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Hotels, dive operators, gear, and how to get here are on the Green Island location page.
Overview
Off Green Island's southwest coast, the Shilang dive area slopes from a gentle coral shelf — where generations of Taiwanese take their first scuba dives — into sand channels and small drop-offs fed by the warm Kuroshio Current. Its landmark is the 'Big Mushroom' (Da Xianggu), a single living Porites coral colony estimated at over 1,000 years old. Once a standing pillar about 10 m tall, it was knocked onto its side by Typhoon Meranti in 2016 and now lies roughly 12 m high and 31 m long on the 18 m seabed about 150 m offshore, still growing. Green sea turtles graze the hard coral year-round, parrotfish and unicornfish school over the reef, and scalloped hammerheads pass the island's exposed points in winter. A seahorse-shaped underwater postbox sits in the shallows.
Briefing note
Shilang is a sheltered, beginner-friendly shore-entry site, but the Kuroshio can push moderate currents around Green Island's exposed points, and the toppled Big Mushroom lies at about 18 m roughly 150 m offshore — usually reached by boat or a guided descent. Avoid the December–February northeast monsoon (rough seas, cooler water); book dives and rooms ahead for the July–August peak. Nearest recompression chamber is on Taiwan's main island, with air or ferry evacuation only.
What you'll see
4 species curated- year-roundGreen sea turtle
- seasonalScalloped hammerhead sharkPeak: Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar
- year-roundJapanese parrotfish
- year-roundBluespine unicornfish
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22–24 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Feb | 22–23 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Mar | 22–24 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Apr | 24–25 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| May | 25–27 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Jun | 27–28 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Jul | 28–29 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Aug | 28–29 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Sep | 28–29 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Oct | 26–28 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Nov | 24–26 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Dec | 23–25 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
Next step
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