"Dive Into Taiwan" — Stepping Foot on Taiwan's Last Untouched Land: Orchid Island, the Island of People

The Island of People — The Origin of Orchid Island

Orchid Island lies in the ocean off the southeastern coast of Taiwan and is a volcanic island by geology. The island is home to a small indigenous group — the Tao people (Dawu) — who maintain a unique way of life and rich cultural heritage. Their internationally renowned Flying Fish Festival, tatala (plank canoes), and traditional semi-subterranean dwellings are one-of-a-kind treasures found nowhere else in the world, and they hold deep significance within Taiwan's indigenous cultures. In the Tao language, the island is called Ponso no Tao, meaning "Island of People." In Hokkien, the phonetic approximation gave it the names "Red Head Island" and "Red Bean Island," but in 1947 it was renamed "Orchid Island" after the orchids that flourished there.

The entire island boasts a dramatic and majestic landscape; its rocks are predominantly black volcanic stone. The island's highest peak, Red Head Mountain (紅頭山), reaches nearly 552 m in elevation — taller than Taipei 101! Geographically situated in the tropics, the island lies along a common typhoon track, resulting in high temperatures, abundant rainfall, and a warm, humid maritime climate. The period from February to May offers the most stable weather, while July through October brings the risk of typhoon storms. If you're planning a trip, be sure to keep a close eye on weather conditions!

How to Get to Orchid Island?

There are three ways to get there:

1. Take a train to Taitung Train Station, then transfer by taxi to Fugang Fishing Harbor to board a ferry bound for Orchid Island (the most popular option).

2. Take a bus to Houbihu Fishing Harbor in Hengchun Township, Pingtung, then board a ferry bound for Orchid Island.

3. Board a Daily Air Corporation flight from Taitung Airport to Orchid Island Airport (flight tickets are notoriously hard to book).

Circling Orchid Island Takes Just 90 Minutes!

Mountains and tropical forests cover the island, while a coastal ring road of approximately 35 km and a 4 km cross-island highway traverse it. The routes are straightforward and require no GPS — even the most directionally challenged traveller can complete the loop with ease (laughs). On a scooter, the full circuit takes just 90 minutes. However, there is only one petrol station on the entire island (located near Kaiyuan Port in Yeyou Village), so don't forget to fill up before you set off!

Watch Out! Animals Roaming the Roads!

Throughout Orchid Island you'll come across free-roaming dogs, cats, chickens, mountain goats, and wild boar kept by the islanders. Herds of goats graze by the roadside and even climb up onto pavilion platforms to gaze out at the sea or doze — an utterly adorable sight!

As the sun sets and night falls, slow down and keep your eyes wide open on Orchid Island's roads, where street lights are few and far between! Night-time is party time for all manner of reptiles and creatures. Sharp-eyed visitors may spot mysterious creatures scuttling sideways across the road, clutching eggs in their arms as they hurry across — yes, land crabs! Every summer marks the peak of land crab breeding season, so take extra care when driving through.

Here, the islanders and the animals live side by side, sharing all the resources that nature provides. On this island, they share an inseparable bond — to the people of Orchid Island, these animals are far more than economic livestock; they are treated with genuine gratitude and care.

Use Your Imagination!

As a volcanic island, Orchid Island's terrain has been shaped by weathering, erosion, and tidal action into a variety of striking forms. There are many cliffs, sea caves, and other geological wonders. Famous landmarks include Jade Girl Rock, Twin Lions Rock, Warship Rock, and Tank Rock — whether they resemble their namesakes is entirely up to your own imagination!

Give Me an Unbeatable Ocean-View Seat!

Since you've made it to an island paradise, you simply must go with the flow — feast on delicious food while feasting your eyes on the ocean view! All the restaurants recommended below have open-air sea-view seating. A word of advice to all food lovers: don't forget to apply plenty of sunscreen, or you'll come back looking like a piece of charcoal! (laughs)

In this hot tropical climate, you'll feel a wave of heat the moment you step off the boat. The first food recommendation is naturally a refreshing, cool treat — shaved ice desserts!

Located in Yeyou Village, "Island Residents Ice Cream Shop" (島民冰菓店) is about a five-minute walk from Kaiyuan Port heading toward Langdao. On weekends and during the busy summer season, the queue is endless. One of its most distinctive charms is the shop's four Siberian Huskies, who weave politely among the customers and lounge lazily at your feet while you enjoy your dessert. Many visitors are drawn in by the dogs alone. The daily selection of cakes and sweets is made in limited quantities and the shop closes early once they sell out — it's worth checking the shop's Facebook page before you visit to avoid disappointment.

Every corner of the shop reflects the owner's thoughtful touches — such as flying fish flags hanging from the pillars inscribed with "I'm in Orchid Island," set against a backdrop of brilliant blue sea and sky, making it a favourite photo spot for visitors. A few low tables with floor cushions invite you to sit back and relax. Alongside the desserts, the shop also sells ocean-themed creative merchandise — don't forget to snap some photos while you're there!

