One of my favourite places in the world is Lyudao 綠島 or Green Island, a tiny island off the eastern coast of Taiwan. I think of it as one of the prettiest parts of Taiwan, and this tiny island encompasses everything I love about travel – it’s easy enough for me to poke around on my own, a whole lot of natural beauty on display and many surprising things to discover and experience all in one little destination.
I first visited Lyudao back in 2007 as part of my grad trip with my university friends. Back then I was happy to let my friend do all the planning and just tag along, and it ended up being some of the most memorable bits of our trip.
9 years later in 2016 as I embarked on my career break and headed back to Taiwan, Lyudao was definitely on my list of places to revisit. Would it live up to my rosy memories? I was curious to see how Lyudao had changed in almost a decade, and I’m quite glad that while it had definitely modernised – especially compared to neighbouring Lanyu aka Orchid Island that I also visited – a lot of Lyudao remained changed from my first visit.
So, if you want to head to Taiwan Green Island and see this lovely offshore island for yourself, here’s everything I know to help you get there. For more stories, here’s an article I wrote for the Straits Times about Green Island (ST Paywall – click here if you don’t have a subscription).
Here’s a handy Google Map for you:
How to get to Taiwan Green Island
The journey to Green Island is a little notorious and highly dependent on the weather. The best time to visit Green Island is in Summer around April to June when the weather is generally drier and warm. Later in the year, you’ll run into monsoons around July to August, and winter in general the seas are even more choppy.
Luckily, Lyudao is located fairly close to mainland Taiwan. The ferry ride takes you just one hour so even if you get seasick, it’s not so dire (unless you are on a particularly pukey boat). There are two ways to get there I’ve listed them here but you can also find more details and contact numbers on the Taitung tourism website.
By Plane
The fastest way to get from the mainland of Taiwan to Lyudao there is by plane, you’ll need to:
- For International Arrivals or Taipei: Fly from Taipei’s Songshan Airport to Taitung Airport – 50mins
- For Domestic Flights: Fly from Taitung Airport to Lyudao Airport – 15mins
The only airline that does the Taitung-Lyudao hop is via Daily Air. There are 6 flights in a day, though flights are often cancelled or delayed if the weather is bad, especially during monsoon season. More on their website here (mostly in Chinese).
The planes are really small (19 seaters) and are often fully booked months in advance. What a lot of people do (especially when they are trying desperately to fly off the island) is put their name down on the waiting list for the date they want to leave as soon as they arrive. After that it’s a bit of a waiting game to see if you can get on a flight.
It costs about NT$3,000 (around S$133) in total for a round trip flight, but I’d only recommend this is you are really, really prone to seasickness, as you do save a fair bit as compared to the ferry. Booking in advance is highly recommended to ensure you get a seat.
By Land / Ferry
The ferry ride from Taitung to Lyudao takes a little longer but is a more budget option as it is about half the cost of flying.
- Get to Fugang Fish Harbour in Taitung – You need to take a taxi or bus from Taitung Train Station
- Take a ferry from Fugang to Lyudao Nanliao Harbour – 1 hour
The round-trip ferry ride cost me NT$920 (about S$40). The boats are considerably bigger than the planes so there are more seats and hence a higher chance you can get on a boat last minute as compared to a flight. I bought my tickets directly at the harbour previously, but you can book ferry tickets to Green Island via Klook [affiliate link] now which makes it so much more convenient.
The ferry ride should take about an hour at most, depending on the sea conditions. The first time I took the Lyudao Ferry, I had a combination of really choppy waters and terribly sick people retching all around me in the cabin, so while I wasn’t seasick, it was not a pleasant journey. It’s an enclosed cabin and unfortunately you don’t have the option of going outside.
On my return trip in 2016, I found that the boats had much better air circulation and more comfortable seats, so my journey was (thankfully) quite uneventful. Ferries may also be cancelled if the weather is bad and seas are deemed too rough.
