GREEN ISLAND
The last stop on my trip, and perhaps the trump card among Taiwan’s dive spots, was Green Island. Whilst here, I had the privilege of staying at Airplane Mode Hostel, where the co-owner, Chen Li Ling, took me around to discover the island’s hidden gems.
Green Island’s waters are very much like the Red Sea, which is quite a statement, I know, but with a visibility of 40 to 50 metres all year round, this place really is a sight to behold.
Unfortunately, I was there during winter, which is off-season, and waves were about three to four metres high. To make things worse, it was raining every day. The wet weather made me realise why I was the only person on the island diving. However, despite the horrible circumstances, one of the photos I shot landed the cover of this magazine, which I think says a lot about this destination.
Hammerhead sharks, turtles, whale sharks, and even humpbacks can be spotted in these waters.
But because I was there during one of the worst seasons possible, I was only able to do a bit of freediving (my first time!) to try and get some shots.
What wowed me about Green Island was its underwater seascapes. They are incredibly unique, like nothing I have ever seen before. One of the most interesting dive sites is called Atlantis (亞特蘭提斯), which was once used as a harbour. After being abandoned years ago, it is now a diver’s paradise, and being an underwater shooter who specialises in photographing people, you can only imagine how much of a playground this place was for me.
Another interesting dive site is Underwater Postbox (海底郵筒), an actual functioning mailbox located about 60 metres offshore and around 11 metres below the surface. Waterproof postcards, designed by local school kids, can be purchased at dive operators around the island. And yes, from time to time, a postman comes to collect the mail!
Underwater Cross (海底十字架), another dive site worth a mention, features – you guessed it – an actual cross, which actually makes for an incredibly spooky underwater shot.
These are just a few examples of the many interesting and unique sites Green Island has to offer. You just have to dive in and dig a little deeper to discover its true beauty.
It does also pay to speak to the locals, as they will be able to tell you the best places to dive. I was lucky enough to connect with Li Ling from the hostel who shared with me that there was a unique dive site known as the “secret hole”, where she would take her customers to explore and swim in, but no one has been able to shoot in it due to it being “too small”. However, it turns out that if you just took the chance, you’d be surprised by just what a marvellous shoot location it is…