Freedive Nomad Taiwan Blog

自由潛水課程 - 新的健康之旅 |自由潛水游牧者

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 02:22:12 GMT

當你聽到「健康」這個詞時，你會想到什麼？如果我要猜的話，可能會想到一些事情，如按摩、瑜伽課程、冥想、排毒和素食餐。還有大腸灌洗或禁食？

但是對於在山上健行或參加自由潛水課程呢？哦，當然可以！

近年來，隨著人們對整體健康實踐的認識不斷增強，尤其是在新冠肺炎 (COVID-19) 疫情期間，需求自然也在增長——健康產業現已成為地球上增長最快的產業之一。隨著需求的成長，「健康」領域也不斷擴大。

健康是什麼？

健康不僅僅是我們的生理健康。它超越了身體本身的需求和欲望，並融入了全面的健康方法。

在考慮「健康」的定義時，還應考慮到許多其他方面，包括心理、精神和情感健康。

自由潛水就是健康

自由潛水在健康界越來越受歡迎，因為它非常強調心理方面。它也可以幫助減輕壓力和焦慮，提高思維敏捷度，改善情緒 - 或者基本上讓你放鬆下來。

此外，自由潛水也可以是一種極好的正念練習，因為當你屏住呼吸並潛水時，你必須專注並意識到自己和周圍環境，沒有其他東西。許多人認為自由潛水是一種冥想形式。

我自由潛水及療癒自己的旅程

我曾作為一名旅客，在台灣的小琉球上參加了初級和中級的自由潛水課程，後來我有幸在這裡居住並教自由潛水課程。

當時，我正在與兩場戰鬥作鬥爭：纖維肌痛和從一場持續八年、在兩年前結束的離婚和監護權戰爭中恢復心理健康。

學習自由潛水是我一生中最令人驚奇、療癒和有意義的經歷之一。它本身就非常有意義，但更重要的是，它幫助我從這兩個挑戰中痊癒。

當我第一次參加自由潛水課程時，我認為很棒因為能夠近距離潛水探索水下世界，而不必背一個大氣瓶。

然而，我很快發現，這是一種生活方式，一種更健康、更快樂的生活方式。

而且，這是一種全面的、健康的生活方式，因為你必須結合幾個健康方面才能取得進步，如身體健康、放鬆的能力、呼吸技巧、冥想、正念和所需的營養。儘管在身體上是一項艱苦的工作，但在完成這兩個課程後，我感到了一種前所未有的恢復。

我喜歡按摩、水療、瑜伽、漂浮艙和素食食物一天，但是持續3-4天，這是大部分自由潛水課程的時間，對我來說會讓我感到沮喪。我需要保持忙碌，否則我的大腦會進入我不想去的地方。而且，對我來說，這些傳統健康方式的有效性感覺更加短暫。

由於我大部分時間在星期一到星期五的白天都在辦公室工作，身材有些走樣，進行為期4至5天的自由潛水課程相當具有挑戰性，對於我的纖維肌痛來說更是如此，它讓我的身體每天早上都感到僵硬和疼痛，特別是在進行巴西柔術訓練後，我幾乎放棄了我成年後發現的最喜愛的運動。

儘管如此，我感到放鬆、恢復活力和充滿活力。我感到自己更年輕，也是自2015年被診斷出患有纖維肌痛以來，我在生理上感到最好的時候。

當我再次閱讀這段文字時，我能理解其中一些主張似乎難以置信或過於誇大。但我改變了整個生活的軌跡，進一步追求這種憑藉屏住呼吸潛水而達到的藝術，僅僅是因為它讓我感覺如此。

自從我開始自由潛水以來，我一直在研究為什麼它讓我感到如此快樂、健康、恢復活力和平靜，即與健康相關的所有詞語。

以下是我發現的一些事情：

Blue Mind - 海洋中的科學

即使在我開始自由潛水之前，我對海洋就已經感到著迷。

回顧我的童年，我很多美好的回憶都與水有關。在夏威夷浮潛，釣魚和在皮斯莫海灘的海浪中翻滾，家庭在湖中的船屋度假。

作為成年人，我一直被大海或大型水域吸引，因為我通常偏愛海邊度假：印尼的巴厘島、泰國的普吉島和蘇梅島、菲律賓的長灘和台灣的墾丁。

《 Blue Mind 》是由華萊士·J·尼科爾斯所著的一本書，它利用科學來解釋和量化水對心理和身體的積極影響。

如果你沒有時間閱讀這本書，可以看一下他的 Ted講座，你會受到啟發，想去大海的，我保證。

因此Blue Mind已成為描述當在水域周圍時的這種積極現象的概念。它是對紅色心靈的解藥，而不幸的是，我們現代社會中的許多人處於這種狀態，即壓力大、過度刺激、焦慮等。

Blue Mind還可以抵抗尼科爾斯所謂的灰色心靈，指的是花費過多時間在室內和面對屏幕，這可能導致能量水平降低、情緒波動不定和缺乏動力。

腦部掃描顯示，當我們靠近水域時，大腦會充斥著像多巴胺、血清素和催產素等令人感覺良好的神經傳遞物質，並降低壓力激素皮質醇的水平。難怪衝浪在美國是治療退伍軍人PTSD的一種方法。每次潛水，我都感覺像是海洋在給我一個迫切需要的擁抱。

你知道嗎，「溫泉」一詞的兩個起源之一是來自拉丁語詞彙"Salus per Aquam"，意思是“水療”。因此，水的治療性質早已廣為人知。

因此，僅僅是在水中自由潛水就成為一種健康活動。但還有更多......

The Wedge：在壓力下保持冷靜

自從我開始自由潛水以來，我在生活中一直體驗到一種持久的平靜，這是我以前從未體驗過的。

能夠在大多數正常或中度壓力的情況下保持冷靜是一回事，而在極大的壓力下保持冷靜則是另一回事。

當你無法呼吸時感到的呼吸渴望可能是人類面臨的最可怕的情況之一；這是對你生存本能的威脅。即使你知道你的生命沒有受到威脅，但你的身體並不知道；這就是為什麼它會觸發哺乳動物潛水反射；這是一種生存本能。

自由潛水的進步是通過學習在身體感知到生存威脅時保持冷靜和放鬆來實現的。

《 The Wedge 》是斯科特·卡尼（Scott Carney）所著的一本書。The Wedge是將你的反應與刺激分離開來的選擇。

我們都對特定刺激有預設的反應，這是從我們小時候開始的。作為一個孩子，當我們遇到新的刺激時，我們的大腦會將我們的反應記錄為神經符號。下一次你遇到類似的刺激時，你的大腦會使用神經符號來代替再次處理所有信息。就像你的身體的瀏覽器緩存了每個網站的數據一樣。

通過反復將我們的身體置於環境壓力下，我們可以在刺激和我們的反應之間形成一個楔子。你只需要幾秒鐘的時間，足以在你當前的情緒狀態下選擇另一種反應，而不是五歲時的反應。這讓你具有情緒韌性。

作者通過讓鐵鍋扔向自己、進入熱桑拿和冰浴、極端的呼吸練習以及阿亞胡亞斯卡（ayahuasca）等方式，在自己身上測試了這個概念，他得出結論認為，一旦你掌握了在其他活動中保持冷靜的技能，你就可以將這種技能推廣到生活的其他方面。

自從我開始自由潛水以來，我已經能夠在日常生活中使用這項技能。現在，要讓我生氣或憤怒是需要很有一定程度的。現在，當我面對一些幾年前可能會讓我煩惱的事情時，我保持冷靜，可以理性地思考接下來的行動。我的路怒現在，自從我是青少年以來，一直在穩步但緩慢地改善，現在已經完全消失了。

我從自由潛水中獲得了這一點。當我潛水時感到呼吸的衝動時，我的身體和心靈都會放鬆下來。對我來說現在是非常自然的，我發現在面對急性壓力時，我的第一反應是放鬆，這比起暴躁或生氣更加理想。

呼吸

今天最流行的健康之一是呼吸法。呼吸法已經被用來幫助人們應對壓力、焦慮和抑鬱數個世紀。

作為一門屏住呼吸潛水的藝術，呼吸法是自由潛水不可分割的一部分。

通過自由潛水，你不僅可以發展更強壯和更靈活的呼吸肌肉，還可以增加你對二氧化碳的耐受性，這對健康有很多好處。

橫膈膜是呼吸肌肉的核心。通過自由潛水，你將加強你橫膈膜的彈性。這將使你的核心更加強壯（有助於緩解背部疼痛），提高運動和鍛煉表現，並改善健康，因為你不需要那麼努力地提供身體氧氣。

詹姆斯·內斯特（James Nestor）是我讀過的有關自由潛水最有趣的書籍之一《Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us About Ourselves》的作者。

內斯特在成為一名自由潛水員之前，作為一名記者去希臘參加了一場自由潛水比賽，這本書講述了他在自由潛水中的旅程和發現。他涵蓋了一些主題，如與抹香鯨一起自由潛水，在塞舌爾幫助鯊魚做標記以防止鯊魚襲擊自由潛水員，日本一群每天自由潛水採珍珠的日本婦女，以及比賽自由潛水。

這使他意識到呼吸和呼吸法的重要性，他的下一本書是一本非常深入探討呼吸的書籍《 Breathe 》，這是一本關於被忽視的身體功能的迷人讀物，然而，如果你知道如何控制和操縱，它可以對你的心智、生理和健康產生深遠的影響。

甚至前UFC中量級冠軍以色列·阿德尚亞（Israel Adesanya）也將自由潛水類型的訓練融入到他的訓練中，他將這歸功於在進行超過五局比賽時幫助他不至於進入疲憊狀態。

” 一個完美的人呼吸就像沒有呼吸一樣。”

—老子

隨著更多的自由潛水，你的身體將建立更多對二氧化碳的耐受性，因為閉氣時二氧化碳水平會增加。較二氧化碳高耐受性跟較低的焦慮和更健康的人相關。

這也意味著較高的一氧化氮產生，這會增加你的血管彈性。自從我開始自由潛水以來，我首次在近20年來能夠將控制高血壓所需的藥物量減少一半。

這似乎與直覺相反，但較高的CO2水平意味著你的身體更容易獲得氧氣，因為它提高了你的血液酸度，減少了氧氣與血紅蛋白之間的結合強度，這就是波爾效應。

自由潛水絕對不是呼吸法的全部，但它會給你一個正確的練習方向。

間歇性低氧訓練

這在運動表現領域正流行。間歇性低氧訓練（IHT）是指運動員在略微低氧的狀態下進行訓練，無論是在高海拔地區進行訓練，還是通過呼吸具有降低氧氣含量的裝置。已經證明，低氧訓練對運動員和健康都具有許多積極的生理變化和益處。

它已經證明可以改善血液流動、氧氣的運輸、一氧化氮生成甚至幹細胞的生成。

一切取決於濃度，因為中度低氧已被證明具有最大的益處，但超過這個劑量將開始產生有害效果。

儘管目前尚未在自由潛水的背景下對IHT進行研究，但這絕對是未來有希望有更多研究的領域。

低強度運動

對於纖維肌痛，任何體力消耗，即使是適度的消耗，都會讓我第二天感到疼痛和酸痛。運動對於您的整體健康非常重要，但是當您第二天感到身體沉重並且難以起床時，就很難堅持並享受運動。

自由潛水和纖維肌痛的結合讓我充分體認到低強度運動的好處。當我學習自由潛水時，我們在潛水時的垂直距離上游泳了數百公尺。在我的課程期間，我獨自一人或只有一名其他學生與我在一起，因此我的潛水次數比自由潛水課程中的潛水次數要多。

一天結束後，我感到身體很疲憊，但感覺很好。更重要的是，第二天我沒有感到疼痛和酸痛。事實上，儘管與前一天相比，我進行了劇烈的體力活動，但我還是感到精神煥發，煥然一新，從床上一躍而起。

因此，如果您是週末戰士，體型中等，並且希望在“健康假期”期間保持活躍，那麼自由潛水可能是一項無需按摩且第二天不需要布洛芬的運動。

結論

這些只是自由潛水能夠促進你的心理和身體健康的許多原因之一，也是為什麼這類活動正迅速成為健康度假不可或缺的一部分。

如果您有興趣在台灣參加我的自由潛水課程，請發送電子郵件至 ray@freedivenomad.com 與我聯繫。我的妻子有一個健康套餐，包括呼吸法課程、1天的自由潛水體驗課程和按摩培訓課程。

保持聯繫，不錯過任何更新！點擊這裡訂閱我們的電子報或 line 群組。你將獲得我們最新課程時間表的獨家訪問權，最新更新的內容，以及對自由潛水世界的有趣見解。

Molchanovs Freedive Bifins : Complete Buyer's Guide

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 02:57:00 GMT

In freediving, choosing the right fins matters. They are key for performance and comfort (and sometimes style cause looking good while freediving is also important). Molchanovs is one of the most respected brands in the freediving world, known for producing high-performance gear trusted by divers of all levels. Their range of fins caters to everyone—from beginners taking their first breath-hold to elite athletes pushing world records.

This guide covers four popular Molchanovs bifin models: the CORE Silicone Bifins, SPORT Bifins 3, PRO Bifins 3, and PRO Hyper Bifins. Each fin has unique features and benefits, so it’s important to consider which ones best fit your freediving style and goals. By breaking down the differences, this guide is here to make your decision easier—and help you feel more confident about choosing the right fins for you.

CORE Silicone Bifins

Quick description - Hypoallergenic and UV-resistant silicone, open-heel design, short fins.

Freediver Level - All levels, perfect for total beginners

These fins are made for beginners to advanced divers. They offer easy travel and comfort for training and fun dives for more experienced freedivers.

Molchanovs CORE Silicone Bifins are perfect for beginners. They focus on comfort and ease of use. They only provide decent propulsion with proper technique. This is why I only use these fins for my beginner freedive students.

Intermediate and advanced freedivers will also appreciate their utility. They can use the fins for training purposes. They can work on their basic flutter kick or even monofin technique. Or maybe going on a trip and don’t want to pack their long fins.

Many beginner freedivers start with long plastic fins. They’re not very efficient, but that’s okay for a beginner course. Because of their length, even with poor technique - like bicycle kicking - you still get decent propulsion. But that’s also the downside: they don’t give you much feedback when your technique is off, which can make it harder to improve.

These fins are made from high-quality silicone, which means no blisters, no irritation — just all-day comfort. They're hypoallergenic, UV-resistant, and flexible enough to fit both narrow and wide feet with ease.

The open heel and arch support design is inspired by the Molchanovs Competition Bifins 2, offering comfort, proper foot placement, and surprisingly efficient propulsion for such a compact fin.

Their shorter blades make them perfect for travel and give you more control and maneuverability underwater — ideal for fun dives, exploring tight spaces, or shooting casual underwater photos and videos.

That’s why even many advanced freedivers I know keep a pair in their gear bag. They’re practical, affordable, and honestly, hard not to love.

Freedive instructors also often use these fins when teaching in the pool as the long fins are most prone to breaking in pool sessions if someone accidentally steps on them while you are moving away.

Plus, they come in six colors — including PINK — which is a refreshing break from the sea of serious black gear most freedivers wear. Freedivers are especially stoked about the newly added mint and purple colors. Who says performance and personality can’t go hand in hand?

Confession time: when I first got these fins, they quickly became my everyday go-to. My long fins? They collected dust for a while.

Check out my short and long review videos that I did on these fins. Alexey Molchanov also managed to take these fins to 102 meters (334 feet) in competition.

Foot Pocket and Blade - Like a Mac

Why Is There a Mac in This Photo?

Let me explain…

Before we dive into the next three fin models, I want to talk about something often overlooked: the foot pocket. Most new freedivers - myself included when I bought my first two pairs of fins - only think about comfort and fit. But the foot pocket plays a huge role in performance. Choosing the wrong one can cause significant power transfer loss, even if you’ve got a great blade.

Here’s where the Mac analogy comes in.

Apple is known for designing its hardware and software together — the Mac, the iPhone — all built to work as one seamless system. That’s why they run so smoothly and efficiently. The same design philosophy applies to high-performance freediving fins.

When a blade is designed specifically to work with a matching foot pocket, the result is powerful: you get optimal energy transfer from your leg to the water. That means more propulsion with every kick, less wasted effort, and more depth with less fatigue.

It’s not just about parts fitting together. They have to function as one unit. That’s what gives you the edge — more speed, better endurance, and smoother dives.

And that’s why I bring this up now.

All Molchanovs fins come with foot pockets engineered specifically for their blades — ensuring maximum efficiency and power transfer with every dive.

SPORT Bifins 3

For Whom: All levels of freedivers.

Features:

Available with either carbon or fiberglass blades.
Removable foot pockets for customization.
Anatomical silicone foot pockets for a better fit.
Size-graded stiffness for efficient energy transfer.
Available in multiple foot sizes with color accents.
Short blades have recently become available

Use: Great for freedivers who want performance and convenience. They are also suitable as a first pair of long blades, for instructors as their teaching fins, and for frequent travelers.

The Molchanovs SPORT Bifins 3 are the perfect step up from the CORE Silicone Bifins — ideal for freedivers who want more performance, comfort, and customization, without jumping into the pro-level gear just yet. Now in their third generation, the SPORT series continues to be a top choice for serious recreational freedivers and instructors alike.

These are an excellent first pair of long fins, giving you the efficiency and responsiveness needed for deeper dives while still remaining user-friendly and travel-ready.

Removable Foot Pockets = Game-Changer

The standout upgrade in this version? A fully removable foot pocket system.

This opens up a whole world of versatility. For example:

I use medium-stiff blades for teaching
Soft blades for training sessions
And I even size down the foot pocket for personal best dives to get a snugger, more responsive fit
Traveling light? Swap to short blades for that quick freedive getaway - they’re easy to strap onto your backpack and carry on.

The best part? Switching blades or pockets takes just minutes - no special tools, no hassle. This is a huge advantage for freedivers who travel, as the fins can be easily taken apart and packed into a standard suitcase. No more bulky fin bags or oversized luggage.

Three Key Foot Pocket Innovations

Molchanovs didn't just make the foot pocket removable — they completely reengineered it to improve power transfer and comfort:

Variable stiffness throughout the foot pocket to better support and direct energy
Blade angle placed under the toes, instead of in front — for a more natural kick cycle
A mounting plate on the nose compresses silicone downward, creating pressure on the blade from above — a unique innovation no one else is doing

These changes dramatically increase propulsion, reduce wasted energy, and make every kick count.

Comfort that Actually Helps You Perform

The SPORT 3 foot pockets are made from soft, anatomical silicone designed for ergonomic fit.

Open-heel straps allow full flexion and extension of the foot, supporting natural finning motion
Built-in arch supports keep the foot aligned and secure
All of this results in maximum comfort with zero compromise on performance

Honestly? I think they’re the most comfortable foot pockets on the market — and I’ve tried them all.

Blade Design That Responds to You

The blade features a carefully layered construction with size-specific stiffness — meaning each size is tuned for optimal flex and power output. The result? A responsive, efficient blade that adapts to your kick and energy level.

You can choose between carbon or fiberglass blades, depending on your style. I personally love the fiberglass — they’ve got a snappy feel and deliver plenty of power when I’m teaching all day in the water.

Fit Options & Style

One critique from previous models was that the foot pocket was too wide. Molchanovs listened — the SPORT 3 now comes in both wide and standard-fit options, so freedivers with narrower feet get the snug fit they need.

They’re available in six sizes and include sleek color accents, so you can stand out a little in the ocean of all-black gear.

PRO Bifins 3

For Whom: Advanced to professional freedivers.

Features:

Available with carbon or fiberglass blades.
Lightweight, hand-assembled foot pockets for a precise fit.
More rigid upper foot pocket for better energy transfer.
28° blade angle for improved back kick performance.
Available in six accent colors and 11 foot sizes and custom foot pockets

Use for serious freedivers. High performance for fun diving, training, and competitions.

The Molchanovs PRO Bifins 3 are the pinnacle of the brand’s legendary bifin evolution. Originally launched as the Competition Bifins, they’ve gone through multiple upgrades from CB2 to CB2x and are now proudly rebranded under the “PRO” line to reflect their elite-level performance.

This isn’t just a name change. It’s a statement. These fins have powered countless world-record dives and are built for freedivers who demand nothing but the best.

Handcrafted Foot Pockets with Unmatched Comfort

One of the defining features of the PRO series is the handcrafted foot pocket. Unlike standard molded versions, these use softer rubber and are hand-shaped with precision to deliver superior comfort, fit, and responsiveness.

This handcrafted construction gives you a level of control and energy transfer that simply isn’t possible with mass-produced foot pockets. That’s one reason these fins consistently show up in elite-level performances.

Designed for Depth. Refined by Champions.

Each new generation of PRO Bifins goes through up to 10 prototypes, with direct feedback from Alexey Molchanov and a team of world-record-holding ambassadors.

Every aspect of the design, from stiffness to blade layering, is tested at depths over 100 meters to meet the highest performance standards.

Built for Advanced Technique

The PRO Bifins 3 are made for freedivers who have mastered their technique, whether that’s:

Traditional front and back kicks
Or modern high-frequency, low-amplitude styles used in deep competitive diving

Key performance upgrades include:

A more rigid upper foot pocket for better energy transfer
An increased blade angle from 24° to 28° for stronger back kicks
Optimized blade layering that starts stiff near the foot and tapers toward the tip for smoother flex
Size-calibrated stiffness based on your height and weight for tailored efficiency

�� Fit and Style, Down to the Details

The PRO Bifins 3 now feature the Molchanovs logo on the back and come in six accent colors to suit your personal style.

Choose from:

11 standard foot pocket sizes
Or go custom for a truly perfect fit
PRO Hyper Bifins - High Customizable

For Whom: Competitive athletes.

Features:

Highly customizable with options for blade stiffness, length, and foot pocket angle.
Bulkier and heavier, which might be less convenient for travel.
Footpocket adapted from monofin design for better performance.
Blade angles available in 25°, 30°, and 35°.

Ideal for advanced and competitive freedivers that need extensive customization for best performance.

The Molchanovs PRO Hyper Bifins take performance customization to the next level. Built for serious freedivers, they integrate advanced design elements to optimize both power transfer and comfort — especially for those with strong technique and specific anatomical needs.

Monofin-Inspired Foot Pocket Design

The defining feature of the PRO Hyper Bifins is the monofin-style foot pocket. Unlike standard bifins, your toes do not touch the blade. Instead, the angle is built into the foot pocket using a wedge, eliminating the need for a bent blade.

This innovation opens up a wider range of customization. Divers can now select blade angles of 25°, 30°, or 35°, depending on their flexibility, technique, and power preference.

30° (standard) provides strong back-kick support and reduces strain on the thighs.
25° is ideal for flexible divers who favor a forceful front kick.
35° compensates for stiff ankles and helps maintain efficient propulsion.

Custom Blade Size for Smaller Divers

Molchanovs has thoughtfully addressed the needs of smaller-bodied freedivers. If you weigh under 65 kg (143 lb), are shorter than 170 cm (5'7"), or have shorter leg proportions, you can choose a smaller blade with 10 percent less surface area. These blades also feature an optimized “bottleneck” shape, offering a softer feel and more controlled movement through the water.

Travel Considerations and Foot Pocket Size

Due to the robust monofin-style design, the PRO Hyper Bifins are bulkier and heavier than the PRO Bifins. This can make them less convenient for frequent travel or divers who need lightweight gear. If portability is a major concern, consider whether the smaller and lighter PRO Bifins might be a better fit.

Made for Quad-Driven Kickers

These bifins are ideal for freedivers who use a quad-dominant kicking technique, emphasizing a powerful front kick with minimal back kick engagement. The design supports intense hip and thigh activation, giving you maximum propulsion with every push.

That said, some divers may need to adjust their technique when switching to these fins. You may find you need to dial back the front kick and improve your back kick to get the most out of the design.

The Most Customizable Molchanovs Bifin Yet

The PRO Hyper Bifins offer the highest level of customization in the entire lineup. You can choose:

Blade stiffness
Blade size
Foot pocket angle

The best combination depends on your size, body mechanics, ankle flexibility, and kicking style. If you’re unsure, ask your instructor or reach out directly to Molchanovs for guidance. They’ll help you find the perfect setup to match your dive style.

Choosing the right fins is essential for any freediver, impacting both performance and comfort. Molchanovs offers a diverse range of bifins, each catering to different needs and skill levels. From the beginner-friendly CORE Silicone Bifins to the highly customizable PRO Hyper Bifins, there's an option for everyone. Whether you're just starting out or are an advanced diver seeking top-notch gear, Molchanovs bifins provide excellent performance, comfort, and adaptability to enhance your diving experience.

Go to the Molchanovs website to purchase your next bifins and use the coupon code FREEDIVENOMAD to get 10% off.

If you're in Taiwan, you can purchase directly from us with free shipping anywhere in the Taiwan. Additionally, if you'd like to try the fins before buying, visit us in Xiaoliuqiul, we have the Core Silicon Bifins, Pro and Sport bifins to try before you buy, contact us here for more info.

Why Our Freedive Course Are 4 Days (Not 2)

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 01:50:35 GMT

Why rushing a freedive course doesn’t work — and what we do instead.

Every now and then, someone asks me:

“Why is your Level 1 freedive course four days long? Most places do it in two.”

It’s a great question — and I’m really glad you asked.

The short answer?

Because we prioritize quality, not quantity .

At Freedive Nomad, our Level 1 course is designed for personal growth, safety, and real transformation — not to rush you through a checklist.

I’ve taught 2-Day Courses… Until I Realized They Don’t Work

I’ve taught 2-day courses at a different schools and many of my freedive instructor friends have as well and we all agreed, these were fast-paced programs that packed everything into the shortest time possible to meet tourist demand.

And honestly? Almost no one passed.

Students were overwhelmed. The schedule was too compressed. And most importantly, there wasn’t enough time for the body or nervous system to properly adapt to the underwater environment.

That experience showed me something important:

Freediving isn’t about cramming information and ticking boxes — it’s about learning to relax, trust your body, and enjoy the process. That takes time.

Why Most Schools Offer 2-Day Courses

Let’s be real — the 2-day format wasn’t created because it’s the best length of time to learn freediving.

It exists because it matches market demand . And that’s great for business and making money.

Most of these courses are offered in busy tourist hotspots, where people arrive on holiday with no plan to take a freediving course — they sign up on a whim, squeeze it in between breakfast and happy hour, and leave two days later.

These courses are designed to fit into a tight vacation schedule , not to optimize learning or safety.

They often run with 4 students per instructor — the maximum allowed by most freediving agencies. While compliant, this structure limits how much personalized attention each student receives and how many dives they get to practice, and we all know, practice makes perfect. And with time constraints and high student numbers, it’s no surprise that pass rates are often low.

For more information on why student:instructor ratio is important in a freedive course, check out my blog here .

What We Do Differently (and Why It Matters)

✅ Max 2 students per instructor
More time. More attention. More safety. Our smaller ratio means personalized coaching, better learning outcomes, and a deeper connection to the process.

✅ 4 open water sessions instead of 3
Even with a small group, 3 sessions can feel rushed. Adding a 4th session gives students room to breathe - literally. It creates space to practice skills, ask questions, and even enjoy dives without the pressure of “checking off” a requirement. I find its on Day 4, without the pressure of passing the course, is where my students really start to fall in love with freediving.

✅ Nervous system regulation is built in
Freediving is the art of relaxation. We use breathwork, yoga, sound healing, and ice baths to help your nervous system shift into a calm, parasympathetic state — ideal for freediving and everyday stress relief.

✅ High pass rates
Because we slow things down and guide you step by step, nearly all our students pass — not through luck, but by giving students the space, skills and time to thrive.

✅ Our students travel here for the course
No one stumbles into this course by accident. Students come to Xiaoliuqiu specifically to learn freediving with intention and purpose. This course isn’t an afterthought - it’s a gateway to a new relationship with your body, your breath, and the ocean.

Is This Course for Everyone?

No - and that’s the point.

This course is not for someone trying to tick off an activity in between other holiday plans.

It’s for people who want to truly learn freediving .

People who want to slow down, focus, and walk away with a powerful new skill — and maybe a new perspective on life.

If that sounds like you, I’d love to have you join us.

And if you’re still unsure, I encourage you to check out our student reviews . They speak to everything we’ve talked about.

Got questions about our courses or freediving in general? Feel free to reach out on your favorite messaging app — I’m happy to help!

Why Lung Capacity Is The Most Underrated Marker of Longevity

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 02:37:51 GMT

And what freediving can teach us about breathing for a longer, healthier life

Most people think of aging in terms of diet, exercise, or genetics. And if you are like me and the social media algorithms serve you many snippets of wellness info then you’ll know about regular sauna use, fitness levels and even coffee drinking as reducing all-cause mortality. But there’s a lesser-known predictor that flies under everyone’s radar: lung capacity .

According to several long-term studies, lung function—specifically forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume (FEV₁)—has been shown to be a strong predictor of lifespan , even more so than cholesterol, blood pressure, or smoking history.

�� What the Research Says

The Framingham Heart Study , one of the longest and most respected cardiovascular studies, found that lower lung function in middle age (measured by FVC) predicted significantly higher risks of heart disease and premature death—even decades later.
Similarly, the Buffalo Health Study (Erie County, NY) followed adults for nearly 30 years and found that those with lower FEV₁ had the highest all-cause mortality, regardless of smoking history. Even among healthy non-smokers, better lung function meant better survival (lung capacity is a component of lung function).

In both studies, lung function wasn't just a side note—it was the single best predictor of long-term survival in otherwise healthy people.

So… what does this have to do with freediving?

Freedivers train their lungs - on purpose. But not just to go deeper or stay longer underwater. The process of expanding your lung capacity, learning to breathe efficiently, and training your CO₂ tolerance happens to be incredibly good for your health .

In freediving, we develop:

Stronger diaphragms (via breath-hold training and full-lung stretching)
Greater lung elasticity (thanks to stretching and thoracic mobility)
Improved CO₂ tolerance (which have a multitude of benefits including better oxygenation via the Bohr Effect)
Increased interoception (awareness of internal bodily states, which supports self-regulation)

We learn to slow the breath , relax under pressure , and become deeply in tune with the body. These are skills that translate well beyond the water. They’re nervous system training. They’re stress recovery tools. And they’re protective for long-term health.

And this would improve our lung function and lung capacity.

The Modern Breath Crisis

The average person is breathing too fast, too shallow, and too often through the mouth. Poor posture, chronic stress, and sedentary lifestyles all contribute to dysfunctional breathing patterns that quietly weaken the respiratory system over time.

Freediving flips that on its head. It reminds us what the breath is capable of—how full and intentional breathing can be. It invites us to train not just for depth, but for life.

What You Can Do (Even If You’re Not a Freediver)

You don’t have to dive to 40 meters to start benefiting from lung training. Try training like a freediver:

Daily breath-hold practices (even short static tables)
Stretching the intercostal muscles (ribcage) and diaphragm
Practicing slow nasal breathing throughout the day
Incorporating yoga or mobility work to open the chest

To start, you can either do this 12 Week Foundational Breathwork by world champion Alexey Molchanov or download this app.

Final Thoughts

Longevity isn’t just about adding years to your life - it’s about adding life to your years. And your breath is central to both. Freediving has taught me that expanding your lungs is about more than depth—it’s about presence, regulation, resilience and thriving.

If you're looking to train your lungs, calm your nervous system, and deepen your relationship with your breath, consider freediving not just as a sport - but as a wellness practice. Your future self will thank you for every breath you take today.

What Freediving Taught Me About Nervous System Regulation and Mental Health

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 13:02:53 GMT

Understanding trauma, stress, and healing through the lens of the body

I didn’t come to learn about mental health and the nervous system through school, textbooks or social media.

I learned the hard way—completely burned out, running on empty, and constantly overwhelmed. I was eventually diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and a condition called fibromyalgia. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a debilitating mix of chronic pain and fatigue, and to this day, there’s no known cause.

At first I didn’t cope in the best ways. I numbed out with alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs—but also through overindulgence: buying things I didn’t need, eating past fullness, chasing quick fixes. Sometimes, the most self-aware thing I did was book a massage.

Years ago, I believed like many others that mental health was all about the mind. That it was all in your head, talk it out, stay positive. But no amount of mindset could truly override what was happening inside my body.

After my depression and anxiety diagnosis I treated it the traditional way - anti-depression and anti-anxiety medication as well as talk therapy.

And it worked, it got me back on my feet, but it had its limits. I was still vulnerable to slip back and was not thriving in life - happiness and contentment were elusive.

It wasn’t until I discovered freediving—and later, yoga, breathwork, and cold exposure—that I began to understand the true regulator of my mental state: my nervous system.

You may not have called it “nervous system regulation,” but chances are, you’ve already done it. If you’ve ever danced until you felt free, worked out and felt the tension melt away, walked barefoot on the beach, sat quietly in a forest, watched a sunset in awe, melted into a massage table, or sweated it out in a sauna - you’ve honored your nervous system. These moments of stillness, movement, connection, or sensation are all ways we instinctively shift ourselves back into balance. They’re not luxuries - they’re medicine.

In this blog, I want to walk you through how nervous system regulation went from an obscure niche to the cornerstone of modern mental health - and why it’s become the backbone of what I teach.

Although I’m not a mental health professional, through teaching freediving, breathwork, yoga, and guiding people into ice baths, I’ve been steadily learning the language of the nervous system. What I’ve discovered has been life-changing - not just for me, but for my students too. I’d love to take you along on this journey as I continue to explore how understanding and regulating our nervous system can transform the way we live, breathe, and heal.

Early Psychology: The Era of the Mind

For most of the 20th century, mental health was viewed primarily as a problem of the mind.

Freud, Jung, and the early psychologists emphasized talk therapy, the subconscious, and internal thought processes. Emotions and trauma were approached by thinking, analyzing, and verbalizing.

And for many, that approach was deeply helpful—even life-changing.

But for others, it wasn’t enough.

Cognitive tools alone couldn’t always resolve anxiety or heal trauma.

Why? Because the body was left out of the conversation.

The Body Comes into Focus

In the late 20th century, pioneering therapists and researchers began noticing that many clients had deep-rooted trauma responses that couldn’t be resolved just by talking.

This led to:

Peter Levine’s work on Somatic Experiencing (1990s), showing trauma gets "stuck" in the body. Though Levine’s work was grounded more in experiential wisdom than clinical research, it offered a powerful roadmap to healing trauma through the body—not just the mind and helped pave the way for the modern field of somatic therapy as we know it today.

Bessel van der Kolk’s breakthrough book, The Body Keeps the Score (2014), which made it mainstream that trauma isn’t just psychological—it’s physiological. His book bridged the gap between science and somatic wisdom, making the case that you can’t think your way out of trauma—you have to work with the nervous system. Its widespread popularity not only validated the importance of nervous system regulation but also helped professionals across psychology, medicine, and education take it seriously. In many ways, The Body Keeps the Score gave this movement its scientific backbone—and its global reach.
Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory (early 2000s) gave nervous system regulation a scientific foundation. By showing how the vagus nerve controls states like fight, flight, freeze, and calm, he explained trauma responses through biology—not just psychology. This theory transformed how we understand and treat trauma, making the nervous system central to emotional health.

The Rise of Polyvagal Theory & Safety

Porges introduced the idea that our sense of safety—and our ability to feel calm—is dictated by the state of our autonomic nervous system.

This includes:

Fight or flight (sympathetic)
Freeze or shut down (dorsal vagal)
Rest, connection, and social engagement (ventral vagal)

Polyvagal theory reframed the conversation:

“If you want to heal, you have to help the nervous system feel safe first. ”

4. Modern Neuroscience Confirms the Shift

In the 2010s and 2020s, studies in neuroscience started to validate what these pioneers suspected:

Stress, trauma, and anxiety live in the nervous system loops, not just in thoughts.
Techniques like breathwork, yoga, cold exposure, vagal toning, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) began showing measurable benefits by targeting nervous system states, not just thoughts or beliefs.

This is why today you may hear:

“You don’t need to talk about your trauma to heal it. You need to help your body feel safe again.”

Why It Matters Today

In a world of constant stress, overstimulation, and burnout, nervous system regulation is no longer a niche wellness tool - it’s survival.

It teaches people:

How to get out of fight-or-flight.
How to build resilience to stress.
How to shift from anxious and shut down to calm and connected.

It’s the foundation behind why breathwork, cold plunges, yoga, and even freediving are powerful healing modalities.

How Did I Learn This Through Freediving?

Freediving turned out to be one of the most powerful conduits for learning about the nervous system - because in freediving, relaxation isn’t optional, it’s a fundamental skill.

The more relaxed you are, both mentally and physically, the less oxygen you consume. And in a sport where every breath counts, learning how to enter a calm, efficient state isn’t just helpful - it’s essential.

Relaxation is also essential for proper equalization, for all levels of freedivers. If relaxation is the most important skill for freedivers, equalization is #2. If you are holding tension in your neck, shoulders and/or face, your soft palate will shut which will prevent air from moving through your sinuses and into your ears to equalize properly.

On deeper dives (30m+), physical tension can even become dangerous, increasing the risk of injuries from the intense hydrostatic pressure at depth. (While this isn’t typically an issue for beginners, it becomes critical as you progress.)

So the question becomes: how do you relax on command, even under stress? The answer lies in nervous system regulation. Freediving taught me how to recognize the subtle signals of fight, flight, or freeze—and how to shift out of them through breath, presence, and awareness.

There are many layers to what freediving has taught me about the nervous system, but this is the foundation: to go deep, you must go calm.

Why It Matters For You

When we feel truly safe - physically, emotionally, and socially - our body begins to shift out of survival mode. The nervous system moves from a state of hypervigilance or shutdown into a calmer, more regulated state, often called ventral vagal in Polyvagal Theory.

In this state, healing can begin naturally. Digestion improves, breath deepens, heart rate stabilizes, and our capacity for connection and reflection returns.

The body’s innate intelligence knows how to heal - but it can only do so when it no longer feels under threat. Safety isn’t just a nice feeling - it’s the foundation for both mental and physical restoration.

You Don’t Have to Be an Expert. You Just Have to Begin.

If any part of this resonates with you - if you’ve ever felt like traditional approaches weren’t enough, or you’re simply looking for new ways to reconnect with your body and calm your mind - start exploring nervous system regulation.

You don’t have to become an expert overnight. You just have to begin. Whether it’s through movement, breath, cold, or play, your body already holds the map.

If you’re curious to experience this in practice, I invite you to join one of my freediving courses, breathwork sessions, or ice bath experiences.

You’ll not only learn skills, but also begin to understand the language of your nervous system—and how to speak to it with kindness, curiosity, and presence.

If you are interested in joining me on this journey into wellness, mental health and the nervous system through the lens of freediving - click the menu button to follow me on social media.

Finally, a special shout out to my friend and in many ways my nervous system mentor, Elaine Hicks aka The Underwater Therapist . Elaine is one of the authoritative figures in mental strategies in freediving and freediving for mental health. She wrote an incredible series called "Freediving’s Hidden Language: How Breath-Hold Diving Calms the Nervous System". Check it out here .

Why a 1-on-1 Freedive Course For You- It's Simple Math

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 08:50:04 GMT

Giving You the Best Odds of Passing a Freedive Course

I'll be frank. A beginner freediving course is not easy. The closest thing to compare it to is a scuba course, where nearly 100% of the people pass on the first go, so I can understand how it could be underestimated.

During my beginner course I lucked out as there happen to be no other students signed up for the dates I took the course, so I had a one-on-one experience and greatly benefitted from it.

My second level course, or AIDA 3, much the same, I lucked out. There were originally 3 other students on the course, but two of them had to re-schedule. Not a one-on-one course, but still, a great instructor to student ratio. Having another student on the course actually made it more fun. Moreover, on a second level course there is a lot less to learn and is all about refining your technique and a 1-on-1 course may not be totally necessary.

And while we go over the math of a one-on-one freedive course below, if you are a busy person with a tight schedule, it's additionally beneficial as it'll be easier to schedule your dates for the course as you are the only one to accommodate.

Everyone Passes a Scuba Course, Not So with Freediving

Compared to a freedive course, a scuba course is easy. Ok, maybe not everyone passes their scuba course on their first shot, but I've haven't met anyone who hasn't.

In Dive Training Magazine on a Q&A blog post - a question was asked about whether scuba was hard to learn, here's what they said:

" As active recreational pastimes go, scuba diving is one of the easiest to learn . While you’re gliding around enjoying the underwater sights, you’re engaged in only three basic skills: floating, kicking and breathing. Of course, there’s more to it than that — becoming proficient at using the equipment and developing knowledge of scuba concepts and safety procedures — but if you can breathe through your mouth, chances are you can learn to scuba dive ."

People who sign up for a freedive course, much respect to them, they are a different breed. For most people, the thought of holding your breath for an extended period of time is terrifying enough, then on top of having to dive to a depth of 12 meters.

The pass rate for a scuba course vs a freedive course is night and day, while nearly everyone passes a scuba course, not so with freediving. And it's understandable, there is so much to learn: hold your breath, proper finning technique, duck dive, relaxation, head position, equalization (harder in freediving than scuba), buddying, rescue etc.

With my one-on-one courses, or at most, one-on two, my pass rate is 75%, ie no need extra sessions to pass a course. And the math below will help partially explain why.

The Simple Math of a Freediving Course

Each open water session is typically 1.5 - 2 hours not including the time to set up and breaking down the set up at the end of a course.

Each dive involves relaxation period before the dive typically taking around two minutes, the dive itself is about 1 minute including recovery breathing, and about 2 minutes of the instructor going over what you did well and what you need to work on. That's a total of about five minutes per dive.

As stated before, each session is 1.5 -2 hours. 2 hours is 120 minutes divided by 5 minutes equals 24 dives.

So, if you are on a typical course where the student:instructor ratio is 4:1 then each student will only get 6 dives per session. Each course is typically 3 open water sessions or 18 dives in total.

There are a bunch of skills to become proficient in to become a certified freediver in the open water and 18 dives is simply not enough for a lot of people to get to a level of proficiency and pass all the course requirements. If you take a 2 on 1 course then you'll get around 12 dives a session and 1-on-1 about 20+ giving you more opportunities and reps to become proficient at this new skill.

Not to mention, there is a level of adaptation to depth required in freediving. Mentally, physically and physiologically.

What can go wrong?

As said before, there is a lot to learn in a beginner freedive course. Below are some of the typical areas people get hung up on in the open water sessions.

Duck Dive

This is one of the more complicated movements your must learn to pass your course. The duck dive is a quick movement that gets you down 2-3 meters deep quickly without expending much energy and thus oxygen. There are a multitude of movements to string together in in the 2-3 seconds it takes to perform this move.

First you need to take your one full breath, take the snorkel out of your mouth, equalize, point your hands to the bottom of the ocean, bend your hips, tuck your chin in, do a breast stroke, bring one hand to your nose to equalize, align yourself properly to the line and then start finning. And to do it with proper timing.

I've never had a student not pass a course due to not being able to do a proper duck dive, but it does take some time to become proficient and can be very frustrating for some. Some people can get it in 5-10 minutes, some people take the whole session but most people are somewhere in between.

Equalization

This is the number one reason beginner freedive students are not able to pass a course, because of equalization.

Equalization is much easier in scuba diving aided by the slow descent and the fact that your head is up thus the air is naturally traveling upwards through your sinuses and ears.

I've had some quick learners take the course, they pass the pool requirements quickly but then can't equalize.

If you can equalize on land, in theory you should be able to equalize when diving to depths, so long as you are relaxed enough. That's why we usually check your equalization during the online theory course.

But a small percentage of students are not able to achieve a level of relaxation quick enough due to anxiety from being in the ocean, holding their breath while diving or thinking of a number of things to get correct on their dives.

Even if you have the mechanics of equalization correct, sometimes students won't be able to equalize due to the soft palate shutting due to anxiousness.

That's why going to a deep pool like Divecube or Divehub is a good idea to take your first course so you can eliminate the fear of being in the ocean while taking your course and be more relaxed.

Open Water is Scary

The ocean, for those of us who grew up watching Jaws , is a rather frightening place. I know people who get anxiety when they can't see the bottom of the sea because it terrifies them what may be hidden there. I was one of them.

Even if you are not in full panic mode, just floating vulnerably on the surface is enough to ruffle up some anxiety. I've had some students who needed up to 30 minutes just hanging onto the buoy and floating focusing on their breathing to calm down. And if you are in a group with other students, you may not feel comfortable taking that time to feel comfortable first which can be detrimental to your learning.

And finally...

Freediving is an activity that requires a lot of practice to become proficient. And as you can see from the math above, getting enough practice in during a typical course can be tough. Of course, there are some people who grasp it right away and can easily pass the course and get certified with those limited dives, but the majority don't and have to return for some extra sessions to pass. If you want to stack the odds in your favor of becoming proficient in freediving and getting certified, try my one-on-one course and it doesn't even cost 4x the price of a regular course, more like 2x or so.

