Out on the vast ocean, under the bright blue sky, swims a family of whales. You may think this is a scene from Discovery but this scene is taking place right here, just off the east coast of Taiwan. These magnificent animals are our neighbor. In the waters around Taiwan there are 29 species of cetaceans (whales and dolphins), more than one-third of the 60 cetacean species found worldwide. This great diversity of cetaceans makes Taiwan one of the hottest spots in the world for cetacean observation. Whale watching is booming on the east coast of Taiwan. Several villages are now enjoying the prosperity brought to them by the tourism. Whale watching tours are busy at Wushih Fishing Port, Nanfang'ao Fishing Port, Fenniaolin Fishing Port, Hualien Fishing Port, Shiti Fishing Port, and Chenggong Fishing Port. Every single voyage is about 2~3 hours. More than 33 whale-watching boats are available along the east coast, and these boats have introduced more than 230,000 tourists to the joy of whale watching. Tourists may enjoy not only encountering dolphins but also taking in the beautiful geological formations along the coast. Some boats also offer educational tours in marine ecology and fishery. The depth and diversity of experience found in whale watching is continually being enhanced.

Hualien Fishing Port
Hualien Fishing Port is located in northern Hualien. The whale-watching area reaches from Qingshui Cliffs to Yanliao, where tourists can enjoy spectacular scenery including Qingshui Cliffs, Qixingtan, Hualien Fishing Port, and the Coastal Mountain Range. The whale-watching industry is well developed, and some operators have been cooperating with NGOs time to promote environmental conservation and cultural preservation. This close cooperation greatly enhances the quality of whale-watching tours.

Shiti Fishing Port
Shiti Fishing Port is located in eastern Hualien and covers a whale-watching area reaching from Jiqi to Changbin (in Taitung County), where tourists can enjoy the fantastic scenery of the Coastal Mountain Range such as Shitiping and the Xiuguluan River. In addition, many Amis villages are located in this area, so whale-watching tours from Shiti Fishing Port also provide contact with the Amis indigenous culture and local fishery culture This makes the whale-watching tours here unique.

Whale Watching in Taiwan