Green Island is a paradise off the southeastern coast of Taiwan. Once a prison for political enemies of the KMT, it is now a tourist hot spot. It is one of the best places to snorkel and dive in Taiwan, one of only three saltwater hot springs in the world, and it also includes amazing volcanic rock formations and scenery all around the island.
Background:
Green Island is the remnant of a volcano that formed millions of years ago and is part of the Luzon Volcanic Arc. Today you can see lots of volcanic rock all along the shoreline. Green Island is the seventh largest Island in Taiwan. Green Island became inhabited hundreds of years ago by the Tao indigenous people (達悟族) (aka Yami people 雅美族, which is a name coined by the Japanese, but the native people prefer Tao), which are thought to have traveled from the Batanes Islands in the Philippines, and then to Orchid Island. It was called Jitanasey by the Tao people. It was also known to be inhabited by the Amis Tribe (阿美族) who reside today in Taitung. It was known by the Amis people as Samasana Island. The Island was first settled by Han Chinese fisherman from Xiaoliuqiu Island in 1813, who called the island Huoshandao (火燒島) or Bonfire Island. More Han settlers from Donggang arrived in 1850. In 1937 the American Steamship SS President Hoover ran ground at Green Island and all aboard were saved. To thank the people of Green Island, the US donated to build the Green Island Lighthouse which was designed by the Japanese and finished in 1938, at 33.3 meters or 109 feet high. Green Island also served as a penal colony for political prisoners during the martial law era of Taiwan, which lasted from the late 9140s to the late 1980s. Some prisoners went on to help form the Democratic Progressive Party. The prison is now open to the public. Currently, the Island is powered by one diesel generator. It also includes an airport. Currently, about 4500 people live on the island, and the main industries are tourism and fishing.
Weather and Climate:
The island has a tropical rainforest climate, with average high temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees year-round. The rainy months are in summer, especially due to Typhoons, but the most sunny days are also in summer (expect a lot of sun), and the most rainy days are in winter. Summer is the tourist season, but spring and fall are also popular times to visit. Winters are said to be dreary, and cold, and have constant northeastern winds that can stop airplanes and ferries from departing to the island.
When to go:
The best time to go they say is around May when it is not too hot and there are no northeasterly winds or typhoons which can cancel your transportation to the island. The typhoon season lasts from around June to October. The busy season is during summer break from June to August, during which time it can be hard to book a hostel or airplane ticket. Winter is the less crowded season, but the water will be colder, there will be constant wind (which could cancel transportation), and it will rain more often.
Rules to Consider:
Do not go snorkeling or diving during bad weather, low tide, or big waves.
Do not trespass private property or government property that is off limits (such as military base, weather station, reservoir, or garbage dump)
Always snorkel or dive with a buddy
Have fun
How to get there:
By Plane:
The only planes to and from Green Island come from Taitung City in Southeastern Taiwan. From Taipei, there are daily flights from Songshan Airport to Taitung, where you can switch to Daily Air which will take you the rest of the way to Green Island. You can book discount tickets from Taipei to Taitung on KKday here. Flight times: As of the time of this blog, there were six flights per day by Daily Air Corporation from about 8 AM to 4 PM (Please note their website is only in Chinese). The flight from Taitung to Green Island takes about 15 minutes. Please note that the aircraft are small and flights can be canceled due to high winds or unfavorable weather. Costs: NT 1428 to Green Island and NT 1360 from Green Island.