If you are on a tight budget, I suggest you check out my blog about English freediving courses in Taiwan for courses that are more at market rate.

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If you are interested in taking a freedive course with me, email me at ray@freedivenomad.com or give me a call at 0981163838 or schedule a call with me here .

A Freediver’s Guide to DiveHub: China’s Deepest Dive Pool

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 23:19:31 GMT

I've been fortunate to train or teach at some impressive dive spots throughout my freediving career (Bali, Gili Air, Panglao, Kagoshima, Kalamata) . My first deep pool experience was at DIveCube in Taichung, Taiwan , where the 21-meter depth felt revelatory. But when I learned about DiveHub in Dongguan, China - with its staggering 46-meter depth—I knew I had to experience it firsthand.

Following my mother's passing, my father relocated from Las Vegas to Huizhou, China , which happens to be just 1 to 1.5 hours from DiveHub . This proximity has become an unexpected gift: now, every visit to see my dad includes training sessions at one of the world's deepest dive pools. I visit often enough that I have now left a set of equipment at my dad's.

Where is DiveHub?

DiveHub is located in Dongguan , a major manufacturing hub in Guangdong Province , China. The facility sits 1 to 1.5 hours from the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border , making it surprisingly accessible for international visitors flying into Hong Kong.

Dongguan itself is worth noting—it's rapidly modernizing beyond its manufacturing roots, with high-end shopping centers, diverse dining options, and an increasingly international atmosphere. DiveHub reflects this evolution perfectly: world-class facilities in an unexpectedly cosmopolitan setting.

How to Get There from Hong Kong

The most straightforward route from Hong Kong:

Cross the border at Lok Ma Chau or Lowu
Take a Didi (Chinese equivalent of Uber) or high-speed train to Dongguan
Budget approximately 1 to 1.5 hours for the journey

Our Didi ride cost around ¥120.

Essential apps before you go:

WeChat (for bookings and payments)
Baidu Maps or A Maps (Google Maps doesn't function well in mainland China)

Note: If you have international roaming, you can typically access Google, Facebook, and Instagram, but Google Maps remains largely unusable for navigation within China.

How to Make Reservations

All bookings are handled through WeChat , which functions as WhatsApp, social media, and payment platform rolled into one. You can browse available time slots, book your session, and complete payment—all within the app.

I successfully navigated the booking process with elementary-level Chinese reading skills and translation apps. If you don't speak Mandarin, a combination of Google Translate , WeChat's scan/translate feature , and patience will get you through.

Pricing

Weekdays:

3 hours: ¥269
6 hours: ¥369

Weekends:

3 hours: ¥399
6 hours: ¥499

Each 3-hour session includes 1 hour of access to the 46-meter depth zone. The 6-hour session provides 2 hours in the deep section. The remainder of your time can be spent in areas ranging from shallow water to 10 meters, with ample space for DYN (dynamic apnea) and STA (static apnea) training.

Facility Specifications

Pool Features:

Maximum depth: 46 meters
Water temperature: 29–30°C year-round
Visibility: Crystal clear
Unique amenities: Underwater mirrors for technique analysis and memorable photos

Facilities:

Modern locker rooms with facial recognition access
Clean showers and changing areas
Rental equipment available for both scuba and freediving

The pool layout accommodates all skill levels effectively. Beginners and intermediates will find the graduated depths ideal for progression, while advanced freedivers can work on FRC (functional residual capacity) or RV (residual volume) dives. The facility is also well-suited for conducting full freediving courses, with sufficient depth variety and space for non-depth skills training.

Additional Ame nities

On-site:

Coffee service in the lobby (also available via their app)
Selection of draft beers with diving-themed names like Frenzel, Narcosis, and BTV
Time slot reservation system for deep section access (arranged upon check-in)

Nearby:

Adjacent hotel offering discounted rates for freediving instructors
Modern shopping center 5–10 minutes away, featuring a restaurant district and international supermarket

After our session, we discovered an excellent lamb restaurant in the nearby mall—highly recommended for post-dive dining.

Language Barrier

If you don’t speak Mandarin, it can be a bit of a challenge — but nothing a combination of Google Translate , WeChat’s scan/translate , and a bit of patience can’t solve.

Practical Tips

Timing: Weekdays offer a quieter experience, though even weekend sessions aren't ridiculously crowded when I've went.

Equipment: Bring your own gear if possible, though quality rental options are available.

Session planning: Structure your time around your allocated deep slot, using remaining hours for warm-up, technique work, or discipline-specific training.

Booking: Reserve early, particularly for weekend sessions.

Final Assessment

DiveHub represents world-class freediving infrastructure at an accessible price point.

Whether you're taking your first steps into depth training, working on intermediate skills, or teaching courses, the facility accommodates your needs with professionalism and thoughtful design.

Given my regular visits to see my father in the area, I'll be returning to DiveHub consistently—to train, to teach, and to continue exploring what 46 meters of warm, clear water has to offer.

If you're in the region and interested in buddy diving or exploring freediving instruction, reach out . The deep end is always better with good company.

Best Countries in Asia to Learn Freediving For Beginner

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 07:35:08 GMT

With the surge of breathtaking images on Instagram and the captivating underwater scenes showcased in recent freediving documentaries like the Deepest Breath and Freediver , this once-niche sport has experienced a remarkable surge in popularity, inspiring people from all walks of life to take the plunge and pushing it to the cusp of mainstream.

If you’ve been infected by the freedive bug and wondering where you can take a course, Asia is arguably the best continent to learn freediving. Not only are there an abundance of schools to take your first course and thousands of instructors, but also some of the best in the world all set against stunning tropical backdrops and nearly all countries can be easy on the wallet for the budget traveller.

This blog is based on my personal experience and experience from trusted freedive friends and focuses on beginner-friendly destinations. While advanced freedivers will have different criteria than beginners, these suggestions wouldn’t apply, the countries below stand out for their instructors, accessible necessary depths, ocean conditions and thriving freediving communities.

The Philippines: Endless Freediving Opportunities

Why Learn Here?
Ask anyone where to learn freediving in Asia, and the Philippines is sure to come up. With its crystal-clear waters, vibrant reefs, and countless marine species, the country offers diverse training conditions for brand-new divers. Below are just a few of the areas to learn freediving - there are many other spots like Camotes, Cebu and Siargao as just a few that I have no experience with but have heard great things about.

Top Spots for Beginners:

Panglao: Known for calm conditions and professional freedive centers, Panglao is beginner-friendly and also hosts international competitions. You’ll also have a chance to see Napaling Reef sardine run and the iconic split reef shot . Freedive Superhome and Panglao Freedive Academy are both reputable schools (I personally have trained at Superhome).

Coron: Coron in the Philippines is hard to beat. I taught at Deep Week in Coron in 2024, and it was a truly unforgettable experience. Barracuda Lake offers one of the most unique dives in the world, with its surreal thermocline layers and crystal-clear waters, while nearby you can explore WWII wrecks, caverns, and stunning reefs. A bit farther out, you can even dive with dugongs, the gentle relatives of manatees, for an unforgettable experience. For those ready to take the plunge, Deep Week’s local partners, Palaone , provide excellent freedive courses to get you started safely and confidently.

Batangas: This is a popular dive spot for Manila locals and a convenient option for international travelers arriving in Manila, as it’s just a few hours away by car—eliminating the need for an additional flight. Check out my friend Mikey at Deep Dadi who is the chillest as instructors go, but also is the OG in the freediving scene in the Philippines, having certified hundreds of students, dozens of instructors, trained many to national records and among the first batch of instructors for Molchanovs. He also makes a mean lasagna.

Boracay is a small but vibrant island that offers year-round freediving, making it ideal for beginners and ocean lovers alike. From October to March, calm front-beach conditions reveal coral reefs between 8–18 meters, while deeper sites and wreck dives are available for those looking to progress. From March to October, the action shifts to the back beach, where shallower reefs (4–20m) showcase soft corals, sea turtles, and macro life. I can highly recommend Tom at Freedive Boracay and Dom at Dive Gurus , who I’ve had the pleasure of teaching alongside during Deep Week — you’ll be in great hands.

What to Expect:

Year-Round Warm Waters: Ideal conditions for practicing equalization, breath-holds, and relaxation techniques.
Post-Course Exploration: After your initial training, you can island-hop, enjoy local culture, and use your newfound skills to explore hidden reefs.

Indonesia: Authentic Charm and Quality Training

Why Learn Here?
Indonesia’s freediving scene, especially in Bali and the Gili Islands, has grown steadily, attracting both aspiring and advanced divers. Beginners find these locations ideal because of their laid-back atmospheres, supportive communities, and relatively calm diving conditions.

Recommended Areas:

Amed in North Bali: Unlike the crowded tourist zones in south Bali, Amed retains a traditional fishing-village charm. The local freedive schools deliver high-quality instruction in a tranquil setting—perfect for first-timers. This is where I attended my first Deep Week and fell in love with it instantly and also home to a few reputable freedive schools like Apneista and Apnea Bali . If you are looking for a more personalized experience, check out my friend Jan at Bali Freedivers .

Gili Air: Known for its small island vibes and accessible reefs, Gili Air is a fantastic place to practice new techniques without feeling rushed. This is where I got certified as an instructor and holds a special place in my heart. One little caveat though is that open water sessions dive sites are reached by boat, oftentimes, a few kilometers off shore, so if you have any trepidations about that, this may not be your ideal choice. Check out Freedive Gili Air .

What to Expect:

Professional Instruction: Many instructors completed their certifications right here, ensuring skilled and knowledgeable guidance.
Cultural Immersion: When not diving, explore Bali’s temples, markets, and natural beauty, or soak up the easy island lifestyle in the Gilis.

Thailand: A Perfect Start for Hobbyists

Why Learn Here?
Thailand may not offer the greatest depth opportunities compared to other locations—advanced freedivers would need more depth —but for beginners and intermediate divers, it’s a solid choice. Friendly instructors, convenient travel options, and vibrant tourism infrastructure make Thailand a laid-back place to start your freediving journey.

Popular Training Hubs:

Koh Tao: Usually a hub for scuba diving, Koh Tao’s Apnea Total and other renowned centers have introduced thousands of travelers to freediving. Warm waters and gentle conditions help build confidence underwater.
Bangkok & Phuket: Urban centers like Bangkok also have freedive schools that offer pool training and short getaways for open-water sessions. Check out Bangkok Freedivers , who are also Deep Week’s local partners for their events in Phuket.

What to Expect:

Comfortable Conditions: Moderate depths (often up to 40-60 meters) are more than sufficient for beginners and intermediates just learning to hold their breath and equalize.
Community Connections: You’ll meet other travelers starting their freediving journeys, making it a social and supportive experience.

Taiwan: The Freediving Mecca

Why Learn Here?
Taiwan’s freediving scene has exploded in recent years. Described as a “freediving mecca” by publications like National Geographic, the island boasts more than 500 certified instructors. To put it simply, the Taiwanese are absolutely crazy about freediving and its one of the largest markets for freedive equipment brands. This intense competition pushes schools to offer top-notch training, resulting in high-quality courses perfect for beginners. This scene has produced some of the best freedivers in the world including Huang Huayang who was ranked #5 in the world in 2024.

What to Expect:

Advanced Booking Needed: Taiwan’s best instructors often fill their schedules weeks and often months in advance, so plan ahead.
Diverse Teaching Styles: With so many professionals, you’ll find an instructor whose approach aligns perfectly with your learning style.
Hidden Gem - Many travelers fall in love with Taiwan for its off-the-beaten-path charm and hidden-gem appeal — but it’s the warmth and kindness of the Taiwanese people that truly leave a lasting impression.

Freediving hot spots include Taichung at DiveCube (Asia’s first deep pool), Hengchun/Kenting and Xiaoliuqiu . Xiaoliuqiu, where Freedive Nomad is based, has year round diving conditions. Check out my blog here to find English-speaking instructors and if you are in the market for a more personalized course with a holistic approach (and a bit of fun and play), check out our offerings here .

Tips for Choosing the Right Freediving Course in Asia

Check Qualifications: Look for schools run by certified instructors who follow standards set by organizations like Molchanovs, AIDA, SSI, or PADI.
Book Early: High-demand instructors often have waitlists—particularly in Taiwan. Plan ahead to secure your ideal start date.
Consider the Setting: Prefer a bustling vibe and social scene? Head to the Philippines or Thailand. Want tranquility and cultural depth? Indonesia and Taiwan might suit you better.
Focus on Safety and Comfort: As a beginner, prioritize instructors who emphasize proper techniques, safety, and relaxation. A well-structured course can boost your confidence and set a positive foundation for future freediving adventures.

Begin Your Freediving Adventure in Asia

From Taiwan’s bustling freedive communities to the Philippines’ underwater wonders, Indonesia’s authentic charm, and Thailand’s welcoming vibe, Asia’s top freediving destinations offer something for everyone. For beginners, these countries strike the perfect balance between guidance, accessibility, and adventure.

Armed with this knowledge, you’re ready to plan your trip, book a course, and dive into the depths of Asia’s warm, crystal-clear waters—where your first breath-hold will be the start of an incredible journey.

Curious about freediving? Let’s chat! Drop us a message here to chat with us on your favorite messaging app.

Freedive Documentaries - Stop Complaining & Start Educating

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 11:19:20 GMT

With the release of documentaries like Freediver and The Deepest Breath , a familiar debate has resurfaced: Does showcasing the extreme side of freediving misrepresent the sport? Critics argue that by focusing on elite athletes pushing their limits, these films perpetuate the idea that freediving is reckless and inherently dangerous.

But let’s get real—would we say the same about a Formula 1 documentary that highlights high-speed crashes, tight overtakes, and near-death moments? Of course not. Nobody assumes the average driver is taking the same risks as an F1 racer. We understand that most people drive safely in a city while a select few push the absolute limits on the track.

Freediving is no different. Competitive freedivers are the F1 drivers of the ocean, diving to extreme depths that most recreational freedivers will never attempt. The vast majority of people who take up freediving won’t be training for 100m+ dives—they’ll be exploring reefs, improving their breath-hold, and finding peace underwater. Complaining that documentaries don’t "properly represent" freediving as a safe sport misses the point entirely.

The Harsh Truth About These Documentaries

Most of the people producing these films aren’t freedivers. Their purpose isn’t to grow the sport or educate people on safe diving techniques—it’s to get as many views as possible. And guess what? Drama sells. Life-or-death stakes, extreme risks, and record-breaking attempts make for gripping storytelling. No one is making a freediving documentary for freedivers; they’re making it for a general audience that needs excitement to stay engaged.

So why waste time complaining online as if the athletes featured in these films control how the sport is portrayed? They don’t.

We Can’t Censor Ourselves to Protect the Uninformed

It’s unrealistic to expect freediving content to be watered down just to prevent misunderstandings from those unfamiliar with the sport. We can’t censor the most exciting and awe-inspiring aspects of freediving simply because some people might wrongly equate what Alexey Molchanov does with what the average recreational freediver experiences.

That’s not our responsibility. Our responsibility is to educate.

People will always make assumptions about things they don’t understand—that’s just human nature. But instead of stifling the extreme side of freediving, we should focus on sharing knowledge. The more we showcase the safe, accessible, and transformative aspects of freediving, the more we shape the public’s perception in a meaningful way.

What Can You Do Instead?

Instead of whining about how freediving is depicted by outsiders, create content that tells the story you want to be told, or share other's content. Showcase the beauty, peace, and transformative power of freediving. Highlight how it can be done safely.

And here’s the thing—whether you love or hate these documentaries, you can’t deny that they’ve sparked conversations. Personally, they’ve opened up discussions between me and my non-freediving friends, acquaintances, and even strangers, giving me the perfect opportunity to talk about freediving. In fact, I’ve converted some of them into freediving students just because they got curious after watching!

Look at the UFC—would it have reached its global popularity if it censored the brutal knockouts and shied away from the sport’s raw intensity? No way. Most UFC fans are casual viewers who love the spectacle, while a smaller percentage appreciate the technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, striking, and grappling. But regardless of why people watch, the UFC has undeniably fueled the growth of BJJ and MMA.

Freediving can take the same path. The extreme side of the sport is what grabs attention and inspires curiosity. Some viewers may see it as dangerous, but others will be drawn in, seek proper training, and discover freediving for themselves. Instead of fighting the narrative, own it.

If we want freediving to grow, we need to stop complaining and start creating. Make stunning content that showcases freediving’s serenity, its meditative quality, and how it can be done safely. If we don’t tell our story, mainstream media will do it for us—and they’ll always choose drama over nuance.

If you’ve made it this far, thanks for sticking with me! But honestly, I usually don't like discussing serious topic like this—it’s something I love, and I have a lot of fun with it. I enjoy making lighthearted, entertaining content on Instagram around freediving, so if that’s your vibe, come hang out and give me a follow !

2023完整的潛力方潛水指南

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 07:01:02 GMT

如果你是自由潛水的初學者，請在這裡免費下載我的《初學者自由潛水常見問題電子書》。

當我搬回台灣時，我的潛水願望清單上有一個地點就是位於台中市潛立方。

我認為每個自由潛水員都應該在他們的願望清單上加上一個深水室內泳池的體驗；這是非常有趣的。在台灣潛水非常棒，而潛立方是眾多原因之一。

我有幸地在那裡潛水過多次，並且很高興能成為你探索這個精彩的城市自由潛水體驗的嚮導，希望你會發現這對你有所幫助，因為潛立方的英文網站還有一些不足的地方。

這裡也能進行水肺潛水，但自由潛水員的數量遠遠超過水肺潛水員，至少當我在那裡時是這樣。

我可以理解為什麼會這樣，正如老話所說，自由潛水員潛水是為了內省，而水肺潛水員則是是看到外部。在潛立方中，潛水員除了一個假珊瑚礁和假沉船外，並沒有太多東西可看。但這是一個良好且安全的環境，適合練習一些潛水技能。

有趣的事實是，

在盛大開幕後的三天內，潛立方 Facebook專頁的追隨者就超過了20,000人。

潛立方是什麼？

潛立方是亞洲首個深水室內泳池，最大深度為21米，位於台灣台中市中心，從台灣北部和南部的主要城市，甚至一些亞洲城市都可以通過飛機均能方便地抵達。

建築包括Divecube酒店、一家素食義大利餐廳和一家潛水設備商店（可惜他們沒有潛水酒吧��）。

潛立方於2017年開放，由著名的意大利 Y-40 The Deep Joy 泳池的建築師兼擁有者 Emanuele Boaretto 設計。直到最近，Y-40仍是世界上最深的泳池，深達42.15米，但它仍然是最深的溫水泳池，因為它位於溫泉水療中心旁邊。

潛立方的創建是為提供一個在都市環境中學習和訓練潛水的場所，因為要潛水需要花幾個小時前往台灣的北部或南部，而城市居民可以留在當地參加課程並繼續他們的訓練。如今，許多來自台灣和亞洲各地的人都來這裡體驗都市室內潛水。

台中市-潛立方的所在地

如前所述，位於台中的西屯區，這裡位於台灣中部，其中文名稱字面上意味著“台灣的中心”。西屯區坐落在城市中心的西邊。

以哪些東西著名

台中是許多產業的所在地，包括世界上最大的半導體製造公司台積電的一家微晶片工廠，以及世界上最受歡迎的自行車品牌之一的捷安特自行車。即使是著名的潛水品牌 Problue 也設立在台中。

台中也以其太陽餅和春水堂茶館而聞名，春水堂是現在國際知名的珍珠奶茶的創始者。

它同時也是到著名旅遊景點日月潭最近的主要城市。

人口及氣候

台中市人口接近300萬，是台灣第二大人口城市，於2017年超過高雄市，原因是自然出生率的增加。

台中的氣候潮濕，全年白天大多溫暖至炎熱（1月份高溫22攝氏度，7月份高達33攝氏度），但由於其平原強烈的冷輻射效應，它是台灣少數夜間溫度會降至20攝氏度以下的城市之一，所以如果你對寒冷敏感，晚上出門時記得帶夾克。由於周圍的山脈，台中通常相對不太受颱風影響。

怎麼去？

如果您從台灣以外的地方來，最佳選擇可能是飛往台北或高雄。雖然距離潛立方只有20分鐘車程的地方有一個國際機場，那裡有一些來自亞洲較大城市的航班，如香港、首爾、東京和胡志明市，但航班時間和頻率可能不符合您的行程安排。

公車

如果您不趕時間，搭乘巴士是遊覽台灣最舒適、最經濟的方式之一，前往台中也不例外。但注意，台中有三個巴士站。台中客運總站位於靠近市中心的地方，離潛立方較遠。

朝馬轉運站位於潛立方對面的河邊，開車大約需要5-7分鐘。

還有中港轉運站，距離潛立方不到十分鐘的步行路程。台中市還有許多巴士公司提供服務，真是方便！

火車和高鐵

說到鐵路，你有兩種選擇：搭乘較慢的台灣鐵路管理局列車（TRA），很有日本的感覺；或者搭乘超現代的台灣高速鐵路（THSR ）子彈頭列車

如果乘坐THSR，台中只有一個車站，位於城市的西南部，乘坐計程車大約需要10-15分鐘。如果是通過TRA進入，有幾個下車點可選，但似乎在市中心的台中火車站下車最為方便。

機場

台中國際機場位於城市東北部，距離市中心約20公里，具有商業和軍事用途。1966年，它曾是美國空軍在遠東地區最大的基地之一。

它是台灣的第三個國際機場。

機場有航班往返中國近十個城市、香港、澳門、韓國的三個城市（首爾、釜山、襄陽）和越南的兩個城市（河內和胡志明市）以及日本的一個城市（東京成田）。

機場靠近潛立方，如果您從國際上或台灣的離島前來，這可能很方便，但航班的頻率並不高。例如，從香港到台中只有一班由香港快運航空營運的航班。如果您的行程安排靈活，這可能是可行的，值得試試。

但我想，大多數人可能會先飛往台北或高雄，以便參觀更大的城市。這樣，他們可以在台灣較大的城市中做遊客，然後繼續前往台中潛水。如果您飛往高雄，小琉球就在不遠處，這是台灣最佳的自由潛水地點之一。

在台中到處活動

台中是一個廣闊的城市，但並不像台北那樣適合步行。乘坐計程車或Uber四處晃可能會變得相當昂貴。

在捷運於2021年4月25日開通之前，最佳的城市內交通方式是搭乘市公車，這對於會使用Google地圖的人來說非常方便。捷運從城市的東北部延伸到西南部，但最靠近潛立方的捷運站大約需要步行30分鐘。

就像台灣大多數城市一樣，如果你駕照，台中也提供機車租賃服務。

如何在潛立方潛水？

要在這裡潛水，你首先需要選擇一個時段，如下所示，每個時段為1.5小時，價格範圍為1200至1500新台幣（約合40至50美元），具體取決於你選擇的時段是白天還是周末。有時你可以在蝦皮或 Klook 找到更低的價格，但我認為這已經是很划算的交易，因為它的價格大約與出海訓練相同。此外，潛水時需要有潛水證照和一位潛伴或教練陪同，在你辦理進入時會進行檢查。

泳池規格

泳池本身大小為18x18米，容量為2100立方英尺的水，設有5個不同深度的水平面，其中最深處達到21米，通過一個10米的垂直通道進入，該通道足夠兩名潛水員同時使用。泳池入口位於建築物的四樓，提供了對台中市絕佳的視野。

泳池內還設有水下洞穴和一個假船殘骸，內部裝飾由《少年派的奇幻漂流》的場景設計師創造，該片由台灣最著名和奧斯卡獲獎導演李安執導。然而，出於安全考量，自由潛水員不得進入洞穴和船隻內部。

泳池還設有幾個面向建築物外的窗戶。有兩個窗戶位於水下幾米處，可以看到露台和城市的景觀。在這些窗戶之一的下方，靠近垂直通道處，還有一個窗戶，你可以直接看到餐廳的用餐區，當你享受自由潛水時，還可以觀看用餐者享用他們的食物。

在船殘骸內部還設有一些較小的窗戶（大小與郵輪上的相似），可看到建築物二樓的內部（見上文）。

潛立方是亞洲第一個深水泳池，直到2018年韓國開放了 K26 之前，它一直是最深的，K26位於首爾約1.5小時火車車程的地方。我希望有朝一日能夠參觀這個深水泳池。

潛立方-住宿及玩樂

潛立方酒店位於建築物的一樓和二樓，共有約24間客房。這些以船為主題的酒店房間裝飾簡樸，沒有太多裝飾，但非常非常乾淨。我住宿期間的房間包括一個私人浴室和一個上下舖，每個床位都配有自己的電視。酒店提供4種類型的房間，都配有上下舖——1人房、2人房、4人房和6人房。

每層樓都有一個公共區域，每個區域都配有高桌，我在這裡工作，附近有電源插座可為電腦或手機充電。這個區域還有一台機器提供各種溫度的過濾飲用水，讓您在住宿期間享用。

如果你來台中的唯一原因是在潛立方潛水，我肯定會建議在潛立方酒店住宿。

但如果你計劃在台中進行其他活動或體驗，我建議住在靠近市中心的酒店會更方便，因為潛立方位於有點郊區的地方，其周圍沒有太多活動可以享受。

如果你想住在潛立方酒店，請考慮通過我們的合作夥伴Agoda 預訂。我喜歡Agoda上的評論，在我以前的經驗中從未讓我失望。

潛立方完整導覽

1樓

在你進入大廳之前，左邊有一扇通往餐廳的門。一旦進入大廳，你會看到服務櫃檯，那裡你可以辦理入住手續（如果你預訂了酒店房間）或是為你的泳池時間辦理登記。走過櫃檯，向左是潛水商店，那裡你可以購買自由潛水和水肺潛水的設備和配件。

再往裡走一點，右邊是通往酒店客房的電梯，再往前走是通往酒店客房的滑動玻璃門，進入需要刷卡。

2樓

二樓除了更多的酒店客房外，沒有太多東西，只有一些小窗戶，讓你能夠稍微看到船內部的景象

3樓

您可以乘坐電梯到達三樓，那裡有另一個服務櫃檯，可以在所有PADI標誌的辦公室內辦理潛水登記。

在電梯門旁邊，有一張由世界上最深無蹼潛水員 William Trubridge 簽名的海報，上面貼著一張手寫的便利貼，上面寫著“Hanako在這裡”。我猜這可能是由2019年AIDA世界冠軍、女子潛水員 Hanako Hirose 留下的，因為這位日本國家潛水員曾於 2018年12月與同為國家潛水員的 Sayuri Kinoshita（已故）一同訪問台灣和潛立方。

還有一個大教室，用於教授課程的理論部分。此外，還有一個帶有一些椅子和桌子的大露台，如果你不喜歡樓下的意大利素食，可以在這裡享用自帶的午餐。這一層還有大窗戶，可以讓你觀看泳池的景觀。

辦公室附近有一扇帶有限制進入的自動玻璃門。進入這些門後，不能穿鞋，所以請在玻璃門旁的櫃子裡留下鞋子。食物和飲料也不允許帶進這個區域。穿過這些門後是更衣室，裡面有儲物櫃（自帶鎖），廁所，吹風機和淋浴設施。甚至還有一台用來烘乾濕衣服的旋轉機。

收拾好你潛水所需的裝備，如鰭、面鏡、呼吸管、濕衣、水壺和攝影設備，然後通過樓梯前往四樓。

4樓

這是最頂層，也是泳池的水面。泳池有五個不同深度的水平面，第一層深度僅為1.3米，非常適合平潛，但你來深水池通常不是為了做平潛，所以這個區域大多是空的。第二層深3米，是練習躬身或攀繩和平壓的理想地點。

第三層深達7米，是設置季節性裝飾的地方。我很幸運地體驗了聖誕節和中國新年的裝飾。我相信他們也會有情人節和中秋節的主題裝飾。

除了1.3米深的水面，各個水面上都設置了許多浮球。我上次去的時候，共設置了12個浮球，其中2個位於最深區域的上方。

為什麼我喜歡在潛立方潛水？

當我第一次去Divecube時，由於是第一次在深水池中自由潛水，所以感覺很新奇，也很愉快。

但不僅僅是新奇因素，它超出了我的預期，我真的很難弄清楚為什麼在那裡潛水會如此有趣。

我不得不思考一段時間，才能確定，原因可能是在泳池中潛水讓人感覺更安全。儘管在海洋中自由潛水讓我感到非常舒適，但我猜心底總是會對海洋的不可預測危險有所擔憂。

儘管Divecube當然不是沒有風險（只要問問這個曾經在那裡淺水昏迷的人就知道），但毫無疑問，處於一個受限的水域中風險大大降低，因此可以充分欣賞用一口氣潛水的冥想層面。

此外，在泳池中拍攝的照片可以絕對令人驚嘆。不同時間前往，太陽的照射會帶來不同的光線，甚至在晚上，你也可以捕捉到來自天花板的照明效果，就像下面的視頻一樣。

但更令人驚嘆的是，在白天，你可以看到陽光穿過水面，就像在墨西哥的洞穴中一樣。

如果您想嘗試自由潛水，但對海洋感到有點害怕，可以考慮在潛立方參加課程。

潛立方餐廳

潛立方只有一家餐廳，雖然它似乎與潛立方無關，除了位於同一棟建築物中。在進入建築物之前，餐廳位於左邊，名為Tomato Times，坐在窗邊的桌子上，可以觀看潛水者，就像是一個人類的水族箱。

在潛立方裡學自由潛水

潛立方有PADI旗下的常駐自由潛水教練。不幸的是，目前似乎沒有說英語的自由潛水教練。不過，有英語教學的水肺的教練。

然而，潛立方歡迎外部的自由潛水教練，偶爾會有少數英語教授自由潛水的教練在那裡開課。

如果你想在潛立方學習自由潛水，首先查看我的服務，然後與我聯繫。

And Finallly...

從金融到自由潛水：走向愉悅教學的旅程

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 07:00:16 GMT

潛入一位從金融事業轉向教授自由潛水的個人旅程，受到一個意想不到的啟發——一集電視節目中的服務和喜悅的教訓的啟發。發現通過教學改變生活可以帶來無與倫比的滿足和喜悅。

當我深入探討《 The Bear 》這部引人入勝的電視劇時，它講述了一家謙虛的三明治店追求米其林星級評價的雄心勃勃的故事，我發現自己被它精彩的敘事和角色發展所吸引。然而，正是第2季第7集中引起我深刻的共鳴，反映出我自己在理解服務他人價值的旅程上的體悟。

在這一關鍵的情節中，以機智和固執著稱的角色 Richie 在前三明治店翻新階段被派遣到世界頂級餐廳實習。儘管一開始他不願意接受卑微的任務，並且對他的主管 Garret 抱持對抗態度，但在廚房外發生了一場變革性的對話。Garret 分享了他追尋在服務行為中找到喜悅的旅程，強調餐廳致力於為顧客創造難忘體驗的理念，這一哲學深刻地影響了 Richie。

這個故事觸動了我，讓我反思了自己從金融業的以自我為中心的職業轉向發現教學中的喜悅。起初，我對自己透過教學能帶來什麼價值持懷疑態度，但隨著我接受了自由潛水教學，我的觀點發生了變化，這不是出於對教學的熱情，而是出於對這項運動的熱愛以及在經濟上支持我愛好的實際方法。

最近有人問我更喜歡教初學者還是中級學生，這讓我意識到：教學的喜悅在於見證初學者的轉變時刻，他們新發現的能力以及他們與海洋的更深層次的聯繫。這種體認與Garret超越期望，創造難忘體驗的精神不謀而合。

作為一名自由潛水教練，我努力確保與我一起學習的每一刻都是難忘的，從個性化的自由潛水課程到展示島上的隱藏寶藏。這是對我的學生所投入的信任和時間的承諾，旨在永不讓他們失望。

這段旅程教會了我，教學的本質不僅僅是知識的傳遞；它是關於豐富生活，培養聯繫，並從他人的成功和幸福中找到快樂。這自然而然地讓我過上了充滿喜悅、幸福和滿足的生活。

查看我的 Instagram帳戶，我在其中記錄了我對自由潛水的探索旅程，同時，也可以查看我在東加與座頭鯨一起潛水的最難忘時刻。

2024台灣英語自由潛水課程最佳指南

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 06:57:36 GMT

嗨，未來的自由潛水者！要參加我在台灣的自由潛水課程，請點擊這裡獲取更多詳細信息。

自由潛水是世界上增長最快的水上運動，而在台灣，似乎自由潛水的增長速度更快，但在台灣找到一個英語自由潛水課程可能有些挑戰

自由潛水的增長主要歸功於Instagram上的美觀優雅的水下照片，越來越多的人意識到自由潛水課程實際上是存在的（即使我在四年前也不知道它們存在）。

台灣有許多自由潛水的地方，但這篇文章專門針對在台灣以英語學習自由潛水的地方。

儘管自由潛水在台灣非常受歡迎，擁有100多名自由潛水教練，但能夠以英語授課的教練寥寥無幾。

儘管可以從一位母語非你母語的教練那裡獲得水肺潛水的證照，但在學習自由潛水時，找到一位能夠流利使用英語的教練非常重要（假設你不會講流利的中文），因為許多概念和理論需要深入討論（無雙關意味）以及水中的課程需要大量的反饋，來完善您的自由潛水技術。

儘管在島上有許多自由潛水和水肺潛水的地方，但在台灣的英語自由潛水教練選擇相對有限。

大多數自由潛水課程需要三到四天的時間才能完成，這是在研究課程時要牢記的事情。

以下是你可以在台灣學習自由潛水的地區。

大台北地區

雖然佔台灣人口的近三分之一，大台北地區的選擇有限。VD Freediving，由法國國籍的Anthony和他的台灣太太嘉茵經營，多年來一直在台北。不過最近他們將時間分配在台北和小琉球之間。

我最近在Soulfree Freediving遇到了Joanna，她在這個城市教PADI的課程。你可以在Instagram上找到她，帳號是 @soulfreedive 。

更新 - 在Instagram上搜索，我找到了另一位以英語授課的教練，她叫Elizabeth，屬於 Leve-Leve Freediving 。

雖然我常駐小琉球，但我定期前往台北，在台北的游泳池進行課程中的必要部分，這樣你就可以在週末來小琉球進行開放水域的訓練。要了解更多信息，請點擊這裡，或者你可以觀看我的短視頻介紹。

在小琉球學自由潛水

它絕對是台灣最受歡迎的自由潛水學習地點，也是最容易到的離島之一。在這裡，你將有機會與友好的海龜群合照。你還可以輕鬆前往海邊的潛點，因此無需船隻。這也是台灣僅有的兩個全年都可以進行潛水的地區之一。

在小琉球，你會找到最多說英語的自由潛水教練。首先是 Freedive Taiwan ，我在那裡完成了我自由潛水的前兩級，AIDA 2和AIDA 3。正如前面提到的， VD Freediving 也可以在這裡認證AIDA和Molchanovs。還有 Salty Mind 。這兩個是我最了解的，我非常推薦。

要了解有關小琉球作為遊客的更多信息，請看我的部落格文章《小琉球完整指南》。

要瞭解更多有關在小琉球進行自由潛水的訊息，請查看我的另一個網站上的《小琉球自由潛水指南》。

潛立方（台中） - 最適合膽小的人

潛立方是一個學習自由潛水的絕佳地點，我在Instagram上看到許多自由潛水教練在那裡教課。如果你對在開放的海洋中潛水有絲毫的焦慮，潛立方將是你第一次自由潛水課程的絕佳選擇，因為課程在泳池中進行，環境更可控。

不足之處是目前在我所知的情況下，那裡沒有教授英語課程的自由潛水教練，但我可以在潛立方提供定制課程 - 如果你有興趣，請與我聯繫。

查看我的潛立方自由潛水指南，或觀看我的 YouTube視頻。

更新 - 自2023年6月起，潛立方現在有一名講英語的自由潛水教練，名叫羅納德。你可以通過電子郵件聯繫他們， hotel@divecube.com.tw 。

在墾丁/恆春的自由潛水教室

如果我不是那麼喜歡小島生活，墾丁/恆春地區可能會是我想住的地方。除了小琉球，它是台灣唯一可以全年潛水的地區。

你的唯一選擇是由韋恩（Wayne）經營的 Weirdo Freediving ，他是台灣其中一位經驗豐富的自由潛水教練。

綠島和蘭嶼

儘管有台灣最美麗的潛點，但不幸的是，這兩個島嶼也有一些不利條件。

首先，冬季的潛水條件不太好，有很多個月不能潛水。

第二點是前往那裡實在太麻煩。如果從台北出發，你將不得不花費大部分時間前往那裡，然後再花一整天回程。也許在COVID-19疫情前，從國外飛來會更方便。

第三點是那裡沒有定居的英語自由潛水教練。但當地台灣教練定期在那裡開課。

希望你找到了這篇部落格文章有助於研究在台灣上自由潛水課程的選擇。如果你有任何問題，請隨時與我聯繫。

此外，如果你有興趣接受我的課程訓練，而台北/小琉球的方案不太適合你的時間表，請通過 ray@freedivenomad.com 與我聯繫，我以靈活配合學生的時間而自豪。

如果你有興趣參加我的免費在線“自由潛水入門”課程，請點擊這裡。

如果你是一所提供台灣英語課程的學校或教練，請與我聯繫，我將把子加到上面的文章裡。

安全的潛水，切勿獨潛！

保持聯繫，不錯過任何更新！點擊這裡訂閱我們的電子報或 line 群組。你將獲得我們最新課程時間表的獨家訪問權，最新更新的內容，以及對自由潛水世界的有趣見解。

有意識的呼吸 - 緩解壓力

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 06:56:57 GMT

你知道嗎，我也是一位呼吸教練嗎？我在線上和現場教授壓力緩解的呼吸工作坊和課程。

最近，我最近幫我朋友Prish和她的朋友上了一個線上工作坊的課程。

Prish是我愛上蔬菜的原因。她是一位純素主廚，但對我來說，她是一位擅長利用可食用植物材料的藝術家。她出售令人驚嘆的素食小吃，並主持一個素食工作坊。

最近，她在一個台北與商業相關的Facebook頁面上寫下了她對我呼吸工作坊的經歷，經她同意，我在下面貼出了她的評論。

客座文章作者：Prashantha Lachanna

我最近在一個播客上聽到一個有趣的概念，之後我關掉了所有關注如何改進和提升思考/行動/睡眠/飲食/工作/娛樂的播客。這個概念被稱為「知識肥胖」。

身為人類，我們被迫前進。但是，我們陷入了一個資訊過載的時代，因為我們大部分時間都處於無意識、自動的行為模式，所以我們消耗了更多的知識卡路里。我們的大腦變得肥胖，但行動和執行力太薄弱。

I 我厭倦了外尋我的創造力，我的內在問題解決能力，以及重要的、寶貴的「無事」時刻，這些時刻位於思考大事件之間。那些什麼都沒有的時刻讓我們有時間處理資訊並重新組織我們的思想，「無心的」創造出令人驚嘆的新事物。如果我們的大腦不斷受到干擾，我們就無法做到這一點。

我正在學習，專注於呼吸是釋放自己擺脫壓力、強迫、焦慮和無意識行為的基本基石。這不是「另一個新事物」。這是在這些經由透過電波強行灌輸我們的精神素材存在之前的原始事物。（我的下一個 Ted 演講將關於彈出式廣告。在我試圖專注於一篇文章等事物時，沒有什麼比彈出廣告更讓我想犯下謀殺罪了）。

我已經練習氣功和昆達利尼瑜伽幾年了。這兩種練習都以呼吸為核心。我發現，在高壓力的時刻，我變得冷靜自若，睡得更好，醒來更開心，我對自己吃的東西更加在意

。我只是感到在我的身體中更加自在，並且對靜止感到更有吸引力。所有這些都是直觀的。

但現在，我必須感謝呼吸教練 Ray，他提出了那個直覺發現背後的知識原則。Ray 曾在公司銀行工作。在他的職業生涯中，他長時間處於壓力之下。如果有人了解壓力，那就是他。

現在，他是一位自由潛水教練和呼吸教練，與妻子一起過著在小琉球的島嶼生活。

在我們的在線工作坊中，Ray 概述了三種呼吸方法（水、威士忌、葡萄酒），以及每種呼吸方法如何影響身體的鹼性/酸性、神經系統的調節和對二氧化碳的耐受度以及好處。我們中的一些人投入了太多的精力來發展肌肉，而不是發展更重要的神經系統。

有一件事讓我大開眼界，那就是學習到鼻子呼吸會釋放大腦中的神經傳遞物質，向大腦發送安全信號。它還塑造了兒童的下顎和上顎發育！！

他還解釋了有意識的呼吸可以讓我們從戰鬥和逃避模式進入休息和消化狀態。這是我多年來在氣功和昆達利尼瑜伽中所了解到的，但透過Ray，我更加理解其中的機制。

我今天分享這些信息，因為作為企業主，我們的壓力...天哪，讓它停下來吧！我鼓勵你與自己的呼吸建立聯繫，放慢腳步，每天練習呼吸，只需5-10分鐘，看看它如何影響你的決策能力，提高思維靈活性，並讓你感到自己正在投資於自己的健康，且你正在看著您的生產力不斷攀升。

Ray的課程價格為每人1500新台幣，最多20人參加。他還提供1對1的課程，價格為5000新台幣，包括4次30分鐘的課程，都是線上課程。他也曾在公司舉辦現場工作坊。也許可以在新冠疫情過去後考慮與他合作。與此同時，你現在也可以線上學習。

我並不會從中獲得任何回扣。我只是喜歡分享對我有益的事物。我認為，不管我正在經歷什麼，其他人也可能正在經歷，也許他們需要一個解決方案。

這是 Ray的網頁。祝你快樂的探索、學習和成長！

如果您有興趣學習釋放壓力呼吸法，請電郵至 ray@freedivenomad.com 與我聯繫。

很高興我參加了自由潛水課程，即使我原本以為我不需要

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 06:47:20 GMT

客座文章，作者 Tyler Rubin (IG @beer_and_cats)

住在台灣，農曆新年（CNY）對我來說是一個特別的時刻。首先，這裡的空氣中有一種氣氛，類似於在聖誕節臨近時身處紐約的感覺。大家都在高興地等待著一年中最大的節日，他們可以和家人聚會吃飯、笑鬧、唱卡拉OK和玩遊戲。對我來說，農曆新年標誌著幾週的工作休假，我可以去探望我的家人，或者去東南亞的某個小島天堂探索，花幾天時間探索一個又一個珊瑚礁。

農曆新年在家放鬆一下很不錯

不用說，最後一個新年的前景並不像往常那樣。我在我屋頂公寓有一個相當不錯的露台，而且天氣看起來也不算太差。不妨利用這段時間在露台上讀書和寫作，同時享受著我的貓在我腿上睡覺的放鬆時光。誰會抱怨這樣的生活呢？

但悶悶不樂的情緒開始滋生

事實證明可以，我真的開始感到悶悶不樂。只過了三天，我就感到痛苦難耐。並不是因為早上8點到下午5點，我公寓旁邊的工地上整天都在進行的施工敲打聲。也不是因為天氣變壞。甚至不是因為一次意外傷害讓我無法去健身房，剝奪了即使最我最基本的成就感。

那是一種我應該去旅行的感覺。在過去的十五年裡，每年我都被熟悉的面孔、全新的風景所包圍，或者兩者兼而有之，而現在，我卻在等待著，度過本應是一年中最美好時光的時刻我感到孤立無援，完全的孤獨。

到了第四天，我早上8點醒來，但直到下午2點才起床，我意識到必須有所改變。或許我不能去看望家人，也不能飛往熱帶天堂，但台灣仍有許多值得一遊的地方，即使現在不是最佳旅遊季節。

Ray,自潛教練

然後我想起了 Ray。 7 年前，我們在巴西柔術 (BJJ) 俱樂部相識，很快就建立了友誼。自從我認識他以來，他辭去了金融工作，環遊世界，沉迷於自由潛水，甚至設法說服他很棒的女朋友成為他很棒的妻子。

他們在疫情初期的一段時間是在拉斯維加斯度過的，但最近他們搬回台灣，這樣Ray就能追求他成為自由潛水教練的夢想。自那以後，我們會定期聊聊各自的生活，而他總會用某種方式對我說：“你真的應該找時間來上我的課程，伙計。我很樂意幫你學會如何不殺了自己。“

對危險一無所知

順便說一下，他並沒有在這方面誇大其詞。我經常在水中做一些讓他真正感到不安的事情。獨自浮潛，潛入水下5米以上，屏住呼吸直到感覺胸部快要塌陷，然後急速返回水面充滿肺部，再次重複這個過程。

我並沒有意識到這其中的危險，但Ray確實看到了，他非常希望讓我明白我把自己置於多大的危險中。還有就是閉氣。當我這麼做時，這似乎不是一件特別危險的事，只是一種沉浸在珊瑚礁寧靜中有趣的方式。

