Guishan Island Introduction
Whether traveling by land or sea, seeing Guishan Island means you have arrived in Yilan. Located about ten kilometers east of Toucheng Township in Yilan County, Guishan Island is the largest of the islands under the jurisdiction of Yilan County and the only one that is inhabited. It is also the only existing active volcano in Taiwan. Guishan Island gets its name because its shape resembles a floating turtle. Since the lifting of martial law in 1988, through the active efforts of the Yilan County Government and local representatives, the Executive Yuan designated Guishan Island as part of the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area in 1999. In accordance with the cultural and ecological characteristics of Guishan Island, it is planned to be an ocean ecological park that combines intellectual and emotional experiences. By controlling the number of visitors, it aims to reduce environmental conflicts and incorporate whale-watching activities in the nearby waters, making it a popular tourist spot along the Northern Blue Highway. Guishan Island has an underwater world where thousands of crabs thrive in the hot sulfur and highly acidic environment, creating a rare phenomenon. The famous scenic spot on Guishan Island is Guihu Lake, also known as Guiwei Pond. Originally a freshwater lake, local residents later introduced seawater into the lake, hoping to create a fishing port. However, every time they built a dam, it was washed away by typhoon winds, resulting in a lake that is now a mix of salt and fresh water. On the opposite bank of the lake stands a statue of Guanyin, peacefully guarding Guiwei Pond and its residents. From the military camp on the island, looking ahead, the steep mountains are lush and green, with distinct mountain ridges resembling a beautiful woman gazing at the sky, allowing one to clearly see her form and marvel at nature's ingenuity. The end of Guishan Island features a long pebble beach, which shifts north and south due to the influence of wind and tides, commonly referred to as "Linggui Wagging Tail."
