Whether you’re seeking an underwater adventure or a deep dive into Taiwan’s murky political past, this rugged volcanic island does not disappoint.

Story and photos by DINAH GARDNER

Picture the scene.

It’s late afternoon off the coast of Green Island. Toward the horizon, a storm is brewing, purpling the sky into a dramatic vista. It’s at least an hour away. Here, the sea is glasslike, and there’s not a cloud in sight — perfect conditions for stand-up paddleboarding (SUP).

And here I am, balanced just a little precariously on my board, a couple hundred meters from the shore. The only sounds are the gentle lapping of the waves against my craft and the distant laughter of other SUP’ers.

This, I think, is what they must mean by sublime. Then two things happen in quick succession.

First, I smell cigarette smoke. Seconds later, the jangled thump of techno music shatters the peace. I maneuver around to face my instructor — his board is roped to mine for safety. And there he sits, grinning with delight, cigarette in hand and balancing a boombox on his board, something that I had failed to notice earlier. A beat passes and then I laugh because there really is nothing else to do.

But looking back, this situation captures perfectly what a holiday on Green Island is like. This popular tourist destination, approximately 30 km off the coast of Taitung County, is a place of contrasts. It’s the beauty and the beast. Holidaymakers come here to snorkel and scuba dive in the clear waters and soak in the seawater hot springs. At the same time, the island is also notorious for its grim history — Taiwan’s most famous political prison, which is now a human rights museum, is also a top tourist attraction.

While the island is certainly popular, it doesn’t feel swamped with visitors. In fact, according to Green Island’s Township Office, tourist numbers fell 26% to a little over 250,000 last year from around 340,000 in 2019. Even so, it is still best to plan your trip around weekdays, if possible, to avoid crowds.

Orientation and arrival

Another plus for Green Island is that you need to take a ferry to get here, making it feel like an adventure — almost like taking a trip abroad. The voyage itself lasts little more than 40 minutes. From Fugang Harbor, just north of Taitung City, where the boats depart, you can actually see Green Island on the horizon. However, if you read travel blogs, the crossing is the stuff of legend. Online tales tell of tumultuous waves and universal vomiting. Strap down your luggage, they warn. Try to get an early morning boat, when the seas are usually calmer, they advise.

Take it from me, if the weather is fine, it’s no big deal. When I set sail, it was a clear and balmy day in August. The return trip was similarly chill. I am happy to say both were vomit-free and uneventful.

There are roughly six departures a day between Fugang and Green Island during peak season (April to October), and the easiest and cheapest way to book tickets is through your hotel. If you absolutely don’t want to go by boat, you can also opt to fly from Taitung Airport. The flight only takes about 15 minutes and is over almost before it starts.

Whether you come by ferry or plane, you will arrive at Nanliao, the main urbanized scoop of the island on the western Taiwan-facing side. Here you’ll find hotels, schools, shops, diving centers, scooter rentals, convenience stores (one 7-Eleven and one FamilyMart), medical clinics, and a post office. As the port area is naturally chaotic with traffic and crowds, it makes sense to look for accommodations in the other tourist enclaves.

You have three main choices. On the north of the island, going clockwise from Nanliao, are two villages: Zhongliao and Gongguan, both next to the ocean, which have bed and breakfasts and places to eat. They are both close to local attractions. Between them is Chaikou, one of the three top snorkeling and diving spots on the island. A short walk from Gongguan eastward is Green Island White Terror Memorial Park (the former political prison). If you want absolute peace and quiet, there are several hotels and restaurants on the eastern side near Zhaori Hot Springs.

The island, which is shaped a bit like a floret of broccoli, is mostly forested hills in the center ringed by a single 19-km road that traces the coastline. The road is fairly flat on the west side and an undulating roller coaster ride on the east. Most local tourists opt for a scooter but if you don’t have a license, it is possible to rent bicycles or e-bikes. Both will likely require some dismounting and pushing on some of the steeper eastern uphill sections, but the views at the top and the thrill of the downhill make it all worthwhile. Indeed, half the joy of a trip to Green Island is zipping along the coast and stopping to admire the dramatic cliffside views.

Vehicle rental shops are clustered around Nanliao Harbor. If you’re renting a bicycle, your guesthouse should be able to help you with your luggage.

Watery wonders

The number-one draw here is the opportunity to explore the island’s coral reefs. Both scuba and free diving are catered for as well as snorkeling. Apart from boat dives, the three top spots from the shore are Shilang on the western side just below Nanliao, Chaikou on the north coast, and Dabaisha on the south coast, which also has a decent sandy beach. The others are rocky and strewn with seaweed. All three have narrow causeway footpaths that snake out into the ocean and make it safer and easier to access the reef.

