As you read through this piece, you’ll find various beaches in Taiwan that you can visit if you happen to be near them when traveling to this island nation.
To make getting to these beaches easier, I highly recommend buying an EasyCard when in Taiwan. You can explore my guide on what Taiwan’s EasyCard is. Or, you can click this link and pre-order one before you land.
Best Beaches in Taiwan
1. Nanwan (South Bay), Kenting
Nanwan (南灣), or South Bay, is a part of Kenting National Park and one of the most popular beaches in Taiwan’s Kenting, and for a good reason.
Aside from being the first beach you encounter when driving toward Kenting’s city, you’ll also find that it’s:
- Convenient: plenty of nearby convenience stores, restaurants, and travel accommodation
- Safer to swim: not as many rocks poking from the water as on other beaches in Taiwan
- Various services: changing rooms, beach umbrella rentals, toilets, lockers, and changing rooms
- Great for surfing: nice waves throughout the winter and spring
You’ll want to visit Kenting’s South Bay if you stroll through pristine golden sands and watch as the shimmering waters slam against the beach’s shores.
Nanwan isn’t ideal for snorkeling because of its clear blue water.
How To Get To Nanwan
No matter where you’re coming from, you’ll want to end up in Kaohsiung.
If you’re coming from Taipei, you could take one of many ways to get to Southern Taiwan, the Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR), and alight at Kaohsiung.
Take a two and a half hour bus ride with the Kenting Express from the Zuoying THSR Station and leave at South Bay (Nanwan).
If you prefer taking a shuttle bus, you can do so for only NT$150 ($5.00).
2. Baishawan
Baishawan (白沙灣), or Baisha Bay, resides a little further north of New Taipei’s Tamsui.
In Mandarin Chinese, its name means “White Sand Bay.”
While you’ll find white sands here, you will also find a mottled rock surface along the waterfront that’s the result of lava flowing into the sea over 800000 years ago.
Baishawan, along with Heping Island park, both won the Svayam Accessibility Awards 2018 under the category, Most Accessible Tourist Attraction Site due to its North Coast Accessibility Route.
Anyway, if you need extra services, you can rent a cold shower for NT$20 ($0.69), a tent for NT$240 ($8.30), or a hot shower for NT$40 ($1.38).
If you make your way toward Baisha Bay’s north end, you’ll find a shopping district with cafés, souvenir shops, and restaurants.
Once you’re bored in Baishawan, you can make your way a bit further south to a smaller beach, Qianshuiwan (淺水灣).
Baisha Bay is open July–September and operates from 9 AM to 6 PM. You can also come here during May, June, and October, but from 9 AM to 5 PM.
You may encounter high winds when traveling to Baishawan.
How To Get To Baishawan
You have two options to get to Baisha Bay.
One, you can take the Taipei MRT Red Line to Tamsui Station.
Once you alight, cross the street to a bus station and take local buses 633 or 622 to the Baishawan stop.
Or, you can take the long-distance buses 1263, 1262, or 1261 to the same station.
If instead, you want to take the North Coast Shuttle Bus, you can do so from the Tamsui MRT Station. It’s NT$200 ($6) for a one-day pass and will leave every hour on weekdays and half-hour on weekends.
3. Daxi Honeymoon Bay
Crescent-shaped Daxi (大溪) Honeymoon Bay, Mìyuè Wān (蜜月灣), is a black sand beach that resides in Northeastern Taiwan.
An ideal place for couples seeking a romantic sunset stroll after a long day of adventuring.
It’s also near Jiaoshi, a sodium bicarbonate hot spring, and Turtle Island. This is an island that’s shaped like a turtle resides five and a half miles off Taiwan’s eastern coast.
If you’re into more intense activities, like surfing, you’ll love Daxi Honeymoon Bay’s two- to three-meter waves.
While it’s more difficult to reach than other surfing destinations in Yilan County, it’s one of the best places for surfers.
They have many surf equipment rental shops and surf hostels in Daxi village.
They’ll also hold national surfing competitions here every summer.
How To Get To Daxi Honeymoon Bay
The first way you can get to Daxi Honeymoon Bay, you can take the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) or TSHR train to Taipei Main Station.
From there, take Kuo-Kuang Bus 1811 (toward Luodong station) to the Jiaoliao stop. Or, you can take 1812 (toward Nanfang’ao station) to the same stop.
Otherwise, take the TRA Yilan Line to Daxi Station (大溪車站).
4. Waiao Beach
Taiwan’s Northeast Waiao stands as one of Taiwan’s top beaches, Waiao Beach (外澳沙灘), or Waiao Ocean Recreation Area (外澳海水浴場).
Waiao offers a less crowded environment than other beaches in Taiwan. However, the high tides hide boulders and outcrops. So be careful.
Toward Waiao’s southern end, you’ll find a designated area meant only for surfers. If you don’t have a surfboard, you can head to one of the shops that line the road behind the sand and rent one.
If you move further north, you’ll find the Double Lions beach, which has a lot of surfer hostels, inns, and surf shops along with restaurants and cafes.
