Travel Tips for Taiwan’s Taroko National Park

With five nights booked in Taiwan, we were keen to supplement our city break in Taipei with a visit to somewhere altogether greener and prettier. Three nights in Taipei and two in Taroko Gorge was a perfect balance, and gave us a wonderful insight into Taiwan beyond its capital city.

This beautiful national park is a place of outstanding natural beauty, and almost impossible to describe without resorting to the most hackneyed of clichés! Be prepared for neck ache as you’ll spend quite a bit of your time looking up, up, up and around you at the impressive landscape!

Read on for our suggested itinerary for a full day in the park, plus some tips on transport and accommodation.

Taroko Gorge in Taiwan on Kavey Eats (title)

Taroko Gorge fits in well to a one or two week itinerary for Taiwan.

A Geological Marvel

The deep marble canyon of Taroko Gorge, carved by the Liwu River that winds through its depths, is both visually striking and geologically fascinating. Like much of Taiwan, its formation stems from the collision of two tectonic plates over four million years ago – the intense forces of the moving plates pushed up the ocean bed, warping and compressing the limestone of the sea floor into dense marble. As the island continued to lift, the river cut its insistent path through the rock, shaping the precipitously deep gorge we see today.

Journeying through the towering canyon cliffs, it is easy to see the evidence of these natural forces – undulating stripes of colour within the rockface tell the story of the land and sweeping curves and caves gauged out of the gorge walls speak of the erosive power of water.

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The Japanese – who ruled Taiwan between 1895 and 1945 – established an earlier park here in 1937, known then as Tsugitaka-Taroko National Park but it was abolished by the Republic of China in 1945. The current Taroko Gorge National Park was created in 1986, a significant step forward in the environmental protection of Taiwan after decades of damage to natural resources. The remit of the park is to preserve natural beauty and wildlife, maintain historic relics, protect the environment and provide education on conservation and environmental issues.

The Central Cross-Island Highway

In 1915, the Japanese created a mountain trail crossing Taiwan from East to West via the gorge, using it to establish communications with native tribal communities along the route. During the latter decades of their occupation they upgraded parts of the route to allow for better access to exploit natural resources including marble, minerals and wood.

It was not until the 1950s that an end-to-end road for vehicles was built on the orders of Chiang-Kai Shek, some of it upgrading the original Japanese road, and the rest newly built. Much of it was upgraded again during the eighties in preparation for the opening of a hydroelectric power station, a project that was cancelled in order to protect the gorge.

The road somewhat belies the rather grand title of Central Cross-Island Highway, winding its narrow way alongside the river via a series of bridges and tunnels carved out of the solid rock.

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The road is a little hair-raising at times, especially with some lengths of it wide enough only for one-way traffic, most of which is large tourist coaches driving at startling speeds. Current building work (new tunnels and bridges) should convert these last narrow stretches to two-way fairly soon, but you’ll still have plenty of opportunity to appreciate the engineering feat of the original road. Taiwan suffers earthquakes and typhoons, both of which inflict serious damage on the road, washing away bits of the road itself or causing avalanches of rock that block the way – explaining the need for ugly but protective rock shelters along some of the road.

The Lushui Trail

One of the most popular activities within the national park is to walk one or more of the trails that allow you to get away from the road and enjoy the natural landscape and habitat of the park. Some trails within the park need permits, of which only limited numbers are available per day, but many are open to the public.

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We walked the 2 km Lushui Trail starting at the Lushui end, next to the Lushui Geological Exhibition Center.

We made walking the trail our first stop of the itinerary so that we could avoid the rush of visitors that arrive later on, which meant we shared the beautiful path and views with only a handful of other walkers. The path meanders through the forest, offering glimpses of the road and the river from a few viewpoints including a vertiginous path carved out of the rock face. There’s also a short dark tunnel to navigate, and a rope suspension bridge over a little stream.