Can you go from Lyudao to Lanyu or vice versa?
My original plan was to go from Lyudao directly to Lanyu and hopefully save myself some ferry time (Lanyu is 3 hours by ferry from Taitung) but the short answer to this question is – don’t count on it. You’ll need to ask the locals or the ticket office if any ferries are making any trips during that period during the busy summer period, but the likelihood is still quite low.
Also the funny thing is that while there may be a chance to go from Lanyu to Lyudao, you can’t get from Lyudao to Lanyu by ferry directly unless you go back to Taitung first.
Updated 2019: Klook now offers a round-trip ferry package [klook affiliate link] that takes you from Taitung/Kenting to Lanyu, then to Lyudao, and then back to Taitung/Kenting again. I’ve not tried this for myself and you do need to indicate the dates of travel, but this would have been so useful for me if they had in back in 2016.
Where to stay on Taiwan Green Island
I stayed at Love in Sanasai or Sanasai Inn [booking.com affiliate link], which is designed to look a bit like Oia in greece with its blue domes and white walls. I like its proximity to the ferry terminal – even though it’s so close by and I was planning to just walk over, the owner had a sign to greet me and gave me and my backpack a lift back to the hostel on the back of a scooter.
I stayed in the 4-bed girls dormitory which was really comfortable – fixed bunk beds with a lot of headroom, your own cupboard to stash your stuff in and curtains you could pull so it was almost like a cubicle. Also, aircon! Definitely recommended – more here! It cost me 600NTD per night – that’s about S$25 via booking.com.
What’s great was that they had their own electric scooter rental which made it super convenient for me to arrange transport, and they even sold tickets to the hot spring directly.
Check out Love in Sanasai or Sanasai Inn on booking.com [affiliate link]
Getting around Taiwan Green Island
Lyudao is a really small island, especially if you compare it to the neighbouring Lanyu – you could circle Lyudao in about an hour of continuous riding one main road called the Huan Dao Lu 環島路. I feel the best way to get around the island is by electric scooter as you don’t even need a driving license to rent one, and you don’t have to top up fuel either – just change the battery pack or recharge.
Electric scooters technically have a maximum speed of 40km/h, and you could rent a normal scooter if you wanted to – there are rows and rows of scooters available for rent right outside the Ferry terminal. Cars are also available – we rented one the first time as we were in a group and not all of us could ride. It feels more free to just ride solo on a scooter around the island, so I’d recommend this as the most fun way to get around.
I rented my scooter from my guesthouse at NT$600 per day. It came with a spare battery in the seat and I could swap out the batteries whenever I needed – it was nice not having to pay for fuel.
Things to do on Taiwan Green Island
Lyudao is a small island that I think is great for a little exploration. Here is a list of things to do on Lyudao that I think are worth checking out. I’ll start from the harbour area in the west and move clockwise around the island. Refer to my Google Map on the top of this article for more detailed pins.
WEST 西
Nan Liao Harbour 南寮漁港
If you take the ferry to Lyudao, this will be where you arrive and depart from. If you need to rent a scooter, you can do so just outside the harbour area quite easily.
Nan Liao Village 南寮村
Just north of the harbour area is the main Nan Liao village where you can find food and shops. The 7-11 and Family Mart are along this stretch as well if you want to pick up snacks or find an ATM, and the one petrol station on the island is around here too. There’s a lovely promenade of sorts where you can take a stroll along the water’s edge and admire the view while sitting on wooden benches facing the sea, it’s great for sunset! Most of the times I had meals along this stretch.
Green Island Airport 綠島機場
Lyudao Airport (GNI) can be found in the north west corner of the island. It’s very tiny and mostly consists of a counter and a security area.
Green Island Lighthouse 綠島燈塔
Just off Chai Kou Village is a road that leads you to the lighthouse area. It’s free to enter, and while you can’t actually climb to the top of the lighthouse as it’s still functional, you do get a nice view of the surrounding area. There is a pretty nice pool right next to the lighthouse, good for a dip!
