Green Island questions,help please.

[Bassman]

What we would like if we could find it:
Hot pools
Shopping (for the wife, but I could do without it)
Great food
No need for long walks
Beautiful (we need to take some pictures)
Good, yet inexpensive accomodation.
Information of how to get there, whereever it is.

[MJB]

How about Green Island?

I would assume the Bassman family has a vehicle, and from Taichung it's about a 5-6 hour drive to Taidong. From there it's a 13 minute hop by plane to Green Island. Flight costs 1064NT return, with the little Bassman flying for free. Can also be done by sea from the port of Fukang, about 20 minutes north of town on the Hua-Tong Rd. If you decide to go by ferry, I would recommend the Liu-dao tz-shing, which is the largest and safest of the Island plying vessels. Count on about an hour trip depending on sea conditions and be forwarned, it can be a rough ride especially this time of year.

The Island boasts stunning scenery, amazing indigo blue waters, a beach for the Spouse and little Bassman to play while you explore the underwater world, and finally one of only 2 seaside hot springs in the world. Scooter rentals are about 350NT a day, and it's easy to get around as there is only one road to speak of. Shopping is more availible now that Green Island is on the tourist rader.

A hotel will run you anywhere from 1,000NT to 3,000NT per night depending on your comfort level. If you are a scuba diver, some of the dive sites can truly be world class! Over the years I've seen sharks, a 9 foot moray eel, sea turtles, schools of barracuda and jacks, and fantastic coral formations.

On a final note, Green Island has a first class campground, nothing at all like the crap normally associated with camping here. Has running water, a very chill setting, and best of all space between the individual camp sites. Cost is 350 per night, providing someone is there to collect! It's also located within walking distance of both the hot spring and the beach.

Might be worth checking out..................................

Enjoy your holiday wherever you end up!

[Alleycat]

I'll second Green Island. The camping site is far better than any of the hotels. It's mostly deserted, far from town, and has splendid views of the ocean, at only three hundred a night.

Bikes are NT$400 a day. Snorkelling is fantastic. Saw a tuna! Squid. A Dragon Fish, and countless others.

[Joesox]

Snorkelling is fantastic. Saw a tuna! Squid. A Dragon Fish, and countless others.

Wear a wetsuit! I saw an octopus, but only after getting in a painful and less-than-amorous embrace with a jellyfish, see here;
http://mcttw.tripod.com/5_Ludao.htm
(photos from round Green Island there as well)

Best restaurant on Green Island is The Fisherman, directions here;
http://mcttw.tripod.com/fisherman.htm

[Alleycat]

I sometimes forget how lucky I am to be married to the most accomodating of women.

[AWOL]

I third (fourth??) Green Island... Fisherman is a spectacular restaurant... esp. the Japanese BBQ at dusk under a full moon, waves crashing beneath you... marvelous.

[MJB]

Thank god for outdoor loving spouses!

Don't be put off by camping.....................There are plenty of decent hotels for offer.

My wife doesn't dive either, and I've taken my daughter out there at about the little Bassmans age. They both had a fantastic time! While I was underwater, they were hiking, building sand castles, shopping or playing frisbee. Due to the bulk of my dive and underwater camera gear, I generally stay in a hotel. The campsite is awesome though, as many here have attested to already.

I would rate Green Islands shopping potential as fair. About the same as Kending maybe 15 years ago. For such a short trip, it should be enough to extinguish the shopping bug for your spouse.

Actually, my biggest gripe about Green Island is it's rapid pace of development! Not to worry though, it's easy to escape the crowds. Most local tourists fly out for the day, jump on a bus, make 20 stops for 5 minutes at a time, then jump on a plane home. Been there done that.

The main town is close enough to shopping, but still quiet enough to chill.

Twist the arm a little harder, you'll love the place............................

[X3M]

Hotel on Green Island??
Far from the beach?
Contact data or web-site?

-I probably have to do some armtwisting myself, but if there is a hotel not far from the beach, it should be possible to convice the 2X3M and the X3Minis.
Is it so much jellyfish that a wetsuit is a must?

[Alleycat]

Nothing is far from the beach on Luda.

[Joesox]

Is it so much jellyfish that a wetsuit is a must?

In July, yes. I don't know whether they are more numerous in certain seasons, but we saw quite a few of these blue ones with long tentacles that easily get wrapped around you. My friend also got a little stung and came in early because he didn't want to risk getting stung again.
I wouldn't chance not wearing a wetsuit again. The snorkelling gear rental shops all want you to wear one; we had to look around to find a place that would rent us snorkels, masks and boots only.