Green Island, Taiwan: Great scuba diving and a scooter loop
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Green Island, or Lyudao, was on my Taiwan bucket list from the moment I arrived in the country. I’d heard it was stunningly beautiful, a little off the beaten path, and one of the best places to dive in Taiwan. When I finally made it there over a year later, it did not disappoint! In this article, I’ll outline the best things to do on this beautiful windswept rock in the sea.
As you circumnavigate little Green Island, with its rocky cliffs, sea caves, and endless ocean views, you get the feeling you are somewhere well and truly remote. You’re not really, though – the island is just 33 kilometers off the coast of eastern Taiwan. You can reach it by ferry in under an hour.
I might be discounting the journey a little bit. Said ferry leaves from Taitung, which itself is a relatively quiet little city on the southeastern coast of Taiwan. Still, if a place is reachable in half a day from a major metropolis like Taipei, I’d call that relatively accessible.
And once you’re there – you’re really a world away from it all. The island is relaxed, with tourism as its main industry. You can dive, snorkel, or just lounge on the beach. There are hot springs to enjoy and interesting rock formations to explore along the coastline.
How many days should you spend on Green Island?
When I say Green Island is small, I mean it. Driving the coastal road around the island would take you less than an hour if you did it without stopping.
I was surprised to learn from my guesthouse owner in Taitung that some people visit Green Island as a day trip! They take the morning ferry from Taitung, rent a scooter, loop around the island, and come back in the afternoon. So that is a possibility. It’s not one I would ever dream of (especially because the ferry can be pretty unpleasant), but I’m not here to knock anyone’s travel style!
I will say that if you don’t enjoy diving or snorkeling, you can comfortably visit the island’s main sights in a day. I was happy spending a few days here, but I love to dive and am a pretty slow traveler anyway. So I think it really depends on you – what kind of activities you enjoy, how much time you have to see the rest of Taiwan, and how quickly you like to move.
The best things to do on Green Island, Taiwan
To help you with that decision, let’s jump into the best things to do on this little volcanic rock in the middle of the ocean!
Rent a scooter
By far, the best way to travel around Green Island is by scooter. There is also a bus that loops around the island, but it doesn’t come very frequently. (In low season, I didn’t see it at all.) You’ll limit your ability to stop and visit a lot of the places of interest around the island if you rely on the bus.
When you get off the ferry in Nanliao harbor, you’ll see rows and rows of motorbikes for rent. Alas, if you don’t have a motorbike license, you’ll struggle to find someone willing to rent to you.
I got a tip from another traveler that the very first rental place you see when you get off the ferry will sometimes rent bikes to people without a license. I had success there, but that may have been because it was December and the island was practically a ghost town. Note that when I say “rental place,” I mean a haphazard collection of beat up motorbikes just at the entrance to the pier. I was literally worried the thing would fall apart as I rode it, but hey, it’s a small place where nobody really drives that fast . (And there really was no alternative.)
Electric scooters are another a popular means of transportation around Green Island, and you don’t need a license to rent one. I saw plenty of these when I got off the ferry as well. They were perfectly organized all in a row, they appeared to be either brand new or in great condition… and there was not a soul in sight to speak to about renting one! I think this was a uniquely off-season problem; I’ve been assured they’re easy to find the rest of the year.
Beaches on Green Island
Green Island’s best beaches are on the western side of the island. Note though, that they aren’t great for swimming due to the rocks. They are, however, good places to snorkel thanks to the amazing coral reefs found just offshore. If you’re a diver, you may end up doing some shore dives around here as well.
Just south of the harbor is Shilong. This beach is walkable from many of the guesthouses and restaurants in Nanliao, which are located on the main road north of the ferry pier.
Further south is Da Bai Sha. Being further from the harbor, this one is a little more scenic. Both beaches are right next to the main road, but Da Bai Sha stretches away from it towards the southern tip of the island. This would be my pick if I just wanted to read a book in the sand.
There is another popular snorkeling area called Chaikou on the northern coast of Green Island. It doesn’t have much of a beach though, so it’s really best if you actually do want to snorkel.
Diving on Green Island
Green Island is one of the best places in Taiwan for scuba diving. It is a year-round dive destination with beautiful coral reefs.
