Tag archives for diving
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Snorkel gear can be picked up at any of the beachy shops in Kenting town. The area around sail rock is popular with snorkelers. If you want to go scuba diving, check out Taiwan Dive for classes.
Rent a Scooter
Most places in Taiwan require a Taiwanese driving license to rent a scooter, but in Kenting, its legal for tourists to rent electric scooters. These surprisingly powerful little bikes can get you over all the hills and to every beach in Kenting for about 800 NTD a day. You can read about the best places to scooter to in Kenting over on my blog.
Be a Beach Bum
You’ve got plenty of white sandy options in Kenting to fulfill your holiday needs of reading a book and splashing around in the ocean. From Baisha Bay to Kenting Town Beach you’re sure to find a quiet spot to relax in the sun or play in the water.
Hike in a National Park
Kenting has two main parks, Eluanbi, which is the Southernmost tip of Taiwan, and Kenting National Park. Both parks have great views, fun hikes, and picturesque gardens to while away an afternoon in.
Explore a Cave
Kenting National Park is also home to two caves: the fairy cave and the silver dragon cave. Both are bigger than they initially seem from the outside and are fun (and refreshing) to explore on a hot summer’s day.
Learn to Surf
Jialeshuei is the famous surfing beach in Kenting, but other Kenting other beaches are also good for beginners.
Afei’s Surf Hostel is a great place to check out if you want lessons. Even if you don’t want to surf, I can recommend Afei’s as a lovely hotel to stay at.
Snack Your Way Through a Night Market
Kenting Night Market basically shuts the roads down in Kenting town in the evening as tourists and foods stands fill the main road. You can get typical beach food like ice cream and corn dogs or you can branch out and try some wild hog meat and stinky tofu.
Explore Taiwan’s History in Hengchun
Hengchun is an easy scooter ride away from Kenting and it’s a great place to head to for some interesting architecture and Taiwanese history. Walk from historic gate to historic gate down narrow roads and get a feel for what Taiwanese life was like a hundred years ago.
Stand on the Edge of a Cliff
Fongchueisha and Longpan will get your blood pumping if you bike to either of these two look out points for a stunning, cliff-side view down to the rocky waters below.
Stare at Fish from a Glass Bottom Boat
Head to Houbihu Harbor for a ride in a glass bottom boat. It’s 600 NTD a person.
Kenting, Taiwan has a lot to offer the sun-loving vacationer. With cheap food and plenty of sights the South of Taiwan makes an excellent holiday destination.
As a diving instructor living in Indonesia, one of the best diving spots in the entire world, I meet lots of people who would love to go on a dive but are nervous about the health and safety aspects. I meet even more people, unfortunately, who are so keen to start diving that they completely ignore the health and safety aspects, potentially putting themselves in danger.
My job isn’t just to take people on the trip of a lifetime – it’s also to imbue them with a healthy respect for the ocean and everything that lives within it. Here’s my advice, one that I dispense daily in the course of my work, written down to help out beginners to the wonderful world of diving.
Find a quiet spot to dive
If you’re a beginner diver, you don’t want to be overwhelmed with crowds the first times you dive. Those same crowds might also scare off the marine life, therefore cancelling out the very thing you came for.
My favourite diving spots of all time are Padang Bay which has amazing dive sites, and Nusa Dua which is great for those who love isolation. Moreover, those amazing locations are just scratching the surface of all Bali has to offer – but you really should do some research before you book your diving trip.
Consider your own health
To be a diver, you really have to be quite physically fit. Cardiac-related deaths make up at least a quarter of all diving deaths, so please don’t become a part of the statistic.
Undergo a physical examination before taking up diving as a serious hobby, and absolutely ask your doctor if there’s anything at all in your health records that could make diving an overly dangerous experience for you. Even if you’re given an absolute all-clear and told you’re healthy, you still have to listen to your body at all times and never get complacent in your health. If you have a cold or the flu or are even just tired from partying, don’t dive. And don’t dive if you’ve been drinking. Just don’t risk it.
However, bear in mind that it’s not impossible to scuba dive if you’re disabled. There are many centers and resources for disabled people who want to try diving.