屏住呼吸讓我完全靜止，完全放鬆，被周圍珊瑚礁魚群的美麗寧靜所環繞，以及無處不在的咔嚓聲和嘎吱聲，這些聲音很容易被忽略，直到你注意到它們實際上來自四面八方，就像一個外星圓形劇場你甚至從未意識到你已經誤入其中。

隨著我閉氣的次數增加，閉氣的時間也變得越來越長。兩分鐘變成了三分鐘，然後是三分半，最終，除非我超過了四分鐘，否則我不會感到滿足。這意味著我在對抗肌肉收縮，壓抑內在的警報，並拒絕來自我自己身體的呼吸渴望，直到我感覺我快要昏厥。一個人。在一片荒無人煙的珊瑚礁中央。反覆的。

你什麼時候要來上課？

這時候，好老友Ray已經在小琉球島上過得很舒適了。當我深陷自己的抑鬱之中時，他幾乎已經準備好開設他的自由潛水學校，而當我發消息問候他時，他再次問我何時會下來參加他的課程。

此時此刻，我對這整個想法還持懷疑態度。我喜歡拜訪朋友、待在島上，以及在水中度過一些時光的想法……但那是二月。即使在台灣南部，這也意味著陸地上可能會有點冷，水中則會冰冷。我喜歡在水裡，但即使在菲律賓明亮的陽光下，我在潛水時經常需要額外的防寒衣，以避免發抖太厲害，以至於我在創紀錄的時間內耗盡氣瓶。

持觀望態度

我完全持觀望態度。渴望得到一些類似度假的東西，但又擔心最終會到達一個寒冷潮濕的島嶼，那裡的海洋甚至更冷、更潮濕。所以我問了我能想到的最明智的問題。最近天氣怎麼樣？到達那裡有多容易？找個住處有多難？人們真的還在潛水嗎？

這些問題的答案讓我感到出奇的樂觀。天氣乾燥且異常溫暖，預計下週仍如此。由於台灣西海岸有高鐵（HSR），因此到達那裡的過程相當快速且容易。

車票訂了，房間也訂了

Ray在島上已經有幾個朋友（當然了），並且知道一些有空房的地方，他可以幫我預訂。水是冷的，但那裡有很多厚防寒衣，所以人們每天都在海裡。如果他們能做到，我為什麼不能？

「我要去！」快速下樓到7-11，我就買好了第二天的高鐵票。再發幾條信息，快速與一位朋友見面後，我就找到了一個可靠的人，當我不在的時候每天來照顧我的貓，。

剩下的就是清潔和打包，這花了一些時間，因為我的地方看起來有點亂，但我最終完成了。大約在我清理完畢的時候，我注意到我第一次感到興奮已經很久了。我不知道在亞熱帶的冬天中自由潛水會是什麼感覺，但我知道我即將展開一場冒險，而在那一刻，那就是最重要的。

一場小琉球小旅行

我早上6點醒來，檢查了我的門窗是否上鎖，然後出發了。稍後搭台北捷運，我就在7點前準時趕到了火車。高鐵讓我在大約一個半小時後抵達台灣南部的左營站，此時我打電話叫了接駁車前往屏東縣的東港。

令人驚訝的是，我是接駁車上唯一的乘客（其實就是一輛出租車），但他們遵守承諾，我只需支付接駁車的價格，45-60分鐘的行程只花了200新台幣（大約7美元）。

坐船到小琉球

在港口我的運氣也很好，當我排隊買票時，很快就買到了往返票，並被告知要趕快，以免錯過渡輪。如果我晚兩分鐘，我就得再等一個小時，但我跑到船上，在千鈞一髮之際趕到了。現在我正乘坐船隻前往台灣的「小沖繩」，還沒來得及思考什麼時候會到達，就抵達了！渡輪行駛在平靜的水面上，只用了20分鐘。我簡直不敢相信。大約四個小時，我就從台北市中心的家到達了屏東外海的一個小島！

開始小島生活

Ray在小琉球的碼頭等我，我首先注意到的是，自從我上次見到他以來，他看起來健康了許多。我猜島上的生活對他有好影響。我們去租了一輛摩托車給我，吃了午餐，然後我被帶到了我住的旅館，叫做Greenia，老闆娘是Pinky。Pinky是一位台灣自由潛水教練，也是《荒唐分局》（Brooklyn Nine-Nine）的狂熱粉絲，我們一見如故。

Pinky帶我和Ray到後院，她已經為我準備好了所有裝備，然後我們都聊了一會兒，她才帶我去看我的房間。那天剩下的時間我騎著我的小白色摩托車，探索島嶼，欣賞日落，然後回到Greenia，早早在晚上8點半就睡覺了。我第二天早上7點要在Ray的地方見面，我想要做好準備。

許多警告和淺水昏迷

Ray事先給我發了這門課程的閱讀材料，我在高鐵上已經讀過了大部分，這讓第一次的非水中課程相當簡單。很多複習，很多問題來確保我理解了課程背後的概念，還有很多警告。Ray很興奮能教我自由潛水，但他也很興奮能教我為什麼他對我之前在水中的行為如此擔心。他沒有錯！

我們回顧了人們為什麼會在水下昏厥，但更重要的整體觀點是，人們確實偶爾會在水下昏厥。如果這種情況發生在我一個人潛水時，我們都知道這意味著什麼。

我們還觀看了一些視頻。它們很有趣，但隨後我們看到了他真正希望我看到的視頻。我們觀看了幾個競技自由潛水者淺水昏迷並迅速被救起的視頻。

就在那時，他問我是否注意到那些淺水昏迷情況有什麼特點。他想要強調的重點是，即使這些運動員達到100米或更深的深度，昏迷幾乎總是在接近水面的地方發生。

撇開生物學的技術細節不談，Ray的觀點是淺水昏迷並不只發生在那些瘋狂到潛入不可能深度的人身上；它們發生在水面附近，而且可以發生在任何人身上。這就是他對我如此擔心的原因。他並不是在過度戲劇化；我在不自知的情況下真的把自己置於了危險之中。

開放水域課程

在經歷了這個讓人警醒的經驗後，是時候下水了。在我們能夠進入開放海域之前，我們必須先完成課程要求的基本技能。總的來說，這些技能相當直接。至少閉氣90秒，在水下平潛35米，之類的。這部分很簡單，我想我是個不錯的學生。

這是在一個「游泳池」裡進行的，這個游泳池以前是一個小港口，但現在被自由潛水和水肺潛水使用。從技能訓練中有兩個重要的收獲：安全是自由潛水中最重要的主題，而且水的溫度和我擔心的一樣冷。

在下一次水中訓練中，Ray好心地借給我他的潛水手套和襪子。我現在有了一套完整的防寒衣、背心、襪子、手套和頭套。當我們進入開放水域，看到那麼多水母時，我突然對自己從頭到腳都被遮蓋住感到更加慶幸。我們複習了很多我們在游泳池裡學過的內容，並且練習了正確自由潛水的技巧。這些技巧包括正確的躬身（鴨式潛水）、保持正確的姿勢，以及出水面做恢復性呼吸的重要性。

到了這個時候，海龜們開始出現了。一隻接一隻，它們慵懶地游過，吃著水母，看起來昏昏欲睡。這時我的注意力缺陷障礙發作了，我確實需要一些溫和的提醒，來關注那些可能有一天會救我性命的細節。總之，我玩得很開心。我還沒有適應水溫，但我發現自己越來越能夠應對它。

下深度

對我來說，一切似乎都進行得非常順利。我在享受我的旅行，與一位老朋友共度美好時光，學習一項新技能，而且我在課程內容上表現得非常出色。現在是時候進入課程的核心部分：下深度，我一直在等待這一刻，而且我真的很興奮地向Ray展示這對我來說會有多容易。

與大多數新潛水員相比，我已經擁有出色的閉氣能力（通常4分鐘對我來說沒有問題），而且我非常適應水下、倒立或保持放鬆和專注。這將是我大放異彩的時刻。

無法平壓

不用說，我失敗了。儘管我感覺準備得很充分，我還是無法做到耳壓平衡。我們一直在練習Frenzel平壓法，這是一種進階技術，一旦你潛入更深的水域，這種技術就變得必要。所以我們的第一個想法是，我的問題可能是我在嘗試這種技術時操作不正確。我又嘗試了幾次，專注於放鬆我的身體並正確地執行，但都沒有成功。

最終，Ray建議我先從簡單的Valsalva（那捏住鼻子並吹氣的方法）開始，當我在深水中感到更舒適時再試試Frenzel 。問題是，這對我來說也行不通。我們都感到困惑，我也變得非常沮喪。Ray建議了許多事情，如暖和我的鼻咽管（連接你的鼻竇和喉嚨到耳朵的管道），但似乎都毫無作用。

他讓我嘗試沿著繩索頭朝上向下潛水，看看感覺有沒有不同。出於某種原因，這完全沒問題。當我不倒立時，我可以輕鬆潛到12米的深度。

就在這時，我們意識到我的問題是機械性的。似乎當我倒立時，我頭部的某些部位自然關閉，可能是我的軟腭。我現在正式有了一個任務：弄清楚如何讓我的氣道張開，這樣我就能潛到更深的深度。

我們只剩下一次開放水域訓練，該死，我想成功。Ray給我發了幾個關於平困壓難和如何克服它們的視頻和文章。我盡可能地觀看了所有能找到的資料，閱讀論壇，仔細做筆記，並研究一切，以便我回到水中時能記住。

到了這個階段，我已經通過筆試。我還看到了幾次世界級的日落，交到了一些新朋友，甚至還和Ray一起觀看了Superbowl。那是我在小琉球的最後一個早晨，我真的很希望這次美妙的體驗能有一個快樂的結局。

我們穿好防寒衣，進到水中，游了出去。此時，我對小琉球外海中央的這片深藍色廣闊海域感覺奇怪地熟悉。Ray設置好我們的裝備，複習了適當的安全守則（當時我沒有提到，但我真的很感激），然後我們開始了最後一堂課程。

我嘗試了一個又一個技術來打開我的軟腭。一個失敗了，接著另一個。Ray詳細詢問了我在水中的感受，並試圖尋找我可能遺漏的事情，但不幸的是，還是老樣子：一旦我倒立，就感覺我的耳朵根本就不連接到我的鼻竇。

我還剩一個技巧，它來自一個自由潛水論壇，而不是某位著名潛水員的博客。這個技巧似乎不太可能奏效，所以我把它留到最後。技巧是：捏住鼻子後，嘗試先吸氣一小會兒，然後再呼氣（記住，捏住鼻子時你實際上並不會吸氣或呼氣，你只是做出生物學上的動作）。

我不認為這有多大的機會，但這是我所剩無幾的選擇。我在水面上漂浮，放鬆肌肉，呼吸穩定，想像著一次成功的潛水。我吸了最後一口氣，將呼吸管從嘴裡拿出來，沿著導潛繩下潛，希望能有奇蹟發生。

而它竟然奏效了！我簡直不敢相信，但當我感覺到我的耳朵在平衡時，我知道這個最後的技巧正是我需要的來張開我的軟腭。我悠閒地沿著繩索下潛，像Ray教我的那樣定時進行平壓，最終，我到達了底部。我轉身緩慢上升，移動我的下巴來幫助我的耳朵適應較低的表面壓力。我到達水面，進行了恢復呼吸。我查看了我的潛水錶（實際上是Ray的潛水錶），它顯示13.2米。我做到了！

我非常激動！Ray也非常激動！海龜們裝作無動於衷，但我知道它們也很激動。經過一番慶祝後，Ray說我需要在底部正確轉身。沒問題，我心想，我可以整天做這個。我完成了Ray滿意的潛水，然後做了幾次不同的變化。

最後一項是「救援」Ray 。他假裝在大約10米處昏迷，我必須潛下去，正確地抓住他，帶他到水面，取下他的面鏡，對著他的眼睛吹氣，並多次大喊「呼吸」。這可能聽起來很奇怪，但如果人類在水下經歷昏迷，這是最有可能幫助他們醒來的方法。

此時，我已經很適應深度潛水，並且恢復了自信。我沒有遇到任何新的困難就完成了救援項目，就這樣，我完成了Molchonovs Wave 1課程的最後一項要求。

回到岸上後，我們還有時間一起吃最後一頓飯，然後我就得趕上返回東港的渡輪了。我們拍了一些照片，歡笑了一陣子，然後我就離開了。我站在船的後甲板上，看著小琉球慢慢消失在落日中，同時思考著我在水中度過的那許多的時光，以及我能住在台灣這裡有多麼幸運。我的身體感到疲憊，我很高興能回到我充滿啤酒和貓的公寓，但我已經開始想念這個小小的島嶼和我在那裡度過的所有美好時光。

當我開始學習自由潛水時，Tyler告訴我他也對這個項目感興趣，他在蘭嶼獨自進行屏息和潛水。他的一些技術讓我嚇得要命。所以當我成為一名教練並返回台灣後，我告訴他我會教他安全地自由潛水，以防止朋友不必要的生命損失。而且我會免費教！作為回報，我得到的是他寫的這篇客座部落格文章��。我想傳達的重點是，Tyler在屏息方面非常有經驗且非常有天賦。但他仍然對自己構成危險，而在參加了課程後，他意識到了這一點。

Tyler，我在巴西柔術中認識的一個朋友，在我上完第一個自由潛水課程後開始談論自由潛水。他說他也做過一些自由潛水，但從未上過課程。然而，即使我剛剛通過了第一階段的休閒自由潛水課程，我也知道他所做的一些事情正將他的生命置於危險之中。

所以，當我成為一名自由潛水教練並搬回台灣後，我提出無論何時只要他有機會下來小琉球，我就教他潛水，他在上一個農曆新年真的來了。我請Tyler寫了一篇客座文章，談論他雖然在這項活動中已經非常有經驗，但仍然經歷了一個自由潛水課程的感受。

若要獲得我免費的自由潛水新手常見問題電子書，請點擊

聯絡方式-

地址：台灣琉球鄉行政路20-12號

電話: 0981163838

E-mail: ray@freedivenomad.com

2025 年最佳小琉球台灣自由潛水指南（當地人提供）

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 06:45:54 GMT

如果您在台灣並想參加我提供的自由潛水課程，請點擊右上方的「現在聯絡」按鈕或通過此處與我聯繫。

對我來說，自由潛水和小琉球這兩個概念是密不可分的。這是我重新學習水肺潛水後潛水的第一個地方（我於2000年獲得PADI認證，直到2016年才再次嘗試小琉球的水肺潛水）。這也是我上了自由潛水課程AIDA 2（1級）和AIDA 3（2級），獲得自由潛水證書，對我今天的道路產生了重大影響，現在我是一名 Molchanovs, 、AIDA和PADI認證的自由潛水教練，並且現在就在這裡教授自由潛水。

正因為如此，這對我來說是一個非常特別的地方，我很樂意向你介紹。

如果你不在台灣，但想找到一種方式進入台灣進行自由潛水，請查看我的部落格，了解如何通過黃金卡簽證的方法進入台灣。

小琉球基本資訊

小琉球是台灣東南沿海的一座島嶼，面積約6.8平方公里，居民約13,000人。主要的交通方式是騎摩托車，您可以在15至20分鐘內繞行整個島嶼。

有趣的事實 - 島上大多數居民只有10個姓氏。

此外，我還為小琉球寫了一份相當詳細的指南。

在小琉球潛水

進行Google搜索顯示約有12個自由潛水的結果和約30個水肺潛水的結果。這裡有很多潛水活動。

雖然在小琉球有大量學習自由潛水的地方，但如果不懂中文，可供選擇的地方就比較有限。

我知道在小琉球能英語授課的教練或自潛學校：

VD FREEDIVING 由法國-台灣夫妻安東尼和嘉茵經營，他們於2017年在台灣創辦了自由潛水學校。他們提供了最大的方便，因為他們可以用英語、中文和法語授課，並且可以在台北和小琉球兩地教學。我去年有幸與他們一起進行了一些泳池訓練，我真的很喜歡他們的積極能量和他們在課堂中帶來的樂趣。

KRIS ZVARITCH 是Molchanovs和 Deeperblue.com 的特約作者，她獲得了AIDA和Molchanovs的教練資格，偶爾也會在水下擔任模特（請查看她的 Instagram ）。我曾在印尼的吉利島與她一起度過了一些時間，她對我來說在自由潛水方面是一個豐富的知識寶藏。

FREEDIVE TAIWAN - 這是我接受的前兩個課程的地方。Donny Mac也是《自由潛水咖啡館》的主持人和創作者。他的課程的一個優勢是包括住宿費用。Donny給了我一個堅實的技能基礎，使我能夠取得教練證書。

最後，還有我自己！在夏季在拉斯維加斯教授自由潛水後，我於2020年11月搬到台灣。點擊這裡了解更多關於我的課程。我在白卡自由潛水中心教授泳池課程，這是島上唯一兩個專門用於自由潛水訓練的自由潛水中心之一。

有關在台灣參加英語自由潛水課程的更多信息，請查看我的博客文章。

在台灣和小琉球自由潛水

自由潛水在台灣於2016年左右崛起，一些人把這件事歸功於Instagram，據估計，在島上有超過50名自由潛水教練，其中僅有大約半打能夠講英語的教練。

以下是小琉球台灣自由潛水愛好者首選目的地的五個原因：

1.全年都能潛水 - 小琉球由山脈保護，不受冬北季風的干擾，因此全年都可以潛水，這在台灣的大多數地方都難以實現。

2.短途摩托車騎行 - 島上各處距離潛水點都很近，可以騎摩托車前往岸邊，然後潛入水中達到深度介於10米到50米的錨泊位置，或者有許多地方可以潛到約18米深處綁上繩子。

3.豐富多樣的有趣潛水點 - 小琉球提供各種有趣的潛水點，使你可以享受多樣化的潛水體驗。

4.相對較容易抵達 - 比起其他選擇，如蘭嶼或綠島，小琉球對於在台灣的任何地方的人來說都相對較容易抵達。

5.全年水溫適合3毫米防寒衣 - 小琉球的水溫全年都適合穿著3毫米防寒衣潛水，這使得潛水更加舒適。

台灣有其他能自由潛水的地方，但每個地方都有自己的問題。在北部靠近台北的地方，冬季潛水受到寒冷和浪的影響，能見度也不如南部。澎湖有豐富的魚類，但冬季不能潛水，且不適合深度潛水。蘭嶼和綠島位於台灣的東南海岸，冬季條件艱難。墾丁在氣溫上仍然適合潛水，但北方的寒流與南方的暖潮相互交匯，可能會引發強風和不穩定的潛水條件。

在小琉球潛水及訓練

小琉球有幸擁有島上東與西兩個主要的潛水點，它們位於東與西的相對位置。美人洞（Meirendong）位於小琉球的西北角。大福則位於島的東南部。因此，如果其中一個潛水點浪較大，另一邊很可能會比較平靜。此外，小琉球在大多數日子裡也擁有驚人的可見度，多數時候可達30米。

美人洞

前往美人洞潛水點的較為困難，因為需要走樓梯才能到達海灘（可以騎摩托車前往，有充足的停車位），這個地方相當多石頭，有不同的浪，使他有點不穩定。在右邊有一個珊瑚礁，可以休閒潛水，您可以看到許多著名的海龜，有時您可以看到多達10隻的海龜就在珊瑚礁上睡覺。

在左邊，有網箱，以漁網作為一種標誌，供游泳前進。數百米的游泳後，可以達到足夠深度，進行初學者自由潛水課程，教練可以潛到海底將他們的繩索綁住。在漁網之外，或距離岸邊約500米的地方，可以根據潮汐和水流的情況達到45-50米的深度，並可以綁在繞著漁網的一系列浮標上。

專家提醒 - 我建議你攜潛水鞋前往這個地區，因為這個海灘不是沙灘，而是多石頭的地方，進入水中也是一樣，所以請攜帶潛水鞋，然後在穿上鞋腳後可以將它們放在浮球裡。

您可以在下方觀看我下到美人洞的樓梯的影片。

大福

另一個進行線潛水的地點是大福，它位於島的東南角。在這裡，您需要找到一條沉水浮球，將浮球綁在上面。顯然，越出去，水深就越深。這就是你需要一些當地知識來獲取陳水浮球的GPS坐標。外面上還有一個浮標叫做“蛋糕”因為它在水面上漂浮時的形狀像一個蛋糕。但這是給船隻用的，所以如果有船在這裡停泊，您需要卸下浮球。當然，您也可以潛水並綁在一塊岩石上，但如果是要下深度，這種做法較不可行。

以下是關於大福的影片。

小琉球：一個很多名字的島

琉球（Liqiu）是該島和沖繩的名字。小琉球或者叫做小琉球（Xiaoliuqiu）是一個綽號，用來區別它與沖繩，而沖繩因類似的原因被稱為大琉球（Big Liuqiu）。

小琉球的名稱意思是小的琉球，琉球是附近沖繩在被日本接管並改名為沖繩之前的中文名稱。在日語中，琉球（Liuqiu）發音為RyuKyu。這就是為什麼有時當您使用Google翻譯時，它會顯示為Small Ryuku或Xiao Ryukyu的原因，來表示小琉球。

這個島嶼也被稱為Lambai Island（也叫Lamay），但這更多是來自英語和其他歐洲語言，因為它是對島上原住民名稱的音譯。

很久以前，小琉球還被稱為"金獅"，這個名稱來自荷蘭名稱"Gouden Leeuw"，是為了紀念Gouden Leeuw船隊的船員。不過，稍後我們會更深入地討論這艘船對島嶼的意義。

總結一下，小琉球可以稱為XLQ（我最喜歡的選擇）、Lambai Island、Lamay、Little Liuqiu、Small Ryukyu或The Golden Lion。

是不是有點混亂呢？那麼，就讓我們簡單地稱它為XLQ吧！

如何到小琉球-交通

如果您來自台灣以外，可以搭乘航班抵達高雄國際機場（代碼KHH）。由於COVID-19的影響，前往高雄的航班非常有限，因此可能需要飛往台灣的首都台北。

從高雄機場，您可以搭乘計程車或Uber（約新台幣1000元或30美元）前往東港碼頭（Dong Gang Ferry Terminal，東港在中文中指東方的港口）。

另一個便宜的方式是前往高雄的火車站，然後在前面有一系列的巴士公司。有一家公司每小時至少有一班七人座的小型面包車前往，費用約新台幣150元或約5美元，應該需要大約45分鐘，或者如果司機開得很快，可能只需要30分鐘，通常情況下司機都會這麼開。以下是該公司的標誌。

更多交通資訊，我寫了一個關於搭船到小琉球的文章。

一旦下船，會有很多人提供租摩托車的服務，這將會是在島上的主要交通工具。如果你不知道如何騎摩托車，這個島對你來說可能會不太方便。你也可以租一輛汽車和司機帶你參觀各個景點，但這不一定划算。我對租摩托車的唯一建議是要討價還價，而且要努力討價還價。每天新台幣400元是標準價格，但如果租比較多天，可以獲得相當大的折扣。

如果你不會騎摩托車，還有其他幾種選擇，我在我的《小琉球詳細指南》中有詳細的介紹。閱讀該指南可以為不會騎摩托車的遊客提供其他選擇和資訊。

小琉球 - 台灣歷史上的一個有趣部分

在1622年，即荷蘭東印度公司在台灣建立郵政之前的兩年，船隻Gouden Leeuw（金獅）在小琉球沉船，船員全都被當地原住民殺害。

在1631年，另一艘荷蘭遊艇也在該島上沉船，遭遇了與Gouden Leeuw相似的命運，所有五十名船員都被殺害。荷蘭人決心尋求對這兩起事件的懲罰和報復，於1633年派遣了500名士兵前去襲擊該島，其中包括荷蘭人、漢族華人和台灣原住民士兵。他們意識到自己兵力不足，但做出了一個重要的戰略發現，即島上的居民在困難時期會撤退到一個洞穴中。

三年後，一支規模更大的部隊被派往該島，將居民困在他們的安全洞穴內，封鎖了出入口，僅留下小孔供燃燒的沥青和硫磺之煙窒息居民。總共有超過300名男女和兒童死於窒息，而其他300多名居民中，男性被送到台灣和印尼的種植園工作，而女性被送到荷蘭人的家中當女僕或妻子。

當時的殖民不是一個美好的時期。

直到1645年，島上曾爆發一些小規模的衝突，當時漢族中國人租借該島並驅逐了剩下的13名土著居民，從那時起，該島一直被漢族中國人占據至今。

自那時以來，小琉球一直是一個漁村，直到21世紀初，它轉型為旅遊業，每年吸引了數十萬遊客，但這也帶來了自己的問題。由於旅遊業的不受限制的增長，該島在保護幫助逆轉這一趨勢之前失去了90%的珊瑚。

因此，可以說這個地方有相當有趣的歷史。

小琉球的氣候和水溫

小琉球的平均高溫範圍從攝氏25°C（12月和1月）到夏季月份的攝氏32°C。乾季從11月到3月，而雨季和季風季節從4月到10月，島上也容易受到颱風的影響。

水溫在12月份為攝氏25°C，夏季月份為攝氏29°C。冬季使用3mm的防寒衣剛好足夠，但潛水結束後可能會感到有些冷。我帶了一套5.5mm的防寒衣以備不時之需。

最後，還有一個小琉球Facebook群組

小琉球的英語資源有限，大部分都是像這樣的博客。這就是為什麼我創建了“ XIAOLIUQIU FOR FOREIGNERS ” Facebook群組，作為一個英語資源，供需要幫助計劃他們前往XLQ之旅並獲得建議的人使用。我希望它能成為一個資源，供提供英語服務的人宣傳自己，並供遊客提出可能有的問題。

保持聯繫，不錯過任何更新！點擊這裡訂閱我們的電子報或 line 群組。你將獲得我們最新課程時間表的獨家訪問權，最新更新的內容，以及對自由潛水世界的有趣見解

關於我們的Google地圖列表，請查看此處。

聯繫方式-

地址：台灣琉球鄉行政路20-12號

電話：0981163838

E-mail: ray@freedivenomad.com

小琉球冰澡俱樂部

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 13:36:40 GMT

有什麼好處？

從未嘗試過冰澡但感到好奇？不喜歡熱氣？總是尋找不同的社交方式？

那麼，如果你住在小琉球或者計劃來這裡旅遊，尤其是如果你是周末戰士，感受到整天在陽光下以及比平時更加活躍的身體後果，小琉球冰澡社交俱樂部可能是你感興趣的活動。

此外，我也將冰澡作為我的自由潛水課程的附加服務，因為自由潛水課程對於不習慣的人來說可能相當費力，而快速恢復非常重要。

請觀看我最近在YouTube上拍攝的這個冰澡視頻，試圖治療其中一位學生的宿醉。

冰澡如何減輕發炎和疼痛？（恢復過程）

無論你是職業運動員還是周末戰士，提高運動表現在很大程度上依賴於恢復。恢復是你獲得「進步」的階段。確保快速恢復可以讓你連續訓練，不失節奏。

存在多種恢復方法，包括拉伸、按摩（考慮嘗試 Stretchology Asia ），以及壓縮裝備。然而，冰澡在對抗炎症和運動後肌肉疼痛（DOMS）方面特別有效。

當您將自己浸入冰冷的水中時，您的血管會收縮，而當出浴時，它們會擴張，這有助於沖走運動後的代謝廢物，尤其是淋巴結中的代謝廢物。這會增加您的血流量，使細胞充滿必需的營養物質，從而使身體有利於更快地恢復。

此外，冰澡還有助於降低你的核心體溫，從而具有抗炎作用。

冰澡能幫助你放鬆及睡得更好

" 根據i sportcool.com 的資料，超過80%進行冰浴的運動員報告說他們的心理狀態有所改善，睡眠模式也大大提升。

臨床研究顯示，冷水浸泡可以將壓力荷爾蒙皮質醇降低25-34% ，幫助你放鬆並降低壓力水平；因此，你將睡得更好。

良好的睡眠對於從運動中恢復至關重要。透過有效的恢復可以讓你在接下來的訓練中表現更好，從而增加你的進步並防止過度訓練——這是自由潛水中常聽到的問題。

此外，在14攝氏度的水中浸泡1小時還可以將多巴胺水平提高250%。多巴胺是一種荷爾蒙和神經傳導物質，被稱為「快樂荷爾蒙」。冰澡不僅讓你感覺良好，而且多巴胺對睡眠調節也很重要。

冷曝露還有助於刺激迷走神經，該神經負責你的副交感反應，促進放鬆和恢復的狀態。

緩解疼痛

這是我最初嘗試冰澡的原因。大約在2015年，我被診斷出患有纖維肌痛症。很難精確描述它的感覺，但它就像你即將感冒一樣，每天、始終如一。我的身體總是疼痛，尤其是早上。此外，我還有低能量和睡眠品質不佳的問題。

定期進行冰浴使這種狀況變得可忍受且可控制。

我也有嚴重的麩質不耐症。當我攝入麩質後，那真是太痛苦了，最好的形容方式就像是最嚴重的宿醉。我嘗試過各種止痛方法，包括天然的和藥物的。如果全部列出來，我嘗試過的止痛方法接近20種，但沒有什麼能像冰澡那樣有效地緩解我的疼痛。

我知道這只是個人經驗，但我想冰澡提供的抗炎和放鬆效果的結合有助於對抗疼痛。

燃燒卡路里及減重

浸泡在冷水浴中會降低你的核心體溫，當你這樣做時，你的身體會努力工作以防止體溫過度下降，因此會促進你的新陳代謝。

在20攝氏度的水中浸泡一小時可以使你的代謝率提高93% ，在14攝氏度的水中則可以提高350%。這是巨大的，燃燒了大量的卡路里。

因此，冰澡可以是包含飲食和運動的減肥計劃的良好補充。

改善體溫調節

如果你和我一樣是一名自由潛水員，你就會知道我們的身體有驚人的能力適應極端的物理狀況，比如深度、閉氣等。對於溫度也是如此。

幾年前，我開始定期泡冰澡，以緩解纖維肌痛症引起的疼痛。我知道它的一個副作用是我能夠更容易地承受寒冷。事實也的確如此。

我記得有一個冬天（參見上面的照片），那時我定期進行冷水浴。在台北，氣溫降至零度，晚上甚至下雪。那時，我已經非常適應寒冷，以至於外出時幾乎不需要穿帽Ｔ。我想要測試我的極限，於是在溫度只有個位數攝氏度的下午，我只穿著短褲、T恤和涼鞋（沒有穿襪子），帶著我的狗出去散步半小時。有點冷，但還算可以忍受。

我沒想到的是，適應也會以另一種方式發生

。我在亞洲生活了20多年，我絕對討厭亞洲的夏天，因為濕度。每個夏天都極度不舒服，耗盡了我的能量。我本以為在這裡生活了20年後會習慣，但並沒有。直到我開始泡冰澡。

只要我定期泡冰澡，我就能輕鬆地忍受亞洲潮濕的夏天。我不再汗流浹背，不會感到非常不舒服，最重要的是，不會耗盡我的能量。

我不確定這究竟是如何運作的，但我認為你的身體在將體溫恢復到恆定狀態時得到了良好的鍛煉，無論是從寒冷中提高你的核心體溫，還是從炎熱中降低，這都會使該機制變得更強。

這是我開始在小琉球泡冰澡的主要動力，因為我聽說小琉球的夏天非常熱，所以我想讓我的身體做好準備，以承受它，而不會對我造成太多不利影響。

增強免疫系統

冰澡可以改善你的淋巴系統循環，負責收集並清除體內的毒素、廢物、微生物和細菌。改善的循環刺激白血球攻擊並消滅淋巴系統中的這些有害物質，從而增強你的身體防禦機制。

此外，一項研究顯示，定期進行冷水淋浴的人比對照組的人請病假少29% 。這表明冷暴露與增強免疫系統之間可能存在聯繫。

總而言之，冰澡對你有很多益處。它們有助於肌肉恢復，促進身體和心靈的放鬆，改善睡眠質量，並提升你的心情。這些好處不僅對你的訓練有益，而且對你的整體生活品質也有正面影響。

想體驗冰澡的好處嗎？可以先從冷水淋浴開始。如果你來訪小琉球，考慮加入「小琉球外國人」FB群組並與我們聯繫。

聯繫方式-
地址: 20-12 Xingzheng Road, Liuqiu Township, Pintgung County 929

手機: 0981163838

E-mail: ray@freedivenomad.com

From Finance to Freediving: A Journey to Joyful Teaching

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 13:34:44 GMT

Dive into a personal journey from a career in finance to finding fulfillment in teaching freediving, inspired by lessons of service and joy from an unexpected source—a TV show episode. Discover how transforming lives through teaching can bring unparalleled satisfaction and joy.

As I delved into "The Bear," a captivating TV series about a humble sandwich shop's ambitious quest for Michelin-star recognition, I found myself engrossed in its brilliant narrative and character development. Yet, it was the profound message in Season 2, Episode 7, that resonated deeply with me, mirroring my own journey towards understanding the value of serving others.

In this pivotal episode, Richie, a character known for his sharp wit and stubbornness, is tasked with an internship at the world's leading restaurant amidst the renovation phase of the former sandwich shop. Despite his initial reluctance to embrace menial tasks and his confrontational stance with his supervisor, Garret, a transformative conversation unfolds outside the kitchen. Garret shares his journey towards finding joy in acts of service, emphasizing the restaurant's commitment to creating unforgettable experiences for its patrons, a philosophy that profoundly impacts Richie.

This narrative struck a chord with me, reflecting on my own transition from a self-centered career in finance to discovering the joy in teaching. Initially skeptical about the value I could bring through teaching, my perspective shifted as I embraced freediving instruction, not out of a passion for teaching but driven by my love for the sport and a practical approach to sustaining my hobby financially.

Recently I was asked whether I preferred teaching beginners or intermediate students led me to a realization: the joy in teaching lies in witnessing the transformative moments of beginners, their newfound abilities, and their deeper connection with the ocean. This realization parallels Garret's ethos of going above and beyond to create memorable experiences.

In my role as a freedive instructor, I strive to ensure that every moment spent learning with me is unforgettable, from personalized freedive courses to showcasing the island's hidden gems . It's a commitment to honor the trust and time invested by my students, aiming to never disappoint.

This journey has taught me that the essence of teaching extends beyond the transfer of knowledge; it's about enriching lives, fostering connections, and finding joy in the success and happiness of others. And that has naturally led me to a life full of joy, happiness and contentment.

Check out my Instagram account where I document my journey into freediving, while you're at it, check out my most unforgettable moment in freediving, diving with humpback whales in Tonga .

自由潛水蛙鞋 - 試用後再購買的活動在台灣

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:11:53 GMT

遊戲規則改變者

在高中和大學時期，我是網球和高爾夫球的狂熱愛好者。當時，我可以方便地租借示範用的球拍和高爾夫球桿來試打，然後再決定是否購買。

選對蛙鞋的重要性

作為進階自由潛水員，投資自由潛水蛙鞋是最重要的決定之一，因為它們對你的表現有顯著影響。和許多人一樣，我花了幾個小時在網路上進行研究，諮詢其他教練，並向其他自由潛水員尋求意見。

除了基本的塑膠蛙鞋外，自由潛水蛙鞋的價格可以很昂貴，從300美元到1000美元（約台幣10,000元到30,000元）不等。這項運動的一個主要缺點是缺乏在購買前試穿的機會，這經常讓人感覺像是在賭博。

我對自由潛水蛙鞋的個人體驗

我的第一對自由潛水鰭是由玻璃纖維製成的，體驗有好有壞。腳套很舒適，但是根據尺寸和重量圖表選擇的中等硬度的刀片，在我的教練課程中，尤其是在40米的深度，證明遠非理想。如果我能事先試用它們，我可能會選擇更軟的刀片。

我的第二對是碳纖蛙鞋，是根據朋友的推薦來選擇的。我有兩種腳套可選擇；兩者在乾燥時試穿都感覺不錯。我根據建議選擇了其中一個，雖然我對刀片的硬度感到滿意，但腳袋最終卻很不舒服，在長時間的潛水中割傷了我的腳踝。後來我意識到另一種腳套選項，類似於我的第一雙蛙鞋，會更舒服。

Molchanovs Sport Bifins 3 帶來全新的體驗

去年在台灣深度週期間，特別嘉賓Alexey Molchanov介紹了新款Sport Bifins 3。我試用了它們，對它們的反饋性和經濟實惠性印象深刻。一個突出的特點是可拆卸的腳套，這可以輕鬆更換和嘗試不同尺寸、硬度以及材料（如碳纖維或玻璃纖維）。有6種腳套和4對刀片，共有24種可能的組合。

要了解更多使這款蛙鞋成為絕佳選擇的具體信息，請點擊這裡。

成為Molchanovs的經銷商

這次使用Sport Bifins 3的經驗影響了我成為Molchanovs經銷商的決定，這讓我能夠為顧客提供試用或展示用的蛙鞋，讓他們在購買前能夠試用，確保他們的滿意度。

我們計劃為這些蛙鞋舉辦每月一次的試用活動。要獲取最新消息，請關注我的 Instagram 或訂閱我的電子報。此外，如果你在小琉球，你還可以租用它們一天，在泳池或開放水域試用。

期待在即將到來的活動中見到你，並幫助你找到完美的自由潛水蛙鞋。很快見！

保持聯繫，不錯過任何更新！點擊這裡訂閱我們的電子報或line 群組。你將獲得我們最新課程時間表的獨家訪問權，最新更新的內容，以及對自由潛水世界的有趣見解。

Molchanovs新款運動雙蹼- 獨特的腳套設計

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:03:21 GMT

可拆式腳套達到最大程度的便利

影片摘要

新款腳袋設計著重於舒適性，改進了腳趾空間和腳背空間。

如果你想要更緊密貼合並有更好的能量轉移的蛙鞋，那麼可以選擇小一號的尺寸。

開放式腳跟足弓支撐和彎曲腳趾位置旨在提供更好的後踢和流線型腳部位置，以實現完美的踢蹼。

運動系列腳套的主要目標是舒適性，有放鬆的腳感和足夠的腳趾空間，讓你能在水中長時間舒適地潛水。

腳套在蛙鞋上的定位是通過多次測試和深度潛水完成的，以確保能量傳遞的最佳效率。

腳套不同區域的矽膠硬度不同，這樣做是為了達到最佳效率和能量轉移，使其成為市場上舒適性和性能最佳的平衡。

不同品牌的刀片可能適合這些腳套，但它們需要特定的孔距和一定形狀的切割才能合適地安裝。

稍微練習一下，更換刀片只需大約一分鐘，這對潛水員來說非常高效。

我們現在是Molchanovs的經銷商，我們將會在台北或小琉球提供一些試用的蛙鞋，同時也會定期在台北或台中的泳池舉辦試用活動。

要接收這些試用活動的最新信息，請在這裡加入我們的通訊，我們會提供最新的課程信息、我們的自由潛水內容以及自由潛水界的有趣事物。

保持聯繫，不錯過任何更新！點擊這加入我們的電子報或line 群組。你將獲得我們最新課程時間表的獨家訪問權，最新更新的內容，以及對自由潛水世界的有趣見解。

Freedive Fins - Trying Before Buying Now in Taiwan

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 07:40:15 GMT

Game Changers

In high school and university, I was an avid player of tennis and golf. At that time, I had the convenience of renting demo racquets and golf clubs to test them out before making a purchase.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Freedive Fins

Investing in freedive fins is one of the most important decisions as an advanced freediver, as they significantly impact your performance. Like many, I’ve spent hours researching online, consulting other instructors, and seeking opinions from fellow freedivers.

Freedive fins, beyond the basic plastic ones, can be pricey, ranging from US$300 to US$1000 (NT$10,000-NT$30,000). A major drawback in this sport is the lack of opportunity to try on fins before buying, which then often feels like a gamble.

My Personal Experience with Freedive Fins

My first pair of freedive fins, made of fiberglass, were a mixed experience. The foot pocket was comfortable, but the medium stiffness of the blade, chosen based on size and weight charts, proved far from ideal for my instructor course, especially at depths of 40m. Had I been able to try them beforehand, I might have opted for softer fins.

My second pair were carbon fins, chosen based on a friend's recommendation. I had two foot pocket options; both felt good when tried on dry. I chose one based on advice, and while I was satisfied with the blade stiffness, the foot pockets ended up being uncomfortable, cutting into my ankles during long sessions. I later realized that the other foot pocket option, similar to my first fins, would have been more comfortable.

A Game-Changing Experience with Molchanovs Sport Bifins 3

At Deep Week Taiwan last year, special guest Alexey Molchanov introduced the new Sport Bifins 3. I tried them and was impressed by their responsiveness and affordability. A standout feature was the removable foot pocket, which allowed for easy swapping and experimentation with different sizes, stiffnesses, and materials like carbon or fiberglass. With 6 foot pockets and 4 blade pairs, there are 24 possible combinations.

To learn more specific that make this a great fin, click here .

Becoming a Molchanovs Dealer

This experience with the Sport Bifins 3 influenced my decision to become a Molchanovs dealer, allowing me to offer trial or demo fins for customers to try before they buy, ensuring their satisfaction.

We're planning monthly trial events for these fins. To stay updated, follow my Instagram or subscribe to my newsletter . Also, if you are on Xiaoliuqiu, you can also rent them for a day to try them out in the pool or open water.

Looking forward to seeing you at our upcoming events and helping you find the perfect fins for your freediving adventures. See you soon!

Molchanovs New Sport Bifins - Unique Foot Pockets

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 03:02:30 GMT

Removable Foot Pockets for Maximum Convenience

Video Summary

The new foot pocket design focuses on comfort with improvements in big toe space and upper foot space.

If you want to have fins that are more snug and have a better transfer of energy , then can go down in size.

The open heel arch support and curved toe position are designed to provide a better back kick and streamline foot position for perfect kicks.

The main goal of the Sport line foot pockets is comfort , with relaxed feet and space in the toes for extended time in the water.

The positioning of the foot pocket on the blade was done through multiple tests and deep dives to allow for the best possible transfer of energy .

The different stiffness of the silicone in various areas of the foot pocket allows for the best efficiency and transfer of energy, making it the best balance of comfort and performance on the market.

Different brands' blades may fit the foot pockets , but they require specific distance between the holes and a certain shape of the cut to fit properly.

With a bit of practice, it only takes about a minute to swap the blade , making it efficient for divers.

We are now a Molchanovs dealer and we will have a number of demo fins that you can rent in Taipei or Xiaoliuqiu while also regularly holding trial session in pools in Taipei or Taichung.

To receive updated information on these trials please join our newsletter here where we provide update course info, our freedive content and interesting things in freediving.

World's Greatest Living Freediver Visits Taiwan (Video)

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 02:38:52 GMT

Attends First Deep Week on Xiaoliuqiu

Video Summary

Alexey Molchanov holds over 10 new free diving World Records this year, including a daring 156 meter descent with added weight (variable weight).

Molchanovs holds over 30 world records, showcasing his ability to execute with the best efficiency and not waste any oxygen.

Freediving is a combination of adventure and self-exploration, making it a unique and captivating experience.

Pushing himself to his limits, the freediver shared his thoughts on what it's like to be deep in the ocean.

Understanding the environment and understanding your own body and being very sensitive to what's going on inside of you. It's this is the essence of freediving like being sensitive being aware and understanding.

Click here if you'd like to receive newsletter updates from me about upcoming courses, my freediving content and interesting stuff about freediving.

Deep Week Taiwan News Coverage

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 01:32:21 GMT

First Time Deep Week Held in Taiwan on Xiaoliuqiu

Freedivers from around the world gathered in Taiwan for the world's biggest free diving Festival, Deep Week, showcasing the ideal conditions for the event.

Held November 18-25, 2023 on the island of Xiaoliuqiu.

Free diving record holders, including the world's greatest living freediver, Alexey Molchanov, gather to share their philosophy and knowledge with participants.

Freediving is one of the best tools to learn how to get calmer and less stressed.

Participants at Deep Week Taiwan include experienced divers as well as newbies, creating a diverse and inclusive environment for learning and growth.

Deep Week brings together a global community of free divers, fostering bonds and motivation for athletes around the world.

See my blog post about why you should attend a Deep Week

If interested in attending a Deep Week, check out their website .

