An oasis of tranquility on Green Island

Green island is a small volcanic island off the South East coast of Taiwan, it’s famous for it’s scuba diving and it’s long history as a penal colony during Taiwan’s troubled political history. You can get to the island via plane or ferry from Taitung, the ferry is every hour and has a huge capacity so it is the easiest option, the flights are on small planes and very limited times. The ferry crossing takes about an hour and there is a dedicated terminal in Taitung to get tickets, however you can only buy tickets online or within an hour of departure. So if you get to the terminal a while before a boat you have to wait to be able to buy tickets, also the queing system on the dock is quite chaotic so double check you are in the right line for the right boat - a few companies run the same route at similar times. On the island trasnprot links are pretty much non existent so everyone hires scooter, they accept most forms of international driving licenses and fuel is very cheap! Be careful on the roads especially in the dark, there are a lot of potholes and cracks so make sure you have a helmet and insurance! Most people head to the island for scuba diving and most of the hotels or B&B’s have on site scuba instructors, you can pay by the hour for lessons or you can hire equipment on the island if you have your diving licence. As for food and drink, there is a 7/11 and a family mart in the main strip by the port, after that is is coffee shops and restaurants scattered around the island. Top tip is to research the opening times on the day, lots of places open for breakfast and again for dinner - many are closed between 11-4 so it’s hard to find lunch sometimes! There is a fascinating human rights museum in the old prison used to hold political prisoners between the 1960’s and 1990’s it is free to get into and has some really interesting exhibitions about the legacy of the prison. Overall a really interesting and beautiful island, I will definitely be going back! #timetotravel #instatravel #trip #beachlife #taiwan #taitung #greenisland