Recommended Dive spots in Taiwan

[Teaseruk]

Hi there,

I will be visiting Taiwan for 10 days in April and wanted to know if anyone had the low down on the best dive spots on the main land. I've looked and Penghu, Green Island, Lanyu and Kenting but are there any further noth. Pref. on the N - NE coast. Thanks!!

 

[currier]

The NE coast can still be a little chilly in April - my logbook has 17 degrees last April 3rd - but it can also warm up to 20-21. There are various sites between Keelung and Yilan, some are quite impressive, but none offer the spectacular diving of Green, Orchid, or Kenting ...

What kinds of diving activities / challenges / conditions / interest you? Given the right timing, sites around Bitou, Longdongwan, the marina, Jinshawan, Aodi, etc. can be quite nice.

 

[Teaseruk]

The NE coast can still be a little chilly in April - my logbook has 17 degrees last April 3rd - but it can also warm up to 20-21. There are various sites between Keelung and Yilan, some are quite impressive, but none offer the spectacular diving of Green, Orchid, or Kenting ...

What kinds of diving activities / challenges / conditions / interest you? Given the right timing, sites around Bitou, Longdongwan, the marina, Jinshawan, Aodi, etc. can be quite nice.

Thanks for that info, I think after looking more in to it, we're gonna head south and check out Kenting or Orchid. We did like the look of Green Island but heard that the boat ride out there is severe, have you experienced that?

 

[currier]

Thanks for that info, I think after looking more in to it, we're gonna head south and check out Kenting or Orchid. We did like the look of Green Island but heard that the boat ride out there is severe, have you experienced that?

I've been to Green Island (Luodao) four times in total, three times to dive. I've only experienced rough water once, but when it is rough, it's bad ... pitching and jumping from trough to crest (8m?) is no fun, bring your sea-sickness tabs, especially if the smell or sight of vomit will trigger reactions of your own. If calm, the ride is as pleasant as anything! IMHO calm or rough it is worth the trouble. Green Island is the jewel in the crown of Taiwan diving. Flights go over from Taitong as well (but never done it myself).

You'll certainly enjoy Green Island - some of the more popular sites include Big Mushroom, Baisha (White Sand) cavern, Electric Tower reef (wooden), peculiar artificial reef towers x3 (metal), etc. I've found information about a nice wreck (artificial reef) online, and would love to go to the site myself, but no one I've ever spoken to has heard of the thing, let alone been there themselves!?!
Green Island Adventures

How is your Chinese? If non-existent, you would do well for yourself by contacting someone rather than just showing up on Green Island. I will gladly give you recommendations if you feel these are necessary - just PM me, I will respond with names, e-mails, websites, phone.

If you are going to Kenting, you have no worries. The diving is spectacular, and there are a number of good shops in town and by the marina that will take you out. Many instructors and operators speak English there. It is a vibrant place frequented by younger crowds, and you'll find that people are extremely helpful. I'm willing to point you in the right direction if you want ... again, just PM me -

Can't comment on Orchid (Lanyu) since I have yet to go. Heard great stuff, look forward to spending some time there soon.

I'm a little surprised by the lack of responses to your enquiries ... hopefully within a few days, other members will contribute their two cents.

 

[Wantonmien]

TeaserUK

Was just going to start a thread with recent Green Island dives from a couple of weeks back, and some pics from January down below, as I was out there for Chinese New Year.

Green Island - every crossing I've ever had has been reasonably smooth, but it's the luck of the draw - this CNY holiday the water was flat calm going over - but the next day so rough we had to cancel dive boat, then day 3 flat calm again. Anyway Green Island, well worth heading over, a unique little island, only an hour from Taidung, and diving is spot on, plenty of variation, not overly developed and a nice place to chill out - especially if the weather is kind, and if it's not you can always soak in the natural open air hot springs on the beach there.

Orchid Island - a longer boat trip, ferry from Kenting, and some excellent diving also, there is a beautiful wreck (if you can a wreck beautiful) there, and various other excellent dives, particularly if heading on a dive boat to get to some of the 'not so accessible' from shore dives. Orchid is even less developed than Green, and again worth the visit.