By Boat:
You can purchase boat ferry tickets through a tour agency such as Klook here or KKday here. There are two places that offer ferry rides to Green Island: Houbihu Harbor (恆春後壁湖漁港） in Pingtung and Fugang Harbor in Taitung (臺東富岡漁港). However, to get there from Houbihu you need to stop in Lanyu, so I will focus this blog on departing from Fugang Harbor. There are also about three ferry companies that operate at both harbors. Both companies leave from both harbors at the same time and arrive at the about same times for the same prices (1200 NT per person round trip/600 NT per single trip). Ferry Boat costs: 1200 NT per person round trip (600 NT per single trip) from Taitung. Ferry companies have roughly the same price. Ferry Boat Times*: 7:30 AM departure from Fugang Harbor, 8:20 AM arrival to Green Island. 8:30 AM departure from Green Island, 9:20 AM arrival to Fugang Harbor. 9:30 AM departure from Fugang Harbor, 10:20 AM arrival to Green Island. (permanent set time) 10:30 AM departure from Green Island, 11:20 AM arrival to Fugang Harbor. (permanent set time) 11:30 AM departure from Fugang Harbor, 12:20 PM arrival to Green Island. 12:30 PM departure from Green Island, 9:20 PM arrival to Fugang Harbor. 13:30 PM departure from Fugang Harbor, 14:20 PM arrival to Green Island. (permanent set time) 14:30 PM departure from Green Island, 15:20 PM arrival to Fugang Harbor. (permanent set time) 15:30 PM departure from Fugang Harbor, 16:20 PM arrival to Green Island. 16:30 PM departure from Green Island, 17:20 PM arrival to Fugang Harbor. *Note: the above times change according to the seasons. There may only be one boat per day during winter, while all the boat times may be available during summer break and weekends. Please double-check which times are available before you go. You can purchase tickets through a tour agency such as Klook here or KKday here.
Getting around the island:
Rent a scooter! The island is small so you should not need to rent a car. You can rent bicycles but you will not be able to travel as fast. You can also hire a driver to take you on tours. Ask your hostel for more rental information. They can help you book a rental in advance.
Scooter Rental:
Price: expect 400 NT per day. You can book a scooter rental for Green Island on Klook here or KKday here. It may be better to book your scooter rental in advance, especially during summer weekends. Ask for help from your hostel owner if needed. I am 100% percent certain you do not need a Taiwan local license to rent scooters here, however, they may ask for an international license (but I’m fairly sure they will let you rent without one). Helmet wearing is not enforced at all as you will quickly find, but it’s still the law. Also, be careful to not hit any goats because they wander as they please. There is only one gas station next to Nanliao Fishing Harbor.
Car Rental:
Price: expect 2000 NT per day. You can rent a car for Green Island using KKday here.
By Bicycle:
Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here.
Where to Stay:
Booking accommodation on the island can be difficult in the summer months and on weekends when rooms can be fully booked for months in advance. AirBnb has the most choices, however, there is also a better quality selection on Agoda.com. We stayed at and can recommend Fire Island Guesthouse, which is a high-quality B&B right on the east coast of the island. My hostel did not require that I pay for my room in advance via bank wire transfer (as was the case on Lanyu), but they required me to pay in cash. Expect to pay 2000 – 4000 NT per night for a standard double room on Green Island.
Tours and Activities:
There are many companies offering snorkeling, diving, SUPing, and other tours on Green Island. You can search for tours on Klook here or KKday here. You can also book discount tickets to Zhaori Hot Spring on KKday here. You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Gigago here. Just to let you know, if you book using the links above, we get some commission at no cost to you, and you can help support our blog. You can click here to receive $5 USD on your first Klook purchase.
Map:
Please see a map of places we will cover in this blog below:
Our Journey:
We have been to Green Island once. We planned to go there on our first round island trip to Taiwan in 2014, but at the time we did not have as much cash and it would have added too much time and cost to our trip so we skipped it then. We finally visited in October 2021, and it was the last major outer island for us to visit. We saved the best for last. I should also mention we were traveling with two toddlers. Let me assure you, if you take toddlers on the ferry ride, they will throw up, and it will be miserable (there are no seasick pills available for toddlers). To avoid that, try and take the plane. Other than that this trip was pretty amazing.
Drone Video:
Check out our drone video below for an overview of the Island.
Snorkeling Video:
And of course, the main reason people visit is to dive and snorkel, so below is a video of my non-professional snorkeling experience there, in some of the more shallow snorkeling areas.
Okay, let’s begin with a list of places you should visit!