NORTH 北
Chai Kou 柴口
This is a popular spot for snorkelling and diving – I love how you can see the shore and rock pools when the tide is low – there’s a special stone path that you can walk on to prevent harming the rocks.
Human Rights Memorial 綠島人權文化園區
Lyudao had an infamous prison that was once used to house political prisoners during the ‘white terror’ period from the 1940s to the 1980s. The jail is now empty and has been transformed into a museum and memorial located in the Lyudao Culture Park area. Look out for the large rock formations around here. This old jail is now empty, instead filled with information boards about its history, as well as life-sized standees of people reenacting life in the jail as you peek through the doorways and windows.
There is still a working jail located near Zhong Liao Harbour – don’t try to enter this area.
Huandao Road splits into two here – the rather unpaved road leads you to Swallows Grotto or Yan Zi Dong 燕子洞, which is supposedly an impressive cavern by the seaside. I have no idea why I missed this though – somehow I thought I’d seen it previously but looking at pictures online I actually haven’t! >_< . Regardless, the other fork in the road goes inland and uphill, and will bring you to the eastern part of the island.
EAST 東
Niu Tou Shan 牛頭山
Located in the northeastern corner of the island, the path to Niu Tou Shan is easy to miss – look for a little sign and parking area. You need to park your scooter and then walk on paths and grass towards the coast, where you will be rewarded with some amazing greenery and coastal views.
It is apparently named because if you approach the base of the hill from Gong Guan village 公館村, it looks like a Ox head with curling horns. I missed this area the first time I was in Lyudao and was very glad to discover it this time around.
Guan Yin Dong 觀音洞
This limestone cave is pretty small and has a stone Guan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) statue in it. Personally I don’t think it’s that interesting and that you don’t need to spend that much time here. But legend has is that while lost at sea, some fishermen followed a fireball that led them to safety and to this statue, so they set up an altar here for their offerings.
You Zi Hu 柚子湖
This abandoned little village is at the bottom of a cliff – you need to ride quite carefully down a very narrow gravel path on your scooter to get to this spot. It’s mostly stone structures left amidst flourishing greenery and a stunning beach and sea view. These ruins are supposed to be prehistoric and many fossils and relics were dug up here, but the village itself isn’t protected in anyway – you are quite free to check them out and I even spotted a rather eye catching graffiti here.
Apparently there is a waterfall nearby which I didn’t know about! This blog post has more info
Hai Sheng Ping 海參坪 / Xiao Chang Cheng 小長城
The Hai Sheng Ping bay is probably my favourite place in Lyudao, mostly because it has an amazing view overlooking the famous Pekinese Dog and Sleeping Beauty Rocks. The path that leads to the viewing towers is called Xiao Chang Cheng, which translates into Little Great Wall. It’s an easy climb though, and I’d take some food along and have a little picnic at the viewing terraces because it’s just so pretty!
SOUTH 南
Zhao Ri Hot Spring 朝日溫泉
Zhaori is one of my favourite hot springs in the world. This is one of the few saltwater ones by the sea, and commands the most amazing sunrise view if you make your way to the outermost pool. Don’t bother going too early as they will only let you in closer to sunrise, but if you are quick enough you can save yourself a nice scenic spot to soak. Entrance is NT$200 and you can buy it at the door – I got mine directly from my hostel owner the day before though you can buy your tickets at the door as well.
There is a trough where you can cook some food in hot spring water. You can easily buy eggs or vegetables or even prawns from the town, but make sure to bring some extras so you can test out optimal boiling time. I only had 2 eggs and dropped 1 of them >_< You need to soak your eggs for about 12-13 minutes.
Fan Chuan Bi 帆船鼻
This viewpoint is right next to the Hot Springs, so if you rather not pay to enter the Hot Springs, head up here instead. It’s a short climb up some stairs and you have an entire green patch of grass to loll about on.
