Xiaoliuqiu Island (小琉球) – The Best Place to Snorkel in Taiwan

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Xiaoliuqiu (aka Little Liuqiu, Lamay Island, or Lambai Island) is a small island paradise off the southwestern coast of Taiwan. The island is known for its clear water, amazing coral reefs, white sand beaches, and quiet laid-back atmosphere. Only a short half-hour boat ride from the Taiwan mainland, the island is easily accessible. In addition, the island is small enough that you can round the entire island by scooter in a matter of minutes.

Historical Background:

In 1622, a Dutch ship crashed on the island, two years before the Dutch began to rule Taiwan, and all but one of the crew members were killed by the aboriginal tribe living on the island at the time.
In retaliation, the Dutch sent a force to massacre the natives on the island. 300 men, women, and children were suffocated alive in a large cave, and the rest of the people were put into slavery by the Dutch. This was known as the Lamey Island Massacre. Later Chinese people began inhabiting the island in 1645.
Later the island fell into Qing, Japanese, and ROC rule.
Currently, the island is a township of Pingtung County with a population of over 10,000 people. Most of the people on the island rely on fishing and tourism for a living.
The island also has one of the largest concentrations of temples in Taiwan.
Xiaoliuqiu started to become a major tourist destination after 2004, reaching over 400,000 tourists per year.

Rules to consider:

• Do not go snorkeling or diving during bad weather, low tide, or big waves.
• Do not trespass private property or government property that is off limits (such as military base, weather station, reservoir, or garbage dump)
• Do not get near or touch sea turtles
• Do not enter regulated inter-tidal zones without a licensed guide (see more below)
• Always snorkel or dive with a buddy
• Have fun

Regulated Inter-tidal Zones:

In 2015 restrictions were placed on the inter-tidal zones in Xiaoliuqiu so that only those with a licensed guide could visit them and swimming is prohibited. These restrictions apply specifically to the following areas:

• Dafu Harbor inter-tidal zone (north of Dafu Harbor)
• Yanziping Beach
• Shanfu Harbor Inter-tidal zone (north of Shanfu Harbor)
• Gebanwan (Venice Beach)

There are other inter-tidal zones that are not regulated.

When to go:

Anytime! Xiaoliuqiu is a tropical island that has warm water and temperatures (above 25 degrees Celsius) year-round. However it is a little cooler and windier during the winter, and you should be sure to avoid Typhoons during summer (ferries will be canceled if there is a Typhoon).
However, it can get really crowded during summer break in July-August, so go during the off-season to avoid the crowds.

Tours:

You can book multiple tours such as snorkeling, scuba diving, SUP experience, Kayak Sailing, submarine ride, and more through Klook or KKday, such as the Xiaoliuqiu Experience Pass.

Where to stay:

Booking accommodation on the island can be difficult in the summer months and on weekends when rooms can be fully booked for months in advance.
Some places we have stayed at that I recommend are Yujing 6.8, which is a four-story house near Dafu Harbor (you can book on Agoda here or Booking.com here), Boliu B&B (柏琉民宿) which is also a nice newly renovated hostel right on the main street near lots of restaurants (you can book on Agoda here or Booking.com here), Haichan Hostel which is a traditional three-sided Taiwanese mansion near the beach (you can book on Agoda here or Booking.com here), and Baisha Bay B&B which is a great place near the main harbor that is only one story so there are no stairs (you can book on Agoda here or Booking.com here). All of the owners of these places were very helpful, and even helped me to move my luggage and rent scooters.
Some hostels require that you pay for my room in advance via bank wire transfer (this may not be an option if you are a foreign traveler, so make sure they accept credit cards if you do not have a Taiwan bank account), but you should not have to do this if you book through Agoda or another hotel booking site.
Looking for a hotel? Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to Get There:

The only way to get there is via ferry from Donggang or Yanpu Ferry Terminal in Pingtung. The ferry ride takes about 25 minutes. There is a ferry leaving from Donggang roughly every half hour from 7 AM to 5 PM.

