Liuqiu

Boarding won't take too long, the air conditioning is comfortable, the car rental place is right next to the disembarkation area, so convenient!

Since three members of our family don't have motorcycle licenses, and we also wanted to minimize our environmental impact, we chose Yi Shun Motorcycle Shop, which is directly opposite the ferry terminal. We selected four light motorcycles that don't require a license, and we quickly got the hang of riding them. Although they're a bit sluggish uphill and can't carry passengers, there's really no need to ride too fast on the island; riding alone is quite pleasant! Advantages: Light motorcycles are easy to handle and park. My wife and daughter, who have no motorcycle experience, also had a lot of fun. My son wanted to go faster but didn't complain; in fact, the slightly speed-limited light motorcycles made me feel safer. A 20-inch carry-on suitcase can be fitted under the legs, so I can carry my luggage to the port myself. Disadvantages: No phone holder included, and riding with one hand while looking for directions is a bit dangerous. Battery changing time is only 7am-4:30pm, so you need to plan your itinerary; those who like nighttime activities should think twice. A round trip around the island takes up 20% of the electricity, and the sudden stops and starts at high speeds also consume a lot of power. This is an experience I gained later, but I didn't know it at the beginning, so I had some anxiety about the power consumption.

This was the whole family's first time experiencing SUP on the sea. The kids had previous SUP experience on lakes and in swimming pools, so they were quite adept at it this time. The two adults struggled a bit, but that didn't detract from the overall enjoyable 90-minute experience. The two instructors patiently led the way, explaining the basic movements on the beach, and then we practiced in the water at Zhong'ao Beach. At the beginning, a drone filmed us from above, along with the incredibly clear water around us; the final photos were comparable to those of famous overseas scenic spots (the framing was excellent). Later, when we were allowed to play independently, the instructors took photos for everyone. We were lucky enough to see sea turtles surfacing to breathe! Advantages of the package tour: The instructor (who was also the owner?) was a native of Xiaoliuqiu, and he was very friendly and engaging when talking about water activities in his hometown. He was also very enthusiastic in guiding us through SUP, which made us feel at ease. He even suggested we take a guided stargazing tour with him at 9 pm, but we were too tired to participate. But judging from other tourists' photos, it should be great too! Disadvantages of the package tour: The meeting point was very inconspicuous – it was in an open space among residential houses, and since we weren't familiar with Xiaoliuqiu, we couldn't be sure we had arrived; two of the life jackets had missing crotch straps, so the owner probably needs to check the quality of the life jackets more thoroughly.

The coach was very patient and approachable. He was also very skilled at guiding my breathing, even though I was nervous. The only downside was that I didn't see any sea turtles. My son did, so he was very excited. We've decided to try again next time.