TAIWAN – UNTAPPED POTENTIAL
Found myself pleasantly surprised, if not shocked by this unassuming country!
HAVING DIVED for more than 16 years and having had the opportunity to visit some of the world’s greatest dive sites, I found myself pleasantly surprised, if not shocked, by this unassuming nation. While Taiwan is only a four-and-a-halfhour flight away from my home country of Singapore, it had never even occurred to me to consider this island country as a dive destination.
I was based in Taiwan for five months, after being invited to participate in an underwater photography competition/TV show called Aqua Challenge. It was only during this time that it crossed my mind to give diving there a shot.
Initially, I thought nothing about it. Diving? Taiwan? No way… I’m probably going to just spend most of my time at the night markets. Boy, was I wrong! Those few months that I spent in Taiwan changed not just my perspective of the country, but my life.
As I prepared for my trip, I remember the thrill of dusting off my camera gear and passport – it had been a while since I last travelled, thanks to the ongoing pandemic – and the feeling of exhilaration at what was to come. With the smell of the airport and the feeling of a foreign currency in my hand, I was ready for perhaps the most exciting flight of my life.
Touching down in Taiwan and breathing a different kind of air reminded me of what freedom smelled like. But unfortunately, this “freedom” was short-lived as I dived straight into quarantine.
Two long weeks later and after what seemed like forever, I finally left my quarantine bubble and began my quest to discover the dive sites of the country.