Looking for advice re the island.
- Do I need to rent a scooter on the mainland & put it on the ferry or are there rental shops on the island?
- Any B & Bs to recommend?
- Any must see spots while tripping around?
Thanks
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There are some threads about Xiao Liuqiu already, but most of them are quite outdated. Let’s rename this thread Xiao Liuqiu 2021, and I will post some links to older threads below.
Will also merge your thread about getting from Kenting to Donggang here as well.
Older threads
[Year of first post]
[2006] The Xiaoliuqiu (Little Liuqiu) thread
[2008] Xiǎo Liúqiú
[2009] Xiao Liuqiu (island off the coast of Kaohsiung)
[2015] Pingtung County’s "Siao liou ciou" Island [Little Okinawa?] (小琉球)
I thought there were way more threads here, because Little Liuqiu has become quite popular in recent years.
Also check out the Freedive Nomad blog. He has great introductions to the island and the freediving there.
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Looking to stop at Dong Gong for the ferry to Xiao Liu Chiu. It seems foolish to go all the way to Kaohsiung only to retrace and go south. I’ve searched for buses that will do this and have had no luck. Seems everything I find heads to the HSR station in Zouying.
Alternatively, I would take a bus from Nanwan to the airport and jump in a taxi and head south to Dong Gong.
Any ideas? Thanks
https://www.taiwanbus.tw/eBUSPage/Query/QueryResult.aspx?rno=91170&rn=1629770521741
Stop #38 (Dong Gang centre [屏客東港站], use Ipass (Kao MRT card= tap on , tap off)) or cash (need tell driver in Taiwanese or Chinese destination name), Kending has various stops and price depends on stop.
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Thanks Connie, Much appreciated.
When you get to the bus station in DongGan, the 7-Eleven across from McDonald’s, prepare yourself for a little walk.
Thanks Seeker, That’s a decent walk with luggage.
Thanks Hannes, I searched for info and found nothing current. Thanks for linking my 2 posts & creating an updated thread.
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Yes, yes it is. We often go to Donggan and it’s amusing watching the tourists walk down the main road. Have luggage with a good set of wheels.
If you like dumplings or Chinese noodles and want to fuel up for your walk there is a good place just passed the big red building as you walk towards the river.
Facing 7-Eleven, go right. Pass the hospital. Cross the road. Walk past the big red building and on your left you will see a Chinese noodle shop that has decent dumplings.
曉樂天
08 832 3145
You could take a taxi to the ferry terminal, but we have motorcycles and cars so, I can’t really say how much they’ll charge. There’s often a taxi outside 7-Eleven.
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Though living in the area for almost 20 years I’ve only been to this island two times.
We went last summer and we took our own scooters and was relatively cheap to bring your own scooter.
I’d say having a scooter is a necessity. It gives you freedom to go off the main loop.
I believe there is an around the island bus that you can buy a pass for set number of days.
I’m sure you can research scooter rentals before you arrive from the island. Though it’s hilly, I’d consider visiting there with a bicycle.
As for shops, there is a relatively new duty free shop on the island which has some pretty good deals, especially if you are a smoker. Every person with an ID card or ARC card is entitled to buy a certain amount of cigarettes.
One of my friends was actually asked to buy cigarettes. He was told he would be given the money he spent back plus about $200.
The only thing I cannot get enough of from this island are their little cinnamon twist snacks. Not just cinnamon but a great variety of flavors. It’s called Ma Hua Lao-花麻荖
Here’s an article about food…
Here’s a great overview
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From a few years ago:
One last piece of important information before I bore you to death.
There are two 7-Elevens on the island now.
The first time I went there there was none.
Going there was a big concern because of a seafood allergy i have. But now if you have any allergies don’t worry.
My friends went off to their favorite seafood places and left me at 7-Eleven where I solitarily enjoyed a nice bowl of spaghetti and a hot dog bun.
So if you have any concerns, as long as 7-Eleven food is good enough for you, you’ll have no problems.