This time I ordered the signature item: handmade taro ice cream, crafted by slow-cooking locally grown taro with milk, fresh cream, and egg yolks, served over a base of shaved ice. The taro's sweet, silky smoothness paired with the shaved ice underneath is refreshing without being cloying. For matcha lovers, the Uji Kintoki Shaved Ice is a must-order — matcha topped with plump red beans, with red bean filling packed throughout the shaved ice too. If you feel the matcha flavour isn't intense enough, there's even a small cup of concentrated matcha on the side to add! Eating ice cream, gazing at the sea, and playing with the dogs — three wishes granted all at once, right?

Island Residents Ice Cream Shop (島民冰菓店)
Address: No. 296-7, Yeyou Village, Orchid Island Township, Taitung County
Tel: 0975 667 868

"Wenwen Taro Ice" (雯雯芋頭冰) in Hongtou Village is the perfect pit stop along the island loop. A red rooftop paired with blue-and-white painted walls, wind chimes made of shells that chime crisply in the sea breeze, and an open-air dining area — doesn't it just capture that island holiday spirit?

The recommended order is the "Wenwen Special" — a combination of taro ice cream and caramel mung bean slush, cool and utterly refreshing. If you're a taro fan, you can also order the taro ice cream on its own, made with locally grown Orchid Island taro. The texture is dense and velvety, with a rich taro fragrance and little nuggets of taro paste in every bite — my mouth waters just thinking about it! Beyond the food, you can also pick up some souvenirs or write a postcard to send to friends and family.

Wenwen Taro Ice (雯雯芋頭冰)
Address: No. 20, Hongtou Village, Orchid Island Township, Taitung County
Tel: 08 973 2586

"Rover" (旅人 Rover) in Yuren Village is the perfect spot to watch the sunset over the sea while sipping a cold drink. The menu features all-day brunch, fried snacks, smoothies, and a full range of alcoholic beverages. The outdoor terrace seats are ideal for sun lovers who enjoy the sea breeze, and there's also a Moai statue photo spot that Instagram enthusiasts simply cannot miss. This is a place where you're likely to meet fellow travellers from all over, work-exchange volunteers who've come to Orchid Island, and even local residents — gathering together under a star-filled sky, drinks in hand, sharing their life stories with openness and ease, connected by this small island in ways that feel effortless and unguarded.

Rover (旅人 Rover)
Address: No. 56, Yuren Village, Orchid Island Township, Taitung County
Tel: 0933-089849

Time to Dive!

Orchid Island's dive sites are divided into four main zones corresponding to the island's tribal villages. Because the island is fairly large, travel time between dive sites needs to be factored into your dive planning. Finding the right dive shop and transport arrangement will make your entire dive trip far more comfortable.

Hongtou Tribal Area to Yuren Tribal Area

The nearshore terrain is mostly sandy and is prone to being covered with sediment by southwest currents, making the underwater topography relatively plain. However, moving slightly farther from Hongtou Port, the terrain becomes increasingly diverse with distance from shore. The area around Sìtiáogōu (四條溝) features a prominent headland formation; in summer, currents can reach 1–3 knots, and the corners of the rock walls are prone to generating downcurrents and upcurrents — divers must take special care. Notable dive sites: Badaiwan Wreck, Yīxiàntiān (一線天), Badaiwan Aquarium, and the Airport Outer Reef.

Yeyou Tribal Area

This zone is mostly gravel and sand shoreline, though stony corals have established a sizeable community here. Located on the southwestern side of Orchid Island, this area becomes the preferred venue for introductory and training dives when the northeast monsoon season begins. In some locations, dramatic depth changes have created impressive aggregations of hard coral and soft coral, and most sites are accessible by shore dive. Notable dive sites: Blue Cave, Yeyou Fault, and the Old Kaiyuan Harbor.

Langdao Tribal Area

Situated on the northern side of the island, this is the most accessible shore diving zone on Orchid Island. The nearshore topography here is predominantly a fringing reef structure, with hard corals massing in large quantities between 3 m and 15 m. Biodiversity is rich, and the ever-changing terrain — which sometimes requires divers to squeeze through crevices in the reef — is one of the area's defining features. However, because this area faces the northern side of the island, diving here is not recommended once the northeast monsoon sets in. Notable dive sites: Twin Lions Rock, Mother Hen Rock, and Jade Girl Rock.

Dongqing Tribal Area

The dive sites here are known for their dramatic topographic relief; underwater, the scenery sometimes resembles a mountain range, inspiring a sense of awe and exhilaration. Sites such as Yongxing Reef boast dense aggregations of coral and fish, making them ideal for underwater photography. Wild Silver Small Canyon and Yīxiàntiān also feature natural corridor formations that make for compelling exploration. However, all the sites here involve significant depths and boat operators typically do not anchor, making neutral buoyancy control critically important. Notable dive sites: Yongxing Reef, Guandong Rock, and Dongqing Bay Garden.