Green Island Lighthouse

Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park


Though you can't reach the top of this 33m-high lighthouse, you can climb its base for appealing views across the airport runway and across the beach and rock pools of the north coast.

In 1937, before the building's construction, the grand, art deco cruise liner SS President Hoover struck a reef just offshore from this point, and was left stricken. Despite the oil-slick pouring from the boat which tarred the waters, Green Island locals ferried the passengers to safety and looked after them in the village school. In response, donations from grateful Americans arrived to pay for a lighthouse to prevent future such calamities.