Plan ahead and stick with your buddy
Before you go diving, you should have planned out every last detail, including how deep you’ll go and how much air you’ll have in your tank when you ascend. If there’s anything you’re unsure about, ask your diving instructor. Never be afraid to ask us questions in fact – it’s what we’re here for.
You should have a diving buddy who goes under with you (It’s best if this is someone you already know, but it doesn’t have to be). You should pre-arrange hand signals with them beforehand, as obviously you won’t be able to converse underwater. Keep your diving buddy in sight at all times; don’t swim off the second you spot something interesting. If you do lose them, slowly ascend to the surface to regroup.
Go slowly and relax
It can be scary diving for the first time, but you simply have to relax your body and, if needs be, remind yourself that diving accidents are incredibly rare. If for any reason you start to panic, alert your buddy and your dive instructor and slowly start ascending. That ‘slowly’ is very important when it comes to diving – ascend too quickly and the nitrogen bubbles forming in your blood will make you sick with decompression illness or ‘the bends’. That’s one thing you absolutely, definitely do not want.
Ascend at 30 feet per minute max, and you should be fine. Then, take some time to rest before diving again.
Diving is fun, the best kind of fun in the world in my opinion, but it’s not a sport for the careless or arrogant. Always follow your instructor’s advice – it’ll save you ruining your holiday with a spell in hospital instead of underwater.
There are a number of excellent dive locations in Malaysia. On the island of Borneo, in the southern region of Sabah is where divers can find some of the finest dive sites in Malaysia. The east coast of Peninsular Malaysia is where some of the most easily reachable dive sites are located, although between October and March the region is prone to the monsoon season that arrives every year. Nonetheless, below is an overview of five of the most interesting locations to dive in Malaysia based on their attractiveness, bio-diversity and dive conditions.
1. Mabul Island, Kapalai Island & Sipadan Island
In the whole of Malaysia, perhaps the best dive sites can be found around these three islands. When it comes to truly enjoying scuba diving in Malaysia, Sipadan is by far the most excellent place and diving there is not quite easy due to the restricting rules. For spectacular muck diving conditions, divers should head over to Mabul Island. Although Kapalai is not very interesting for diving since it is just a small sand bank, but a really exclusive resort built on stilts can be found there. Nontheless, if you visit Sipadan for diving then you should make sure that you do not miss Mabul or vice versa.
2. Lankayan Island
It is quite common to sight a whale shark when diving around Lankayan Island. Lankayan Island is a small island located in eastern Sabah, north of the city of Sandakan. There is only a single but luxurious resort on Lankayan Island that is all about diving and relaxing. Anyone who is really interested in diving around Lankayan Island will surely be able to afford accommodation there. After Sipadan, the best diving conditions and dive spots in Malaysia can without a doubt be found at Lankayan Island.
3. Layang-Layang Island
Layang-Layang is not exactly an island. Rather, it is a concrete landing strip with a big sand bank situated just below sea level, which has a marine base and a resort on it. Layang-Layang is situated in a secluded area, where no human being has managed to affect the underwater world. Corals are in untouched conditions there. Thus, along with diving, Layang-Layang is a place to see big schools of fish and big species.
4. Mataking Island and Sibuan Island
Unlike the nearby islands of Mabul and Sipadan, the diving conditions in the area surrounding Mataking and Sibuan may not be as great, but still some really amazing dive sites, especially for muck diving, are offered there. Moreover, Mataking Island is a marvelous place to stay for divers. The island is home to a luxurious resort from where dive trips can be enjoyed in the area.
5. Redang Island
Redang is also one of Malaysia’s most interest dive locations even though it is not located in Borneo. The island lies at the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, nearby the city of Kuala Terengganu within the Terengganu Marine Park. Perfect dive conditions and superb dive sites are offered at Redang. It is an excellent place where divers can begin their diving adventure due to the really affordable prices of a 4 day PADI. It is not possible to visit Redang between October and March due to the monsoon season.
Of course, there are numerous other wonderful places to enjoy diving in Malaysia, but the above were the most interesting ones where divers are sure to have a great time.