Taiwan Diving Environment Overview – Southern Taiwan

Following the previous introduction to Taiwan Diving Environment Overview – Northern Taiwan, you should now have a general sense 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 wonders Xiaoliuqiu and Kenting have in store for divers!

After reading this article, the Editor also recommends checking out the 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. You can get there by taking the High Speed Rail to Kaohsiung Station or the Taiwan Railways to Kaohsiung Station, then transferring to a shuttle taxi to Donggang (shuttle from HSR Kaohsiung Station to Donggang pier is NT$200 per trip; from Kaohsiung Train Station to Donggang pier is NT$150 per trip), and finally boarding a speedboat to Xiaoliuqiu (see the Xiaoliuqiu ferry timetable). Xiaoliuqiu is one of Taiwan's most accessible and affordable dive destinations in terms of transportation costs.

Influenced by a branch of the Kuroshio Current, Xiaoliuqiu enjoys the highest average annual sea temperature of anywhere in Taiwan, remaining above 25°C year-round — an average of 25.0°C in January and 29.4°C in July. In winter, its sea temperature is more than 3°C warmer than the January average of 22.0°C recorded at Houbihu in Hengchun, another well-known tropical resort area in Taiwan, making Xiaoliuqiu one of the best places in Taiwan to enjoy snorkeling and other ocean activities during the colder months. The island's warm waters also nurture more than a thousand species of coral reef.

Xiaoliuqiu is especially famous for its congregation of sea turtles. Sea turtles are migratory animals and would not normally linger in one place for long, yet surveys have recorded over 200 turtles as permanent residents in the waters surrounding Xiaoliuqiu — a truly remarkable sight. This can be attributed to the fact that Xiaoliuqiu was the first area in Taiwan to enforce a mandatory net-free zone within three nautical miles of shore. In addition to strict enforcement by the local fishermen's association, the "Xiaoliuqiu Marine Volunteer Team" has been actively removing abandoned fishing nets and ghost nets from surrounding waters, quietly transforming the area into a habitat where sea turtles can thrive. In 2015, a diver even spotted a passing Whale Shark, further proving that Xiaoliuqiu's conservation efforts have been bearing fruit. Whether snorkeling, diving, or simply standing on shore, you stand a good chance of encountering sea turtles here. Please resist the excitement of chasing or touching them, as doing so can cause harm. Simply stay still and move slowly — a turtle might just mistake you for another marine creature and swim over to say hello. Beyond sea turtles, Xiaoliuqiu is also home to other fascinating marine life, such as garden eels.

In addition to sea turtles, one of Xiaoliuqiu's notable dive sites is an artificial reef wreck — the Zhen Hai warship. However, as it sits at considerable depth and experiences variable currents, it is advisable to check with local dive shops beforehand to determine whether 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, Haiban 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 Wreck, Pole Reef, Beauty Cave Drift Dive

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Southern Diving Destination – Kenting

Kenting sits at the southernmost tip of Taiwan in a tropical climate zone. The annual average temperature is around 23°C, and underwater temperatures range from approximately 24 to 28°C, making it a highly suitable dive destination. Located within Kenting National Park, conservation practices here are more comprehensive than in most other parts of Taiwan, resulting in comparatively rich underwater ecosystems. Thanks to its geography, suitable dive sites can still be found even in winter when the seasonal "Luoshan Wind" (foehn wind) picks up. With dive sites ranging from beginner training spots to advanced boat dives, Kenting is an excellent place to plan a diving trip.

In summer, southerly winds combined with frequent typhoons reduce visibility considerably. Another concern is that illegal water sports operators occupy much of the coastline — high-speed boats and jet skis pose serious safety hazards for divers. It is therefore advisable to avoid the peak summer holiday season and instead visit in winter or spring for a more peaceful dive experience. Because Kenting is suitable for diving year-round, dive training centers are plentiful throughout the area, allowing you to shop around and find the dive site plan that best suits you.

Kenting's notable dive sites:

• Nuclear Power Plant No. 3 Outlet: This is one of the most popular training and introductory dive sites in the Kenting area. Average depth does not exceed 15 m, yet the site offers remarkably diverse marine life — barracuda schools, cuttlefish gatherings, Giant Grouper, Triton's trumpets, and during night diving, the entire seabed carpeted with sleepy rabbitfish. Because the shoreline is rocky reef terrain, extra caution is required when entering and exiting the water if surf is present.

Sites in this area: Drain Outlet, Left Bank of Outlet – Fish Feeding Zone, Garden Soft Coral Zone

• Houbihu Boat Dives: The most famous boat dive sites at Houbihu are the Twin Peak Blue Cave and Independent Reef, which are featured on nearly every boat dive itinerary. Shore dives include a fish feeding area and soft coral zone. Being a marine protected area with the added benefit of regular fish feeding, this site boasts an abundance and diversity of fish life that rivals many overseas dive destinations. The bottom is mostly fine sand and coral reef, so good neutral buoyancy is essential for maintaining visibility and safety, and for avoiding damage to the marine ecosystem.

Sites in this area: Twin Peak Blue Cave, Independent Reef

• Hejie Wreck: Hejie is another popular Kenting dive site. In addition to the partial wreck remains resting at around 30 m, the site regularly features sea turtles, stingrays, and schools of migratory barracuda. Beyond fish-watching, Hejie is best known for macro photography — on shore you'll see enthusiasts arriving with ever-larger camera rigs, all to photograph ever-smaller nudibranch subjects. At 15 m depth, a flame scallop has also taken up permanent residence and become something of a local landmark. Nearby, Wanlitong and Shanhai offer additional sites well-suited for beginner training.

Sites in this area: Hejie, Wanlitong, Shanhai