To avoid crowds at Double Lions, you’ll want to go mid-week.
Don’t know how to surf? You can take surfing lessons from an English-speaking instructor for only NT$1800.
While you’re there, don’t forget to get a drink at one of the local cafes.
How To Get To Waiao Beach
Take the Taiwan Railway Administration Yilan line to Waiao Station, which will take you about an hour if you’re coming from Taipei.
Once you leave the station, you should see the beach.
5. Dawulun Beach
Dawulun (大武崙白沙灘), or Waimushan Beach, is a free, clean, and family-friendly beach in New Taipei’s Keelung City.
It’s small compared to most beaches in Taiwan, but it offers a great body of water to swim in and is nearby:
- Seaside Scenic Area
- Lovers Lake Park
- Zhengbin Harbor
- Keelung Maritime Plaza
- Chung Cheng Park
Once the sun sets, hit up Keelung Miaokou Night Market, which has the largest variety of dishes out of every Taiwanese night market.
I recommend trying the dingbiancuo (potside scrapings) and chicken rolls.
I don’t have much to say about Dawulun beach other than it has breathtaking views on clear days.
Address: No. 100, Section 2, Huhai Road, Anle District, Keelung City
How To Get To Dawulun Beach
To get here from Taipei, which I recommend doing, take YunBus 1815 (bus tracking link) to the Neiliao stop. It’s a village that’s the closest to the beach.
From there, you can walk to the beach, order an Uber, or hail a taxi.
6. Qixingtan Beach
Qixingtan Beach (七星潭) is a beautiful black and white pebble beach along Hualien’s coast that’s surprisingly not full of tourists since everyone visits Taroko National Park.
When here, you can build zen stone towers, try one of the nearby restaurants, or cool yourself down with aloe vera ice cream.
You can’t swim or launch fireworks here, which are both a bummer, but you can rent a bike and ride it through the coastal park.
Otherwise, you can let a load off and rest on the beach.
Once in a while, you can watch fighter jets erupt from the Hualien Air Force Base that’s nearby. You can also watch the distant Qingshui cliffs (清水斷崖) when it’s bright and the stars at night.
While you’re in the Hualien area, I recommend taking part in a Taroko Gorge day tour. It’ll take you along the beach, through the eternal springs at Changchun Shrine, and to Tianxiang for lunch by the town’s iconic red suspension bridge.
How To Get To Qixingtan Beach
Take the TRA North-link line to Beipu Station. Once you alight, walk east for a couple minutes and you’ll find the beach.
Otherwise, if you’re in Hualien, you can catch buses 308 or 310 from Hualien Station. Afterward, you’ll depart at the Chihsingtan Beach stop.
7. Fulong Beach
Fulong Beach is a couple-mile-long stand coated with puffy golden sand that sits at the Shuang River’s mouth. It’s one of the most popular beaches in Taiwan and commands the locals’ attention all year round.
There’s also the Rainbow Bridge, which connects two beach areas between the Fulong Train Station.
I recommend stopping at this oasis, the train station, to grab any beach essentials and some biandang (便當), which is a bento box, from one of the five bento shops in the area.
Once you’re done there, there’s also a private section of the beach that you can access for NT$100 ($3), which also covers access to changing rooms and cold showers.
Every summer, the adjacent Fulong Village hosts the Fulong International Sand Sculpture Festival and the HO-HAI-YAN Gongliao Rock Festival. If you decide that you want to visit during this time, you’ll want to ensure you arrive early before the crowds overwhelm the area.
When you’re done at Fulong, I recommend heading to Jiufen Old Street and exploring the former mining village.
You can reach Jiufen by taking a train to Ruifang Station then taking bus 788 to Old Street.
Otherwise, if you want to spend the day at Fulong, you can participate in a scenic day tour that’ll guide you around the northern coast and introduce you to some popular bento boxes.
How To Get To Fulong Beach
Take the Taipei MRT to either Songshan (Green Line) or Nangang Station (Blue Line) then make your way to either metro station’s adjacent train station.
Take any train that’s heading north toward Fulong Station (福龍車站) other than ones that are Keelung-bound. This journey will take you between 75 and 90 minutes.
8. Laomei Green Reef
A bit north of Taipei and on the Laomei village outskirts, you’ll find Laomei Green Reef (老梅綠石槽).
It’s honestly one of the most interesting natural wonders Taiwan offers.
Dark green algae drapes over the 700 meters (2296 feet) reefs, which resulted from a volcanic eruption that happened thousands of years in the past.
While you’re here, respect the reef, though.
Don’t walk on it, because you may damage it. And not just that, you’ll also face a massive fine if you’re caught walking on the emerald artifact.
You’ll want to visit Laomei beach between April and May—when the algae grows. Otherwise, the algae die out once summer hits.
Also, you can only see the algae-covered reef during a low tide. So you’ll want to ensure you time your arrival right.
