GREEN ISLAND
GETTING THERE
Travellers must first head over to Taitung, on the country’s southeast coast. From there, you have two options to get to Green Island.
The first is a short, 15-minute hop by air from Taitung Airport, but advance booking must be made as planes are normally limited to only 19 passengers. Alternatively, you can travel to Green Island by boat via Taitung’s Tomioka Pier. The journey takes around 40 to 60 minutes
MARINE LIFE
Hammerhead sharks, parrotfish, clownfish, giant coconut crabs, sea snakes and shellfish
Located around 33 kilometres off the southeast coast of Taiwan,
Green Island was formerly known as Bonfire Island, and is one of the most popular dive spots in the country. Formed by undersea volcanic activity, Green Island boasts underwater landscapes that range from magnificent cliffs to colourful coral reefs teeming with tropical fish. The island is also home to some exceptional shipwrecks, making the area a huge draw for wreck divers.
DIVE EXPERIENCE All levels, from beginner upwards
BEST TIME TO DIVE April to beginning of October
WATER TEMPERATURE 24°C to 29°C
VISIBILITY 40 to 60 metres
DEPTH 6 to 19 metres
Underwater Mailbox
Situated 60 metres offshore and around 11 metres below the ocean surface is an actual functioning mailbox, which is part of local government efforts to promote marine conservation and attract more tourists to the area. The 1.8-metre high mailbox is in the shape of Hippocampus colemani, a tiny, rare seahorse species, typically measuring between
0.7 to 1.9 centimetres in length, found in the waters off the island.
Shark Point (Gun Swei Bi)
A popular Green Island dive site, Shark Point is famous for its enormous schools of hammerheads. Scientists believe that the sharks use this area as a breeding ground and the best time to dive here is from January to March. However, the relative depth (37 metres) and strong current make this site one of the most difficult to dive in the area and it is only recommended for more-advanced divers.
“Green Island was formerly known as Bonfire Island, and is one of the most popular dive spots in the country”