Green Island isn't really a day-trip destination — but if you only have one day, flying Daily Air (15 minutes) and riding a scooter around the island can still deliver snorkeling, the world-famous saltwater hot spring, and coastal views. This guide is honest about what you will and won't see.
Green Island (綠島 · Lyudao) sits just 33 kilometres off the Taitung coast — close enough to feel like a casual side trip. But the island punches well above its size. It holds Taiwan's finest scuba diving, one of only three saltwater hot springs on Earth, the haunting White Terror Memorial Park, and one of the darkest skies in East Asia for stargazing. All of those need more than one day.
If one day is genuinely all you have, this guide tells you the smartest way to use it — without hiding the limitations.
Daily Air gives you the most island time for a day trip — but if you can stay overnight, the ferry is perfectly fine and cheaper.
Fly Taitung (TTT) → Green Island (GNI) on Daily Air Corporation. Flight time: 15 minutes. Roughly 3 scheduled flights per day. The plane is a tiny 19-seater — the views of the coral sea are spectacular. One-way fare is approximately NT$1,100 (~NT$2,200 roundtrip).
Check in at Taitung Airport 40 minutes before departure. Passport required (no exceptions for foreign nationals). The first morning flight departs around 07:00–08:00; last return flight is around 17:00–18:00, giving you 7–8 hours on the island. Book weeks ahead — seats sell out fast on weekends.
Ferries depart from Fugang Harbor (富岡港) in Taitung to Nanliao pier on Green Island. Journey: 50 minutes. Operators include Kaixin Ferry and Green Island Star, with 2–3 sailings per day. Roundtrip fare: NT$960.
Fugang is about 15 minutes by taxi (~NT$200) from Taitung Station. Check in 60 minutes before departure. Cheaper than flying, but you lose 1.5 hours of island time roundtrip — and sailings can be cancelled in rough seas.
If you can extend your schedule at all, 2–3 nights is the only real answer. You'll scuba dive Taiwan's best reefs, soak in the hot springs at 4:30 am while the sun rises over the ocean, walk White Terror Memorial Park without rushing, and lie on your back watching the Milky Way in a sky that doesn't exist near any city.
Fly in on an afternoon flight, stay 2–3 nights, then fly or ferry back. Accommodation on Green Island costs NT$1,000–3,000/night.
If you came to scuba dive — a day trip is physically impossible: DAN and PADI require a minimum 18–24-hour surface interval before flying after any scuba dive. Aircraft cabin pressure is low enough to cause dissolved nitrogen in your blood to expand into bubbles, triggering decompression sickness (DCS) — a medical emergency. Every dive shop on Green Island will tell you the same thing. There is no workaround: you must spend at least one night on the island.
This itinerary uses the first morning flight from Taitung and the late-afternoon return. It's paced to feel unhurried — not stuffed with stops you'll have to rush through.
No IDP? Rent an e-bike (electric bicycle) instead — no licence required, NT$300/day, maximum ~25–30 km/h. The 17 km island circuit is perfectly manageable on an e-bike. Alternatively, a shared taxi tour of the island runs NT$800–1,000 and requires no driving at all.
Approximate per-person figures. Daily Air fares are fairly stable; book ahead for seat availability, not price.
| Item | Detail | Approx. Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Air roundtrip airfare | TTT ⇄ GNI · ~NT$1,100 × 2 | ~NT$2,200 |
| Scooter rental (1 day) | 125cc, IDP required; e-bike NT$300 | NT$400 |
| Snorkeling gear rental | Shilang Beach · includes life jacket | NT$300 |
| Zhaori Hot Spring entry | Includes mandatory swim cap | NT$300 |
| Seafood lunch | Nanliao Village · 1–2 dishes | NT$500 |
| Café + water + snacks | Throughout the day | NT$200 |
| Total per person (approx.) | Day trip by Daily Air flight | ~NT$3,900 |
Ferry comparison (Route B): Roundtrip ferry fare NT$960 saves about NT$1,240 over the flight, but costs you 1.5 hours of island time. If you stay 2 nights, add roughly NT$2,000–6,000 for accommodation — and in return, you get 100% of the island including scuba diving, which at Green Island is genuinely one of the best dives in all of Asia.
These are the reasons Green Island has a reputation that keeps people coming back — and none of them fit a day trip.
This page is designed for a very specific traveller — someone working in Taitung who wants to see the island, or someone with a single spare day in an otherwise fixed itinerary. If you fall into any of the following categories, a day trip will leave you frustrated:
Klook lists snorkeling tours, scooter rentals, and overnight packages for Green Island — useful if this is your first time and you'd rather have a guide handle the logistics.
Browse Green Island on Klook →The complete guide — Zhaori Hot Spring, White Terror Park, Shilang snorkeling, stargazing, and diving.
Open full Green Island guide →Where to stay — from seaside resorts to diver-friendly guesthouses with on-site PADI instruction.
See Green Island hotels →Everything you need to know about Green Island — transport, accommodation, activities, and the best time to visit.
Open the hub guide →Green Island vs Orchid Island vs Penghu — an honest comparison to help you choose the right island.
Compare Taiwan islands →A day trip shows you the postcard. An overnight stay shows you the island. The 4:30 am hot spring, the coral walls dropping 30 metres into blue water, the sky full of stars at midnight — those are Green Island. They're all yours if you simply choose not to rush.