By Delphine
For your next holiday, get rid of your swimsuit, diving mask, flip flops and sarong and instead, get out a pair of sneakers, a cap and a good camera and head to the Taroko National Park. Take the 1 hour and 30 minute direct flight from Hong Kong to Taipei and then a two-hour train journey from the Taipei train station. In no time at all, you will be in a cosy little hotel in Hualien, a Taiwanese town with nothing really special, apart from being located about an hour away from the park. True to their reputation, the Taiwanese are friendly, adorable, smiling and caring. The food is delicious, fragrant and colourful.
Once you are ready to hike, get out your trainers, don’t forget your camera, but make sure it is charged, and head in the direction of the park. Extending over 92,000 hectares, it offers breath-taking vistas along 19km of winding roads in the heart of the mountain. There are several hiking options available, depending on your level of fitness. Some hikes are more than 4 hours, while others are just hike 30 minutes (at a leisurely pace) with butterflies gliding by. There is something for everyone - Waterfalls, gorges, cliffs, monasteries, tunnels and suspension bridges, and many more wonderful sights.
If we’ve managed to convince you, get out that old suitcase and don’t forget to bring along a flashlight because several tunnels are not lit.
Useful info: all half-day and full day hikes are organised in Hualien, but we recommend that you spend two full days to enjoy the hidden treasures of the park. There are several options for accommodation at the park: youth hostels, camping.
www.taroko.gov.tw
For your next holiday, get rid of your swimsuit, diving mask, flip flops and sarong and instead, get out a pair of sneakers, a cap and a good camera and head to the Taroko National Park. Take the 1 hour and 30 minute direct flight from Hong Kong to Taipei and then a two-hour train journey from the Taipei train station. In no time at all, you will be in a cosy little hotel in Hualien, a Taiwanese town with nothing really special, apart from being located about an hour away from the park. True to their reputation, the Taiwanese are friendly, adorable, smiling and caring. The food is delicious, fragrant and colourful.
Once you are ready to hike, get out your trainers, don’t forget your camera, but make sure it is charged, and head in the direction of the park. Extending over 92,000 hectares, it offers breath-taking vistas along 19km of winding roads in the heart of the mountain. There are several hiking options available, depending on your level of fitness. Some hikes are more than 4 hours, while others are just hike 30 minutes (at a leisurely pace) with butterflies gliding by. There is something for everyone - Waterfalls, gorges, cliffs, monasteries, tunnels and suspension bridges, and many more wonderful sights.
If we’ve managed to convince you, get out that old suitcase and don’t forget to bring along a flashlight because several tunnels are not lit.
Useful info: all half-day and full day hikes are organised in Hualien, but we recommend that you spend two full days to enjoy the hidden treasures of the park. There are several options for accommodation at the park: youth hostels, camping.
www.taroko.gov.tw