The island is not the same island as it was. One of my friends was a resident of the island for a while and knows the locals well. They were sharing with us how it has changed. It became a little crowded.
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Not cavity friendly…
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I stayed there 4 nights beginning of this year. Will not visit again.
-
Do I need to rent a scooter on the mainland & put it on the ferry or are there rental shops on the island?
Easy to rent on the island. -
Any B & Bs to recommend?
All overpriced for what they offer. -
Any must see spots while tripping around?
No
It’s a good day trip. Better if you have a local friend who can show you around. Though, you’ll spend time sitting outside a temple or shop drinking tea
If you are not into diving or snorkeling, you’ll have seen all the sights within a day. It’s the underwater world that makes the place attractive to many visitors.
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Ja true.
Kids were excited about the turtles.
To me the underwater world was not really impressive. Might have been very different 20 years ago.
Some of my random notes…
Scooter
- ~$300 per day.
- No license required, no signatures required, no document review, nothing
- Helmets required randomly enforced
- Electric scooters available with a few charging stations around island
Public bus 601 circles the island counterclockwise basically 9 to 5pm.
- Some hotels will provide a shuttle bus to/from harbour
My favorite places to eat
- Hard Rock GastroPub, 岩石美式餐廳-小琉球店 , maybe only Western restaurant on island
- Stay Hotel cafe, 非吃不可-創意滷味, sashimi, salads, Chinese, etc.
- Good spot to watch people
- Not easy to find seafood, sushi, sashimi. Can find chinese-style steamed fish at Chinese places
Hotels
- Hotels are generally simple, clean
- Some of the hotels will pick it up and drop off bags for you
Swim
- Small sandy beach at Zhongao Beach beside harbour on East
Bars
- 26 Bar, Èrshí yǒu lù, Pick up land, 貳拾有陸 Bar
- Wave Bar 冰郎小酒館
- Mr.Bartender 巴坦德創意酒吧（小琉球在地酒吧）
Views
- Sea View Pavilion coral and sunset
Turtles
- You can go yourself or join a group will take you to see the turtles either swimming or just watch them from the shore.
- They come to feed around twice a day usually around 8 to 9 in the morning and 2 to 3 in the afternoon.
Impressions
- Many places are large group focused
- There are some spots up on the cliffs on the west side of the island for a drink and snack and watch sunset.
- Almost no place to sit on the beach and have a drink and just watch the waves.
- Most places don’t turn on any air conditioning so the convenience store sitting areas are very popular.
- It’s really beautiful to look back across the water at Taiwan main island and see the mountains. If the weather and pollution and fog cooperate.
- Looking back at Taiwan Island you can see the layer of smog and pollution that encompasses the island. You can see the pollution drop off as you get away from the main island.
- Fun stops early all nights except Saturday
- Saturday and Sunday they’re huge two or groups moving around the island and you will pass 30 or 40 scooters all in a line many times moving around the island and all the spots will be crowded
- don’t travel there on a Saturday or return on a Sunday because the lines and wait and transportation is crowded
Tips
- Where to stay?
- If you want party and bar hop and or just be around people and options stay in the central area so you can walk to different places.
- a couple or group or just want to have get away secluded feeling them stay outside of Central Area probably western side of island is better
- Prices rise on weekends
- If you need any help with anything just go to the ferry terminal and there lots of people standing around offering help with scuba, snorkel, scooter, glass bottom boat, etc.
- The west side of the island is easily more beautiful. It has the best views of the ocean in some spots to stop for a snack or a drink with a view.
- It will be hot and shade will be desired so trees typically cover the east side of the road until after lunch time.
- Some shops are not open during the week.
- Bring wet shoes for walking on coral
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Just to clarify, according to law, a license is definitely required for motor scooters, even if the shops don’t ask you to show one.
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Thanks for all the responses everyone. Some very helpful stuff here. I’m going mid-week so hopefully not too crowded. Cross my fingers on the weather.