Contents(3)
In the mid-16th century, Portuguese sailors passing through the waters off Taiwan cried out "Ilha Formosa!" Although that phrase means "beautiful island" in Portuguese and was never formally bestowed as a name, the compliment carries more than enough weight to capture the beauty of Taiwan's islands.
Our 36,000-square-kilometre Taiwan is home to countless world-class landscapes — how many have you witnessed with your own eyes?
Unwrapping One of the World's Rarest Spectacles: Gueishan Island's Milk Sea
Last summer's highlight saw OffshoreLifeStudio's sailing route extend to Yilan in eastern Taiwan, where the crew explored brand-new waters and set course for the wildly popular Gueishan Island.
A sharp boundary between milky-white water and the surrounding sea — that is Gueishan Island's Milk Sea, which has taken all of Taiwan by storm, and something you simply must witness for yourself.
Gueishan Island sits to the east of Wushih Harbour in Toucheng, Yilan, a volcanic island rising from the Pacific Ocean about 6 nautical miles (approximately 10 km) offshore. Its earliest name was Pipe Islet; its international nautical chart designation is Wushi Isle, while the locals of Toucheng most often call it Turtle Island or Turtle Islet. Because of its active volcanic geology, the island is laced with sulphur vents and submarine hot springs. When these erupt and mix with the surrounding seawater, they turn it milky white, creating a vivid boundary against the blue ocean — and giving rise to what has become the most talked-about attraction of recent years: the Milk Sea. Yilan, known as Taipei's backyard garden, and Gueishan Island, a landmark familiar to every traveller along the Northeast Coast coastal highway — have you ever truly cast off the lines and ventured out onto the water to explore this island up close? To miss the dramatic geology that rivals the Greek Aegean and the loveable Tiffany-blue Milk Sea would be a real shame.
The turtle's-head cape of Gueishan Island, facing away from the coastal highway, presents a geological landscape of breathtaking craftsmanship — sheer cliffs and rugged rock faces that rival the Greek Aegean.
A Sailor's Simple, Unhurried Day
Every morning at 4 a.m., the crew and I wake up on schedule to run through the day's preparations. That punishing reveille — repeated every single day — is the price we pay for the most vibrant sunrise imaginable. A hand-poured cup of Kenya AA estate coffee fills the entire cabin with its aroma; as the coffee saturates your palate, the corners of your mouth curl up ever so slightly, and you're not quite sure whether to nod or shake your head. Nodding means: "Yes, this is life." Shaking your head means: "I blow myself away."
Green Book (2018) " My father used to say , whatever you do , do it 100 %. When you work, work . When you laugh , laugh . When you eat , eat like it's your last meal . "
Gradually, you grow accustomed to this sunrise-driven rhythm — a world apart from the bleary-eyed misery of military roll call. You adapt to having a blazing red dawn recharge you for the day ahead. The sea lies flat as a mirror, and you almost hesitate to let the bow wave disturb such a perfect painting. In the gentle breeze you settle into a high-quality laziness; Lofi Jazz drifts from the speakers, and your mind briefly convinces itself you've already reached the age of serene wisdom — until the violent wake of a passing fishing boat jolts you back to reality, along with the sound of a queasy guest beginning to retch.
In summer, the northeast coastline sits on the leeward side; the southwest monsoon cannot cross the Central Mountain Range, which is why the waters around Gueishan Island are as calm as a lake.
Have You Seen Taiwan's True Beauty?
In Taiwan, the government's most reliable approach to promoting tourism seems to be copying what's already been done — Tainan night-market snacks replicated in Taipei's Shenkeng stinky tofu, an endless stack of container-box structures, houses with wildly painted murals on every wall. God damn… that's not quite ideal. Because I love the mountains and the sea, I like taking friends there — and lately I've started bringing guests, and more recently still, foreign visitors. Do you know how extraordinary Taiwan's natural geography and waterways truly are? Forget your phones, cameras and everything unimportant when you are here. Over the course of 30 voyages to Gueishan Island last year, the most heartwarming piece of feedback came from a Finnish visitor who looked at me and said, "Do you know how special you are?" Then added, "Do you know how special it is?" Then, with a foreign accent, switched to Chinese: "This place deserves to be celebrated worldwide — but I know the Taiwanese government…" and ended the conversation with an Ugly face, leaving the thought unresolved.
Guests who joined last year's outings all praised Gueishan Island as a destination worthy of international attention. How to strike a balance between heritage preservation and commercial development is something we need to plan carefully.
