Qigu Dist.

Many of the precious landscapes of Tainan’s coast are limited to certain seasons; just after a summer afternoon thunderstorm is usually the most magical time. The Qigu Sea View Tower (七股觀海樓) is great spot for photographers to capture the warm variations in colors as the sun goes down. The sky changes color in gradual layers, and within the short one hour of sunset there is a huge range of colors, so that even those who have seen it several times will not get tired of the view.With cloud cover or reflection, then you can see intact light beams unfurling magnificently onto the lagoon.

  Cigu Tourist Center is a new facility spread over 3.8 ha completed by the Southwest Coast National Scenic Area Administration and opened to the public on May 5, 2020. The Center connects the Cigu Salt Mountain with the Taiwan Salt Museum  to complete the tourism belt of the Cigu Salt Industry Cultural Park.

From the north, the wetland starts at the south of the Jianjun Fishing Harbor. In the east, it runs towards south along the west side of worksite No. 1 of the salt pan in the east of the Qigu Salt Plant. In the south, it borders the south levee of the Qigu Lagoon. In the west, it extends to the 6m depth contour in the waters. Totally, it occupies a total area of 2,997 hectares.

This is an international-grade wetland situated at the estuary of the Zhengwen River. From the north, it starts at the Guosheng Lighthouse (Qigu Lighthouse) on the Dingtoue sandbank, the south bank of the south dike, and Qigu dike in the reclamation. To the south, it touches the Qingcaolun dike on the south bank of the Zhengwen River. In the east, it borders Guosheng Bridge along the Provincial Highway No. 17. In the west, it extends to the 6m depth contour in the waters. Totally, it occupies a total area of 3,218 hectares.

It is a coastal sandbank and a barrier in the middle section of Qigu inland sea. This long and narrow sandbank gradually lifting above sea level is formed with the sand flushed down by the rivers in western Taiwan and carried to the site by the wave of the Taiwan Strait.

The mud deposits formed by river flow have created a great environment for mangrove growth, and the grey mangrove (Avicennia marina) is the dominant species in the area. Given the rich ecosystems of fish, shrimps, crabs, and shellfish, the area has become a transitory habitat of the little egret (Egretta garzetta), the black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), and even the black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) in winter.
 

Dujia Settlement derives from the Qius’ family. So far, it is the most completely preserved single surname lineal settlement. Migration from China, ancestors settlemed and multiplied there to form a settlement. In fact, it is the miniature of early immigrants migrating to Tainan.

The main hall of the HMTM Hermin Textile Cultural Museum (和明紡織文化館) has a high wall of colored thread at one end, which puts tourists in high spirits with its rich array of bright colors, and provides a very popular photo opportunity. The hall's product display area is comparable to a department store, and contains a collection of Hermin's own textiles in an array of colors and textures. In the factory's history area, tourists can see the quality awards won by Hermin for supplying various international brands.

If you follow the road west from the Qigu Black Faced Spoonbill Ecology Museum(七股黑面琵鷺生態展示館) and turn right when you reach the seawall, you will see the Guosheng Lighthouse (國聖燈塔) standing alone on the coast in the distance. This is the westernmost point of the mainland of Taiwan.

The Nanwan Wharf Recreation Area (南灣碼頭遊憩區), sitting at the southern extremity of the Cigu Lagoon (七股潟湖), is a great place from which to enjoy the mangrove forest landscape and gaze out towards nets, wooden shacks, and bamboo fish traps. The dock features a viewing platform, and is also a place from which to catch pleasure boat trips into the lagoons. You can take a boat to Wangzailiao Barrier Island or Dingtouershan Sand Bank, and you will find yourself surrounded by diverse ecology ranging from fiddler crabs to water birds, and mangrove forests.