Check out Chenggong

[otway1949]

Just did a trip to Taiwan got flushed out of most surf by Super Typhoon Jelawat which smacked the entire east coast with 30 to 40ft ugly storm surf. this picture was taken at Chenggong while it was still manageable the west coast was double underhead.

Chenggong

[Slowman]

A fortnight ago from a friend:

[swvic]

There's talk among some mates of maybe going next year. Any little bits of info re costs, where to stay, must dos, etc. would be greatly appreciated. If I go, my wife will too so it'd be more than just a surf trip for me. Would travel lightly so maybe just 1 board for ease of getting around

[booradley]

is that just your crew in the line-up?

[Slowman]

is that just your crew in the line-up?

Hard to tell really, but if you are trying to get an idea of crowds...Taiwan is an island and this is in the middle of the east coast. Any of the island's serious surfers know when this place is going to work and watch the progress of typhoons and since it is only a 3-4hr drive from anywhere it can get seriously crowded with guys coming up from the Kaohsuing in the south and Taipei from the north. This place will handle triple overhead...then you'll get it uncrowded! You'll get yanks, canuks, saffies, locals and japanese in the lineup.

There's talk among some mates of maybe going next year. Any little bits of info re costs, where to stay, must dos, etc. would be greatly appreciated. If I go, my wife will too so it'd be more than just a surf trip for me. Would travel lightly so maybe just 1 board for ease of getting around

If you hire a car you'll be able to get around better. Otwat1949 just got back and stayed down south at a surf town called Kenting and stayed at Moonwalker's (Neil Armstrong) B&B. He's an expat Kiwi photog that settled there. Otway can fill you in on details but there are quite a few options depending on your budget, from the Chateau (nice for the family stayed there for a week with mine includes games room access etc.) down to more basic accommodation at some of the surf shops.

The Kenting area has a lot of options surfwise and the island narrows and is shaped like a swallowtail so you can find an offshore somewhere. Swell not always that consistent in their summer except for typhoons. August-September is prime typhoon time. One thing, one f**kin' crazy thing, it is illegal to surf when there is a typhoon warning in operation!! So you might have to sit there watching perfect 6' barrels going to waste as the police will stop you entering the water. Unless you surf early or late before or after their working day (8-5) or find an isolated spot.

Up on the East Coast at DongHe there is a surf shop run by an expat Japanese surfer who will guide you around too (Jun) excellent accommodation for the family - fastidiously clean and the best burgers on the east coast. Here is his web site http://www.easttaiwan-surf.com/index.html

Here's some other B&Bs across the island http://www.tealit.com/surfing.htm

If you want to be near Taipei my mate Turtle owns the Surfer Inn at Toucheng (40min train trip or drive) up on the NE coast http://www.surferinn.com.tw/ there are a few good waves around here too. The crowded photo here http://forum.realsurf.com/forum/viewtop ... =4&t=20826 is WushiGong which is at Toucheng. Don't let the crowd worry you you can drive 20 mins in either direction and get much less crowded waves, or if there is size or it's winter it won't be crowded.

There are very good seafood restaurants all around, a bit like Jimbaran Bay in Bali where you can go up to the tank and pick your lobster/crab and so on. The local brew is pretty OK too...called Taiwan Beer, same company also do a nice malt beer called Mine. I stay around this area when I visit my wife stays with her parents right smack in the middle of the CBD of Taipei at City Hall, I come and visit on w/e's otherwise I go mad but a couple of days stay in Taipei CBD is worth it for the experience.

There is a heap of stuff to do but I reckon one of the must dos is to see Toroko Gorge when you drive down the coast from Toucheng on the way to Dong He. Assuming you start out from Taipei. You can even stop in Chisingtan on the way...and stay at the Bayview. It cost us ~$80AU/night for 2 nights and the place was brand new in 2010. It's pretty luxurious and would easily be $200+/night here. It would be a nice break for the wife perhaps because Dong He is a little coastal town with nothing else really except surfing to do.

Although "Water Running Up" is a little further south is worth checking out I suppose if you like to see water flowing uphill. Never did I'm sure it's some kind of circus side show gimmick for tourists. Nevertheless beautiful coastline all along here. While you're at the Bayview you should head into Hualien to catch some night markets - I don't know just because they all do it! You might even get to see a fight...first time in 10 years of coming here I saw violence. A couple of gits drinking moonshine couldn't handle their liquor. These night markets are a bit like a bunch of circus side shows, Paddy's market stalls and food stalls except they're permanent fixtures. A bit like Bugis St in Singapore. They are in every city.