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在小琉球冬天自由潛水比夏天更好

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 13:12:46 GMT

冬天即將到來

隨著小琉球和台灣的夏季即將結束，我想對所有患有怕冷症（cryophobia，是的，這是真實存在的詞）的潛水員提一些建議（是的，這是個雙關語）：

“冬天即將來臨，但冬天潛水其實更好”

是的，全年潛水是我在《小琉球自由潛水指南》中宣稱小琉球是台灣第一潛水目的地的五大理由之一，夏季潛水當然是可行的，但在夏季小琉球潛水存在些挑戰。

夏天在小琉球潛水

擁擠的人群

像大多數度假勝地一樣，小琉球在夏季也會迎來旅遊高峰，其中八月份是最糟糕的月份。這意味著住宿價格上漲，受歡迎的景點擁擠不堪：餐廳擁擠、水域擁擠、一些小海灘上也擁擠。

當地擁擠時，一個特定區域（通常是美人洞或大福）可能會有大約100名潛水者進行訓練或教學課程。你經常會看到4到5個浮球繫在一個浮標上。

下水上岸就像在台北的百貨公司裡的尖峰時刻進出一樣擁擠。

而且不僅僅是自由潛水員，還有許多使用水肺潛水員，以及越來越多的SUP（立槳）和獨木舟愛好者。兩週前，我在大福狹窄的入口處看到大約30個SUP和獨木舟來來往往。真是瘋狂。

然後你還得注意你的摩托車。大福的道路陡峭狹窄，再加上一些水肺潛水卡車擋路，很容易從摩托車上摔下來。

在香港、上海、柏克萊和台北這樣擁擠的大城市度過了我大部分的成年生活後，我準備在相對隱居的環境中度過人生的這個階段。但如果你不介意人群擁擠，那麼儘管忽略這個部分，繼續往下看。

熱

我從來都不喜歡大熱天，尤其是當濕度加入後。與寒冷的天氣不同，你可以透過增加衣物層數來改善保暖策略。但在戶外時，對於高溫除了策略性地遮蓋、尋找陰涼處和加強補水計劃外，你無能為力。

這裡夏季的高溫平均為攝氏32度，濕度80%，這並不是熱得離譜，但在小島上，你往往會在戶外度過更多時間。雖然我通過冷浸泡療法幫助適應高溫，但夏季的炎熱依然非常不舒服，最終會讓人感到疲憊。

但如果你像爬行動物一樣喜愛高溫，那對你來說就沒問題了。

天氣因素

這裡的夏季降雨量是冬季的20倍。

你可能會問，我們潛水時不是都會弄濕嗎，為什麼下雨會是一個重要的因素，反正我們都會淋濕，對吧？

而且雨水為台灣帶來了急需的水資源，特別是在今年早些時候經歷了乾旱。

雨水本身不是直接的問題，除了道路會更滑增加事故的機率外，雨天及雨後幾天水中的能見度會相當差。這是因為雨水會帶動土壤和泥土從陸地流入海中，使能見度降低到一米。這並非世界末日，我曾在能見度差的地方潛水過，但這確實降低了潛水的樂趣。

在夏季，有時灰色的天空和雨勢可能持續2-3週，每年都不同，但今年出現了4次這樣的情況。生活在這裡時可能會感到非常沮喪，如果你是來玩的，也會感到很失望。

夏季同時也是颱風季節，如果你正在上課並需要重新安排時間，這將是一場噩夢，因為許多自由潛水教練在夏季的行程表都相當滿。

為什麼秋冬季很棒

較少的人群

除非遇到像國慶日這樣的假期，否則小琉球的冬季確實人少得多。

去年有些異常，比平時擁擠，因為疫情世界其他地方都關閉了，小琉球是台灣僅有的兩個可以在冬季潛水的地方之一，另一個是墾丁。由於台灣看起來在可預見的未來將持續關閉，今年冬天這種情況似乎還會重演。

即使比平時擁擠，情況其實也沒那麼糟。

沒有下雨就有更好的能見度

讓我們面對現實吧，在小島上下雨很糟糕。小島的生活本來就是在戶外度過的，室內空間的缺乏反映了這一點。如果下雨，沒有什麼可做的，只能坐在房間裡等待雨停，或在雨中散步或騎摩托車。

下雨的時候，待在這裡很糟糕。但不像你，可能是來這裡潛水或在島上的氛圍中放鬆，下雨時你什麼都做不了。根據維基百科，六月、七月和八月是降雨最多的月份。

如前所述，夏季的降雨量是冬季的20倍，而冬季的日照時間少了20%，在我看來，這是一個很棒的交易。而且沒有雨水，你就能獲得更好的能見度。通常能見度有20-30米或更遠。

燃燒更多卡路里

水的熱導率是空氣的20倍，所以身處較冷的水中會消耗更多卡路里，因為你的身體會提高新陳代謝透過燃燒肝醣和脂肪儲備使體溫恢復正常。

這就是為什麼即使你在攝氏30度的水中，這只比正常人體溫度低約6度，但即使穿著3毫米厚的防寒衣，你最終還是會感到寒冷。

這是一旦你開始定期自由潛水，體重會快速減輕的主要原因。這是我失去體重最容易的方式，同時還能吃很多食物。

不熱不冷的適中溫度

去年冬天有點反常，就像台灣的大部分地區一樣，氣溫多次降到攝氏個位數。但平均最低和最高溫度是攝氏18-27度；對我來說，聽起來像春天的天氣，可以全年穿短褲的天氣，最多你只需要加一層帽t和/或一頂無檐小帽。冬天平均水溫是攝氏25度，對我來說，穿一件3毫米的防寒衣就可以了。

去年水溫最低降到了攝氏21度，我只穿著3毫米的防寒衣就覺得足夠了，但不得不承認，大多數人可能不會這樣，所以你可能需要再加一層氯丁橡膠。

如何為寒冷做準備

我在2020年的大部分時間都在加州和拉斯維加斯潛水，那裡的水溫即使在夏天也只有15-17攝氏度。冷水潛水需要適當的準備。

防寒衣

如果你還沒有，請購買專業的兩件式自由潛水防寒衣。這些防寒衣更保暖，因為1) 附帶的帽子，可防止水從頸部進入 2) 沒有拉鍊，拉鍊會滲水 3) 兩件式比一件式更符合身形，內部積水會更少。如果你有訂做一件防寒衣，那就更好了。

你還可以購買open-cell防寒衣，這種防寒衣內部是裸露的氯丁橡膠，緊貼你的皮膚，因此能讓你在open-cell防寒衣中半乾狀態。你必須使用水（最好是溫水）加上一些潤滑劑才能穿上它，但為了保持溫暖，這點麻煩是值得的。

我還有迪卡儂的氯丁橡膠背心，學生可以在防寒衣內或外穿，增加一層覆蓋核心部位的保暖層。

如果您有更極端的寒冷恐懼症，您可能需要考慮升級為冬季的 5 毫米潛水衣。

在拉斯維加斯連續兩個周末在16度的水中潛水時，我曾穿著7毫米厚帶頭套的水肺防寒衣和一件5.5毫米open-cell兩件式自由潛水防寒衣潛水，我可以百分之百肯定地說，5.5毫米的自由潛水濕衣更加保暖。

包好你的手、腳以及頭

許多在溫暖水域的潛水者會讓他們的手、腳，有時甚至是頭部暴露在外。然而，這三個身體部位會散發大量熱量。用潛水靴保護你的腳、用氯丁橡膠手套保護你的手，以及用頭套保護你的頭，將防止你失去熱量和感覺寒冷。

冷療法

看看這篇關於冷療法的文章。如果你是一名自由潛水員，你知道你的身體可以適應壓力、較高的二氧化碳水平和缺氧狀態。對於溫度也是一樣的。

如果你逐漸增加暴露自己於寒冷之中，你的身體就會適應。你可以從每天洗冷水澡開始，當天氣稍涼時不穿毛衣，然後最終進入冰浴。

幾年前，在13度的水中進行1-2次每周的冰浴，每次30分鐘，持續3個月後，我能夠只穿著T恤、短褲和涼鞋在5度的天氣裡帶我的狗散步。人體是驚人的。

潛水時帶上熱水飲用

正如水的高熱傳導性可以使你感到寒冷，它也可以使你變暖。飲用熱的液體是從內而外讓自己變暖的有效方法。在炎熱的夏日，冰水也有相反的效果。在潛水過程中保持水分是很重要的，你不妨讓它同時做兩件事：補充水分和溫暖自己。

是時候預定課程了

所以，如果你認為夏天已經過去，你錯過了參加自由潛水課程的機會，那麼你錯了。因此，請繼續閱讀這份英語自由潛水教練指南，並立即預訂你的自由潛水課程！

如果你想和我討論參加我的課程，請在這裡聯繫我。

為什麼選擇一對一的自由潛水課程 - 這是簡單的數學

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 13:08:13 GMT

提高通過自由潛水課程的最佳機率

我要坦白說，初學者自由潛水課程並不容易。最接近的比較就是水肺潛水課程，幾乎100%的人第一次就能通過，所以我可以理解人們可能會低估自由潛水課程。

在我參加初學者課程時，我很幸運，因為我選擇的日期沒有其他學生報名，所以我經歷了一對一的教學體驗，並從中受益匪淺。

我的第二階課程，或者說AIDA 3，情況差不多，我也很幸運。原本還有另外 3 名學生參加課程，但其中兩人不得不重新安排上課時間。雖然不是一對一的課程，但仍然是一個很好的師生比例。事實上，有另一位學生參加這門課程會讓課程變得更有趣。此外，在第二階課程中需要學習的內容要少得多，主要是關於技術的精進。

雖然我們在下面會討論一對一自由潛水課程的數學問題，但如果你是一個忙碌的人，日程安排很緊，這樣的課程還有額外的好處，因為只需要考慮你一個人的時間，安排課程日期會更容易。

水肺潛水課程人人都能通過，自由潛水課程則非如此

與自由潛水課程相比，水肺潛水課程簡單得多。好吧，也許不是每個人都能一次性通過水肺潛水課程，但我還沒遇到過沒通過水肺課程的人。嗯，好吧，我知道有一個人沒通過，但那是因為她感冒導致鼻竇完全堵塞。

在潛水訓練雜誌的一篇問答博客文章中，有人問到學習水肺潛水是否困難，他們是這麼回答的：

"作為一種活躍的休閒運動，水肺潛水是最容易學習的一種。當你在水下滑行，欣賞海底風光時，你只需掌握三項基本技能：浮力控制、踢腿和呼吸。當然，不僅僅這些 —— 成為一名熟練的潛水員需要熟練使用設備並發展水肺概念和安全程序的知識 —— 但如果你能通過嘴巴呼吸，你就有可能學會水肺潛水。"

報名參加自由潛水課程的人，我對他們非常敬佩，他們是不同的一群人。對大多數人來說，光是想到要屏息很長一段時間就已經夠恐怖了，更不用說還要潛到12米的深度。

因此，為了方便論證，我們假設水肺潛水初學者課程的第一次通過率是90%。我聽說的自由潛水通過率還不到這個數字的一半。這是一個巨大的差異。

這是可以理解的，有那麼多東西需要學習：閉氣、正確的踢蹼技巧、躬身下潛、放鬆、頭部位置、耳壓平衡（在自由潛水中比水肺更難）、戒護、救援等等。

在我進行的一對一課程中，或者最多一對二，我的通過率是75%，不需要額外的課程就能通過。下面的數學將有助於解釋為什麼。

自由潛水課程的簡單數學

每次開放水域潛水通常為1.5 - 2小時，不包括設置浮球等設備和課程結束時拆卸設備的時間。

每次下潛前都包括一段放鬆時間，通常約2分鐘，潛水本身大約1分鐘（包括恢復呼吸），以及大約2分鐘的時間讓教練講解你做得好的地方和需要改進的地方。每次潛水總計約五分鐘。

如前所述，每次課程為1.5 - 2小時。2小時即120分鐘，除以5分鐘等於24次潛水。

所以，如果你參加的是典型的課程，學生與教練的比例是4:1，那麼每個學生每次課程只能進行6次潛水。每個課程通常包括3次開放水域潛水，總共18次潛水。

要成為一名合格的開放水域自由潛水員，需要精通許多技能，而18次潛水對很多人來說根本不足以達到熟練程度並通過所有課程要求。如果你參加2對1的課程，那麼你每次課程大約可以潛水12次，而一對一的情況下大約是20次以上，這會給你更多的機會和重複練習來熟練掌握這項新技能。

可能出現的問題？

正如之前所說，初學者自由潛水課程中有很多需要學習的地方。以下是一些人們在開放水域潛水課程中常常遇到困難的典型項目。

躬身下潛

這是比較複雜，必須學習才能夠通過課程的動作之一。躬身是一個快速動作，可以讓你迅速下潛到2-3米深，而且不會消耗太多能量和氧氣。在做這個動作的2-3秒內，需要將多個動作串聯在一起。

首先，你需要深吸一口氣，將呼吸管從嘴裡拿出來，平衡耳壓，將手指向海底，彎曲你的臀部，收下巴，做一個划手，將一隻手放到鼻子上進行耳壓平衡，正確地對準繩索，然後開始踢蹼。並且要掌握正確的時機。.

我從未有學生因為不能做好躬身下潛而沒有通過課程，要熟練掌握這個動作確實需要一些時間，對一些人來說可能會非常挫折。有些人可能在5-10分鐘內就能掌握，有些人可能需要整個課程的時間，但大多數人介於兩者之間。

耳壓平衡

耳壓平衡問題是初學者自由潛水學員無法通過課程的首要原因。

在水肺潛水中，由於下降速度慢，加上頭部朝上，空氣自然通過鼻竇和耳朵向上流動，所以平壓相對容易得多。

我遇到過一些學得很快的學生，他們很快就通過了泳池要求，但卻無法進行平壓。

如果你在陸地上能夠進行平壓，理論上你應該能在潛水到深處時進行平衡，只要你足夠放鬆。這就是為什麼我們通常在線上理論課程中檢查你的平壓。

但由於一些學生因為對海洋的焦慮、潛水時停止呼吸或思考一些事情來達到正確的潛水讓他們無法迅速達到放鬆的狀態。

即使你掌握了平壓的機制，有時學生由於焦慮導致軟腭關起來，也無法進行平壓。

這就是為什麼去像潛立方這樣的深水池參加你的第一個課程是個好主意，這樣你就可以消除在參加課程時身處海洋中的恐懼並更加放鬆。

開放水域很可怕

對於我們這些從小看著《大白鯊》長大的人來說，海洋是一個相當可怕的地方。我認識一些人，當他們看不見海底時會感到焦慮，因為他們害怕那裡可能隱藏著什麼。

即使你沒有完全陷入恐慌，僅僅是在水面上無助地漂浮就足以引起一些焦慮。我有一些學生，抓住浮球漂浮並專注於呼吸來平靜下來需要花費多達30分鐘的時間。而且，如果你處於一個有其他學生的小組中，你可能不會感到舒適在你花了這麼長的時間，這可能不利於您的學習。

最後...

自由潛水是一項需要大量練習才能精通的活動。正如你從上面的數學計算可以看到的，要在典型的課程中獲得足夠的練習可能是困難的。當然，有些人一下子就能掌握它，並且可以輕鬆通過課程並獲得認證，但大多數人做不到，需要回來參加一些額外的課程才能通過。如果你想提高在自由潛水方面變得精通並獲得認證的機率，嘗試我的一對一課程，它甚至不需要普通課程價格的 4 倍，更像是 2 倍左右。

如果你預算有限，我建議你查看我的博客，了解台灣的英語自由潛水課程，以獲取更符合市場價格的課程。

如果你有興趣與我一起參加自由潛水課程，請給我發送電子郵件至 ray@freedivenomad.com ，或給我打電話0981163838，或在這裡安排與我通話。

Netflix 紀錄片“呼吸的極限"對自由潛水的影響及衝擊

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 02:51:04 GMT

"即使在 ‘呼吸的極限’ 在 Netflix 首播之前，由於我每天都會收到有關自由潛水的 Google 新聞提醒，我已經預見到它將帶來的重大影響。在它在 Netflix 上線的幾週前，我的收件箱幾乎每天至少都會收到一篇評論文章，而且通常每天都會出現多篇文章。Netflix 上的其他與自由潛水相關的電影（例如《窒戀 No Limit 》或《屏住呼吸：挑戰冰潛紀錄 Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive 》）從未發生過這種情況。

果不其然，該片一推出，就連續兩週躋身 Netflix 全球收視率前十名，這是一個驚人的數字。

在這兩週內，它獲得了驚人的 800萬次下載量。對於一部關於極端小眾運動的電影來說，這數字實在是龐大。這就是所謂的「 Netflix 效應」，或者說 Netflix 內容將新鮮的新粉絲帶入一項運動中，就像一級方程式賽車一樣，從而發展這項運動。

在紀錄片中特色的自由潛水深度比賽（ Vertical Blue ），在紀錄片在 Netflix 首播的第二天開始了其 2023 年的賽程。在 Youtube 的比賽現場直播中，我看到許多像「因為 Netflix 的紀錄片而來」這樣的評論。當比賽使用「 Diveye 科技」進行拍攝時，觀看自由潛水比賽可以非常酷，因為可以一直跟著潛水員下潛到他們的目標深度。

在這篇部落格文章中，我旨在簡要探討這部紀錄片對自由潛水運動的影響，以及我們可以從中獲取的見解。

雙面刃

我理解悲劇故事所帶來的吸引力和興趣，幾乎每部關於自由潛水的電影都以悲劇結尾（如果有人知道一部不是這樣的自由潛水電影，請告訴我），（劇透警告）這部片也不例外。

一方面，這塑造了公眾對自由潛水是一項極其危險運動的看法。這引發了一個問題，自由潛水危險嗎？嗯，這要看情況。長話短說，如果你是一名未經訓練的自由潛水員，可能非常危險，如果你接受過訓練並遵循相應規程則不至於如此。可以在我的播客《 The Total Beginner Freedive Podcast 》的第2集中了解更多。

然而，這也很可能是自由潛水歷史上對其發展最具有重大意義的事件（可以說它可能是 Instagram 的發明）。我原以為會是《阿凡達2 》，但大多數觀眾都忽略了電影中的自由潛水元素。我的播客《 The Total Beginner Freedive Podcast 》在電影上映後的月下載量翻了一倍，我也聽說其他自由潛水內容創作者有類似的數字。電影激起了人們對學習自由潛水的興趣，我已經接受到新學員的報名。

在我進一步闡述之前，我必須提到，如果你考慮學習自由潛水，參加自由潛水課程是最好也是最安全的入門方式。沒有其他更讓我贊同的學習方法。

與我們的不同

電影中的主要角色之一，Alessia Zecchini，身上有一種大多數人無法體會的動力，她甚至沒有對死亡的恐懼。普通觀眾應該明白，Alessia 與 99% 活躍的自由潛水員不同。因此，我們不應該僅僅用像Alessia這樣的極端例子來評判整個運動。這就好比在看了一場一級方程式賽車的悲劇事故後，不想開你平常的車在普通的街道上。

史蒂芬是紀錄片中Vertical Blue的首席戒護員，被廣泛認為是世界上最好的自由潛水戒護員，並且由於他在戒護方面的卓越表現，他同樣受到自由潛水界的愛戴。然而，這是一個嚴肅的提醒，即使是最優秀的人，在某些因素失控的情況下，嘗試如此偉大的壯舉也可能發生悲劇。

從錯誤中學習

AIDA，一個自由潛水的管理機構，對這次事故進行了全面的調查，並針對其中的發現上發佈了一份報告。

他們的結論是這次潛水“組織得很好”。

然而，當Stephen較晚開始他的那一潛，因此比預定時間晚到水中的會合定點後一連串不幸的事件就此開始。

自從二十多年前開創自由潛水教育以來，AIDA 在過去幾年在許多方面確實讓我感到失望，但我仍對他們為這場悲劇進行全面報告所做的努力表示讚賞。

在 2013 年尼克·梅沃利 (Nick Mevoli) 唯一一次賽內死亡的事件發生後，他們也發佈了類似的報告。

由於這些報告和透明度，該運動可以變得更好，特別是為最壞的情況做好準備。這是我們作為自由潛水員應該做的，無論我們是休閒潛水還是專業的潛水員，這將會使我們所有人都安全。

最後，“The Deepest Breath 呼吸的極限”讓很多人注意到自由潛水。這部電影展示了該運動的酷以及它的風險。雖然一些潛水員，比如Alessia Zecchini，確實進行了大膽的潛水，但大多數的自由潛水員並非如此。重要的是要記住，進行深度潛水可能是危險的，但通過正確的訓練，它可以變得更安全。這部電影提醒我們要始終小心並學習正確的潛水方法。如果你想嘗試自由潛水，最好是參加課程並學習安全的方式。

自由潛水員連續六天泡冰浴

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 01:53:19 GMT

幾週前，有人給我發了有關我的冰浴的訊息。我經常收到希望和我一起學習自由潛水的人的訊息。但這個人想要跟我一起泡冰浴，這可是頭一遭。

他讀了我關於冰浴的部落格文章。他因工作來到台灣，他來到台灣，具體來說是宜蘭，因為工作而傷了腿。他知道冷水能夠幫助治癒傷勢。他在台灣的其他地方找不到可以冰浴的地方。

我們都看了自己的行程安排，並抽出時間一起進行了六次冰浴。我們也決定共同分擔冰塊的費用。

我真的很喜歡冰浴，但我通常每週只做1-2次，並將其納入每個自由潛水課程中。它們總是讓我感覺很好，而且我一直在尋找每天泡冰浴而不花太多錢的方法。連續做6天到冰浴將幫助我了解是否值得每天都這樣做，並投入更多時間尋找一個符合成本效益的解決方案來每天都這樣做。

總而言之，結果比我預期的更為深遠。

冰浴治療方法

我們每個人都是不同的。適用於一個人的方法可能不適用於另一個人。在提供和接收建議時我都會牢記這一點。

人們經常希望得到標準的建議，尤其是跟健康有關的。對於睡眠、運動和飲食有一些常見的建議。冰浴也是一樣。有些人說你應該每週泡一次，在一個特定的溫度下泡一個設定的時間。另一些人說只有特定的溫度才有幫助。

大多數建議可能對約68%的人有幫助（一個標準差）。但我不像其他人。我50歲，每週教自由潛水，經常頭痛、身體痠痛，並且有過一些輕微的健康問題。簡而言之，我經常感到疼痛，也許需要更多的精力。

我是一個 Facebook群組的一員，該群組談論如何將冷凍櫃變成能夠泡冰浴。許多成員每天都要泡冰浴，泡完感覺身體好多了。這鼓勵我更頻繁的嘗試它。但是每天做這個對我來說開銷會變得過大，但現在有人和我一起分攤成本。

疼痛消失了

我不知道其他年長的人是否也有這樣的感覺，但隨著年齡的增長，我感到的疼痛越來越多。不只是在一個特定的地方，而是全身上下都有一種沉重的感覺。也許這是因為我過去的健康問題，即纖維肌痛症。

我不知道其他年長的人是否也有這樣的感覺，但隨著年齡的增長，我感到的疼痛越來越多。不只是在一個特定的地方，而是全身上下都有一種沉重的感覺。也許這是因為我過去的健康問題，即纖維肌痛症。

在冰浴之後的五天裡，我沒有感到疼痛。這或許是人們能給予自己的最棒的禮物之一。我感到雙腳輕盈，四處走動不再是種負擔。老化確實令人不悅的是在於持續性的疼痛（或者說，是我從纖維肌痛症康復以來的揮之不去的症狀），但當你連續六天都進行冰浴時就不會這樣。

它也幫助我認識到我每天所經歷的疼痛基準線。現在我每天都想投入冰浴中。

心理層面

對於從未體驗過冰浴的人來說，這可能聽起來有點違有悖常理，但冰浴實際上可以讓人感到非常放鬆。它能減輕你體內中的許多緊張感。而當你的身體放鬆，沒有疼痛時，它為你的大腦提供了一個適當的環境促使精神上更好的發展。

我的注意力更加集中，心情更愉快，壓力似乎也沒有像之前那樣產生太大的影響。我對我的妻子更有耐心，我的妻子也對我更寬容（她也和我們一起泡冰浴）。似乎我的神經系統變得更加強了。

能量

這是一個驚喜，但也許不應該是；我其實沒有覺得累。我的能量水平更加平穩，我沒有經歷任何崩潰。這就是回到20歲的感覺嗎？

在六天中的某一天，我晚上睡得非常不好。我整天走來走去像大腦有點當機，沒有完成太多的工作，我當然沒有認知能力來寫這樣的部落格。

但在我冰浴之後，我明顯感覺好多了，更有活力，更重要的是，在認知上我能夠以比之前少的阻力完成工作。

脹氣

當我開始吃糟糕的食物，即充滿防腐劑的包裝食品時，我開始感到脹氣。我在開始冰浴之前感到的脹氣，冰浴非常有效地消除了。在我看來，這可能是我所做過的最好的治療脹氣的方法。與我通常做的斷食相比，它對脹氣的影響是立即見效的，斷食可能需要超過12小時我才會感覺到脹氣症狀減輕。

新陳代謝

冰浴一直被譽為提升新陳代謝、燃燒卡路里和減重的好方法。在連續六天的冰浴後，我去了台北和台東為期九天的旅程。因此，九天裡我沒有泡冰浴。在這類的旅程中，我通常會增加一點體重，甚至有些脹氣，因為我運動較少，而且飲食不規律。然而，返回我們在小琉球的家後，我量了體重，竟然減輕了1.5公斤。驚人！也許它促進了我整整一週的新陳代謝。

延長效應

最棒的部分是那種美好的感覺持續了很長時間。長達到五天之久我感覺良好。到了第六天，我開始頭痛得很厲害。但兩天之後，頭痛消失了，我仍然感受到冰浴帶來的好處。

我之前提到我去了台北六天，然後到台東待了三天。我通常不太喜歡台北。這座城市快速的生活步調曾經讓我興奮，但現在卻讓我感到疲累。我通常不能在那裡待超過兩天。唯一待較長時間的一次是在2023年7月的一次颱風期間。因為前往我的島上的船隻停駛，我被困在台北。在我被困在台北的那五天裡，壓力很大。

但這一次，因為感覺太好了，我真的很享受這次的台北之旅，這讓我感到非常驚訝。

即使到了三個星期後的今天，我只洗了兩次冰浴，但我感覺我的身體和心靈感覺好多了，感覺更輕盈，生活似乎少了一些阻力。好像我的身體和心靈經歷了最深層次的重置。

當我從台北和台東的旅行返回後，冰浴的深切影響得到了進一步的突顯。在我感覺到過度訓練的跡象前，我能夠連續10天進行自由潛水，這與我通常的習慣有顯著的不同，在自由潛水4到5天後，我通常會因為身體的壓力而需要休息。冰浴後我體驗到的增強的韌性和耐力是不可否認的。

因此，我不禁相信連續的冰浴可以產生漸增的效應。

這是一個值得嘗試的實驗。冰浴改變的力量怎麼說都不為過。它不僅立即緩解了持續的身體不適，而且還提高了我的心理健康。持久的影響是顯而易見的

，我的情緒得到了改善，耐受性增強，甚至我能夠享受這座曾經讓我不知所措的城市。雖然每個人對冰浴的體驗可能有所不同，但對我來說，它們已經被證明是一種恢復活力的力量，可以將普通的日子變成非凡的日子。無論您是在尋求生理上的舒緩還是心理上的提振，冰浴是值得一試的。誰知道呢？它們可能會改變你體驗周圍世界的方式。

現在，我得找一個每天都能使用的具有成本效益的方法。有任何建議嗎？

自由潛水在台灣正快速崛起 : 究竟何謂自由潛水

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 06:06:39 GMT

近期，國家地理雜誌發表了一篇有關臺灣自由潛水迅速增長的文章。但究竟什麼是自由潛水呢？自由潛水只是在水下游泳的一個花俏的詞語嗎？嗯，並非如此。就像水肺潛水一樣，但是沒有氣瓶和呼吸裝備的潛水。自由潛水是世界上崛起最快的水上運動，自由潛水員可以下潛很深利用特殊的技術，憑一口氣在水下停留很長時間。

憑藉一口氣潛水的藝術

自由潛水是指憑藉一口氣潛水並探索水下世界。這也有時被稱為單呼吸潛水、閉氣潛水和暫停呼吸潛水，常常被誤認為是水肺潛水。

人們認為自由潛水和使用到最少的裝備有關，因為它不需要像水肺潛水那麽繁重的呼吸設備，如浮力控制裝置（BCD）、調節器和沉重的氣瓶。

自由潛水不僅僅是沒有使用任何呼吸裝置或最少的裝備潛水。相反的，自由潛水涉及訓練，一個人的身體逐漸習慣於潛水時壓力和深度的變化。因此，自由潛水員可以克服他們在大深度停留長時間的天生恐懼，最終學會成為不假思索地做到這點。

潛水員如何長時間閉氣？

屏息的技能或能力就像其他任何技能，大多數人需要被教授這項技能背後的技巧。但就像任何其他事物一樣，有些人天生就有這種天賦，有些人則不然。

如果你不能閉氣超過X秒，請放心，你可以輕鬆透過教授學會閉氣的技巧，一旦你學會了，你應該能在一兩個小時內閉氣1.5至2分鐘。

秘訣在於學會如何吸最大量的氣並在閉氣前後放鬆。能夠達到更高層次的放鬆是提高初學者閉氣時間的最大因素。

哺乳類動物潛水反應是哺乳動物如鯨魚為了能閉氣超過一個小時並潛到幾千米深的地方而產生的生理反應。這個生理反應也會發生在人類身上。對我們來說，這種反應會幫助我們降低心率，使脾臟收縮以釋放更多的儲備和富含氧氣的紅血球，並擴張我們的頸動脈，使我們的大腦能獲得更多地氧氣，以防止缺氧導致昏迷。

雖然對於增加閉氣時間非常注重，但這對於想潛的更深的高級潛水員來說並不是最大的挑戰。他們的挑戰主要是能夠耳壓平衡。當你潛得越來越深，增加的水壓會使氣體體積減小，潛水員達到一個臨界點，那裡的氣體體積太小，以至於他們無法用它來平壓。如前所述，潛水員可以進行定期訓練，使身體適應這些深度。

自由潛水危險嗎？

直到最近，你只有在有人因自由潛水而喪生時才會聽到有關自由潛水的消息，通常是一些缺乏經驗或單獨潛水的人。因此，他們不公平地認為自由潛水相當危險。

對於上述問題的簡短回答是，當你知道自己在做什麼時，自由潛水相對安全；當你不知道自己在做什麼時，它非常危險。

自由潛水的好處

自由潛水開始因其在健康產業的潛力而變得有名，這個產業的增長速度是全球經濟的兩倍。

大多數形式的運動或鍛煉都有明顯的訓練和身體健康好處。儘管在運動的最有競爭力的層面中有著重要的心理強度因素，但自由潛水是唯一需要刻意追求更高程度的放鬆才能取得進步的運動。

許多自由潛水員形容自由潛水為冥想；因此，自由潛水確實是一項能夠使心靈和身體都得到恢復的活動。對我個人來說，它對於平靜我的緊張急躁的心情有著奇蹟般的效果。

休閒自由潛水的類型

休閒自由潛水可以分為兩個類別 - 使用導潛繩潛水和趣味潛水。

導潛繩潛水

導潛繩潛水使用繩索/浮球配置，透過底鉛拉緊繩索，並為每位潛水員的每次潛水設定預定深度。潛水員會抓住浮球，直到下潛的時，在下潛和上升時用導潛繩作為指引。

這是參加課程時最常見的自由潛水形式。這也是競技自由潛水中常見的一般設置。一些休閒潛水員也將這種類型的潛水作為個人挑戰，以便潛得更深，並享受自由潛水的冥想層面

趣味潛水

在初級自由潛水課程中學到的技能開啟了趣味潛水的可能性。當你在進行趣味潛水時，可以利用新習得的技能在珊瑚礁上觀看海洋生物，或通過錄製影片以及拍照來捕捉水下世界。學習正確的技巧和安全程序將使自由潛水更加安全和愉快。

開始學習自由潛水

學習自由潛水的最佳和最安全的方式是從國際自由潛水機構的一位教練或學校那裡參加自由潛水課程。正規而正式的自由潛水教育不容忽視。儘管我喜歡參加線上課程學習新技能，但親自參加自由潛水課程簡直無可替代。根據你的教練，課程的一部分可能是在線上進行的。

一旦您通過了所有的要求，你將成為一名合格的自由潛水員。自由潛水證書是必要的，因為你將需要它來與當地的俱樂部或學校進行訓練。

初級自由潛水課程

初級自由潛水課程，依據認證機構、教練和學校的不同，大約需要2-4天的時間。

大多數課程分為三個部分：理論、泳池和開放水域。

理論部分可以在線上進行，也可以在實體教室進行。

泳池課程顯然是在游泳池或海洋中水流較弱的封閉水域進行。在泳池課程中，你將學習靜態閉氣，就是在水面上漂浮時屏住呼吸，以及動態閉氣，即在泳池中中水平踢蹼友動到預定的距離。這個舒適且可控的環境可以讓你在使用這些技能應對開放水域深度之前，練習閉氣和踢蹼技巧。

開放水域的課程可以在海洋、湖泊或深水池中進行，就像我們在台中的「潛立方」一樣。在開放水域課程中，您將學會通過拉繩子下潛（攀繩下潛）或踢蹼下潛（恆重下潛）來進行。

初級課程的學費通常在300-500美元的範圍內。在台灣，大多數課程的價格在新台幣12,000到15,000之間，具體取決於設備租借、教練與學生的比例、住宿等各種因素。

我寫了一篇博客文章，名為《台灣英語自由潛水課程指南》。可以閱讀這篇文章，幫助自己找到適合的課程和教練。

在選擇學校或教練時，我建議人們不要首先考慮機構。應該先看教練的教學風格、資歷、經驗或者氛圍是否適合您，然後再查看機構。請確保教練是由某個國際自由潛水機構認證的。

我聽說過有教練冒充成教練的故事，在一個極端的例子中，我知道有一個人教導那些甚至不會游泳的學生在十天內成為自由潛水教練。因為他沒有得到任何機構的認證，來保證他達到任何標準，所以他的學生有時付出了生命的代價。

自由潛水課程的先決條件

自由潛水課程的先決條件並不多。能夠游泳大約200米，身體狀態相對良好，且年齡在通常16-18歲以上。你將會收到一份醫療表格，如果在任何醫療狀況上打勾，你將需要醫生的簽字確認。

國際自由潛水機構

大約有十幾個國際自由潛水機構，其中一半以上在台灣有代表。 AIDA 是世界上最大的自由潛水機構，也是目前在亞洲最受歡迎的。

在台灣有代表的其他機構包括Molchanovs、SSI、Apnea Total、CMAS和PADI。

其他的自由潛水機構有FII和PFI，這兩個在美國相當受歡迎，還有Apnea Academy和RAID。

我目前有資格教授 Molchanovs 和AIDA，儘管我更偏好教授Molchanovs 。

AIDA國際

這是最早的幾個自由潛水機構之一，也主持自由潛水比賽。他們主要負責引導現代自由潛水的發展，使其變得標準化和安全化。

Molchanovs (抹茶)

該機構以有史以來最偉大的自由潛水競賽選手、多項世界紀錄保持人Natalia Molchanova的教學和俄語課程為基礎，由她的兒子Alexey Molchanovs，當前世界頂級自由潛水員進行國際化。

自由潛水裝備

儘管這是一種一口氣潛水的藝術，不需要任何呼吸設備，但仍然需要一些裝備。

當然，你可以不使用任何裝備進行潛水，但那樣可能不會那麼愉快。

至少，在自由潛水課程中，你將需要面罩、呼吸管、蛙鞋、配重帶、配重和防寒衣（取決於水溫）。

隨著你在自由潛水中的進步，將需要更多的裝備和配件，如安全繩、鼻夾、液態面鏡、潛水錶等。

自由潛水在台灣蓬勃發展

近幾年來，自由潛水在台灣迅速崛起，比其他國家更受歡迎。台灣的許多國家紀錄超過了人口是台灣12倍的美國。

我甚至不知道從何下手去推測為什麼會這樣；我更願意感激我所愛的國家熱情地接納了我如此熱愛的運動/活動。

台灣為這項運動的蓬勃發展提供了理想的條件。許多游泳池都允許進行自由潛水訓練。當我在美國時，找到一個允許自由潛水的游泳池是很有挑戰性的。在下一節中，你將了解台灣有許多可以進行自由潛水的地點，而且許多地點全年都可以潛水。

在台灣可以自由潛水的地點

台灣也擁有亞洲兩座深水池之一，位於台中潛立方是亞洲的第一座潛水池。因此，如果海邊的條件不適合潛水，可以從台灣大部分地方搭乘高鐵在兩小時內抵達潛立方。甚至可以作為一日遊。

在小琉球和墾丁的自由潛水活動是全年無休的，所以台灣沒有淡季。

在天氣較暖和、風較小的時候，還可以在基隆、澎湖、綠島和蘭嶼潛水。

還有.....

如果您想了解更多有關自由潛水的資訊，請點擊這裡報名參加我的免費在線初級自由潛水課程，並查看我的自由潛水播客，名為《Total Beginner Freedive Podcast》。

如果你正在尋找一個說英語的自由潛水者社群，請查看 Taiwan Freediver's Syndicate 的臉書群組。

最後，如果你準備好下潛，並想參加一對一的自由潛水課程，請查看此網站的首頁。

聯繫方式

地址：屏東縣琉球鄉興正路20-12號

電話：0981163838

電子郵件： ray@freedivenomad.com

"The Deepest Breath": Netflix Effect & Impact on Freediving

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 05:58:39 GMT

Even before 'The Deepest Breath' premiered on Netflix, I anticipated its major impact, thanks to my daily freediving Google news alerts . Several weeks before it came out on Netflix, almost everyday at least one review article appeared in my inbox, and often times multiple articles per day. This never happened for other freedive-related movies on Netflix like ‘ No Limit ’, or ‘ Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive ’.

And sure enough, once it came out, it hit the top ten watched on Netflix globally for two weeks, which is huge. It received a stunning 8 million downloads over those two weeks. Massive for a movie about an extremely niche sport. This is the “Netflix Effect” or Netflix content bringing fresh new fans into a sport, just like Formula 1 racing, and thus growing the sport.

The freediving depth competition that was featured in the documentary, Vertical Blue , started its 2023 iteration a day after the documentary premiered on Netflix. On the live stream on Youtube of the competition, I saw numerous comments like “here because of the Netflix documentary”. Watching freediving competitions when it's filmed using Diveye Technology can be pretty cool to watch as you can follow the divers all the way down to their target depth.

In this blog post, I aim to briefly delve into the documentary's influence on the sport of freediving and the insights we can glean from it.

DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

I understand the pull and interest a tragic story has and nearly every single movie about freediving ends in tragedy (if someone knows of a freediving movie that doesn’t, let me know), and (spoiler alert) this is no different.

On the one hand, this shapes the public perception that freediving is an extremely dangerous sport. Which conjures the questions, is freediving dangerous? Well, it depends. Long of the short of it, if you are an untrained freediving, it can be very dangerous, not so much if you are trained and following protocol. You can learn more about it on Episode 2 of my podcast The Total Beginner Freedive Podcast .

But, this is also quite possibly the most significant event to happen to the growth of freediving in its history (arguably it could be the invention of Instagram). I thought it would be Avatar 2 but the freediving element in the movie was lost on most viewers. My podcast The Total Beginner Freedive Podcast monthly downloads doubled after the movie came out and I’ve heard similar numbers from other freediving content creators. I’ve already signed up new students because of it as the movie sparked interest in taking up freediving.

Before I proceed further, I must mention, if you are thinking about learning freediving, taking a freedive course is the best and safest way to get into it. There is no other way to learn it that I can endorse.

DIFFERENT THAN US

One of the main characters, Alessia Zecchini has a drive in her that most people cannot relate to, one where a fear of death is not even a thought. The casual audience should understand that Alessia is not like 99% of the active freedivers out there. Thus we should not judge an entire sport based upon its far edges like Alessia. It would be like not wanting to drive your normal car down a normal street after seeing a tragic accident in a Formula 1 race.

Stephen was the chief safety at Vertical Blue competition featured in the documentary and widely known as the best safety diver in the world and equally loved by the freediving community as he was good at safety. However, it's a somber reminder that even with the very best, attempting such great feats can be tragic when some elements are left uncontrolled.

LEARNING FROM MISTAKES

AIDA, a freediving governing body, did a comprehensive investigation into the accident and published a report on its findings.

They concluded that the dive “was well organized”.

However, an unfortunate chain of events was set in motion when Stephen started his dive late thus arriving late to the bottom.

AIDA in the last few years have really disappointed me in many ways after pioneering freedive education over two decades ago, but I applaud their effort into the comprehensive report of this tragedy. They also issued a similar report following the only in-competition death of Nick Mevoli in 2013.

Because of these reports and transparency the sport can change for the better in particular being prepared for the worst possible case scenario. And that’s what we should all do as freedivers, whether we are recreational or professional, which will keep us all safe.

In the end, "The Deepest Breath" made a lot of people notice freediving. The movie showed how cool and risky the sport can be. While some divers, like Alessia Zecchini, do really daring dives, most freedivers are not like that. It's important to remember that diving deep can be dangerous, but with the right training, it can be safer. The movie reminds us to always be careful and learn the right way to dive. If you want to try freediving, it's best to take a course and learn the safe way.

Freediver Takes Ice Bath Six Days In a Row

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 05:47:42 GMT

A few weeks ago, someone messaged me about my ice baths. I often get messages from people who want to learn freediving with me. But this person wanted to join me for an ice bath, which was a first.

He read my blog post about ice baths. He came to Taiwan, specifically Yilan, for work and hurt his leg. He knew that cold water can help heal injuries. He couldn't find any other place in Taiwan for an ice bath.

We both checked our schedules and found time to do six ice baths together. We also decided to share the cost of the ice.

I really like ice baths, but I usually do them only 1-2 times a week and include them in every freedive course. They always make me feel good, and I've been looking for ways to do them daily without spending too much money. Doing it for 6 days straight would help me see if it's worth doing every day and investing more time into finding a cost effective solution to do it everyday.

To sum it up, the results were more profound than I expected.

ICE BATH PRESCRIPTION

We're all different. What works for one person might not work for another. I keep this in mind when giving and receiving advice.

People often want standard advice, especially about wellness. There are common tips for sleep, exercise, and diet. Ice baths are the same. Some say you should take one once a week at a certain temperature for a set time. Others say only specific temperatures help.

Most advice probably helps about 68% of people (one standard deviation ). But I'm not like everyone else. I'm 50, teach freediving every week, often get headaches, body aches and have had some minor health issues. In short, I often feel pain, maybe could use more energy.

I'm part of a Facebook group about turning chest freezers into ice baths. Many members take ice baths daily and feel better. This encouraged me to try it more often. But doing it everyday would get prohibitively expensive for me but now I have someone to share the cost with.

PAIN VANISHED

I don't know if other older folks feel this way, but as I've gotten older, the more pain I feel. It's not just in one specific place, but a heavy feeling all over. Maybe it's because of my past health issues, namely fibromyalgia .

For five days following the ice baths, I was pain free. This is probably one of the greatest gifts one could give to yourself. I was light on my toes, moving around doesn’t seem like such a chore. Getting old sucks in terms of persistent pain (or is it the lingering symptoms since my recovery from fibromyalgia), but not when you have had six days of ice baths in a row.

It also helped me realize the baseline of pain I am experiencing everyday. Now I want to plunge into an ice bath every day now.

MENTAL

This may sound counterintuitive to those who’ve never experienced an ice bath, but an ice bath can feel very relaxing. It loosens a lot of tension in your body. And when your body is relaxed, free of pain, it gives your brain the proper environment to thrive mentally.

I had better concentration, my mood was boosted and stressors seemed to not have as much of an impact as before. I was more tolerant of my wife, and my wife was more tolerant of me (she also did the ice baths with us). It seemed like my nervous system got stronger.

ENERGY

This was a surprise but maybe it shouldn't have been; I didn’t really feel tired. My energy levels were more smooth and I didn’t experience any crashes. Is this what it feels like to be in your 20’s again?

One day in the middle of the six days, I had a really bad night's sleep. I was walking around kind of brain dead all day, not much work was getting done, I certainly didn’t have the cognitive capacity to write a blog like this.

But after I took an ice bath, I obviously felt a lot better, more energetic, and more importantly cognitively I was able to get work done with a lot less resistance than before.

BLOATING

When I start to eat crappy food i.e. food from a package full of preservatives, I start to get bloated. The ice baths were really great at getting rid of the bloating I was feeling before starting the ice baths. In my opinion, probably the greatest treatment for bloating I’ve ever done. Its effect on bloating was immediate versus fasting, which is what I usually do for it and can take over 12 hours to feel less bloated.

METABOLISM

Ice baths have been touted as a great way to boost metabolism, burn calories and lose weight. After six days of ice baths, I went on a trip to Taipei and Taitung for nine days. Thus, nine days without an ice bath. On trips like this, I usually put on a bit of weight and even some bloating as I get less exercise and I don’t eat as disciplined. However, upon returning to our home in Xiaoliuqiu, I weighed myself and I LOST 1.5 kgs. AMAZING! Perhaps it boosted my metabolism for a whole week.

ELONGATED EFFECT

The best part was how long the good feeling lasted. I felt great for five days. On the sixth day, I got a bad headache. But after two days, it went away, and I still felt the benefits.

