Taiwan is probably not the first country mentioned when the conversation turns to the spectacular scuba diving that exists in Asia; but, as more people are discovering, diving in Taiwan is actually excellent. This is not too surprising considering that Taiwan is an island straddling the Tropic of Cancer, with many offshore islets scattered around it. But Taiwan remains a yet undiscovered gem in Asia's crown of dive locations such as Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. In fact, Taiwan offers diving that rivals, and often exceeds, its more popular neighbors and is poised to enhance its image as a dive destination.
Scuba diving is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world with thousands of new devotees earning their certification cards every year. Taiwan is riding this wave with over 50 dive shops islandwide; over 30 are in Taipei alone. Plenty of shops in Kaohsiung and Taichung also wait to cater to your underwater needs.
How To Start
The key to the underwater world is a certification card issued by any one of several worldwide agencies such as PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors), or SSI (Scuba Schools International). PADI is the most popular organization and certifies more divers every year than all the others combined. The certification card is granted upon completion of a short classroom course in the physics, physiology, and techniques of swimming underwater, followed by four training dives conducted in the open ocean under the watchful eye of an instructor. With a "C-card" in hand the new diver can purchase air and rent or buy the specialized equipment necessary to sustain life beneath the sea.
Taiwan is, for some reason, one of the least expensive countries in Asia to obtain scuba certification. Basic open water courses can be found for as little as NT$5,000. Most shops also require that you purchase at least a mask, fins, a snorkel, and a wet suit; and while the prices for these items are generally reasonable, more specialized gear like regulators and buoyancy compensators are vastly overpriced in Taiwan, and better be bought in Hong Kong or Guam. Still, a basic equipment setup and certification is a real bargain at under NT$15,000. Obviously, this is not a cheap hobby. Once you come up from your first dive, though, you will be willing to pay almost any price to do it again and again.
With an estimated 4,000 local and 400 expatriate divers, and hundreds of dive sites, diving in Taiwan is often a matter of simply getting a tank and dropping beneath the waves at any likely-looking spot along the coast. The sites are pristine and the water is clear and relatively warm. Prime locations for diving are scattered throughout the island and are easily reached from the major cities. You can 'do-it-yourself' once you gain local experience; until then, your local dive shop can provide information on guided trips to Kenting in the south and the offshore islands.
Kenting
The southern tip of the island is the logical starting point for any dive expedition in Taiwan because nearly the entire area is designated as a national park. Two fully-equipped dive shops in the small town of Nanwan (South Bay), just a few kilometers north of Kenting, offer everything from tank fills to full equipment rental, dive guides, and boats. For divers with their own gear, tank fills are available for just NT$200. Full gear rental costs NT$1,000 and a day trip on a boat is an additional NT$700. You don't really need a boat to find excellent diving; superb sites lie waiting off nearly any stretch of coast that allows a reasonable entry. Care must be taken, though, as much of this coast is rocky and battered by large waves. Strong, unpredictable currents add to the hazards faced by divers who are inexperienced or unfamiliar with the area, so dive guides are highly recommended.
The scenery which makes the national park so spectacular extends below the water. The cliffs on the shore drop into extensive coral reefs thriving with life. Visibility is excellent, averaging 40 feet and soaring to 80 on a good day. All manner of marine life mingles in the coral canyons. This writer has encountered large hawksbill turtles, blue-spotted sting-rays, huge lobsters, and, of course, lots of interesting fish. The reefs provide an almost unlimited area for exploration and the diver will easily find caves and swim-throughs to explore which will satisfy that aching desire to discover.
Green Island
This island lying less than 50 kilometers off the coast near Taitung offers some of the best diving in Taiwan. Unfortunately, it can be a bit expensive because it is necessary to fly in or take a ferry; and there are no dive shops on the island, so you must arrange the diving aspects of your trip through one of the mainland shops. Three-day/2-night trips from Taichung are about NT$12,000.
Tapaisha (Big White Sand) Beach on the southern end of the island is the center for diving here. The remote location of this beach guarantees excellent visibility and the chance to see some exciting animals.
Penghu Islands
The Portuguese called this group of 64 islands situated midway between Taiwan and mainland China the Pescadores because of all the fish found there. Certainly there are fewer fish today than there were when the Portuguese arrived, but enough remain to make the diving interesting. As with Green Island, it is most convenient to fly in with a trip organized by one of your local dive shops.
Diving in Penghu is characterized by strong currents and is best suited for more experienced divers; the strong currents, however, often bring in the bigger pelagic (ocean-going) fish that divers love to see.
To Boldly Go...
While these places represent the best locations for diving in Taiwan, many of us don't have the time to fly off to islands or fight traffic down to Kenting to satisfy our craving to get underwater. Fortunately, dive sites have been explored on the northeast coast only a couple of hours from Taipei. In fact, hard-core divers with proper experience and training have probably dropped in all around the coast hoping to discover another great dive site, but they're not about to reveal their secret places.
Scuba diving in Taiwan is still in its infancy. Even relatively developed areas like Kenting reveal new locations with regularity. Large stretches of coastline remain unexplored, but for most of us there is enough in the known areas to keep us busy for a long time. The next step is to get more people diving and spread the word. Compared to Japan with its millions of divers, Taiwan has a minuscule number of local enthusiasts.
A certified diver soon becomes a dedicated dive traveler, willing to spend big bucks to endure long plane, bus, and boat rides while lugging heavy bags full of strange equipment to remote beaches for the pleasure of bubbling through the local sea. It is not difficult to understand the appeal. To go scuba diving is to enjoy the beauty and life of another world in which the only sound is the steady rhythm of your breathing. Bubble on! More information about diving in Taiwan is available from Friendship Divers Association International at (02)362-9658 or the China Diving Association at (02)567-0256.