Fugang Harbor 富岡漁港
One of the hardest decisions for us was picking which ferry time to leave. We decided to visit in October when there were fewer people but still warm temperatures. However there were also fewer ferries. Because we were travelling with kids, we couldn’t leave too late or early from Taipei, so we stopped halfway in Hualien and spent a night there. We planned to take the 3:30 PM ferry to Green Island, but we got an early start and ended up driving down to Fugang Harbor in time for the 1:30 PM Ferry. Parking next to Fugang Harbor is pretty much impossible, unless you want to pay someone nearby 200 NT a day. I ended up parking up the hill on a country road for free for the four days, and my car was fine when I got back. We got to the main ticket hall, picked up our tickets, went to the bathroom, and then waited in the hot sun for the boat to arrive. You can purchase ferry boat tickets for a discount through a tour agency such as Klook here or KKday here.
There is some shade as you wait in line if you get there early.
The boast finally came, and we were able to board.
The boat ride over can be very shaky. Best to take some seasick pills, I’m serious. Also, it is best to sit on the bottom near the back of the boat for less movement. This boat goes on the open Pacific and it can be like a roller coaster ride. Also make sure your luggage is secure. Both there and back, our kids threw up. There are plastic bags on the seats to throw up in. The adults around us also threw up. Those 50 minutes were long but they eventually passed.
Nanliao Harbor 南寮漁港
We finally made it to Nanliao Harbor. I went to the first scooter shop I could see and rented a scooter for 400 NT for a day, and he only charged me for three days instead of four. He also offered a free van ride to our hostel to transport our luggage for free. We stayed at and can recommend Fire Island Guesthouse, which is a high quality B&B on right on the east coast of the island. You can book a scooter rental for Green Island on Klook here or KKday here.
I will now introduce the island starting from Nanliao Harbor and move clockwise.
Green Island Old Street 綠島老街
Green Island Old Street refers to the section of Huandao Road between Nanliao Fishing Port and the Airport. It is not an official name, but I have seen it been called Green Island’s Old Street a few times. Here you can find the most restaurants and eating options. There is even a small night market that appears here sometimes. Also, 7-11, Family Mart, the post office, and the agricultural association are all on this road. There are also multiple seafood restaurants, ice shops, and breakfast shops on this road.
You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Gigago here.
For more views of the old street and some of the food we had there, see the gallery above.
The old street is also a great place to watch the sunset over Taiwan.
Last rays of sun over the ocean.
Also don’t forget that the post office has the only ATM on the island. If you don’t want to run to the post office ATM, make sure you bring plenty of cash with you to the island.
Green Island Airport 綠島機場
At the end of the old street you will come to Green Island Airport, which is very small and only services small planes from Daily Air. Due to strong winds in the winter, flights can be cancelled with short notice. There are also few seats available each day, so you may have to book far in advance to get a flight.
Plane coming in to land as seen from the old street.
Green Island Lighthouse 綠島燈塔
Near the airport is Green Island Lighthouse.
Unfortunately due to the pandemic no one was allowed inside when we visited. But even if you could go inside, they will not let visitors walk to the top of the lighthouse.
If you do come, the lighthouse is closed on Mondays and admission is free.
In 1937 the American Steamship SS President Hoover ran ground at Green Island and all aboard were saved. To thank the people of Green Island, the US donated to build the Green Island Lighthouse which was designed by the Japanese and finished in 1938, at 33.3 meters or 109 feet high.
Another view of the lighthouse.
Wuyouku 烏油窟
One of the best swimming spots on the island is Wuyouku near the lighthouse. It is a small pool of seawater with white sand.
It is best to visit here during high tide when the water is cleaner. At low tide the water pretty much has no flow with the ocean, and if there are a lot of people swimming there the water can get dirty. The water here is not very deep, and you can see lots of little fish in the water too.
You can also see Daily Air planes take off and land from here.
Chaikou Snorkeling Area 柴口浮潛區
There are four concrete bridges that lead out into the ocean on Green Island, and they are all great places for snorkeling and diving. At Chaikou, there is also an underwater mailbox. There are many companies offering snorkeling, diving, SUPing, and other tours on Green Island.
Be careful to only go snorkeling and diving here at low tide and low winds, and bring a buddy. If you go at high tide, the waves will eat you alive here.
There are actually tons of places to snorkel and dive along this stretch of coast, but walking along the concrete path is the most convenient and most beneficial to the sea life. You can search for tours of Green Island on Klook here or KKday here.
