subject: Taiwan: The Eastern Surprise [print this page] Taiwan: The Eastern Surprise
Many many not fancy a trip to Taiwan as being one of the priorities in their wish list around five years back, but a surge of new-age exploration has resulted in the country becoming a swarming ground for tourists of all kind.
South Cross-Island Hwy: Also known as the Nnb Hnggun Gngl, the destination is the perfect personification of the age old adage - sometimes the journey matters more than the destination, but there is much to see here as well, not to take anything away from the fantastic journey though that one has to undertake to reach South Cross-Island Hwy!
The highway passes through the southern part of the Central Mountain Range, running a corner around the bottom of the Yushan National Park. The surrounding area is modestly developed, and is very picturesque, interspersed with aboriginal villages, great hiking trails, old forests and a multitude of hot springs like Lisong, which is considered by many as the most beautiful natural spring in Taiwan. However, like all mountain routes in the country, the roads in and around this destination are more often than not washed away due to landslides. Winters are the safest time to visit, as it is the dry season, although the afternoon fog is a problem throughout the year, which is why it is advised to not travel on road after 3pm.
Taroko Gorge: 15 kms north of Hualien lies Taiwan's number one tourist destination, inside the Taroko National Park. Some of the signature characteristics of this place are huge expanses of flora and fauna, along with fascinating cliffs, and marble walled canyons. Taroko is home to close to 50% of Taiwan's animal species, with the wild boar and the Formosan black bear being the most sought after ones, although they are as rare to spot as one can imagine. However, one can easily come across a Taiwan macaque. The park is spread over an area of 120,000 hectares, with the blue-green Liwu river flowing through the centre, giving birth to ravines and valleys. It is a common sight to see tourists soaking in the natural ambiance, so to speak, of the surroundings. There are also many hiking trails and places for swimming and river tracing. The park can be visited at any time of the year, although it is advised that during holidays and weekends there are excessive hordes of people that swarm in, and one might have a hard time reaching the place altogether due to the heavy traffic. A few adventurous travellers take a bus to Tienhsiang and then hike 19 kms to the National Park Headquarters, in order to avoid traffic and bask in nature's pristine glory. For swimming or river tracing, the best time to visit is summers, as the winters are quite cold with the occasional drizzle, even though May and June are the official rainy months.
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