You will see that local dive outfits string their snorkelers together a little comically on a rope. This helps prevent anyone from being swept away in a rogue current. It also protects the reef from clients that aren’t good swimmers and who are prone to panicking and flailing out with their fins. You can, of course, bring or rent your own equipment and go off by yourself (ask about local currents and tides first). The seabed is quite rocky, so if you plan to swim bring water shoes.

Besides tropical fish and colorful coral, sea turtles and sea snakes are also frequently spotted. Both Shilang and Chaikou have underwater mailboxes, one shaped like a seahorse, the other like a long-finned batfish. You can even send someone a postcard (custom-made waterproof cards can be purchased from local souvenir stores). It will (eventually) be delivered.

A slightly more hidden option for snorkeling is the Blue Cave on the east of the island. This requires a little hiking and clambering over rocks, but the environment here is more sheltered, the experience a little more mysterious in the turquoise shadows of the cave.

SUP’ers are herded to Zhongliao Fishing Harbor on the northern tip of the island, just past the air strip. As this is Taiwan, the instructor will take a million photos of you — whether you want them or not. They may also bring their own music and tobacco supply!

A darker past

For me, though, the real draw of Green Island is the White Terror Memorial Park. I had wanted to visit ever since I had watched the 2022 movie, Untold Herstory, which chronicles the lives of female prisoners who were incarcerated here. They were victims of the Kuomintang-led (KMT) government’s brutal crackdown against political dissidents and those suspected of being Communist agents or sympathizers. The government established the prison camp (called New Life Correction Center) in 1951, while the re-education penal facilities were enlarged in the 1970s with the construction of the euphemistically named Oasis Villa next door. The political prison closed down in 1987 once martial law was lifted, and it was transformed into a human rights museum in 2018.

Touring the former cells and exercise yards, complete with faded anti-communist slogans, is a truly somber experience. The historians and curators have tastefully recreated the inmates’ grueling existence — they had to break rocks in the searing sun to construct their own prison. Stories are told through a rich collection of audiovisual material of interviews with former prisoners, historical photographs, detailed signboards (with English), and the opening up of cells and corridors to visitors.

The psychiatric wing was truly chilling — tiny bathroom-sized rooms, with a slit of window near the ceiling, and off-white padded walls stained with red-brown streaks. I snuck into one and shut the door to experience what it must have been like. I lasted five seconds before panicking and fleeing. One wing of the regular prison is used to display rotating art exhibitions themed around concentrations camps, authoritarian governments, and the concept of freedom. One amusing project had transformed a cell into a modern-day bedroom that resembled an Ikea showroom, with a charging iPhone, a flat screen TV, bean bag, and potted plant. Ironically, it looked better than the typical Taipei studio apartment up for rent on 591.com.

It is a testament to Taiwan’s open society and flourishing democracy that these facilities have been preserved for public view and contemplation. However, what was shocking was the lack of information on the perpetrators — the architects of the system. There is plenty about the former prisoners, but next to nothing about the guards, their commanders, or even Chiang Kai-shek, the then-leader of the KMT and, who it is said, personally signed off on executions. If you were a foreign visitor, you would be forgiven for not knowing that the party whose government established and ran this prison still exists today and is part of a leading coalition in Taiwan’s legislature — though it is a much different party now than it was back then.

Green Island is also famous for being one of three spots in the world where you can bathe in a seawater onsen. Zhaori Hot Springs is right on the beach — the outdoor circular concrete pools allow guests to listen to the crashing waves while reclining in the warm water. As it’s east-facing, a soak here during sunrise could be quite spectacular.

Hot springs and hiking

A fierce typhoon the week before my visit had shuttered the hot springs for “substantial repairs,” leaving me to admire the aging complex from an elevated vantage point, the adjacent Fanchuanbi Grasslands. This lovely little hike up a hill offers vertigo-inducing views from the sheer cliffs battered by breakers. The grass appears to be kept manicured by a flock of goats, who also demonstrated their Alex Honnold-grade climbing skills as they moved with ease up and down what looked to me like a sheer rock face. Honnold, an American rock climber, is famous in Taiwan for free-soloing Taipei 101 on live television in January this year.

Cycling or scootering along the east coast of Green Island is quite exhilarating. There are lots of places to stop and admire the rugged views and numerous rocks that have been given names in that Taiwanese tradition because they vaguely resemble something. Some of these include Pekinese Dog Rock, Sleeping Beauty Rock, and Confucius Rock. There are also plenty of coastal caves to explore if you have the energy to head down the hairpin bends to sea level.

Niutoushan, on the northeast tip of the island, is another rewarding wander over a hilly grassland. I’ll never forget the view of the ocean from here — a mosaic of different shades and hues of blue. In parts, the water was so clear I could see the ocean bed. This spot is also popular with those Velcro-hoofed goats.

A three- or four-day trip to Green Island pairs nicely with a stay in Taitung City, especially if you plan to get an early morning ferry. Note that typhoons may disrupt itineraries as the island is exposed and ferries and planes get canceled, which in my opinion, only adds to the sense of adventure.