Taiwan Today

Tiny Green Island helps its visitors relax as well as reflect on Taiwan's past.

The air-conditioned ferry slows down as it approaches an islet 33 kilometers off the southeast coast of Taiwan proper on a morning in late July. As the 50-minute boat ride from Taitung City's Fugang Harbor nears its end, many tourists aboard are already putting on hats, sunglasses or even long-sleeve shirts. Young women produce sunscreen and folding umbrellas from their handbags, all in preparation for landing on a speck of land formerly known as Taiwan's "Burning Island" on a burning hot day. In the distance, the shape of Burning Mountain comes into focus, standing behind the harbor. Although just 281 meters tall, Burning Mountain is the highest peak on the island and this harbor on the west coast is the one and only port.

Burning Island was so named for several reasons--for example a big fire engulfed the whole island hundreds of years ago--but surprisingly the hot weather in summer is not one of them. Another former nickname is "Chicken Heart Island," obviously based on the shape of the isle. Burning Island, however, is the old name for the volcanic islet renamed in 1949 as Green Island, or Lyudao in Mandarin, and now among Taiwan's top tourism destinations.

Soon after the tourists arrive at the wharf, most hop on rented scooters--NT$300 (US$10) for a day's rental--and ride a short distance to the island's only gas station for fuel before setting off for their hotels or guesthouses, most of which are located on the northwestern and northern parts of the island. Very few choose the public minibus that runs every hour along the 20-kilometer main road circling the islet. With scooters--the most common means of transportation for both locals and tourists on Green Island--one can travel more conveniently and better enjoy the feeling of the wind in one's hair, especially in the late afternoon when the heat subsides a little.

Most visitors stay for the night on the tiny islet, which is just 16.2 square kilometers in area and has a registered population of approximately 3,000, although the number of permanent residents is well below that. Nearly all sightseers make a circuit of the island on the one main road, which runs along the coast. Like its neighbor Orchid Island, or Lanyu in Mandarin, 75 kilometers to the south, Green Island is known for its coastal rock formations, although those of Orchid Island are more rugged. Unlike Orchid Island, however, do not expect to meet many aboriginal people here. While indigenous people once dominated Green Island, Han Chinese have gradually taken over since they began moving to the island in large numbers in the early 19th century, with most indigenous people eventually relocating to Taiwan proper or Orchid Island.

Lots to See

A short trip on some of the island's back roads is necessary if one plans a visit to a site such as the village at Youzihu. In a cove on the northeast coast, the place was a small village until the 1980s, when the last remaining residents moved away in favor of more populated areas on the island or Taiwan proper. The desolate landscape of deserted stone houses scattered along the shoreline has a special atmosphere, letting visitors feel the passage of time embodied in the abandoned houses now falling into ruin.

Few visitors would pass up a trip to the local lighthouse, a landmark on the islet, which stands at its northwestern corner. The sight of this 33-meter-tall white structure against the sky and the blue water of the Pacific Ocean is impressive, and so is the story behind it. An American ship with 780 passengers and crew on board sank off the northern shore of the island in December 1937. To thank locals for the rescue effort that saved all on the ship and to improve navigation safety in the area, the US government funded the construction of the lighthouse, which was completed in 1939.

Located at the opposite end of the island on its southeast coast is Jhaorih Hot Spring, also a must for most tourists. The spring is owned and was built by the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration of the Tourism Bureau, which took Green Island under its administration in 1990.

The site, currently operated by the private sector, is said to be one of only three saltwater hot springs in the world, the others being in Sicily, Italy and Kyushu, Japan. All of the pools offer a refreshing dip outdoors, which is another reason for its popularity. "It's really pleasant to relax in the pool while listening to the sound of the waves and enjoying the sight of the nearby hills," says Joseph Chien, a tourist from Taichung. Better still, the facility faces east and is open 24 hours a day from May through to October, so that visitors can stay poolside to watch the sunrise and fully realize the meaning of the hot spring's name of jhaorih, or "morning sun."

