The visitor to the island will find many scenes of rural life, groups of gossiping women, children playing and fat dogs lazing in the afternoon sun.
然而，琉球鄉公所編印的琉球鄉概況則指出，清乾隆廿年，福建泉州漁民李月老遷居打狗港（高雄），捕魚時發現小琉球，便邀廿多位漁民，移居島上，奠定當地漁業的基礎。