My first stint in Taiwan was in 1998, and I didn't learn about Xiaoliuqiu until 2017 when I made my first trip to scuba dive to see the sea turtles. I came back in 2019 to take my first freediving course and moved here nearly two years later to teach freediving.

As one of the few outlying islands of Taiwan, though arguably not as beautiful as Orchid or Green Island, you can get here from Taipei in 4-5 hours door-to-door making it a perfect weekend getaway. In contrast, the previous two islands can almost take an entire weekend to get to and back.  And most people are surprised that it's only a 20-minute ferry ride from the mainland.

I hope you find this guide helpful in planning your trip here. I plan on updating this regularly, so if there is anything you'd like to see about Xiaoliuqiu, give me a holler (You can reach me by hitting the "Connect Now" button on the top right of this page or clicking the "Contact Us" on the top of the menu to send an e-mail.)

Recently, my wife (Sheila) and I started a concierge service to arrange your trip to Xiaoliuqiu. We arrange travel to and from the island, accommodations (we can consult with you on the best options based on your preferences), transport on the island, and all activities for a service fee. The vendors also give us a modest commission, and the price for the activities or transport will be the same whether you book through us or go directly. Click here to fill out the form to let us know your needs. 

Xiaoliuqiu is famous for a few things - lots of water and water-sports activities, over 800 green sea turtles, clear blue waters, and the tuna capital of Taiwan (one year, it accounted for 14% of the global tuna market). ; they

Pro Tip - Most businesses have a specific day off each week. That day for many is Wednesday, which is the least busy with tourists, but not always. As one or two persons operate many businesses, they may suddenly take a day off. Often they won't update their Google Maps listing, so don't check that, but instead check their Instagram account, where many of them use that platform to announce days off.  You can read more essential info useful for first-time visitors.

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Many names know the island: Liuqiu Township, Liuqiu Island, Ryukyu, Little Ryuku, Little Okinawa, Lambai Island, Lamay (which in Mandarin sounds like "辣妹“ or "hot chick"), Golden Lion Island, or for me, I like to call it XLQ on messaging apps. Even just Xiaoliuqiu is written as Xiao Liuqiu and Xiao Liu Qiu as well.

Liuqiu Township of Pingtung County is what this island is more formally known as. Liuqiu has the same characters as Okinawa's previous name, so adding the Xiao, or small in Mandarin, made the island colloquially known as Little Liuqiu to distinguish it from Okinawa.

If you have trouble pronouncing Xiaoliuqiu, just think about saying "Shallow Chill," and you will be about 90% correct in pronunciation but 100% of people will understand.

Xiao Liuqiu is a coral island located 13 km off the southwest coast of Taiwan in the Taiwan Straits. Its resident population is 13,000 people, and most of the island shares just ten surnames, which can get confusing as many places of business share the same name when using their surname.

The first inhabitants are thought to be the Siraya or Taiwanese indigenous people.

In 1622, the Dutch ship Goude Leeuw's (or Golden Lion, thus why Xiao Liuqiu was sometimes known as Golden Lion Island) shipwrecked on Xiaoliuqiu's coral reefs during the Dutch occupation of part of Taiwan. The local inhabitants of the island subsequently massacred the crew.     

Then, again in 1631, a Dutch yacht was shipwrecked on the coral reefs of Xiao Liuqiu, and all aboard shared the same fate as the Goude Leeuw's.

This did not please the Dutch occupiers, and a Dutch lieutenant was ordered to "punish and exterminate the people of the Golden Lion Island as an example for their murderous actions committed against our people."

An expedition in 1633 went to Xiao Liuqiu but realized they were undermanned and accomplished nothing except to learn that the islanders retreated to a particular cave during times of trouble. Three years later, a more extensive expedition comprising Dutch soldiers, Han Chinese, and other indigenous people corralled the 600+ locals into the cave, trapped them there, and set fire to emit poisonous gas into the cave for eight straight days.

After eight days, they put the fire out, and the entrances were unblocked. Some 300 men, women, and children died inside the cave, and another 300 survived, with the men sent into slavery while the children and women were forced to be servants in Dutch households in Taiwan.

In 1645, a Han merchant rented the island from the Dutch and cleared out the last 13 inhabitants, and the island has been occupied by the Han ever since.

And THAT is a pretty rich and violent history.