There is also some sand here but not much.
Gongguan Rock 公館鼻
Gongguan Rock is a popular spot for locals to go fishing, and has great views of the ocean. However the sign said tourists were not allowed, so I did not go any further.
Gongguan Fishing Harbor 公館漁港
Near the rock is a fishing port which has pristine water and is a good place to practice snorkeling.
View of the right side of the port.
General Rock and Triple Rocks 三峰岩及將軍岩
If you want to venture out here, you can reach general rock in the foreground, and triple rocks in the background.
Near this area there are also quite a few swimming holes and places to snorkel.
Elephant Rock 象鼻岩
Another cool rock in the area to see is Elephant Rock, shaped like its namesake. It is a popular Instagram spot.
Green Island White Terror Memorial Park 白色恐怖綠島紀念園區
One of the most popular tourist attractions on the island is the White Terror Museum, which is an old prison for political prisoners during the white terror or martial law period of Taiwan, that has now been opened to the public. There are now quite a few exhibits set up in these buildings.
I find it ironic that the dictator responsible for the white terror massacre and unrightful imprisonment of prisoners here (Chiang Kai-shek) is still proudly displayed on a pedestal here.
There are also quite a few abandoned buildings and cells that you can go explore.
Outside wall and guard tower that once kept prisoners inside.
Outside the prison you can find the 13th Squadron cemetery, which was a cemetery for the political prisoners here that died from disease or suicide. They are called the 13th squadron to moralize their undying spirit.
Swollow Cave (Yanzidong 燕子洞)
Past the cemetery, if you keep walking down the beach you will reach Swallow Cave, which was once used as an auditorium for performances by the political prisoners.
Here you can see the rocks tell an interesting story of erosion mixed with other layers of lava.
There are also some swimming and snorkeling holes here too.
Inside the cave you can see remnants of the amphitheater and stone steps. There is also an interesting eye shaped light that enters the cave.
Green Island Marine Research Station 綠島海洋研究站
Part of the old prison had been converted into the Green Island Marine Research Station, which is run by Academia Sinica. This is off limits to tourists.
Ch’ou-Ch’in Reservoir 綠島酬勤水庫
Just up the road you can spot Green Island’s main source of clean water, the Chou Qing Reservoir. Also off limits to tourists.
Niutoushan (Cow Head Mountain) 牛頭山
One of the most popular hikes on the island is Niutoushan, which includes a grassland and a few small hills on the east coast of the island. The hike does not take very long to complete.
Check out our drone video of Niutoushan above.
Or check out a 360 degree view of the area above.
Guanyin Cave 觀音洞
Guanyin Cave is a small limestone cave on the east side of the island, with a rock that looks like Guanyin. The local people here have also constructed a temple to Guanyin.
View of the Guanyin shaped rock worshiped by the locals.
Be careful not to hit your head on a rock while exploring the cave, it is not very high.
Green Island Sika Deer Preserve 綠島梅花鹿生態園區
You may notice advertisements for a sika deer preserve on the island. Frankly the preserive is out of business and is now a private farm not open to the public.
Tourist map of the area in its heyday.
It seems that most of the deer have left, probably to become dinner for the many all you can eat venison restaurants around the island. The farm seems to have been open a year ago, but may have closed due to the pandemic. Hopefully it will open again. But until then, best to stay away. Here is a review from Google: “Dogs came running full speed and bite us. They are NOT in chain! The gate was open so we walked in. Because of this We had to go hospital. Totally ruined our day. Don’t come!”
Youzihu 柚子湖
Youzihu is a seaside valley on the east side of the island, featuring a large sea cave, swimming holes, and an abandoned fishing village and aquaculture farm.
For an overview of the area, see our drone video above.
Or check out our 360 degree panorama of the area above.
Laogu Stone Village 咾咕石古厝
One of the more interesting areas of Youzihu is the abandoned stone house village. Some of the earliest settlers to green island lived here. I’m not sure why it was abandoned since there is a road here, but it seems that people lived here up until a few years ago.
There is also a large abandoned fish farm out back with empty cement basins.