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The trail is not just about the views and landscape but also the flora and fauna. Along the route we saw numerous birds (and heard many more), enjoyed the fluttering of many colourful butterflies and enjoyed the beautiful flowers and plants. Information panels along the path provided information on key local species including trees such as Taroko oak, camphor and jiangmo trees, and birds such as the Japanese White-eye, Black Bulbul,  Bronzed Drogo and Himalayan Tree Pie.

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Described as fairly flat, this is not a strenuous hike but as it’s above the road level, there are stairs to climb at the beginning and a long downwards sloping roadway down to the main road at the end. The trail is quite uneven in areas, and fairly narrow in parts. There are a few stretches that made my knees and ankles ache and my heart pump rather hard, but then again I’m dreadfully unfit and not used to this kind of exercise! There are also some parts of the path which are tricky for those with vertigo.

I’m glad I persevered though – walking the trail allowed us to see more of the national park than just the road, amazing though the views from the road are.

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The Yue Fei Pavilion and Heliu Suspension Bridge

A very short walk from the Heliu end of the Lushui Trail, it’s well worth stopping at the suspension bridge just by the Yue Fei Pagoda.

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I found it rather scary walking across the bridge, especially as Pete took gleeful delight in transferring his walking motion into the bridge. But the fright was worth it for the wonderful perspective looking down on a wide section of the river below.

The doorway at the opposite side of the bridge is the entrance to another walking trail, but it was closed when we visited because of damage during one of the recent typhoons. When it’s open, it needs a permit to walk it.

Cimu Bridge and The Frog Prince

Half a kilometer further along the road is the bright red Cimu Bridge, rebuilt in steel in 1995 after typhoon damage to the old bridge. The bridge is guarded at both ends by white marble Chinese lions

This spot is where Laoxi River feeds into the Liwu, and there are some strong and fast currents here. Cimu means motherly devotion and the name comes from a story of a mother who’s child was swept away; she visited every day afterwards to wish for her child’s safe return. The small pavilion next to the West end of the bridge was constructed as a memorial to President Chiang Ching-kuo’s mother.

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If you look back from the right spot along the road, and squint a little bit, you can see the likeness of a rock formation that looks like a large squatting frog – the pavilion is perfectly located to give the appearance of a crown upon the frog’s head.

At the bend of the road at the Eastern end of the bridge is another pavilion, set a little back from the road. This one was constructed in memory of President Chiang Kai-shek’s mother.

The Swallow Grotto

It’s easy to park and access Swallow Grotto, as it’s on an old section of road that has since been bypassed by a new section. The old stretch of road has space for parking and visitors usually get out and walk along the road to view the scenery. As this trail is on the road itself, it’s very flat and even terrain, about 1.5 km in length.

Hard hats are available for those who want to be safe – rock falls are common in this area.

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Walking through the tunnel, we were able to look directly out onto the impressively eroded marble rock of the canyon wall opposite, to see the sweeping curves cut by the water when it was at that level. There are also potholes in the wall that are created by ground water leaching through the rock; an information panel explains that after heavy rain these holes often have water pouring out and down into the river below.

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The rock face once housed huge numbers of Pacific swallows, attracted by the insects and able to make their mud nests in the holes along the cliff face. They were all but driven away by the heavy traffic on the road but are starting to return now that the main road passes elsewhere and traffic is much reduced. The speed at which these birds dart through the canyon makes it hard to see them in any detail but they were still impressive to see – it put me in mind of the iconic flight chase scenes in Star Wars: A New Hope  and Independence Day!

Lunch at Jinhang Park

There are only a few places to eat lunch inside the National Park, as there are strict rules on new building. After discussion with our guide, we decided on a quick, casual and inexpensive lunch at a cafe in Jinhang Park, close to the Swallow Grotto walk.

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At TWD $290 (a little over £7), the set lunches were great value, offering a main dish, rice and a range of sides in a bento-style tray. Choices for mains included a local style of sausage, roast chicken leg in a tasty marinade, stewed beef, fried chicken etc.

