Unless you're an astronaut, it’s rare to experience weightlessness, but diving lets you do just that while swimming among thousands of fish in the vast ocean. Humans have always been both fearful and curious about the mysterious underwater world. Today, scuba diving has evolved into a recreational sport, and the wonders beneath the sea spark endless fascination. Diving really is an addictive activity. Back in middle school, I went diving in Malaysia with my family – it was one-on-one guided diving with no need to learn many techniques, just a few hand signals and how to breathe through your mouth. After putting on the gear, the instructor held onto me as we swam. What marine life we saw came second; just the experience itself was incredibly joyful. That trip made me want to learn to dive. But my family said it was too dangerous, and that I should just enjoy the experience. So I buried the idea deep in my heart. From middle school to university, I kept an eye on diving courses in Hong Kong, but backed out again when I couldn’t get around my family. Until my university graduation trip, I suddenly thought, no matter what, I want to learn to dive!
I went to Taiwan to learn diving alone without telling my family – going ahead before reporting back mode (please don’t try this at home), but eventually my mum accepted it and even joined me to learn to dive XD (I’ll tell you more about that later). Why go to Taiwan among so many Asian countries? Aren’t Southeast Asian countries cheaper? But I chose Taiwan for better communication. When it comes to diving, which is considered a high-risk activity, it’s most important to clearly understand what the instructor says
Green Island
Located off the coast of Taitung County, also known as Fire Burn Island, it is Taiwan’s fourth-largest offshore island. It was once a penal colony. The island boasts world-famous underwater hot springs where you can enjoy soaking in the sea under blue skies. Surrounded by beautiful coral reefs and natural underwater landscapes, it is a paradise for divers. With visibility ranging from 30 to 40 meters, it is recognized by the Taiwanese diving community as the best dive site in Taiwan.
Diving Systems
There are many different diving systems such as CMAS, NAUI, PADI, SSI, etc., which can be understood as different organizations or schools. I chose PADI because it has a market share of about 70% and a good reputation. I found a well-known dive shop that offers PADI courses, booked insurance (making sure diving was covered), and set off.
Beginner Open Water Diving Course – PADI Open Water Diving Courses
I took the beginner course, which allows diving up to 18 meters. It’s a 4-day, 3-night course. Group class: TWD 15,600 per person, private class: TWD 17,600 per person. The tuition includes:
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Use of diving equipment and air tanks
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Three consecutive nights of shared dormitory accommodation (like a hostel with a single bed)
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Breakfast
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One set of PADI textbooks
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Application fee for the diving license
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Use of an electric scooter during the course (the dive shop knew I was from Hong Kong, had no license, and were worried I might get into an accident riding an e-bike and get hurt — which would make diving painful — so they arranged an electric scooter for me, lol)
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Accident insurance fees, etc.
To be honest, I thought it was a bit expensive. I heard diving shops in Kenting or other places on Green Island are cheaper, but I still chose a reputable, five-star dive shop.