I mentioned earlier that I traveled to Taipei for 6 days and then Taitung for 3 days. I usually don't like Taipei. The city's fast pace used to excite me, but now it just tires me out. I can't usually stay there for more than two days. The only time I stayed longer was during a typhoon in July 2023. I was stuck because the boats to my island stopped running. I was so stressed during those five days I was stuck in Taipei.

But this time, because I felt so good, I really enjoyed my trip to Taipei, which caught me by surprise.

Even to this day, three weeks later, I’ve only done two ice baths and yet I feel my body and my mind feels a lot better, a lot lighter, life just seems to have less resistance. As if my body and mind went through the deepest reset possible.

The profound impact of the ice baths was further highlighted when I returned from my travels to Taipei and Taitung. I was able to go freediving for an impressive 10 consecutive days before feeling the familiar signs of overtraining. This was a significant change from my usual routine, where after just 4-5 days of freediving, I'd typically need to rest due to the strain on my body. The enhanced resilience and stamina I experienced post ice baths were undeniable.

Thus I can’t help but believe that consecutive ice baths can have a cumulative effect.

This was a great experiment to try. The transformative power of ice baths cannot be overstated. Not only did they provide immediate relief from persistent physical discomfort, but they also enhanced my mental well-being. The lasting effects were evident in my improved mood, increased tolerance, and even in my ability to enjoy a city that once overwhelmed me. While everyone's experience with ice baths might differ, for me, they've proven to be a rejuvenating force, turning ordinary days into extraordinary ones. Whether you're seeking physical relief or a mental boost, it might be worth giving ice baths a try. Who knows? They might just change the way you experience the world around you.

Now, I have to find a cost effective setup I can use every day. Any suggestions?

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Freediving Is Booming in Taiwan - What Exactly Is Freediving

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 23:38:32 GMT

Recently Natgeo published an article on the rapid growth of freediving in Taiwan . But what exactly is freediving ? Is freediving just a fancy word for swimming underwater? Well, not really. It’s more like diving without the air tanks and breathing equipment as you would with scuba. Freediving is the fastest-growing water sport in the world, and freedivers can dive deep into the water by using special techniques that allow them to stay underwater for long periods with a single breath.

The Art of Diving On One Breath

Freediving is diving and exploring the underwater world on a single breath. It's also sometimes referred to as one-breath diving, breath-hold diving, and apnea diving and is often mistaken for scuba diving.

People associate it with minimal equipment as it does not require cumbersome breathing equipment like the BCD (buoyancy control device), regulator, and hefty tank as you do in scuba.

Freediving is not just diving without any breathing apparatus or minimal equipment. Instead, freediving involves training one’s body to get used to the change in pressure and depths while diving. As a result, freedivers can overcome their natural fears of staying at great depths for long periods and eventually learn to do so without thinking.

How Divers Hold Their Breath For So Long?

The skill or ability to hold your breath is like any other skill, most people will need to be taught the technique behind the skill. But like anything else, there are naturals who are innately gifted and those who are not.

If you can't hold your breath for more than X seconds, rest assured that you can easily teach the technique of breath holding, and once you learn, you should be able to hold your breath for 1.5 to 2 minutes within an hour or two of learning.

The secret is learning how to take the largest breath and relax before and during the breath hold. Being able to attain higher levels of relaxation is the biggest needle mover in increasing your breath-hold time for beginners.

The Mammalian Dive Response is the physiological response by mammals like whales to hold their breath for over an hour and dive thousands of meters deep. This also occurs in humans. For us, the response helps us lower our heart rate, contract our spleen to release more reserve and oxygen-rich red blood cells, and dilate our carotid artery so our brain has more access to oxygen to prevent blackouts.

Though there is a lot of focus on increasing your breath hold, this is not the biggest challenge for going deeper for more advanced divers. The challenge for them is primarily being able to equalize. As you go deeper and deeper, the increasing hydrostatic pressure causes the volume of air to decrease, and divers reach a threshold where the volume of air is so small they no longer have access to it to equalize. As stated earlier, the diver can do regular training to adapt the body to these depths.

Is Freediving Dangerous?

Until recently, the only time you hear about freediving is when someone dies freediving, usually someone inexperienced and/or diving alone. Thus they unfairly believe that freediving is quite dangerous .

The quick answer to the above question is that freediving is relatively safe when you know what you are doing and very dangerous when you don't know what you are doing.

Benefits of Freediving

Freediving is starting to get known for its potential in the wellness industry, which as an industry is growing at double the rate of growth of the global economy.

Most forms of sport or exercise have obvious training and physical health benefits. And although there is a vital element of mental strength in the most competitive levels of a sport, freediving is one of the only sports that requires a deliberate striving for higher levels of relaxation to progress. Many freedivers describe freediving as meditative; thus, freediving is confidently an activity that rejuvenates both the mind and the body. Personally, it's done wonders to calm my racing mind.

Types Of Recreational Freediving

Recreational freediving can be classified under two categories - line diving and fun diving

Line Diving

Line diving rope/buoy arrangement with a rope pulled taut by a heavy weight and set at a pre-determined depth for each dive and diver. The diver will hold on to the buoy until it's time to dive in and use the rope as a guide on the descent and ascent.

This is the most common form of freediving when taking a course. This is also the general setup used in competitive freediving . Some recreational divers also do this type of diving as a personal challenge to dive even deeper and enjoy the meditative side of freediving.

Fun Diving

The skills learned in a beginner freediving course open up the possibility of fun diving. When you fun dive, you can use your newly acquired skills to see sea life on a coral reef or capture the underwater world by making videos or snapping photos. Learning proper techniques and safety procedures will make freediving safer and more enjoyable.

Getting Started with Freediving

The best and safest way of learning to freedive is to take a freedive course from an instructor or school from one of the international freediving agencies.

A proper and formal freediving education is not to be overlooked. As much as I love taking online courses to learn new skills, there is simply no substitute for an in-person freedive course. Depending on your instructor, part of the course may be taken online.

Once you pass all the requirements, you will become a certified freediver. Freediving certification is essential as you will need it to train with your local club or schools.

Beginner Freedive Course

A beginner freedive course , depending on the certifying agency and instructor/school, takes about 2-4 days.

Most courses have three parts: theory, pool, and open water.

Theory can take place online or in a physical classroom setting.

A pool session is obviously held in a pool or a confined water space in the ocean with a low current. In the pool session, you will learn static apnea, which is holding your breath while floating on the top of the surface face down, and dynamic apnea, which is finning horizontally in the pool to a predetermined distance. This comfortable and controlled environment allows you to work on your breath holding and finning skills before you use them to tackle depth in the open water session.

The open water session can be held in the ocean, lake, or deep pool like we have here in Taichung - DiveCube . During the open water session, you will learn to dive for depth by either pulling on a rope down (free immersion) or finning down (constant weight).

Course fees for a beginner course are generally in the range of US$300-500. In Taiwan, most courses are around NT$12,000 to $15,000 depending on various factors like equipment rental, instructor: student ratio, accommodations, etc.

I wrote a blog article, Guide to English Freediving Courses in Taiwan . You can read to help find a course and instructor that's right for you.

When choosing a school/instructor, I advise people not to consider the agency first. You should see if the instructor's teaching style, credentials, experience, or vibe is right for you and then check on the agency.

Make sure the instructor is certified by one of the international freediving agencies.

I have heard stories of instructors pretending to be instructors, and in an extreme case, there is one person I know of teaching students who don't even know how to swim to become freedive instructors in ten days. Because he is not certified by any agency to hold him up to any standard, his students have sometimes paid with their lives.

Freedive Course Prerequisites

Prerequisites for a freedive course are not many. Be able to swim around 200 meters, reasonably good shape, and health, and over a certain age, usually 16-18 years old. You will be given a medical form, and if you tick yes to any of the medical conditions, you will require a doctor's sign-off.

International Freedive Agencies

There are about a dozen international freediving agencies, with over half of them represented here in Taiwan. AIDA , the largest freediving agency in the world, is by far the most popular in Asia.

Other agencies represented in Taiwan are Molchanovs, SSI, Apnea Total, CMAS, and PADI.

Other freediving agencies are FII and PFI, which are pretty popular in the US, Apnea Academy, and RAID.

I am currently certified to teach Molchanovs and AIDA, though I prefer to teach Molchanovs .

AIDA International

This was one of the first freediving agencies and also officiated freediving competitions. They are primarily responsible for guiding the development of modern freediving to become standardized and safe.

Molchanovs

Based on the teachings and Russian course of the greatest freedive competitor ever to live and multiple world record holder, Natalia Molchanova and internationalized by her son, Alexey Molchanovs, and the current top freediver in the world.

Freediving Equipment

Despite not needing any breathing equipment, as this is the art of one-breath diving, some equipment is still necessary.

Of course, you can dive with no equipment, but that will not be as enjoyable.

As a bare minimum for a freedive course, you will need a mask, snorkel, fins, weight belt, weights, and, depending on the water temperature, a wetsuit.

As you advance in freediving, you will need more equipment and accessories like a lanyard, nose clip, fluid goggles , dive watch, etc.

Freediving Booming in Taiwan

Freediving has boomed in the last few years in Taiwan and is much more popular than in other countries. A lot of the national records for Taiwan are greater than the US, with a population of more than 12x of Taiwan.

I don't even know where to begin in trying to speculate why this is; I'd instead appreciate the country I love has embraced the sport/activity I love so much.

Taiwan has ideal conditions for the sport to take off. Many of the pools do allow freedive training. When I was in the US, finding a pool that would allow freediving was challenging. In the next section below you'll learn about the many locations there are to freedive in Taiwan, many year-round.

Where to Freedive in Taiwan

Taiwan is also home to one of the two deep pools in Asia, and the DiveCube in Taichung was the first dive pool in Asia. So if seaside conditions are not ideal for diving, you can reach Divecube via the High Speed Rail within two hours from most places in Taiwan. You could even make a day trip out of it.

Freediving in Xiaoliuqiu and Kenting is year-round, so there isn't an offseason in Taiwan.

You also have freediving when it's warmer and less windy off of Keelung, Penghu, Green Island, and Orchid Island.

And more.....

If you would like to learn more about freediving, sign up for my free online Intro to Freediving course by clicking here and check out my freedive podcast called the Total Beginner Freedive Podcast .

If you are looking for an English-speaking community of freedivers, check out the Taiwan Freediver's Syndicate Facebook Group.

Finally, if you are ready to take the plunge and want to take a one-on-one freedive course , check out the homepage of this website.

為何我偏好教授Molchanovs自由潛水系統

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 01:32:22 GMT

當你選擇要跟誰學習自由潛水時，首先考慮的應該是哪位教練是有能力

且適合你。例如，我提供客製化的自由潛水課程，學生數量少，所以如果你喜歡這樣，那我們就很適合。或許，作為一個中年、之前是白領的人，我對你來說更易於產生共鳴。（附註：可以聽我的播客章節" 如何選擇自由潛水課程 "）

次要的考慮應是選哪個自由潛水認證機構學習。全球有10多個認證機構，它們都各有優缺點。例如，AIDA是最大、最有辨識度，也是最早的自由潛水機構。PADI品牌辨識度高。而根據你所在的地區的不同，某些認證機構可能更盛行， PFI 和是美國最受歡迎的自由潛水機構。而AIDA在台灣和歐洲非常受歡迎。選擇一個自由潛水機構是我選擇自由潛水課程時頭疼的一個主題。

雖然我被 PADI 、 AIDA 和 Molchanovs 認成為自由潛水教練，但我強烈鼓勵我的學生從Molchanovs的教育系統中學習。而這就是原因....

頂尖的自由潛水者

一些頂尖的自由潛水競技員和教育者開始建議使用Molchanovs教育系統。如Alexey Molchanov（這個星球上潛最深的男人）、澳洲頂尖的自由潛水者/YouTube名人 Adam Stern ，以及Oli Christen（前AIDA教育主管）。

初級要求較低

其他機構的一些要求對於初階的標準來說相當高。我認為將它們降低到更合理的水平對於安全性、技能性的獲得和自由潛水的樂趣都不會有任何衝突，但會增加獲取認證的機會，這可以增強信心，並從課程中獲得正面的體驗。

Molchanovs對初級的要求稍微低於大多數其他機構。例如，靜態閉氣是1分鐘30 秒，而許多機構是2分鐘。事實上，我沒通過我的閉氣表現測試，因為我不能達到2分鐘（我只能閉1分45秒），並且要在一個月後重考來通過這部分。

不過，這只是初階要求。一旦你達到第二和第三級，能力要求就與其他機構相當，且增加了無蹼的要求（不借助蛙鞋或繩子的下潛）。

小而靈活

自由潛水是一項在練習、技巧、科學和安全方面中不斷發展的新運動。像Molchanovs這樣的小型組織更擅於傳播這些信息、改變標準並適應新環境。例如，當COVID-19爆發，世界上的大部分地方都不能外出自由潛水時，該機構迅速籌劃舉辦定期網絡研討會、線上乾式訓練和乾式閉氣挑戰，來幫助學生即使不在水中也能持續訓練和獲取知識。

社群

一旦加入Molchanovs系統，就進入了一個社交網絡，在那裡可以找到居住或旅行地的其他Molchanovs合格的自由潛水者，以找到潛伴。

訓練

許多自由潛水機構的其中一個不足之處是“我在每門課程之間或完成一門課程後該做什麼” - Molchanovs提供在游泳池、陸地上、平壓、心理和呼吸的基礎訓練計劃，因此你可以繼續自行訓練。（當然，水中要有潛伴）可以在線上找尋。

線上理論課程

理論課堂和測驗都可以在線上完成；因此，我們在一起的所有時間都可以在游泳池或開放水域中度過。你不會想要前往一個小的熱帶島嶼，然後在教室內上課度過時間。

心理

該系統更加強調自由潛水的心理狀態和放鬆方法。如果你詢問任何高級的自由潛水員，他們都會告訴你這是提高自由潛水表現的最重要層面。通過基礎訓練課程還可以提供線上心理鍛鍊的計劃。

無蹼 - 最純粹的自由潛水形式

據我所知，沒有其他自由潛水機構將無蹼作為表現要求。但這是自由潛水的最純粹形式，很可惜它不是更多自由潛水機構課程的一部分。在Molchanovs系統，無蹼的要求從第2級開始。

我希望這有助於了解為什麼我認為選擇Molchanovs是自由潛水初學者最好的機構。要找到您附近的Molchanovs教練，按下這個連結。如果你來到小琉球，請查看這個指南來幫助你計劃在這裡的旅行，也歡迎來找我。

最新消息請加入 LINE群組。

CONTACT

Address: 20-12 Xingzheng Road, Liuqiu Township, Pingtung County 929

Phone: 0981163838

E-mail: ray@freedivenomad.com

作為學生和教練為甚麼要參加 DEEP WEEK

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 09:05:34 GMT

什麼是DEEP WEEK？

以下是他們網站上的描述：

“這是世界最頂尖的自由潛水教育活動和最大的自由潛水盛事。DEEP WEEK把來自全球最棒的自由潛水員、教練和專家帶到一個壯觀的地方。”

如果您需要更多有關DEEP WEEK的視覺資訊，看看這個影片。

總而言之，DEEP WEEK包括和頂尖教練一週的培訓，也有機會與來自世界各地的人交朋友，並享受充滿樂趣的經歷。

參加的原因如下：

教授自由潛水課程 vs 教授自由潛水

Adam Stern 說他寧願不教自由潛水課程。聽起來很怪，對吧？他在影片裡，他看起來好像很喜歡，但他真正喜歡的是教自由潛水，而不是自由潛水課程。

你會在DEEP WEEK學習自由潛水，而不是通過各種要求，通過所有認證要求只是一個結果。我喜歡這種思考方式。

初學者學習的最佳環境

一般的初學者自由潛水課程需要3-4天；我甚至看到一些學校提供2天的課程。花幾天時間熟悉一個新運動對大多數人來說是不夠的。需要克服許多變數，學習新技能，比如在深水中適應而不害怕，潛水時屏住呼吸，更不用說其他技巧，例如鴨式入水、踢蹼、耳壓平衡等等。

然而，我明白，在我們生活的這個世界上，很多人沒有機會能休假一整週。休假1到2天相比起來更容易，再加上週末課程，在接下來接受更多的培訓。但這可能需要更多的休假時間。

你在一週內得到的練習量，依我謙虛的看法，對於幾乎每個人來說，都足以熟悉自由潛水的基本技能。對於有經驗的人來說更是難得的學習經驗。

對於更有經驗自潛者的卓越學習體驗

經驗豐富的學生不僅可以大量的潛水，加速他們在海洋中的適應深度的能力，可以從世界級的自由潛水運動員和教練那裡獲得很棒的建議，還會有教練們在浮球間穿梭。之前的DEEP WEEK中，有特邀教練，如William Trubridge, Alexey Molchanovs, Thibault Guignés, Natalia Zharkova參加。就像在網球場上有Roger Federer 或 Serena Williams 給你建議。這是無價的。

在陸地上，你不僅有機會每天參加瑜伽和冥想課程，還可以參加上面提到的特邀教練的工作坊來真正提高你的知識，有些是非常普遍的主題，如進階耳壓平衡，有些是非常具體的主題，如鼻腔護理或編輯你的水下照片。

讓自由潛水變得有趣

有時候，作為自由潛水者，我們對自己太嚴苛，因為我們專注於潛得越來越深以達到我們為自己設定的目標。有時候，這種超專注的追求會讓樂趣減少。

DEEP WEEK是一個教大家如何快樂的潛水，在DEEP WEEK中，他們確保有時間進行一些有趣的潛水。至於水下障礙賽，如果你幸運的話，甚至會在水下跳舞，大量的跳舞！

DEEP WEEK最後一天的“醜襯衫”派對是最精彩的部分。每個人都穿一件“醜襯衫”參加派對，隨著頒獎典禮的開始，每個人都屏住呼吸，看誰會贏得最令人垂涎的獎品“最糟糕的醜襯衫”，當然你也會非常喜歡你的獎品。

社群

DEEP WEEK的美麗之處在於你可以被一群充滿熱情的自由潛水者所包圍，從初學者到世界級的選手。每個人都想在一個安全的環境中學習和探索自己的極限，並互相支持鼓勵。這裡沒有任何偏見或自我中心，只有純粹的樂趣。這是一個令人耳目一新的氛圍。

在我參加的 Deep Weeks，我和來自泰國、日本、西班牙、德國、捷克共和國、夏威夷、法國、加拿大、菲律賓和澳大利亞等地的許多人打成了一片，並常與他們進行訊息交流。

參加過 Deep Week 之後，不僅會有一群可以討論自由潛水的朋友，還會有一個遍布全球的朋友網，可以和他們一起自由潛水，甚至可以有一個免費的沙發供您休息。

這種環境最棒的地方在於它鼓勵人們在自由潛水社群中建立終生的友誼。您會發現自己年復一年地回來，因為這是與自由潛水朋友見面的完美地方。

如果您曾經參加過DEEP WEEK，那你就會知道我在說什麼！

作為一名自由潛水教練的DEEP WEEK

幾乎沒有什麼是靜止的（除了你的閉氣），而我們生活在一個不斷變化的世界中。這就是為什麼在許多專業中，每年都有“持續進修”的要求，以保持你的資格或工作。這一點尤其在自由潛水中特別重要，在標準化和先進技能方面非常新的運動中。

另外，許多教練像我一樣獨自教學，沒有太多機會向其他人學習。我喜歡向他人學習，參加 Deep Week 給了我寶貴的機會，了解他人是如何教授概念、技能或解決各種問題。這是一個無價的經歷，幫助我成為更好的教練。

DEEP WEEK在哪裡舉辦？

目前已計劃在巴厘島、杜拜的 Deep Dive Dubai、泰國、菲律賓、巴哈馬、克羅地亞舉辦DEEP WEEK，誰知道，也許有一天他們會在我所在的台灣舉辦？

DEEP WEEK真的是一個很特別的地方，我很榮幸能參加DEEP WEEK。參加DEEP WEEK是我自由潛水生涯的一些亮點。

DEEP WEEK 終於在11月18日-25日來臺灣舉行，想知道更多或想註冊請按這邊。

想知道更多關於臺灣 DEEP WEEK 的資訊，可以參考以下我與Adam的訪談（有中文字幕）

希望在即將到來的DEEP WEEK見到你們！

若想查看我對 2022 年泰國DEEP WEEK的每日總結，請查看下面的鏈接。

Underwater Ninja Warrior recap

Where to Stay on Xiaoliuqiu? My Recommendations

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:32:24 GMT

When visiting a new place, finding reliable accommodations can be one of the most stressful parts of planning your trip. Let us take some of that stress away.

Xiaoliuqiu is becoming increasingly popular, with more first-time visitors in the last few years than in any other period previously. Many more are coming from abroad, whether it is to snorkel with the famous sea turtles, scuba dive, freedive, enjoy the small island vibes, or attend an event like Deep Week . As travelers, we know what a daunting task it can be to choose a place to stay, especially on this small island, as there are zero branded hotels, and all guest houses here are independently owned and operated.

Hostels and Dorms

For the thrifty traveler seeking a cozy and communal atmosphere, hostels and guesthouses are excellent choices. These budget-friendly options often offer shared dormitories or private rooms, creating an opportunity to connect with fellow travelers or divers who share their passion and ocean exploration.

Budget-Friendly Hotels

Numerous budget-friendly hotels are scattered throughout the island, offering a comfortable resting place after a day filled with water activities. While they may not boast extravagant amenities, these accommodations provide a convenient and cost-effective solution for visitors who prioritize location and value while sharing stories of their underwater adventures.

Boutique Hotels

Elevate your experience by staying in a boutique hotel that offers personalized service and unique charm. These smaller luxury accommodations often boast stylish décor, upscale amenities, and a more intimate ambiance. Immerse yourself in elegance and treat yourself to a refined stay that perfectly complements the event's atmosphere of discovery and exploration.

If you are seeking more English information on Xiaoliuqiu, check out our Xiaoliuqiu Guide website and join our Facebook community, Xiaoliuqiu for Foreigners .

Xiaoliuqiu - Local Knowledge Travel Guide - by a Local

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 01:16:45 GMT

Have you JUST heard of Xiaoliuqiu ? You are not alone. I have so many friends who have lived in Taiwan for many years, and even friends from Taiwan have only just learned about this tiny beautiful island, and it's only because I moved here to teach freediving .

My first stint in Taiwan was in 1998, and I didn't learn about Xiaoliuqiu until 2017 when I made my first trip to scuba dive to see the sea turtles. I came back in 2019 to take my first freediving course and moved here nearly two years later to teach freediving.

As one of the few outlying islands of Taiwan, though arguably not as beautiful as Orchid or Green Island, you can get here from Taipei in 4-5 hours door-to-door making it a perfect weekend getawa y. In contrast, the previous two islands can almost take an entire weekend to get to and back. And most people are surprised that it's only a 20-minute ferry ride from the mainland.

I hope you find this guide helpful in planning your trip here. I plan on updating this regularly, so if there is anything you'd like to see about Xiaoliuqiu , give me a holler (You can reach me by hitting the "Connect Now" button on the top right of this page or clicking the "Contact Us" on the top of the menu to send an e-mail.)

Recently, my wife (Sheila) and I started a concierge service to arrange your trip to Xiaoliuqiu . We arrange travel to and from the island, accommodations (we can consult with you on the best options based on your preferences), transport on the island, and all activities for a service fee. The vendors also give us a modest commission, and the price for the activities or transport will be the same whether you book through us or go directly. Click here to fill out the form to let us know your needs.

Xiaoliuqiu is famous for a few things - lots of water and water-sports activities, over 800 green sea turtles , clear blue waters, and the tuna capital of Taiwan (one year, it accounted for 14% of the global tuna market). ; they

Pro Tip - Most businesses have a specific day off each week. That day for many is Wednesday, which is the least busy with tourists, but not always. As one or two persons operate many businesses, they may suddenly take a day off. Often they won't update their Google Maps listing, so don't check that, but instead check their Instagram account, where many of them use that platform to announce days off. You can read more essential info useful for first-time visitors .

Xiaoliuqiu - An Island of Many Names

Many names know the island: Liuqiu Township, Liuqiu Island, Ryukyu, Little Ryuku, Little Okinawa, Lambai Island, Lamay (which in Mandarin sounds like "辣妹“ or "hot chick"), Golden Lion Island, or for me, I like to call it XLQ on messaging apps. Even just Xiaoliuqiu is written as Xiao Liuqiu and Xiao Liu Qiu as well.

Liuqiu Township of Pingtung County is what this island is more formally known as. Liuqiu has the same characters as Okinawa's previous name, so adding the Xiao, or small in Mandarin, made the island colloquially known as Little Liuqiu to distinguish it from Okinawa.

If you have trouble pronouncing Xiaoliuqiu, just think about saying "Shallow Chill," and you will be about 90% correct in pronunciation but 100% of people will understand.

Xiaoliuqiu Quick Facts

Xiao Liuqiu is a coral island located 13 km off the southwest coast of Taiwan in the Taiwan Straits. Its resident population is 13,000 people, and most of the island shares just ten surnames, which can get confusing as many places of business share the same name when using their surname.

A Brief History of Xiaoliuqiu

The first inhabitants are thought to be the Siraya or Taiwanese indigenous people.

In 1622, the Dutch ship Goude Leeuw' s (or Golden Lion, thus why Xiao Liuqiu was sometimes known as Golden Lion Island) shipwrecked on Xiaoliuqiu's coral reefs during the Dutch occupation of part of Taiwan. The local inhabitants of the island subsequently massacred the crew.

Then, again in 1631, a Dutch yacht was shipwrecked on the coral reefs of Xiao Liuqiu, and all aboard shared the same fate as the Goude Leeuw's.

This did not please the Dutch occupiers, and a Dutch lieutenant was ordered to "punish and exterminate the people of the Golden Lion Island as an example for their murderous actions committed against our people."

An expedition in 1633 went to Xiao Liuqiu but realized they were undermanned and accomplished nothing except to learn that the islanders retreated to a particular cave during times of trouble. Three years later, a more extensive expedition comprising Dutch soldiers, Han Chinese, and other indigenous people corralled the 600+ locals into the cave, trapped them there, and set fire to emit poisonous gas into the cave for eight straight days.

After eight days, they put the fire out, and the entrances were unblocked. Some 300 men, women, and children died inside the cave, and another 300 survived, with the men sent into slavery while the children and women were forced to be servants in Dutch households in Taiwan.

In 1645, a Han merchant rented the island from the Dutch and cleared out the last 13 inhabitants, and the island has been occupied by the Han ever since.

And THAT is a pretty rich and violent history.

Want to learn more about this massacre on Xiaoliuqiu? Check out my favorite Taiwan podcast called Formosa Files Season 2 Episode 3 The Lamey Island Massacre

How to Get To Xiaoliuqiu

There is only one way to get to Xiaoliuqiu: by taking a ferry from Donggang Township , the closest port to Liuqiu Island. The ferry ride is about 20-25 minutes to get to paradise.

I wrote a blog post about the Xiaoliuqiu ferry situation, which you can check out . The blog includes a ferry schedule for all four ferry companies that serve the island to help plan your travel schedule.

If coming from most places in Taiwan, you will be coming via Kaohsiung city , which also has an international airport. An exception will be if you are coming from around Kenting, Taitung or Hualien, where catching a train would be most convenient, dropping you off at a station in Pingtung County. However, getting from the train station to Donggang Ferry Terminal can be a bit tricky with no public transport or taxis waiting for you at the train station, you must call a cab or Uber .

Regardless of which part of Kaohsiung city you arrive in, it'll cost you about NT$1,000-NT$1,200 to catch an Uber to Dong Gang to catch the ferry to Xiaoliuqiu. A pre-booked private car with a driver will run slightly less than that.

From most places in Taiwan, including Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and everything in between, one can catch the High-Speed Rail to Kaohsiung city, arriving at Zuoying Station, which is in the northern part of Kaohsiung city and further away from Donggang. I usually check departure times and book my tickets on their app, T Express Mobile APP , which you can also use as your electronic train ticket.

At Zuoying Station, there is a shuttle from the station. Go to the THSR terminal's second floor and buy a Taiwan Tourist Shuttle ticket from the bus ticketing booth. Tickets can also be purchased online 20 days ahead. Your guesthouse or hostel can arrange a van from Zuoying Station to Donggang, which is the best option and costs NT$200. Check out my YouTube video about taking this shuttle.

If you take a bus or train into Kaohsiung city, you'll arrive in the city's south and can walk or catch a cab/Uber to this private van shuttle service (this service has been temporarily suspended). They have vans leaving 20 minutes after the hour to Donggang to catch the ferry, costing NT$150 starting at 7:20 am.

How to Get Around Xiaoliuqiu

There are a few choices for transport when on Xiao Liu Qiu.

Scooter

This is by far the best option. It'll cost around NT$400 a day and can get cheaper if you rent for longer or go on a weekday. If you don't have a scooter license, opt for a small electric scooter that does not require a license and is a little easier to handle than a full-sized scooter. Most of the scooters here are 100-125cc. Once you step off the ferry, there will be vendors greeting you and offering to rent you scooters, so don't worry about trying to find them; they'll find you.

Scooters generally cost around $400 per day. You can get $250-$300 per day with the vendors that greet you as you come off the ferry but I have heard some stories from visitors that they were charged another whole day for returning the scooter just 1-2 hours late. So be careful.

Bringing your scooter if you live in nearby towns or cities is the best option, which costs about NT$100 (prices are different for each ferry company) each way to bring on the ferry and saves you a bucket of money depending on how extended your stay is. If you get a gas-powered scooter and stay for a few days, it's unlikely you'll need to fill up the tank; if you do, there is only one gas station by Dafu.

There are options for electric scooters as well from Gogoro and other brands.

Electric Bike (E-bike)

An electric bike is a fantastic alternative to the scooter, albeit a slower one. You will struggle a little on the hills here, but overall it's still a great option. There is only one company I know of that rents these: Jgogo, located just a short walk from the Baishawan ferry terminal. No license is required.

Walking

I believe that walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise. If you love walking, this could be for you! Most places you can walk to within 30-45 minutes and can walk around the whole island in about 3 hours, or however long it takes to walk 12 kilometers.

If you are staying near the Baishawan ferry terminal , many restaurants and convenience stores, as well as Vase Rock and Zhongao beach, are easily accessible by walking. Don't plan to walk everywhere you want to go if you have to hit a few locations around the island on the same day.

Recently we've had quite a few of our guests at our Air BnB not rent an e-bike or scooter and walk everywhere. But it is convenient from where we live as it's just a 5-minute walk to the city center and easy access to the ferry and two beaches.

Bike

Though I haven't seen anyone renting out standard bicycles, tourists bring them over on the ferry and some MAMILs (Middle Aged Men in Lycra) ride around the island. There is enough road and hills to make riding here give you a little challenge and some great views. I have read that some guesthouses do rent them out.

UPDATE Feb 2023 - we will soon be renting out bicycles. Please get in touch with us here .

Book a Car

You can book a car service for NT$150 for anywhere on the island one way. You can also book a car for the whole day or per hour. Check the phone numbers in the photo below. From our experience, booking a car ahead of time is best if you plan on having them pick you up from dinner. And no, there is no Uber here.

If you prefer to drive a car on your own or need help booking a car with a driver for the day, please get in touch with us here .

Public Bus

I've never taken the public bus, nor have I heard of anyone ever taking it, but if you want more information, check out this link . There is no English information on it that I can find. If you have ever taken the. bus, let me know what you think. It could be an excellent option to take a ride around the island.

When to Visit Xiaoliuqiu

Though for me, the island during the winter is quite ok for me to walk around in shorts and a hoodie, and the water is still warm enough for me to comfortably get in the sea with a 3mm wetsuit for diving, those who are not acclimated to the cold temperatures will probably want to defer a visit to Xiaoliuqiu to the warmer months. The island on land and in the water starts warming up in March/April and cooling down in October/November. The problem is that during the warmer months is the rain and typhoon season .

The weekend is the more crowded days, but long weekend holidays and the months of July and August are when tourists swell to their max, even during weekdays as kids are on summer holidays. If you have an aversion to people, avoid coming during these two months, though I must admit, it's still a hell of a lot less crowded than Taipei or Kaohsiung.

The Economy of Xiaoliuqiu

Blessed due to its proximity to the Kuroshio Current , fishing has been a mainstay in Xiaoliuqiu for a while. However, due to the dwindling fish populations and tourism boom, it is starting to fade in importance to the island.

One of the things I love about living in Xiaoliuqiu is the access to cheap fresh fish at the fish market here. We eat fish nearly every day, whether it's tuna, mahi-mahi, or mackerel. Sashimi-grade tuna is also available. And it is CHEAP. The best and cheapest way is to buy it at the fish market and bring it home, so bring your plates, chopsticks, soy sauce, and wasabi from home!

The tourism industry in Xiaoliuqiu experienced a boom in the earlier part of this century when it was included as part of the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area in 2004, and Xiaoliuqiu now receives over half a million visitors a year and perhaps even more now as the island is the beneficiary of recent domestic tourism boom due to Covid-19.

Accomodations on Xiaoliuqiu

Shorter Term Options

You have many options to stay for a brief trip to Xiaoliuqiu.

Guesthouse - there are around 200 guesthouses on the island that encompass the entire spectrum of any budget range. Some of the higher-end places have pools like Shamban Inn or Pian o . A new high-end one called Outline which I recently had a look at, is worth considering if you are looking for the Bali chill vibe. Check out our page here for a list of recommended accommodations.

Hostel - called 背包客 here in Taiwan, or backpacker inn, this is the predominant choice of the younger Taiwanese when they come here to play, this is obviously the best option budget-wise, and you have many options for nice, clean beds and bathrooms on the island.

Consider staying in Slowly Inn, operated by one of my freediving students, located not too far from the Dafu Ferry Terminal. They also have a private room with a shared bathroom available as well.

Private Rooms - many homeowners rent out a room at their place, which some can be found on Air BnB.

Our shared home - there are a few options here, including our own place that I run with my wife Sheila, Check out here .

When booking a stay, please consider our affiliate partner Agoda . I have been using them for many years, and the thing I like most about them is their guest review averages don't seem to be off; it's never done me wrong in any case.

Check in times are usually around 3pm and check-out times are 11am so do note that when planning your ferry arrival and ferry departure from Xiaoliuqiu.

Longer Term Stay

So after a few days on the island, you've fallen in love with it , and you find yourself sitting at the ferry terminal waiting to go back to your hectic life in the city, contemplating life on this beautiful small island and staying longer.

Well, it might not be easy .

Don't get me wrong; I don't want to discourage you from doing this. I'm all for your move here. I want to clarify that the housing situation will be challenging but not impossible.

Many Taiwanese who have returned from abroad during the pandemic have moved back to Taiwan in the form of Xiaoliuqiu. Whether freediving instructors, scuba instructors, or tour guides, many have returned as their base of tourists has dried up, i.e., Taiwanese traveling overseas.

This is fine with the increase of supply of workers matching demand with the enormous increased domestic tourist.

However, where you have demand outstripping supply is longer-term housing. This is for a few reasons. First, it is more profitable for some places to rent a room to tourists. Second, supply is artificially constrained as some landlords don't want to rent to strangers from the main island. Finally, many of the landlords are advanced in age and don't have access to the internet to get the word out. Announcements on the island are made via a small truck with a loudspeaker driving around the island, blaring their speakers. It's like Taiwan during an election cycle. Just not as frequent.

Longer-term housing there are three types:

Private room with shared bathroom (雅房)

Private room with private bathroom (套房)

Whole building (透天) - usually three levels with a few generations of a family

My recommendation if you want to move here is to find a place to stay month to month, make some friends with locals, and more options may open up for longer-term rentals. You'll also be able to evaluate your options on-site.

A private room with a shared bathroom is relatively easier to find for longer-term through a bed in a hostel is the easiest.

You could also always stay with us at the House of Nomad , where we have some pretty great weekly and monthly rates.

Things to do on Xiaoliuqiu

Snorkelling

Snorkeling is one of the most popular activities in Xiaoliuqiu. You can bring the whole family as children three years old and up can go on a guided snorkeling tour as a group.

If you are not very experienced in the water or going with children, a guided snorkeling tour is the best and safest option for you as the tour guides are licensed and have received first aid and CPR training. Moreover, they are aware of the dangers in the water and dangerous currents and at what times. They also know which beaches are better for snorkeling on that day.

Swimming is not required as everyone must wear a life vest for insurance purposes. No fins are needed as you hold onto a chain of buoys as the guide drags you through the water to see the beauty below.

And there is a near 100% chance you'll see a turtle making it one of the must things to do here.

Some beaches offer rentals if you are experienced in the water and have not brought your gear. However, Decathlon does provide some fantastic value and quality for snorkeling equipment.

Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP)

Renting a kayak or SUP is the best way to enjoy the water from above and a great form of exercise. You have many choices with multi-person SUP and kayaks and even a transparent kayak, so you can see what's below. If you are on a budget, the kayak is the way to go as it is much cheaper than the SUP. There are many companies with these services on the island, and they are easy to find.

Boat Tours

Discover Lamay , as far as I know, is the only company that offers boat tours on Xiaoliuqiu. They offer sunset and glass-bottom boat tours where you can see the sea turtles, fish, and corals without getting wet. You board the boat at the Baishawan Fishing Harbor, near one of the two ferry terminals on Xiaoliuqiu. If you cannot read/speak Mandarin, you can contact me , and I can help you book a boat tour for you with Discover Lamay. Warning: Do not take this tour if the seas are a little rough, as sea sickness is a definite result.

Deer Exhibit

A bit of a random attraction here, but for those who love cute furry things, you'll love this place.

At the Wonderland of Deer , you can buy discounted tickets on Klook, stroll while taking photos with these cute deers, and participate in feedings.

Beaches of Xiaoliuqiu

Though Xiaoliuqiu may not have some of the best beaches in Taiwan, you can almost be guaranteed to find an uncrowded beach even on busy weekends somewhere on the island (except for July and August), and you can catch some snorkeling while you're at it. Most of the beaches in Xiaoliuqiu are pretty small, which doesn't matter as there are not many people on them.

One of the more interesting beaches is Secret Beach . And not because of what you can do or see. You see, Secret Beach is not a secret. Everyone knows about it and can see it from the road passing. And Secret Beach is not even close to the literal translation from its Chinese name of 厚石 or "thick stone." It is not a bad beach to visit to lay in the sand and swim or snorkel.

I go to the beach nearly every day and the beach I frequent most often is one of the two at Sanfu Fishing Harbor . I go to this beach because of its proximity to where I live, and also, it is a mostly enclosed area, so it's almost always ok to swim and snorkel here despite wind conditions. Be careful when swimming or snorkeling here not to go far out and in the way of the boat traffic.

My favorite beach is Zhongao Beach, next to the Baishanwan Port and the closest beach to the main ferry terminal, just a few minutes' walk away. I've never seen this beach crowded, possibly the largest beach on the island. On a clear day, you can see the main island across the way, and the underwater world here is magical when the water is clear.

Sea Turtles of Xiaoliuqiu

The sea turtles are the main attraction here underwater. Nearly every time I swim, snorkel, or freedive in the ocean here, I almost always see a turtle, 90% of the time, if not more.

There isn't a "best place" to see the turtles because every single spot I've gone into the ocean here on the island I've encountered, including Sanfu Fishing Harbor, Dafu, Secret Beach, Vase Rock, Zhongao Beach, Meirendong.

You will see many places selling turtle memorabilia in souvenir shops or side of the road. They offer stuffed turtles (the not real one, doh!), key chains, t-shirts, you get the picture. To learn more about them, check out my blog post, The Famous Sea Turtles of Xiaoliuqiu .

Being the main attraction here, they are a protected species, and fines are pretty heavy if you even touch them.

In October 20190, a teenager from Germany was caught touching a sea turtle just two hours after posting the video on social media. He was charged and faced a fine of up to NT$300,000 (over US$10,000), but I could not find any updates on what fine he ultimately paid. In June of 2020, a Taiwanese man was also caught in a similar manner touching a sea turtle and was fined NT$60,000 (over US$2,000).

They take the protection of the green sea turtles here very seriously, so please adhere to the rules below regarding interacting with the sea turtles.

Best things to learn on Xiaoliuqiu

Freediving

Because of the year-round diving, easy access to depth from shore, and sea turtle spotting nearly every time you get into the water, freediving has become a mecca of freediving in Taiwan.

If you've never enjoyed the experience of diving on one breath-hold, I teach freediving courses on Xiaoliuqiu. You can check out my course offering s . I also wrote a blog about English freediving courses in Taiwan .

I also wrote a Beginner Freediving FAQ e-book which you can get for free to learn more about freediving.

If you have been holding your breath and diving underwater without taking a formal freediving course, please read this blog that my friend and the student wrote .

If you don't have time for an entire freedive course, I offer a Discovery Freedive Course, which gives you a taste of freediving in one day. Contact me if you have any interest.

Scuba

As I said earlier, my first time in Xiaoliuqiu was to scuba dive with sea turtles, and it's an experience I will never forget. There is no shortage of scuba diving schools on the island, as I seem to pass by a few schools every kilometer. There are a few recommendations if you want to see these cute and graceful creatures while scuba diving.

Scuba diving shops that have English-speaking instructors are Bear Diving , Playful Diving , and Liuqiu DIving .

For you Hong Kongers out there, I heard that Dive Bee has Cantonese-speaking instructors.

If you don't have time to take an entire course or are unsure if you want to get into scuba diving, all these places offer discovery diving sessions, which only take about 2 hours of your time.

Tourist Attractions of Xiaoliuqiu

Rocks

If looking at rock formations is your thing, you're in luck, and there are several of them to see.

Vase Rock is the most iconic on the island and is one of the photos that most represents Xiaoliuqiu in postcards. Vase Rock is a short ride from the ferry terminal in Baishawan Fishing Harbor. At its tallest, it's 9 meters and was created by the rising coastal coral reef, while the bottom of it was eroded by the ocean and thus its shape resembling that of a flower case. There is also a tiny beach at Vase Rock, and you can do a little snorkeling from there.

Other rocks to see on your trip here include Indian Rock, which resembles the head of an indigenous American, Guanyin Rock, Houshi Fringing Reef (near Secret Beach), Tiger Climbing Rock, Mouse Rock, and Climbing Tiger Rock.

Caves

For those who enjoy the beauty of caves, the more popular ones are Black Dwarf Cave, Beauty Cave, and Lobster Cave. Some of them may require an entrance fee.

What to Buy in Xiaoliuqiu

Taiwan office culture borrowed the Omiyage tradition from the Japanese. The direct translation of Omiyage is "souvenir," but one that is usually edible.

When you go on a trip, regardless if you are a local or a foreigner here, you should return with some snacks from your trip for your co-workers, friends, and family. But primarily for your co-workers. You have a few options on this island.

Iran Bazaar

Iran Bazaar is located on the main road in the city center. Opened by an Iranian national, Chris, who has been living in Taiwan for over 20 years, and he aims to delight and entertains you as you try his goods. (JAN 2024 UPDATE: Sadly Iran Bazaar has closed its operations and moved to Taichung, you can find it here .)

Chris makes some tasty treats you can't find anywhere in Xiaoliuqiu or even all of Taiwan. His signature is the saffron ice cream I love so much that I go there weekly to treat myself to it. He also has traditional Iranian rice pudding and yogurt. If you love coffee, try the rose water coffee, an exciting twist on your cup of Java.

He sells several products from Iran, like rose water, dried figs, and traditional Iranian snacks to bring back to your friends, family, and colleagues.

Hemp Flower Roll

The deep-fried batter of flour and sugar in a variety of flavors. This is the preferred option here as 1) it's easier to find and sell on nearly every corner on this island, 2) easier to share amongst your colleagues, 3) almost everyone loves sweet stuff, and finally, 4) Xiaoliuqiu is more known for this.

One of the top industries in Xiaoliuqiu is fishing. The fishermen would typically take out some pastry to eat during their time out at sea, but they would inevitably get all soggy. Thus these were invented to give fishermen something to snack on without getting soggy.

If you are wondering about the name, it was named after the rope in the old days, which it resembles made of hemp.

Dried Cuttlefish

If you have some colleagues who have diabetes (though this has some sugar in it) or have an intolerance to gluten as I do, you might want to grab some of these, which can be found in the central city area near the Baisha Port. you can find the vendors by finding the machine being cranked flatten out the dried cuttlefish.

Where to eat on Xiaoliuqiu

We'll get into this topic in another blog post, but sometimes, one of my guilty pleasures is the corn dog stand near the San Long Temple.

And it seems the food scene here is on the up and up as no less than three burger joints have opened up in the last six months. Check out my burger blog pos t I recently published.

For plant-based people, check out this blog post on vegetarian options on the island.

If you fancy an epic Western meal, check out the Island Bistro , opened by the chef of the famous Island Burger. The chef had years of experience in a Michelin star restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we are lucky to have him on this island. It opens Thursday-Monday for lunch and dinner, and reservations are highly recommended . Get there during sunset, and you will be treated to an epic view.

