Fly-fishing at sea!\nUltra-detailed Taipei–Orchid Island travel info cheat sheet

Text & photos byA-Biao

Written on April 10, 2016
There are several ways to get from Taipei to Orchid Island. I’ve listed a few options here, all of which are optimized for time:

1. The fastest way: Plane → Taxi → Plane

Take the 7:20 Uni Air flight from Taipei Songshan Airport to Taitung, arriving at Taitung Airport around 8:10. Cost: NT$1,910 (online annual ticket price)
Take a taxi from Taitung Railway Station to Taitung Airport. It takes about 20 minutes. Bargain for NT$250 to avoid being overcharged.
If you’re not sure who to call, you can phone “Nanny”: 0910-374-125
Take the 9:30 flight from Taitung Airport, arriving in Orchid Island around 9:55. Cost: NT$1,480
Total travel time: 2 hours 25 minutes. Total cost: NT$3,640

2. Vomit-free Option A: Train → Taxi → Plane (morning arrival)
Take the 6:20 402 Taroko Express from Taipei Main Station, arriving at Taitung Railway Station at 9:50. Cost: NT$783
Take a taxi from Taitung Railway Station to Taitung Airport. It takes about 20 minutes. Cost: NT$250
Take the 11:10 flight from Taitung Airport, arriving in Orchid Island around 11:35. Cost: NT$1,480
Total travel time: 5 hours 15 minutes. Cost: NT$2,513

3. Vomit-free Option B: Train → Bus → Plane (afternoon arrival)
Take the 8:50 412 Puyuma Express from Taipei Main Station, arriving at Taitung Railway Station at 12:55. Cost: NT$783
From the railway station, take the Sea-Land-Air bus departing at 13:25 and arriving at Taitung Airport at 13:45. Fare: NT$25
Alternatively, take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus departing at 13:32 and arriving at Taitung Airport at 13:45. Fare: NT$24
Take the 14:35 flight from Taitung Airport, arriving in Orchid Island around 15:00. Cost: NT$1,480
Total travel time: 5 hours 10 minutes. Cost: Approximately NT$2,287

4. Money-saving Option A (morning arrival):
Take the 23:30 616 Chunghwa train from Taipei Main Station the previous day, arriving at Taitung Railway Station at 5:58 the next day. Cost: NT$604
From Taitung Railway Station, take the Sea-Land-Air bus departing at 6:20 and arriving at Fugang Fishing Port at 6:50. Cost: NT$25
Take the 9:00 ferry from Fugang Fishing Port, arriving in Orchid Island around 11:00. Cost: NT$2,300 ÷ 2 = NT$1,150
Total travel time: 11 hours 30 minutes. Cost: NT$1,779
If you want to go with this option, please note:
P.S. The round-trip ferry between Fugang Fishing Port and Orchid Island does not offer one-way tickets. You must purchase a round-trip ticket for NT$2,300.
P.S. Train No. 616 (Ju Guang Express) only runs from Friday to Sunday.
P.S. Ferry services may be canceled due to insufficient passengers. Please be sure to book ferry tickets in advance and confirm with the ferry company whether the service is operating.
P.S. Even if you've booked a ferry ticket, you still need to check in at the counter one hour before departure. Failure to arrive on time may result in being unable to board.
P.S. The ferry ride can be quite rough, so set aside 200 NT for motion sickness medication.

5. Money-Saving Plan B (Arrival in the Afternoon):
Take the 408 Puyuma Express from Taipei Railway Station, departing at 7:40 AM and arriving at Taitung Railway Station at 11:17 AM. Cost: 783 NT.
From Taitung Railway Station, take the Land-Sea-Air Bus, departing at 11:30 AM and arriving at Fugang Fishing Port at 12:05 PM. Cost: 25 NT.
Take the 1:00 PM ferry from Fugang Fishing Port, arriving at Orchid Island around 3:00 PM. Cost: 2300 ÷ 2 = 1150 NT.
Total travel time: 7 hours and 20 minutes. Total cost: approximately 1958 NT.
If you want to go with this plan, please note:
P.S. The Fugang Fishing Port ferries to and from Orchid Island do not offer one-way tickets. If you buy, you must purchase a round-trip ticket for 2300 NT.
P.S. Ferry services may be canceled due to insufficient passengers. Please be sure to book ferry tickets in advance and confirm with the ferry company whether the service is operating.
P.S. Even if you've booked a ferry ticket, you still need to check in at the counter one hour before departure. Failure to arrive on time may result in being unable to board. Due to bus schedule issues, please call the ferry company on the day to inform them you will be about ten minutes late.
P.S. The ferry ride can be quite rough, so set aside 200 NT for motion sickness medication.

Okay, I know after reading all this you’re thinking, who would want to take the ferry? It’s not that much cheaper, it’s a hassle, you have to buy a round-trip ticket, and you’re not stupid — well, that’s because the flights are really tiny with very few seats (19 people), and they sell out super quickly. So if you want to fly, you have to book way in advance.

Orchid Island Flight Interior:

My seat had a direct view of the pilot — it’s that small. So if you really can’t get a flight, you’ll still have to take the ferry. Up.

Below are various departure times for buses, ferries, and flights to Orchid Island for your reference:

Flight Schedule to Orchid Island:

Ferry Schedule to and from Orchid Island: Except for the Hawaiian ferry (round-trip 2160 NT), all other ferries are 2300 NT round-trip.

Ferry Company Booking Phone Numbers:
Stellar Star, Venus V TEL: 089-281477
Green Island Star, Green Island Star III: TEL: 089-280226
Hawaiian No. 1, Hawaiian No. 8: TEL: 08-8867073
Take the Sea-Land-Air Express Bus from Taitung Railway Station. Fare: 25 NT.

Or take Taiwan Tourist Shuttle. Fare: 24 NT.

A-Biao
Let travel open one magical door after another, and take us flying together~