Transportation
Traveling from Hong Kong to Green Island is actually not very convenient. You first need to go to Taitung. However, flights from Hong Kong to Taitung are not cheap, around 2,000+ HKD (with transfers), so I went to Tainan first and then took a train to Taitung Railway Station. Here's the route below:
1. Go to Taitung Railway Station
2. Take a bus to Fugang Fishing Port
2-1 Take Dingdong Bus (http://diingdong.myweb.hinet.net) and get off at the Fugang bus stop. Walk about 10–15 minutes to reach Fugang Fishing Port. Ticket price: 23 TWD
2-2 Take a taxi to Fugang Fishing Port
3. Take the ferry from Fugang to Green Island (round-trip ferry ticket is about 200+ HKD)
Theory Class
I happened to encounter several typhoons, and the ferries to Green Island were all suspended. I stayed in Taitung for a few days before finally getting a boat to the island. The waves were huge—I don’t know if it was leftover from the typhoon or what—but I just know that I, who have never gotten seasick before, actually got seasick today. I could only rest and sleep until we docked. Fortunately, I didn’t throw up. I had contacted the dive shop in advance, and they sent someone to pick me up at the pier. As soon as I entered the dive shop, there happened to be a Hong Kong guy working there on a work-exchange program. OMG, I hadn’t spoken Cantonese for 7–8 days in Taiwan, so he took me to buy some food nearby. We were a group of six, and the instructor-student ratio would not exceed 1:4, so we had two instructors. The other students were Taiwanese. Some I knew, but I wasn’t too worried—we’d definitely get familiar with each other during class, XD
The first day was mainly filling out forms, declaring health conditions, and attending theory classes. You have to fill out the health declaration carefully—any “yes” answer to any item means you’ll need to be examined by a diving doctor to check your fitness to dive. I was lucky; I’m currently healthy and strong with no major issues. The theory book is thick, covering physics, biology, water pressure, math, diving-related illnesses, equipment, etc. I hadn’t touched physics since middle school (I’m a business major), and back then, I didn’t even pass physics or math =_= Well, I asked myself if I was crazy to take the diving certification. There were lots of DVD lessons to watch—about three or four hours of straight watching. I really wanted to sleep, but I thought about the written test afterward, and the instructor kept watching with us. He must’ve seen those videos hundreds of times, so I just tried my best to focus on the videos.
Then came the hands-on lesson of assembling and disassembling gear. Those air cylinders were ridiculously heavy, and the buoyancy vests and other equipment weren’t light either. I’m a bit clumsy, so I fumbled a bit during assembly, but I managed to get it done. Dinner was on my own—the restaurant was on the other side of the island. I watched the other trainees ride motorcycles into town, but since I don’t have a license, I had to make do with an electric scooter. It’s kind of like pedaling a bicycle, but every push gives you an extra burst of power, making it easier. We only had one hour for dinner, then back to watch DVDs. Riding the scooter took 25 minutes each way—OMG, I only had 10 minutes to eat T^T. Oh my god, can I please not be in charge of both lunch and dinner every day?
Back to watching DVDs, doing textbook exercises, and then resting. Chatted with the others about the joys of diving. It wasn’t too tough, and I was actually looking forward to it because the next day we’d finally be getting in the water Up～
Confined Water Training
Early the next morning, right after breakfast, it was time for class. The most grueling day was about to begin. The Open Water course starts with confined water training, usually in a swimming pool. But since we were on an outer island with a calm harbor, we trained there instead. Our group headed to the harbor to assemble and put on our gear—wow, it was super heavy!! The Open Water course mainly focuses on using the gear and safety procedures, like what to do if your mask floods or if something breaks. Honestly, it’s all pretty basic. After our buddies checked us over, we headed straight into the harbor waters for a swim test. As long as you can swim and float, regardless of your stroke, you pass. But our group of six completely ignored the path—swimming all over the place, not in a straight line, bumping into each other. Even the instructor couldn’t help but laugh and cry. Then came the real diving lessons. One by one, we knelt on the sandy bottom, practicing taking off and putting on our masks underwater, donning and doffing gear on the surface and underwater.
Our training site looked something like the link below—if you’re curious, check it out. You’ll see how cool divers really are!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXdcvlxE2QI
After completing confined water training, it was time for open water. What’s open water? It’s the ocean!! We did shore dives, not boat dives, so we walked from the beach into the sea, carrying all our gear. Green Island’s geography features an intertidal zone between the shore and the sea—that’s the area exposed during the lowest low tide and submerged during the highest high tide. We called it “Heaven’s Path” because once you finish walking it, you reach heaven. But first, you have to put on that tight wetsuit (super thick) in 37°C weather, carry 20kg of gear, and walk along a rugged stone path. One wrong step and you could slip or twist an ankle. Every couple of steps, a big wave would crash over you. And these weren’t the tiny waves you’d find at a regular beach—they were like Category 3 wind-driven swells. Each time a wave approached, the instructor told us to stand sideways, let it hit, then keep moving. The water depth in the intertidal zone gradually reached waist-high, and when the waves came, it was hard to stay upright. If you fell, you had to scramble back up fast, or the waves would keep tossing you around, scraping you raw. Carrying gear made it even harder to stand up. I rolled around like an idiot several times, so yeah, I was pretty beat up.
