Go turtle-snorkeling on the beach and have a refreshing vacation in the Ryukyu Islands!

By MOOK Scenic Spots & compiled report
 
This summer, you need to cool off a bit — build sandcastles, admire sea turtles, go snorkeling, and take a relaxing break on Xiao Liuqiu Island!

The Transportation and Tourism Port is the main entry and exit point for travelers visiting Xiao Liuqiu. Located next to the scenic Zhong’ao Beach along the beautiful coastline, it offers great recreational value. In addition to providing transportation ferry services, the port’s visitor center also offers island-circling boat tours and semi-submersible submarine rides, giving travelers a variety of new ways to explore the island.

The Ryukyu Island is widely distributed with coral limestone, thus featuring numerous cave formations. The most famous one is Wuguidong, located on the southwest side of the island, along the coast of Tianfu Village. Legend has it that in the 15th year of the Yongli era during the Ming Dynasty, after the loyalist general Zheng Chenggong (also known as the Prince of Yanping) reclaimed Taiwan and Penghu from the Dutch, a few black slaves were abandoned here and took shelter in this cave. Nestled within the crevices of the rocks, the cave is dark and gloomy when viewed from above. It’s said that during the Qing Dynasty, there were stone tables and other utensils inside the cave, but unfortunately, the entrance has now collapsed and is no longer accessible. The Liuqiu Township Office has developed it into a scenic area through public asset utilization, which includes attractions such as Ganquan (Sweet Spring), Bitao Pavilion, Yi Bridge, Lie Pool, Youqing Valley, Biyou Tian (A Unique Heaven), and Haoran Pavilion.

On the coral reef coast near Lobster Cave in the northeast of Liuqiu Island, there are many pothole micro-landforms and sea erosion gullies. These potholes are marine-formed, with circular openings and flat bottoms created by dissolution and re-deposition. Unlike other marine-formed potholes, many of these do not contain small pebbles or other grinding materials.

The beach on the eastern side of Liuqiu Island, stretching from Lobster Cave to Baisha New Port, is called “Zhong’ao Beach,” and it is one of the main beaches on the island. It is primarily a marine accumulation landform made up of coral debris, foraminifera, and shell fragments. Aside from being suitable for beach recreation, Zhong’ao Beach is also great for intertidal zone wildlife observation and night-time sightseeing.