Check out my Google Maps list if you need a reference for food pronto (including the burger joints). I have listed all the places I've eaten and would return to.

Cafes of Xiaoliuqiu

These are my favorite cafes when I want to grab some coffee and where I go to work when I want to mix things up from the monotony of working at home. These three cafes can also provide opportunities for beautiful photos for your memories or on Instagram.

Ocean Looking Ice - Incredible ocean views from here. With an outside deck, you can lay down on one of the many cushions to relax in the afternoon with a cup of coffee. Bonus - they even serve ice cream.

Islet Lemonad e - This is probably where I come the most to work and is also one of THE MOST Instagrammable businesses on the island. Try their specialty iced lemonade Americano. They also have a hostel here .

Seaside Caf e - Ichi, the owner and barista of the cafe, hand roasts every bean by himself in a clay pot. Thus, the drip coffee is of the highest quality. Ichi is a man of many talents as he also teaches yoga (his sunrise yoga class at Secret Beach is highly recommended) and has fixed many backs as a masseuse. Located in town near Zhongao Beach.

Get a Massage on Xiaoliuqiu

In most beach tourist destinations, choices are abundant for massage. And with good reason, weekend warriors taking a stand-up paddle board out for a few hours or taking a scuba or freediving course will surely need their aching muscles to be massaged, but many don't know where to get a massage. And when you are on holiday, you're up for anything to facilitate relaxation. But sadly, there is not a lot in Xiaoliuqiu.

Nonetheless, you still have some choices:

Stretchology Asia provides Thai stretch massages and offers the only in-room service on the island. The lead English-speaking certified massage therapist is also an accredited instructor offering Thai massage certification courses you can take on the island. This, in my opinion, is the best massage you can get on the island, but I might be biased as it's run by my wife.

The Wink Massage - is located in town.

Body by Ichi from Seaside Cafe.

Xiaoliuqiu Ice Bath Social Club is not a massage, but if your muscles are sore from all the extra activities on the island or sunburn , you might want to try an ice bath with this club that gathers regularly.

I know I listed a lot of things to do and see above, but sometimes the best thing to do when you are on a small island is to do nothing and slowly enjoy the beauty and vibes of a small tropical island.

If you are looking for more English resources, check out the Xiaoliuqiu for Foreigners Facebook group and ask questions you can't otherwise find on Google. We're happy to help.

And that's it!

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Deep Week - Why Every Freedive Student and Instructor Should Attend

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sat, 15 Apr 2023 07:23:21 GMT

Why Attend Deep Week for students and instructors

Attending a Deep Week as both a student and a freedive instructor has been one of the most tremendous highlights of my freediving journey. I highly recommend anyone who has the opportunity to attend one.

Deep Week will be held for a second time in Xiaoliuqiu, Taiwan November 23-30, 2024 . Use coupon code FREEDIVENOMAD for NT$1000 discount and mention you heard about it from Freedive Nomad.

What is Deep Week?

Here's how it's described on their website

"It is the world's premier Freediving Education Event and largest freediving festival. Deep Week brings the best freedivers, freediving instructors, and experts from all over the world to one spectacular place. "

If you need more visuals of what Deep Week is check out this video .

But to sum it up, Deep Week involves one week of training with top instructors, the opportunity to make many new friends from around the world, and enjoy a fun-filled experience.

And below are the reason to attend one:

Teaching a Freedive Course vs Teaching Freediving

Adam Stern, founder of Deep Week, said he would rather not teach freediving courses. Sounds weird, right? It looks like he loves to on his YouTube videos . But what HE LOVES is teaching freediving, not freediving courses.

At Deep Week you are there to LEARN freediving and not pass requirements, but passing all the requirements to certify is just a consequence . I love that way of thinking.

The Best Environments to Learn as a Beginner

A typical beginner freedive course takes 3-4 days; I've even seen some schools offer 2-day courses. A few days to gain competency in a new sport, for most people, is not enough. There are many variables to overcome and skills to learn, like getting used to calmly diving to target depth, and holding your breath while diving, not to mention the skills like duck diving, finning, equalization etc.

However, I understand, in this world we live in, not many people have the opportunity to take a whole week off, and it's much easier to take 1-2 days off combined with a weekend for a course and follow up on subsequent weekends for more training. But this could be more time-consuming with additional travel time.

The amount of practice you get in a week, in my humble opinion, is enough time for nearly everyone to gain competency in the foundational skills of freediving.

Incredible Learning Experience for the More Experienced

Not only will an experienced student gain a tonne of dives to accelerate their adaptation to depth in the ocean, you'll also get great tips in the water from world-class freedive athletes and instructors rotating between buoys. In the past Deep Weeks has had special guest instructors like William Trubridge , Alexey Molchanovs , Thibault Guignés , Natalia Zharkova in attendance. It's like having Roger Federer or Serena Williams on the tennis court giving you pointers. This is priceless.

Out of the water, you will not only have the opportunity to attend yoga and meditation sessions daily, but workshops taught by the special guest instructors mentioned above to really ramp up your knowledge - some very general topics like advanced equalization to some very specific topics like sinus care or editing your underwater photos.

Making Freediving Fun

Sometimes as freedivers, we take ourselves too seriously as we focus on getting deeper and deeper and meeting the goals we set for ourselves. And sometimes, that hyper-focused pursuit can take the fun out of it.

Deep Week is an environment that encourages the notion of having fun while freediving. During Deep Week, they make sure there is time for some fun dives, underwater obstacle course competition, and, if you are lucky, dancing, lots of dancing, even underwater!

The "shit shirt" party on the last day of Deep Week is the cherry on top. Everyone dressed up in a "shit shirt" as the party kicks off with an awards ceremony as everyone waits with bated breath to see who wins the most coveted prize "The Shittiest Shit Shirt". And you'll love the prizes, too.

Community

The beauty of Deep Week is you get to be surrounded by a passionate community of freedivers, from beginners to world-class athletes. Everyone here wants to learn and explore their limits in a safe environment and support one another. There's no judgment or ego here, it's just pure fun. It's an incredibly refreshing atmosphere for everyone.

At the Deep Weeks I've attended, I've hung out and befriended many people who I still DM often from all over the world, like Thailand, Japan, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Hawaii, France, Canada, Philippines, and of course, Australia.

After a Deep Week, not only will you have a group of friends that you can chat about freediving with, but you also have a network of friends all around the world to freedive with and maybe a free sofa to sleep on.

The best part about this environment is that it encourages people to make friends for life in the freediving community. You will find yourself coming back year after year as it will be the perfect place to meet up with your freedive friends.

If you have ever been to Deep Week, you know what I am talking about!

Deep Week as a Freedive Instructor

Almost nothing stays static (except your breath-hold ��), and we live in an ever-changing world. This is why in many professions, there are yearly "continued education" requirements to maintain your qualifications or your job. This is especially important in freediving as it is still a very young sport in terms of standardization and advanced skills.

Moreover, many instructors, such as myself, teach alone and do not have a lot of opportunities to learn from others. I love learning from others, and by attending a Deep Week, I have the priceless opportunity to learn how others teach concepts and skills or solve various problems. This is an invaluable experience that helps me become a better instructor for my students.

Where Are Deep Weeks Held?

Deep Week is truly a special place, and I'm honored to be part of it. Attending Deep Weeks has been some of my freediving career highlights.

Hope to see you at an upcoming Deep Week!

To see my daily recaps of Deep Week Thailand 2022 check out the links below

Underwater Ninja Warrior recap

Petar Klovar World Record FIM 131m Dive

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 03:28:56 GMT

Must Watch

Xiaoliuqiu Ferry Schedule and More: Updated Aug 2022

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 05:58:48 GMT

How to Guide on Taking the Ferry to Xiaoliuqiu

UPDATE - a new ferry company opened up last week (August 2021), and that now makes 4 ferry companies departing from Donggang Ferry Terminal now and one leaving from Yanpu, so Xiaoliqiu is now served by a total of 5 ferry companies. For the most updated ferry schedule, check out this link to my Instagram stories, where I keep the ferry schedule most up to date.

Are you planning a trip to Xiaoliuqiu in Taiwan? Also known as Lamay, Lambai Island, Little Ryuku, and more formally known as Liuqiu Township Pingtung County, this has become a hot place to visit for domestic tourists since the pandemic started (and fingers crossed for opening borders soon).

You've probably got your accommodations sorted, now you just need the ferry times to coordinate your High-Speed Rail or bus ticket into Kaohsiung and transport to Donggang (bus schedule here ). Now, how to get from Donggang to the island?

If you haven't booked your accommodation yet, check out our accommodation recommendation list .

Did you know that FIVE ferry companies take you to Xiaoliuqiu? And there is not just one ferry terminal but two ferry terminals to depart from and two ferry terminals in Xiaoliuqiu for your arrival?

It can be a bit confusing. Which is why I wrote this blog.

I am a freedive instructor living in Xiaoliuqiu for the past two years; I've ridden all five ferry companies and taken my scooter around to get the latest ferry schedules and aim to provide you with the best information about how to catch the ferry to Xiaoliuqiu.

Pro tip : if you book in advance, the ferry ticket is usually not issued by time and it is a first come first on the boat thus, booking in advance does not necessarily guarantee you a spot on the ferry at a particular time. So you can either book in advance and feel secure or arrive and decide which ferry company to take. Most guesthouses or hotels on the island can help you book the ferry tickets.

Departure to Xiaoliuqiu

Donggang Ferry Terminal

Donggang Township Pingtung County is about a forty-minute drive from Kaohsiung.

Three ferry companies operate from here: Dongliu, Taifu, and the public ferry. At Donggang, one of the advantages of departing or arriving at Donggang is you can eat at the Huaqiao Fish Market near the ferry terminal.

My wife did a YouTube video on Dongang , which features the fish market (it's in Cantonese with English subtitles) where they have amazing sushi and sashimi, so make sure to save time for a visit when you arrive or when you are leaving.

TLDR: the best spot is stall #228 (located in the middle of the market) and the best budget spot is #3.

Yangpu Fish Harbor Ferry Terminal

Located across the mouth of the river and about a 6 minute drive from the Donggang Ferry Terminal according to Google Map, only one ferry company departs from here to Dafu (大幅海運), which is called Dafu Liuqiu Shipping .

The biggest advantage to using this ferry company is if you drive your own car as they provide free parking on the street and a free parking lot about 200m from where you board the ferry. Parking in Donggang can cost $150 a day. So a weekend trip can save you $300.

If you do drive to Donggang, be careful about parking at the parking structure across the street from the fish market, as I've read some awful Google Reviews about that parking lot and staying for more than 1 day.

There are two disadvantages to using this ferry company, but they are easy to overcome.

1) One of the best things about departing from Donggang is you can eat amazing sushi/sashimi at the fish market next door as you wait for your ferry to Xiaoliuqiu or eat on the way back. However, you can easily just drive the 6 minutes here from Yangpu and park across the street in the parking structure (short-term parking should be ok).

2) The boat doesn't dock at the main ferry terminal in Baishawan but Dafu. The advantage of docking at Baishawan is you can easily walk to rent your scooter. However, if you pre-arrange your scooter, the company can pick you up at the pier and take you to their store to rent the scooters.

Arrival On the Island

Baishawan

There are 3 ferry companies that arrive at Baishanwan which is near the main city center of the island, Dongliu , Taifu and Leuco Sapphire . To arrive here is probably more convenient to arrive as it is walking distance to the city center where there are a number of guesthouses, dive shops, souvenir stores and restaurants. This is where I recommend first time visitors to come.

Also within walking distance are a number of shops to rent scooters. If scooters are not your thing, then there is an electric bike rental shop J-Gogo walking distance from here which is a great substitute to scooters in getting around the island of Xiaoliuqiu.

Make sure to visit the beach nearest Baishawan called Zhongao beach as it is one of my favorites beaches on the island.

Dafu

Dafu Ferry Terminal is located in the middle of the east coast of the island. Some frequent travelers of Xiaoliuqiu take the two ferry companies which dock here, the public ferry and Dafu.

This is more convenient if you are staying nearby, have your own scooter, and/or booked a car to take you to your guesthouse or hotel.

There are two disadvantages of arriving in Dafu. First is if you are renting a scooter, it will be harder here as there is maybe one scooter rental company within walking, distance though you can call ahead for a scooter and they will deliver it to you at Dafu when you arrive.

The second is that it's further from the mainland and so the ferry ride can take about 5-10 minutes longer.

The one big advantage is that the public ferry has BY FAR the latest departure from Donggang at 6:45pm, almost two hours after the other companies' latest departure though they do not operate this ferry slot sometimes so check ahead before you come.

Avoiding Seasickness on the Ferry

The waters on the way to Xiaoliuqiu is far from completely flat and can get a bit bumpy during the ride over. Sometimes it can get quite a bit more than just a little bumpy, enough to induce seasickness in those sensitive people.

To avoid seasickness, if you are sitting inside, pick a seat in the middle aisle in the middle of the boat and avoid the seats on the 2nd floor of the ferry. Avoid strong smells like perfume or cologne. Some people may not like this because of lack of fresh air, as the fresh air may be enough to moderate the situation.

If fresh air is your thing, you can stand outside in the back of the boat where they keep the scooters and look out at the horizon. Be careful as you can get quite wet with ocean water splashing into the boat.

You may also want to consider taking over-the-counter medication for motion sickness before you board.

Other Resources

Once you are on the island, you can refer to the Facebook group Xiaoliuqiu for Foreigners or my Goole Maps list for Xiaoliuqiu for recommendations on places to eat and do.

Want to stay with "locals" who speak English? Then check out our shared home here .

Why I Prefer to Teach Molchanovs Freediving System

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 09:43:24 GMT

When choosing who to learn freediving from, your top consideration should be which instructor is competent and a good fit for you. For example, I provide customized freedive courses with a low student count, so if that's your thing, we're perfect. Or perhaps I'm more relatable to you as I am a middle-aged, former white-collar dude. (Side note: Check out my podcast episode " How to Choose a Freedive Course )

A secondary consideration should be from which freediving certifying agency to learn. There are some 10+ certifying agencies worldwide, and they all have positives and negatives. For example, AIDA is the biggest, most recognized, and earliest freedive agency. PADI has high brand recognition. While some certifying agencies are more prevalent depending on your region, PFI and FII are the most popular freediving agencies in the US. At the same time, AIDA is very popular in Taiwan and Europe. Choosing a freedive agency was one of the most confusing topics I had to get my head around when selecting a freedive course.

Even though I am certified by PADI, AIDA, and Molchanovs to teach freediving, I strongly encourage my students to learn from the Molchanovs education system. And here's why....

Top Freedivers

Some of the top freedive competitors and educators started and advise the Molchanovs educational system. Names like Alexey Molchanov, (the deepest man on the planet), Adam Stern , the top Australian freediver/YouTube personality, and Oli Christen (former AIDA head of education).

Lower First Level Requirements

Some of the requirements of other agencies are quite high for the first level. I feel lowering them to a more reasonable level would take nothing away from the safety, skill acquisition and enjoyment of freediving yet will increase your chances of getting certified, which would boost confidence and come out of the course with a positive experience.

Molchanovs has slightly lower requirements for the first level compared to most of the other agencies. For example, the static breath hold is 1.5 minutes vs. 2 minutes for many agencies. I actually failed my breath hold performance test as I could not get to the 2 minutes (I could only get to 1:45 min) and had to return a month later to pass that portion.

This is for the first level only though. Once you get to the second and third levels, the performance requirements are comparable to other agencies with the added discipline of no fins requirements (diving down without the assistance of fins or a rope).

Small and Nimble

Freediving is an ever-evolving new sport in terms of best practices, technique, science, and safety. Smaller organizations like Molchanovs are better at disseminating this information, changing standards, and adapting to a new environment. For example, when COVID-19 hit and much of the world could not go out and freedive, the agency quickly organized to hold regular webinars , online dry training, and dry breath-holding challenges to help students continue to train and gain knowledge out of the water.

Community

Once you are in the Molchanovs system, you are in a social network where you can find other Molchanovs qualified freedivers where you live or traveling to find dive buddies.

Training

One of the shortfalls of many of the freediving agencies is "WHAT DO I DO BETWEEN EACH COURSE or WHEN I FINISH A COURSE" - Molchanovs offers base training programs in the pool, on dry land, and equalization, mental and breathing workouts so you can continue to train on your own (with a buddy in water, of course) which you can access online.

Online Theory Course

Theory classroom sessions and tests can all be done online; therefore, all our time together can be spent in the pool or open water. You don't want to travel to a small tropical island and spend time indoors in a classroom setting.

Mental

The system has much more emphasis on the mental and relaxation methods of freediving. Ask any advanced freediver and they will tell you this is the most important aspect of improving your freediving. There are also online mental exercise programs available through the base training program.

No Fins - Purest Form of Freediving

To my knowledge, no other freediving agency has no fins as a performance requirement. But this is the purest form of freediving, and it's a shame it's not part of the curriculum of more freediving agencies. No fins performance requirements start at level 2 in the Molchanovs system.

I hope that helps explain why I think Molchonovs is the best choice for a freediving agency for a beginner freediver. To find a Molchanovs instructor near you, follow this link . If you ever come to Xiaoliuqiu, check out this guide to help you plan your travel here, and look me up when you come here.

If you want to learn more about freediving, check out my free "Intro to Freediving" online course, my "Total Beginner Freediving" podcast , or download my Freedive FAQ E-book. Navigating the information online when I was a total beginner was difficult, so I made it my mission to make it easier to learn what you need about freediving before taking a freedive course with these.

A Great Xiaoliuqiu Trip: 12 Must-Knows For First Timers

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 04:11:20 GMT

But Also Helpful for All Xiaoliuqiu Visitors

Welcome to Xiaoliuqiu ( full tourist guide here ), an island paradise a short distance off the coast of Taiwan! This magical place is full of beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters (most of the time), and an abundance of water-based activities.

If you're visiting for the first time, you should know a few things before you come. Here are 12 must-knows for first-timers to Xiaoliuqiu and also helpful to frequent visitors as well.

And join our Facebook group Xiaoliuqiu for Foreigners if you want more information on this island.

Google Maps Not So Accurate

Shortly after I moved to the island, I went to visit my friends over at VD Freediving for the first time. I did the same as billions of people across the world, and I pulled out my trusty Google Maps to show me the way.

Unfortunately, I ended up about 300 meters from where they actually were, and I needed to call them to help me find the way.

And during my time here on this island, this has happened to me a few times.

Solution? All businesses here have signs, so knowing that Google Maps could be off by a couple of hundred meters helps make you aware you'll have to have a look around.

One F****** Petrol Station

And it only opens until 5pm (opens at 8am)

If you, like nearly all tourists here, rent a gas-powered scooter, this might be a life saver preventing you from running empty late at night.

You will unlikely need to fill up your tank at all as scooter rental places will give you a full tank, and many don't require you to fill it up before returning it. Moreover, you'll unlikely go through a full tank if you are here for only a few days unless you've done a few laps around the island.

Nonetheless, for those who plan to dart all around the island or stay for more than a few days, make sure to get your tank filled up before 5 pm if you are running low.

Only 20 Minute Ferry Ride

One of the first questions friends ask me about Xiaoliuqiu is how long the ferry ride is. And nearly every single one of them is super surprised when I tell them it's only 20 minutes.

I think this because Xiaoliuqiu is an outlying island (along with Penghu, Orchid Island, Green Island, Matsu, and Kinmen). All these outlying islands have something in common except for Xiaoliuqiu; they all require substantial time on a ferry or taking a plane. This is why I think people are so surprised to learn that it's only 20 minutes on the ferry.

Moreover, ten years ago, the ferries would take 40 minutes to reach the island, so there's been a big upgrade over the years.

Check out my how-to guide to taking the ferry to Xiaoliuqiu . Or watch my YouTube video on how easy it is to get to the Donggang ferry terminal from the Kaohsiung High-Speed Rail station. Check out the ferry schedule on our Xiaoliuqiu Guide website .

Not One Single Stop Light on the Island

There are perhaps one or two intersections on the island I think one could justify putting in a stop light, but this is part of the appeal of living on a small island and I LOVE IT!

Just be careful at those intersections, even if you have the right of way. Look both ways and don't assume people will stop for you.

Some say that there SHOULD be stop lights at some intersections, but I think even if they did, they would be ignored.

Those 90-second stop lights in Taipei and Kaohsiung, can't say I miss them at all. Can you blame me?

ATM For Domestic Banks Only

This is especially important for our friends traveling here from abroad or if you live in Taiwan and, for some reason, you don't have an account with a domestic bank, it's important to note that there are no ATMs on the island that dispenses cash to non-domestic bank cards.

So if you don't have a card from a domestic bank, make sure to take enough cash with you to last you the trip. The last place to get cash from an ATM with a foreign card would be the two convenience stores directly across from the ferry terminal in Donggang.

Though some places take credit cards, it's very rare. I can count on one hand how many times I've used my credit card here in the past two years.

Beaches Are Hardly Ever Crowded

If you love the beach, but not the crowds that often come with it, you'll be in heaven on Xiaoliuqiu.

I go to the beach nearly every day to go for a swim, walk, meditate, check out the sunset or sunrise, work on my Kuta cowboy-level tan , or just get my feet wet and I can only remember once was there an uncomfortable number of people, and I often go during weekends and extended public holidays. (UPDATE - now that I've been here through a true summer holiday season, i.e., July-August, it does get a bit congested on the beach July-August.)

Admittedly Xiaoliuqiu does not have the best or biggest beaches, but they are not crowded and very accessible as you can make your way to a beach in just a few minutes from any point on this small island.

By the way, there is a Secret Beach here, but it is not so secret as you can see it off a high-traffic road. It's not even called Secret Beach in Mandarin. And I have no idea about the provenance of the English name.

Businesses Take Random Days Off

Don't be surprised if you show up at a restaurant or cafe to find that they are randomly closed despite their Google Maps listing saying they should be open.

Such is small island life, where a balanced lifestyle takes priority. Also, nearly all businesses here are run by a small crew or family, and if they need to attend to some matters on the main island, they usually don't have a backup to run the business.

Thus, it is best to call ahead or have a backup in mind when heading to your destination.

Google Maps is often not updated to reflect random days off and local businesses here are pretty good about posting updated schedules on their Instagram account, oftentimes in their Stories.

Snorkeling Tips

This is one of the most popular activities here on the island. And it's easy to see why with it's clear waters and the abundant sea turtle population you are assured to see one nearly every time you get into the water ( WARNING - touching the turtles can subject you to heavy fines)

If you are not a confident swimmer in the ocean or don't know how to swim at all, I highly recommend taking a snorkeling tour which requires everyone to wear a safety vest, does not require any swimming ability and you just need to know how to breathe from a snorkel. This is also highly recommended if you have children, I've seen kids as young as 3 years old going on one of these tours.

If you decide to venture out on your own here are some tips:

Avoid Venice Beach as there are reports of rip currents there
The small beach in Sanfu Fish Harbor is arguably the safest and best to start there as its more protected from waves and current and you can still see a decent amount of sea life including turtles (I've seen five of them there before)
Check the wind direction on the Windy website or the app to check the wind strength and direction. If the wind direction is west to east then best to stay on the east side of the island and if west to east, then stay on the west side of the island. Any wind strength stronger than green, probably best to avoid going out.
Current can be an issue here as they can become quite strong. The current is different from waves as it's the flow of water from one area to another. As a freedive instructor, this is the hardest thing to predict, but generally, high and low tide is when it's the calmest. If you find yourself in a strong current, best to swim directly to shore where it's the weakest and then swim parallel to shore to where you came from.

WARNING - do not go snorkeling without a tour if you are not a strong swimmer and/or not comfortable in the ocean. If you are, please proceed with the utmost of caution and do not do it alone. I have had to drag some students back to shore in strong currents as they didn't have the fitness level or technique to come back on their own. The ocean can always turn dangerous very quickly.

Bring Reef-friendly Sunscreen

There was a lot of press coverage recently regarding the corals of Xiaoliuqiu are showing the most degradation in Taiwan.

This doesn't surprise me because Xiaoliuqiu is the only place where you can enjoy year-round water activities because of the temperatures and wind, and thus the coral reefs here do not get any months where they can rest and regenerate from human activity like other outlying islands.

Human activity stresses the corals and although no sunscreen is completely reef safe, let's do our part by using reef-friendly ones, they can be found at Costco (brand ThinkBaby), and a few places on the island sell them like the new bikini shop Peachy Lil Things (a fantastic name I reckon).

Cafes Open Late, Close Early

Cafés have become the place to work in the city, and they stay open long into the night. And they're always ready to serve from early in the morning, your caffeine kick before you begin your work day.

But being a tourist center here in Xiaoliuqiu, coffee is a pure source of pleasure rather than the obligatory jolt of caffeine to prime your brain for the workday or just to get you through another tough day in the city.

Most of the cafes here open around 10-11 am and close around 6 pm. So if you want your single-origin hand-poured coffee, it'll have to wait till later in the day.

The earliest opening cafe would be Manban Cafe which opens at 7:30 am Friday through Wednesday and is closed on Thursdays. Limited sitting outside, though.

And if you are in a pinch, the coffee at 7-11 and FamilyMart has really come a long way since I first lived in Taiwan over 24 years ago. There are three 7-11s and one FamilyMart on the island.

Check out my blog post about my favorite coffee spots to work from on the island.

Dinner Reservations Suggested

The food scene in Xiaoliuqiu has come a long, long way in the last few years, but to be honest, demand far outstrips supply if you are a restaurant that is even above average. The halfway decent Thai place Good Thai with an aesthetically pleasing and Instagram-worthy interior and exterior, doesn't take reservations and has a mob of people waiting outside every weekend. With that said, there are many restaurants that do take reservations, and you definitely should. . For example, the best sushi on the island 肆不惑壽司．丼 requires a booking through their Facebook messenger only.

Here is a list of other restaurants in which reservations are suggested, not in any particular order (please let me know if there are more): Hard Rock Gastropub , Island Bistro , 夏味鮮海鮮 , 海岸海景熱炒 , and 品軒在地風味小館 .

Duty-Free

Xiaioliuqiu is a tax-free island, meaning goods and services exchanged on the island are not subject to any tax. This includes alcohol and tobacco products.

There is one duty-free shop by the main port of Baishawan and a new one is being built at the port of Dafu which is where passengers disembark and embark on the public ferry and the Dafu ferry which goes to Yanpu.

Head to the duty-free store and make your purchase one hour before your intended departure. Once you walk through the doors on the right side will be a desk, tell them your ferry company and departure time and they will give you a ticket to give to the cashier when making a purchase.

You are welcome.

Concierge Service

If you need help planning and booking your trip to this island, my wife and I run a concierge service called Escape to Lambai .

We help guests arrange their transport to the island and on the island, and plan and book activities.

And here's the best part, it won't cost you anything. The vendors pay us a small commission for guests that book through us and you'll get the same price whether you book through us or book directly with the vendor.

Check out our reviews on Facebook and Google Maps .

If you are interested in trying out our services, please fill out this form which lists all the services and activities offered including prices.

And..........

Best Remote Working Cafes On Xiaoliuqiu Written by a Local Resident

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Tue, 10 May 2022 02:48:24 GMT

My Favorite Cafes To Get Work Done

As the admin for the Facebook group Xiaoliuqiu for Foreigners , I have become a bit of an unofficial representative of Xiaoliuqiu for foreigners in Taiwan and thus receive a lot of direct inquiries about visiting the island ((also known as Lambai Island, Lamay, and a few other names)) or remote workers looking for a change of scenery for more than just a few days.

The longer I live here, the more I realize this island is a pretty cool place, though less than ideal, for remote workers or digital nomads as it has a pretty low cost of living, easy access to all major cities in Taiwan (within 4 hours) and anywhere on the island is spitting distance to beaches, nature, the sunset, and sunrise. I can't think of a better way to break up your day by taking a break with a dip in the ocean; not only will you feel more refreshed and relaxed, but you'll also prime those creative juices; it's SCIENCE .

Follow this link to see my interview with my friend Susie, who recently took a break from her life in Taipei to stay in Xiaoliuqiu to work remotely for a month with her four-year-old daughter.

With that said, a critical component of considering a move to Xiaoliuqiu, whether temporary or permanent, is whether there are appropriate workspaces to work from. As this island primarily derives its income from #1 fishing and #2 tourism, co-working spaces do not exist as Xiaoliuqiu is in its infancy as a remote work/digital nomad destination, hopefully in the future.

Without co-work spaces, we must look at the next best thing - CAFES! Where they serve COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE! Espresso, latte, americano, and the ever-trendy hand pour-overs from premium beans.

Although I love my coffee, black and bitter is how I like it, I am not a particular snobby about it; these days, I'm genuinely digging the value/quality ratio (aka CP質）of coffee from 7-11, and the Louisa Coffee chain. Thus, I'm not judging these places by their coffee quality, but all cafes listed below serve a decent cup of joe. Instead, I consider them a place to get some work done.

If you want to see how easy it is to get to Xiaoliuqiu, check out the video I posted on YouTube below.

With that in mind, below are my four favorite cafes to work from on the island of Xiaoliuqiu.

Islet Lemonade Cafe

It opened just a few years ago and is run by two good friends whose beaming smiles are infectious. It makes my day just seeing them. Their opening marked a vast improvement to the cafe scene on this island; that's why they are first on this list.

They recently completed a nearly one-year renovation expanding its indoor space, thus offering much more seating area to work from and even a bar. There are some electrical plugs, but not all tables have access. The color scheme of the interior gives off a definite calming island vibe.

With numerous windows, this cafe provides a very airy atmosphere with plenty of natural light. One issue is that it is challenging to locate since you must travel down a rather nondescript alleyway, and then it's hidden behind another building.

Find them on Google Map s and Instagram .

Ocean Looking Ice

This is one of my favorite places, whether hanging out or working. It sports one of the fastest internet speeds on the island, so I come here occasionally to upload media files.

The cafe was designed with sustainability in mind with their extensive use of up-cycled materials in their design.

Like most of the cafes on this list, the view is stunning as the outdoor deck is not too far from the seashore. The deck is lined with cushions, so you may laze in the sun lying down while enjoying your favorite drink. If it's too hot, you can take refuge indoors facing the ocean while charging your laptop and phone in their electrical outlet.

Find them on Google Map s and Instagram .

77 Seaview Cafe

New kids on the block only having been opened a few weeks ago, but on my first visit there, I was stunned by the mountain top scenery and the design of the place.

Sporting several tables with electrical outlets, you can't help but feel uplifted and motivated to work with the scenery from here.

This is also the closest cafe on this list to the main ferry terminal and the national scenic area Beauty Cave and is located right next to the trendy bar inside an old bus.

Find them on Google Map s and Instagram .

Island Bistro & Cafe

Last but certainly not least, this is my favorite place to have my coffee and work behind my computer. But I am also massively biased as I sometimes help out a friend here as a barista a few hours a week.

This restaurant, without a doubt, has the best Western cuisine on the island and was started by the team that created the ever-famous Island Burger (their burgers often get sold out). Opened by a chef with extensive experience in Michelin-star kitchens in San Francisco, he brings his sophisticated California food culture and knowledge to the humble island of Xiaoliuqiu.

The menu is relatively modest, yet everything on it is excellent. Must-tries are the clam chowder, grilled squid, and pork chops. The creme brûlée is the best I've ever had (and I've sampled a lot from some of the best restaurants in Asia). And as much of the menu is sourced locally as possible.

The restaurant also offers the best selection on the island of fine wines and craft beer from Lost Coast in California. Grab a crispy white wine on the terrace and enjoy the stunning sunset overlooking the cliff.

But enough about the world-class food. The restaurant/cafe offers some big tables with a few having access to electrical plugs, and there's even an outdoor deck if you want to catch some sun on a fabulous day.

An afternoon tea set is on the cards. In terms of coffee, they offer the usual americano, espresso, latte, and pour-overs. The ice coffee is special on the menu, which is creamy and velvety without adding any creamer. They are also one of the few to offer vegan oat milk latte with the oat milk sourced from suppliers of the best oat milk in Taiwan JBW and promoted by YouTube mega-celebrity Lukas .

Find them on Google Map s and Instagram .

I hope this was helpful to you if you are planning to get some work done on Xiaoliuqiu. If you are considering moving here, one of the biggest hurdles is finding an affordable place to stay. My wife and I have helped a handful of people with their move to Xiaoliuqiu, so please reach out if you would like our assistance.

If you are coming for just a visit and want to take all the fuss out of planning it, we also assist people with planning their holiday here; you can contact us here on our Facebook page, Escape to Lambai .

Outdoor Dining on Xiaoliuqiu

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 05:11:06 GMT

Living in this new era of Covid-19

We have been very fortunate living in Taiwan during this pandemic times. I have felt much safer here than when I was in the US and I could stop worrying about it on a daily basis.

However, as Taiwan moves into the next phase of Covid, living with it, there are some who would take extra precaution of not getting it. Seeking out outdoor dining options is one of those.

Thus I put together a quick list of place that have outdoor dining options or outdoor-ish, which I define as not being enclosed by four walls and have good ventilation.

All of these places I have eaten and I can generally recommend.

Five O'clock - Google Maps listing - Although all or most of the all-you-can eat bbq places on the island would qualify to be under this list, we list this one the most and probably the one with the best selection of veggies, so great for the vegetarians out there.

Simple Eats - Google Maps listing - generally opened 10am-6pm this places serves stir fried rice nooldes which i think is the best I've had on the island and have free broth which states amazing and great for hydration.

Seaside Cafe - Google Maps listing - There is now a new wooden deck built on the outside where you can sit and enjoy your cup of joe.

My Roll - Google Maps listing - great outdoor lawn area to enjoy your food from My Roll and they also serve Mountain Dew, one of my favorite sodas from my childhood.

小本愛玉 - Google Map listing - This place has a small deck area on the second floor.

海岸海景熱炒 - Google Maps listin - the stir fried place with the best view. One of our top spots to bring new friends and guests to eat at.

Ocean Looking Ice - Google Maps listing - one of my favorirte places on the isalnd. One of the best scenery. Offers coffee, tea, beer, ice cream and pizza. All the classics.

夏味鮮海鮮 - Google Maps listing - the best stir fried in town - they have some outdoor seating which is where you would probably want to sit anyways during the best of times as all the noise inside seems to bounce against the walls pretty hard making for a pretty noisy meal.

相思麵 - Google maps listing - probably the most famous and popular noodle place on the island.

Island Bistro - Instagram account - The soon to be older sister of Island Burger, opening in early May this place has the best terrace to view the sunset. Will serve the best Western cuisine on the island for brunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Coffee and espresso-based drinks will also be available.

Island Burger - Google Maps listing - simply the best burger on the island if you like the In n Out California style burger. There are four seats to eat at the burger stand.

Featured On My Tik Tok - Eating on Xiaoliuqiu Etc

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 10:00:23 GMT

Places to go on Xiaoliuqiu

New Paragraph

Ice in Lamay

Located near the Baishawan Ferry Terminal, right next to the 7-11, good location with budget friendly desserts, both warm and iced ones. Inside you have an idyllic view of the boats sitting in the harbor. You can check out my TikTok video here .

Iran Bazaar

Click to watch Tik Tok Video

Come for the saffron ice cream, one of my favorite things on the island. The Iranian owner Chris will make you laugh and feel at. home.

Seaside Cafe

The orange ice coffee is an amazing balanced velvety, sweet and creamy beverage. There's almost always a line for their sea turtle caked.

Click for Tik Tok Video

Sichuan Noodles

Located next to Bear Diving on Xiangpu Lu which is known as Diving Lane as there are numerous diving shops located on the street.

One of my favorite places to eat after diving. My favorites things to eat there are the braised pork over rice and the Sichuan Noodles.

Complete Freedive Guide to Divecube 2025

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 05:08:48 GMT

If you are a total beginner to freediving, grab my free Beginner Freedive FAQ e-book here .

One thing that was on my bucket list to dive when I moved back to Taiwan was Divecube , located in the city of Taichung.

I think every freediver should have a deep indoor pool on their bucket list to experience; they are enormous fun. Diving in Taiwan is awesome and Divecube is one of the many reasons why.

I have been fortunate to dive there a number of times and excited to be your guide to this fabulous urban freediving experience and hope you find this helpful as Divecube's English website leaves a bit more to be desired.

Scuba diving is also done here but freedivers far outnumber the scuba divers, at least when I've been there.

And I can see why, as the old saying goes, freedivers dive to see internally, while scuba divers see externally and in Divecube, there is not much to see for the scuba diver other than a fake reef and fake shipwreck. But it is a good, safe environment to work on some scuba skills.

Fun fact - three days after its grand opening Divecube Facebook page exceeded 20,000 followers.

What is Divecube?

Divecube is Asia's first deep indoor pool with a maximum depth of 21 meters and is located in Taichung , Taiwan in the center of Taiwan and easily accessible from the major cities in the North and South and even from some cities in Asia by air.

The building complex features the Divecube Hotel, a Western/Chinese restaurant called SiZZO and a diving equipment shop (too bad they don't have a dive bar ��)

Divecube was opened in 2017 and designed by, Emanuele Boaretto , the architect and owner of the famous Y-40 The Deep Joy pool in Italy which was until a few days ago the deepest pool in the world, at 42.15m in depth, but is still the deepest thermal water pool as the location is right next to a thermal spa.

Divecube was created to provide a site to learn and train diving in an urban setting as one would need to travel hours to the north or south to dive and city residents can stay locally to take a course and continue their training. Now, many are traveling from all over Taiwan and Asia come here to access an indoor urban diving experience.

Taichung City - Location of Divecube

As mentioned earlier, set in Xitun District in Taichung which is located in central Taiwan and its name in Mandarin literally means "middle of Taiwan). Xitun District is nestled in the west of the city center.

Famous For

Taichung is home to many industries including a microchip fab of the largest semiconductor manufacturing company in the world TSMC and home to one of the most popular brands of cycles in the world, Giant Bicycles . Even popular diving brand Problue is based in Taichung.

It is also famous for its suncakes (太陽餅) and Chun Shui Tang teahouse , the founder of the now internationally famous bubble tea .

It's also the closet major city to the famous tourist attraction Sun Moon Lake.

Population and Climate

With a population of nearly 3m people it is the second most populous city in Taiwan surpassing Kaohsiung in 2017 due to natural birth rate.

The climate of Taichung is humid and mostly warm to hot during the day year round (highs in January 22C and in 33C in July) but due to its plain's strong cool radiating effect it's one of the few cities in Taiwan that dips below 20C during the night so bring a jacket out at night if you are sensitive to the cold. Due to the mountain ranges surrounding it, it is usually relatively unaffected by typhoons.

How to get there?

If you are coming in from outside of Taiwan your best bet would be to fly into Taipei or Kaohsiung. Although there is an international airport 20 minutes away from Divecube which has some flights from larger cities in Asia like Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo and Ho Chin Minh, flight times and frequencies may not fit your schedule.

Bus

If you are not in a hurry, a bus is one of the most comfortable and cheapest ways of getting around Taiwan and getting to Taichung is no different. But be careful, there are three bus stations in Taichung. Taichung Bus Terminal which is located near the city center and further away from Divecube.

Chao Ma Bus Terminal which is located across the river from Divecube and about 5-7 minutes away by car.

And Zhongang Station which is less than a ten-minute walk away from Divecube. There are also numerous bus companies which serve the city of Taichung How convenient!

Train and High Speed Rail

You have two choices when it comes to the railway: taking the slow train with Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) which has a very strong feeling of being in Japan or the ultra modern bullet train from the Taiwan High Speel Rail (THSR)

There is only one station for Taichung if taking the THSR which is in the southwest of the city and about a 10-15 minute cab ride away. A couple options on where to stop if coming in on the TRA but seems like getting off at the Taichung Railway Station in the city centre would be the most convenient.

Airport

The Taichung International Airport is located northeast of the city about 20km away from the city center and has both commercial and military use. It was at one time the US Air Force's largest base in the Far East in 1966.

It is the third international airport in Taiwan.

It has flights to and from nearly ten cities in China, Hong Kong, Macau, three cities in Korea (Seoul, Busan, Yangyang) and two cities in Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh) and one city in Japan (Tokyo-Narita).

Having an airport so close to Divecube can be convenient if you are travelling here internationally, or from one of Taiwan's outlying islands, but the frequency of flights is not. For example, there is only one flight from Hong Kong to Taichung operated by Hong Kong Express. If you have a flexible schedule, it could work out and worth investigating.

But most people I would imagine would fly into either Taipei or Kaohsiung first to see the bigger city. That way they can play tourist in one of Taiwan's larger cities before they continue on to Taichung to dive. If you fly into Kaohsiung, Xiaoliuqiu is but a short trip away which is one of the best spots in Taiwan to freedive.

Getting Around Taichung

Taichung is a sprawling city and not a great of a walking city like Taipei and taking a taxi or Uber everywhere could add up to become costly.

Until the MRT opened on April 25, 2021, the best way of getting around was by city bus which is very and convenient to use for anyone who knows how to use Google Map. The MRT run from northeast of the city to the southwest but the nearest stop to Divecube is about a 30-minute walk.

As with most cities in Taiwan, scooter rental services are available if you have the correct license.

How to Dive at Divecube?

To dive here, you first need to select a time slot to go as seen below, each session is 1.5 hours and the price of to play ranges from $1200-$1500 (US$40-50) depending on what time of the day you go and if it's a weekend. You sometimes can find lower prices on Shopee or Klook but I already think that's a good deal as its about the same price as taking a boat out for training. Also required is a dive certification and a buddy/instructor with you which they do check when you check-in.

Pool Specifications

The pool itself is 18x18 meters and contains 2100 cubic square feet of water with 5 levels of varying depth with the deepest part at 21 meters, led down by a 10m vertical tunnel which is large enough for two divers. The entry to the pool is located on the fourth floor of the building which offers a stunning view of Taichung city.

There are also underwater caves and a fake shipwreck with the interior decorations created by scenographer of Life of Pi directed by Taiwan's most famous and Oscar-winning director Ang Lee . Freedivers, however, may not enter the cave and ship for safety reasons.

The pool also features a few windows looking out of the building. There are two windows just a few meters below which look out onto the terrace also with a view of the city. Below one of those windows is, near the vertical tunnel, is another window which you can look straight into the dining room of the restaurant and you can watch diners eat their food while you enjoy your apnea activity.

There are also some smaller (size of ones you'd find on a cruise ship) windows located inside the shipwreck peering into the second floor interior of the building (see above)

Divecube was the first deep pool in Asia and was the deepest until South Korea opened K26 in 2018 which is located about 1.5 hour train ride from Seoul. I hope to be able to visit this deep pool some day.

Divecube Hotel - Stay and Play

The Divecube Hotel is located on the first and second floor of the building and contains about two dozen rooms. The ship-themed hotel rooms are spartan and rather no-frills but it's very, very clean. The room I stayed in during my stay contained a private bathroom and two bunk beds with each bed containing its own TV. There are 4 types of rooms, all with bunk beds - 1 person room, two person room, four person room and 6 person room.

Each floor contains a common area, each with a high top table which I did some work from with electric plugs nearby to charge your computer or mobile phone. This area also contains a machine dispensing filtered drinking water of various temperatures to enjoy during your stay.

If your only reason to be in Taichung is to dive at Divecube, I would definitively consider just a stay at the Divecube Hotel.

But if you plan on other activities or experiences in Taichung, I'd recommend at stay at a hotel near the city centre would be more convenient as Divecube is located in bit of f suburban-ish area and not much activity to enjoy in hits immediate vicinity.

If you do want to stay at the Divecube Hotel please consider doing it through our affiliate partners Agoda . I love the reviews on Agoda and never done me wrong before in my experience.

Full Tour of Divecube

Floor 1

Before you enter the lobby, to the left is a set of doors to the restaurant. Once in the lobby you approach the service counter where you check into your hotel room if you booked one or check-in service for your pool time. Walk past the counter and to the left is the dive shop where you can buy both freedive and scuba equipment and accessories.

A little further back is the elevator to the right and further down is the sliding glass entrance to the hotel rooms which require a swipe card.

Floor 2

There is not much on the second floor except more hotel rooms and little windows that give you a little view inside the interior of the ship.

Floor 3

You take the elevator to the third floor where there is another service desk to check-in for the diving in the office with all the PADI signage.

Next to the elevator doors is a signed poster by the deepest no fins diver in the world William Trubridge with a Post-It note message hand-written "Hanako was here" slapped on top of it which I am going to assume is from Hanako Hirose , the female 2019 AIDA World Champion, as the Japanese national diver visited Divecube with fellow national diver Sayuri Kinoshita (RIP) when they visited Taiwan in December 2018.

There is also a large classroom to teach the theory portion of a class. There is also large outdoor terrace with some chairs and tables to eat your packed lunch alfresco if you don't fancy Italian vegetarian food downstairs. This is also the level where there are large windows to give you a view into the pool.