Lovers of flora and fauna would also find Green Island an ideal destination, and for those wanting to get closer to the ocean, the isle boasts many idyllic snorkeling sites. The underwater views are uniquely beautiful thanks to the Kuroshio Current, the warm strong current that travels through the northwestern Pacific from the Philippines to Japan, passing Green Island on its northward journey. The current brings with it various kinds of fish, allowing locals to benefit from abundant fishing in the past and boosting local tourism today. More than 400 species of tropical reef fish and 200 species of coral enrich the splendid underwater world surrounding Green Island. To preserve the marine environment at Chaikou and Shihlang, two popular sites for snorkeling and diving, Taitung County Government declared the areas nature reserves in 2001.

In addition to snorkeling trips, which almost all guesthouses and hotels can help to arrange, it is also possible to see several rare land-based species of animals and insects on the island. Five years ago, local operators began to offer guided tours, mostly at night, for tourists to learn more about the species found locally, according to Tien Hui-hung, a guesthouse owner. It is not difficult to find creatures such as Tsuda's giant stick insect after dark, and with any luck, one might have an encounter with coconut crabs, Indian bullfrogs, a Formosan flying fox (a type of bat) or even a Formosan gem-faced civet. But visitors are reminded to limit themselves to watching only as all of these are rare species and protected by law.

Introduced from Taiwan proper, the sika deer is another local sight and a legacy of the past. Throughout the 1970s, locals relied on deer farming, in addition to fishing, as a way to make a living. Raising the animals for their antlers, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine, was also a major financial resource for local authorities. However, following Taiwan's launch of deer antler imports in the 1980s, raising deer on the island became less and less lucrative, and in 1986 the township office released 200 deer into the wild. Today, their offspring can be seen in the hills of "Deer Island," yet another nickname for Green Island.

It is also worthwhile to take some time to observe the island's plant life. In coastal areas, screw pines, the fruit of which is the basis of a popular local drink, are a common species. Local specimens of reef pemphis are unique since they grow upright to a height of two meters, whereas in the rest of Taiwan the plant grows along the ground. A hike into the mountains, which is usually attempted only by those staying on the islet for at least two nights, enables one to better appreciate its lush landscape. In general, Green Island's woody plants have a close relation to those found on Orchid Island and in the Philippines, while its herbaceous plants have closer links to those on Taiwan proper.

Taiwan's Alcatraz

As well as conventional holiday activities, island visitors should remember to make a trip to prison. This is no joke since Green Island, thanks to its isolated location and the strong currents found in the waters separating it from Taiwan proper, has been seen as an ideal site for incarceration and still has one functioning prison. Like Alcatraz Island off the shores of San Francisco, Green Island now finds part of its tourism value in its penal history.

Unlike more typical tourist sites, a trip to Green Island's decommissioned prisons is an educational and unusual vacation experience. The Japanese first operated a correctional facility in the 1910s during the colonial era (1895-1945). When the Kuomintang (KMT)-led government took over Taiwan in 1945 and relocated from mainland China in 1949, Taiwan underwent a major period of instability and chaos. Social tension was rife, fueled by clashes between locals and the then authoritarian KMT government, as well as by fears of communism spreading to Taiwan. In such an atmosphere, Green Island once again became a prison island, although this time it was home to thousands of dissidents and the victims of political witch-hunts, which lasted from 1951 until the lifting of martial law in 1987. The inmates included some political prisoners who would go on to become major figures in the Democratic Progressive Party, which ruled Taiwan between 2000 and 2008.

At its "peak" from the early 1950s to the mid-1960s, the prison on Green Island held some 2,000 political prisoners at any one time. From 1965 on, the number of political prisoners decreased, although a new prison facility was built in 1972 to house mostly non-political inmates. Another prison was opened on the island in the 1990s, but it was closed in 2002. Today, only the prison that opened in 1972 is still operational and holds some 200 inmates.

"Green Island used to be a mysterious place for many living in Taiwan proper because many political prisoners were sent here," says Cheng Wen-jen, secretary to the chief of Lyudao Township Office. But such a unique history is turning out to be a tourism asset.

In 1999, a human rights memorial was established to commemorate the islet's past of blood and tears. Designed by renowned Taiwanese architect Han Pao-teh, it is already a common stop on tours of the island. So are the nearby decommissioned prison facilities, which opened to the public in 2002. Visitors can view the former jail sites, including the inmates' cells, to imagine firsthand their miserable lives on Green Island.

