Taiwan might not get as much love for its beaches as popular destinations in Southeast Asia, but there are plenty of places around Taiwan's many islands that are just as beautiful. For some of the best places to lounge in the sun around the island, here are some of the best beaches in Taiwan.
Jibei Island Beach, Penghu
Taiwan's most beautiful Beach
It's no secret some of Taiwan's most beautiful beaches lie off the coast of the main island, and Penghu is home to the best of the best.
Jibei Island is a small island just under 6 kilometers from the main island of Penghu, but can be easily reached by ferry. The 1.5 kilometer strip of sand on the south side of the island is reason enough to make the pilgrimage here for any beach enthusiasts.
Qixingtan, Hualien
Taiwan's most scenic beach
While it's not everyone's ideal image of the perfect beach, Qixingtan is beautiful for another reason. Instead of white sands and crystal clear water, Hualien's most famous beach is popular for its incredible mountain meets sea scenery. It's a pebble beach so if you're looking for somewhere sandy, consider heading further down the coast to Jiqi Beach once you've had your fill of Qixingtan's beautiful views. Although you can't swim at Qixingtan (due to strong currents), swimming is permitted at Jiqi.
Taipei Baishawan Beach
Most convenient beach from Taipei
Beautiful golden sands at an easy journey from Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, Baishawan or Baisha Bay is a popular weekend getaway for the capital.
If you're looking for a secluded beach spot, you might want to travel further along the coast however as Baishawan can get quite busy, especially at weekends and public holidays. Zhongjiao Bay (中角灣) is usually less popular but also with less facilities than Baishawan.
To get there from Taipei, take the MRT to Tamsui Station and then transfer to the 862 or 863 bus heading to Keelung or Jinshan and get off at Baisha Bay Station. The beach is right in front of the bus station.
Shanshui Beach, Penghu
Another of Penghu's many beautiful beaches, Shanshui is easy to reach from Magong, the main settlement in the islands. Despite being the easiest to reach, Shanshui is hardly ever crowded and is quite simply one of the most picturesque beaches in the area. The small laid-back town behind the beach is home to some delicious restaurants such as grilled seafood joints along with B&Bs to stay at if you want to bypass going back to Magong.
Fulong Beach
Popular beach for events
Despite being part of New Taipei City, Fulong Beach is far enough from the capital to escape the crowds, for most of the year. If you visit on a weekday there's usually not so many people there.
Fulong is the site of a number of events and festivals throughout the year, namely the Hohaiyan Rock Festival and Fulong Sand Sculpting Art Festival which is worth visiting for the incredible sand sculptures.
The easiest way to get to Fulong Beach by public transport from Taipei is to take one of the trains traveling onwards from Keelung such as to Yilan or Hualien from Taipei Main Station.
Kenting Baishawan
A strong contender for the best beach in Taiwan, it's another level above the similarly named Baishawan near Taipei. Located in Kenting National Park, right at the southern tip of Taiwan, Kenting Baishawan or White Sand Bay has everything a picture-perfect beach should do. Beautiful white sand, pristine clear waters, colorful coral and plenty of beachside entertainment and nearby bars but far away enough from the main town to escape the crowds.
Qinbi, Matsu
Mediterranean coast in Taiwan
Matsu isn't really known as a beach destination, facing the Chinese mainland near Fujian Province, it's not a hugely popular tourism destination in Taiwan. It's a shame though, as Matsu is home to some beautiful coastal towns that look like somewhere you'd find in popular areas in the Mediterranean rather than Taiwan. One of these is Qinbi Village located on Matsu's Beigan Island, at the front of the beautiful stone-housed village is a small but picturesque golden-sand beach.
Kenting Xiaowan Beach
Kenting's main beach can get pretty crowded in the summer months, but this nearby cove is a stunning respite just around the corner. Called Xiaowan or Little Bay Beach is at the edge of Kenting town, while the beach is much smaller, most people don't make it out to here, meaning it's easy to find some peace and quiet there.
Oucuo Beach, Kinmen
Most unique beach in Taiwan
The other of Taiwan's further out islands along with Matsu, Kinmen is slightly more popular, mainly for its military history, quaint historic towns and kaoliang, a strong local liquor that's famous from Kinmen. While you won't find the unique and picturesque coastal towns like in Matsu, Kinmen's beaches are much larger and stretch around most of the island. Oucuo Beach is one of the most unique however, with a barnacle-covered abandoned tank sinking into the sands along with other relics of the island's incredible history gracing the beach.