Near the office is a sliding glass door with restricted access. After these doors you may not wear shoes in, so leave them at the cabinets by the sliding glass door. Food and drinks also not allowed beyond this point. Once through these doors are the locker rooms which have lockers (bring your own padlock), toilets, blow dryer and shower. There's even a spinner to use to dry your wet clothes.

Pack up your gear you need for diving like your fins, mask, snorkel, wetsuit, water bottle and camera equipment and head up to the fourth floor via the stairs.

Floor 4

This is the top floor and the surface of the pool. The pool has five levels of depth with the first level ideal for dynamic at only 1.3 meters, though you don't come to a deep pool to do dynamic so this area is mostly empty. The second level is 3 meters, ideal spot for practicing your duck dives or practicing your free immersion entry and equalization.

The third level reaches 7 meters in depth and where the seasonal decorations are set up. I was fortunate to have the seasonal experience with Christmas and Chinese New Year decorations. I believe they also have Valentine's and Mid-Autumn theme as well.

There are many buoys set up at all levels except for the 1.3 meter depth. When I was last there, 12 were set up including 2 above the deepest section.

Why I loved diving at Divecube?

When I first went to Divecube, it was nice because of the novelty freediving in a deep pool for the first time.

But it was more than just the novelty factor, it exceeded my expectations and I had a real hard time figuring it out why exactly it was so much fun.

I had to ponder for a while before I could posit is that diving in the pool you feel much safer. Despite being extremely comfortable freediving in the ocean, I guess there is always a subconscious worry about the unpredictable dangers of the ocean.

Though Divecube certainly not risk-free (just ask this guy who blacked out there ), there is no doubt being in a confined water space is substantially lower risk and thus can fully appreciate the meditative aspect of diving on one breath.

Moreover, the photos taken in the pool can be absolutely stunning. And going during different times of the day will give you different lighting from the sun, even at night you can capture the lighting from the ceiling like the video below.

But even more stunning is during the day you get rays of sun beaming through the water much like you can get in a Mexican cenote.

If you have wanted to try freediving but the ocean is a bit intimidating, consider taking a course at Divecube (see below)

Post Dive Meal

There is just one restaurant at Divecube though it does not seem related to Divecube other than being located in the same building. Before you enter into the building to the left is the restaurant. Get the table near the window to watch divers like a human aquarium. They serve sanwiches, burger, pizza, pasta, risotto and extensive drink menu.

Learning Freediving at Divecube

There are resident freedive instructors under the PADI banner at Divecube. As of 2024, there is a Englsh-speaking freedive instructor there who is also the scuba instructor. You can call Divecube directly to arrange a course with him.

External freedive instructors are welcomed at Divecube and occasionally one of the few English-speaking freedive instructors offer courses there. I've taught a few times at the pool.

And Finallly...

I hope this post was helpful in finding out more about Divecube and please share via the links below with your dive buddies. If you are interested in learning more about freediving in Taiwan, join the Taiwan Freediver's Syndicate Facebook group and if you are interested in coming down to Xiaoliuqiu to freedive, then join the Xiaoliuqiu For Foreigners Facebook Group.

Vegetarian Options on Xiaoliuqiu

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 07:02:37 GMT

Where to Eat On the Island if You are Plant-based

A lot of freedivers are vegetarian or practice a mostly plant-based diet as it boosts their performance and recovery. And we are starting to see more inquiries about vegetarian options on Xiaoliuqiu on the Facebook group XIaoliuqiu for Foreigners .

It was high time that I wrote an article about vegetarian options but I have put it off as I don't normally seek out vegetarian options. However, recently, one of my freedive students replied in a thread about vegetarian options, so we have something to work with.

Do note though that the definition of vegetarian here in Taiwan may differ from yours as dishes with small pieces of meat or lard, or soup cooked in pork bone broth or eggs/dairy would be considered vegetarian.

Vegans, in particular, will have a difficult time here unless they bring their own cooking gear which would not be so terrible as they have plenty of tasty vegetables in and around the wet market, much of it grown on the island.

For more tourist information about the island, check out my Tourist Guide to Xiaoliuqiu .

Mizi's House

This little bistro is brightly decorated with living plants that make it feel almost like a miniature nursery. Located close to the main harbor of Baishawan, it has vegetarian options like mushrooms and pumpkins with rice or pasta. They also serve pizza.

Address: No. 65-1號, Minsheng Rd, Liuqiu Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan 929

Phone: +88688614423

Opening Hours

Thursday, Sunday and Monday - 11AM–2PM, 5–7PM

Friday, Saturday - Saturday, 11AM–2PM, 5–8PM

Closed Tuesday and Wednesday

Luna Pizza

Other than Mizi's House and this place, there is quite possibly not another place that serves pizza on the island.

The pizza here is legit, not Asianized at all. I've received rave reviews from friends and students.

It's a food truck with a pizza oven on the back. Located next to Jo Scubar .

Address : 90-1 Benyu Rd, Liuqiu Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan 929

Phone: +886937802669

Opening Hours

Thursday-Monday 5-10pm

Closed Tuesday and Wednesday

Mrs. Chang's Vegetarian Cantonese Congee 粥太太蔬食廣東粥

Cantonese congee though typically a breakfast dish, is a one-dish meal that can be eaten any time of the day. Their signature congee has corn, mushroom, vegetarian meat, century egg, and Chinese green veggies. They also have pumpkin, loofah, and taro congee.

In addition, they have soup noodles and stir-fried noodles with a selection of 9 types of noodles.

According to my student, this place accommodates vegans.

Located diagonally across from the only post office on the island.

Address: No. 74, Zhongshan Rd, Liuqiu Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan 929

Phone: +88688614972

Opening Hours

Monday-Saturday 9AM–2PM, 5–8PM

Sunday, 10AM–2PM, 5–8PM

上好味食堂

I use to eat here a lot after diving. There are a few vegetarian options: seaweed dumplings, bitter melon soup, and Chinese stir-fried green veggies.

Address: No. 19-2, Fuxing Rd, Liuqiu Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan 929

Phone: +886952348362

Opening Hours

Tuesday-Sunday 10AM–2PM and 4:30–7PM

Closed Monday

Wanfan Rice Balls 丸飯

A strictly breakfast place, this is a stand in front of 陽光浮潛 that serves the best rice balls on the island. Though there are some meat options here, you can easily just choose the vegetarian ingredients to stuff your rice ball with. Each rice ball is NT$40 and I often eat two for breakfast before freediving. They are open 6am to 10am or whenever they've sold out. Check their Instagram account to see if they are open.

Buffet Options 自助餐

When I lived in Taipei I would visit these types of restaurants as it was a convenient way to have a quick and tasty meal with a lot of choices. For these types of buffet/bento restaurants, you simply go in, pick up a tray or takeaway box, check out dishes that have no meat or fish in them, and put what you want and how much you want on your plate.

Two choices:

代眾便當

One 10 meters from Seaside Cafe with no information online. Check out photo below: New Paragraph

小本愛玉

This eatery just opened several months ago and it's very Instagrammable. It has vegetarian beef noodle soup and mushroom rice as vegetarian options. Their aiyu jelly desserts are cute af as they are shaped like our sea turtles this island is famous for.

Address: No. 1號, Xinyi Rd, Liuqiu Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan 929

Phone: +886978062284

Opening Hours

7 days a week 9:30am-8pm

Street Stands

For street food stands at night you can always go to 阿亮香雞排 , 一味入魂鹽水雞 or any other food stand and pick only vegetables! 玥食堂 also does dish without any meat in them if you request it.

Others

Stay Around has a veggie burger. Hard Rock Gastropub you could just order veggie fried rice, salad and french fries. And Good Thai has Thai-style stir-fried veggies, papaya salad and mushroom soup with galangal and lemongrass.

Update

Here are some places that have opened up recently or open for awhile but we haven't discovered which we haven't had time to check out ourselves but do offer vegan/vegetarian options.

佛心素食

Mangiare

Day Lily - Vegan Friendly

Good Thai

Zoy Thai

Dessert

And if you are in a pinch, not the most diabetes-friendly diet, but there are a plethora of vegetarian dessert options on all corners of the island. My favorite shaved ice place is Ice Queen , they have a NT$50 shaved ice called 古早味 which is great value if your order is for just eating and not taking photos a more Instagrammable version with all the same ingredients would cost more than double.

There are several fruit stands dotted around the island as well with two in the main part of the island next to Lixia , which is a beautiful place to have a coffee by the way.

Yellow Smoothie Bowl is also a good option if your sweet tooth is more Western and "healthy".

And that's it from me. Please check in regularly as I plan to update this. If anyone has any places to include on this list please drop me a line at ray@freedivenomad.com or Line @freedive_nomad. If you'd like to learn the art of one-breath diving , check out my main page .

If you are planing a trip to Xiaoliuqiu, let us help you. My wife and I run a concierge service and help consult visitors on your trip to the island. You pay nothing extra, but each vendor for anything we help you book will give us a commission and the price for each service is the same whether you book through us or not. Fill out this form and let us know your needs. Services we help book our transport to the island and on the island, accommodations and activities like babysitting, SUP, scuba, freediving, glass bottom boat etc.

Winter Freediving in Xiaoliuqiu is Better Than Summer

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 10:20:42 GMT

Winter is Coming

As we come to the close of summer in Xiaoliuqiu and Taiwan, I wanted to reach out to all those divers suffering from cryophobia (yes, that’s a real word), or fear of the cold, with some warm advice (yes, pun intended):

“WINTERS COMING BUT THE DIVING IS BETTER, ACTUALLY”

Yes, year round diving is one of the five reasons I used to declare that Xiaoliuqiu is the number one freediving destination in Taiwan in my Xiaoloiuqiu Freedive Guide and summer diving is definitely possible but there are challenges to diving on Xiaoliuqiu during the summer months.

Freediving in Xiaoliuqiu in the Summer

Crowds

As with most vacation spots, Xiaoliuqiu also sees a summer rush of tourists with August being the worst month. This means higher prices for accommodation and many popular spots crowded: crowds at the restaurants, crowds in the water, crowds on some of the smaller beaches.

When it's crowded there could be around 100 divers diving in a particular area for training or teaching courses which is usually Meirendong or Dafu. You'll often get up to 4-5 buoys latched onto a mooring buoy.

Getting into or out of the water is like going in and out of a Taipei department store during rush hour.

And there's not just freedivers out there, there are scuba divers and increasingly more and more SUP and kayakers. Two weeks ago I saw some 30 SUP and kayakers coming in and out of Dafu at the same time in the small mouth of the entrance. Crazy.

Then you have to deal with your scooter. The road at Dafu is steep and narrow with a few scuba trucks in the way is a recipe for falling off your scooter.

After spending most of my adult life in big crowded urban cities like Hong Kong, Shanghai, Berkeley and Taipei, I'm ready to ride out this phase of my life in relative seclusion, away from crowds. But if you don't mind crowds, by all means, ignore this section and move along.

Hot

I've never been a fan of the heat, especially when you add some humidity into the mix. Unlike cold weather where you can improve your bundling up strategy and buying more layers, there's not much you can do about the heat when you are outdoors except strategically covering up, shade and a robust hydration plan.

The highs here over the summer average 32 degrees Celsius with 80% humidity which is not ridiculously hot, but you tend to spend a lot more of your time outdoors here as you would with most small islands. And though I've helped adapt to the heat through cold immersion therapy, the summer heat still is really uncomfortable and can eventually wear you down until fatigue sets in.

But if you are heat loving like reptiles, no issues for you

Weather Conditions

It rains here 20x more during the summer months versus the winter months.

Why would rain matter if we are diving, we're all getting wet anyways right?

And rain brings much needed water to Taiwan especially when we were in a drought earlier this year.

The rain itself is not really the direct issue except the roads are a little slicker and increasing your chances of an accident, but visibility in the water is quite poor during and days after a rainy day. This is because rain brings grains of soil and dirt from running off the land which reduces visibility to as low as one meter. Which is not the end of the world, I have dove in places with poor visibility, but it certainly does reduce your enjoyment of diving.

During summer, sometimes grey skies and rain can last for 2-3 week periods, every year is different but this year saw 4 such periods. It can be very depressing when living here and disappointing if you are coming for a visit.

Summer is also typhoon season, a nightmare if you are taking a course and need to reschedule as schedules are quite full during the summer for many of the freedive instructors.

Why Autumn and Winter is Awesome

Less Crowded

Winter is definitely less crowded in Xiaoliuqiu except if there is a holiday like National Day.

Last year was a bit of an anomaly and was more crowded than usual as the rest of the world was shut off and Xiaoliuqiu was one of the only two places in Taiwan you can dive during the winter, the other being Kenting. With Taiwan looking to stay closed for the foreseeable future, it looks like this will repeat itself this winter.

Even when its more crowded than usual, it's still not really that bad.

No Rain, Better Visibility

Let's face it, when it rains on a small island, it sucks. Small island life is meant to be spent outdoor and the lack of indoor spaces reflect that. If it rains, there's not much to do but sit in your room and wait it out or walk or ride your scooter in the rain.

When it rains, it sucks to be here. But unlike you, who probably come here to either dive or relax in the island vibes, you ain't doing either when it rains. June, July and August brings the most rain according to Wikipedia .

As stated earlier rainfall is 20x that of the winter months while the winter months has 20% less sun hours, pretty awesome trade off in my humble opinion.

And with no rain, you get better visibility. 20-30 meters or more of visibility usually.

Burn a lot more calories

Thermal conductivity of water is 20x that of air so being in colder water will burn more calories as your body boosts metabolism to bring your body temperature back to normal by burning through your glycogen and fat stores.

That's why even though if you are 30 degrees of water which is only about 6 degrees colder than normal human body temperature, you will eventually start to feel cold after awhile even with a 3mm wetsuit on.

This is a major reason why once you start freediving regularly, kilograms will just melt off you. It's the easiest weight I ever lost and while eating a ton of food.

Not Hot, Not Cold

Winter last year was a bit of an anomaly as air temperatures dipped in the single digits celsius many times as did most of Taiwan. But the average low and high is 18-27° C; sounds like spring weather to me. Year round shorts weather for me and at most you just need to layer with a hoodie and/or a beanie. Average water temperature is 25°C in the winter which for me, a 3mm wetsuit if fine.

The water did get as low as 21° last year but I was fine with just a 3mm, but admittedly most people won't so you may need to add another layer of neoprene.

How to Prepare for the Cold

I sepnt most of 2020 diving in California and Las Vegas where water temperatures were 15-17 degrees Celsius, even in the summer. Cold water diving will require proper preparation.

Wetsuit Hacks

If you don't have one already, get a specialized two piece freedive wetsuit. These are warmer because 1) the attached hood which prevents water from entering from the neck 2) no zipper, zippers leak water 3) two piece allows for a more contoured fit than one piece thus less water pooling on the inside. And if you get a custom wetsuit, even better.

You could also get an open-cell wetsuit which has naked neoprene on the inside of the suit which sticks to your skin quite tight and thus keeps you semi-dry in an open cell wetsuit. You have to use water (preferably warm water) plus a lubricant of some kind to get into it, but it's well worth the hassle to keep warm.

I also have neoprene vests from decathlon which students can wear under or over their wetsuit giving an extra layer to cover your core to keep warm.

If you are on the more extreme side of cryophobia, you might want to consider upgrading to a 5mm wetsuit for winter.

On back-to-back weekends in Vegas diving in 16 degree waters, I dove once with a 7mm scuba wetsuit with a hood on and a 5.5mm open cell two piece freedive wetsuit and I can say with 100% certainty that the 5.5mm freedive wetsuit was much warmer.

Cover your hands, feet and head and vest

A lot of divers in warm waters leave their hands, feet and sometimes head exposed. However, these three body parts emit a lot of heat. Covering your feet with booties, hands with neoprene gloves and head with your hood at all times will prevent you from losing heat and getting cold

Cold exposure therapy

Check out this article on cold exposure therapy . If you are a freediver, you know that your body can adapt to pressure, higher CO2 levels and hypoxic conditions. It's no different with temperature.

If you expose yourself to the cold to a gradually greater degree, your body will adapt. You can start with taking cold showers everyday, not wearing a sweater when its a smidgen cold and then eventually jump into ice baths.

After months of 1-2x per week ice baths in 13 degree water for 30 minutes over 3 months a few years ago, I was able to take my dog out for a walk with nothing but t-shirt, shorts and sandals in 5 degree weather. The body is amazing.

Bring warm water to drink through the dive

Just as high thermo conductivity of water can make you cold, it can also make you warm. Drinking warm liquids is an effective method of warming yourself up from the inside out. The opposite is true with ice water on a hot summers day. Hydrating is important during a dive session, you might as well make it do two tings for you: hydrating and warming you up.

Time to Book a Course

So if you think that summer's gone and you've missed the chance to take a freedive course, very respectfully, you are wrong. So go ahead of read this guide to English speaking freedive instructors and book your freedive course now!

Contact me here if you'd like to discuss taking a course from me.

Xiaoliuqiu - Perfect Weekend Trip From Taipei

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 00:52:42 GMT

Get Ready to Buy Your Train Tickets

My beautiful Xiaoliuqiu.

Most of the people I know in Taiwan have never visited this island I now call home. And an even large number never even heard of it until I moved here in November 2020 to teach freediving courses .

I myself never visited the island until I was nearly a resident of Taipei, Taiwan for nearly a decade so I can see how this amazing place can fly under the radar.

But not only do they barely know anything about the island, they have no idea how easy and painless it is to get here which makes it a perfect weekend getaway for Taipei residents.

And if you live even closer like in Tainan or Kaohsiung , even better.

And if you want to help visualizing my favorite places to eat on Xiaoliuqiu check out my TIkTok videos .

What Makes a Perfect Weekend Trip?

A perfect weekend trip should be restful and relaxing. You've worked hard enough Monday through Friday already. And return back on Sunday evening in time to get a full nights sleep before facing the work week on Monday.

I've done quick weekend trips to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila or Tokyo from Taipei. Getting to the airport, going through crowded security and then being stuck in a metal tube traveling hundreds of kilometers an hour for a few hours and then doing that all over again less than 48 hours later arriving late Sunday night is tough. It takes its toll and I feel like I need another few days just to recover from that weekend trip.

Since living here, I've met many and heard of many people who have made Xiaoliuqiu their go-to destination for the weekend.

And why not? Shouldn't weekend trips be painless and easy?

Xiaoliuqiu Quick Facts

Xiaoliuqiu is a tiny island located 13 kilometers off the Southwest shores of Taiwan proper.

Xiaoliuqiu is also known as Lamay, Liuqiu Island, Ryukyu Island, and Lambai Island and officially as Liuqiu Township, which reflects its rich history.

Originally inhabited by an aboriginal tribe until they were wiped out by the Dutch nearly 400 years ago in retaliation for the murders of a shipwrecked Dutch crew decades before.

Back in the day a tuna fishing powerhouse, its still relatively unknown or at least not visited by most residents of Taiwan. Tourism on the island started to boom in 2004 when it was included as part of the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area.

For more information, read my tourist guide to Xiaoliuqiu blog post.

Easy To Get To

I usually greet my friends and freediving students at the ferry pier when they arrive and the comment I get the most is "I can't believe how fast and easy it was to get here" as I notice their joy and amazement of the ease of getting to this beautiful destination.

Most people get here door to door in 4.5 hours thus if you leave Taipei in the early morning you can get nearly two full days on the island before taking the last ferry at 5pm and getting to your place in Taipei ready for a full night of sleep before you schlep yourself to the office on Monday morning.

You can see the video below my friend and student Tyler telling us he left his house in Taipei at 7:15am and arrived on the island at not even 11:15am.

Xiaoliqiu has by far the easiest access out of all the outlying island. It'll nearly take you the whole weekend to get to Orchid Island or Green Island and taking the plane is the only way to do Penghu, Matsu or Kinmen over a weekend.

How to Get To Xiaoliuqiu

For a weekend trip, I suggest taking the Taiwan High Speed Rail . Once you are in the THSR station in Taipei, its just another 1.5-2 hours on the bullet train followed by another 40 minute car ride to the ferry terminal in Dong Gang and then another 20 minutes on the ferry.

The cost for the train is about NT$1500 and you can buy it at 7-11, at the train station or on the app . I love using the app as I can just use the QR code generated by the app as my ticket to enter and exit the train.

Of course there are other ways to get to Xiaoliuqiu other than the high speed rail, but not ideal for a weekend trip., Once I took an overnight bus from Taipei to Kaohsiung for one of my freedive courses on the island. But I did arrive pretty tired.

You can either take a car (Uber, taxi or private car service) which will set you back about NT$1000-1200, a shuttle bus from Zuoying HSR station (NT$139), or book a shared van to Dong Gang (NT$200).

You have a choice of four ferry companies to get to Xiaoliuqiu costing NT$230 each way which you can read more about on my blog post about the Xiaoliuqiu ferry .

Year Round Destination

Not only is it easier to get to Xiaoliuqiu than any other outlying island, you can come to Xiaoliuqiu year round. Obviously summer you can enjoy all the other outlying islands but certainly not in the winter.

Its not that its too cold but the winter brings strong winds from the north which Xiaoliuqiu is the only one which is naturally protected from.

Summer is probably the worse time to come to Xiaoliuqiu because it's crowded, hot and lots of rain. Though it can still be an enjoyable trip, just check the weather forecast ahead of time.

What to Do On Xiaoliuqiu

There's something to be said about doing nothing and just enjoying the small island vibes and nature. Dig your feet in the sand on the beach, swim in the ocean and watch the turtles, buy a can of beer at the 7-11 and bring it to the west side of the island to enjoy the sunset.

Enjoy the noticeably slower pace of life here versus the big city. This is a place to unwind and enjoy the simple pleasures in life, especially if its just a weekend you need to rest and recharge.

However, if you are more inclined to an active weekend, there is snorkeling, SUP, kayaking, scuba and freediving of course. If you are into endurance sports I've seen people running, hiking and cycling around the island. Even walking, the most under rated form of exercise, is very enjoyable with the views.

If you are interested in taking a one day discover freediving course you can book through Tripadvisor or contact me directly.

Guaranteed to See a Sea Turtle

The sea turtles are the major attraction here and if you are doing a water sport be it freediving, scuba, SUP you are almost guaranteed to see one and take a photo with one when you make it to the water. I can't remember the last time I've been in the water and not seen a sea turtle.

But What About Kenting

You're right, Kenting is also a great place for a weekend trip from Taipei. It takes about the same time to get to as Xiaoliuqiu and also is relatively protected from the winter winds. You have a better and wider choice of activities and the beaches are better than Xiaoliuqiu, though they aren't bad at all on this island.

But Kenting is more spread out and going from one place to another can take awhile versus on Xiaoliuqiu the longest it takes for you to get from point A to point B is 10 minutes but almost everything will only be a few minutes away on a scooter. Personally for a weekend trip, I like to visit smaller and more quaint places.

This blog post about 3 days in Kenting from Tricky Taipei gives an honest view about her time in Kenting. Read through the comments to get some balance on Kenting.

And as big and wonderful as Kenting is, Xiaoliuqiu is small and quaint. Small island vibe is much different than big beach resort vibe. It's like comparing Phuket, Thailand to Boracay, Philippines.

And you aren't guaranteed sea turtles in Kenting.

Xiaoliuqiu is Changing

For the better or worse? That's up for everyone's own interpretation.

Having been a resident here for nearly a year, I see big changes happening. New hip businesses to serve tourists and big buildings being erected seemingly overnight.

Cool cafes have sprung up, a big luxury hotel is in the works, and there's even 3 really good burger places which opened up in a span of a few months. A really cool bazaar just started operations recently with an Iranian store and really nice Japanese bbq place with more cool and hip businesses to come, possibly a beer garden.

I had the privilege to visit Koh Samui, Thailand and Bali, Indonesia 20 years ago and seen them develop and change massively from a backpacker/eclectic type destination to an all out tourist development. Xiaoliuqiu, in my opinion, is going through the same transformation.

Come soon, come often. Enjoy the vibes, observe the changes.

If you want more English language resources I suggest you join the Facebook group Xiaoliuqiu for Foreigners and ask any questions you may have there.

CONTACT -
Address: 66 Xiangpu Road, Liuqiu Township, Pintgung County 929

Phone: 0981163838

E-mail: ray@freedivenomad.com

Freediving Course - The New Wellness Escape | Freedive Nomad

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 02:52:43 GMT

What do you think of when you hear the word "wellness"? If I were to guess, a few things like massages, yoga classes, meditation, detoxing, and vegetarian meals. And colonics or fasting?

But what about a hike in the mountains or a freedive course? Oh yesssssss!

As awareness for holistic health practices has grown in recent years, especially during these COVID-19 times, naturally, so has demand – the wellness industry is now one of the fastest growing industries on Earth. And along with growing demand came the ever-expansion of the field of "wellness".

What is Wellness?

Wellness is not just about our physical health. It goes beyond your body’s own needs and wants, incorporating a holistic approach to one's health.

There are many other aspects that contribute towards achieving this goal; mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being should also be included when considering what constitutes the definition of “wellness."

Freediving is Wellness

Freediving is an increasingly popular activity in the wellness world because of its strong emphasis on mental aspect. It can also help reduce stress and anxiety, increase mental acuity, as well as improve mood - or basically chill you the f*** out.

Moreover, freediving can be one hell of a mindfulness practice because when you are holding your breath and diving you must be present and aware of yourself and your surroundings and nothing else. Many consider freediving a form of meditation .

My Story of Freediving and Healing

I took my beginner and intermediate freedive course on Xiaoliuqiu (Taiwan) as a tourist , where I've been lucky enough to live and teach freediving courses .

At that time, I was fighting two battles: fibromyalgia and recovering mentally from a divorce and custody battle that lasted eight years that finalized two years prior.

Learning freediving has been one of the most amazing, healing, and rewarding experiences of my life. In and of itself, it's very rewarding, but on top of that, it helped me heal from these two challenges.

When I first took a freedive course, I thought it would be great to dive and explore the underwater world up close without having to strap a big scuba tank on my back.

What I soon found out, and this was a total surprise, was that freediving was a way of life, a healthier and happier one.

And it is a holistic, healthy way of life as you must combine several aspects of wellness to progress, like physical fitness, the ability to relax, breathwork, meditation, mindfulness, and nutrition. Despite it being hard work, physically, after those two courses, I felt a rejuvenation to a level I never quite felt.

I love massages, spa treatments, yoga, float tanks, and vegetarian food for a day, but 3-4 days of that, which is what a typical freedive course lasts, would do my head in. I need to stay busy otherwise, my brain will go places I don't want it to go. Moreover, for me anyways, these traditional wellness modalities effectiveness felt more ephemeral.

Being a bit out of shape as I was working an office job for most of the daylight hours between Monday and Friday, the 4-5 day freedive course was quite physically challenging, made worse by my fibromyalgia which made my body stiff and sore every morning, especially after training in Brazilian Jiujtisu to the point I've pretty much given up on my favorite sport I discovered as an adult.

Despite this, I felt relaxed, rejuvenated, and energized. I felt younger and the best I've felt physically since my diagnosis of fibromyalgia in 2015.

As I read through this again, some of the claims seem unbelievable or exaggerated. I can see that. But I changed the course of my entire life to further pursue this art of breath-hold diving simply because of the way it made me feel.

Ever since I started freediving, I've researched precisely why it makes me feel so happy, healthy, rejuvenated, and calm ie all the words you would associate with wellness.

Here are some of the things I discovered:

Blue Mind - The Science of Being in Water

Even before I was freediving, I was fascinated with the ocean.

When I look back at my childhood, a lot of my good memories involved the water. Snorkeling in Hawaii, fishing and rolling around the waves in Pismo Beach, family holidays on house boats in lakes.

And as an adult, I've always been drawn to the ocean or large bodies of water, as my preference for holidays was usually by the ocean: Bali, Indonesia, Phuket and Koh Samui in Thailand, Boracay in the Philippines and Kenting, Taiwan.

The Blue Mind is a book written by Wallace J Nichols that uses science to explain and quantify the positive mental and physical effects of water.

If you don't have time to read the book, check out one of his Ted Talks , you'll be instantly inspired to go to the ocean, I GUARANTEE IT.

Thus the Blue Mind has become a concept to describe this positive phenomenon when around water. It is an antidote to the Red Mind which unfortunately is the base state a lot of us in modern society are in which is stressed, overstimulated, anxious etc.

The Blue Mind also counteracts the Grey Mind which Nichols refers to spending too much time indoors and in front of screens which can lead to decreased energy levels, erratic mood levels and lack of motivation.

Brain scans have shown that when we are near water the brain is flooded with feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin and decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It's no wonder why surfing is a treatment for PTSD for military veterans in the US. Every time I dive, I feel like the ocean is giving me a badly needed hug.

And did you know one of the two origins of the word spa is from the Latin word Salus per Aquam" or "health from water". So the healing properties of water has been known for a long long time.

So simply by being in the water makes freediving a wellness activity. But there's more.....

The Wedge: Calm Under Stress

Ever since I started freediving, I've experienced a persistent calmness in my life like I've never experienced before.

It's one thing to be calm under mostly normal or moderately stressful situations. It's another thing to be calm under enormous stress.

Feeling the urge to breathe when you can't can be one of the scariest situations a human can face; it is a threat to your survival. And even if you know your life is not at risk, your body doesn't; that's why it triggers the Mammalian Dive Reflex ; it's a SURVIVAL instinct.

Progression in freediving is achieved by learning to remain calm and relaxed despite your body's perceived threat of survival.

The Wedge is a book written by Scott Carney. The Wedge is the choice to separate your response from a stimulus.

We all have pre-programmed responses to specific stimuli from when we were a child. As a child, when we encounter a new stimulus, our brain will record our reactions into neural symbols. The next time you encounter a similar stimulus, your brain will tap the neural symbol for the reaction rather than using the brain to process it all over again. It's like your body's browser caching data from each website.

By repeatedly putting our body under environmental stressors, we can develop a wedge between the stimulus and our reaction. All you need is a mere few seconds, enough time to choose another reaction under your current emotional state rather than that of your five-year-old self. This gives you emotional resilience.

The author achieved this by having kettlebells thrown at him, going into hot saunas and ice baths, extreme breathwork, and ayahuasca to test this concept on himself and he concluded that once you master staying calm under pressure in other activities, you can generalize this skill in other areas of your life.

Since I started freediving, I have been able to use the wedge in my daily life. It takes a lot to get me mad or angry these days. Now, when I'm faced with something that would normally upset me a few years ago, I remain calm and can think through my next actions rationally. My road rage now, which has steadily but slowly improved since I was a teenager, is now at an absolute zero.

And I get that from freediving. When I dive and feel the urge to breathe, my body and mind flip a switch to relax. It's quite natural for me now, and I find my first reaction under an acute stressor is to relax, which is a more ideal reaction than flipping out or getting upset.

Breathwork

One of the most popular wellness modalities today is breathwork. Breathwork has been used for centuries to help people deal with stress, anxiety and depression.

This being the art of breath-hold diving, breathwork is an inseparable part of freediving.

Not only do you develop stronger and more flexible respiratory muscles, you also increase your tolerance to carbon dioxide , which has many health benefits.

The diaphragm is at the core of respiratory muscles. Through freediving, you will strengthen your diaphragm. This translates to a stronger core (helps ease back pain), improves sport and exercise performance and improves health as you won't need to work so hard to give your body oxygen.

James Nestor who wrote one of the most interesting books on freediving I've read called Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us About Ourselves .

Nestor was not a freediver before he went to cover a freediving competition in Greece as a journalist and the book is about his journey and discovery in freediving. He covers topics like freediving with sperm whales, how freedivers aided the shark tagging in Seychelles to prevent shark attacks, the group of Japanese women in Japan who still freedive daily to harvest pearls, and competition freediving.

This led him to realize the importance of breath and breathwork, and his next book was a very deep dive into breathing called Breathe , which is a fascinating read about an overlooked bodily function, yet if you know how to control and manipulate it, it can have profound effects on your mind, physiology, and health.

Even former UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya is incorporating freedive-type training into his training and he credits that to help him not be so winded when he's fighting over five rounds.

“A perfect man breathes as if he is not breathing.”

— Lao Tzu

With more freediving, your body will build up more tolerance to carbon dioxide as carbon dioxide levels increases when you hold your breath. Higher CO2 tolerances is correlated with lower anxiety and healthier person .

It also translates to higher nitric oxide production which increases the elasticity of your blood vessels . . Since I started freediving, I've been able to halve the amount of medication I've needed to control my hypertension for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Counterintuitive, but higher CO2 levels means easier access to oxygen for your body as it raises the acidity in your blood decreasing the strength of the bond between oxygen and hemoglobin which is the Bohr Effect .

Freediving is by far not the end all be all of breathwork, but it'll give you a proper introduction to the practice.

Intermittent Hypoxic Training

This is all the rage in performance athletics these days. Intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) is where athletes workout in a slightly hypoxic state whether that be training at altitude or breathing through an apparatus with reduced oxygen. Hypoxic training has been shown to confer many positive physiological changes for athletes and health benefits.

It has been shown to improve blood flow, oxygen transport, nitric oxide and even stem cell production.

It's all a matter of dose as moderate hypoxia has shown to have the most benefit but going beyond that will start to have a deleterious effect.

Though studies have not been done on IHT in the context of freediving, this is definitely a promising area to research more in the future.

Low-Impact Exercise

With fibromyalgia, any physical exertion, even moderately, would have me aching and feeling sore the next day. Exercise is so important for your general health, but it's difficult to persist and enjoy it when your body feels slammed the next day and it's difficult to get out of bed.

The combination of freediving and fibromyalgia made me fully appreciate the benefits of low-impact exercise. When I was learning to freedive, we were swimming hundreds of meters offshore on top of the vertical distance we were covering during diving. During my courses, I was alone or had only one other student with me, so I was doing more dives than typical for a freedive course.

At the end of the day, I felt physically exhausted, but in a good way; more importantly, I did not feel achy and sore the next day. In fact, I felt reinvigorated and rejuvenated, springing out of bed despite the intense physical activity relative to what I was used to the prior day.

So if you are a weekend warrior that's just moderately in shape and want to be active during a "wellness holiday," then freediving could be a sport to get into with no massage and ibuprofen needed the next day.

Conclusion

These are just a few of the many reasons that freediving can contribute to your mental and physical health and why activities like these are fast becoming an integral part of a wellness retreat.

If you are interested in taking a freedive course from me in Taiwan, please send me an e-mail at ray@freedivenomad.com. My wife has also put together a wellness package which includes breathwork class, 1 day discover freediving course and massage training course.

The Famous Sea Turtles of Xiaoliuqiu (Lambai Island)

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 04:05:53 GMT

Hundreds of thousands of tourist flock to Xiaoliuqiu, Taiwan every year. Many come here to freedive, scuba, SUP, snorkel or just to simply relax on a small island. The one thing that most of them have on the top of their lists to do or see, the famous sea turtles of Xiaoliuqiu.

UPDATE - In June 2021 there was an oil leak which made it to the area of the iconic Vase Rock beach which is home to a lot of the island's sea turtles. A recent aerial survey showed that the sea turtles naturally avoided the oil spill and counted a whopping 805 turtles that populate the island, significantly more than the 200+ as previously thought.

Sea Turtle Species

Did you know that sea turtles are the largest reptiles of the sea? Like humans, they also need to breathe with their lungs and if they cannot make it to the surface in time they could suffocate and drown.

There are seven species of sea turtles in the world of which five on them can be found in Taiwan:

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List it gets its name from the green-colored fat beneath its shell and is found in all temperature and tropical waters around the world.

Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta)

This species, listed as vulnerable, gets its name because of its large head and it likes to feed in bays and shallow water in the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Ocean

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

This species, listed as vulnerable, gets its name for the olive green color of its shell and can be found in waters in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian ocean.

Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

One of the smaller species of sea turtles and listed as critically endangered, it gets its name from the narrow head with hawk-like beak. Its found in the tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean.

Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Primarily found in the open ocean, this species listed as vulnerable, has a unique shell which is composed of a thin rubbery skin which makes it look leathery.

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)

Named after Richard Kemp who helped discover the species and only found in East Cost of the US, Gulf of Mexico and Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Listed as critically endangered.

Flatback Sea Turtle (Natator depressus)

Like most the sea turtles on this list, this species get its name becuase of one of its physical traits, this one having an incredibly flat back. Found only in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Xiaoliuqiu - Green Turtle Paradise

Because of the abundance of sea turtles on the island, among its numerous other names (Lambai Island, Lamay, Little Ryukyu, Liuqiu Island to name a few) Xiaoliuqiu is also nicknamed "Green Turtle Paradise".

Xiaoliuqiu is a coral island which sets itself apart from other outlying islands Green Island, Orchia Island and Penghu as being formed from volcanic eruptions. It is quite small at only 6.8 square kilometers. For more information on Xiaoliuqiu read my other blog post Complete Tourist Guide to Xiaoliuqiu (Lambai Island) - 2021 .

There are hundreds of green sea turtles that inhabit Xi aoliuqiu and a few hawksbill sea turtles. Xiaoliuqiu has more sea turtles than any other of the outlying islands of Taiwan. The turtles are very friendly and are not afraid of humans at all.

One of the reasons why I love teaching freediving on Xiaoliuqiu is almost every single time I go in the ocean, whether that is to freedive or swim, I will see a sea turtle. This is also great from a freedive students as almost all of them will leave their freedive course on Xiaoliqiu with a photo of them swimming near a sea turtle so they can cherish their memories and post on social media.

And don't worry, you don't need to be a freediver to see the turtles. You can swim very near shore and be able to see some. You can even see them from the surface of the beach or while kayaking or stand up paddle boarding.

If you don't know how to swim, there are two options for seeing them underwater. 1) Take a boat tour with a glass-bottom boat or with windows beneath the surface 2) Go on a snorkeling tour. Ability to swim is not necessary for a snorkeling tour as everyone wears a life vest and the guide will pull you around as you hand onto a surface float. Minimum age is 3 years old.

Touching or feeding a turtle is illegal and fines for doing so can be very heavy. Authorities are vigilant about this as two people have been caught just a few hours of posting a video on social media of them touching a turtle. For the sake of the turtles, please follow the guidelines in the photo below.

Why are there so many turtles in Xiaoliuqiu?

The island is a very suitable places for the sea turtles to inhabit. This is because coral reefs are not far from shore where the turtles can rest and have plenty of food like seaweed. A long time ago the locals use to dig up the eggs for protein, but thanks to better transportation, there is enough food for the humans on the island and no longer need to rely on eating turtle eggs.

In 2013, The Liuqiu Fishermen’s Association in Pingtung County banned the use of gill nets for fishing within 3 nautical miles of Xiaoliuqiu. This removed one of the sea turtles biggest threats, resulting in increasing numbers of sea turtles since. Volunteers also regularly go out and clear rubbish and clear fishing nets and have contributed to the rise in numbers.

Male or Female?

It'll take 20 years before a sea turtle is sexually mature and its not easy to determine the sex of the turtle until then. When they are mature, they can be distinguished by their tail length. Males have longer tails, 25cm or longer and the females much shorter. You can tell if they are sexually mature by the length of the curve of their shell, over 85cm.

Like salmon, females return to their birthplace to lay their eggs. When the females are in heat, they start to make their way back to their birthplace, and the males as well. Using tracking devices, researches have found the turtles of Xiaoliuqiu migration range is as far as Pratas Island, Japan or the Philippines. And they don't even need a passport or go through a two week quarantine. Lucky!

Sea Turtles Laying Eggs

Almost all beaches in Xiaoliuqiu have sea turtle laying eggs. The spawning season is from May to September but also the time when there are the most tourists in Xiaoliuqiu.

The mother turtle may go ashore four or five times. She digs holes on the shore from night till daybreak, and she lays eggs only when she feels right, often without success.

Unfortunately, the development and construction of this small island has made the beaches smaller and smaller and fewer female turtles make it ashore each year to lay their eggs in Xiaoliuqiu.

Sea turtle eggs take 50 days to hatch. The gender of the baby sea turtles is determined by the temperature of the beach they are incubated and hatched in, with a low temperature facilitating more males eggs than females and higher temperatures (29 C or above) creating mostly female babies. I can't imagine what this world would be like if that were also true for humans.

Female tortoises lays eggs once every four years. Although each female tortoise lays hundreds of eggs, there are many natural enemies of eggs and small turtles.

Lottery Survival

Baby turtle survival rate is one one out of a thousand with main threats to them are man-made destruction and the babies eaten by birds, crabs and fish even though they have evolved to be able to retract their limbs into their shells for protection.

Due to its many predators, coupled with the late maturity of sea turtles, and excessive human catching, the number of sea turtles is rapidly declining, and it is a species in urgent need of conservation.

If you have any questions about Xiaoliuqiu, the Facebook group Xiaoliuqiu for Foreigners is a great forum to ask. Inspired to learn freediving so you can see turtles? Start by checking out my free resources for beginner freedivers , including a podcast, online course, and ebook.

CONTACT -
Address: 20-12 Xingzheng Road, Pintgung County 929

Phone: 0981163838

E-mail: ray@freedivenomad.com

Xiaoliuqiu Ice Bath Social Club

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 23:39:10 GMT

What are the benefits?

Never done an ice bath but interested? Do you hate the heat? Always looking for different ways to socialize?

Then the Xiaoliuqiu Ice Bath Social Club might be something you would be interested in doing if you live on Xiaoliuqiu or coming here for a visit especially if you are a weekend warrior and feeling the after effects of being in the sun all day and being more active physically than you are used to like a weekend warrior .

I also include ice baths as an add-on service for my freedive course as a freedive course can be quite physically demanding for the unaccustomed and quick recovery is important.

Check out this ice bath video on YouTube I shot recently with one of my students trying to cure her hangover.

How do cold baths reduce inflammation and pain? (RECOVERY)

An underappreciated aspect of improving as an athlete, whether you are a professional or a weekend warrior, is recovery. Recovery is where you make your “gains”. Quick recovery ensures that you can continue your training the next day.

There are many methods of recovery including stretching, massage (try out Stretchology Asia ) and compression gear but ice baths are one of the most powerful methods in stamping out inflammation and delayed-onset muscle pain.

When you immerse yourself in ice cold water, your blood vessels constrict and when you get out they dilate which helps flush away metabolic waste post-workout especially from lymph nodes. This increases your blood flow floods cells with essential nutrients that will give the body an edge to recover faster.

The ice bath also reduces your core body temperature, which has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Cold baths help you relax and sleep better

"More than 80% of athletes taking ice baths report improved mental state and far better sleep patterns." from isportcool.com

A clinical study showed that cold immersion can lower the stress hormone cortisol by 25-34% helping you to relax and decrease your stress levels; and with this you will sleep better.

A good night's sleep is also vitally important to recover from a workout. And with a good recovery, you can have a better workout in subsequent days improving your gains and preventing over-training, something we hear a lot about in freediving .

A 1 hour soak in a 14 degree C bath also increases dopamine by 250%. Dopamine is hormone and a neurotransmitter and known as the "feel good hormone". Not only do you feel great after a cold soak but also dopamine is an important hormone for sleep regulation.

Cold exposure also helps stimulate the vagus nerve which is responsible for your parasympathetic response.

QUELLS PAIN

This is what drove me to try ice baths in the first place. Around 2015 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia . It's really hard to describe to what it feels like exactly, but it feels like you are about to have a cold, everyday, all the time. My body is aching pain all over all the time, especially in the morning. And on top of that, low energy level and bad sleep.

Regular ice baths made this condition bearable and manageable.

I also have a terrible gluten intolerance. When I have been glutenized it is just awful pain. It's like the worst hangover is the best way I could describe it. I have tried all kinds of pain killers, natural and pharmaceutical. If I listed it out it would be close to 20 things I have tried for pain and nothing relieved that pain quite like an ice bath.

I know this is only anecdotal but I imagine the combination of the two above (anti-inflammation and relaxation) helps combat the pain.

Burn calories and lose weight

Submerging yourself in a cold bath will lower your core body temperature and as you do that, your body is working hard to prevent your body temperature from plummeting too much, therefore it boosts your metabolism.

A one hour soak in 20 degree C boosted your metabolic rate by 93% and in a 14 degree C bath by 350%. That is HUGE and a massive amount of calories burnt.

Thus ice baths could be a good supplement to a weight loss program that includes dieting and exercise.

Improved Thermoregulation

If you are a freediver like me, you know your body has an amazing ability to adapt to extreme physical situations, like depth, holding your breath etc. And its no different for temperature.

I started regular cold baths several years ago to combat my pain from fibromyalgia. And I knew that a side effect of that was I would be able to withstand cold a lot easier. And I was.

I remember one winter (photo above) when I was regularly taking cold baths it reached zero degrees in Taipei and even snowed at night. Now by this point, I was hardly even wearing a hoodie when I went out, but I wanted to experiment and took my dog out for a walk when it was single digits C in the afternoon for half an hour wearing no more than shorts, tshirt and sandals with no socks. It was a bit cold, but quite tolerable.

