Hiking Taiwan's Only Active Volcano: Turtle (Guishan) Island

If you are looking for an exciting adventure while visiting Taiwan, make sure to visit Turtle Island. Locals know it as Guishan Island, which translates to Turtle Mountain Island because of its similar resemblance. It is Taiwan’s only active volcano and because of this has a unique landscape and a flourishing marine life. It has high amounts of sulfuric acid giving the water a remarkable shade of blue. 

I only heard about this island through a local I met in Xiaoliqui. I had zero expectations coming in and I was completely mind-blown. Guishan Island offers jaw-dropping scenery, arguably one of the prettiest views in the country in my opinion. I hope this guide encourages you to visit this remarkable place.

Stunning view from the top of Turtle Island.

How to Get There

To get to Turtle Island, you will need to take a boat that departs from Wushin Harbor in Toucheng. Tickets can be purchased at the harbor or online via Klook or KKday (I used KKday). 

From Taipei Main Station, it is a one-and-a-half-hour train trip. I recommend staying in Toucheng the night before as tours start bright and early at around 8:00 a.m. 

My Experience Hiking Taiwan's Active Volcano

I booked Klook’s 401 highland tour that included a boat ride around the island, a hike to the top, and a walk around the temple, lake, and remaining structures. It is important to note that the tours, at least in mine, are completely in Mandarin. If you are unfamiliar with the language, you will not be able to understand the information but rest assured they will take care of you. In my group, I was the only foreigner there. Despite the language barrier, the tour guide as well as the other tourists made sure to check up on me all the time. I was lucky enough that the tour guide found someone who spoke English and would occasionally translate for me. I didn’t know about this island before visiting Taiwan, but I’m so grateful that I got to visit it. Here’s what you can expect to do and see on the island.

Boat Ride Around the Island

Before exploring Turtle Island, you will go around the island on the boat for about 40 minutes. It is an amazing experience to see the island from a different perspective. You will get to see the mesmerizing color created by the sulfuric acid as well as steam.

Stunning view of Turtle Island from the boat ride.

Hiking to the Top

Hiking to the top of Turtle Island in Taiwan while completely worth it, can be a bit intense. The description of the tour that I bought was all in Mandarin, so I was oblivious to the specifics. To get to the top you need to go up 1,700 steps, which will take you around an hour. You will see that the steps have the number to know how much you have left. Because of this, I recommend that you wear light clothes and comfy shoes, stock up on water and snacks at the little convenience store on the island, and bring hiking/trekking poles to ease your hike. If not, at the start of the hike there are poles made out of bamboo that you can use.

The last step on our 1,700-step journey to the viewpoint.

The good thing about this trail is that it is mostly shaded since you will be walking through the trees. Do note that you might encounter snakes as I did, so make sure to be on the lookout. 

The hiking trail to get to the top.

Once you get to the top, you can go up a couple more steps to get to the viewpoint and it is so worth it. Here, you will get a 360 view of the island and see the stunning colors produced by the sulfuric acid.

Jaw-dropping view from the viewpoint.

 If you are a foreigner, be prepared to be asked if the other tourists can take a picture with you. In my case, they made a line to take a picture with me (it was a very wholesome moment) and then gave me the Taiwanese flag and told me to pose. 

Picture and flags courtesy of Taiwanese tourists.

Walking Around the Island

After you’ve hiked back down, you will get to explore other parts of the island. Putuoyan Temple is a small, yet stunning temple that served as a place of worship for its residents before they moved away.

There is a short lakeshore trail that takes you around Guiwei Lake. Here you can take in the beauty of the island’s forest, rare plants, fishes, and the statue of the Goddes of Mercy. 

Photos taken while walking around Guiwei Lake.

Turtle Island used to be a military post between the 1970s and 2000. Visitors are allowed to walk in one of the military tunnels where you will get the opportunity to see a massive shore gun up close. 

Near Putuoyan Temple, you will be able to see the remnants of the houses where the residents used to live as well as the school that was later turned into a barracks for the soldiers.

Photos of the remnants of the village.

If hiking in Taiwan was not on your list before, I hope this blog inspires you. Turtle Island is a hidden gem that offers stunning views, amazing landscapes, and a rich history. I wholeheartedly enjoyed my experience and I hope you will too!