Info on Taipei, Taiwan

Hi all,

I am going on a business trip to Taipei next May, and I am trying to decide if I will extend it for a few days for diving/photographing. Has anybody dove there? Is it any good? If not, is there a nearby (2-3 hour flight) good destination?

Thanks,

Luiz

It's been awhile, so I hope someone will correct me if I'm out of date (or just plain wrong).

I don't think there is any diving in the north, which is where Taipei is.

There used to be a few ok dives in the south, near Oluanbi (at the very southern tip of the island, south of Tainan), but a few years ago I heard the sites had been pretty trashed, all the fish shot, lots of garbage, etc.

You might consider the Philippines.

Frogfish

While there is some diving in the north, the "better" diving is supposedly in the south, mostly around Kenting as well as Orchid Island. Orchid Island is logistically more difficult to get to and hence more expensive.

I only did a few shore dives around Kenting and was very disappointed. I can't recall the price, but it was expensive, viz. was poor, (maybe five metres?) max. depth was about 10 metres, there was little coral and the quantity of fish was very limited.

If you do go, bring your own equipment as the equipment for hire is of questionable quality. While I brought my own equipment, the guides didn't even have an octopus, but I suppose it may not be absolutely necessary with a max depth of 10 metres.

The guide on the first dive kept getting lost and had to surface a number of times to check out the landmarks on shore in order to get his bearings. Another dive was led by a local UW photographer who thought nothing of breaking coral in the way in order to get a shot. A miserable experience.

Unless you absolutely have to go, I'd give it a miss.

As Frogfish mentioned, the Philippines is close by, and there are also direct flights from Taipei to Palau, a reasonable 3.5 hours away.

Cheers.

Hi guys,

Thanks for the messages. I think I will follow your suggestions and go dive somewhere else. I just check on the web, and apparently my best deal will be Bali. It will be an additional of only 200 dolars to my ticket to include a leg from Taipei to Bali (5 hour flight). I've been there before, but only to Nusa Penida and Menjangan, I think this will be my chance to visit Tulamben and dive the Liberty wreck. Any hotel suggestions? I am planning to stay 4-5 days.

Sounds like a good choice. See the other thread on Tulamben. People are positive about Club Seraya, a new place, not actually in the same bay, but close enough to get to the Liberty Wreck and other Tulamben sites by boat.

Alternatively, there are several places to stay in Tulamben. Mimpi is upscale accomodations, a bit pricey. Paradise is down-market a bit, but acceptable and reasonably-priced - it's where I ususally stay. Tauch Terminal is quite a nice place to stay, but they require that you do your diving with them, use their tanks etc., so I haven't stayed there in quite a while, as I am usually diving with BIDP, a Sanur-based operator who I use for all my diving here in Bali.

Email me if you want a contact address for BIDP.

Frogfish

Hi all,

I'm a new member from Taiwan.

It seems that Taiwan is a poor place for diving!

I think that insufficient diving information is the most problem.

Because the monsoon influence, you have to go the right diving place in the right season.

Provide you guys some information about the popular diving place of Taiwan:

Northeast part: May ~ September (Good for muck diving)

Southern Part (Ken Ting): March ~ June (Beautiful coral reef and huge sea fan)

Green Island: All year around (Amazing visibility over 25m, healthy coral reef and huge school of hammerhead shark encounter on January to March)

Orchid Island: March ~ June (Amazing visibility over 35m, healthy carol reef, beautiful wreck diving and special aboriginal culture)

Please visit my friend-Perry Kuo and my website to explore the new diving destination of Taiwan.

Orchid Island:

http://perryguo.com/perry/index.php?op=Vie...eId=48&blogId=1

Fishing net Diving:

http://perryguo.com/taiwan/index.php?imgdi...eShark%20200404

Northeast Coast:

http://divingshots.myweb.hinet.net/images/...o/log92ne_1.htm

Green Island:

http://divingshots.myweb.hinet.net/images/...log921030_1.htm

Good Diving, Connie

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http://divingshots.myweb.hinet.net/log.htm

Nikon V, Sea&Sea 12mm Fisheye lens, Close up kits, Ikelite Ai 100 strobe.

Hi Connie, I love your slide shots....It's good to see some slide shooters once in a while to tell me that I should keep my first u/w film camera.