What I didn't know that the adaptation would happen the other way as well. I have spent over 20 years in Asia, and I absolutely hate Asian summers because of the humidity. It was extremely uncomfortable and draining my energy every summer. I would have thought after 20 years I would have gotten used to it, but didn't. Until I started ice baths.

Whenever I do regular ice baths, I can easily withstand an Asian humid summer. I no longer am dripping with sweat, not terribly uncomfortable and most importantly, not sucking my energy.

I'm not sure how this exactly works, but I posit that your body is getting a good workout returning your body temperature to homeostasis and that it makes that mechanism stronger whether it brings your core body temperature up from the cold or down from the heat.

This was the main catalyst for me starting ice baths on Xiaoliuqiu, because I heard the summers in Xiaoliuqiu were pretty hot so I wanted to get my body prepared to withstand it without having too much of a detrimental effect me.

Boosts Immune System

Cold baths improve the circulation of your lymphatic system, which collects and carries away toxins, waste, microbes and bacteria. Lymphatic circulation stimulates white blood cells to attack and destroy these unwanted substances in the lymph systems. Thus improving your immune system's efficiency in warding off illnesses and maintaining your body's internal balance.

A study also showed that those who took regular cold showers called in sick 29% less than the control group .

So in summary, cold baths help your muscles recover, your body and mind relax, help you sleep better, puts you in a better mood which not only helps you in your training but also life in general.

Do you w ant to try ice baths? First start with cold showers and if you are in Xiaoliuqiu for a visit , join the Xiaoliuqiu for Foreigners FB group and drop us a line.

Conscious Breathing - Stress Relief

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 05:28:47 GMT

Did you know I am also a breathwork coach? I teach breathwork for stress workshops and courses online and in person.

I recently taught an online workshops to my friend Prish and some of her friends recently.

Prish is the reason I love vegetables. She is a vegan chef, but to me, she’s an artist with edible plant material. She sells amazing gourmet vegan snacks and runs vegan workshops .

Recently, she wrote about her experience with my breathwork workshop on a Taipei business-related Facebook page and with her permission, she’s allowed me to post it a below.

Guest Post By Prashantha Lachanna

I heard an interesting concept on a podcast recently which thereafter made me switch of all podcasts that focus on improving and advancing how you think/act/sleep/eat/work/play. The concept is called “knowledge obesity” .

We are compelled as humans, to advance. But, we are stuck in an age of information overload and because we’re on unconscious, automatic behaviour mode most of the time, we consume more knowledge calories that we expend. We get fat in the head but too thin on action and execution.

I’m tired of outsourcing my creativity, my built-in problem solving faculties, the precious, precious fertile “nothing” moments between big thinking periods. Those nothing moments give us time to process information and reorganize our thoughts, “mindlessly” creating amazing new things. We can’t do that if our brains are constantly engaged, harassed and harangued.

I’m learning that focusing on my breath is THE fundamental building block to releasing myself from stress, compulsion, anxiety and unconscious behaviours. It’s not “another new thing”. It’s the ORIGINAL thing before all this mental fodder gavaging us through the airwaves existed. (My next Ted talk is going to be on pop ups ads. Nothing makes me want to commit murder like a pop up ad while I’m trying to focus on an article etc).

I’ve been doing qi gong and kundalini yoga on and for a few years. Both are centered on breathwork. What I’ve discovered is that I get cool as a cucumber in moments of high stress, I sleep better, I wake happier, I’m more conscious of what I eat. I just feel more at home in my body and I feel drawn to stillness. All of this is ntuitive.

But now, I’ve got to thank breathwork coach, Ray for drawing out the intellectual principles behind that intuitive discovery. Ray is ex-corporate banking. He was in the thick of stress for most of his career. If anyone understands stress, it’s him.

Now, he’s a freedive instructor and breathwork coach living the island life in Xiao Liu Qiu with his wife.

During our online workshop, Ray outlined three types of breathing (water, whiskey, wine) and how each one affects the alkalinity/acidity of the body the toning of the nervous system and the tolerance of CO2 AND it’s benefits. Some of us put too much energy in developing our muscles rather than developing the nervous system which is even more important.

One thing that blew my mouth-breathing mind was learning that nose breathing releases neurotransmitters in the brain that signal safety. It also shapes jaw and palate development in children!!

He also explained how conscious breathwork brings us out of fight and flight and into rest and digest. Now, this is what I know from years of qi gong and kundalini but with Ray I’m understanding the mechanics.

I’m bringing it to you today because as business owners, our stress levels are...OMG, MAKE IT STAHP! I encourage you to connect to your breath, slow down, practice breathing everyday for just 5-10 minutes and see how it impacts your decision making capabilities, your ability to think on your feet and also allows you to feel a sense of accomplishment that you’re investing in your wellbeing and you’re watching your productivity climb.

Ray’s sessions are NT 1500 x 20 people (Max) and he also offers 1-1 sessions for NT 5000 x 4 30-min sessions. All online. He’s done in person corporate workshops, too. Maybe book him for after Corona leaves town. Meanwhile, you can access him online for now.

I’m not getting no kickbacks. I simply love sharing things that benefit me. I’m of the mindset that whatever I’m going through, someone else is also going through and maybe they need a solution.

This is Ray’s page . Happy exploring, learning and growing

Please email ray@freedivenomad.com if you are interested to learn Breathwork for Stress from me.

CONTACT -
Address: 66 Xianput Road, Liuqiu Township, Pintgung County 929

Phone: 0981163838

Xiaoliuqiu Taiwan Freedive Guide 2025 by a Local

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 22:07:59 GMT

Quick plug - if you are in Taiwan and would like to take a freedive course from me, click the "Connect Now" button on the top right or contact me here .

To me, freediving and Xiaoliuqiu as concepts are inseparable. It was one of the first places I dove when I started to take up scuba diving again (I got PADI certified in 2000 and didn’t scuba again until 2016 on Xiaoliuqiu). It was also where I took my level 1 (AIDA 2) and level 2 (AIDA 3) freediving courses, got my freedive certification and instrumental in the path I am on today where I am now a Molchanovs , AIDA and PADI certified freediving instructor and now based here teaching freediving.

And because of that, it is a very special place to me and a place I take pleasure in introducing to you.

Xiaoliuqiu Basics

Xiaoliuqiu is an island located off the southeast coast of Taiwan covering 6.8 square kilometers with 13,000 residents. Primary mode of transport is by scooter and can ride around the entire island in 15-20 minutes.

FUN FACT - a large majority of the island only share 10 surnames

I also wrote a pretty detailed guide for Xiaoliuqiu .

Diving in Xiaoliuqiu

A Google search reveals 12 freedive results and around 30 for scuba. There is A LOT of diving going on here.

Though there are a plethora of places to learn freediving on Xiaoliuqiu, there are only a few to choose from if you do not speak Mandarin. Check out my blog for English-speaking freedive instructors in Taiwan. Many instructors, even if they are not based on the island will travel to Xiaoliuqiu to teach courses.

FREEDIVING IN TAIWAN AND XIAOLIUQIU

Freediving took off in Taiwan around 2016, which some crediting Instagram for that explosion and there is an estimated 50+ freedive instructors on the island with only about half a dozen or so English-speaking instructors

5 Reasons Xiaoliuqiu is the number one destination for Taiwan freedivers:

Year round diving (most of Taiwan is tough to dive during the winter ) as it has a mountain range protecting it from winds
Short scooter rides from everywhere on the island to dive to shore to reach mooring lines with depths of 10m to 50m (Or a lot of places to dive down to around 18m to tie down your rope
Good variety of fun diving
Relatively easy access from whenever you are in Taiwan compared to other options like Orchid Island or Green Island.
Water temperatures year round are suitable for 3mm wetsuit

There are other places to freedive in Taiwan, but each as their own issues. In the north near Taipei you can’t dive during the winter as it gets too cold/choppy and visibility is not as good as down south. Penghu has an abundance of fish but you can’t dive in the winter and not good for depth diving. Lanyu (Orchid Island) and Green Island lies on the Southeast coast of Taiwan and winter conditions are rough. Kenting is still possible temperature wise, but the cold front from the north mixing with the warm air from the south can make for some strong winds and unstable diving conditions.

LINE DIVING/TRAINING IN XIAOLIUQIU

Xiaoliuqiu is blessed with two mains spots on the island that are opposite of each ofter on the East/West plain. Meirendong （美人洞, meaning beauty cave, lies on the Northwest corner of Xiaoliuqiu. Dafu is located on the southeast part of the island. So if one spot is choppy, the other side likely won’t be. Xiaoliuqiu also gets amazing visibility of 30m on most days.

MEIRENDONG (BEAUTY CAVE)

Access to the dive spots are a little harder on Meirendong as you have to take the stairs to access the beach (you get there on scooter with plenty of parking) and its quite rocky with moderate waves making things a little precarious. To the right is a reef to go fun diving where you can see plenty of their famous sea turtles, sometimes you can see up to 10 of them just sleeping on the reef.

To the left is line diving with the fishing nets as a sort of signpost to swim towards. A few hundred meter swim you can access depth enough to hold a beginner freediving course with instructor diving down to the bottom to tie their line to. Further beyond the fish nets, or about a 500m swim from shore, you can get 45-50m of depth depending on the current and high/low tide and you can tie onto a series of buoys surrounding the fish nets.

PRO TIP - I would bring aqua socks to this area as the beach is not sandy, its rocky and entry into the water is the same so bring them and then chuck them into the buoy when you got your fins on.

Below you can see my video of the steps down into Meirendong.

DAFU (BIG FORTUNE)

The other area for line diving is Dafu (大福) which lies on the Southeast corner of the island. Here you will have to find a mooring line to tie a freedive buoy onto. Obviously, the further you go out, the more depth you’ll get. This is where you will require some local knowledge to get the GPS co-ordinates of where the mooring lines are. There is also a mooring line on the surface called “the Cupcake” cause it's shaped like one when its floating on the surface. But it is for boats so you will need to detach if a boat moors here. Of course you can also dive and tie down to a rock, but less feasible if you are deep diver.

Video of Dafu below

XIAOLIUQIU: AN ISLAND OF MANY NAMES

Xiaoliuqiu has been known by many different names throughout its history.

Liqiu was the name of both the island and Okinawa. Little Liqiu or Xiaoliuqiu was given as a nickname to distinguish it from Okinawa which was known as Big Liuqiu for a similar reason.

Xiaoliuqiu means, little Liqiu, Liqiu was the Chinese name of nearby Okinawa before the Japanese took it over and renamed it Okinawa. In Japanese, Liuqiu, is pronounced RyuKyu. Which is why sometimes when you use Google Translate it’ll say Small Ryuku or something or Xiao Ryukyu for Xiaoliuqiu

The island is also known as Lambai Island (also Lamay), but that’s more from the English and other European languages as it was a transcription from the aboriginal name for the island.

And A long time ago it was also known as The Golden Lion which was borrowed from its Dutch name Gouden Leeuw which was in honor of the slaughtered crew of the Gouden Leeuw, but we’ll get into what that ship means in terms of the island below.

So in summary, Xiaoliuqiu can be known as XLQ (my favorite preference), Lambai Island, Lamay, Little Liuqiu, Small Ryukyu or The Golden Lion.

Confusing, right? Let's just call it XLQ!

HOW TO GET TO XIAOLIUQIU - TRANSPORT

If you are coming from outside of Taiwan, you’ll want to fly into Kaohsiung International Airport (Code KHH). With COVID-19, there are very limited flights to Kaohsiung and thus it may be necessary to fly to the capital of Taiwan, Taipei.

From the Kaohsiung airport you’ll take a taxi or Uber (cost about NT$1000 or US$30) to Dong Gang Ferry Terminal (東港碼頭）(Dong Gang means eastern harbor in Chinese).

An alternative and cheaper way is to go to the Main Station in Kaohsiung. (Train station) and in the front there are a array of bus companies. There is one company that has schedule 7 seater van leaving once an hour at least. That costs NT$150 or about US$5 and should take about 45 minutes or 30 minutes if the driver is crazy, which usually seems to be the case. Below is the sign of the company.

For more information, I wrote a detailed blog article on taking the ferry to Xiaoliuqiu

Once you exit the ferry you’ll be greeted by a number of people offering to rent you a scooter, this will be the primary mode of transport around the island. If you don’t know how to ride a scooter, this island will be inconvenient for you. You can rent a car and driver to take you to various spots, but it’s not worth it. My only advice for renting a scooter is to BARGAIN BARGAIN AND BARGAIN HARD. NT$400 a day is standard but you can get a serious discount if you rent multiple days.

If you are not able to ride a scooter there are several other options which I detail in my detailed guide to Xiaoliuqiu .

XIAOLIUQIU - AN INTERESTING PART OF TAIWAN HISTORY

In 1622, two years before the Dutch East Indies Company established a post in Taiwan, the ship Gouden Leeuw (Gold Lion) shipwrecked on Xiaoliuqiu and the crew was all murdered by the aboriginals.

In 1631 another Dutch yacht, wrecked on the island and suffered a similar fate to the Gouden Leeuw, all fifty aboard were murdered.

The Dutch, determined to seek punishment and revenge for these two incidents, sent 500 men to attack the island in 1633, which was a mix of Dutch, Han Chinese and Taiwan aboriginals soldiers. They realized that they were under-manned but made an important strategic discovery of a cave the island inhabitants retreat to during times of trouble.

Three years later a much larger force was sent to the island, cornering the inhabitants into their safety cave, blocking the entrances and exits, leaving small holes to pans of burning pitch and sulfur suffocating the inhabitants. In all, over 300 men, women and children were pulled out dead from suffocating while amongst the over 300 other inhabitants, the men were sent to work as slaves on plantations in Taiwan and Indonesia while the women were sent to Dutch homes as servants or wives.

Colonization wasn’t pretty back then.

There were some skirmishes until 1645 when Han Chinese leased the island from the Dutch in 1645 and removed the remaining 13 indigenous people, and the island has been occupied by Han Chinese until present day.

Since then Xiaoliuqiu was a fishing village until the early 21 ^st century where it transitioned into the tourist industry which now brings hundreds of thousands of tourist a year which Brough its own problems. Because of unchecked growth of tourism, the island lost 90% of its corals before conservation helped to reverse this trend.

So, pretty interesting history to say the least.

CLIMATE AND WATER TEMPERATURE IN XIAOLIUQIU

Xiaoliuqiu average highs range form 25°C (December and January) to 32° C in the summer months. Dry season is November through March while rainy and monsoon season is from April to October with the island also vulnerable to typhoons.

Water temperature ranges from 25° C in December to 29° in the summer months. Winter months a 3mm is just good enough and mostly likely start feeling cold at the end of a session. I brought my 5.5mm just in case.

AND FINALLY A XIAOLIUQIU FACEBOOK GROUP

English resources are lacking for Xiaoliuqiu and most of it is blogs like this one. That’s why I started the “ XIAOLIUQIU FOR FOREIGNERS ” Facebook group as an English-language resource for people who want help planning their trip to XLQ and get recommendations. I hope it will become a resource where those providing English-language services can promote there and for visitors to ask questions they may have

So please join if you are interested in visiting XLQ and ask any questions you may have.

For my Google Map list of places to eat check this out

CONTACT -
Address: 20-12 Xingzheng Road, Liuqiu Township, Pintgung County 929

Phone: 0981163838

E-mail: ray@freedivenomad.com

Ultimate Xiaoliouqiu Burger Guide

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 03:52:14 GMT

There has always been a plethora of options for local foods on Xiaoliuqiu , whether that's noodles, quick stir-fry, fried rice and of course shaved ice. There's also a few other Asian establishments like Vietnamese, Japanese and Thai. But Western food has been lacking on this island.

Don't get me wrong, I love the local food and my Asian food. But sometimes I jones for the cuisine that I grew up around in the US.

In no less than the last three months there have been 3 burger-only joints opening up on the island, and all relatively close to each other.

Burgers are also a great option when coming to Xiaoliuqiu for kids as you can order them ahead of time, swing by on your scooter, pick them up and ready to eat at your guesthouse.

These are in no particular order of preference:

Xiaoliuqiu Island Burger

This new kid on the block is a roadside stand and just opened in April 2021.

Opened by a scuba-obsessed couple from the North,they are currently only opened on the weekends when they come to Xiaoliuqiu to scuba dive.

They employ the smash burger method which is to ball up the ground beef and then smash it flat on the grill which sears and seals in the juices.

If you've ever had In n Out Burger on the West Coast of the US, you'll know this burger is reminiscent of that. This burger definitely eschews the fancy gourmet burgers that have been trendy and goes more for the classics. Who doesn't love classics?

As they are a roadside stand, they have take-away only or get your hands dirty eating it on the roadside next to their stand. The coolest feature about the stand is its decorated with license plates from all 50 states of the United States.

They are located on the main road, Zhongshan Road, across the street from the Sanlong Temple. Make sure to check their Instagram for opening days and times and go often, maybe if it's a hit they will think about making this venture a permanent one.

A&Z Kitchen

I was excited when i saw this A&Z Kitchen open up with their minimalistic but slick interior. Opened by former snow board instructors in Hokkaido, Japan, they returned to Taiwan to bless us with their gourmet-style burgers at a reasonable price (super reasonable actually).

A&Z would appeal to you if you fancy a bit more from your burger as they have a variety of offerings which seem to change regularly. They've had egg and cheese burger, bagel and lox, non-beef burger options and peanut butter burger.

Peanut butter burger, WHAT, you say? This is worthy of its own discussion and blog but I've never heard of peanut butter on a burger until I saw the YouTube celebrity 莫彩曦 eating it at Mo's Burger in this episode .

I love classics, but I also love innovation and fusion food, as basically all of the dishes we eat in some way is fusion.

For a great book about fusion food (more like development of ethnic food in American) I can't recommend the book Buttermilk Graffitti enough, It's the best book I've read in years.

Suffice to say what we now know as the classic burger today I'm sure looked nothing like what was served in Hamburg, Germany.

Anyhoo, where was I? Yes, I tried the peanut butter burger at A&Z, and my verdict was, it was ok. So save your judgments and get out of your comfort zone and give it a try if you've never had it.

They also have a few countertop seats so if take away is not an option, you can get your hands dripping with beef juices in the comforts of somewhere else place other than your room.

If you are looking for a meal right after getting off the ferry in Baishawan Port and kill an hour or two before check-in time for your guest house, this is just a five-minute walk away from where you get off the ferry.

After you get off the ferry turn right and then turn left to head up the small hill and go straight for a few minutes and it'll be on your left-hand side.

Carpe Diem

This burger joint is small and cozy, and the only one of the three burger-only joints that has air conditioning. It's a little reminiscent of a burger place in a small college town in the US.

As with A&Z, it is also located near the Baishawan ferry terminal, but probably 1 minute walk closer. As with A&Z you could walk here, have lunch and wait it out until you can check-in to your guesthouse at 3pm.

This is more a gourmet-style of burgers. I got the BBQ sauce and bacon burger which reminded me of one of my favorite burgers in the US, Western Bacon Cheese Burger at Carls Jr.

The most distinguishing element about their burgers is their black bun which is from infusing bamboo charcoal, which seems to be a hipster trend.

Other burgers include the American Classic (jalapenos, pickles and mustard), BoraBora (salsa sauce), Chef spicy sauce, and Chicken thigh burger.

If you are super hungry, you could try the Can't Eat Enough which is 4 times the price of a regular burger and it is a BEHEMOTH of a burger at 8 inches in diameter. I definitely want to try that one day.

Hard Rock Gastropub

Sadly, I have only eaten here once and did not try the burger at that time. But my friend, who is a professional chef has and here's what she said about the restaurant's burger :

"I’ve eaten the burgers at Hard Rock and they are quite good. Juicy and satisfying, not over cooked with good flavor. My husband got the mahi burger quite often and loved it. One of those burger joints need to do a blue cheese and fried egg burger with bacon burger. I know it sounds boujie, but those are prob my favorite toppings for a burger! "

And listen to her, we need a burger with blue cheese, bacon and a fried egg? Who wants to step up to the plate?

October 2021 Update - my wife has recently gone here twice in the last two weeks because she absolutely LOVED the Mahi Mahi Burger. She strongly recommends it.

Bonus: Corn Dog

Ya ok, I know its not a burger but it's kinda in the same genre of food as a burger. I don't eat much junk food but I do on occasion visit this stall for some indulgence into the fast food world.

The stall is located across the street from the only Family Mart (though recently I've seen him across the street from Island Burger) on the island and the corn dog is NT$50. He does have a few flavors of sauces but I only go for the classic ketchup.

His stall is opened most days of the week in the evening.

I hope that helps you in your burger adventures on Xiaoliuqiu. If I missed any burger places, please let me know and I will update it here.

And don't forget to follow the Xiaoliuqiu for Foreigners Facebook group for more info on Xiaoliuqiu.

CONTACT -
Address: 66 Xiangpu Road, Liuqiu Township, Pintgung County 929

Phone: 0981163838

E-mail: ray@freedivenomad.com

Glad I Took A Freedive Course Even Though I Thought I Didn't Need it

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Sun, 30 May 2021 01:38:35 GMT

Guest post by Tyler Rubin (IG @beer_and_cats)

Living in Taiwan, Chinese New Year (CNY)

is a special time for me. For one thing, there’s an electricity in the air here, similar to how it feels to be in New York when Christmas is approaching. Everyone is happily waiting for the largest festival of the year, so they can get together with their families to eat, laugh, sing karaoke, and play games. For me, CNY marks several weeks off of work when I can go visit my family, or explore some small island paradise in Southeast Asia to spend my days exploring one coral reef after another.

Good to Chill at Home During CNY

Needless to say, this last CNY didn’t have the usual prospects . It’s ok, I thought, it’ll still be good to have the time off. I have a pretty nice patio at my rooftop apartment, and the weather wasn’t looking too bad. Might as well spend the time reading and writing on the patio while I relaxed with my cat sleeping on my lap. Who could complain about that?

But the Misery Sets in

could, as it turns out. Three days in, and I was miserable. It wasn’t the construction hammering away every day, from 8am-5pm directly next to my apartment. It wasn’t the weather taking a turn for the worse, either. It wasn’t even an unexpected injury that kept me out of the gym and robbed me of even the most rudimentary sense of accomplishment.

It was the feeling that I should be traveling. The feeling that every year for the last decade and a half, I’ve been surrounded by familiar faces, brand new scenery, or both, and now here I was, waiting out the clock on what was supposed to be the best time of the year. I felt isolated and completely alone.

On the fourth day, I woke up at 8am, got out of bed at 2pm, and realized that something had to give. Maybe I couldn’t go and see my family, and maybe I couldn’t fly out to a tropical paradise, but Taiwan still has plenty of spots that are worth visiting, even if it’s not quite the right season for it.

Ray, the Freedive Instructor

Then I remembered Ray . We’d met 7 years prior at a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) club and quickly struck up a friendship. In the time since I’d met him, he’d quit his job in finance, traveled the world, become obsessed with freediving , and even managed to convince his awesome girlfriend to become his awesome wife.

They’d spent the first part of the pandemic in Las Vegas, but they’d recently made the move back to Taiwan so that Ray could pursue his dream of being a freediving instructor. Since then, on a fairly regular basis, we’d chat about what was going on in our lives, and he’d hit me with some variation of “You should really come down and take my course some time, man. I’d love to help you learn how to not kill yourself.”

Unaware of the Dangers

He wasn’t exaggerating about that, by the way. I routinely did things in the water that made him legitimately upset to hear. Snorkeling alone, diving down 5+ meters into the water, holding my breath until I felt like my chest was collapsing, and racing back to the surface to fill my lungs before doing it all again.

I didn’t see the harm in it, but Ray sure did, and he really wanted to make me understand how much danger I was putting myself in . Then there was the breath holding. It didn’t seem like a particularly dangerous thing when I started doing it, just a fun way to immerse myself in the calm serenity of a coral reef.

Holding my breath left me completely still and completely relaxed , surrounded by the beautiful silence of reef fish schooling around me, and the ubiquitous clicking and crunching that’s so easy to miss until you notice that it’s literally coming from all around you, like an alien amphitheater that you never even realized you’d wandered into.

The breath holds got longer and longer the more I did them. Two minutes became three, then three and a half, and eventually I wasn’t satisfied unless I crossed the four-minute mark. That means I was fighting the muscle spasms, suppressing the internal alarms, and denying the desperate pleas for breath from my own body until I felt like I was about to black out . Alone. In the middle of a deserted coral reef. Repeatedly.

When are you going to take a course?

Good old Ray had gotten very comfortable living on Xiaoliuqiu Island by this point. He had just about finished setting up his freediving school by the time I had managed to dig myself way too deep into my own depression, and when I sent him a message to check in, he once again asked me when I was coming down to take his course.

I was still on the fence about the whole idea at this point. I liked the idea of visiting a buddy, being on an island, and spending some time in the water…but it was February. Even in southern Taiwan, that meant it was likely to be chilly on land and freezing in the water . I love being in the water, but even in the bright sun of the Philippines , I frequently need an extra wetsuit layer on scuba dives to avoid shivering so much that I blast through my air tank in record time.

On the Fence

I was totally on the fence. Desperate to get something resembling a getaway, but nervous about ending up on a cold, wet island with an even-colder, even-wetter ocean. So I asked the most sensible questions I could think of. How was the weather lately? How easy was it to get there? How hard was it to find a place to stay? Were people actually still getting in the water?

The answers to those questions left me feeling surprisingly optimistic. The weather had been dry and unseasonably warm, and was forecast to stay that way for the next week. Because of the high-speed rail (HSR ) down the west coast of Taiwan, getting there was a pretty quick and easy process.

Train ticket booked, room booked

Ray had several friends on the island already (of course), and knew a few places with open rooms that he could help me book. And the water was cold, but there were plenty of thick wetsuits on hand , so people were in the ocean all day, every day. If they could do it, why couldn’t I?

“I’m in!”A quick trip downstairs to 7-11, and I had my HSR ticket for the next morning. A few messages and a quick meetup with a friend later, and I had someone reliable to come over and take care of my cat every day while I was gone.

All that was left was cleaning and packing, which took a while since my place was looking a little rough around the edges, but I got it done. It was about the time I had finished cleaning that I noticed that I was feeling excited for the first time in way too long . I didn’t know what freediving in the middle of a subtropical winter was going to feel like, but I knew I was about to have an adventure , and at that point, that was all that mattered.

Short Trip to Xiaoliuqiu

I woke up at 6am, checked that my doors and windows were locked, and headed out. A short ride on Taipei’s MRT system later, and I made it to my 7am train with time to spare. The HSR got me to Zuoying station in southern Taiwan in about an hour and a half, at which point I called my transfer to Pingdong county’s Donggang port.

Surprisingly, I was the only one in the ‘shuttle’ (it was just a taxi), but they were true to their word that I was still only expected to pay the shuttle price, and the 45-60 minute trip only cost 200NTD (about 7 USD).

Ferry Ride to Xiaoliuqiu

Luck was on my side at the port as well, as I got in line to buy a ticket, and was quickly sold a return ticket and told to hurry before the ferry departed . If I’d been 2 minutes later, I would have had to wait another hour, but instead, I ran to the boat and made it in the nick of time. I was now on the water heading to Taiwan’s ‘Little Okinawa’ and before I even had time to wonder when we’d get there, we arrived! The ferry ride was 20 minutes in calm water. I couldn’t believe it. In about four hours, I’d gone from my home in central Taipei to a small outlying island off the coast of Pingtung!

Getting to Island Life

Ray was waiting for me at the pier on Xiaoliuqiu, and the first thing I noticed was how much healthier he looked since the last time I’d seen him. The island life was having a good effect on him I guess. We headed up to get a scooter for me to rent, grabbed some lunch, and then I was taken to my guesthouse, which was called Greenia, and the owner, Pinky. Pinky is a Taiwanese freediving coach , and a Brooklyn Nine-Nine fanatic , and felt like an old friend the second we met.

She took Ray and me to the back, where she had prepared all of my equipment, and then we all chatted for a while before she showed me my room. I spent the rest of the day on my little white scooter, exploring the island and enjoying the sunset before heading back to Greenia and getting to sleep at the ripe hour of 8:30PM. I was meeting Ray back at his place the next morning at 7, and I wanted to be ready.

Lots of Warnings and Blackouts

Ray had sent me the course’s reading materials in advance, and I had read through most of it on the HSR, which made the first dry session pretty simple. Lots of review, lots of questions to check that I understood the concepts behind the course, and lots of warnings. Ray was excited to teach me how to freedive, but he was also excited to teach me why he was so worried about what I had previously been doing in the water. He was not wrong!

We reviewed why people black out underwater , but the bigger overall point was that people DO occasionally black out underwater. If that had happened to me while I was all alone, we both knew what it would have meant.

We also watched a few videos. They were interesting, and fun to watch, but then we got to the ones he really wanted me to see. We watched several competitive freedivers black out underwater and quickly get rescued.

It was then that he asked me if I noticed anything about those blackouts. The point he was trying to drive home was that, even when these athletes were reaching depths of 100 meters or more, blackouts were almost always happening near the surface .

Biological technicalities aside, Ray’s point was that blackouts aren’t something that only happen to people who are crazy enough to dive to impossible depths; they happen at or near the surface, and they can happen to anyone . That’s why he was so worried about me. He wasn’t being overdramatic; I was putting myself in real danger without even knowing it.

Open Water Session

After that sobering experience, it was time to get in the water . Before we could get into the open ocean, we had to do the general skills that the course required. Overall, they were pretty straightforward. Hold your breath for at least 90 seconds, swim 35 meters underwater on one breath, things like that. That part was nice and simple, and I like to think that I was a good student.

This was in a ‘pool’ that had previously been a tiny harbor, but was now used by freediving and scuba diving schools. There were two big takeaways from the skills sessions: safety was the most important theme in freediving , and the water was just as cold as I was afraid it would be.

For the next session in the water, Ray was nice enough to lend me his wetsuit gloves and socks. I now had a full wetsuit, a vest, socks, gloves, and a hood. When we got into the open water, and I saw the number of jellyfish, I was suddenly even happier about being covered from head to toe. We reviewed a lot of what we’d gone over in the pool, and worked on the mechanics of a proper freedive. Things like diving in correctly (duck diving), keeping correct posture, and the importance of always taking recovery breaths when you surface.

By this point, t he turtles had started coming . One after another, they’d lazily swim by, eating jellyfish, and looking sleepy. My ADD kicked in at this point, and I definitely needed a few gentle reminders to pay attention to details that could potentially save my life one day. In short, I was having a great time. I still hadn’t gotten used to the temperature of the water, but I did find myself more and more able to deal with it.

Diving for Depth

Everything seemed to be going very smoothly for me. I was enjoying my trip, I was having a great time with an old friend, I was learning a new skill, AND I was doing super well with the course material. It was time to get into the meat of the course: diving to depth . I had been waiting for this, and I was really excited to show Ray how easy the requirements would be for me.

I already had outstanding breath holding abilities compared to most new divers (4 minutes is generally no problem for me) and I wasn't the least bit uncomfortable being submerged in water, being upside down, or staying relaxed and focused. It was going to be my time to shine.

Could’t Equalize

Needless to say, I failed miserably. Despite how ready I felt, I couldn't manage to equalize . We had been working on Frenzel equalization, an advanced technique that becomes essential once you're diving to deeper depths, so our first thought was that my problem must have been that I was attempting this technique incorrectly. I made several more attempts, focusing on relaxing my body and performing the technique correctly, but to no avail.

Eventually, Ray suggested that I start with the simpler Valsalva technique (the one where you hold your nose and blow), and try Frenzel again when I was more comfortable at depth . The problem was, this was also not happening for me. We were both puzzled, and I was getting very frustrated. Ray suggested lots of things such as warming up my eustachian tubes (the tubes connecting your sinuses and throat to your ears), but nothing seemed to work at all.

He asked me to try going down the line right side up rather than upside down, and see if that felt any different. For some reason, that was no problem at all. When I wasn't upside down, I was able to get down to 12 meters easily.

It was at this point that we realized my problem was mechanical. It seemed that something naturally closed in my head when I was upside down, likely my soft palate . I now officially had a mission: figure out how to get my airway to open up so that I could get down to depth.

We only had one more open water session to go , and dammit I wanted to succeed. Ray sent me several videos and articles about equalizing difficulties and how to overcome them. I watched everything I could find, read forum posts, kept meticulous notes, and studied everything so that I'd remember when I got back into the water.

By this point I'd already passed the written exam. I'd also seen several world-class sunsets, made some new friends, and even managed to watch the Superbowl with Ray. It was my last morning on Xiaoliuqiu, and I was really hoping for this great experience to have a happy ending.

We suited up, got it the water, and swam out. By now, this deep blue expanse in the middle of the sea off of Xiaoliuqiu felt oddly familiar. Ray set up our equipment, reviewed proper safety protocols (I never mentioned it at the time, but I really appreciated this), and we got to work.

I tried one technique after another to open up my soft palate. One failed, and then another. Ray asked me detailed questions about how I felt in the water and tried to look for things I may have been missing, but unfortunately it was the same old story: as soon as I was upside down, it felt like my ears weren't connected to my sinuses at all.

I had one trick left , and it came from a freediving forum instead of a famous diver's blog. It didn't seem very likely to work, so I saved it for last. The trick: after plugging your nose, try breathing in for a split second before breathing out (remember, with your nose plugged you don't actually breathe in or out, you just go through the biological motions).

I didn't think it stood much of a chance , but it was all I had left. I floated at the surface, relaxing my muscles, breathing steadily, and envisioning a successful dive. I took my last breath, took the snorkel out of my mouth, started down the line, and hoped for a miracle.

And It worked! I couldn't believe it, but when I felt the sensation of my ears equalizing, I knew that this last trick was what I needed to open up my soft palate. I continued down the line leisurely, equalizing regularly like Ray had taught me, and eventually, there I was at the bottom. I turned around and ascended slowly, moving my jaw from side to side to help my ears equalize back to the lower surface pressure. I got to the surface, and took my recovery breaths. I checked my dive watch (actually Ray's dive watch) and it read 13.2 meters. I'd done it!

I was thrilled! Ray was thrilled! The turtles pretended to be apathetic but I knew they were thrilled, too. After some congratulating, Ray said that I had to work on turning around properly at the bottom. No problem, I thought, I can do this all day. I completed the dive to Ray's satisfaction, then did several more variations.

The last step was to 'rescue' Ray. He pretended to have blacked out at about 10 meters, and I had to swim down, grab him correctly, get him to the surface, take off his mask, blow on his eyes, and yell 'breathe' several times. That may sound odd, but it is what's most likely to help a human wake up if they experience a blackout.

By now, I was very comfortable getting to depth, and I had my confidence back. I performed the rescue drill without any new difficulties, and just like that, I had ticked the proverbial box on the last requirement of the Molchonovs Wave 1 course.

After we got back on land, we had time for one last meal together before I had to catch the ferry back to Donggang harbor. We took a few more pictures, had a few more laughs, and then I was off. I stood on the back deck of the boat and watched Xiaoliuqiu slowly disappear into the setting sun , while I thought about the hours and hours I'd spent in the water, and how lucky I am to live here in Taiwan. My body was exhausted, and I was excited to get home to my beer-and-cat-filled apartment, but I already missed this tiny little island and all of the amazing times I had there.

Once I started to learn freediving, Tyler told me he was into it as well and the breath holds and diving by himself in Lanyu. Some of his technique scared the crap out of me. So once I became and instructor and returned to Taiwan, I told him I'd teach how to freedive safely to prevent an unnecessary loss of life of a friend. And I'd do it for free! And all I got in return was this guest blog he wrote about the experience �� . The point I want to get across was that Tyler was very experienced and very gifted in breath-holding. But he was still a danger to himself and after taking a course, he's realized that.

When I first learned to freedive, I discovered my friend Tyler was into it as well. As experienced and a natural as he was, he never took a freedive course and I was worried about him as he was practicing some very unsafe technique. SO when I became a freedive instructor and returned to Taiwan, I told him if he'd come to Xiaoliuqiu I'd teach him for free, and all I got in return was this guest post �� . The point is as experienced as Tyler was, he was still at high risk at losing his life. And throught the course he became very aware of that.

Tyler, a buddy I know from Brazilian jiujitsu, started chatting about freediving after i took my first course. He said he did some freediving too, but never took a course. But even having just passed a first level recreational freedive course, I knew some of the things he was doing was putting his life at risk.

So when I became a freedive instructor and moved back to Taiwan, I offered to teach him whenever he had a chance to come down to Xiaoliuqiu which he did last CNY. I asked Tyler to write me a guest post on his experience of going through a freedive course despite already being very experienced in this activity.

A click if you want to receive my free e-book of Beginner Freediving FAQ .

CONTACT -
Address: 66 Xiangpu Road, Liuqiu Township, Pintgung County 929

Phone: 0981163838

E-mail: ray@freedivenomad.com

Best Guide to English Freediving Courses in Taiwan 2024

rk@blueminddigital.com (Raymond Ko) — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:11:42 GMT

Hello, future freedivers! To take a freediving course in Taiwan from me, click here for more details .

Freediving is the fastest-growing water sport in the world and in Taiwan , it seems like freediving is growing even faster, but finding an English freediving course in Taiwan can be a challenge.

Freediving growth can be largely attributed to the aesthetic, and elegant underwater photos on Instagram and more people realizing freediving courses actually exists (even I did not even know they existed until four years ago).

Though there are many places to freedive in Taiwan, this post is dedicated to places where you can LEARN freediving in Taiwan in English.

Although freediving is HUGE in Taiwan, with some 100+ freediving instructors in the country, there are only a handful of instructors who can teach in English.

While you can get certified for scuba from an instructor that is not fluent in your native language, finding an instructor fluent in English is essential in learning freediving (assuming you are not fluent in Mandarin) as many of the concepts and theories need to be discussed in depth (no pun intended) as well as the in-water sessions require a lot of feedback as you perfect your freedive technique.

And while there are many places to freedive and scuba dive around the island, your choices of English-speaking freedive instructors in Taiwan are much more limited.

Most freediving training courses take three to four days to complete, something to keep in mind when researching courses.

Here are the areas within Taiwan where you can learn freediving.

Greater Taipei Area

Though accounting for nearly one third of the population of Taiwan, greater Taipei area choices are limited. VD Freediving , run by French national Anthony and his Taiwanese wife Jiayin have been based in Taipei for many years though they have recently split their time between Taipei and Xiaoliuqiu.

I recently met Joanna at Soulfree Freediving who teaches PADI courses in the city as well. You can find her at @soulfreedive on Instagram .

UPDATE - surfing through Instagram I found another instructor who teaches in English, Elizabeth of Leve-Leve Freediving .

Though I am based in Xiaoliuqiu, I do travel to Taipei regularly to conduct requisite part of the course training in a pool in Taipei so you can then come to Xiaoliuqiu to do the open water session over a weekend . To find out more, click here or you can watch my quick video on it here

Learn Freediving on Xiaoliuqiu

It is by far the most popular place to learn to freedive in Taiwan, as well as the easiest outlying island to access. With its abundant and friendly sea turtle population , you are sure to snap a photo with them. You also have reasonably easy access to dive spots from shore and thus do not require a boat. It’s also the only one of two areas in Taiwan that have year-round diving.

On Xiaoliuqiu you have the biggest concentration of English-speaking freedive instructors. First there is Freedive Taiwan where I took my first two levels, AIDA 2 and AIDA 3, of freediving. As stated earlier, VD Freediving , who can certify in AIDA and Molchanovs, is also based here. As well as Salty Mind . These two are who I know best and can highly recommend.

To learn more about Xiaoliuqiu as a visitor, visit my blog post Complete Guide to Xiaoliuqiu .

To find out more about freediving on Xiaoliuqiu, check out my Xiaoliuqiu Freedive Guide on my other website.

Freediving Divecube (Taichung) – Most Ideal for the Timid

Divecube is a wonderful place to learn freediving, and I see on Instagram many freedive instructors teaching courses there. And if you have even the slightest bit of anxiety about diving in the open ocean, Divecube would be THE MOST ideal place for you to take your first freedive course given in the pool instead of the ocean, and the environment is more controlled.

The downside is there is currently, to my knowledge, English-speaking freedive instructors that teach here, but I can offer customized courses at Divecube - contact me if you are interested.

Check out my guide to freediving at Divecube or check out my YouTube video here .

UPDATE - As of June 2023, Divecube now has an English-speaking freedive instructor, Ronald. You can contact them at hotel@divecube.com.tw.

Freedive Schools in the Kenting/Hengchun Area

If I didn’t love small island life so much, the Kenting/Hengchun area is probably where I would live instead. And other than Xiaoliuqiu, it is the only other area in Taiwan that can offer year-round diving.

Your only option is Weirdo Freedivin g run by Wayne, who is one of the more experienced freedive instructors in Taiwan.

Green Island and Orchid Island (Lanyu)

Despite having the most beautiful diving in Taiwan, unfortunately, these two islands have a few disadvantages.

First, conditions in the winter are unsuitable for diving for many months.

The second is that it’s frankly a pain in the ass to get to. If coming from Taipei, you’ll have to spend most of the day traveling there and another full day traveling back. Probably in the pre-COVID area it's more convenient to fly overseas.

Third, there are no English-speaking freedive instructors who are permanently based there. There are local Taiwanese instructors who regularly hold courses there, though.

I hope you found this blog article helpful in researching your options for freedive training courses in Taiwan. If you have any questions, please feel free to drop me a line.

Also, if you are interested in getting training from me and the Taipei/Xiaoliuqiu package doesn’t quite fit with your schedule, please contact me at ray@freedivenomad.com or click here , I pride myself on being flexible around my students’ schedules.

Click here if you are interested in taking my free online "Intro to Freediving" course.

If you are a school or instructor that offers courses in English in Taiwan, please reach out to me, and I'll include you above.

Dive safe, and never dive alone!

Freedive Nomad Taiwan Blog

自由潛水課程 - 新的健康之旅 |自由潛水游牧者

健康是什麼？

自由潛水就是健康

我自由潛水及療癒自己的旅程

Blue Mind - 海洋中的科學

呼吸

間歇性低氧訓練

結論

Molchanovs Freedive Bifins : Complete Buyer's Guide

CORE Silicone Bifins

Foot Pocket and Blade - Like a Mac

SPORT Bifins 3

Removable Foot Pockets = Game-Changer

Three Key Foot Pocket Innovations

Comfort that Actually Helps You Perform

Blade Design That Responds to You

Fit Options & Style

PRO Bifins 3

Handcrafted Foot Pockets with Unmatched Comfort

Designed for Depth. Refined by Champions.

Built for Advanced Technique

�� Fit and Style, Down to the Details

Monofin-Inspired Foot Pocket Design

Custom Blade Size for Smaller Divers

Travel Considerations and Foot Pocket Size

Made for Quad-Driven Kickers

The Most Customizable Molchanovs Bifin Yet

Why Our Freedive Course Are 4 Days (Not 2)

Why rushing a freedive course doesn’t work — and what we do instead.

I’ve taught 2-Day Courses… Until I Realized They Don’t Work

Why Most Schools Offer 2-Day Courses

What We Do Differently (and Why It Matters)

Is This Course for Everyone?

Why Lung Capacity Is The Most Underrated Marker of Longevity

And what freediving can teach us about breathing for a longer, healthier life

�� What the Research Says

So… what does this have to do with freediving?

The Modern Breath Crisis

What You Can Do (Even If You’re Not a Freediver)

Final Thoughts

What Freediving Taught Me About Nervous System Regulation and Mental Health

Understanding trauma, stress, and healing through the lens of the body

Early Psychology: The Era of the Mind

The Body Comes into Focus ﻿

The Rise of Polyvagal Theory & Safety

4. Modern Neuroscience Confirms the Shift

Why It Matters Today

How Did I Learn This Through Freediving?

Why It Matters For You

You Don’t Have to Be an Expert. You Just Have to Begin.

Why a 1-on-1 Freedive Course For You- It's Simple Math

Giving You the Best Odds of Passing a Freedive Course

Everyone Passes a Scuba Course, Not So with Freediving

The Simple Math of a Freediving Course

What can go wrong?

Duck Dive

Equalization

Open Water is Scary

And finally...

A Freediver’s Guide to DiveHub: China’s Deepest Dive Pool

Where is DiveHub?

How to Get There from Hong Kong

How to Make Reservations

Pricing

Facility Specifications ﻿

Additional Ame nities

Language Barrier

Practical Tips

Final Assessment

Best Countries in Asia to Learn Freediving For Beginner

The Philippines: Endless Freediving Opportunities

Indonesia: Authentic Charm and Quality Training

Thailand: A Perfect Start for Hobbyists

Taiwan: The Freediving Mecca

Tips for Choosing the Right Freediving Course in Asia

Begin Your Freediving Adventure in Asia

Freedive Documentaries - Stop Complaining & Start Educating

The Harsh Truth About These Documentaries

We Can’t Censor Ourselves to Protect the Uninformed

The Body Comes into Focus

Facility Specifications