Want to learn more about this massacre on Xiaoliuqiu? Check out my favorite Taiwan podcast called Formosa Files Season 2 Episode 3 The Lamey Island Massacre

There is only one way to get to Xiaoliuqiu: by taking a ferry from Donggang Township, the closest port to Liuqiu Island. The ferry ride is about 20-25 minutes to get to paradise.

I wrote a blog post about the Xiaoliuqiu ferry situation, which you can check out. The blog includes a ferry schedule for all four ferry companies that serve the island to help plan your travel schedule.

There are a few choices for transport when on Xiao Liu Qiu.

Scooter

This is by far the best option. It'll cost around NT$400 a day and can get cheaper if you rent for longer or go on a weekday. If you don't have a scooter license, opt for a small electric scooter that does not require a license and is a little easier to handle than a full-sized scooter. Most of the scooters here are 100-125cc. Once you step off the ferry, there will be vendors greeting you and offering to rent you scooters, so don't worry about trying to find them; they'll find you. 

Scooters generally cost around $400 per day. You can get $250-$300 per day with the vendors that greet you as you come off the ferry but I have heard some stories from visitors that they were charged another whole day for returning the scooter just 1-2 hours late. So be careful.

Bringing your scooter if you live in nearby towns or cities is the best option, which costs about NT$100 (prices are different for each ferry company) each way to bring on the ferry and saves you a bucket of money depending on how extended your stay is. If you get a gas-powered scooter and stay for a few days, it's unlikely you'll need to fill up the tank; if you do, there is only one gas station by Dafu.

There are options for electric scooters as well from Gogoro and other brands.

An electric bike is a fantastic alternative to the scooter, albeit a slower one. You will struggle a little on the hills here, but overall it's still a great option. There is only one company I know of that rents these: Jgogo, located just a short walk from the Baishawan ferry terminal.  No license is required.

I believe that walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise. If you love walking, this could be for you! Most places you can walk to within 30-45 minutes and can walk around the whole island in about 3 hours, or however long it takes to walk 12 kilometers. 

If you are staying near the Baishawan ferry terminal, many restaurants and convenience stores, as well as Vase Rock and Zhongao beach, are easily accessible by walking. Don't plan to walk everywhere you want to go if you have to hit a few locations around the island on the same day.

Recently we've had quite a few of our guests at our Air BnB not rent an e-bike or scooter and walk everywhere. But it is convenient from where we live as it's just a 5-minute walk to the city center and easy access to the ferry and two beaches.

Bike

Though I haven't seen anyone renting out standard bicycles, tourists bring them over on the ferry and some MAMILs (Middle Aged Men in Lycra) ride around the island. There is enough road and hills to make riding here give you a little challenge and some great views.  I have read that some guesthouses do rent them out.

UPDATE Feb 2023 - we will soon be renting out bicycles. Please get in touch with us here.

Book a Car

You can book a car service for NT$150 for anywhere on the island one way. You can also book a car for the whole day or per hour. Check the phone numbers in the photo below. From our experience, booking a car ahead of time is best if you plan on having them pick you up from dinner. And no, there is no Uber here.

If you prefer to drive a car on your own or need help booking a car with a driver for the day, please get in touch with us here.

I've never taken the public bus, nor have I heard of anyone ever taking it, but if you want more information, check out this link. There is no English information on it that I can find. If you have ever taken the. bus, let me know what you think. It could be an excellent option to take a ride around the island.

Though for me, the island during the winter is quite ok for me to walk around in shorts and a hoodie, and the water is still warm enough for me to comfortably get in the sea with a 3mm wetsuit for diving, those who are not acclimated to the cold temperatures will probably want to defer a visit to Xiaoliuqiu to the warmer months. The island on land and in the water starts warming up in March/April and cooling down in October/November. The problem is that during the warmer months is the rain and typhoon season.

The weekend is the more crowded days, but long weekend holidays and the months of July and August are when tourists swell to their max, even during weekdays as kids are on summer holidays. If you have an aversion to people, avoid coming during these two months, though I must admit, it's still a hell of a lot less crowded than Taipei or Kaohsiung.

Blessed due to its proximity to the Kuroshio  Current, fishing has been a mainstay in Xiaoliuqiu for a while. However, due to the dwindling fish populations and tourism boom, it is starting to fade in importance to the island.

Shorter Term Options

So after a few days on the island, you've fallen in love with it, and you find yourself sitting at the ferry terminal waiting to go back to your hectic life in the city, contemplating life on this beautiful small island and staying longer.

Well, it might not be easy.

