Author: YenTing Chen
Photographer: VD Freediving, Safe Freediving, Chang Keng Te, Chris Chou, Yu Yang Liao, East Coast National Scenic Area
In an article published in July, 2023, the National Geographic Magazine described Taiwan as a “sports’s mecca” for freediving. Taiwan is blessed with abundant marine resources and stunning underwater landscapes. From sunken ships and isolated reefs to sand land, scarps, and coral reefs, as well as the chance to swim alongside sea turtles, all these distinctive underwater landscapes entice scuba divers to the island.
As a scuba diver with years of experience, I would recommend several dive sites scattered across northern, eastern, and southern Taiwan for travelers to dive into the underwater world and discover the beauty of the island from beneath the horizon.
Klook.com|| Northern Taiwan
＃1 Northeast Coast: Holy Temple 東北角聖堂
Situated at Longmen Beach(龍門海灘） in the Northeast Coast, Holy Temple（聖堂） is actually the marine outfall of Taiwan’s Fourth Nuclear Power Plant. Teeming with a variety of sea fans and soft corals that have formed a diverse ecosystem, the outfall has a structure that generally resembles to an alien spacecraft.
Eerily beautiful as it is, Holy Temple as a dive site came about by fortuity—the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant has yet to be activated due to divergent opinions.
The depth of Holy Temple is no greater than 12 meters, making it an ideal dive destination for both professional divers and visitors who are looking to experience diving. Although the outfall pipelines used to allow divers to freely swim through, it has been announced that the access is no longer permitted. Nevertheless, Holy Temple retains its charm. The abundant aquatic ecosystem around the site and the distinctive spectacle of the man-made marine outfall are definitely worth visiting for diving enthusiasts.
#2 Waimushan, Keelung 外木山
When it comes to diving in northern Taiwan, popular spots that come to mind for most people would be Longdong, Northeast Coast, and Chaojing Park.
The Waimushan Seaside in Keelung, however, remains rather obscure. Once recognized as the champion among Taiwan’s Top 10 Charming Waters, this shipwreck diving site has a shallow depth of only 5 to 7 meters, which is perfect for both freediving beginners and fun dive enthusiasts to have a go.
In addition to the submarine scenery, Waimushan also boasts an expansive coastal landscape. From across the towering cuesta, the sea water blends seamlessly into the blue sky. You may paddle out through the water on a SUP and revel in the natural charm between the mountain and the sea.
|| Green Island
#1 Shilang Diving Area: Atlantis 石朗潛水區・亞特蘭提斯
Green Island Township, Taitung County is one of the unmissable destinations for divers to visit in Taiwan.
Green Island, situated off the coast of Taitung, is renowned internationally for its distinctive underwater ecosystem. With crystal clear water that provides excellent visibility and high likelihood of capturing a photo of glassy sea, Green Island has been chosen as one of the competition places for the TV show Aqua Challenge.
Just head rightwards from the dolosse at the Shilang Diving Area, and you will arrive at the dive site Atlantis. Formed by the pile of stones left behind after the old pier was blasted, Atlantis has become home to numerous marine creatures and, over time, as if an age-old city lies underwater, garnering significant interest from scuba diving enthusiasts.
#2 Dabaisha 大白砂
The coral reef landscape at Dabaisha is magnificent. Since the intertidal zone here is extensive, a dedicated walkway has been installed to offer divers safe access to the shore. During high tide, the seawater submerges the walkway and creates the illusion of people walking in the sea, making the spot a perfect choice for taking photos.
With rather more active submarine faults than do other places, Dabaisha boasts literally a sea of splendid coral reefs. If you descend along walkway into the water and then swim rightwards, you will see the well-known dive spot of Green Island called Time Tunnel. If you swim forwards from the walkway, however, you will reach another diving spot called Independent Reef, where the waters are deeper and so the reef body of the Independent Reef is more visible during low tide.
Nevertheless, the sea currents in this area are unpredictable. The wave situations and water depth vary considerably with widespread coral reefs. So whether to dive in or to take photos at the walkway, it is crucial to be vigilant about tidal changes.
#3 Steel Reef 鋼鐵礁
Situated in between the Turtle Bay waters and Dabaisha waters, Steel Reef is a dive site composed of several artificial fish reefs, each with a 20 meter-wide top and a 30 meter-wide base, offering crystal clear visibility and often surrounded by a lot of longfin batfish.
The four artificial fish reefs of Steel Reef are artificial habitats originally built to facilitate the settlement and reproduction of planktonic and fouling organisms. Now wrapped around an expansive underwater ecosystem, these artificial reefs have become one of the sought-after destinations for mid-level diving around Green Island. At Steel Reef, the abundant swirls of friendly longfin batfish are the highlight—they are sociable enough to swim along with divers through every ascent and descent.
|| Xiaoliuqiu
#1 Beauty Cave 美人洞
Xiaoliuqiu is the sole offshore island in Taiwan where diving activities remain unaffected by northeast monsoons. With a rather consistent sea temperature ranging from 23 to 29 degrees Celsius year-round, the island is perfect for water activities throughout all seasons. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the government and the public in sea turtle rehabilitation and conservation, Xiaoliuqiu is known as an island where sea turtles outnumber dogs. For anyone who fancies swimming with sea turtles, Xiaoliuqiu is a must-visit destination.
Beauty Cave is known for having the highest number of sea turtles among all dive spots around Xiaoliuqiu. You could easily encounter these magnificent creatures just by swimming off the coast. It is therefore important to stay observant when diving around the waters, as sea turtles are almost everywhere and you might collide with them.
#2 Net Cage 箱網
Xiaoliuqiu is one of the few regions in Taiwan where net-cage aquaculture is feasible. The Pacific Kuroshio Current splits in two at Xiaoliuqiu and flows around the entire island, creating an advantageous geographical environment that allows Xiaoliuqiu to develop offshore net-cage aquaculture. This practice has effectively reduced coastal overfishing and mitigated groundwater-related subsidence, while also contributing to the characteristic landscape of Xiaoliuqiu. The dive site Net Cage lies to the left of Beauty Cave, featuring circles of culturing net cages on the sea surface and a sandy seabed. Net Cage is a mid-level dive spot with a depth of 20 to 25 meters, and also a site for the locals to rehabilitate cobia fish.
Being an island surrounded by the ocean, Taiwan is privileged with gorgeous underwater landscapes, definitely worth visiting. Nevertheless, the ever-changing sea state makes the beautiful sea inherently treacherous, particularly for freediving, an extreme sport that requires the expertise of certified coaches and dive guides. It is thus essential to dive with a professional guide who is familiar with the local terrain, tides, and currents when venturing into uncharted dive sites so that divers can enjoy themselves underwater within a safe and controlled scope.