The Buluowan Visitors Centre

Like most visitors, we came to Taroko Gorge for the amazing natural landscapes. But we were glad our guide took us to The Buluowan Visitors Centre, not far from Swallow Grotto, so we could learn more about the cultural significance of the region.

The area has been inhabited by different ethnic groups for more than a millennium. The Shisanhang Bulowan people are thought to have settled in the area about a thousand years ago, after first migrating to the mouth of Liwu River a few hundred years before that to search for gold. Far more recently, the Taroko tribe, for whom the gorge and park are named, migrated East from Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range, settling in the Liwu river basin. Today there are only a few older Taroko people living the traditional lifestyle.

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We watched two wonderful educational films at the centre. The first was about the geological formation of the region, told through the personal story of a young local artist and his friendship with a visiting student of geology. The second gave an insight into the history and culture of the Taroko people by telling the story of a young couple from different villages. After watching the films, we stopped in to see the recreations of traditional Taroko homes.

There are also some walking paths starting here, if you have time, and a pretty garden where cultural events are held. The gardens are planted with native species as part of a restoration project.

The Eternal Shrine

Although the walking trail that leads to the shrine is currently closed after a recent landslide made stretches of it unsafe, the Eternal Shrine is still a very popular stop for visitors. Modelled after a Tang Dynasty temple, it was constructed in memory of the 212 workers who died during construction of the highway.

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The shrine itself has also been destroyed by landslides, and has been rebuilt twice (in the same style) since then. With the mountains soaring behind and a small but pretty waterfall tumbling down below it, it’s a picturesque spot.

Park Entrance & Mountain Oolong Tea

Since many visitors overnight outside the park boundaries, their first stop when touring the park is the Taroko Archway at the entrance.

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There’s a short row of small shops here, including the tea specialist we visited after letting our driver know of our interest in tea. The walls were covered in photos showing the tea being grown, harvested and processed, including some of the shop keeper working at the tea farm. She gave us a sit-down tasting of a number of their teas, our driver providing translation. We really appreciated the complete lack of hard sell to purchase and were happy to buy a pack of high mountain oolong before leaving; a nice souvenir to help us remember our trip to Taroko.

Next door to the tea seller is a shop selling fresh and preserved lemons, and some street food snacks to eat on the go.

The Quingshui Cliffs

Also spelled Ch’ing-shui, this famous beauty spot is listed by the government as one of Taiwan’s ‘Eight Wonders’ and it really is spectacular.

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Access is via a stretch of vertiginous mountain road that was once the main route along the eastern coast of Taiwan. Modern tunnel boring allowed this section of the old road to be bypassed by a wider and faster highway, meaning there is far less traffic on this road today; just tourists and a little local traffic.

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Viewing platforms and information plaques have been provided at a loop of the road with the best views, allowing visitors to stop and admire the towering cliffs and the startlingly turquoise waters of the sea below. Above the cliffs, Quingshui Mountain rises 2408 metres above sea level and the drop continues below the sea too – the waters at the edge of the cliff are several thousands of meters deep.

We stopped a while here, joining the small crowd of visitors taking photos of themselves in front of that beautiful view.

Shakadang Trail

We stopped at most of the sites above on our journey outwards from our hotel base within the park.

The last stop on our way back in was at Shakadang Trail, the most popular of the park’s trails, not least because of its easy access not far from the park entrance and its wide flat walkway. The trail is 4.4 km in length but most visitors walk only a portion of it. The trail is quite a way below the road, down at the level of the Shakadang River itself, giving a unique view of the milky blue river and unusual rock formations.

My knees were too tired after our Lushui walk earlier in the day to face the multi-storey stairs down to the trail, so I sat this one out on benches in the parking area provided.

