Yes, they do. Swimming is dangerous. You swim - you die. You die in the ocean - your soul stays there. Forever. Stay away from the water.
2 Likes
If you die they’ll probably have to go out and save you. They’ve had enough of this shit.
You are more likely to get mowed down by a beach buggy than drowning waist high in water!
I’m curious. What was the problem? Is the beach there closed now? Were you swimming outside of the designated area? Was the beach closed for the day? I’m not disagreeing with anything you said, just curious because that’s one of my favorite weekend beaches. (BTW, the fish and chips place is still there, right?)
Yeah, Baishawan sucks for swimming. Of the 5-6 times I’ve been there, they only had the swimming markers out once. For the rest of those days, the conditions were only rough one of the days. The other days… complete aggravation.
Does anyone know of beaches easily accessible from Taipei that either don’t have lifeguards, or are more swimmer friendly?
Actually, there was no designated swimming area on that day. I understand the need for one, as some beach goers (non-swimmers) feel safer in a crowded, sectioned-off space, but if there is no such area, are swimmers expected to just sit on the beach and watch the ocean? I have traveled extensively in Asia and visited dozens of beaches, and I have never experienced any thing like this before. I guess I will have to spend the Summer hanging out at Fulong (temple side of the beach) or go to beaches on the east coast around Yi lan.
1 Like
Yes, and Dazzlers is still there. The only good reason worth visiting!
1 Like
FYI
The beach is closed from Nov to Apr.
開放時間：
每年5~6月、10月，每日09：00至17：00止
7~9月每日09：00 至18：00止
(請於戲水區或聽從救生員指示從事水域活動)
非開放時間：
每年1月~4月及11月~12月
(不開放月份無救生員駐站，請勿進入戲水及各項水域活動，以策安全)
From Wikipedia
I guess that explains it. I have no idea why that would be, though.
Getting hungry thinking of the food and beers.
I was there over the weekend as well and won’t go back. I’ve brough well over 10 friends there now over the last two years and every time they say they won’t go back. Frustrating as it’s a beautiful beach near where I live. It maybe closed from November to April but why pay 20 thugs (lifeguards) to be there on a packed beach on a hot April day when it’s closed? It doesn’t get better when it’s open.
Last weekend I was standing on the beach looking at my phone for a second when I hear a 4 wheeler coming at top speed. I was in shock to see it narrowly missing small kids and people laying on the beach. Unbelievably it missed my foot by about three inches as I stood in shock as he drove in front of me. The emergency was that someone was in knee deep water. It’s fucking crazy. When I yelled at him to slow down he looked like he was going to fight.
I don’t know what these lifeguards are. Are they cops? Do they work for Taiwan tourism ? Hired gangsters is honestly how they act. I wouldn’t bring my kids here as they are honestly a danger to the public.
In fact. I would suggest to anyone wanting to go enjoy a beach. Take 3000nt and get a plane ticket to another country. It’s a great place to live and work but they haven’t wrapped their head around the value of a tourist dollar yet.
Until they stop hiring thugs to hassle people enjoying a beach day and stop closing huge water parks that are perfectly safe because of accidents. Really just live and work here then go vacation somewhere else.
I can’t believe the Taiwanese put up with such behavior. But they do. They can sit on a hot as fuck day and stare at a calm cool ocean in front of them to be whistled at and yelled at for going knee deep in the water. It seems ok to them for maniacs driving very high speed on 4 wheelers to narrowly miss their children playing in the sand. If you can’t do this. Go to another country to relax on the beach.
1 Like
So there is a part of Fulong that doesn’t have any lifeguards or restrictions against swimming? Year round? Sounds promising…
Yes, the beach next to the temple. The water isn’t so deep, but it’s mainly free of local beach Nazi’s blowing whistles.
To be honest, it’s hard to, well, swim in “designated area” of Baishawan. Deepest part is up to your waist. You dare to go further - whistle, kayak, “HELLO, NO NO NO”.
At least guys from Hsinchu can go to Zhunan beach on holidays. No lifeguards, nice surfboard rentals and cafe. Nobody cares if you swim. All “official” beaches in Taiwan are total disappointment (even Kenting ones), with beach in Tongxiao being probably the king of them all - god that place sucks.
I love the open water so yeah this bothers me too. At Baishawan, you can spend the night, wake early and then head out. Nobody there to stop you. I usually head just outside the ropes and do laps. High tide so it’s much deeper then. Then I spend the day with the wife and kids in the designated area and on the sand. Relax a bit before dinner. Shower. Go to one of the restaurants and watch the sun go down (just beautiful- maybe I’ll dig up a couple of pics) while drinking some beer. I still like Baishawan.
The guys on surf boards or wind surfing don’t seem to get any hassle, perhaps they’re locals and tell the “lifeguards” where to go or maybe attached some sort of flotation device to your ankle with a string allows you to swim where you like…
Agreed, those guys on the 4 wheelers are a liability.
Everyone knows that Chinese ghosts will grab you and pull you down in the ocean, especially during ghost month. Unless you want to wander around as a lost ghost, just follow the rules and be safe.
Years ago, on my first visit to Taiwan, I asked if I could swim outside the designated area and the lifeguard said they close the beach at 5pm and after that I could swim where I wanted.
Exactly this. I got yelled at by one of the atv-jockeys last year at Baishawan for being out in the water. I was like 50 meters out, but the water wasn’t even waist deep. They said my friend could be out there because he had his boogie board.
2 Likes
I was at Kenting last year swimming. Maybe 30+ other people swimming enjoying themselves. Went back to the same beach the next day, same conditions, no one in the water. I waded out up to my thighs and then get yelled at by a lifeguard. I walked over to him and said that yesterday there were lots of people swimming here. He said, “I wasn’t here yesterday”.
1 Like
Simple solution so! No a bad idea anyway as the undercurrent at Baishawan can be extremely powerful outside of the designated swimming area zone.