Don't get me wrong; I don't want to discourage you from doing this. I'm all for your move here. I want to clarify that the housing situation will be challenging but not impossible.

Many Taiwanese who have returned from abroad during the pandemic have moved back to Taiwan in the form of Xiaoliuqiu. Whether freediving instructors, scuba instructors, or tour guides, many have returned as their base of tourists has dried up, i.e., Taiwanese traveling overseas.

This is fine with the increase of supply of workers matching demand with the enormous increased domestic tourist.

However, where you have demand outstripping supply is longer-term housing. This is for a few reasons. First, it is more profitable for some places to rent a room to tourists. Second, supply is artificially constrained as some landlords don't want to rent to strangers from the main island. Finally, many of the landlords are advanced in age and don't have access to the internet to get the word out. Announcements on the island are made via a small truck with a loudspeaker driving around the island, blaring their speakers. It's like Taiwan during an election cycle. Just not as frequent.

Snorkeling is one of the most popular activities in Xiaoliuqiu. You can bring the whole family as children three years old and up can go on a guided snorkeling tour as a group.

If you are not very experienced in the water or going with children, a guided snorkeling tour is the best and safest option for you as the tour guides are licensed and have received first aid and CPR training. Moreover, they are aware of the dangers in the water and dangerous currents and at what times. They also know which beaches are better for snorkeling on that day.

Swimming is not required as everyone must wear a life vest for insurance purposes. No fins are needed as you hold onto a chain of buoys as the guide drags you through the water to see the beauty below.

And there is a near 100% chance you'll see a turtle making it one of the must things to do here.

Some beaches offer rentals if you are experienced in the water and have not brought your gear. However, Decathlon does provide some fantastic value and quality for snorkeling equipment.

Renting a kayak or SUP is the best way to enjoy the water from above and a great form of exercise. You have many choices with multi-person SUP and kayaks and even a transparent kayak, so you can see what's below. If you are on a budget, the kayak is the way to go as it is much cheaper than the SUP. There are many companies with these services on the island, and they are easy to find.

Discover Lamay,  as far as I know, is the only company that offers boat tours on Xiaoliuqiu. They offer sunset and glass-bottom boat tours where you can see the sea turtles, fish, and corals without getting wet. You board the boat at the Baishawan Fishing Harbor, near one of the two ferry terminals on Xiaoliuqiu. If you cannot read/speak Mandarin, you can contact me, and I can help you book a boat tour for you with Discover Lamay. Warning: Do not take this tour if the seas are a little rough, as sea sickness is a definite result.

Deer Exhibit

A bit of a random attraction here, but for those who love cute furry things, you'll love this place.

At the Wonderland of Deer, you can buy discounted tickets on Klook, stroll while taking photos with these cute deers, and participate in feedings.

Though Xiaoliuqiu may not have some of the best beaches in Taiwan, you can almost be guaranteed to find an uncrowded beach even on busy weekends somewhere on the island (except for July and August), and you can catch some snorkeling while you're at it. Most of the beaches in Xiaoliuqiu are pretty small, which doesn't matter as there are not many people on them.

One of the more interesting beaches is Secret Beach. And not because of what you can do or see. You see, Secret Beach is not a secret. Everyone knows about it and can see it from the road passing. And Secret Beach is not even close to the literal translation from its Chinese name of 厚石 or "thick stone."  It is not a bad beach to visit to lay in the sand and swim or snorkel.

The sea turtles are the main attraction here underwater. Nearly every time I swim, snorkel, or freedive in the ocean here, I almost always see a turtle, 90% of the time, if not more.

There isn't a "best place" to see the turtles because every single spot I've gone into the ocean here on the island I've encountered, including Sanfu Fishing Harbor, Dafu, Secret Beach, Vase Rock, Zhongao Beach, Meirendong.

You will see many places selling turtle memorabilia in souvenir shops or side of the road. They offer stuffed turtles (the not real one, doh!), key chains, t-shirts, you get the picture. To learn more about them, check out my blog post, The Famous Sea Turtles of Xiaoliuqiu.

Freediving

Because of the year-round diving, easy access to depth from shore, and sea turtle spotting nearly every time you get into the water, freediving has become a mecca of freediving in Taiwan.

As I said earlier, my first time in Xiaoliuqiu was to scuba dive with sea turtles, and it's an experience I will never forget. There is no shortage of scuba diving schools on the island, as I seem to pass by a few schools every kilometer.  There are a few recommendations if you want to see these cute and graceful creatures while scuba diving.