Transport & Accommodation

Like most visitors to Taroko, we flew into Taipei and made our way to Taroko from the capital. A fast train from Taipei to Hualien takes just two hours and is just over TWD $400 (about £10) each way, depending on date and time.

Many visitors to Taroko Gorge base themselves in Hualien, heading into Taroko National Park during the day.

We chose to stay inside the park itself at Silks Place Taroko Hotel; building is no longer permitted in the park, but this historic property was built before the park was established, giving it an enviable advantage over competitors outside the park boundary. There aren’t many options for accommodation inside the national park. As well as Silks Palace Hotel, there’s a hotel next to the Buluowan Visitor Center, a number of youth hostels in Tienhsiang and a camp site just by the Helui entrance to the Lushui Trail.

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First row images via Silks Palace

Silks Place Hotel has been refurbished with a modern style, and rooms are comfortable and attractive. The two restaurants on site offer a Western buffet and traditional Chinese – the buffet is a great choice for breakfast, but the Chinese offered the better experience in the evening. We didn’t attend the live entertainment put on by the hotel, but we loved the outdoor pool and hot tubs surrounded by the forested cliffs of the gorge; they are open late into the evening, making them a lovely place to unwind after a day exploring and walking in the park.

Liaising with hotel staff ahead of our visit, we booked their bus pickup from train station to hotel. We were able to shave a little time off our overall journey when the hotel suggested picking us up from Xincheng Station instead of Hualien, one of the smaller stations on the line and much closer to the park entrance. If your train doesn’t stop at Xincheng, it’s not too much farther to transfer from Hualien – indeed our return transfer was via Hualien station.

Two nights in the park gave us one full day to explore. We hired a private car and English-speaking driver who was also a knowledable guide and agreed an 8 hour itinerary in advance via the hotel. The cost was TD$ 6,500 – about £165 and was well worth it for us to maximise our sightseeing in the time we had available.

We covered a lot in our day, though it didn’t feel at all rushed.

Keen hikers may like to add an extra day or two to give them time to walk more of the many trails within the area.

Currency exchanges approximate, and based on date of publication.

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112 Comments to "Travel Tips for Taiwan’s Taroko National Park"

  1. kaveyeats

    Thanks, it’s so hard to get a feel for what the experience is like from the brochures so I’m glad my post gives that impression better. x

    Reply
  2. Tanvi Nadkarni

    Taiwan is a unexplored gem! I really wish to visit there one day. Also this is a great post. I loved the images and it makes me wanna go there & explore.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    It’s a wonderful country and I would really like to go back and see more, hopefully before too long.

    Reply
  3. Indrani

    So much to see and experience. You have compiled them well.
    Taiwan is really beautiful from your words. I hope I make it there.

    Reply
  4. Maša

    Really cool advices! I love the trail and the shots. And mmm those food shots! 😀 Would love to visit Taiwan one day 🙂

    Reply
  5. Kristin

    Wow! It looks like you can spend a whole week in the park with so much to do and see. The nature views are amazing and that food also looks deeeeeellish.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    For those who hike / walk a lot more then certainly you could spend more days and do many more of the walking trails, there are a lot, some much less crowded than the best known ones that we visited. And the hotel was a good place to relax too!

    Reply
  6. Tami

    I loved reading about the details and seeing the photos of your trip to Taroko National Park. This is the kind of hiking and scenery I really enjoy. And that suspension bridge looks super cool!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Yes, it’s a beautiful place and I think that those who are keen (and fit) walkers will definitely get the very best of it. We loved it even with our more limited walking!

    Reply
  7. Dany

    Knowing myself I’d spend hours taking hundreds of pictures at this canyon! It looks awesome and your photos definitely make me want to pack and go! I wouldn’t have guessed this was Taiwan!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Yeah it was so photogenic, the only thing was that we couldn’t stop at all places along the road so that kept me at a reasonable limit! ?

    Reply
  8. kaveyeats

    Japan. No hesitation. I really enjoyed Taiwan and want to go back and see more but yeah, Japan is Japan!