There are about 20 boat diving sites around the island as well as over 10 sites for shore diving. I personally experienced great visibility on my two boat dives. I didn’t see a ton of fish, to be honest (overfishing is a problem here), but the reefs were healthy and the colors were gorgeous! With a bit more luck, you might see batfish, spotted rays, lionfish, trevallies, and sea turtles.
Most of the dive centers are located either in Nanliao or along the north coast of the island. I always recommend popping into a few places to chat to the staff before you decide where to dive.
As a solo traveler with terrible Mandarin looking to dive in low season, I wasn’t even sure I would find a place willing to take me. Luckily, there were several shops that had boat dives planned for groups, and they were happy to let me tag along. I ended up having a great day diving with Bay Dive Center and their English-speaking staff.
If you happen to be a very experienced diver visiting Green Island around January/February, you may be interested in a famous dive site known as Shark Point. It is known as a place to spot hammerheads (!), but note that it is a very challenging dive site with strong currents.
Zhaori Hot Springs
This is one of the most popular stops on the typical scooter loop around Green Island. (Don’t be fooled by my low season photo.) The Zhaori hot springs are one of only a handful of saltwater hot springs in the world.
The hot springs are located on the east coast of the island, and many people like to drive here before dawn to catch the sunrise from the pools. They open early in the morning and close late (usually after midnight), but note that they sometimes also close for several hours in the afternoon. Double check the schedule before you go.
There is a small spring where you can cook food (such as eggs, shrimp, or corn), which is kind of cool!
Right next to the Zhaori Hot Springs is the Fanchuanbi Grassland. If you’re lucky, it can be a great place to spot birds and other wildlife. But even if you’re not, it has a great view of the hot springs down below.
Little Great Wall
The Little Great Wall is a short, 300-meter path above the rocky shore of Green Island’s east coast. There are two pavilions at the edge of the cliff where you can sit and admire the view.
Looking south, you can see several of Green Island’s unique rock formations.
On the right is Sleeping Beauty Rock. (The narrow part of the rock with water flowing underneath is her neck. The large part that extends into the ocean is her head.)
To the left is Pekingese Dog Rock. (I had to image search a Pekingese dog and I still only kind of see it.)
At night, the Little Great Wall is a great spot for stargazing due to the minimal light pollution.
Youzihu, the Sea Cave, and the Blue Cave
Just north of the Little Great Wall, a smaller road branches off towards the ocean and a site known as Youzihu (Youzi Lake). It ends at a beautiful beach with towering rocky crags.
It’s an interesting area to explore with small tide pools and caves. There are also crumbling remains of a long-abandoned fishing village. If you head north, you’ll find the impressive sea cave under Wangong Arch.
In the other direction, the Blue Cave is a popular place for swimming and snorkeling. It is located practically right under the Little Great Wall.
Just note that the tides and the wind can make it somewhat dangerous to visit the Blue Cave alone. It’s recommended to go with a guide. You should also wear water walking shoes, as the rocks can be quite sharp.
Guanyin Cave
This is a small limestone cave that has been transformed into a shrine housing a Guanyin “statue” (actually a stalagmite). Guanyin is the goddess of mercy in Chinese mythology. I’m not sure how interesting it is to most people, but if you’re in no hurry, why not stop for a few minutes.
Niutoushan
Niutoushan is a grassy hill on the northeastern tip of the island. There is a short trail leading from the main road to some nice lookout points over the island, including the famous Triple Rocks to the west.
Prison Museum and White Terror Memorial Park
On the northern shore of the island things take a sobering turn. The prison here, now a museum, housed political dissidents during Taiwan’s long period of martial law from 1949 to 1987.
The prison is now a human rights museum where visitors can walk through the cell blocks and reflect on this dark chapter in Taiwan’s history. It is a bleak place, and a difficult visit.
A few hundred meters down the road, the White Terror Memorial Park commemorates the victims of this period of repression.
Lyudao Lighthouse
Back in 1937, a U.S. ocean liner sank off the coast of Green Island during a typhoon. All of the passengers were rescued and survived, and two years later the Lyudao Lighthouse was built as a thank-you to the locals. (It was later destroyed during World War II and rebuilt in 1948.)
