🏝 Taitung | Green Island

[BiggusDickus]

@marasan

@BiggusDickus

At the risk of adding further complications, flying there is supposed to be exciting. Particularly so when windy.

I will take the plane the next time. I’m sure that it’s a bit scary, but it would only be like, what, 15 minutes of scariness. The puking on the boat ride (especially going to Green Island) is something I would like to avoid. I didn’t puke, but it was a full 30 minutes of intense teeth and fist clenching to avoid grabbing one of the widely available puke bags.

My mate flew and he said you can see into the cockpit, so when you’re getting buffeted around on landing you can see everything. After landing the pilots turn around and do a thumbs up.

I would try it, but I have a terrible fear of heights.

[marasan]

@afterspivak

That deeply unpleasant experience does however help us to imagine what those hapless prisoners went through as they were shipped there . . .

In some ways, I would say it’s worse as a tourist. You board the boat all happy and excited for the vacation. If you’re like me, you go to the back of the boat, open the door, head out onto the rear deck, and take pictures with your son with the boat’s wake in the background. Everybody in the boat is all smiles and laughing. Then after about 20 minutes, complete silence, which is interrupted every few minutes by the sound of someone puking. Then the smells. Your knuckles are white from grabbing onto the handrails of your seat. You look at your kids and wife with a look of concern on your face for how badly they must be feeling. And the agony goes on and on it seems like for an eternity and you swear to yourself “never again.” I swear I never once thought of the former prisoners on Green Island during that time.

[afterspivak]

I sure did when I went through that.

It helped pull me through.

Guy

[Taiwan_Luthiers]

So the sea around green island is rough? And I’m guessing it’s very rough in the winter?

Why would anyone even think to sail a home made pontoon boat through that?

[Shaun008]

@rooftopclown

Check this link

@Taiwan_Luthiers

Link is blank

[marasan]

@afterspivak

I sure did when I went through that.

It helped pull me through.

Guy

You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

Gunga Din by Rudyard Kipling | Poetry Foundation

[marasan]

@Taiwan_Luthiers

So the sea around green island is rough?

Everybody complains about it. Not too bad on the way back. It’s not a matter of getting used to it, it’s just a calmer ride.

[hannes]

I dislike ferries where you have to sit inside. I remember the ferries to Lanyu had seats at the back outside. Much fresher air, less torture.

[Taiwan_Luthiers]

So if you’re flying can you fly from the songshan airport? Is it more expensive?

[Andrew]

@marasan

I will take the plane the next time. I’m sure that it’s a bit scary, but it would only be like, what, 15 minutes of scariness. The puking on the boat ride (especially going to Green Island) is something I would like to avoid. I didn’t puke, but it was a full 30 minutes of intense teeth and fist clenching to avoid grabbing one of the widely available puke bags.

I don’t remember it being too bad when I went actually. I’ve had worse boat rides. Maybe I was just lucky.

[Andrew]

@Taiwan_Luthiers

So if you’re flying can you fly from the songshan airport? Is it more expensive?

I thought the flights are just from Taitung. The useful link that @rooftopclown posted above should be able to help though.

[Shaun008]

@Andrew

I thought the flights are just from Taitung. The useful link that @rooftopclown posted above should be able to help though.

I think he has that site blocked on his phone

[afterspivak]

@Taiwan_Luthiers

So if you’re flying can you fly from the songshan airport? Is it more expensive?

The short hop to Green Island is from Taitung Airport. You can either fly from Songshan to Taitung, then connect to Green Island, or otherwise get to Taitung (say by train) and then catch the flight.

And yes the flight option will cost more.

Guy

[Taiwan_Luthiers]

Another thing I found out is there are 3 flights a day, and only 4 seats per flight are available! (it seems the rest of the plane is for people who actually live on the island). So you had to reserve the flight well in advanced.

[afterspivak]

Or, like normal people, take the ferry.

Guy

[Andrew]

@afterspivak

Or, like normal people, take the ferry.

The problem is that the ferry doesn’t run in bad sea conditions, so you might not be able to get back. And accommodation on Green Island can be expensive. I also may get seasick. Not to mention the higher convenience store prices because of the surcharge.

Sometimes the benches are occupied by goats too. I’m not sure why that’s a problem, but it might be. Where would I sit if I need a rest?

[Explant]

we have been stranded there a couple times as well due to bad sea. once for a week. it sucks, and costs a lot. but at the same time, the freedom to say F it, nothing I can do was liberating!

I will only fly to lanyu. I dont mind the flights. i just wont spend that much more time and money trying to fly to green. only a 40~70 minute puke session and a few hour to all day recovery My wife puked each if the 3 days we were there last time haha. ferry, snorkeling, ferry. lucky gal!

its worth a go. but if sea sick is a thing, make it a 2 night minimum and enjoy the middle full day

Edit. a lot of people wait at the airport for cancellations. that happens often. and, at least before for lanyu,they had that dumb rule that people can reserve and cancel at the last minute…but that’s more an aboriginal thing, maybe green island not?

[jdsmith]

@Explant

I will only fly to lanyu

The ocean is brutal. Green Island ferry too.

Double up on your seasickness patches and eat nothing that morning. Find a spot outside in the middle and stare at something on the horizon.

Or yeah, fly.

[BiggusDickus]

@afterspivak

Or, like normal people, take the ferry.

Guy

Or book the flight well in advance

[BiggusDickus]

I’ve failed to get to Green Island once. There was a typhoon. A possibility to consider.