TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Daan Beach, a popular destination for water activities in central Taiwan, has been open since March 1, which is earlier than in past years, the Taichung Tourism and Travel Bureau said in a press release.

According to the bureau, the opening time is from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from March to December, and the public is allowed to engage in water activities such as swimming, surfing, kitesurfing, and others.

As Daan Beach is an open sea area, retired Army 101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion members have been hired as lifeguards to protect the safety of visitors, and they are equipped with such lifesaving gear as all-terrain vehicles, jet skis, rubber dinghies, and rescue boards, the bureau said.

The bureau added that beachgoers should pay attention to the weather and water conditions as well as their physical condition to ensure their safety. They should also pay attention to announcements about allowable water activities and if they break the law they will be fined from NT$10,000 (US$330) to NT$50,000 as stipulated in Article 60 of the Act for the Development of Tourism.

(Flickr, David Sun photo)

(Taichung Tourism and Travel Bureau photos)