The lighthouse is right next to the island’s tiny airport, so it is a cool place to watch planes come and go if you time it correctly. (Remember there are only a handful of flights per week.)
There is a small lagoon on the eastern side of the lighthouse that is a popular place for swimming.
How to get to Green Island, Taiwan
Most people arrive on Green Island by ferry from Taitung. The ferry leaves 2-3 times per day (depending on the season) from Fugang Fishery Harbor, about 10-15 minutes north of Taitung. It’s a good idea to book your ticket ahead of time, especially if you’re there during high season.
You can easily reserve a ticket online with Klook. When you arrive at the harbor, just present your voucher and ID at the ticket window. Alternatively, your accommodation may be able to organize this for you. (They call ahead; you arrive a bit early to pick up your ticket and pay.)
There is a bus to and from Fugang Harbor that stops at Taitung train station, the airport, and the city center. You can pay the bus fare with your EasyCard or iPass.
The ferry from Taitung to Green Island takes approximately 50 minutes. The water can be choppy, especially in the off season. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to sit or stand outside to get some fresh air.
A word of warning: Literally half of my boat was throwing up, the windows didn’t open, and the barf bags provided were clear plastic. Even if you aren’t prone to motion sickness, take a seasickness pill and/or wear some motion sickness bracelets. It’s worth feeling a little drowsy for a few hours, seriously. (Any pharmacy in town should be able to hook you up with some seasickness pills – it’s probably their most common request!)
There are also 15-minute hops by plane from Taitung airport to Green Island on a little airline called Daily Air.
How to get to Taitung
You can get from Taipei to Taitung in a little over four hours by train (sometimes a little less).
Hualien is about halfway between the two, so if you’re coming from Taroko Gorge, the trip usually takes an hour and a half to two hours. There is a local train as well, but this takes way longer – about three and a half hours from Hualien. Only do this if you’re traveling in a busy period and can’t get tickets on a faster train.
If you’re coming from the west coast of Taiwan, you can take a train to Taitung from Xinzuoying station in Khaosiung. From Kenting, the closest train station is Fangliao, which you can reach by taking the 9188 bus. From Khaosiung, most trains to Taitung take between two and three hours. From Fangliao, it will be a little quicker – most trains take about an hour and a half, give or take 15 minutes.
Trip duration depends on the exact train you end up taking. You can check schedules and reserve tickets on the TRA website. (See my full Taiwan itinerary post for details on how to buy train tickets in Taiwan.)
When is the best time to visit Green Island?
Any time between March and November is considered high season on Green Island. As in the rest of Taiwan, the hottest months will generally be May through September.
Note also that July through September is typhoon season. Although typhoons are obviously quite disruptive to your travel plans when they actually materialize, this doesn’t happen all that often.
I often enjoy traveling in low season for the lack of crowds and more reasonable accommodation prices. However, I had mixed feelings about visiting Green Island in low season. It’s true that there were no crowds to speak of, and I had a lot of the most scenic places on the island entirely to myself. I even had good weather – it wasn’t super sunny, but it didn’t rain on me either.
However, the majority of restaurants and other shops were shut for the season. I didn’t starve – there were a few places open and of course, there’s always 7-Eleven! But still, Nanliao felt practically deserted, and I did feel like I was missing out on part of the experience of the place.
If you have the choice, try to visit Green Island on either end of the high season – March/April or October/November. These are the best months to travel in Taiwan anyway, so hopefully you’ll have a “just-right” balance of available facilities and services without hordes of people. (As always, avoid holiday weekends.)
Final thoughts on visiting Green Island, Taiwan
If you’re a diver and want to dive in Taiwan, there’s no question Green Island should be in your travel plans. For anyone else, the island is still an incredibly scenic place to spend a day or two. I hope this article has provided a helpful overview of things to do there as you plan your trip.
For more on traveling in Taiwan, check out the posts linked below.
Taipei posts:
An overview of Taipei’s best neighborhoods
Alternatives to Elephant Mountain with great views of Taipei 101
Day trips from Taipei:
Hiking Teapot Mountain and Mount Banping
A day trip to the Pingxi Crags and Shifen
