Our Taiwan Island Excusion ~ Part 2

Taiwan is such a scenic country!  It has grand towering mountains and a long stretch of pristine coastline.  Our eyes burst in delight!

Our 1 to 3 of our 5 days tour of Taiwan brought us to Kaohsiung and Kenting.  Our next county in the itinerary is Hualien, where the very first National Park of Taiwan is located, the Taroko Gorge!

Day 04 - Thursday

Taitung－East Coast National Scenic Area－Hualien 
Taitung－East Coast National Scenic Area (Xiaoyeliu－Sanxiantai－Shitiping－Fanshuliao)－Marble Factory and Exhibition Hall－Hualien－Swallow Grotto 
Hotel: Silks Place Taroko 

En route Hualien is a smorgasbord of breathtaking coastline ~ 

On board the bus, you have the grand mountains on your left and the pristine water on the right!  My eyes are impressed.

The geographical landscape at Xiaoyeliu is  exceptional, resulting from inverted sandstone and mudstone layers.

As Sanxiantai with the Dragon Bridge as our background.

The Taroko Gorge is amazing ~ it is a wonder of nature!  

We were made to were safety hard hats. Rocks falling down from the mountain tops is quite common.

At the Swallow Grotto Trail at the Taroko Gorge complex.   The mountain walls contain caves used as natural nesting places for spring swallow birds, hence the name Swallow Grotto.  We saw a couple of swallows flying by.

Our stay at the Silk Place Hotel in Taroko Gorge was my favorite.  The place looks unassuming from the outside, but inside ~ rooms, spa, service and food were all impressive.    

The night ended with a mini-concert by aborigines singing traditional songs (which I think sounded a bit like very Filipino).

Day 05 Friday:

Hualien－Taroko Gorge－Qingshui Cliff－Taipei 
Hualien－Taroko Gorge Gateway－Shakadang Trail－Eternal Spring Shrine (Changchun Temple)－Qingshui Cliff－Taipei.

We were actually sad waking up to our Taiwan Island Tour Day 5.  I wished we could have extended our vacation, unfortunately work waits in Manila.

The Eternal Spring Shrine was built in 1958 to commemorate 212 workers who died constructing the Central Cross Island Highway!  This location is one of the most famous spots in the Taroko Gorge complex.  Natural spring water empties into the river below through the shrine middle portion creating a dreamlike effect.

The Taroko Gorge has dozens of hiking trails to explore.

We visited the Shakadang Trail (also known to locals as the Mysterious Valley Trail).  This trail is built along the river valley.  Sight as expected was amazing.  The deep pool with crystal clear water below is enchanting.

From Shakadang we made our to Buluowan. This area used to be inhabited by two aborigine tribes, the Shisanhang and Truku (later on Taroko, where the Taroko Gorge got its name).  You would find here several exhibiting halls where you can learn about aboriginal culture and way of living   

This is our last stop in Hualien before making our way back to Taipei.  

I personally enjoyed every minute of this 5 days tour.  Nothing was rushed, through more than a day is needed to really enjoy Sun, Moon Lake and the Taroko Gorge Park.   If only we have more vacation leaves to spend.  

EDISON TRAVEL SERVICES CO., LTD

Email: edison@ms6.hinet.net

Check also their website for inquiries: www.edison.com

For more on our Taiwan Travel, please check the links below:

Taiwan More than Just a Vibrant City (Travel Tips)
Day 1 (Arrival / Taipei City)
Day 2 - Jiufen and Pinxi Tour
Day 4, 5 and 6 - Taiwan Island Excursion (Part 1)