We made it to Xiao Liuqiu on New Year’s Eve (December 31) and it was grey and rainy because the Siberian winds were blowing through all of Taiwan. But all was beautiful and hopeful again on the New Year (January 1), as I am hopeful for the world in 2021. From talking with locals, this little island has only recently (last 5 to 6 years) become a hot vacation destination, especially with the 20-something crowd, so don’t expect a relaxing, quiet vacation on a secluded island. Taiwan has other islands for that.
Xiaoliuqiu’s main claim to fame is it has one of the highest densities of sea turtles in Taiwan (and maybe the world). They can even be spotted right from shore, just popping their heads out or hovering on the aqua clear waters. I hope the continued onslaught of tourists does not damage this fragile ecosystem. On a positive note, I read last year they found the most sea turtle nests on the island in recent history, so there’s hope.
The little island (about 12 km around and an area of <7 square km) is hillier than expected with a dramatic shoreline and picturesque rock formations abound. There are also some walking trails to the water’s edge or along cliffs (though some were washed out during our visit). Xiaoliuqiu’s primary economy was fishing before the arrival of tourists, and fishing continues to be a major industry on the island. They also boast 600+ lodging options, 80+ temples dedicated to various major deities and hundreds more to minor deities. Much is packed onto this small land mass.
Getting There from Kaohsiung (Zuoying High Speed Rail/MRT Station)
Not one for “reinventing the wheel,” I found the sites at the bottom to be especially helpful in figuring out logistics for the island, so feel free to check them out. I will focus on our own experiences here.
- There is a bus that goes from Kaohsiung directly to the ferry terminal and takes a little over an hour, but we opted for a hired car this time. It costs a bit more but was worth the smooth ride to the Donggang Ferry Terminal (東港渡船碼頭站)
- Once there, there are a few ferry options–two private and a public ferry. They seemed to be all high-speed, modern ferries and similarly priced, so whatever works schedulewise.
- Getting back to Kaohsiung was easy either by bus or many shared taxis available.
(Travel Tip) If you tend to get sea sick, it would be a good idea to take some motion sickness medicine an hour prior to getting on the boat. These small ferries go fast on the open ocean and there could be lots of bobbing up and down.
Where We Stayed
Not sure what we were expecting for accommodations but New Years Eve meant lodging was in high demand, so we opted for a semi-camping setup at Camp Zone (小琉球特區營地). It was part hostel, part camping with shared bathrooms. Basically, a camping-lite experience for the kids with comfortable beds and air conditioning. The best part was the view from the breakfast room and the quick walk to the sheltered sandy beach.
We stayed 3 days and 2 nights on the island which was perfect, allowing lots of beach time for the kids. It could easily be a day trip or a 2 days/1 night trip as well, depending on how efficiently you plan and your preferred mode of transportation.
(Travel Tip) We had limited options with respect to transportation, since we were traveling as a crew of 8 Americans (4 adults and 4 kids) who had little experience on scooters. Thus, we ended up hiring a van to shuttle us around for 12 hours, which worked out to be quite reasonable and helped us cover the entire island very efficiently. Highly recommended if traveling as a family. The lodging staff or the scooter rental folks should be able to help find a driver and vehicle for you, though both would try to convince you to get a scooter instead. For those who can ride a scooter, there are numerous options including gas and electric scooters and electric bikes.
Snorkeling with Sea Turtles
Many snorkeling outfits are available on the island and your lodging should be able to help you organize a trip quite easily. The dive shops will equip you fully (maybe too much gear) and provide a guide for safety reasons. They choose the dive site depending on the water conditions, but you will not be disappointed. There is considerable sea life and sea turtles just steps off the beach. Being the Americans that we were, the level of guidance and safety equipment (life vests and life preservers) felt a bit overkill. So much floating and not enough swimming meant we all suffered from a little motion sickness after 30 minutes in the water. But it was well worth it for a first visit. Also, be prepared for the guide to take lots of pictures for you (photos below courtesy of our guide). You will be glad later to see all the sea life he captured if you did not carry a waterproof camera.
Next time, we know to rent our own equipment, which was tricky to find on the island, but we finally found a place — Happy Little Fish (快樂小魚潛水民宿).
Helpful Links
Everyday Dan Bing 