Taking the Ferry:

Ferry from Donggang Harbor (東港漁港) to Baishawei Harbor (白沙尾漁港) on Xiaoliuqiu:

• Price: 450 NT
• Total travel time: 25-minute trip
• Boats leave about every 30 minutes
• The first boat leaves at about 7:00 AM and the last boat leaves at about 4:30 PM.

Ferry from Yanpu Harbor (鹽埔漁港) in Pingtung to Dafu Harbor (大福漁港) on Xiaoliuqiu:

• Price: 450 NT
• Total travel time: 25 minutes
• Boats leave about every two hours
• The first boat leaves at about 8:00 AM and the last boat leaves at about 4:50 PM.

Parking: There is free scooter parking and paid car parking at the fishing harbor (30 NT per car), but the fishing harbor does not allow overnight parking. Overnight parking near Donggang Fishing Harbor can cost up to 180 NT per day, but parking at Yanpu Harbor is usually free.
Public transport: There are many shuttles to and from Zuoying HSR station that leave hourly. The cost is about 200-300 NT per trip.
You can book tickets to Kaohsiung via high speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here, and then take a shuttle bus.
You can book a shuttle bus from Zuoying HSR Station to Donggang on Klook here or KKday here. The ride takes about an hour.

For more detailed information regarding transportation and ferry schedules, please check out our Xialiuqiu Ferry Guide here. 

Scooter Rental:

Gas Scooters:
Price: expect 300-400 NT per day.
You can book a scooter for a discount through Klook here. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
In general, you will need a local scooter license or international driving permit (IDP), however, if you don’t have these it may still be possible to rent a gas scooter from a friendly scooter rental shop.
Be sure to book your rental in advance, especially during summer weekends. Ask for help from your hostel owner if needed.
Helmet-wearing is not very much enforced, but it’s still the law, and you should definitely wear one for your own safety.
Electric Scooters: If you do not have a local scooter license or international driving permit (IDP), then you can still rent an electric scooter to get yourself around the island. Electric scooters do not require a license in Taiwan.
You can book an electric scooter on Klook here or KKday here and here.

Bicycle Rental:

Riding a bike can be a great way to circle Xiaoliuqiu. You can circle the entire island is less than an hour.
You can ship a bicycle to Xiaoliuqiu for about 100 NT per round trip on the ferry.
There are not many bicycle rental options on Xiaoliuqiu besides electric scooters, so it may be easier to rent a bike in Donggang and ship it over. Usually, bicycle rentals are only about 100-200 NT per day. You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here.
You can book an electric scooter on Klook here or KKday here and here.
You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here.

Cost of a Trip to Xiaoliuqiu:

Ferry ride: about 410 NT per round trip, about 30 minutes. The public ferry goes to Dafu Fishing Harbor (大福漁港), and private ferries go to Baishawei Fishing Harbor (白沙尾漁港). There are ferries that leave at least hourly from about 8 AM to 5:00 PM. You can purchase tickets at Donggang Fishing Harbor (東港漁港), or through a tour agency such as Klook here or here, or KKday.
Hotel / B&B rooms: about 2000-6000 NT per night. This will be the most expensive part of the trip.
Scooter rental: about 400 NT per day. There is a gas station on the back side of the island.
Snorkeling: about 300 NT per hour
Scuba diving: around 2500 NT for 2-3 hours
SUP experience: About 1000 NT for half a day.
Kayak Sailing experience: about 2000 NT for 2 hours.
Submarine adventure: about 2000 NT.

Total cost of a 4-day trip to Xiaoliuqiu for two people: 9,000 NT – 30,000 NT depending on the hotel and types of activities you choose.

Map:

Please see below:

Drone Footage:

Our Journey:

We have visited Xiaoliuqiu three times, once in 2014, once in 2016, once in 2020, twice in 2022, and once in 2023, for a total of six times. I’m going to try to blend all these trips into one blog post.

Or you can check out our 360-degree view of the area above or here.

View of Gebanwan from the road above.

Or check out the 360 panorama above or via this link.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shanfu Ecological Trail (杉福生態廊道)

The Shanfu Ecological Trail is a short trail that follows an old military bunker and has a great view of the ocean.