Hey — not all Instagram-worthy spots are created equal, so why not give yourself a bit more class and take on scenery that is completely unforced and authentic? Please… the most beautiful café in Taiwan, the most beautiful container building in Taiwan, the most beautiful church in Taiwan, the most beautiful blah, blah, blah… Come on. Taiwan is genuinely stunning — but have you actually seen its real beauty?
The Masterpiece of Nature.
You might be thinking: "Hey, Ray — aren't you being a little too angry about this!?" We'll leave that question to your own eyes and to time to answer~
See you in the summer.
Stay tuned for the special 2020 OffshoreLifeStudio events at Gueishan Island's Milk Sea in Yilan — more details coming soon.
Further reading:
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a BlueTrend dive trip different from an unknown, no-name dive group?
Choosing us means full peace-of-mind protection and a smooth experience from start to finish. Every trip we run holds to three things.
First, full legal protection and a professional dive leader: we strictly follow Taiwan's travel regulations and provide complete travel-agency liability insurance, travel insurance, trip-inconvenience insurance and dive insurance. Every group is accompanied by a certified, foreign-language dive leader who joins you on both the dives and the land itinerary, liaising seamlessly with local dive shops and operators on your behalf to keep things running smoothly — the person our travellers trust most.
Second, fully licensed with secure payments: every payment goes into a licensed travel agency's account, with multiple safe payment channels (bank transfer, credit card and more) and a legal collect-and-remit receipt, so every transaction is open, transparent and protected, avoiding the fraud and dispute risks of transferring money privately to an individual.
Third, hand-picked quality we vet in person: every trip, dive site and partner shop is scouted on the ground by our own team, from the guides' professionalism and safety standards to the food, lodging, environment and service details on land, all vetted by us so you don't get caught out.
I want to sign up for a dive trip. Are there certification-level or logged-dive requirements?
Each dive site is different, so the entry bar varies. 'Bali Tulamben', for instance, is relatively beginner-friendly. 'Malapascua in the Philippines' is also beginner-friendly, but since thresher sharks tend to cruise between 20 and 30 metres, we recommend AOW certification with 20+ logged dives to enjoy this trip comfortably. For 'the Maldives' or 'Palau', we suggest AOW with 50+ logged dives for a more relaxed experience. If you're not sure whether your experience fits the trip you want, message us and our dive editors will assess it and help you find the trip you'll feel safest on.
Can I join if I'm signing up alone? How are rooms arranged?
Plenty of our travellers sign up solo! For rooms and beds, we prioritise pairing you with a same-gender traveller, and if you'd rather have your own space you can pay the difference to upgrade to a single room. For the diving, our professional leader will pair you with a suitable buddy, and with the happy vibe on our trips you'll quickly make a great group of dive friends. Many people sign up alone, make new friends, and end up organising the next trip together!
Does the trip fee include dive insurance, gear rental, taxes and instructor tips?
It depends on the trip, the destination's regulations and the local operators. Every BlueTrend dive trip has a detailed web page with a clear 'included / not included' list, transparent and with no hidden charges. All payments are collected by a licensed travel agency, with a standard-form contract for your protection.
I'm a new diver / haven't dived in a long time — will I fall behind the group?
Before you complete your booking, our team assesses a suitable trip based on your certification level and experience. Before departure, we strongly recommend taking time to refresh in Taiwan with an instructor, or a fun dive to get your feel back. On the trip itself, our professional dive leader groups and pairs everyone by experience, keeps a close eye underwater on travellers who need extra care, and steps in to help right away.
Will the photos and videos taken during the trip be shared with us?
During the dives, 'safety' is always the leader's top priority, so whenever it's suitable and safe the leader will capture great shots and record the best moments. During or after the trip, we compile a cloud album for all travellers to download, so you go home loaded with memories!
Besides your scheduled trips, can you arrange a private group charter or independent travel for me and my friends?
Absolutely! Besides group trips, we also arrange private group charters and independent travel. We can communicate, enquire and coordinate services with local operators based on your needs, saving you time and effort and taking the language barrier off your plate, to tailor the smoothest, most reassuring dive trip just for you. Contact our LINE support and our editors will arrange it for you!
![[Fall in Love with Sailing with a Young Captain] Rediscovering Taiwan Through the Lens of a Voyage — Taiwan's Northeast Coast (Part 1)](/_astro/2-21_Z1vD164.webp)
