Green Island is the best diving location in Taiwan, and it also has amazing historical and geological sites to explore. Despite this, the only way for most tourists to get to Green Island is via a 50-minute ferry ride. There is an airplane option, but seats are limited and often booked months in advance. Many ferries travel to and from the island daily with plenty of extra seats available, and there are two ports to choose from. The whole process may seem complicated, but in this guide, we will make traveling to Green Island via ferry easy for you.
I have travelled the Green Island Ferry three times. There are a few things I wish I had known earlier regarding taking the ferry that would have made the trips easier, which is why I have created this guide.
Green Island Ferry Routes:
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 at Orchid Island, and the trip takes much longer. Ferries may be cancelled during Typhoons and winter months from October to March.
Taitung to Green Island 台東到綠島
This is the most direct route to Green Island and the route that most people take.
Ferry from Fugang Harbor (富岡漁港) in Taitung to Nanliao Harbor (南寮漁港) on Green Island:
- Price: 1200 NT (600 NT per single trip)
- Total travel time: 50-minute trip one way
- Boats leave about every two hours, five times a day
- The first boat leaves Taitung at about 7:00 AM, and the last boat leaves Green Island at about 4:30 PM.
Ferry Boat costs:
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 about the same times for the same prices (1200 NT per person round trip/600 NT per single trip).
You can purchase tickets through a tour agency such as Klook here or KKday here.
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 (October to March), or cancelled altogether, while all the boat times may be available during summer break and weekends (except during Typhoons).
Please double-check which times are available before you go:
Feiyu Company Timetable: https://ferry.tw/time-table/lyudao
Green Island Star No. 3 Timetable: https://greenstar.okgo.tw/multimedia4.html
Taitung/Pintung to Orchid Island to Green Island 屏東到蘭嶼到綠島
This route is ideal if you want to visit both Orchid Island and Green Island. However, the whole trip takes about 5.5 hours and can be very rocky. Also, during the winter months (October to March), the route can be cancelled.
Booking to visit Green Island via Houbihu can be hard, and I don’t recommend taking that route unless you can speak Chinese or have a Chinese-speaking friend with you (the boat schedules are not as predictable).
For most tourists wanting to visit Green Island, I suggest departing from Taitung.
Ferry from Fugang Harbor (富岡漁港) in Taitung via Kaiyuan Fishing Port (開元漁港) on Orchid Island:
- Price: 2400 NT. You can purchase ferryboat tickets at a discount on Klook here or KKday here.
- Total travel time: Over 5.5 hours with stops on Orchid Island and Green Island
- Boats leave about every two hours
- The first boat leaves at about 7:00 AM, and the last boat leaves at about 4:30 PM.
- Your round-trip ticket may include a stop at Green Island. Make sure the second ticket stops in Green Island, because not all do. Usually, the Green Island stop is on the afternoon Ferry that leaves Orchid Island at 3 PM.
- There is no single ticket between Green Island and Lanyu. It needs to be included in a package to or from Taiwan.
- Booking a ticket from Houbihu to Orchid Island may be difficult. I could not find a place to buy them online at the time of writing this blog. A safer option would be to buy a ticket from Taitung to Orchid Island that circles back to Green Island.
Ferry from Houbihu Harbor (恆春後壁湖漁港) in Pingtung via Kaiyuan Fishing Port (開元漁港) on Orchid Island:
- Price: 2400 NT. You can purchase ferryboat tickets at a discount on Klook here or KKday here.
- Total travel time: Over 5.5 hours with stops on Orchid Island and Green Island
- Boats leave about every two hours
- The first boat leaves at about 8:00 AM, and the last boat leaves at about 4:50 PM.
- Note you will need to purchase two tickets: Houbihu to Orchid Island, then Orchid Island to Taitung. Make sure the second ticket stops in Green Island, because not all do. Usually, the Green Island stop is on the afternoon Ferry that leaves Orchid Island at 3 PM.
- There is no single ticket between Green Island and Lanyu. It needs to be included in a package to or from Taiwan.
- Booking a ticket from Houbihu to Orchid Island to Green Island may be difficult. I could not find a place to buy them online at the time of writing this blog. A safer option would be to buy a ticket from Taitung to Orchid Island that circles back to Green Island.
Ferry Prices:
There are two ferry companies that operate this route. Both companies leave from both harbors at the same time and arrive at the same time for the same price (2400 NT per person round trip/1150 NT per single trip).