There are quite a few abandoned stone houses, this is one of the few with an intact roof.
In the middle of the valley there is a spot to park your scooters on the sand.
Wangong Dong Sea Cave 彎弓洞
Wangong Cave is one of the largest and most beautiful caves on Green Island. It attracts tons of instagrammers and is a great spot for a photo.
Lots of people like to get a silhouette image from inside the cave.
There are also some interesting rock formations on the cave roof.
Another view of the cave.
Near Wangong Cave there is also a secret swimming spot, which is really only swimmable at high tide.
The swimming spot sits in between these rocks and it is a really pointy, rocky, walk to get there.
View of Youzihu to the south via drone.
Further south along the beach, there is another volcanic wall and small passageway that leads to another cove.
The most impressive thing here is the rock formations, that look like a giant natural cathedral.
More views of the rock formations here can be seen above.
Last view of Youzihu from the plateau above.
Little Great Wall 小萬里長城
A must see on Green Island is the little great wall. It provides some of the most amazing views anywhere in Taiwan for very little effort.
View of Niutoutshan in the distance from the trailhead.
The trail here is not very steep or long, but there is a sheer dropoff on either side.
View of Haishengping valley.
From here you can see Sleeping Beauty Rock, if you can’t see it the head is to the left.
If you have seen the Disney film Moana, it is kind of like that.
Down below are some volcanic rocks with natural steps on them, which are popular for people to climb.
View of the open ocean from the top.
View of Youzihu.
Closeup on the rock formations at Youzihu.
View looking back down the trail.
View looking south from the top pavilion.
Just a little way up the road about at the location this photo was taken, you can find a small path leading down the mountain to Haishengping.
Haisenping 海蔘坪
The path is well hidden so not many people find their way down there. It is the only way to get to sleeping beauty rock. Originally there was a village down there, but due to difficulty in walking up and down the hill, the village was abandoned. The last resident finally gave up and moved away. But there are still concrete steps that lead down to the village.
And this is where I saw the sunrise.
Video of the sunrise that morning above.
View of the sun in between the clouds. No filter.
Sun rising into the clouds.
Sun disappears behind the clouds.
Further down, you will run into about four or five abandoned houses, all with their roofs collapsed.
Getting down to the beach was an amazing experience. I had the whole beach to myself the whole time, and I know it was a place few people would visit. It felt almost like a sacred place.
There is a path along the beach through this thick brush, which will hurt if you are wearing shorts.
The three volcanic rocks that peak out of the ocean on the north shore.
A not so unfamiliar artifact in what I assumed was an untouched paradise.
Morning sun behind the clouds.
Sleeping Beauty Rock 睡美人岩
As explained above, sleeping beauty rock reminded me of Moana. Once you see it, you can’t un-see it.
View looking toward the Little Great Wall from the beach.
Pekingese Dog Rock 哈巴狗岩
Another amazing rock here is Pekingese Dog Rock, which is an island that has a sea cave that goes through the entire island.
Closeup of Sleeping Beauty Rock.
View inside the cave.
The water here is pristine.
Looking into the cave.
Looking back at the great little wall.
Behind sleeping beauty rock, there are two more sea caves. I only explored one.
View of the entrance to the two caves.
Inside the right cave there was tons of rubble, and it was really damp.
View of the end of the cave. The cave is constantly eroded by seawater.
View looking back at the cave entrance.
For more views of this sea cave, see the photo gallery above.
Another view of Sleeping Beauty Rock.
Waking back toward little great wall.
Pine trees growing in the beach, perhaps washing up from the western undited states?
There is also a stream running from the abandoned village to the beach here which was beautiful.
Dinosaur spotted on the trail.
There were also tons of land crabs everywhere. They were big and loud.
Huge banyan tree growing on a rock near the village.
At first I thought the way to Sleeping Beauty Rock was through the garbage dump here, but that is not the case. You have to go down the trail mentioned above.
Confucius Rock 孔子巖
Once you come down from the dump, you can see Confucius rock from the seashore, on the left.
Hot Spring Village 溫泉村
On this shore you will find Hot Spring Village.
hen I was there they were hanging eight octopuses out to dry.
