Green Island, Taiwan
15 Apr
Hello from Malaysia!
Danny and I read and heard bits about Green Island from people we met in Japan, but it was a German girl we met at our hostel that convinced us to take the five hour trip for a mere two days to explore this island. She stayed only one day, and it was her most favorite part of her month traveling around Taiwan.
Green Island is a volcanic island that sits about 30 km off the coast of Taitung, in the south east of Taiwan. The island is really small, just 20 km to ride the whole coast, but is surrounded by a coral reef that makes it very popular for scuba divers and snorkelers. It also has one of three salt water hot springs in the world, fed by an underground spring just along the coast!
We arrived in the hustle and bustle of a mid-Saturday ferry. Taiwanese tourists were EVERYWHERE, kinda freaked us out getting off the boat and into the town. Once we started walking we were approached by a young girl asking if we wanted to rent a scooter. She spoke English, so of course I was delighted to chat with her. Only, Bubs and I had talked about getting bicycles or walking instead of polluting the island with more fumes. There were thousands of scooters. (Maybe it just seemed like thousands, but almost everyone had one. They road with two, three, or sometimes with small kids or dogs crouched between their legs.) So this woman followed us, continually lowering her price to rent her scooter. We finally agreed at 200 NTD ($6.50) for 24 hours of a rental. Gas cost about $100 NTD to fill the tank, and we were off! Packs and all! To the campsite! Which was under construction, so we took it upon ourselves to choose the best spot overlooking the coastline and mountains, in a covered wooden pavillion on a hill. (IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. PERFECT SPOT.)
We set up my tent, dropped our stuff, and headed out to explore the island. Traveling by scooter allowed us to take our time and stop whenever we felt like it. We explored coastal caverns, tidal pools, climbed trails into the trees… and wondered… WHERE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE?! It seemed as though we were the only ones on the island. Occasionally we would see a packed tourist bus drive by, or stop at some crummy attraction (“Deer Park” where they take the wild deer and put them in a cage for tourists to poke with sticks. ICK.) But, for the most part, we were on our own and free from people, tourists, and even locals… to wander around as we wished.
We found this great little restaurant for some delicious seafood eats and, funny enough, a Korean beer I’ve never heard of. (Blue girl???)
We spent the following two days lounging, exploring, collecting shells and bits of coral, throwing them back when we realize it is stealing from the natural beauty, snorkeling with fishes DIRECTLY from the aquarium, (GUESS WHO WASN’T SCARED!!??), and playing with the wild momma dog and her puppy who were our companions at our tent site in the woods.
We got sunburnt and somehow ended up drinking and singing kareoke with the local island junior officers precinct office! We slept the last night in a jail (well, an old jail turned apartment kinda… really eerie at night… the whole ride there Bubs was yelling in my ear “ARE THEY GONNA TAKE MY KIDNEYS???!!!!”) Hahahaha, but we awoke, kidneys intact, with breakfast, water, and coffees from our new friends. Good to have friends in high places, right?!
We left the island, and are now awaiting our connecting flight to Bangkok! I’m so excited to be FINALLY in SOUTHEAST ASIA! At last, I can use this hefty Lonely Planet book I have been lugging around!
Up next, we will meet up with Adam and Marnie on Koh Phangan for some body painting and moonlit dancing, head to Santipap Gardens to volunteer (for a guy who is from East Coast USA, stuck out his thumb 30 years ago and ended up in Alaska… and somehow is now running an organic farm in rural Thailand?! I better start these Malaria pills!), and I will serve another 10 day Vipassana course before checking out Cambodia, Laos and an Elephant Saving Farm, and Vietnam!
I read the newspaper on the flight today, had a news clip for each state. New Jersey’s talked about how tourism is up 6% in New Jersey, raking in the big bucks. UMMM… Where is there to visit in JERSEY? Please compile a list so we can check them out when I get back!
What else? AHH. We will probably get certified in the next few weeks to scuba dive! Danny is pressuring me to do it. If you know me, and my panic filled fear of fish coming near me in the water, you understand WHY I MUST do this… BANISH FEAR!
We sent a big box home with all our warm clothes, tent, etc. I feel light and free without all that crap weighing me down. I will still drop more stuff (and buy some stuff too!!) If you request any Thai goodies, let me know! What do you want? Email me your address if I don’t have it. Adam claims the shopping in Bangkok is great and cheap.
Have a beautiful day!
And see this movie, Bella, if you haven’t already.
If you liked Garden State, you will love it.
MRumianowski