Was out in Jinshan on the weekend. The beach there is very pleasant, but there is no lifeguard anymore which means it is officially closed. Some people were still swimming but since it’s “closed” no one is collecting garbage. Too bad. It is a very pleasant spot otherwise. The mountains of Yangmingshan hem it in from the back and there is almost no construction near the beach so it’s a pretty pure view once you’re down on the sand.
Note there are two beaches in Jinshan. Surfers seem to prefer the older one beside the walkway over the river while the one by the Youth Activity Centre is the lifeguarded one as seems more gentle.
Little do people know, but there is actually a beach Bali (Taiwan’s Bali, across from Tanshui), called “Sunset Beach.” I wouldn’t say it’s exactly comparable to Kuta Beach, but you might want to check it out, if you can find it. If you walk up the boardwalk all the way, into the mangrove forest and then exit on the left side, a windiing path leads still further along. Keep an idea of where the water is, and head that way up along the road. I beleive the sunset there would indeed be quite nice.
Even the brochures for that area don’t recommned you swim in it though. For sunset yes. That beach is right beside the unused sewage treatment plant that looks like giant bottles of traditional liquor. Since it is unused I can only assume the sewage is being discharged untreated.
Maybe Mucha Man is right about the ‘hidden’ sunset beach. The best swimming in Taiwan, IMO, is in the mountain rivers. Wulai and Neihu have numerous mountain streams where pools suitable for swimming can be found. Yangminghsan might even have a few.
Took a day trip to Baishawan today. It was a nice day trip. Some more information here.
They’re doing construction work there now to build out the scenic areas and other beach comforts methinks. My Cafe unfortunately was closed. Tomato was open which I think is Canadian owned or catering to (Canadian flag at the door entrance gave it away).
Ended up eating back at Danshui at a HK style place. Recommended. It’s at No. 110 Zhongzheng Road. 02-2621-0452.
Nice weather today, so I also took a ride to a beach on the west-coast not so far from Taichung. It was even pretty clean, not so much garbage as one could imagine (except for the parking, many people always tend to clean their cars there).
Didn’t see this place, just the sign, seems to have little of everything…
Is that the beach near the Taichung Kang (harbor) Fish Market? If that’s not it -and, actually, I don’t think it is by the look of that sign- there is a beach down there near an old military outpost. It’s a sort of “lover’s beach” at sunset time. Real love going on down there, as it looks inaccesible. You need to climb a wall, walk across some sand dunes, then clambor down some giant cement wave-breakers. But the beach is still there. Quite nice, actually -certainly nicer than the Sunset Beach I mentioned before.
Just an update to this: it would seem that the beach is still closed.
I went there yesterday and it looks like noone has been collecting garbage for about a decade. It was horribly filthy. Below the high tide mark was OK - but the rest of the beach is just covered in bottles (broken or otherwise) bags, and general trash.
A real shame, because it would be a really nice beach otherwise…
Just an update to this: it would seem that the beach is still closed.
I went there yesterday and it looks like noone has been collecting garbage for about a decade. It was horribly filthy. Below the high tide mark was OK - but the rest of the beach is just covered in bottles (broken or otherwise) bags, and general trash.
A real shame, because it would be a really nice beach otherwise…[/quote]
I think they only open from May to October, like Baishawan. Yes, it truly is a shame about the garbage. I like to stroll along beaches in winter but it is pretty discouraging here.
Hmm, and actually, yesterday was warm enough to go for a swim. That makes it even more shitty.
The hotel at Baishaowan really started to piss me off. At first it was bearable… swimming pool open in the evenings, sitting around with some brews…nice. However, the following summer the owner of this hotel decided to…1)stop serving breakfast. 2)close the pool. So it turned a bearable place into an annoyingly expensive crappy place. It just didnt seem worth it anymore. And i much prefer staying the night, you can really relax for the whole weekend. That 1-2 hours travelling each way in one day just doesnt do it for me. It would be great if i could rent a cheap apartment in that area man!!
We’ve visited quite a few northern beaches lately so I thought I’d update this thread.
Baishawan was definitely the best of the bunch. The beach was actually shallow enough for my kids to play in the surf safely and there was no trash to be seen. I was shocked. They also had some facilities but it’s a public beach so they were a bit overwhelmed. Why more people don’t see it as a business opportunity is beyond me. We will definitely be going back.
The beach in Bali is NOT recommended. It’s a dumping ground for construction refuse like large pieces of concrete. And yes, there does seem to be a sewage treatment plant right there.
Jinshan was absolutely disgusting. i hated it so much I was ready to move out of Taiwan. Never going back there again.
The beach at Green Bay was incredibly overpriced at NT600 per person to enter. The free public beach a mile up the road is better. Green Bay is trying to improve it but they’ll have to try harder to be worth that price.
I’d be interested to hear any updates about Fulong as i haven’t been there in years.
I don’t know if its still there but i used to go to Jinshawan (gold sand beach) which is a few miles before Fulong and just after Longdong “dragon cave”. Longdong was nice too as you can swim in the ocean water swimming pools (formerly used to farm a type of abalone). And Jinshawan has a small hotel opposite with a swimming pool and a small store. That beach was very pleasant but no lifeguards and free.
I’d get there, drink a beer, go swimming , get out drink another beer, chill and then drive home.
I second the recommendation for Longdong. Nice clean water, great snorkelling, rockclimbing too… Plus, it’s always great to snigger at the alternate connotations of a funny name.
We plan to drive to Long Dong tomorrow, but if Jinshawan is closed or dirty…any other recommendations in the area? We went to Fulong last year…twas okey dokey!
Haven’t seen you in the water this year bob. :discodance:
Forget everything South of Fu Long on the East coast. Wu Shr Gang is a zoo now that they opened a new park and museum near there- totally crowded Fri-Sun…
Da Xi is great if you like stones, broken glass and dog shit. Wai Ao has really dangerous rips and should be avoided on the heavy days.
I think we have met like three times and twice was out in the surf.
I made a hobby for awhile out of swimming around at long dong on stormy days, more or less based on the observation that if a wave hits a vertical surface it isn’t really moving forward so won’t smash you into anything. It’s not really a theory I have a lot of interest in pursuing at fifty. At forty eight it seemed more sensible apparently…
I will put in another plug for Jinshawan. The good things:
its a small bay, no rip currents or strong undertow
its clean
few people use it
its free
general store across the street where you can buy drinks
there’s a bus stop right there, with a bus direct to/from Taipei or more frequent buses to/from Keelung.
The bad:
no guards (which can be put into the Good)
no real place to change except for one small shower/toilet (which may be rundown, disused by now)
sometimes there’s jellyfish (which can happen anywhere)
typhoons have been known to wreck the place and put it out of commission for awhile
At any rate , its worth checking out.
Longdong is tons of fun and safe tho, with the huge , essentially salt water swimming pools. Water is not too deep (five to six feet) and there’s some fishes to see with a snorkel, plus safe from sharks, etc.
It maybe something like 60nt entrance, there’s free parking and places to change, some stores, etc.
Longdong is just before Jinshawan, which is just before Aoti , which is just before Fulong.
I think Fulong was more fun back in the day when there essentially was no road and you had to take the train. Seemed like more of an exotic location. Now its a quick drive to Taipei and a big road cuts right through town.
I remember sitting at the one or two roadside cafe/drink stalls on the main road after a swim , drinking mango juice and waiting for the train.
I think we have met like three times and twice was out in the surf.