Diving in Taiwan in January

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babydoll

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I'm going to Taiwan in January and am wondering if I could fit some diving in while I'm there. I've heard Kenting and green island are nice. How is the water temperature in January (the first 2 weeks of Jan)? I've heard mixed opinions. Is it enough with 5mm wetsuit or do I need to go dry?

Also, are there any recommendations on who I should dive with? I speak Chinese and some Taiwanese. I don't mind going off the path to find local ones that can show me the area well.

Any recommendations or advices would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!:wink:
 
I'm going to Taiwan in January and am wondering if I could fit some diving in while I'm there. I've heard Kenting and green island are nice.

Yes, they are nice. Green Island has much better quality and quantity of marine life. But Kenting is more convenient, and still offers a tropical coral reef ecosystem with much to offer a curious diver.

How is the water temperature in January (the first 2 weeks of Jan)? I've heard mixed opinions. Is it enough with 5mm wetsuit or do I need to go dry?

Expect 22-24 C water temperatures in January in the south -- Kenting, Lyudao, Lanyu. No compelling need to dive dry in southern Taiwan unless you're doing some deep technical diving which requires lots of decompression time. A 5mm (with hood) should be fine for recreational and/or short-duration technical dives. Most of my buddies dive the winter in a full-body 3mm + 3mm hooded vest, so 6mm around the torso and 3mm around the limbs neck and head. I use a similar 3mm hooded vest, but I use it with my 5mm suit instead of 3mm, because I'm a wimp vis-a-vis cold water.

Also, are there any recommendations on who I should dive with? I speak Chinese and some Taiwanese. I don't mind going off the path to find local ones that can show me the area well.

Any recommendations or advices would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!:wink:

Actually, I've not been very impressed by many of the local divemasters and scuba instructors; even some of the ones who have many students and thus have successful businesses have shown themselves to be awful teachers. I see some of them teaching lessons in the swimming pool, and I see some of them taking student divers into the ocean at local dive sites, and I think to myself "No! Wrong, wrong, wrong ..."

But not all are bad. Some are good.

If you prefer Chinese language instruction/guidance, PM me and I'll reply with a couple names of scuba instructors/divemasters whom I think will treat you well in Taiwanese and/or (Mandarin) Chinese. If you prefer English language instruction/guidance -- I'm qualified, and I love teaching Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver courses, but I can't do it this month, so I'll reply with a recommendation of someone who maybe can.
 
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