Taitung is the next major city as you head south, if you like hot springs there are a bunch of hotels just inland a bit at the foot of the mountains (maybe 3 or 4km).

Cost wise the cost of living is more or less the same as here. Around $80/day to hire a mid/compact size car. Get a GPS and save yourself a lot of hassle, you could probably make that your first purchase. Garmin recommended, with English options, electronic goods are a bit cheaper. All the electronics store are near Taipei Main Station. The MRT is the best way to get around the city; fast and cheap.

One must don't...do not eat stinky tofu! They will try to tell you it smells bad but tastes good, trust your nose!

[swvic]

Very comprehensive, slowman, thanks for taking the time. Almost feel guilty if I don't end up going, but it seems like it's more than worthy of the effort. Channels also sent me a pm with a bit of info, so I'll publicly thank him whilst I'm at it

[otway1949]

I'll give you some thoughts shortly on Surftaiwan offerings and some suggestions if you are taking your wife.
There are fairly distinct surf seasons for east and south coasts but huge potential there, just didn't luck into it.
Stay tuned! Slowy's advice helped heaps .
back soon

[otway1949]

OK here is my report.
Taiwan has some really good potential, unfortunately the Otway fell under a variation of an ancient Chinese curse!
"May you live interesting times", became, may you have an interesting journey.
Fortunately my wife was with me and it turned into a culture tour!

We arrive as a super Typhoon smacks the bejesus out of the Philippines did swell come our way, resounding NO! the system stalls off the Philippines and the swell marches past to Japan.
Staying at Nanwan in the Kenting area Taiwan's Bondi since most Taiwanese can't swim they have a roped off area in which the flounder, bob up and down and generally manage to stay safe , no lifeguards evident.Jet skis banana boat towing and umbrellas, 50 big buses of people soup delivered every day.
there is a surf school with about 100 soft boards and the ultra lite Chinese can catch anything that raises a ripple, and strangely enough they are all learning to be natural footers
There is a little wave beach break peak down the beach towards the nuclear reactors
that produced this sort of fun wave but not much more

, but is reasonably free of the carnage there is no awareness of drop in rules or anything else but being an old fart I often got waves because they wanted to see me surf.
I had about six or seven surfs here but nothing came up to the expectations of a surf trip. but fun none the less.
There was a slightly better right hander over a reef

Both were capable of better things but that day didn't coincide with our trip!
We had also booked our trip at a time when the east coast was due to start it's seasonal run of swells from the northern Pacific but as we wanted to see Taiwan ( we did ) next cultural event was the Autumn moon festival and fireworks with Chinese Gods parades went on till early morning.

the working day began early and unlike Bali (no roosters ) jackhammer guys would start up a 7.30 and go till 5.00 right next door on the roof and if it rained they went inside and jack hammered the common wall ( so no siestas).
The accommodation on offer was a basic couples room with double bed and a rollaway.
No-one explained that Taiwanese mattresses looks like a normal mattress but have a bamboo woven mat inside the cover top and bottom ( my wife and I have slept on harder floors ):shock:
In order to recover for an onslaught you apply to your body there is sovereign relief, hot springs and spas.
You have to wear a hat

in the pools and you can have your feet nibbled clean of dead skin and whatever else by cooperative fish

.

Now about surfing on the east coast really seems the go, here the island could be called Taiwaii as the coast is backed be high mountains run out rivers and farm land only had a couple of surfs at Jaileshui which is a main spot on the east coast an easy drive from Nanwan.
The set up is a river that has had the boulders and rocks blasted into a black sand and cobble rivermouth bar in a really good triangular shape.
Lefts and rights each a version of crescent head or crescent in reverse since everyone has been trained to be natural footers I had the lefts to myself

They may have been small but they went forever as did the rights

The east coast part of the trip came just as the typhoon now began to move and send 30+ swells directly onto the coast with full onshore winds so we stayed in the Taitung here there was once again pre-installed jackhammers but the beds were hotel soft big ahhh of relief peculiarly the hotel owner wanted to move us after three days to a hotel with a full construction site next door.
I had a dummy spit and wanted to go back to Nanwan, bad move, the typhoon passed to smash Japan and sent a surfable swell down the coast.
Back to Nanwan where it had been good whilst I was on the east coast but had now had gone to smaller than before.
the signs were up but being ignored in desperation

.
You'll note the soft board being carried in and the standard of a few boards at the local surf shop