    Reply
  9. Peter Korchnak

    “Oh nooo, tourists are stacking rocks in Taiwan’s national parks too!” I thought when I saw the picture. Not a fan, as you can gather (mostly of disrupting nature like that). I don’t mean to focus on a pet peeve, everything else about the place looks stunning. Thanks for the intro to such a unique corner of the Earth.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    To be honest, tourists visiting a place in high numbers are more disruptive than the occasional stacking of small pebbles, I think. Also, these usually only happen right next to walking trails – these trails already cut a swathe across the landscape and change it from what is natural, so too do temples and bridges and the like, so I have no problem with these little stacks of pebbles at all. In Iceland, one of my favourite sights was an area where hundreds of stacks like this were made in one large field by the road. Amazing!

    Reply
  10. Christina Pfeiffer

    Those mountains look awesome! Everyone I’ve spoken to who has been to Taiwan has raved about it. Looks like a fabulous country to visit and much easier to get around than China.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    I haven’t been to China yet (unless you include Hong Kong and Macau, which I appreciate are part of China but are both SARs) so I can’t compare but certainly we found the transport between Taipei and Taroko straightforward!

    Reply
  11. Katherine

    Taiwan is a hidden gem, it’s been on the list for awhile and still haven’t had a chance to get there. The hiking, scenery and food look fantastic. Thanks for all the advice!

    Reply
  12. C-Ludik

    Those cliffs are stunning ! I will add Taroko National Park to the list of beautiful places in Taiwan. I probably won’t resist hiking trails, rock scrambles, and beautiful vistas, things Taroko Gorge offers quite a bit of 🙂

    Reply
  13. Shruti Prabhu

    This is the first time I’m reading about the Taroko National Park. Sounds amazing! The cliffs, those views, just wow! Love the hotel you stayed at as well. Looks very plush and comfy.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    It’s a beautiful place to visit and the hotel was a good choice for us!

    Reply
  14. Aisha

    I love how you chose to frame some of these photos. It looks like an amazing trip. Suspension bridges always scare me.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Thank you, it was so beautiful, I wanted to try and show some of the scale of the place!

    Reply
  15. sherianne

    This is the first I have seen of this area. Holy Crap it is beautiful! Going on the good old bucket list and pinning this for the future!

    Reply
  16. Karla

    I meat a lot of Taiwanese this trip and they talked about this, I would really love to visit. I feel like Taiwan is so near, yet I haven’t gone. This would definitely be part of my itinerary when I get to go

    Reply
  17. Anisa

    I would love to do a hike like this, the area looks so beautiful and green. The drive looks great too. Will keep this in mind for when I make it to Taiwan!

    Reply
  18. Mei

    Last night, my sister was telling me about her trip to Taiwan and how much she loved it there, and how nice the Taiwanese people are. Now reading this makes me really want to go to Taiwan, and start with visiting the Taroko National Park. The Quingshui Cliffs and the Swallow Grotto sound awesome! Thank you for sharing this!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    You’ll definitely have to follow in your sister’s footsteps, and I hope my guide to exploring the gorge will prove useful!

    Reply
  19. Christina S.

    Holy moly this is gorgeous! Asia is still on my list and this is going to the top of the list. I love hiking while traveling – it’s such a unique way to see a destination.

    Reply
  20. Paige W

    Oh my gosh. I’ve never heard of this place! I love nature and canyons! This is on my Taiwan list now. I wish we had a layover in Taiwan later this year.

    Reply
  21. Megan Jerrard

    Wow, there’s SO much to do within the national park – three nights in Taipei and two in Taroko Gorge really does sound like a wonderful balance of city and natural highlights. Definitely going to copy your itinerary when we manage a trip of our own. The Quingshui Cliffs in particular are so stunning, I can see why the government lists it as one of Taiwan’s ‘Eight Wonders’!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Yes, we were really pleased with the two / three balance between Taroko and Taipei, though we could easily have enjoyed an extra night here and an extra night or two in Taipei!

