Green Island
Green Island, a small volcanic island off Taitung, is Taiwan's clearest diving: the Kuroshio Current sweeps past and 30-meter visibility is routine in season. Three marked shore-entry zones at Shilang, Chaikou, and Dabaisha make it walk-in friendly, coral cover is among the best in Taiwan, and in the cool months advanced divers hunt schooling hammerheads offshore.
Waarom hier duiken
The Kuroshio does the heavy lifting here, delivering clean blue oceanic water to a volcanic shoreline of terraces, channels, and boulder gardens. Entries are civilized: boardwalks and steps lead into the three designated zones, where anemone cities, turtles, and dense reef fish start within meters of the ladder. Shilang, the busiest zone, was long famous for a giant centuries-old Porites head nicknamed the Big Mushroom, reported toppled by a 2016 typhoon yet still part of the dive. Chaikou's northern gardens and Dabaisha's southwestern slope spread the effort across wind directions, so something is usually diveable. In winter the island turns serious: scalloped hammerheads school in the cool open water, and local operators run deep, drifting boat dives for experienced divers only. Above the surface, Green Island keeps its own strange gravity, with a former political prison turned memorial, grazing sika deer, and one of the world's few saltwater hot springs to soak in after the last dive.
Maand voor maand
April to September is the calm, warm season with the most reliable conditions; July to September carries typhoon risk. The northeast monsoon from roughly October to March brings wind and swell, cooler water, and the hammerhead season for advanced divers.
| Maand | Water | Zicht | Hoe het voelt |
|---|---|---|---|
| January●●●○○ | 22–24 °C / 72–75 °F | 15–30 m | Monsoon wind; hammerheads for advanced divers |
| February●●●○○ | 22–24 °C / 72–75 °F | 15–30 m | Windward coasts blown out some days |
| March●●●○○ | 23–25 °C / 73–77 °F | 15–30 m | Monsoon eases late in the month |
| April●●●●○ | 24–26 °C / 75–79 °F | 20–40 m | Calm season begins |
| May●●●●○ | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 20–40 m | Warm and clear; quiet midweek |
| June●●●●○ | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 20–40 m | Kuroshio blue at its best |
| July●●●●○ | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 20–40 m | Peak travel season; typhoon watch |
| August●●●●○ | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 20–40 m | Hot; storm swell possible |
| September●●●●○ | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 20–40 m | Fine diving between weather systems |
| October●●●○○ | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 15–35 m | Monsoon transition |
| November●●●○○ | 24–26 °C / 75–79 °F | 15–35 m | Wind returns; leeward sites still work |
| December●●●○○ | 23–25 °C / 73–77 °F | 15–30 m | Cooling water; early hammerhead reports |
Betrouwbaarheid van de maandcijfers: Editorial estimate. Maanden zonder rij hebben geen geverifieerde gegevens — we tonen liever een lege plek dan dat we iets verzinnen.
De duiklocaties (3)
| Locatie | Type | Diepte | Niveau | Toegang | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaikou Healthy branching-coral thickets, hawksbill encounters, easy boardwalk… | Reef | 3–20 m | Beginner | Shore | |
| Dabaisha Turtle traffic on a clean slope, livelier current-fed corner… | Reef | 4–25 m | Beginner | Shore | |
| Shilang Walk-in Kuroshio clarity, anemone cities, the fallen Big Mushroom coral | Reef | 3–25 m | Beginner | Shore |
Hoe kom je er & verblijf
Hoe kom je er: From Taitung, a 15-minute light-aircraft flight or a 50-minute ferry from Fugang harbor reaches the island; the ferry is infamous in a swell. Scooters are the standard way around the 18-kilometer ring road.
Waar verblijven: Small hotels and homestays cluster around Nanliao and the harbor; summer weekends and Taiwanese holidays book out well ahead.
Kosten: Approximate conversion from New Taiwan dollars for two guided dives with tanks and weights; hammerhead boat trips and full rental price higher.
Tussen de duiken door: The Zhaori saltwater hot springs, the Green Island White Terror Memorial Park, lighthouse and ridge walks, deer spotting at dusk, and snorkeling straight off the boardwalks.
Snorkelen: Shilang and Chaikou run busy, well-marked snorkel zones over living coral, among the best easy snorkeling in Taiwan.
Veiligheid & praktische zaken
Gevaren: Surge and swell on exposed entries, current wrapping the island's points, typhoons in late summer, monsoon wind in winter, and rough ferry crossings. Hammerhead dives are deep, cold, and current-exposed.
Use the marked entry zones and local guides; conditions flip fast when wind shifts around a small island. The winter hammerhead dives are for experienced divers with drift and deep training only.
Dichtstbijzijnde recompressiekamer: There is no hyperbaric chamber on Green Island; treatment requires evacuation to mainland Taiwan. Emergencies go through 119 and DAN; availability changes.