Glass Beach: A Must-Visit Summer Destination Where Colorful Gems Scatter in a Hidden Paradise

By MOOK Scenic Spots · Reported by Christopher

Taiwan’s east coast is captivating and beautiful, with steep cliffs bordering the vast Pacific Ocean — one of the world’s rarest and most unique landscapes. The coastline of Yilan is home to many stunning hidden beach gems. In addition to well-known beaches such as Pink Bird Forest, this time we’re introducing a “Glass Beach” located in Nanfang’ao. Also known as Thieves’ Bay, Glass Beach not only boasts dreamy azure waters and a picturesque bayline, but also features scattered pebble-like sea glass that glistens in the sunlight. Paired with its gradient-colored seawater, the view is absolutely magical.

Glass Beach was once a garbage dump called Thieves’ Bay, which people used to avoid at all costs. However, after the government closed the landfill, the leftover glass materials were smoothed by seawater and blended with the sand and gravel to form pebble-like sea glass. That’s how it came to be known as “Glass Beach.”