Once we reached a certain depth, the instructor told us to lie back and enter the water. When I looked down through my mask, I couldn’t believe my eyes!!!! The visibility was 40 meters, crystal clear, full of fish and coral!! Was I watching TV?! All the pain of crossing the intertidal zone instantly vanished—it was totally worth it!! We practiced the skills we learned that morning in the sea. Though there was so much to see, we had to focus on repeating those life-saving techniques, often getting stuck, so we couldn’t really enjoy the surroundings.
That evening, it was back to DVDs and a written test—all multiple-choice. I was worried I might fail, but of course, I passed!!
Back in bed, I realized just how exhausting it was to stay in the water, learn emergency procedures, haul air cylinders, and put on gear—all while getting scraped up. The moment I closed my eyes, I felt like I was floating underwater. It was such a tough process. I never thought it’d be this hard, but there were still two days left—they’d pass soon enough.
Open Water
Woke up sore all over, my scalp sunburned and throbbing, and the bruises from yesterday aching too!! Honestly, there are some words I’d love to say but can’t put in writing. Carrying gear while in pain!! But after shaking off the nerves and stress, today should be better. Another beautiful shore dive, another cursed intertidal zone!! Argh!!! After two days together, we trainees had grown close. We held hands to help each other across the intertidal zone, and if anything happened underwater, we’d hug and wait for the instructor to come back (no one remembered the gorgeous coral). Whenever we had free time, we’d head to the harbor for harbor jumps (leaping into the sea)—a one-story-high giant stride entry. It was my first time ever jumping into the ocean. Everyone was doing it—you weren’t going to sit it out, right?! But what scared me most was CESA (Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent)—when you run out of air, you take one last breath and slowly exhale as you ascend from 8 meters. My lung capacity must be small because, staring up at the surface from underwater, I felt a bit hopeless. Sneaking a breath would get me caught by the instructor, so after three tries, I finally nailed it. The other skills also got smoother. That evening, I had charcoal-grilled food with my buddies and went a little wild—it was so much fun. We were all about to get our licenses tomorrow, and everyone felt like we’d just met.
Fun Dive
The final day was just morning and noon, mostly fun dives since we’d finished all the required training. Now, we could truly appreciate the stunning ocean. From the surface, it looks calm, but underwater, it’s a whole different world—schools of fish, sea snakes, clownfish, baby octopuses, vibrant corals everywhere. All you hear is the sound of water and your own breathing. Diving is seriously physically demanding. I got tanned (and lost weight—at least back home, I’d gain it all back from night market work xd), especially remembering that 20kg hike through Heaven’s Path. It’s tough for girls taking the course, but if you push through, you’ll see its beauty. No pain, no gain. Huge thanks to the instructor and my buddies for this unique, thrilling experience. Every time I think of Green Island, I get excited. This beginner Open Water license will open doors to more unexplored waters.
Other related activities:
The editor found that you can book on KLOOK onlineA $12 WiFi egg per daySuper cheap!! And it lasts 10 hours—super reliable!!
Also available: Taiwan 4G SIM cards
New users get an extra$25 HKD bonushttps://www.klook.com
Or use thenew user discount:Hong Kong: $10 off; Taiwan: $40 NT off (discount code Hong Kong:KLKCANHD / Taiwan:KLKCANTD)
KKday also offersa two-day-one-night scuba diving trip to Green Island,scuba diving in Green Island, and Taitung self-drive tour packages
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Coach Kristy takes you diving around the world！
Kristy Travel & Dive
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