| Diving Sites Green Island
¡@Since Green Island is situated in the path of the Japan Current, the water is very clear, with a range of visibility reaching above 30 meters. Up-welling currents in the area bring sea life in great variety and quantity. The kinds of fish, shellfish, and coral found here abundantly manifest the characterists of tropical ocean resources. Scenic resource abound as well, with thick growths of both hard and soft coral forming a rich reef ecology. ¡@In addition to underwater precipices and caves, the scenery under the surface of the ocean around Green Island is enriched by brightly colored reef fish flitting among the coral formations as well as invertebrates of all kinds - - sea lilies, starfish, cowfish, trichina, and others - - crawling slowly around the coral areas. The weather is fine for diving year-round; when the northeastern monsoons blow, however, diving is best done on the leeward side of the island. The most favorable months are April through October. Overall, Green Island offers some of the very best scuba diving in Taiwan. Green Island Diving Sites 1.Nanliao¡@¡¹ ¡@The coastline near the north bridge of Nanliao Fishing Harbor and facing Nanliao Village is a broad reef platform with a width of 20 to 30 meters. The water fronting the platform is 2 to 3 meters deep and extends along a gently sloping reef with a varied and beautiful seascape of coral mounds, coral heads, and trenches. ¡°Caution: More than 100 meters offshore the water is deep and currents rapid, so extra care is required. ¡¯Suitable for snorkeling and beginning level scuba diving. 2.Chungliao¡@¡¹¡¹¡¹ ¡@Located on the northwest corner of Green Island in a position to catch the full force of the northeast monsoon during the winter months, Chungliao features an exposed reef covered mainly with hard coral. About 300 meters out from Chungliao Harbor is a visible sea current flowing in the direction of the lighthouse. ¡°Caution:Divers must watch out for dangerous currents and dive only when the currents are calm. ¡¯Suitable for intermediate and advanced level scuba diving. 3.Chichiao Submerged Reef¡@¡¹¡¹¡¹ ¡@The top of this submerged reef, which is situated 500 meters off Toushan, lies several meters below the surface; its base is 40 meters down and becomes even deeper farther out. The sides of the reef abound in sealife. ¡°Caution: Currents here call for special care. Diving can be done only in relatively sheltered areas when the currents are moderate; when the currents are strong, diving should not be attempted. ¡¯Suitable for scuba diving at the intermediate and advance levels, including boat diving. 4.Loumen Rock¡@¡¹¡¹ ¡@This area features varied scenery, which in some spots is rather uninteresting. The currents are sometimes quite strong, and diving should be done only at the proper stage of the tide. ¡¯Suitable for scuba diving at the intermediate and advanced levels, including boat diving. 5.Tapaisha¡@¡¹¡¹¡¹ ¡@Located at the southernmost tip of Green Island, Tapaisha (Great White Sand) is in a position to catch the full force of the northward - Kuroshio Current. The seacoast to the right of Tapaisha consists of high stone reef formations, and where the depth of the water exceeds 10 meters numerous rock reefs rise from the bottom to a height of 10 meters or more. At a relatively great distance from the shore are two stone reefs that protrude from the surface; the water between them and the shore is about 20 meters deep, with massive coral growths providing richly varied scenery. ¡¯Suitable for intermediate and advanced level scuba diving. 6. kueiwan¡@¡¹¡¹¡¹ ¡@The concave - shaped coastline here contains numerous rocky reefs and a diving area of varied terrain featuring coral heads, caves, and the like. The terrain becomes more complex at depths greater than 6 meters. ¡¯Suitable for snorkeling and beginning level scuba diving.
Note:The number of stars indicates general diving quality.
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¡@Green Island is located in the Pacific off the southeastern coast of Taiwan, 33 kilometers from the city of Taitung and 75 kilometers from Orchid Island. The annual average temperature here is 23 degrees Celsius, with southerly winds prevailing from May through September and strong northeast monsoons blowing from October through April. The water temperature is around 28 degrees in the summer, falling to 20 degrees or so in the winter season.