Xiao Liou Chu - ferry from Dongang (about 45 mins from Keelung) - nice island, 1 dive shop on island, diving is OK, lots of turtles about, but I felt the fish life there was sparse, very over fished.

Penghu Islands - I've not dived on, and I've been told not to due to currents. Only 1 dive op on the island I think, and one of my mates visited there a few months back and was told he couldn't dive unless he was from Taiwan - not sure if that was just a language thing, but my mate wanted to dive there and was refused.

Kenting - Excellent diving, best off a boat - unpredictable what you can see, with last year a Whale shark spotted a 50 metres from the beach by some divers, baracudda, trevalis etc etc. Good diving for sure - contact "Ambertiger" off the forum, he'll point you in the right direction.

N/E coast - water was 17 C last weekend, but by April/May should be warming up into the lower 20's - though as Currier's encountered, may be still be chilly.

Cheers

Here's a few pics from GI last week of January 2012 - and if you flick through my albums on Scubaboard, there's pics from most places in Taiwan - cheers.












NOT A Day to venture in !

But the Next Day - Perfect conditions as we 'walk on water' to enter Dabaisha site

 

[ericandbella]

the ferry for green island is short (about an hour). the ferry for orchid is longer and rougher. both are fine with some sea sickness pills (and for many people, without) but i've had some rough crossings. you can always fly.

green island has lots of coral, decent amount of fish and good viz. orchid has less fish and amazing viz. the wreck on orchid is great, partly because the viz is so good. you can see the whole thing. not speaking chinese will be tough on orchid, but i met a couple at green island divers who were touring around, and they seemed fine without speaking a word of chinese.

kenting is definately not as good as green island or orchid but is easier to get to and more convenient and cheaper. i've done most of my diving in kenting and had plenty of wonderful dives there, and you can get osme very nice surprises.

 

[mahjong]

Posters above covered the southern mainland and outer islands. Just a note on the NE: Don't let chilly water hold you back. Add a layer of neoprene. Longdongwan, for example, can be a sensational dive at dawn, very early in the morning before the throngs arrive. You never know what you might encounter at that time, from schooling amberjack to large rays. It can also be a great night dive.

 

[Makhno]

Hey Ericandbella,

Good to see you've found scubaboard.com. You can learn a lot here, if you know how to filter out the bull****.

Sorry to hear there were no hammerheads to be seen at Green Island for the 2/28 holiday -- at the time, I was in Kending with The Usual Suspects and we had a great series of dives: more than the usual numbers of fishes, crustaceans ... plenty of cephalopods, etc. See you there next time.

 

[Wantonmien]

Makhno,

Are you heading to Kenting the coming weekend 24/25 March ? If so, see you there, Shore dives Saturday, boat Sunday is the plan.

Cheers

 

[glee719]

Hello,

I am glad someone started this because I plan on visiting Taiwan for 2 weeks from 5/19 - 6/2 to accompany my wife, and want to ditch her for 1 week diving in Taiwan to give it a shot. Unfortunately I don't find any "pretty" websites searching via Google so I was almost tempted to fly to Philippines instead. Now after reading this it looks like I can pull it off again

Can someone tell me what the expected water temperture around that time would be at 25m? It will give me a pretty good idea on whether to bring my own suit or just rent. Also, I would like to get an honest answer on someone's assessment of "good diving" is relative to what? In my mind, great diving is like Sipadan; good diving was off Thailand Koh Samui 10 years ago, and bad diving is like off Phuket nowadays. I know that it's nature and bad things could happen, but after traveling this far I would like to avoid risks if possible.

I was researching Kenting and Orchid before, but now it looks like I can consider Green Island too. Also, I was reading about Longdong Bay but my wife keeps on associating it with death for some reason. Is it dangerous there with under-currents? I would like to consider it for day-trips from Taipei...

Lastly, can anyone recommend good dive shops (and ideally friendly with underwater photographers)? I am Rescue certified.

Many thanks.