We love getting into the water, and Taiwan has some amazing things to offer by way of water sports. Life in the big(ish) city of Taipei wouldn’t be as livable if we couldn’t get out into nature relatively easily. Up until now, our favorite day trips to visit the ocean were based around snorkeling. However, one of our adventure compatriots wanted to give surfing a try. As usual, we were up for the adventure, and excited to see if we could add another ocean-based day trip from Taipei to the rotation. We discovered that surfing Wushigang at Wai’ao beach might just fit our needs of a doable day-trip.
Our Experience:
We arrived in Wushigang around 10:20. The surf shop we’d booked lessons with picked us up at the bus station. At the shop, they gave us rashguards and then walked us down to the beach. They showed us the shop’s main tent on the beach and then brought us to our own table. Now, none of this happened in a very efficient way. There was a lot of waiting between each step.But by 11am we were settled at our table on the beach ready for our surf lesson.
And then we waited. And waited and waited. At noon our friend Noah went back to the main tent and asked if the instructor would be ready soon or if we should go get lunch. They suggested lunch. So we took a very hot 10 minute stroll on the beach over to an air-conditioned cafeteria-style lunch place. When we came back, our instructor was ready! Part of the reason we’d had to wait so long was because we surprised the company by asking if they had any instructors who could speak English. She was worth the wait. Her English was quite good, and she was encouraging, patient and helpful.
Unfortunately , having put off surfing til the hottest part of the day after some long walks on the hot beach meant I (Pauline) was not in a good position to really enjoy the activity. Just 20 minutes into our 90 minute lesson, I had to call it quits. I took some tylenol for my heat headache and went and got showered. But Noah and Josh had a great time! To our surprise, the private lesson also included a photographer who took pictures of the lesson. Although Pauline, of course, took a bunch too!
So…Would we go again?
For Noah and Josh the answer is a resounding yes! And for me… its a maybe 🙂 .
If you do go we suggest keeping the following tips in mind to make your experience as positive as possible!
A Few Tips:
- Go Early
- Pay for private lessons your first time
- Make sure that the surf shop provides an umbrella for you
- Take breaks and know your limits
- Don’t get stuck at Wushigang Station after the sun goes down
And of course, make sure you pack your daytrip bag well!
What to Bring:
- Snacks
- Drinks (we were particularly pleased with our lemonade and jelly packs)
- Goggles
- Ocean Safe Sunscreen
- Towel & Sarong
- Swimming Tights
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Mosquito Repellant
- Motion sickness pills & maybe Tylenol too
Getting There & Back:
1877 Bus to Wushigang: We got the bus at Yuanshan station although it’s also possible to catch at Nangang Exhibition Center. This is a private bus line, so they have a slightly different system for tickets and boarding. Don’t just wait around for the bus to come and expect to get on! Instead head straight to the ticket counter and get a number. You can still pay for the bus with your easy card upon boarding, but they allow people to board based on their number. Travel time was 2 hours due to traffic. Cost is $120NT each way.
On the way back there is a electronic kiosk where you can use your EZ card to buy a ticket back to Taipei. BUT beware, you then need to walk up behind the bus stop to their office and get a bus boarding number. The kiosk does not notify you of this, but failing to go get a number will leave you frustrated as everyone else gets on the bus and you’re stuck going up to get a number for the next bus :(.
Train to & from Wai’ao: We didn’t take this options but we might do it next time. Mainly because the travel time is set, not dependent on traffic which gets really bad on weekends between Taipei and Yilan. On the other hand you’re guaranteed a seat on the bus, whereas you might end up standing the whole way on the train. An express train from Taipei Main to Wai’ao (外澳) should take about an hour and 30 minutes. From there it’s about a 12 minute walk to where we went surfing although Wai’ao also has a popular surfing beach with many surf shops.
The Rental Shop:
We used the Blue Ocean Surf Shop for our rental and surf lesson. This was one of many shops that offered services at the beach. For people used to low key surf shops, the experience might be a bit of a shock. This shop is geared towards handling groups of people at a time. Once we figured out what was going on, it all made a lot of sense. A board rental includes a rashguard, and the boards are not at the shop. They are on the beach at the shop’s tent, which is about a 15 minute walk away from the water. There are showers, but no lockers. This is Taiwan, so you don’t really need them, but that means either packing your stuff in a dry bag or ziplock baggies to keep everything free of sand.
The sun can be brutal here, but our lesson and rental included a table with an umbrella. All the tables from the various surf groups are in the same large area, so pay attention when the attendant shows you to your assigned table. You don’t want to get lost! There are vendors that will sell bottles of cold water, but remember to bring plenty of drinks and snacks. The closest restaurants and convenience stores are a long, hot walk away.