Houwan is located about 2 kilometers south of Checheng. National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium was established there, which is the largest aquarium in Taiwan.
It displays representative fish, sea turtles, cetaceans, and various invertebrates from the high mountain stream, midstream reservoir, downstream, estuary, intertidal zone, coral reefs, nearshore, and deep sea areas of the 14 regions in Taiwan. Many tourists visit to learn about the types and ecological environments of marine life.
National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium also serves as a hotel, where you can stay overnight and look at the various fish and sea creatures
The reef behind the Marine Museum extends all the way to the southern side of the small harbor in Houwan.
It is generally a gentle coral reef coast with many coastal animals still surviving due to the low number of visitors in previous years.
These animals include many sponges, sea anemones, corals, polychaete tubes, spiny lobsters, cryptic decorator crabs, chitons, limpets, turban snails, limpets, sea hares, nudibranchs, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers.
Therefore, it is suitable for observing coastal creatures.
In the winter and spring seasons, there are also many species of seaweed, such as Caulerpa lentillifera, Ulva lactuca, Enteromorpha, Codium fragile, Gracilaria, and Chaetomorpha antennina, as well as a few species of Halophila growing in the mud and sand of tidal pools.
However, recently found appearance of a large range of green carpets formed by Enteromorpha prolifera at the beach of Houwan is becoming new attraction for Houwan beach.
In addition, for internet celebrities, it has become a place specifically for taking photos. You can see the image below of this phenomenon in Houwan, and you can read more about it here.
Green, natural carpet created by Enteromorpha prolifera in Houwan
Caulerpa lentillifera in Taiwan
Codium fragile
Last, but no least I would like to invite you for a virtual 360 degree tour in Houwan bay: