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You feel like diving in the winter but you think Kenting is too far and you can’t go to GreenIsland because you suffer from seasickness? No problem! There is a turtle island, called Xiao Liuqiu, which has a constant warm temperature, suitable for free diving, all year round. If you take the ferry from DonggangHarbor, it will only take you 20 minutes to reach the island!
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Xiao Liuqiu used to be called Liuqiu Island and it lays south-west of Donggang Township in Pingtung County. It is Taiwan’s only large coral island, and the coral reefs are mainly formed by the erosion of the sea along the coast.
Historically speaking the island was also known as Lambay or Lamey Island. In 1622, a Dutch ship was wrecked on the coral reefs of the island, back then known to the Dutch as Lamey or Lamay island.
The entire crew was killed by the native inhabitants. There was a desire at the very highest levels of the Dutch East India Company not to let the killings go unpunished, with Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies ordering to punish and exterminate the people who had committed those atrocities, thus leading to the Lamay Massacre.
Subsequent developments led to the complete abolition of the aboriginal people on the island, which became a forbidden and restricted area during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, to the point that there were only two or three thousand inhabitants recorded during the Guangxu period.
Xiao Liuqiu Freediving
Xiao Liuqiu is the only island in Taiwan that will not block traffic due to monsoon waves. It is affected by the Kuroshio tributary, causing the water temperature in summer to be around 29 degrees and even in winter it is usually above 23 degrees.
The island has many free diving spots which are always open but during a typhoon. Many people say that the best time to free dive in the island is wintertime, because there are no typhoons, it is not the rainy season, and the visibility at the bottom of the water is quite good.
Turtles are a main attraction, and they can be found practically anywhere. After you dive in the water, you can start counting how many turtles you see.
Xiao Liuqiu has become a main tourist spot for freediving thanks to its sea conditions and to the convenient traffic. It was the first island to have a regular diving coach and thanks to the promotion on social media, for many foreign tourists it is indeed a synonym of freediving.
∆Freediving spots
Following are some of the main freediving spots for your reference. To actually make your plan, it is important to take into consideration the sea and the weather conditions.
FlowerVase Rock:
FlowerVase Rock is the most famous and conspicuous landmark on the island, and one of the hot spots for snorkeling. There are many tropical fish, and turtles; further on the side there are 10-meter deep coral reefs to explore.
However, sightseeing boats sail nearby, therefore it is not a suitable spot for people who want to free dive further out into the sea. It is a nice place for children and parents who want to stay closer to the shore.
Difficulty：★☆☆☆☆
小琉球花瓶岩
花瓶岩
小琉球花瓶岩
花瓶岩
Beauty Cave:
BeautyCave is the spot with the highest amount of sea turtles. When diving pay attention to the rocks and the waves. The water can be very clear; sometimes it is possible to have a 20-meter visibility.
Difficulty：★☆☆☆☆
小琉球美人洞
美人洞
小琉球美人洞
美人洞
Net cage:
On the left-hand side of the Beauty Cave, from the road it is possible to see net-cage fishing culture of cobias. The water is 25 to 35-meter deep and there is sand at the bottom. Last year there was a school of blacktip sharks living here for a period of time.
Difficulty：★★☆☆☆
汪子淵
箱網／汪子淵提供
小琉球箱網
箱網
San-fu Wreck:
Near SanFuFish Harbor you can see a wreck at a depth of 18 meters. The boat top is at a distance of 13 meters from the sea surface. This ship has become quite notorious in the last few years, however currently there are only two diving spots to see it.
To reach the first one, one must swim across the harbor. To reach the second, one must pass an ecological corridor full of sea urchins. Moreover, the shipwreck location lacks positioning reference, and it is also easily hit by ocean currents, therefore unless accompanied by local people, it is not recommended to go there by yourself.
Difficulty：★★★☆☆
小琉球杉福沈船
杉福沈船
小琉球杉福沈船
杉福沈船
Haizi Kou:
Haizi Kou is located in the southwestern part of the island. It is one of the few diving spots characterized by the fact that the coast is still being eroded by the sea and its configuration is changing little by little.
Also the Haizi Kou fishing port has been used less frequently, however it is a violation of the law to swim out into the ocean from inside the port, because at times there are still boats and ships getting in and out. When the sea water is calm, you can get down into the water from the reef rocks on the left-hand side of the port.
Difficulty：★★☆☆☆
小琉球海子口
海子口
Houshi Fringing Reef:
Houshi Fringing Reef is situated in the south and it’s a good spot to avoid the waves which can be found in the north during wintertime. It is a good spot to get in and out of the water for children and adults alike.
The marine life is not that exciting here, however at sunset it is one of the most romantic places to enjoy the beautiful view.
Difficulty：★☆☆☆☆
小琉球厚石漁澳
厚石漁澳
小琉球厚石群礁
厚石群礁
Dafuxi:
In the southwest side of DafuFishPort there is a small abandoned port with a small beach and it is very easy to get into the water from here. Also, it is rarer to encounter strong flows here.
It is the perfect spot for a free diving class. Also, if you adventure further out into the sea, you can enjoy a similar view to that of Houshi Fringing Reef but in an even more calm and serene environment.
Difficulty：★☆☆☆☆
大福漁港西
照片／傑佛瑞提供
Lobster Cave Iron Reef:
If you pick the wrong spot to get in or out of the water from the tidal zone next to the LobsterCave, you may find yourself surrounded by sea urchins.
There are not as many free divers here; however there are quite a few scuba divers. Nearby there is a 32-meter deep iron reef. There is some distance between the two sides of the reef; therefore it is easy to encounter strong flows. Unless you are very familiar with the area, it is advisable not to dive in this spot.
Difficulty：★★★☆☆
小琉球龍蝦洞
龍蝦洞
小琉球鋼鐵礁
鋼鐵礁／阿肥提供
ChungAu Beach:
The best beach in liu chou to enjoy your beers with friends. there’s one diving spot wreck 20 meters away from the coastline, and it’s usually for scuba diving only.
Difficulty：★☆☆☆☆
中澳沙灘
中澳沙灘
中澳沙灘／姜俊吉提供
Beauty Cave – Vase Rock:
It could be defined as a diving site in incognito. If you dive in the water around BeautyCave, you follow the current and you can get ashore by Vase Rock.
There are only a few tourists here and one of the most spectacular marine landscapes of the island. In the past, forty turtles have been spotted here at one time. Remember to be accompanied by local people and make sure that the currents are suitable for diving.
You can park your scooter on the shore at Vase Rock so that you don’t have to walk all the way back to Beauty Cave.