Also there are usually goats grazing here.
Also the only Skia deer I saw was here, and it had a broken leg.
Also saw a water buffalo here.
Guoshan Old Trail 過山古道
Perhaps the best trail on the Island is the Guoshan Old Trail. It traverses the mountains through the middle of the island, and was once a major transportation route for the locals. Unfortunately I did not walk the whole thing because I was too busy snorkeling. The entire walk will take a few hours.
The trail ends near the top of the island, next to the weather station. This is the view at night. It’s about 2 km long and takes about two hours.
Ocean View Trail 綠島觀海步道
Another nice trail is the ocean view trail that also starts from Hot Spring Village.
This trail seems newer and also has great views. I didn’t have time to finish it though.
Zhaori Hot Springs 朝日溫泉
Zhaori (or Chaori) hot springs is one of only three saltwater hot springs in the world. It is truly a world class location worth checking out. The hot springs have also been turned into hot tubs and swimming pools above, and below is a more close to nature experience. Admission is usually 200 NT per person. You can also book discount tickets to Zhaori Hot Spring on KKday here.
Unfortunately due to the pandemic the hot springs closed for a while, and threatened to shut down permanently. Thankfully it opened up again when we came, even if it was only open partially.
Another view of the hot spring from above.
Check out our drone video of the area above.
Or you can look at the 360 degree panorama of the area above.
This is the entrance to the hot springs. There is plenty of parking around.
When I was there, tickets had to be purchased from my hostel owner, they did not sell tickets at the door.
View of the pools to the left.
View of the pools to the right.
Large hot tub pool in the center.
View out to the ocean. The ocean part was closed when we went there because they were filming a movie. Also because of renovations, the entire park was only open after 5 PM. Usually it is open all day.
Another view of the beach area with filming going on in the background.
Giant laval pillar on the beach.
Looking back at the pools.
“Zhaori Hot Spring – Enjoy a Good Hot Spring Soaking” Zhaori Hot Spring is located on the southern east side of the island and faces towards the east, named the hot spring Asahi, which means ‘Morning Sun’ and the Kanji was pronounced Zhaori in Chinese. The hot spring sits within the intertidal zone causing sea water to cover the source during high tide and emits during low tide. The chloride sulfate spring is maintained at around 60 to 70 degrees Celsius within the pool, but may reach up to 93 degrees Celsius at its outlet. These characteristics also points to an active volcano. Sea water penetrates the fault beneath and emerges after it has been heated and pressurized to reach the surface, causing its high density in salt and lack of sulfur odor and tacky touch. We have a complete hot spring facility to satisfy all your needs that includes an indoor spa, a semi-outdoor hot spring, a large pool, and outdoor hot spring, an egg cooking area, and three more hot springs by the ocean that lets you enjoy the stars, waves, and sunrise all while inside our hot spring.” The indoor spa was also closed when we were there. Hopefully the entire facility will open soon.
Fanchuanbi Grassland 帆船鼻大草原
Another amazing place near the hot springs is Fanchuanbi Grassland. The trailhead is right inside the hot spring parking lot.
View of the hot springs from on top of the grassland.
There is also a 360 degree viewing platform here.
The grass here is amazing. You could put here. It would be a great place for golf. I imagine that it’s because goats graze here.
For more views of the grassland, see the photo gallery above.
There is also a Hot Spring Visitors Center down the road which appeared to be shut down.
Ziping 紫坪
Ziping is an ecological area that has a large tide pool. It used to be inhabited, but the village there has now been abandoned too.
View of Ziping from above. We did not get a chance to walk down for a closer look.
Ziping Campground 紫坪露營區
At Ziping there is also a pretty nice campground with covered camping areas.
There is also a hot spring swimming pool here that was closed when we went.
We also saw this amazing whale hostel on a hill nearby.
Da Bai Sha Beach 大白沙
Dabaisha is the largest beach on Green Island. There is also a concrete bridge here, so it is busy with both beachgoers and divers.
There were tons of snorkelers and divers here when we visited.
There was also a diving boat here.
View of the beach. There are usually people sunbathing here.
