Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
some just minutes from the cities. There are no dangerous animals in the water and the
landscape is exotic.
The general season for tracing is June to September. On the hottest days of summer
many people simply trace up to deep waterfall-fed pools for swimming. Be aware that af-
ternoon thundershowers in summer are common in the north and central mountains and
water levels can rise fast.
River-tracing sites worth checking out include Wulai, which is one of the best venues
for amateurs (it has deep river pools for swimming, endless waterfalls and a jungle land-
scape), and various locations in Hualien, including the Golden Canyon, a full-day trip in-
to a beautiful gorge. Contact Hualien Outdoors (
Click here
)
for guided tours.
Equipment required for river tracing includes a life jacket, helmet, ropes or climbing
slings, and a waterproof bag. Felt-bottomed rubber shoes are necessary for gripping the
slippery rock - you can pick up a pair for NT$300 to NT$400 at a mountain-equipment
store. Neoprene can be useful even in summer as it can get chilly in higher mountain
streams, especially when you've been in the water all day.
Diving & Snorkelling
Taiwan has an excellent range of venues for scuba diving and snorkelling, with good vis-
ibility and warm waters year-round in the south. There are well-preserved deep- and
shallow-water coral reefs off Lanyu, Green Island, Kenting and the east coast. Green Is-
land alone has 200 types of soft and hard corals and plenty of tropical reef fish. It also
has a yearly hammerhead shark migration during the winter months (for advanced divers
only).
In the north there's good diving from Yeliu down to Ilan, including off Turtle Island.
With the Kuroshio Current (north-flowing ocean current) running close to shore, you'll
find an intriguing mix of tropical and temperate sea life, including some gorgeous soft
coral patches.
In Taiwan currents are strong and have been known to sweep divers out to sea. Exits
on shore can be hard. The biggest problem, though, is usually sunburn, so wear a shirt
with SPF protection even when snorkelling. Sharks and jellyfish are not usually a prob-
lem but caution is advised.
The best time to dive is during the shoulder season, which runs before and after sum-
mer. Winter is also a good time to escape the crowds, with visibility in the south and the
east still very good (20m).
John Boo (
Click here
)
has a good reputation among divers for his skill and knowledge.
For serious dives, such as going out to watch the hammerhead shark migration, contact
