Trip Moments Recommendations
Down in the deep blue sea, my first Scuba
Scuba diving, Green Island Taiwan.
I have always wanted to try scuba diving but I have never found somewhere I felt comfortable enough to do it, so I’m really happy I came to Green Island. We stayed in the Relax Chamber b&b who had onsite dive instructors, you are able to dive with them one on one after training and it is a life changing experience. Most places I have seen scuba in places like Thailand it is group sessions or crazy prices for one on one, here it is roughly $50 for a one on one session with full photos and videos during.
You get training on the gear and a full fitting session to make sure everything you are wearing and using is right for your shape and size, the dive instructors are fully licensed and have experience diving all over the world.
My instructor was fluent in English and was really supportive when I initially got int he water, letting me float on the surface and test the breathing equipment until I was ready to dive. You dive to a depth of 12 meters and your instructor will check every meter if you are ready to go deeper, reminding you to clear your ears and check your mask as you go deeper.
Under the water there are stunning reefs as far as the eye can see and a crazy amount of fish, there were fish of all shapes, colours and sizes and at times you are completely surrounding by entire schools of fish.
A highlight for me was seeing turtles in the distance and within the rocks, and waiting long enough for one to swim so close to me I could see every detail of it’s face.
It was such a surreal experience and I immediately paid to do it again the next day, my instructor took me to another place to dive this time and helped me explore the reef hunting for as many different fish as possible.
I would 100% recommend this as a dive location and I will be going back as soon as I can to get my licence! If you have a license there are places on the island to hire your own equipment and maps of all the safe and interesting dive locations.
#scubadiving #timetotravel #beachlife #instatravel #trip #taiwan #diving #greenisland #underwater
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