There was also a long line of instagrammers here waiting to take selfies.
The sand here is not fine, it is quite coarse. But we were still able to make a sand castle out of it.
People walking on the concrete bridge.
Another view of the crowd in front of the bridge.
More Instagrammers.
A lone swimmer.
Walking in the sunset.
View under the water.
This is about the best view of fish I have there.
For more views of Daboisha Beach, see the gallery above.
Fudi Dongtian 福地洞天
Another amazing place on the island is Fudidongtian. Here the road passes many sea caves and even passes through one.
The road here passes through a sea cave.
Also under the bridge here there is another stone walkway that you can walk to go diving or snorkeling.
There are also a few large caves here.
View inside the cave.
People fishing here at night.
Another view at dusk.
Also near there we came across this concrete pipe hotel.
A lone sunbather on this somewhat rocky beach in front of the pipe motel.
Shilang Snorkeling Area 石朗潛水區
Shilang is perhaps the premier diving destination on Green Island. It also has a concrete bridge, and was the first place on Green Island to feature an underwater mailbox.
Levee and street behind.
Now that we have circled the island, here are some night photos I took. Here is a giant frog I found on the road.
Starry night with Taiwan in the distance.
The stars here were bright and beautiful.
Venus and other stars.
Milky Way barely visible.
Another view of Taiwan from near the lighthouse.
Also, if you are traveling with kids, there is a great playground at the elementary school.
Conclusion:
This concludes our journey to Green Island. The ferry journey back to Fugang Harbor was worse than the way over. We put our luggage on some seats downstairs and moved upstairs, and by the time we came down all our luggage was strewn all over the place. Then we drove 5 hours back to Taipei. Compared to other Islands, Green Island was much easier to explore. There is pretty much nothing stopping you from jumping into the ocean anywhere, and tourists can go pretty much anywhere on the island. Green Island probably has the most amazing natural scenery and rock formations of any other island I have seen in Taiwan. It also has great snorkeling and lots of places to dive. Zhaori Hot Spring is world-class, and going there alone is worth the entire trip. But there are no nice fine sandy beaches, and the journey there is rough and bumpy unless you take a place.
Hopefully, this blog was helpful to you, and good luck on your journey to Green Island! You can check out more photos of Green Island in our original post here. You can also check out our full guide to all of Taiwan’s outer islands here.
Serpent Head Mountain is the highest point in Penghu and is one of Taiwan’s top 100 lesser peaks. It is also home to the first western fort built in Taiwan; this was the first spot where the Dutch established a trading post in Taiwan before colonizing the island. It also has a memorial to French…
Typhoon Kong-Rey was the largest storm to hit Taiwan since 1996, the first Typhoon to make landfall in late October, and the third Typhoon to make landfall in Taiwan in 2024. Its landfall marked the first time in 16 years that three Typhoons have made landfall in Taiwan during one Typhoon season. So far it…
The Beitou Museum (aka Taiwan Folk Art Museum 北投文物館) is a former Japanese-era Hot Spring hotel that has now been turned into a museum and art exhibition space in Beitou District of Taipei. The building also includes restaurants and great views of Beitou. It is a great place to enjoy the history and culture of…
Aimen Beach is the longest beach in Penghu and may be the most popular beach in Penghu for water activities (澎湖隘門沙灘及林投公園). Popular activities include jet skiing, surfing, windsurfing, and snorkeling. The beautiful golden sand and clear blue waters are also great places for taking photos. In addition, Lintou Forest Park next to the beach is…
With over 677 people killed in Taiwan, Typhoon Morakot (also known as the 88 Flood 八八水災) was the most deadly Typhoon ever to hit Taiwan in recorded history. It also broke records for the highest rainfall of any Typhoon in Taiwan’s history, a total of over 3 meters of rain (3060 mm in Alishan), with…
Puji Temple (普濟寺 aka Lingquan Mountain Puji Temple 靈泉山普濟寺 or Tiezhenyuan, 鐵真院) is a Buddhist temple in Beitou, dating back to the Japanese era of Taiwan. It is one of the most well-preserved temples dating back to the Japanese era and is definitely worth a stop if you visit Beitou.