Da Bai Sha Beach 大白沙
This is what I think is the prettiest beach on Lyudao with lovely white sand, good to just chill out on. It’s also nice for snorkelling and has a long platform like the one in Chai Kou.
Experiences on Green Island/Lyudao
Here’s a list of fun experiences you can have on Green Island besides your own exploration.
Snorkelling
Snorkelling is fairly common and easy to arrange. You usually get a wetsuit and snorkel and the guide will pull you along on a floating ring. Or consider renting or bringing your own gear and just heading out on your own to snorkel at Chai Kou or Da Bai Sha Beach
Scuba Diving
I managed to find some time to do a little diving here and saw the famous Mushroom Rock while it was still standing. It has since fallen over unfortunately!
It cost me NT$3,650 for 2 dives. Klook has a Green Island diving package for advanced divers and for noobs without a diving license, the discovery diving activity basically involves you being all suited up like a diver, but you don’t get your own fins and an instructor tows you around underwater like a balloon. [affiliate links]
Night Tour with a Local Guide
Explore the island by night and check out the wildlife. I did this tour the first time I was here and we basically tailed after a local guide in our car and he introduced us to the local sights including some of the animals like sika deer, frogs and even an endemic stick insect.
Eat a local delicacy: Flying fish
Summer is flying fish season and you should definitely order a lovely deep-fried flying fish dish for dinner. Lyudao is also famous for seaweed so make sure to have some when you visit.
I hope this little guide helps you get to Lyudao aka Green Island. It’s definitely seeing more tourists than when I first visited back in ’07, especially during the summer season. But its relative remoteness means that Lyudao still is not crazy crowded and you can find lots of quiet spots to chill out at away from the crowds.
Have you been to Taiwan Green Island? Drop a comment here if you have and share this with your friends that you want to visit Taiwan with.
Taiwan is one of my favourite countries to visit. Check out my other posts for more ideas on things to do in Taitung or in Taiwan, or check out the other Taiwan offshore islands that I visited as well:
Terri
Wednesday 27th of March 2024
hi,
Thank you for your guide! I don't have a travel experience to share yet, but I am hoping to visit the island next month, and wonder if you would know whether there are any public lockers on the island where I could store my valuables (such as a camera) when I go snorkeling independently (it would not be an issue if I were to join a group).
Jaclynn Seah
Wednesday 27th of March 2024
Hi Terri, unfortunately I don't know of any public lockers, but generally it's pretty safe all around as it's a small island and most areas don't see a lot of human traffic. If you're riding around on a scooter/e-scooter, many of these have storage areas in the seat where you could lock away any extra valuable items. If I remember correctly there might be lockers at the Hot Spring area but most likely these are open to guests only, I'm not sure if non-patrons can use them. Hope that helps a little!
Ariena
Saturday 20th of November 2021
Hi! Seeing this post makes me reminisce of my trip to Lyudao in 2017. I took the ferry, which was super duper shakey - everyone on the boat puked. Haha my friends and I were quite shocked and a bit traumatized after. Luckily on the way back from Lyudao to the main island the wave and the turbulence weren't as bad as the previous trip from main island to Lyudao! But it was indeed a memorable experience and the island was so beautiful!!!
Jaclynn Seah
Sunday 21st of November 2021
heh same here, on my first boat ride everyone was puking and it was pretty gross! i think it's definitely improved since though... glad you had great memories! It is one of my favourite spots in Taiwan :)
Mike
Friday 30th of April 2021
I’m on Lyudao right now (April/May 2021). The only ATM is in the Post Office and this is a cash-only economy. I’m guessing the lack of stable internet hinders credit/debit card use.
When I made my B&B reservations I just wired them the payment from my bank account in Taipei.