    Reply
  22. kaveyeats

    Ha, yes it did end up being an epic guide but I wanted it to be a really useful resource for anyone thinking of visiting.

    Reply
  23. Sarah

    The view from Quingshui Cliffs looks absolutely breathtaking. Definitely sounds like a great little excursion from the city 🙂

    Reply
  24. Gingey Bites

    Yet another reason to head to East Asia. This place looks incredible, combining history and natural wonder! Even your casual cheap lunch looked tasty and the hotel looks great too!

    Reply
  25. Arnav Mathur

    Spending two days at Taroko National Park proved out to be a good decision, as the marble canyons with the river flowing, is a sight straight out of a painting.
    However, on the looks of it, the scenery looked quite similar to what one can find while driving in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    I have never been to Himachal Pradesh in India so any similarity there would not be a reason for me not to visit Taiwan! 😉

    Reply
  26. Evelyne

    A green day on a city trip is a must. And WOW you expereinced an amazing one! Love gorges, the pcis are so impressive. The one with the bus under the rock…wow. And that suspension bridge looked…sorta fun/scary lol.

    Reply
  27. Brianna

    Sounds like a great time in Taiwan! I love the Lushui Trail. I think that sounds like the perfect hike for me!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    It’s a lovely trail and at 2 km it’s not too long for most people, if I could do it!!! (It isn’t wheelchair accessible though, and anyone with poor balance may struggle).

    Reply
  28. Trisha Velarmino

    You have no idea on how happy I am reading this and seeing your photos! Most people go to Taiwan and share photos of the city. It is beautiful but we need to see more of Taiwan! People should know that shopping or city tours are not the only things to do in this place! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Yes, I had found a lot of content about Taipei but not so much about the rest of the country, so it’s my huge pleasure to share!

    Reply
  29. Cory Varga

    Here is an interesting one. For a long time, we’ve been flirting with Taiwan. One of our friends told us is a great place to visit and live in because of the amazing weather and fab trails and forests. From what I can see in your pictures, Taiwan really looks lush and since this is just one little part of it, I can’t wait to go explore. Taroko National Park looks just splendid.

    Reply
  30. Claire

    I’d never really though of visiting Taiwan but I have a good friend from there, so maybe I need to go. The trails you walked look so nice and that suspension bridge looks pretty cool too. Looks like you had a great time!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    If you have a friend who can either take you and show you around, or even just give you insider advice and help pulling a trip together, I’d totally do it!

    Reply
  31. Josh

    This is gorgeous! An old professor of mine lived in Taiwan for quite some time and had nothing but amazing things to say about the country and its people. Glad you had a good time!

    Reply
  32. kaveyeats

    There are a number of different trails within the park, but yes wonderful and a nice break from the city.

    Reply
  33. Gary Berry

    I have never been to Taiwan but this looks like an amazing trip! If and when I ever do go will be sure to use your trail guide!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Thanks, it’s a good itinerary for a full day excursion within the park, so I hope you’ll get to do it!

    Reply
  34. Jolene Ejmont

    Wow, the gorge looks spectacular! I really love the visitor centre as well and it looks like it was really interesting! We haven’t been to Taiwan yet but your post has definitely put Taiwan on the radar for us!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    I was so glad we visited the gorge as it gave us a really helpful understanding of the geological history of the landscape as well as the tribal history of the Taroko people who live there.

    Reply
  35. Marie-Pierre Breton

    Lovely trip! Oolong tea is by far my favorite! and Taiwan is heaven of Oolong tea! I’m so envious, I wish I could go visit some time soon! Those Gorges look stunning, I kind of didn’t expect such a scenery in over there, nice to know!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Agreed, love Taiwanese oolong, so it was wonderful to see a little of the country.

