Guishan Island's springtime ecological scene is in full bloom with lilies, and whale watching is at its peak. We invite you to leisurely explore the beauty of the mountains and sea in the northeast corner of the island.

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As the northeast monsoon gradually subsides and sea conditions stabilize, Turtle Island in Yilan welcomes its most enchanting ecological season. Starting in April each year, the island's native lilies bloom as scheduled, coinciding with the peak whale and dolphin watching season. The Northeast Coast National Scenic Area Administration cordially invites the public to plan an eco-friendly slow-paced trip and experience the vibrant springtime life force where mountains and sea intertwine.

Guishan Island was severely affected by a typhoon in 2014, which altered some of its topography and soil conditions, posing a challenge to a shortened growing season. To promote sustainable tourism, the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area Administration has been continuously carrying out lily restoration work in recent years. After the lily fruits mature and dry in summer, the seeds are collected and preserved, and then sown before the island closes for winter. About 40 days before sowing, the seeds need to be refrigerated at a low temperature of 4 to 10 degrees Celsius, and then soaked for 1 to 2 days to effectively improve the germination rate.

Yu Li-yu, director of the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area Administration, said, "We sow seeds before closing the island every year to preserve this beautiful scenery for tourists next year." This year (2026), about 40% of the flowers are in bloom, with both quality and quantity improved compared to last year (2025). The pure white blossoms sway in the wind among the verdant slopes, creating a striking contrast with the azure sea. Besides the native Taiwan lily, the island also has the trumpet lily, which originated from the Ryukyu Islands. The two are similar in appearance, but the main difference is that the Taiwan lily has white petals with wine-red stripes on the outside, while the trumpet lily is entirely white inside and out. Visitors are reminded to protect the natural environment while enjoying the flowers and taking photos, and not to pick or break the blossoms, so that this beautiful scenery can be sustainably preserved.

Besides the floral landscapes, the waters surrounding Turtle Island are equally spectacular. Visitors can take a whale-watching boat trip to admire the dreamy "milk sea" formed by underwater hot springs and the magnificent geological landscape up close, and also have the chance to encounter bottlenose dolphins and spinner dolphins, making it a sensory feast not to be missed in spring and summer.

To enhance the depth of tourism, the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area Administration has partnered with travel agencies this year, connecting local businesses certified by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and featured merchants in the "Yilan Five Fishing Villages" to launch the " Reading Turtle Island | Northeast Coast Five Fishing Villages Railway Tour 2-Day Trip ." The itinerary starts with a boat trip from Wushi Harbor to the island, connecting volcanic landscapes, fishing village culture, railways, and maritime memories, exploring the mountains, sea, and culture of the Northeast Coast in a walking tour.

In addition, the area around Wushih Harbor offers a variety of dining and accommodation options, and tourists can easily travel to and from the harbor by taking the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle "Yilan Northeast Coastline" and "Zhuangwei Sand Dune Line". It is recommended to visit Wai'ao Service Area, Dakeng Viewing Platform and Zhuangwei Sand Dune Ecological Park to savor the slow pace of life on the Lanyang Plain.

For more tourism information, please visit the Northeast Coast Tourism Information Network and the "Friends of the Northeast Coast" fan page.