I spent three days SCUBA diving (10 dives: 8 boat dives and 2 shore dives). I brought all my own equipment and didn’t rent any. The cost for the 10 dives was NT$20,000. That seemed really expensive, but I was diving EANx and it was just me (the price per person drops the more people you have).
My meals ranged from NT$300 for an all-you-can eat BBQ with 1 Taiwan beer to NT$1000 at a Western-style restaurant with 2 cocktails.
I don’t have a scooter license but my B&B provided me with a electric scooter as part of my fees. Top speed was a whopping 23 km/hour! My wife and I rented a car for one day, and that was NT$2000.
The cost for six nights at my B&B was NT$15,000. It was a really nice B&B - new building, very clean, and connected to the dive shop (literally had to walk THROUGH the dive shop to get to the B&B).
A 3-hour guided island tour (one-on-one) was NT$1500.
All in all I guess the entire trip was all together about NT$45,000.
Jaclynn Seah
Saturday 1st of May 2021
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Shuz
Thursday 30th of May 2019
Hello! Thanks for your informative post. May I know if you know the best period to visit Green Island? I'm thinking of visiting in early Nov, thank you!
Jaclynn Seah
Thursday 30th of May 2019
I would say Summer would be the best time to visit Green Island because of the relatively dry weather and calmer seas – The weather is key for getting to/from the island - In bad weather the ferry ride is pretty pukey and ferries/planes get cancelled a lot, which typically happens around Typhoon season usually in July-September so you should miss it, but weather is pretty unpredictable these days... November will probably be cooler so maybe not the most suitable for water activities but walking around and hiking will probably be nice :)
Sam sam
Wednesday 24th of October 2018
Hi I am in Green Island now (Oct 2018) not much update, your information still very relevant. I stayed in the same hotel, and clicked your link hopefully they tracked it somehow. The boat from Taitung was 8am ($460 one way) - ALL price mentioned here is in NTD, the hotel picked us up once we reached the jetty. Went around by electric scooter (still $600) that scooter can take 2 ppl and ride about 50km. Not too bad, enough to get us around the island once, did a very quick ride and only spent the most time at Little Great Wall. I didn't see the Ox Head Hill coz it wasn't that obvious lol.
I went scuba dive, saw a few posts recommend A-Hsi and I contacted them through facebook: 綠島阿禧潛水俱樂部-過日子民宿 . They can speak a little English so you can just chat with them in English directly. I had a blast! I saw 4 green turtles (they said you were lucky to see 1, but I saw 4!!) They just built a new hotel, a little bit pricey for me but the diving package was one of the most worthed probably. It was $1250 for a dive and $600 for gears. As a comparison, the hotel where I stayed offers 'recreational' dive for $2500 and my roommate got hers for $4000 (2 dives). A-Hsi also has diving masks with power (myopia) so I don't need to wear contact lens. The divemaster was amazing too, really recommend them.
I ate one of the restaurants near 7-11. Yes they have 7-11 and other facilities. I love the food here, they have a lot of variety, if you come in a big group you can try a lot of delicious dishes, a typical chinese round table dinner, with deer meat (not from the wild deer in the island, thank goodness! looks like all food came from Taiwan mainland) sashimi, seafood, tuna, you name it! And if you travel solo, there are a few places selling food under $100
I went for a night tour, saw 1-2 deer, those native insects and that's it lol!! It wasn't bad for $100 (purchased from the hotel) although I wish I can see more deer. You use your own scooter to go for this tour, but if you don't rent scooter they will bring you on their scooter anyway.
Overall it was nice, worth a visit. I got lucky cos the weather was sunny when I came, it was raining in the past few days and today it is raining as well. I spent a night here, in a dorm $720 , got last2 minute deals from b o o k i n g . c o m usually it is $800. Hope it helps! and thank you Jaclynn for your blog.
Jaclynn Seah
Wednesday 24th of October 2018
thanks for sharing your experience and found the blog useful! :) man I want to go back again...