Top 10 Dive Sites in Taiwan
Taiwan is one of East Asia's most underappreciated dive destinations, a fact that baffles anyone who has dived Green Island or Orchid Island and seen the quality of the reefs for themselves. The island sits at the intersection of the Kuroshio Current — the Pacific's equivalent of the Gulf Stream — with the colder water masses of the East China Sea, creating upwellings that drive exceptional marine productivity. Green Island (Ludao) off the southeast coast hosts some of the most coral-diverse reefs in the western Pacific north of the Coral Triangle, with several hundred coral species recorded. Orchid Island (Lanyu), inhabited by the indigenous Tao people, combines pristine reef with an authentic cultural experience unavailable anywhere else. The northeast coast around Keelung and Hualien provides more accessible diving close to the capital. Water temperatures range from 22°C in February–March to 30°C in July–August. Visibility is best from June through November on the Pacific-exposed sites. Open the map to find dive sites across Taiwan.
1. Green Island (Ludao), Taitung County
Green Island is Taiwan's premier dive destination, a volcanic island 33 kilometres off the southeast coast whose waters have been a marine protected area since the 1990s. The reefs here descend from the surface to 30–40 metres over multiple coral terrace systems, supporting an extraordinary diversity of hard corals — massive Porites heads exceeding 2 metres, delicate branching Acropora, and table corals the size of dining tables. White-tip reef sharks rest on the sand terraces. Manta rays pass through seasonally. The island's famous landmark is Shilang Lighthouse, and the reef directly below it provides the most photogenic diving on the island. Visibility averages 20–25 metres from June through November. Water temperature 26–29°C in summer. Advanced Open Water recommended for the deeper terraces. Ferries from Fugang Port in Taitung.
2. Kenting, Southern Taiwan
Kenting National Park on Taiwan's southern tip is the most accessible marine protected area in the country, and the closest serious diving to Kaohsiung. The Kenting reefs run along the peninsula's western and southern coasts, with sites like Wanlitung and Houbihu offering coral gardens at 8–18 metres that are well within Open Water diver range. Spotted eagle rays are regular on the sandy patches between coral heads, and colourful nudibranchs appear in profusion on the reef after surveys have confirmed over 200 species in the park. The shallow conditions and year-round warm water (minimum 23°C in winter) make Kenting the preferred training ground for Taiwan's beginning divers. Visibility averages 10–15 metres; the typhoon season (June–October) can bring surge and reduced visibility on the exposed southern coast.
3. Orchid Island (Lanyu), Taitung County
Orchid Island is 62 kilometres south of Green Island, inhabited by the Tao (Yami) people whose traditional culture is still tangible in daily life. The surrounding reefs are among the most pristine in Taiwan, partly because the small population exerts minimal fishing pressure and partly because the island's distance from the mainland discourages casual visitor traffic. The walls here plunge to serious depths; the upper 25 metres are richly covered in sea fans, soft corals, and healthy hard coral, with a fish life density that exceeds even Green Island on the more sheltered sites. Hammerhead sharks have been sighted seasonally. Flying fish — central to Tao culture — leap over the dive boats from March through June. Advanced Open Water recommended for the walls. Ferry from Taitung or Green Island.
4. Northeast Coast, Hualien and Yilan
The northeast coast of Taiwan, stretching from Yilan through Hualien, provides mainland Taiwan's best diving without the island ferry dependency. Rocky reefs and basalt formations descend from the Pacific coast to 15–25 metres over a substrate of mixed hard coral, turf algae, and encrusting coralline algae. The Kuroshio Current pushes past this coast year-round, bringing clear blue water and the pelagic species that travel with it — large dogtooth tuna, wahoo, and occasional whale sharks pass through in autumn. The rocky pinnacle sites near Hualien produce some of the best current-driven reef diving on the mainland coast. Advanced Open Water for current-exposed sites; Open Water for sheltered inshore reefs. Visibility peaks September through November.
5. Xiaoliuqiu (Little Liuqiu Island), Pingtung County
Xiaoliuqiu is a coral island 14 kilometres off the Pingtung coast in the Taiwan Strait, famous throughout Taiwanese diving for its exceptional population of green sea turtles. The turtles here are so accustomed to divers that encounters at ranges of less than a metre are routine; hawksbills are also present. The coral is in reasonable condition given the island's accessibility, and the diversity of reef fish is good. Depths are moderate — most sites between 5 and 18 metres — making the island appropriate for Open Water divers. Visibility averages 10–15 metres; the Taiwan Strait side is less clear than the Pacific sites due to river sediment influence. The island's popularity means it can be crowded at weekends. Best weekdays in the May–October season. Ferry from Donggang in Pingtung.
