An island in the Penghu archipelago, Taiwan

With Asian beach destinations like Thailand and the Philippines drawing hordes of beach lovers from around the world, most people never even stop to think about what a tiny island like Taiwan might have to offer for beaches.

Most visitors to Taiwan, however, are pleasantly surprised to learn that beaches in Taiwan not only provide excellent insight into local culture, but they also boast stunning scenery and have an excellent range of activities for people of all ages.

May through October is beach season in Taiwan. The hot, humid subtropical climate provides an excellent excuse to cool off at the beach. You can usually find a beach within an hour of any location; the range of beaches varies from fine golden and white silky sand beaches to sparkling coral beaches. If you’re lucky, you might even stumble across some of Taiwan’s unusual black sand beaches.

1. Baishawan Beach, on the northern coast of Taiwan, lies between Linshanbi and Cape Fuguei. This beautiful white sand beach stretches for over 1,000 meters in length and it’s famous for its clear, clean blue water, hiking trails and interesting volcanic rock formations. This beach, despite its popularity, hasn’t seen any kind of tourist development. Don’t expect to find restaurants or canteens in the area. It’s wise to bring your own food and drinks. If sitting out in the hot, glaring sun doesn’t fit in with your idea of a day at the beach, make sure you bring an umbrella. Only a very few vendors offer shade here.

2. Fulong Beach offers not one, but two long golden sand beaches on the northeast coast in Fulong Village. A fairly deep body of water, the Shuangsi River, separates the two beaches.  The sea beach runs parallel to the river beach and the resulting body of water is the perfect place for windsurfing and canoeing. Fulong Beach is just one of a few beach resorts in Northern Taiwan and it is a popular summer getaway for residents of Northern Taiwan.

3. Kenting is THE beach destination for locals in Taiwan.  Located in Southern Taiwan, Kenting’s beautiful golden sand beaches are surrounded by an 18,000-hectare national park. Popular activities here include swimming, diving, surfing, windsurfing, parasailing, jet skiing, and boating. There are loads of fun activities here on offer for the whole family.

Beaches in the main island of Taiwan can get quite crowded during the summer, but Taiwan’s outlying islands offer some incredible beach vacations and they haven’t developed a strong tourist trade yet. Here are two of our favorites:

4. Jibei Island in the Penghu archipelago houses Baishawei Beach, a stunning silky white sand beach on the southwestern side of the island. In our opinion, it is one of the nicest beaches we’ve been to in Asia. There is virtually nothing on this beach, other than a few beach umbrellas, a canteen or two, and some water activities like jet skiing and banana boats. The beach itself extends for several kilometers in length. If you’ve got time, we highly recommend spending a few hours here and then taking the next boat to Bikini Island for some snorkeling and diving. Bikini Island is surrounded by submerged coral reefs and offers a truly great underwater experience.

5. Green Island lies off the southeast coast of Taiwan and takes less than an hour to reach by boat. Once you’re there, you can rent a scooter and navigate the entire island in about an hour. The island is famous for its stunning scenery of lush green mountains, sandy white beaches, and sparkling blue water. The beaches here are great for swimming. Don’t miss the chance to soak in one of the world’s only natural seawater hot springs at Zhaori Hot Springs.

Baishawei Beach, Jibei Island, Penghu, Taiwan