Freedive Course for Hong Kong Professionals
Learn Freediving in Xiaoliuqiu: Tropical Paradise 4 Hours from Hong Kong
If you live in Hong Kong and you are looking to learn freediving, I can’t think of a better place to learn than Xiaoliuqiu in Taiwan! And this coming from someone who’s lived in Hong Kong for over 10 years.
Hong Kong has an amazing and thriving freedive community, however, the conditions to learn freediving are less than ideal, unfortunately.
So Bloody Easy to Get To
First and foremost, Xiaoliuqiu is so fricking easy to get to. As easy as getting to Taipei and MORE FUN!
Getting to Xiaoliuqiu from Hong Kong is a breeze. Imagine this: in just a short span of time, you can transition from the bustling streets of Hong Kong to the serene beaches of Xiaoliuqiu. Here's how:
1.5 hours flight
Board a quick flight from Hong Kong and touch down in Kaohsiung. (8 direct flights per day from Cathay Pacific, China Air and HK Express). Arriving at night? Check out these hotel options near the Kaohsiung airport.
20-minute Ferry Ride
Enjoy the scenic ferry ride that takes you straight to Xiaoliuqiu (~HK$100 for round trip ticket). As there are 3 private ferry companies operating from Donggang leaving at various times, we leave it up to students to buy tickets on their own once they arrive so they can catch the next ferry and don’t have to wait in Donggang too long. Or leave sometime to check out the famous fish market next door with unbelievably good tuna sashimi for a very good price. (Fun fact: Xiaoliuqiu/Donggang area is a bit of a mini-capital of tuna). Check out my wife’s video here.
Arrive on tropical paradise
Step onto the island and feel the tropical vibes instantly. With a population of just 13,000 people and 6.8 square kilometers, it's a peaceful retreat from city life. We will meet you at the ferry terminal to assist you with any large luggage and scooter rental.
Hong Kong to Xiaoliuqiu takes around the same time as a trip from Hong Kong to Taipei.
Moreover, the smaller airport of Kaohsiung, reminiscent of Hong Kong’s old Kai Tak airport in many ways, makes it much easier to navigate quickly through immigration, customs, baggage pick up and finally to your car.
However, if you choose to land in Taipei,
getting to Xiaoliuqiu from there is still pretty easy.
Hassle-Free Payments with HSBC
For our valued Hong Kong students, we've made payments easy. Transfer your fees directly to our HSBC account without any international transaction headaches, or fumbling with Paypal or Wise etc. However, we also have the option of paying with cryptocurrencies for your convenience.
Exclusive Bonus for Busy Hong Kongers
We get it. Life in Hong Kong is fast-paced. That's why we're offering an *exclusive 1-on-1 online theory session* valued at HK$400, absolutely free! Dive into the basic knowledge needed before your course, from the comfort of your home or office.
Ideal Freedive Conditions and Sea Turtles
The waters surrounding Xiaoliuqiu are ideal as they provide sufficient depth not too far away from the shore with calm waters and protection from the wind. The waters usually have 20-30m of visibility which helps you appreciate the vastness and beauty of the ocean.
Not to mention, the
800 sea turtles that call the island home
which you are almost guaranteed to see during your course.
You can find out more about freediving in Xiaoliuqiu from our
guide.
Savor the Flavors with Us
“What’s for lunch?” is the most frequently asked question during the morning of the courses and we know food is a big priority for Hong Kongers. We take you to our favorite eateries so you don’t have to fret over making a choice for lunch. Of course, you are always welcome to eat on your own but we love showing visitors to the island our favorite places.
Let us be your food guide, introducing you to the island's mouth-watering delicacies. For reference, here are some of our favorite places to
eat on Xiaoliuqiu.
Typical Schedule
Day 0
- Arrive on the island
- Rooms ready to check-in at 3pm
- Fill out paperwork (15 minutes)
- Equipment tutorial and try on (45 min)
- Equalization check and dry static breath hold session (45 minutes)
Day 1
- 7-11am Pool session
- 11am-1230pm Lunch (optional, but instructor will bring you to their favorite spot)
- 1230-2pm Rest
- 2pm-5pm Open water session #1
- 6pm Dinner - with instructor or on your own
Day 2
- 8-11am Open water session #2
- 1130am-2pm Lunch (optional, but instructor will bring you to their favorite spot)
- 2pm - ice bath for recovery (optional)
- 3pm-5pm Knowledge review and written exam
- 6pm Dinner - with instructor or on your own
Day 3
- 8-11am Open Water session #3
- 1130am Lunch
- 2pm Fun Dive (optional)
Day 4
- 8-11am Open Water session #4 (optional)
NOTE: this schedule is a sample schedule and your schedule could look different than this given your arrival time and date, the level of customization of your course, weather, ocean conditions etc.
Premium Freedive Courses
Many Hong Kongers are blessed with being fluent in both English and Mandarin so they have a choice from both the English-speaking instructors and the local Mandarin-speaking instructors. We do offer in both languages, however, we believe we are the only ones offering premium freedive courses with the lowest student:instructor ratio which makes learning freediving less daunting, more time to dive and more attention from the instructors.
Head instructor, Ray, is also from Hong Kong. Well, from a lot of places having both US and Taiwan citizenship but he grew up with Cantonese in his house as both of his parents are from Hong Kong and his wife, Sheila, is true bred Hong Kong born and raised while having lived there for over ten years himself. Even though he can’t speak Cantonese, he can understand a lot of it.
We deeply appreciate and respect you trusting us with your time, we thus do everything we can to make your trip as carefree and enjoyable as possible. Whether that’s giving you bespoke courses or helping you with your travel on Xiaoliuqiu or advice on where to eat or what to do in your free time.
Course Fees and What’s Included
Course fees are HK$7,500 per person with the second student getting a discount to $5,750 with double occupancy.
Included in course fees:
En-suite accommodation
Four nights privacy and comfort
E-Bike or E-scooter rentals
Your transport around the island
Equipment
rental
only bring your swimsuit and sandals
Certification
fees
from the fastest growing freedive agency Molchanovs
Pool fees
for more comfort and convenience
Four open water sessions
more dives, more proficiency
One ice bath
session
to help recovery and mood boosting
Photos and videos in the cloud
to remember forever
What’s NOT included
Transport TO Xiaoliuqiu
Meals
Reef-safe sunscreen
To see our en-suite bedrooms, check out Room W and Room B
here.
How to Sign Up
- Contact us to set up date.
- Pay deposit of HK$1250 to HSBC
- Go here.
See you on the island.
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