Kenting, then Orchid Island in 5-11 September

Hi everyone, I will visit Taiwan for a dive trip and city tour. As I reach Taiwan airport, I will be heading straight to Kenting and stay there from 5-8 Sept. On 8 Sept, I will take the ferry to Orchid Island and stay there until the 11th.

I already have a room and dive centre for Kenting but I don't have yet for Orchid. My contact in Kenting said that it is easy to find rooms and dive centre through touts at the harbor.

I welcome anyone who wants to join me in this dive trip and I also welcome suggestions on dive centres and accommodation in Orchid.

Cheers,
Vichelle

Hi visyel. I just contacted a guy named Andy. If there were ever a resident guru, it would be Andy. He has been here many years. If he cant personally take you, he will certainly know who you can contact.

Hi, I'm guessing it's the same Andy I'm currently communicating with. His name is Andy Gray and he is based Kenting. He is the one who told me that it is easy to get one in Orchid. But since I cannot speak Mandarin, I am thinking that I might have difficulty communicating with people at the harbor. Let me know if he is the same Andy that you are talking about.

Yep. That's him. You're on the right path.

I can certainly understand your need for an English speaking instructor. I'll pass this on to another person as well. See what they have to say.

Thanks Joe. I'm also posting this to ask people who have dived in Orchid, recommendations on dive centres and accommodation they dived and stayed with.

Visyel

Hi I live on Green Island in Taiwan. Diving on Orchid is not as straight forward as other places in Taiwan. There is a limited amount of English spoken in the dive operations there. But if you go you will find a room as mentioned by Andy with no big issue. As for diving I am sure you will figure out a way but maybe it will not be super easy.

But there are established dive centres there right? Just not english speaking instructors?

If it will be very difficult for me, I guess I will just opt to Green Island after my diving in Kenting. I tried learning basic Mandarin but it is very very limited and I can only speak very little.

visyel wrote:If it will be very difficult for me, I guess I will just opt to Green Island after my diving in Kenting. I tried learning basic Mandarin but it is very very limited and I can only speak very little.

I would recommend this visyel. Green Island is not far from Orchid. The diving was once similar but GI is easier and now even better.

Hi Visyel, Andy here. There are 4 dive shops on Orchid Island and they all charge more or less the same rates.  I am not saying that no English is spoken. There are people on Orchid that do speak fairly good English but none of them operate dive shops. The dive shop operators all speak a little, fairly broken English but you should be able to communicate.  You asked me to recommend dive shops on the island but I did not that is because it is very difficult communicating with them by phone and none of them have websites in English. I really think your best bet, if you are set on going to Orchid is just get picked up by a dive shop tout at the harbour. They send their best English speakers to the harbour to look for customers. They will also negotiate you renting a scooter from the local guy or they might have their own scooters to rent. Your biggest problem might be ordering food, as there is only one restaurant that I know of that has a menu in English. That is called the Epicurean run by young people from Taitung and it is in the main village. Anyway, whatever you decide good luck.  Green Island might be a better option as there are plenty of English speakers there and the diving is just as good.