I can not find any exact info on how to get to Lanyu. I want to go in mid-June. The Daily Air website says their are no seats available, and Lion Travel only offers tours. So if I want to go by myself, can I just take a train to Taidong and take the ferry (I don’t get sea sick)? Is there anyway to book the ferry in advance? Is it so popular it’s just impossible to get there? I don’t want to get down to Taidong and not be able to go. Has anyone gone on their own who can advise?
Basically there are two lanes of ferries to Lanyu, one departs from Fugang, Taidong. The other departs from Houbihu, Pingdong (Kending). Houbihu offers shorter travel time, both land and ocean (2 hr by land if you take THSR, then 2hr by sea). Some ferries leaving Taidong will make stop at Green Island first, making the sea trip closer to 3 hrs. Whether you’ll get sick or not depends on you and the wave conditions. If you can see white tips breaking off waves at the harbor before boarding, then most likely you’ll get sick.
The ferry schedule is “reference” only. The ships will not depart unless there are enough passengers.
Fugang-Lanyu Lanyu-Fugang
AM 07:30 AM 10:00
PM 13:00 PM 15:30
ferries depart when there are 80 passengers
Schedules for Fugang-Lanyu
travel.lanyu.info/trip-info/traffic/boat-schedule-01
Houbihu-Lanyu Lanyu-Houbihu
AM 07:30 AM 10:00
PM 13:00 PM 15:30
ferries depart when there are 50 passengers
As a regular traveler on the barf boats they can be fine…Trick is complete sensory deprivation.
Tiger balm under nose…Smell no puke.
Sunglasses or other eye coverings…See no puke.
IPAD or other device…Hear no puke.
Follow these three rules and as long as you are not prone to sea sickness on your own then you will be safe. Note also to wear one extra layer of clothing. They crank up the A/C’s on the boat to recirculate the air as quickly as possible during the route…I’ll let you figure out why.
Or just stand outside, up the back of the boat. If it’s at all rough (like normal) the captain will try to convince you to come inside, but ignore him. It’s a fun ride, and much better with no puke stench. Bring beers.
Never been on the Dorniers or the Islanders or tri-landers that flew out to Orchid and Green Island. But they are replaced now by these Twin Otters. Anyone been on them?
2400 from Taidong? o.O
I’ve been there 2 weeks ago and I think we spent much less than that, when I get back home I’ll see if I can still find the tickets!
No, it just means they switched boats. Hengxing Boat is switched from Houbihu-Lanyu route to Taitung-Lanyu route. Jinxing 3 Boat will be serving the Houbihu-Lanyu route instead.
I was talking about Orchid island with someone and he told me this is the last month of the year that it’s possible to get there by ferry, due to sea conditions.