Ferry Boat costs:
You can book tickets for a discount on Klook here or KKday here.
Ferry Times:
7:30/7:00 AM departure, 9:30 AM arrival to Lanyu.
12:00/12:30 PM departure, 3:00 PM arrival to Lanyu.
9:30 AM departure from Lanyu, 11:30 arrival to Taitung or Pingtung.
3:00 PM departure from Lanyu, 5:00 PM arrival to Taitung or Pingtung.
Usually, the boat that stops on Green Island departs at 3 PM.
Both ferry companies depart and arrive at the same time at both locations.
You can purchase ferryboat tickets for a discount on Klook here or KKday here.
Taitung’s 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 traveling 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 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 boat 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 right on the east coast of the island.
You can book a scooter rental for Green Island on Klook here or KKday here.
Houbihu Harbor (恆春後壁湖漁港) in Pingtung
We decided to take the ferry from Kenting (technically Hengchun, Houbihu Harbor) because we knew the flights to Taitung would be hard to book and might be canceled, and because we had just recently vacationed in Taitung and I wanted to go back to Kenting. After three days in Kenting, we decided it would be okay to do an overnight trip to Orchid Island. We departed on the 1:00 PM boat. The dock was hard to find, but eventually, a lady told us to go to the yellow building on the west end of the harbor. We had booked our tickets online and already paid half.
You can purchase ferryboat tickets for a discount on Klook here or KKday here.
We took the Green Island Star No. 3 (綠島之星3號) to Lanyu, which sucked; it was way too hot, A/C had problems, and there were huge waves. Coming back, we took a different boat from the same company, the Green Island Star (綠島之星), which was much cooler and more comfortable. This line has three ships that run from Kenting to Orchid Island to Green Island, then to Taitung, and back again.
We were told there would be parking at the dock, but it was scarce. We ended up driving through a huge crowd of people and parking on the side of the road.
The boat ride was long, and there was no TV. Our hostel owner told us to bring a coat because it would be cold on the boat. That was a complete lie; it was freaking hot (mid-May), and to make things worse, there was some wind, which meant huge waves. My daughter barfed within half an hour, and after two hours, we all felt sick. Some of her barf unfortunately got stuck on the seat, which I don’t know whether or not it will ever come out. After that, I tried to take her on deck (where we saw the first sign of Lanyu above), but it was even hotter outside.
Kaiyuan Fishing Port (開元漁港) on Orchid Island
We were anxious to get off the boat. There is room for you to store your luggage at the back of the boat. Then, after getting your luggage, you have to walk on a boardwalk to get to shore. Our hostel owner was waiting for us in a van at the dock, along with about 20 other hostel owners. We had to wait for the crowds to clear before we could move. There are also many scooter rental places next to the harbor entrance.
I have never taken the last ferry leg between Green Island and Orchid Island, so that will be a tale for another time.
Map of Ferry Harbors in this Blog
The map above shows the four ferry harbors in this blog: Fugang Harbor (富岡漁港) in Taitung to Nanliao Harbor (南寮漁港) on Green Island, Houbihu Harbor (恆春後壁湖漁港) in Pingtung, and Kaiyuan Fishing Port (開元漁港) on Orchid Island.
How to Buy Ferry Tickets to Green Island and Orchid Island (怎麼買傳票去綠島或蘭嶼):
There are a few ways to buy ferry tickets:
- Klook: Taitung to Green Island
- KKday: Taitung to Green Island, or Houbihu to Lanyu/Orchid Island to Green Island
- Trip.com: Taitung to Green Island
- Feiyu Company Website: No English
- Kaixuan Company Website: Very limited English
- Green Island Star Website: Very limited English
- Book through your Hotel/Hostel owner
- Buy tickets in person at the counter (credit cards are accepted)
We recommend buying through Klook here or KKday here because they sell tickets at a discount, for quite a bit cheaper than buying through the company website or the counter.
Getting to Green Island 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.
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.
Tourist Guide to Green Island:
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 hotspot. 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. In this blog, we will explain how to get there, what to do, where to go, and how to enjoy this island.
Check out our full tourist guide to Green Island here.
For more of Taiwan’s outer Islands, you can check out our full guides to Xiaoliuqiu here, Penghu here, Kinmen here, Matsu here, and Orchid Island here.
You can also check out our full guide to all of Taiwan’s outer islands here.
You can also check out our full guide to Taiwan here.