How To Get Laomei Beach
You can take either bus 862 or 863 from Tamsui Bus Station and after an hour journey, alight at Mingde Village 1 stop. The bus departs every 20–30 minutes and a ticket will cost you NT$45 ($1.56).
From there, walk a few minutes to the beach.
Otherwise, you can take the Crown Northern Coast Shuttle Bus #716 from Tamsui Bus Station. It’ll arrive every couple hours between 9 AM and 3 PM and will take you by various tourist hotspots along Taiwan’s northern coast like Yun- and Peace Gardens.
Tickets for the shuttle bus will cost you NT$24 ($0.83) and you can use your EasyCard to pay.
If you prefer, you can participate in a private car charter tour that’ll take you by the Yin Yang Sea, Elephant Trunk Rock, and Laomei beach.
9. Taimali Beach
Taimali Beach isn’t a popular beach in Taiwan, so it’s a great place to avoid the crowds and watch sapphire waves crash against the shores.
While you won’t find glistening golden sand here, you’ll find a wide gray gravel expanse instead, which means you’ll have a perfect catalyst for sandcastles.
To top it off, you’ll also find a lush green backdrop that mixes forest, fields, edged palm trees, orchards, and distant Coastal Range Mountains silhouettes.
If relaxing isn’t your style, then you can rent a four-wheeler and cruise around the shores. However, you can only drive up to 500 meters away from the rental shop.
I don’t see any listings for four-wheelers at the moment. So you may not find shops in this area that offer that service, anymore.
How To Get To Taimali Beach
You will need to transfer to the TRA South-link line and then take a train to Taimali train station. From there, you will want to walk East for around 10 minutes and you’ll reach the beach.
During your walk, you’ll need to cross Highway 9 and walk along a cycling path.
10. Yuguang Island
Yuguang Island (漁光島) is a small island with a surface area of 400 hectares that’s half forests.
Rather than formation from volcanic action, accumulation or human-dumped rocks and sediment formed this island.
While here for a day-long getaway, take the boardwalk network through Yugang’s west side. Otherwise, you can kayak, paddleboard, angle, or ride small sailboats.
While you’re in Yuguang Island, don’t forget to check out the cultural and creative markets to support the locals and pick up a souvenir.
Regardless, if you’re around the infamous Eternal Golden Castle in Tainan, stroll through Yuguang Island.
Address: 708台南市安平區漁光路114號
How To Get To Yuguang Island
Take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus 88 (Anping Route) to Teyang Destroyer (德陽艦)/Eternal Golden Castle (億載金城). From there, walk around 15 minutes and you’ll reach Yuguang Island.
11. Nanliao Beach (Nanliao Fishing Port)
Nanliao Fishing Port, which is also Nanliao Beach, or Hsinchu Fish Harbor, sits on Hsinchu’s coast.
It’s a great place for flying kites, grabbing some local seafood, renting bikes, and cycling along the paths.
Be careful when flying kites there, though. Nanliao holds the International Kite Festival annually and in 2020 the wind was so strong that it swept her into the sky.
The girl’s okay, though. She walked away with minor injuries.
Since it’s somewhat close to the Hsinchu Air Base, you may sometimes have a chance to watch planes soar above you.
Otherwise, once you’re done and want to explore Hsinchu City, check out the City God Temple Night Market and other fun things to do in Hsinchu’s North District.
How To Get To Nanliao Beach
To get to the Nanliao Fishing Port, you’ll want to take the Bl15 Shuttle Bus (to Nanliao) from Hsinchu Station to Harbo. Afterward, you’ll walk for about 15 minutes west.
Taiwan Beach Essentials
Prevent yourself from facing any unhappy accidents while traveling. Before exploring any beaches in Taiwan, you’ll want to prepare yourself with these items:
- Insect repellant: Taiwan has many mosquitos; so choose sprays or lotions that have picaridin, DEET (diethyltoluamide), oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535
- Sunscreen: go with a waterproof and reef-safe SPF 30 sunscreen to protect yourself from sunburn and skin damage
- Waterproof storage: bring a dry bag or waterproof cellphone case to protect your belongings from the ocean
- Beach towel: you’ll want a microfiber or waffle-weave towel to dry you quicker
Taiwan Beaches Map
Browse through this Taiwan beaches map to get a visual of where all the beaches in Taiwan are.
FAQs
I’ve aggregated questions throughout the internet regarding information about beaches in Taiwan.
Are Taiwan Beaches Safe?
Taiwan beaches are safe, as long as you swim sober during the day. However, you’ll need to be careful about certain factors such as:
– Storm surges: typhoons are common in Taiwan and affect wave behavior even after they have passed
– Currents: strong currents come from large rocks popping out of the ocean, which can take you away if you try to swim against the current
– Shore breaks on the eastern coast: water is immediately deep and can drag you into sharp rocks
You will want to consult with locals around the beaches to see whether the water is fine to swim in. Otherwise, it’s safe to stroll the beaches in Taiwan.
Regarding water quality, according to Taiwan’s EPA, it’s safe to swim in beach water under most weather conditions.
