I have heard many times from many different people, from lifeguards to my gf, that there are some beaches that have potentially dangerous tides/currents.
Now, I know that most Taiwanese people can’t swim so that might be part of the problem. Is it all just fear of the water/so many people have drown because they can’t swim or is there really a potential for danger?
I heard a while back that because of the geography of Taiwan (It’s an island that has a steep drop off not to far from shore) makes for stong tides and currents.
My questions is, “What beaches are safe to swim at?”
I heard that both Bai Sha Wan’s have claimed lives and have dangerous currents but I have swam at both several times with no problems.
I’m more worried about pollution at Baishawan than I am about currents. I’ve been there many, many times, and I’ve never experienced particularly tricky currents there.
Don’t know about Baishawan, but there are some really wicked fast rips and currents around northern Taiwan. I fell asleep in the water at Dashi once and had a long, long swim back to shore, followed by a long walk around the coast back to the beach. It can happen very quickly, so take care.
Didn’t some German guy fall out of a sailboat or something and get swept for many kilometers down the coast a year or two back?
it depends on how far out you like to go. if you are a regular beach go’er than you should know your limits. its usually inexperienced and cocky types that get into trouble. BSW, as Maoman says is usually Ok…
I was surprised the last time I went to DaXi, the rips were quite frightening.
As a general rule, you should always err on the side of caution and give mother ocean the repsect she deserves.
[quote=“AWOL”]
As a general rule, you should always err on the side of caution and give mother ocean the repsect she deserves.[/quote]
Agreed.
I was at Mi Yue Wan (Honeymoon Bay) when I got caught in a bit of a rip tide. I panicked for about one second and then stopped moving. I followed the rule of swimming parallel to the shore and it only took me a couple of seconds 'till I was out of it.
It was pretty scary though. And I am a good swimmer. Grew up with a pool in me backyard.
Wai Ao -is a whistle stop down from Honeymoon Bay and becoming popular with locals, surfed there last week and the rips are treacherous, rocky left and right- my roomate tried to save a kid from drowning there last summer–the kid died. Still see crowds of surfers there, this summer should be interesting.
I just read this in the Taipei Times regarding water quality at some beaches in Taiwan
[quote]An EPA spokesman said that tests conducted on Sept. 24 and Sept. 25 showed that the water quality at Fulong (福隆) Beach in Taipei County, Chiting (崎頂) Beach in Miaoli County and Taan (大安) Beach in Taichung County were rated “below average” because they contained high levels of escherichia coli – a bacteria that could lead to intestinal diseases – and enterococci bacteria.
He said that Hsin Chinshan Beach (新金山) in Taipei County received an “excellent” rating, while the water quality was classified as “good” at six other six beaches: Masago (馬沙溝) in Tainan County, Tunghsiao (通霄) in Miaoli County, Kenting Tiaoshih (墾丁跳石) in Pingtung County, Shanyuan (杉原) in Taitung County and Chichin (旗津) and Hsitzuwan (西子灣) in Kaohsiung.[/quote]
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