6. Wanlitung, Kenting National Park
Wanlitung is a bay on Kenting's western coast, sheltered from the northeast monsoon by the peninsula and accessible year-round when the Pacific-exposed eastern sites are rough. The reef at Wanlitung is particularly good for coral observation: the shallow crest at 5–8 metres is a teaching-ground for the identification of massive Porites, plate Montipora, and branching Stylophora. Clownfish in their Stichodactyla host anemones are numerous. Crocodilefish lie in plain sight on the sandy patches between coral heads. The site runs to about 18 metres before a sandy bottom takes over. Open Water standard; popular for certification training. Year-round diving; best March through June and October through December outside the typhoon and monsoon windows.
7. Green Island: Dabaisha Beach Wall
The wall off Dabaisha on Green Island's southeast coast is the island's most dramatic dive: a vertical coral face beginning at 5 metres and dropping past 40. The upper section to 20 metres is the most coral-rich, with fire corals, brain corals, and massive Porites in dense sequence. Below 20 metres the wall becomes more vertical and the character shifts — large sea fans emerge from the face, deep-water anthias school in the mid-water, and the sense of depth becomes apparent. Visibility is typically 20–25 metres from June through September. A safety stop at 5 metres on the coral crest is particularly enjoyable here. Advanced Open Water required; excellent buoyancy essential to avoid contact with the coral. Best June through October.
8. Bitoujiao, Northeast Coast
Bitoujiao is a rocky cape at the northeastern tip of Taiwan, accessible from Keelung, with a set of dive sites suited to divers who want temperate-water diving close to Taipei. The Cape's submarine base is formed of thick, irregular basalt blocks that create habitat for species characteristic of cooler northern water: lion's mane-related anemones, feather stars in multiple colours, and large populations of Japanese pufferfish. Water temperature here reaches only 18–20°C in winter, requiring a 7mm wetsuit at minimum. Visibility averages 8–12 metres. The site is most productive in spring (March–May) when water clarity peaks before summer plankton blooms. Open Water standard. Shore entry from the coastal road. Popular with nudibranch photographers who prefer the cooler north's distinctive fauna.
9. Hualien Port Area
The breakwaters and artificial structures around Hualien Port provide classic urban muck diving, a style that suits photographers and marine biologists looking for rare and unusual species outside their normal habitat. The pier pilings at 8–12 metres are covered in encrusting life — tunicates, hydroids, and bryozoans that serve as habitat for a surprising cast: tiny pipefish, various shrimp species, juvenile fish hiding in the structure, and occasional mimic octopus on the sand beneath. The port area is dived primarily by local clubs who maintain access with the harbour authority. Visibility is typically 5–10 metres. Open Water standard. Night dives here are the most productive for finding species that shelter in dark crevices during the day.
10. Chenggong, East Coast
Chenggong is a fishing port midway down Taiwan's east coast, where the Hualien–Taitung coastal road runs between the mountains and the Pacific. The rocky reefs here are exposed directly to the Kuroshio Current, which means the diving can be demanding but the fish life is exceptional. Large schools of bigeye trevally and yellowfin tuna move through the site in autumn, and the reef structure at 15–25 metres is a mixture of basalt and coral that supports a healthy population of large grouper. The site is infrequently dived by foreign visitors and has a genuinely wild quality. Advanced Open Water strongly recommended; current can be strong and unpredictable. Best September through November when the Kuroshio runs most prominently and visibility peaks at 20–25 metres.
Planning Your Taiwan Dive Trip
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei is the main entry point, with onward domestic flights or high-speed rail to southern Taiwan for Kenting, and trains to Hualien and Taitung for the Pacific coast and island access. Green Island and Orchid Island ferries depart from Fugang Port (Taitung County), a short taxi from Taitung train station. The main dive season is May through November; the northeast monsoon from October through February significantly affects the northeast coast and the Taiwan Strait, but the Pacific side remains diveable. Typhoon season runs June through October, and individual storms can close diving for several days. Dive operators are concentrated in Green Island, Kenting, and the northeast coast towns; most are SSI or PADI affiliated, and several on Green Island have English-speaking guides experienced with international visitors. Rental equipment is available throughout. Nitrox is available at most Green Island operators. Open the map to plan your Taiwan diving itinerary and locate dive centres across the island.