A Full Guide to Surfing in Taiwan
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Loading... - Hisoka Teruya
- 12 Oct 2022
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Surfing in Taiwan has been enjoying a surge in popularity over the past decade, with a growing number of surf spots popping up, perfect for different boards and skill levels. Despite this, information on where to surfing and when to surf in Taiwan is pretty limited. So in this post, we’ll dive in with an overview of what you need to know, where you need to go, and most importantly some of our favorite spots to check out in Taiwan.
The Taiwan Surf Season
Taiwan is a year-round destination for surfers, and you can get great swells at any time. Conditions do vary though. November to March is widely considered to be Taiwan’s high season, which starts around the same time as the Taiwan Open of Surfing (pictured below). During the winter, the Northeastern Monsoon (æ±åŒ—å£é¢¨) brings in bigger waves and longer wave periods. The east coast can be especially good for more experienced surfers during this time. And the water temperature, while cool, is not too bad with a wet suit. Some spots can be quite challenging for solo beginner surfers, but surf schools remain open and consistent swells can make this a great time to learn.
Summer as a rule of thumb is a lot calmer, though typhoon swells (normally a couple of days before or after a storm) can produce great conditions. Otherwise, summer is an ideal time for less experienced surfers. Conditions can be very flat at times, but most surf shops will be able to give you a good idea of when you can still get a good session in. For example, last summer in Dulan, Taitung, the best surfing was generally an hour after low tide, when the shallower water meant it was easier for waves to break. You should remember that beaches are always changing though. Checking with a rental shop, guest house, or school invariably yields the best results.
The Best Time of Day to Surf
Generally speaking, early morning and late afternoon are the best times to surf in Taiwan as it’s less likely to be windy during this time. This is especially important as most of the beaches in Taiwan are relatively exposed and breezy weather can make for some pretty unsatisfying surfing. Still, some spots like Xiaoyugang and Wushigang feature harbor walls, which may shelter you depending on the wind direction.
Another consideration to be made here is high and low tide. As a rule of thumb, better waves are up for grabs as the tide rises from low to high. But as with everything about surfing, there are a lot of variables to consider, so a call to a local rental shop is your best bet.
Getting to Taiwan’s Surf Spots
Most beaches in New Taipei and Yilan can be reached by bus or train. That said, if you’re traveling with your own kit, know that Taiwan’s public transport is not particularly board-friendly. Most TRA trains will let you travel with a board of up to 165cm, meaning short boards, fish, and shorter fun boards might be OK. Otherwise, Facebook groups like Taiwan Surf Carpool are great places to carpool to and from surf spots for the price of gas, though most users post in Chinese. Read More…