P9230038.JPG (78.01 KiB) Viewed 5557 times

My overall thoughts on Taiwan as a surf trip this time, failure. As a take my wife to China adventure, success .
For a family trip enquire fully as to the accommodation and nature of the beds the people are absolutely generous, the food superb and cheap as. breakfast for two maxes out at about $10 to $15 AUD, Taiwan beer is good.
compared to SE Asia very clean and tidy .
Conclusion, I will go again as the surf is as yet uncrowded and all is very interesting indeed.
Meet the gods

[swvic]

Ots, you are a legend. Thanks for taking the time. I'm in the same sort of boat you were. Wouldn't be an exclusive surf trip and my missus is pretty tough when it comes to roughing it, so the odd hard matress here and there is no drama. Good to learn they're all natural footers because I'm a goofy too. The pricks (mates) that might be with us (for at least some of the time) will be in the pack fighting for a right. Just desserts because I surf backhand heaps because of them

Interest is more than a little piqued. Can't see myself in Bali again - pretty much over it. Did a Maldives trip this year - boat and finished at a resort for a few days. Funny watching Taiwanese learn to snorkel in the pool. Waist deep water and they wore life jackets. Hilarious every day we were there so I get where you're coming from re them surfing. Only a matter of time before they get right into it. Wasn't too long back the Balinese were shit scared of the ocean

Even though Mrs swvic has been great over the years in allowing me to be a little selfish on our travels, I do like doing and seeing the stuff she's into. So a trip not totally surf orientated is fine by me. Will probably be Taiwan, but she really does want to go to Burma before tourism really takes off now there's freedom to go pretty much anywhere you like. No surfboards which makes roaming about so so easy. If it is Taiwan, I'd only take 1 to make the other things easier. Again, thanks heaps

[otway1949]

Swvic, consider going to tea plantations, great day trip into the mountains, the bullet train from one end of Taiwan to the other at 300 klicks.
If you go to Taipei go to the 101 tower ( great looking skyscraper) and the Longshan temple and the night markets nearby , go down snake alley the brothel area ( amazingly it's safe)
Definitely go to the National Museum in Taipei
Near Nanwan go to the great aquarium, they have whales and whalesharks in huge tanks and it is really one of the best aquariums around!
Whole Eco systems in the tanks!

Visit the temples wherever you go see if you can notice the differences between a Buddhist and a Taoist temple.

Seven/eleven stores are a great rescue for ATM etc, Aussie dollars hard to change, not many little store take credit cards or debit cards but you can get cash out at the ATMs and they have can put up English instructions.

We ate very well for about $600 over 20 days.

Wife loved, no hassles on street, no bartering, quality goods, great fabrics.
Not sure about, Japanese electric bum washing toilet seats , the habit of not flushing toilet paper at some toilets. Squat toilets!

With an open mind a great family trip!

[swvic]

More gems. Got a mate who has one of them dunny seats, but his wife won't let him install. If it ever goes in, I'm rolling up for a turd on a sat morn with The Age (everywhere must have the equivalent - the big fat one with all the classifieds). Might be the very thing his missus is baulking at

[otway1949]

More gems. Got a mate who has one of them dunny seats, but his wife won't let him install. If it ever goes in, I'm rolling up for a turd on a sat morn with The Age (everywhere must have the equivalent - the big fat one with all the classifieds). Might be the very thing his missus is baulking at

Be prepared to levitate. If the jet hits your ring at the right angle and velocity it's rather a mind shocking experience.
Guaranteed sphincter high velocity clamp shut >><<

[otway1949]

Hey Otway...is that you in the hat and are you related to Hulk Hogan?

Yep that's me
I loom large in the water, but not related to Hulk Hogan ( i like Hogans though.) nor Bulk Bogan ( don't like Bogans)
I was a fairly useful Rugby front rower in my day hence the solidity. Also from years of martial arts.
Was a regular at Forester's beach until I moved here about 17 years ago.

[swvic]

Memo to self; don't fcuk with ots

[Spoon]

I like the concept of a Crescent style uncrowded left

[Trev]

I like the concept of a Crescent style uncrowded left

Me too. I'd even happily ride it backhand.

[otway1949]

I've got the Mo ,
Yo.
The man's got the tan.
Tomtom's the fan.
I'm the stud ya gotta hear,
he's got the stud and it's in his ear.
end of rap now unwrapped.

[Slowman]

There is also DongHe just 10mins down the road...it's the Trestles of Taiwan