessels, and it has been standing for over a century. The lighthouse stands 40 m tall, its black‑and‑white body rising from a dark brown reef, exuding a majestic presence. It was the first lighthouse built on Penghu after Japanese rule. The tower’s height is 39.9 m, making it the tallest cast‑iron lighthouse in Taiwan and the tallest cast‑iron lighthouse in the Far East (the keeper resides on the premises). Its water inlet is inside the tower, directly channeling rainwater collected from the lighthouse and dormitory roof into the tower—Taiwan’s only lighthouse with an internal water reservoir. The island has no electricity; power is supplied by three generators that run the lighthouse. In 2001, the Mokdo Lighthouse was selected as one of Penghu County’s Ten Historical Buildings in a county‑wide vote. Photo source: 2023 photography competition silver medalist Xu Xinyi. **Suggested stay duration:** varies with the boat operator’s tide schedule.