Snorkeling with sea turtles is probably not how most people around the globe are celebrating the holiday season.
But Wooohooo!!! Merry Christmas from Lambai Island, Taiwan! (aka Xiaoliuqui).
Swimming with massive, endangered Green Sea Turtles is exactly what we’ve spent the past three days doing here on this tiny spec of coral just off the southern coast of Taiwan (and the city of Kaohsiung).
Check out these amazing photos.
Sadly, the waterproof housing for my GoPro camera is broken, so I have no real “underwater” pics. But as you can see, the turtles were so numerous and close to the beach, that plenty of great pictures were possible regardless.
FYI, here’s a link to underwater video taken by another visitor to the reefs around Lambai where hundreds of the huge reptiles are said to be semi-permanent residents.
We’ve snorkeled and been scuba diving all over the earth — but nowhere have we witnessed sea turtles like this. In fact, most places, the sight of a single turtle — even for a few seconds — is a thrill. At Lambai, one can watch the gigantic Green Sea Turtles for hours and hours from just feet away as they graze on tiny clumps of algae and seagrass.
Perhaps best of all, the experience is completely free of charge and extremely easy. Simply don your snorkel gear, wade into the sea from the beach, swim out to the chunks of coral reef (literally 20 to 50 feet offshore, at 10 to 15 foot depths), and observe the graceful creatures in their natural habitat. Sometimes they even venture into the wave break – just steps from the beach!
Most of the beasts are two to four feet in diameter with rubbery looking skin, crusty shells, and huge black eyes. They seem oblivious to human observers. Every few minutes, they surface for a new gulp of air – then dive back to the reef. On a couple occasions, I was surprised when an animal snuck up and appeared next to me — three or four feet away. Wow!
We spent nearly all our time at “Zhongao Beach” – a small crescent of sand just a few minutes walk from the Baishawei Harbor. We saw so many turtles there it was unnecessary to go anywhere else (and it was very close to our hotel). But there are other beaches and snorkel spots around the small island which are known to be just as enjoyable for both the turtles and us humans.
In fact, on day two, we took the photos below from the Haizikou fishing jetty at the south end of the island.
Our suggestion: check the wind and waves and tide schedule and pick a spot that seems calm. (Zhongoa was always OK.) Alternatively, you can easily book a guided snorkel tour — from beach or boat — if you need equipment and a local expert. (We travel with our own masks, snorkels, and inflatable floatie.)
Depending on the season, you might want a wet suit too. In late December, the water temperature was still 74°F. But even my wife didn’t require a suit if we kept the sessions to 30-40 minutes, alternating with warm-up time on land.
The winter months are also undoubtedly less crowded. And during our weekday stay there seemed to be hardly anybody there at all. Just us and dozens of huge turtles. Awesome!
We’ve had some memorable ‘animal experiences’ during our years of slow travel: Komodo dragons, whale sharks, elephant camp, sardine run, etc. Snorkeling with these turtles was just as special and unforgettable. If you are ever in Taiwan, I highly suggest you DO NOT miss this attraction.
Getting to Lambai from Kaohsiung (Taiwan’s second largest metro area) was easy and cheap. Regular buses run from both the Kaohsiung Main Station and the HSR Zuoying Station: fare was under $2 each way for the hour-long bus ride to the ferry boat terminal. Trains to other nearby cities with connecting buses are and option too.
The 30-minute boat ride via fast, comfy, catamaran to Lambai was about $7 per person each way. Hotel rooms – and a few Airbnbs – on Lambai start at around $35 per night.
Other than the turtles, the coral island of Lambai has numerous interesting geologic formations and fossils. And for a few dollars visitors can access nicely maintained stairs and pathways that wind through stunning coral crevasses, cliffs, and caves.
Automobiles are rare on the island, but motor scooters and electric bicycles are everywhere. A 24-hour electric scooter rental cost $12; the perfect way to get around on the island which measures barely 2.5 square miles. Of course, there are tourist restaurants and stores and souvenir shops too. Spectacularly colorful Buddhist/Taoist temples dot the island as well.
In all, it seemed a reasonable mix of commerce and culture and nature. We even ate at a fantastic Thai restaurant; the best Thai I’ve had since leaving Thailand in mid-May 2024. Mmmmmmmm!
Finally, being just before Christmas, it was the perfect time to construct our annual “beach trash tree”. Finding refuse for the decorations on Zhongao Beach was a slight challenge. But for better or worse, here is the official 2024 Earth Vagabonds holiday greeting card.
As always, be thankful and generous, happy trails & more beer.
Life is NOW!
Thanks for reading “Taiwan’s turtles, temples, and a trash tree.”
Read about the Christmas trash tree Theo made in 2023.
About Theo
Tedly (Theo) retired early from the news business to wander the planet with wife Ellen. He enjoys exploring all Earth has to offer: jungles and beaches, volcanoes and deserts – always drinking beer along the way.