Taiwan with a 5 years old

Taiwan is plenty hot in June. That is the single most obstacle I see if you come from a more temperate climate. It is probably less taxing on a 5 year old than the two adults if you want my take of it.

Is your child able to use a snorkel?

When my son was about 8 I took him to Taiwan and the Green island snorkeling tour was his favorite part.

On Green Island and Orchid Island they give great snorkeling tours over some spectacular coral reefs very very close to shore.

They put everyone in a dry suit which doubles as a flotation device. Then they add a life vest. Then you grab on to a third flotation device (a series of ring buoys roped together) and the guide pulls the group around the reef. Green island also has a nice little lagoon for swimming and a hot springs which is great at night (though it ma or may not have re-opened after storm damage.)

If snorkeling is not possible, Orchid Island has some tours by glass-bottom boat which are also very nice.

Each island is far enough out to sea that the get some nice sea breezes and thus are not as ot as the main island.

Oh Tainan has a lot of history and is compact enough to see it all in a day or so. My son enjoyed the seaside fort.

In the beautiful mountains of NanTou county, (central Taiwan) near the village of Cao tun (grass sandals) there are guest houses that are quite nice. See the thread about "off the beaten path."

My daughter lived in Taiwan from birth until she was six. When we traveled in southern Taiwan from our home in Taichung, her favorite places were Kenting and Kaohsiung. If your son is like my daughter, he might enjoy swimming in the water at Baisha Beach. This place is much less crowded than other beaches in the area, and my little one was excited to see fish swimming among the submerged rocks (don't worry, it's very safe). The Kenting Forest Recreation Area has short but interesting nature walks, which my daughter really enjoyed. She also had fun walking on the preserved East Gate in the nearby town of Hengchun. The National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium is a certified kid-pleaser, while walking the busy main road of Kenting Town in the evening can be exciting for your son if he enjoys that kind of atmosphere.

In Kaoshiung, my daughter had a lot of fun at the Shoushan Zoo, especially when a wild monkey came down from the mountain looking for handouts from visitors. The colorful temples around Lotus Lake are interesting, especially the Dragon-Tiger Pavilion. In the evening, you could take your son for a boat ride on the lit-up Love River, and grab a bite to eat at the Liouhe Road Night Market (my daughter loved going to night markets in Taiwan, not so much for the food, but for the games!).

Thank you for all the suggestion. We know the weather is going to be horrible ( from CA), but this trip is a side trip so we have no choice on the date :(

He can not snorkel yet, but am hoping he will be braver on this trip. I will look into them a bit more.

Yes, the last time we were in Taiwan, he spend a good 20 mins trying to catch gold fish in the night market. We just give the lady back all the fish at the end, since we cant take it home. We could spend the whole night in those game booth if it is up to him.

My husband is thinking about liuqui. What do you guys think? We can't ride a motorcycle and I am worry that it will be hard to get around the island. But from the website, it seems really nice, and lots of things to see?

I have never been to Liu Qui, but having been to two other similar islands (Green Island and Orchid island), I'd have to guess Liu Qui is much the same.

Judging from those experiences I would guess:

• Ocean breezes keep those cooler than the main part of Taiwan, especially if you are on the west side of the island.

• Taxis are rare, but available.

• A motor scooter is pretty easy to learn, but I wouldn't want to make my first attempt one where I am driving with my entire family of three.

• Most travelers save time and hassle by guaranteeing their hotel etc. with some sort of package, but the locals absolutely LOVE it when you pay cash for things beyond that.

• Certain luxuries, like fireworks and beetlenut are rarities and the locals love them and will show your great hospitality in return (and in return for paying cash for stuff). They are not charity cases or beggars, but being an enlightened and sharing guest is returned with a HUGE amount of hospitality.

• There are some great coral reefs very close to shore that can be seen via snorkeling or (sometimes) via glass-bottom boat.

• If you take a boat there, the waves can be a little rough. Flying costs more, but if seasickness is an issue, consider it.

• Many Taiwanese are afraid of swimming so the beautiful beaches there are sometimes difficult to reach, and are often completely abandoned.

Edited by: LongIslandBob

Some suggestion about Liuqui.:
(1)Transportation :
There is [http://f.share.photo.xuite.net/ming1203/1fd3d7d/3864511/147358910_l.jpg| round island shuttle bus] , But the interval is one hour.

(2) snorkelling
Liqui is made of coral and snorkelling is fantastic there.
Lot snorkelling shops with professional coaching service.
The coach are leading the snorkelling players

(3) Housing
Beautiful and stylish B&B

I suggest You may stay one night and ask help from the B&B host in advance, including picking up service, itinerary arrangement, bus schedule, snorkelling arrangement.
It is otoro season now, and Liuqui and Dungang are the otoro fishing center of Taiwan. Don't miss the otoro sushi.
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My Travel Taiwan