    Reply
  36. Paul

    Wow I never even imagined Taiwan to have such an amazing and beautiful national park! We’ve wanted to visit Taiwan for while now and this gives us even more reason too!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    And this is not the only National Park, so definitely a reason for me to go back too!

    Reply
  37. Emily

    What a great visit. I’ve got Taroko Gorge on my Taiwan wish list – but your post makes it sound even better than I thought! I’d love to explore the caves and it looks like it’s definitely worth staying on site.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    I really loved our 5 nights in Taiwan, wish I’d given us longer there. Will go back!

    Reply
  38. Mindi Hirsch

    We haven’t been to Taiwan yet but it’s on our list. When we go, I definitely want to check out Taroko Gorge. The scenery looks amazing, plus I’m always up for an excuse to wear a hard hat.

    Reply
  39. melody pittman

    I was in love with your hike and the bridges even before I got to the awesome food photo!! Yum! What a fabulous place to explore. Those curvy roads remind me of the Amalfi Coast!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Haa, yes it was a tasty lunch too! And I know what you mean about Amalfi!

    Reply
  40. Sabine

    Wow, that would not be a landscape I would expect to see in Taiway. It looks gorgeous. These types of gorges and road cut through the rocks remind me so much of certain areas in Europe and South Africa I have travelled to. I really love that kind of landscape. Well worth a visit.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Yes I hadn’t really thought about what the non-urban areas might look like so it was a wonderful surprise!

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  41. Danielle

    What an amazing looking place! I’ve only ever passed through the Taiwan airport, never actually been out in the city or parks. This looks beautiful.

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    kaveyeats

    Oh, definitely build in a stop for a few nights next time, it’s well worth it!

    Reply
  42. Hazel Tolentino

    I am craving more of Taiwan! This has been in my radar for quite some time now. I am just waiting for my visa-free entry policy for my country so I can go right away!

    Reply
  43. Jenna

    Glad to hear you thought two nights in the park and three in the city was a perfect combination! We have been debating whether we want to venture out to Taroko Gorge–it looks like an amazing spot so it’s hard to resist! We would love to hike a lot of those trails. Think we will have to fit it in when we head to Taipei later this year. Sounds like you had a great time!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Really glad the post has helped to firm up your plans for your Taiwan visit. It’s easy to get to from Taipei so works very well as a combination. Two nights worked for us, as we are not big hikers so didn’t want to walk any more of the trails than we did, but if you have the time and want to hike more, you could add a third night to give you that extra hiking time. Otherwise, for an itinerary similar to ours, you should find two nights works well.

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  44. Lillie

    I’d never heard of this park before, but how delightful it seems! My favorite detail is Cimu Bridge and The Frog Prince: it really does look like a squatting frog with a crown!

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  45. Danielle

    Great photos! Almost looks like the scenery in the states! I’ve always been interested in visiting given the affordable flights!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    The flora and fauna is somewhat different but yes, certainly there are places with similar gorges in the US.

    Reply
  46. Lorene

    Wow…your descriptions and photos make me really want to visit. I happened across your page but am really glad I did. What a wonderful trip to take.

    Reply
  47. Emily Kydd

    Wow I definitely don’t normally think of Taiwan as a place to experience beautiful nature, but these photos look and these trails sound incredible! That cross island highway is a trip in itself!
    Cheers,
    Emily

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Yes I hadn’t really appreciated until our visit how impressive the scenery would be!

    Reply
  48. Agness

    The scenery at this national park is so jaw-dropping, Kavey! What time of the year would you suggest visiting it?

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    We went in January and found it pleasant but there is chance of rain, we had rain the day before and after our day in the park so we were lucky!

    Reply
  49. Jimmy Alan Unroe

    Beautiful photos. Wish your permission, I’d like to use a few in a YouTube video that I’m making about Taiwan. Even if you’d rather not, I appreciate what you have here, it is truly breathtaking.

    Reply

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