Dive into Taiwan's overlooked islands

TAIWAN

- Ang Qing

A boat ride away from the bustle of southeastern Taiwan sit two isles fringed by azure waters. Nature marches to its own drum on Orchid Island and Green Island, where, instead of traffic lights, cars pause for wild animals ambling across the road and the occasional storm cancels ferries and flights.

The remoteness of the volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean is part of their charm, drawing domestic tourists attracted by the protected wildlife and coral reefs enriched by the Kuroshio Current, also known as the Japan Current.