Taiwan Diving Environment Overview – Southern Taiwan

Following the previous introduction to Taiwan Diving Environment Overview – Northern Taiwan, you should now have a general picture of the dive sites in northern Taiwan. Next, we turn our attention to the southern part of the main island to see what kind of amazing experiences Xiaoliuqiu and Kenting have in store for divers!

After reading this article, the Editor also recommends checking out Taiwan Diving Environment Overview – Outlying Islands!

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Southern Outlying Island – Xiaoliuqiu

Xiaoliuqiu is located to the southwest of the main island of Taiwan and is a coral reef island. To get there, you can take the High Speed Rail to Kaohsiung Station or the Taiwan Railways to Kaohsiung Station, then transfer by shuttle taxi to Donggang (shuttle from HSR Kaohsiung Station to Donggang Pier is NT$200; from Kaohsiung Train Station to Donggang Pier is NT$150), and then board a speedboat to Xiaoliuqiu (see the Xiaoliuqiu ferry timetable). Xiaoliuqiu is one of Taiwan's more affordable and accessible dive destinations.

Influenced by a branch of the Kuroshio Current, Xiaoliuqiu enjoys the highest annual average sea temperature in all of Taiwan, remaining above 25°C year-round — averaging 25.0°C in January and 29.4°C in July. In winter, the sea temperature here is more than 3°C warmer than Houbihu in Hengchun, another well-known tropical destination in Taiwan, where the January average sits at 22.0°C. This makes Xiaoliuqiu one of the best spots in Taiwan for snorkeling and other ocean activities during winter. These warm waters also nurture more than a thousand species of coral reef.

Xiaoliuqiu is especially famous for its resident sea turtle population. sea turtles are migratory animals that typically do not linger in any one place for long — yet surveys have documented over 200 sea turtles permanently residing in the waters around Xiaoliuqiu, a truly remarkable phenomenon. This can be attributed to the fact that Xiaoliuqiu was Taiwan's first area to mandate a mandatory no-net zone within three nautical miles of shore. Beyond strict enforcement by the local fishermen's association, the "Xiaoliuqiu Ocean Volunteer Team" has also been working continuously to remove abandoned fishing nets from surrounding waters, quietly transforming the area into an ideal long-term habitat for sea turtles. In 2015, divers even spotted a passing Whale Shark, further proof that Xiaoliuqiu's conservation efforts are paying off. Whether snorkeling, scuba diving, or simply standing on shore, visitors can easily spot sea turtles around Xiaoliuqiu. When you encounter one, please resist the excitement and do not chase or touch them — this can cause injury. Simply stay still with minimal movement, and a sea turtle may just mistake you for another marine creature and swim right over to investigate. Besides sea turtles, Xiaoliuqiu is also home to some unique marine life, such as garden eels.

Among Xiaoliuqiu's unique dive sites, one particularly notable attraction — aside from the sea turtles — is an artificial reef wreck, the Zhen Hai warship. However, as it sits at considerable depth with strong and variable currents, it is advisable to check with local dive shops beforehand to see if conditions are suitable for a dive on any given day.

Xiaoliuqiu's dive sites can be divided by dive type:

Shore dives: Vase Rock, Soft Coral Zone, Hard Coral Zone, Geban Bay, Dafu West, Zhong'ao Beach, Duozaiping

Boat dives: Zhong'ao Wreck, Power Plant Site, Haizi Kou (Zhen Hai Wreck), Wugui Cave Drift Zone, Venice Wreck, Broken Boat Wreck, Pole Reef, Beauties Cave Drift Diving

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Southern Diving Destination – Kenting

Kenting sits at the southernmost tip of Taiwan and enjoys a tropical climate, with an annual average temperature of around 23°C and underwater temperatures ranging from approximately 24°C to 28°C — making it an excellent environment for diving year-round. Located within Kenting National Park, marine conservation practices here are more developed than in many other parts of Taiwan, resulting in a relatively rich underwater ecosystem. The varied topography also means that even during winter when the Luoshan (falling mountain) winds pick up, suitable dive sites can still be found. With sites ranging from beginner training dives to advanced boat dives, Kenting is a fantastic place to plan a diving trip.

In summer, southerly winds and frequent typhoons reduce visibility, and to make matters worse, illegal water-sports operators occupy much of the coastline — high-speed boats and jet skis along the shore pose serious safety hazards for divers. It is therefore advisable to avoid the peak summer holiday season and instead plan a peaceful dive trip in winter or spring. Since Kenting is suitable for diving throughout the year, dive training centers are plentiful, so you can shop around and find the best itinerary for your needs.

Notable dive sites in Kenting:

• Nuclear Power Plant No. 3 Outlet: A popular training and introductory dive site in the Kenting area. With an average depth of no more than 15m, it nonetheless offers an impressive diversity of marine life — barracuda schools, cuttlefish aggregations, Giant Grouper, Cassis cornuta (helmet shells), and during night diving, the sea floor is blanketed with sleeping rabbitfish. The shoreline is rocky reef terrain, so extra caution is needed when entering and exiting the water during surge.

  Dive sites in this area: Outlet, Left Bank of the Outlet – Fish Feeding Area, Garden Soft Coral Area

• Houbihu Boat Dives: The most famous boat dive sites at Houbihu are Twin Peaks Blue Cave and Independent Reef — two hotspots that appear on virtually every boat dive itinerary. For shore dives, popular options include the fish feeding area and the soft coral zone. Thanks to the marine protected area designation combined with regular fish feeding, this site boasts an abundance and variety of fish life that rivals many international dive destinations. The bottom is primarily fine sand and coral reef, so good neutral buoyancy is essential to maintain visibility and safety while avoiding damage to the marine ecosystem.

  Dive sites in this area: Twin Peaks Blue Cave, Independent Reef

• Hejie Wreck: Hejie is another popular Kenting dive site. In addition to wreck remains sitting at around 30m, the area is frequented by sea turtles, Stingray, and roaming schools of barracuda. Beyond fish-watching, Hejie is also renowned for macro photography — on shore you'll often see photographers arriving with increasingly large camera rigs, only to go underwater to photograph increasingly tiny nudibranch. At 15m depth, a resident flame scallop (Lima scabra) has become something of a local landmark at Hejie. Nearby, Wanlitong and Shanhai are also excellent sites well suited to novice training dives.

  Dive sites in this area: Hejie, Wanlitong, Shanhai