Originally the trail here went from Shanfu Harbor to the bunker and beyond, but is now closed off.
“Guide to Shanfu Ecology Corridor”
“The Shanfyu Ecology Corridor runs for more than 400 meters between Duzaiping and Shanfu Fishing Harbor. In the old days, its entrance was a restricted gun emplacement; military control has been removed now, but the space inside is still well preserved. The trail follows the seashore all the way, giving visitors access to all kinds of special sea-eroded landscapes such as pillars, notches, and potholes. The path is lined by coastal vegetation such as the beach morning glory, necklace pod, Timor allophones, silver Messerschmitt, and beach naupaka, which not only add color to the sea-eroded terrain but also attract all kinds of insects. When the tide is out this is an excellent place to observe the intertidal life including crustaceans, mollusks, fish, and waterfowl. In addition, the trail faces to the west, making it perfect for watching the sunset from Liuqiu.”

You can also check out our 360-degree panorama of the area above or via this link here.

Old Gun Emplacement / Fort

Flower Vase Rock (花瓶石)

You can also check out our 360-degree panorama of the area above or via this link here.

On the far side of the rock, there is also a trail that later connects up with Beauty Cave.

Another view of the Flower Vase Rock.

A group of people taking photos in front of the rock.

There are also great views of the main Island of Taiwan from here, especially at night.

Baishawei Harbor 白沙尾漁港

View of the Ferry Terminal here at night.

Here you can find a number of experiences available:

SUP experience: About 1000 NT for half a day.
Kayak Sailing experience: about 2000 NT for 2 hours.
Submarine adventure: about 2000 NT.

There is also a nice beach here to watch the evening views.

Last view of Taiwan at night.

You can also check out our 360-degree panorama of the area above or via this link here.

View of Kayakers on the beach.

This is perhaps the most popular start of spot for Kayak tours in Xialiuqiu.

View of the white sand here.

There are also plenty of hermit crabs on this beach.

Further up the beach, the sand gets a bit more rocky.

Secret local tip: you can find some foot showers here at the elementary school behind the beach.

Yuchengwei Intertidal Zone (漁埕尾潮間帶)

View of the control station in front of the intertidal zone.

Yufu Harbor (魚福漁港)

Yufu Harbor is small but is a popular take-off spot for snorkelers.

You can also check out our 360-degree panorama of the area above or via this link here.

 

This is also a popular fishing spot for locals.

View of the boats in Yufu Harbor.

Lobster Cave is a cool feature on Xiaoliuqiu’s coast, with a sea cave that opens up to a small beach.

Be careful when you walk around here. There are cliffs all around.

This is also a popular spot for taking photos.

A man stares down the ledge. Notice snorkelers in the background.

View down to the water below.

Another sea cave below.

Another view down into the Lobster Cave.

 

View of the front entrance.

You can buy tickets to the aquarium here.

Sharks.

Lobsters.

Horseshoe crab.

Giant clam.

Another shark.

Anemone.

 

More fish you can touch.

A Seahorse.

Sea Worms.

Oyster shells with pearls.

 

Gift shop.

Sunrise Pavilion (旭日亭)

“Sunrise Pavilion is situated in the southeastern part of Liuqiu, facing the mighty Taiwan Strait, and is one of the best places on the island for viewing the rising sun. As the sun comes up, its golden rays paint the layered clouds and the sea surface red in a brilliant display of the majestic changes of nature. The coastline below is an expanse of coral-rock terrain that points with finger-like projections into the sea, and you can frequently see fishermen there trying to harvest the sea’s bounty. Like Sunset Pavilion, this spot was once an eroded wasteland that was developed with funds from the Environmental Protection Administration under a program for the restoration and reuse of lands, into a place where visitors and local residents alike can relax and observe the wonders of nature.”

View from the pavilion here.

View here from sunset. I should say there is also a secret closed-off path from here to the Flying Coast.

87 Highlands (八七高地)

 

You can also check out our 360-degree panorama of the area above or via this link here.

Again, Dafu Harbor is hard to miss. It is the biggest harbor on the island and near the only gas station. I suggest renting a scooter to get around the island and get back to the pier in time.
There is one scooter rental shop up the hill right in front of the harbor.

Flying Coast 飛行海灘

You can also check out our 360-degree panorama of the area above or via this link here.