Yilan Travel: Dolphin's watching near Guishan Island

Travel Date: 2018/07/14

It's our second day in Yilan, unfortunately, it was time for us to head back home. However, before leaving, we took a ferry ride to explore the sea and have a chance to see dolphins, whales, and the beautiful Guishan Island. The ferry departed from Wushi Fishing Harbor, providing a view of the island from the sea. Guishan Island is located just 10 km away from this harbor.

During weekends, visitors have the opportunity to travel to the island and explore the old village. However, the number of tourists allowed is limited in order to preserve the natural environment. Although we didn't have the chance to visit the island itself, we did take a trip around it.

After observing Guishan Island, the ferry ventured further into the sea in search of whales and dolphins. The surrounding waters support a rich ecosystem that attracts these marine creatures. Fortunately, we were lucky enough to witness a significant number of them. The offshore islands of Taiwan and the Pacific Ocean are volcanic islands, which contributes to the stunning colors of the water in this area.

Although the ferry ride took nearly two hours, the waves were quite strong. I wanted to take pictures, but I was too afraid to walk around when everything was shaking. However, staying on board allowed me to experience the sea water splashing everywhere. It was a truly remarkable time in Yilan, and I will definitely miss the eastern part of Taiwan.

Guishan Island (龜山島)

Guishan Island is an abandoned island located 10 km east of Yilan. It is the only active volcano in Taiwan, with its last eruption occurring in 1785. The island was initially known as Wushiyu (五獅嶼), which means "Five Lion Islands" in Chinese, due to its resemblance to a floating turtle. It measures 3.1 km wide from east to west, 1.6 km long from north to south, with an area of 2.841 square kilometers and a coastline of 9 km. The highest point on the island reaches 401 meters above sea level. Guishan Island is situated 9.1 km away from the Wushi Fishing Port on Taiwan's main island and falls under the jurisdiction of Guishanli, the head town of Yilan County.

Before 1977, Guishan Island was inhabited. Historical records indicate that fishermen from Fujian, China settled on the island in 1853. Although Guishan Island was privately owned, dating back to the Qing Dynasty, it remained uninhabited. Over time, fishermen would visit the island for rest, gradually establishing villages and making fishing their primary occupation. They also cultivated peanuts. However, due to challenges in daily living and inconvenient sea transportation, the fishermen eventually moved back to Taiwan Island.

In 1977, the Taiwanese government forced the residents of Guishan Island to relocate to the main island for military purposes. The Renze New Village was established in Daxi to resettle the islanders. The island was then designated as a shooting area for artillery testing. The arch of the Mazu Temple on the island was also relocated to Daxi. The soldiers stationed on the island transformed the temple into the "Guanyin Temple" and worshipped Guanyin Bodhisattva as their spiritual support. Since 1977, the island has remained uninhabited.

See also: Taipingshan Forest Railway

See also: Xinliao Waterfall

After the lifting of martial law in 1987, the Yilan County Government and the Head Town Office made several attempts to develop the tourist potential of Guishan Island. On December 22, 1999, the Executive Yuan reopened the island to the public. On August 1, 2000, Guishan Island was officially designated as part of the Northeast Corner and the Yilan Coast National Scenic Area, positioning it as a marine ecological park. In order to manage visitor numbers and prevent damage to the island's ecology, prior application is necessary to limit the number of people allowed to visit the island. General tourist groups wishing to enter Guishan Island must submit an application to the Northeast Corner of the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Communications and the Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration Office online, between 3 and 20 days prior to the scheduled landing date.

The island boasts various unique features, including saltwater hot springs, steaming fumaroles, and tunnels created during military activities in the 1950s. It is also an excellent area for whale and dolphin watching. There are ongoing volcanic activities such as hot springs and sulfur vents, making it an active volcanic island. The rock formations mainly consist of lava flows and volcanic clastic rocks of Andesite. Based on thermoluminescence dating and stratigraphic analysis, Guishan Island has experienced at least four eruptions in the past 7,000 years. The highest point on the island is Kameido Peak, reaching 398 meters above sea level. There are two lakes on the island, the smaller Guishou Lake (Guitan) and the larger Gumi Lake (Guizhou), as well as hot springs, cold springs, sea caves, and sulfur vents. The island's unique animal, plant ecology, and marine resources are abundant.

In 2019, volcanic activity was detected beneath the island, suggesting that volcanic eruptions are still possible in the area. On April 20, 2015, a series of earthquakes occurred in the waters off Yilan, causing slight collapses on the island's turtle-shaped head.