All these are included in the 32-hectare Human Rights Memorial Park planned by the Council for Cultural Affairs (CCA). The CCA is in the process of renovating the decommissioned prisons for the park, but it also organizes the island's Human Rights Arts Festival that has run annually since May 17, 2005. The festival's date was chosen to commemorate the day in 1951 on which the first political prisoners were sent to Green Island. The event is organized around a different theme each year, this year focusing on educating youth about human rights. The 2008 festival lasted three days and featured the participation of scores of young people. As well as visiting the prison facilities and watching lively outdoor performances, visitors had a chance to talk with former political prisoners who were on hand to recount their experiences of being incarcerated on the island.

Looking Forward

The island's cultural and historical legacy is still not a major lure for tourists like Joseph Chien, who might prefer to spend their time relaxing in the hot spring, but, it could encourage some visitors to take a longer and more in-depth tour of the islet in the future. This is significant, especially when tourist numbers have been declining for Green Island since a peak of nearly 400,000 tourists in 2004 to 323,000 visitors last year. Township office secretary Cheng Wen-jen blames the sluggish economy and the fact that Taiwanese find their pockets not as deep as in previous years, but sees that more tourism sites can only help visitor numbers.

Last year, a 23-hectare sika deer park opened, a new attraction where visitors can view the animal as well as other species found on the island. In May, the Taitung County Government moved to protect the batfish, a species much loved by divers and snorklers, along the islet's southwestern coast. Along with the memorial park, these efforts are expected to boost local tourism.

However, it is also true that the island's facilities still have room for improvement, such as establishing international-standard restaurants and hotels suitable for high-end tourists. Another significant, albeit more natural, barrier to tourism development is the weather. Compared with the peak summer season, far fewer people brave the trip from October to March when the northeastern wind is strong and the boat ride can be quite rough. For example, while 74,000 tourists traveled to Green Island in July last year, the number dropped to just 5,100 in December of the same year. In winter the boat service is also unreliable, as some days there is only one boat trip and some days none at all, highlighting another obstacle for tourism--easy access.

For visitors the usual route to the island is time consuming. Most take a train to Taitung, then a taxi to the harbor for the boat ride to Green Island, according to the Lyudao Township Office. The train is favored, not only because air travel is more expensive, but also because Taipei is the only city in Taiwan with air links to Taitung. A small plane flies from Taitung to Green Island, but very few tourists choose this option. "The transportation is so inconvenient. The train trip to Taitung alone takes six hours," says Lee Shih-wei, a tourist from Taipei.

On the other hand, the decline in tourism over the past few years might be good news for those who think there are already too many scooters on Green Island producing too much noise and causing too much crowding for parking spaces at facilities around the isle. "Older people especially complain about the scooters. They're used to a quieter life," says Cheng Wen-jen.

Another impact of tourism on the local environment is increasing demand on freshwater resources. "On the road in Nanliao where you see a higher concentration of guesthouses and hotels, some operators have pumped so much groundwater that seawater is starting to mix with it," says Wu Chih-sheng, the chief ranger at a station set up by the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration in 1991.

In response to the problems of overdevelopment, some environmentalists as well as central-level government agencies have called for a limit on the number of tourists to Green Island. However, with as many as 80 percent of Green Island's residents involved in the tourism industry on at least a part-time basis, there has been strong local opposition to this plan, according to the township office's Cheng.

Fortunately some locals themselves have begun to take action to protect their island home, such as guesthouse owner Tien Hui-hung. Tien was among local residents who pushed for the creation of an association in 2006 that aims to protect the local ecology as well as promote tourism. For example, members of the group take turns monitoring the marine reserves and have teamed up with the township office to promote in-depth, eco-friendly tours. "We want to train local restaurant and hotel operators to improve the quality of their services. And we plan and promote guided in-depth tours that cover at least two nights, so that tourists can get to know the island better and avoid doing damage to it," Tien says.

As one of Taiwan's popular tourist spots, Green Island might be tiny, but it also boasts an array of history, culture and natural beauty. Such a site is not only worth exploring, but its environmental concerns also deserve attention from locals and visitors alike.

Write to Oscar Chung at oscar@mail.gio.gov.tw