TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A Batik Air Malaysia flight carrying 132 passengers landed in Penghu on Wednesday, opening a new tourism route between Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

The chartered Boeing 737 Max 8 carried 178 travelers from Penghu to Kuala Lumpur in the afternoon, per CNA. Groups in both directions were taking part in trips lasting six days and five nights.

While Penghu used to be a destination served only by domestic airlines, that changed in 2025, according to Penghu Airport. VietJet Air, Thai VietJet, and Aero K Airlines launched direct charter flights to and from Vietnam, Thailand, and South Korea respectively.

As winter is the low season for tourism in Penghu, a local travel sector entrepreneur contacted Batik Air Malaysia to launch a direct charter service to Kuala Lumpur. The new service made it easier for residents of the Taiwan Strait island county to travel overseas.

Batik Air Malaysia operates hybrid services, combining low fares with elements of other airlines, including meals and in-flight entertainment.