Eluanbi Lighthouse

Eluanbi Lighthouse is Taiwan main island's southernmost lighthouse, begun in 1881 and lit in 1883; it stands 21.4 meters tall and, after a 1962 equipment upgrade, now emits 1.8 million candela visible to about 27.2 nautical miles, making it Taiwan's most powerful lighthouse in service. Its white circular iron tower stands alongside the ruins of armed gun emplacements, making it Taiwan's only armed lighthouse.

Eluanbi Lighthouse was begun in the 7th year of the Guangxu reign (1881) and formally lit in 1883 (Guangxu 9); it stands 21.4 meters tall. After equipment was upgraded in 1962, it now uses a fourth-order rotating lens light with an intensity of 1.8 million candela, visible to about 27.2 nautical miles. Following the 1867 Rover Incident and the subsequent diplomatic pressure from the 1874 Mudan Incident, the Qing court commissioned British surveyor Michael Beazeley to identify a site and purchased land from the Kuizairut community to build the lighthouse, which was equipped with gun emplacements and a moat — making it Taiwan's only armed lighthouse.

Highlights of Eluanbi Lighthouse

The construction of Eluanbi Lighthouse is closely related to the development of southern Taiwan following the late-Qing Mudan Incident. In 1867, American sailors were killed near Eluanbi by indigenous people, triggering a diplomatic incident. The Qing court therefore decided to establish a lighthouse here and, due to security concerns, constructed armed gun emplacements and a moat around it, making it the only armed lighthouse in Taiwan. The surviving gun emplacement ruins can still be seen within the park, bearing witness to this complex historical context. The lighthouse tower stands 21.4 meters tall, built from cast iron assembled in sections, and is one of the most important surviving Qing-dynasty lighthouses in Taiwan.

The lighthouse park (Eluanbi Park) is planted with tropical flora and features lawns and coral reef trails. It is one of the most heavily visited scenic spots in southern Taiwan. The park contains the gun emplacement ruins, a lighthouse interpretation center, and a tropical coastal forest trail. The cape juts out at the confluence of the Bashi Channel and the Taiwan Strait; on clear days, you can see out to the open sea. It is the most southerly accessible land point on the Taiwan main island. During the Luoshan wind season (autumn and winter), winds are strong at the cape; keep warm and secure hats and other light items.

How to make the most of your visit

Practical information

Sources: Maritime and Port Bureau, Ministry of Transportation (lighthouse records); Kenting National Park Headquarters; Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture. Photos pending replacement with Dio's own shots.