Orchid Island

The main area for hotels is Hongtou Village, a couple of kilometers southeast of the airport.

Its population is about 5,000 of mostly Taiwanese aboriginals of the Yami ethnic group, not Han Chinese. Most people live in one of the six villages along the coastal road that traverses the island's perimeter.

The main local language on the island is the Yami language, an Austronesian language closely related to languages spoken in northern Philippines. However, most younger locals are also able to speak Mandarin.

By air

• Lanyu Airport

  phone: +886 8 973 2220
  Daily Air (website in Chinese only) has around 6 flights a day from Taitung to Orchid Island's airport on the central west coast. You can easily become stranded on the island for days when winds pick up even during non typhoon weather. Daily Air will cancel flights when the winds are even as low as 35 miles per hour. The flight from Taitung takes about 25 minutes.

colspan="9" | Remarks：Refer to the Daily Air website for the most up-to-date schedule and announcements.

Taitung → Lanyu
Lanyu → Taitung
Time
Time

By ferry

You can also take a ferry from Taitung or Kenting, but the seas can be very rough. The journey time for both ferries is about 2 hours.

• Lanyu Kaiyuan HarborFerries run from Taitung City's Fugang Fishery Harbor year round, while in the summer, there is a ferry from Houbihu port in Kenting.

There are basically only two roads on the island - the loop road following the coast circumnavigating the island, and the mountain road, dissecting the island in two (east-west).
Other than walking, the only practical means of transport for tourists is hiring a scooter. These can be hired from an area next to the ferry port, which is also the location of the only petrol station on the island.

• Lanyu Yun-Chen Motorcycle Rental

  phone: +886 915 554 717

Hitch hiking is also possible, although you may have long waits between rides due to the low number of vehicles on the roads.

Visit churches: Christianity is pretty big here; each of the six villages on the island has exactly one Catholic and one Protestant church. (The Protestant ones are larger and in better repair.) Access and times of services vary. Ask around!

• Orchid Island Weather Station

  phone: +886 8 973 2587
  A good place to see the whole island from one place and can help to orient yourself for your journey around the other attractions.

• Lanyu LighthouseA 15-m-tall lighthouse, built in 1982.

Parks & nature

• Dragon Head Rock

  address: Huandao Road

• Lover CaveA natural stone archway with association with young love.

• DatienchihA lake inside the crater of a dormant volcano, covered in vegetation which feeds on the rich volcanic soil.

• Lion Couple RockA popular fishing spot, despite the dangers posed by the sharp rocks. The unique rock formation lies on the northern part of the island and faces out into the Pacific Ocean.

Cultural

• Ye-Yin Old TribeA village consisting of a unique local architectural style, where the houses are built partially above and partially below ground.

• Lanyu Flying Fish Cultural Museum

  phone: +886 8 973 1573
  Built in 2005 to showcase the local culture, particularly the Flying Fish Festival, the museum also has a number of workshops in local arts and crafts.

• Tour the beautiful island on a scooter.
• Talk and dine with the local Yami people.
• Enjoy relaxing on this quiet island

• 7-Eleven

  phone: +886 8 973 1061
  The only 7-11 on the entire island.

Tribe Bar is probably the most popular place for western tourists and offers a mix of Asian and Western dishes.

• Bayang Bar

  phone: +886 8 973 2069

• Rover

  phone: +886 933 089 849
  A seaside restaurant serving a variety of more international cuisine.

• 262 BarThis outdoor restaurant serves a combination of local seafood specialities and local Taiwanese favourites.

Breakfast

• A Li Gei Breakfast Restaurant

  phone: +886 912 243 173
  A popular breakfast restaurant, just down the road from the airport.

• 11 Neighbours Bar

  phone: +886 927 000 893

Getting out is not always so easy. Winds can be very strong which makes flying and boat travel impossible at times. Leave yourself at least four extra days in case the flights are cancelled.

• Green Island
• Taitung