Scuba diving shops that have English-speaking instructors are Bear Diving, Playful Diving, and Liuqiu DIving.

For you Hong Kongers out there, I heard that Dive Bee has Cantonese-speaking instructors.

If you don't have time to take an entire course or are unsure if you want to get into scuba diving, all these places offer discovery diving sessions, which only take about 2 hours of your time.

Rocks

If looking at rock formations is your thing, you're in luck, and there are several of them to see.

Vase Rock is the most iconic on the island and is one of the photos that most represents Xiaoliuqiu in postcards. Vase Rock is a short ride from the ferry terminal in Baishawan Fishing Harbor. At its tallest, it's 9 meters and was created by the rising coastal coral reef, while the bottom of it was eroded by the ocean and thus its shape resembling that of a flower case. There is also a tiny beach at Vase Rock, and you can do a little snorkeling from there.

For those who enjoy the beauty of caves, the more popular ones are Black Dwarf Cave, Beauty Cave, and Lobster Cave. Some of them may require an entrance fee.

Taiwan office culture borrowed the Omiyage tradition from the Japanese. The direct translation of Omiyage is "souvenir," but one that is usually edible.

When you go on a trip, regardless if you are a local or a foreigner here, you should return with some snacks from your trip for your co-workers, friends, and family.  But primarily for your co-workers.  You have a few options on this island.

Iran Bazaar

Iran Bazaar is located on the main road in the city center. Opened by an Iranian national, Chris, who has been living in Taiwan for over 20 years, and he aims to delight and entertains you as you try his goods.  (JAN 2024 UPDATE: Sadly Iran Bazaar has closed its operations and moved to Taichung, you can find it here.)

Chris makes some tasty treats you can't find anywhere in Xiaoliuqiu or even all of Taiwan. His signature is the saffron ice cream I love so much that I go there weekly to treat myself to it. He also has traditional Iranian rice pudding and yogurt.  If you love coffee, try the rose water coffee, an exciting twist on your cup of Java.

He sells several products from Iran, like rose water, dried figs, and traditional Iranian snacks to bring back to your friends, family, and colleagues.

If you have some colleagues who have diabetes (though this has some sugar in it)  or have an intolerance to gluten as I do, you might want to grab some of these, which can be found in the central city area near the Baisha Port. you can find the vendors by finding the machine being cranked flatten out the dried cuttlefish.

We'll get into this topic in another blog post, but sometimes, one of my guilty pleasures is the corn dog stand near the San Long Temple.

And it seems the food scene here is on the up and up as no less than three burger joints have opened up in the last six months.  Check out my burger blog post I recently published. 

For plant-based people, check out this blog post on vegetarian options on the island. 

If you fancy an epic Western meal, check out the  Island Bistro, opened by the chef of the famous Island Burger. The chef had years of experience in a Michelin star restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we are lucky to have him on this island. It opens Thursday-Monday for lunch and dinner, and reservations are highly recommended. Get there during sunset, and you will be treated to an epic view.

Check out my Google Maps list if you need a reference for food pronto (including the burger joints). I have listed all the places I've eaten and would return to.

These are my favorite cafes when I want to grab some coffee and where I go to work when I want to mix things up from the monotony of working at home. These three cafes can also provide opportunities for beautiful photos for your memories or on Instagram. 

Ocean Looking Ice - Incredible ocean views from here. With an outside deck, you can lay down on one of the many cushions to relax in the afternoon with a cup of coffee. Bonus - they even serve ice cream.

In most beach tourist destinations, choices are abundant for massage. And with good reason, weekend warriors taking a stand-up paddle board out for a few hours or taking a scuba or freediving course will surely need their aching muscles to be massaged, but many don't know where to get a massage. And when you are on holiday, you're up for anything to facilitate relaxation. But sadly, there is not a lot in Xiaoliuqiu.

Nonetheless, you still have some choices:

Stretchology Asia provides Thai stretch massages and offers the only in-room service on the island. The lead English-speaking certified massage therapist is also an accredited instructor offering Thai massage certification courses you can take on the island. This, in my opinion, is the best massage you can get on the island, but I might be biased as it's run by my wife.

 The Wink Massage - is located in town.

Body by Ichi from Seaside Cafe. 

Xiaoliuqiu Ice Bath Social Club is not a massage, but if your muscles are sore from all the extra activities on the island or sunburn, you might want to try an ice bath with this club that gathers regularly.

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