We rented a car in Taipei (in the North of Taiwan) and took two weeks to drive down and explore the East Coast to Kenting National Park at the very south end of the island. We stayed in Luodong, Hualien, and Chishang along the way. The east coast of Taiwan is rugged and remote, with amazing gorges, mountains, beaches, and rice paddies.
Hot Springs and Mountains in Luodong
The Drive to Luodong
From Taipei we headed directly east and picked up the coastal road near Keelung. The drive to Luodong was dramatic, and there were many pullouts and short hikes to explore along the coast. We even visited Capybara Rock (lower right picture)! It used to be called Elephant Rock, but the trunk fell off so they renamed it.
Jiaoxi Hot Springs
We went to the town of Jiaoxi and enjoyed the hot springs at Chuang-Tang Spring Hotel. They have outdoor hot springs that include over a dozen spas that have scented pools, such as tea, bubble gum, and red wine! One even had a foot bath with minnows that nibbled on our toes. No pictures allowed, but you can click the link above to see an example. It was a lot of fun! We also wandered the town a bit and enjoyed the decorations they had set up for the upcoming Lunar New Year.
Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area: The Bong Bong Train
We took a day trip up to Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area. It was logged by the Japanese (using local labor) in the early 1900s before WW2. They built a railway up into the high rugged mountains to transport lumber, and now there is a short section at the top where you can take a train ride and then go for a hike in the forest. The area is at around 6,500 feet with cool and misty weather. We enjoyed exploring and learning about the history.
Hualin and the Taroko Gorge
The drive to Hualin
We had another spectacular drive to Hualin. It was only a two hour drive straight through, but there was lots to see and not enough time to explore every hike and roadside stop.
Our New Friend in Hualin
We stayed at The Before Sunrise B&B in Hualin with the cutest greeter, a Shiba Inu named Waka. These dogs are very popular in Taiwan because of their size and temperament, and we are now big fans! The hotel was run by her owner, a wonderful, young woman named Jane. We especially liked her custom made maps that she shared with us over our phones with pins to her favorite restaurants, hikes, and things to see.
Exploring Hualin
Hualian is a small town and we enjoyed wandering around. We found a fun alley with impressive 3D murals. We also enjoyed a delicious American meal when we discovered an authentic BBQ restaurant in town called the Salt Lick.
Taroko National Park and the Gorge
A devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake shook Hualien in April of 2024. Later that same year, two category 4 typhoons, Gaemi and Kong-Rey, hit the coast near Hualien. The result was that the nearby Taroko National Park infrastructure was completely destroyed. The road in the gorge has since reopened (with some limitations), but all of the trails and most of the pull-outs are still closed. We were still able to have an enjoyable drive in the gorge, and the effort they are expending to reopen the area is impressive.
Tienhsiang and Xiangde Temple
At the top of the gorge is Xiangde Temple. It has been mostly reopened and we enjoyed exploring the grounds. The red bud trees were in peak bloom. The macaque monkeys are frequently spotted here. They are bold and known to snatch food so we kept our distance.
The Gorge
On the way up the gorge we were not able to stop due to the construction schedule. But on the way down we pulled over in several places to enjoy the sights. The aqua blue river carves through sheer walls of marble. The road itself is an engineering marvel. There were not many people there so we had most of the drive to ourselves. It was a fun day even though the hiking trails are still closed awaiting repair.
The Marble Cliffs
The gorge ends at the ocean in an area called the Qingshui Cliffs. This is where the marble rock reaches the sea. We packed a lunch and enjoyed a “beach day.” Unfortunately, due to the dangerous currents, swimming is not allowed.
Sakul Waterfall Hike
We went on a short hike to Sakul Falls near Hualien. We saw more monkeys and fortunately they did not harass us.
Gangtian Temple
We stopped by Gangtian Temple. It is massive, multi-storied, and ornate!
Indigenous Cooking Class
We took a wonderful cooking class at Karenko Kitchen from an indigenous women in Hualien. She took us to the local market and showed us a variety of fruits and vegetables that are used primarily by indigenous people and sourced from the area. We then cooked and ate a wonderful meal.
Chishang and Rice Paddies
Driving to Chishang
The drive to Chishang was again amazing. We took a day to enjoy sights along the way.
Rolling in the Rice Paddies
Chishang is located in the East Rift Valley and is famous for its high quality rice. It has many bike trails, so it is fun to ride around and explore the area. A famous Taiwanese actor was shown in part of a commercial sipping tea among the rice paddies; in the lower right corner Diane is at that very famous spot. Notice the cables on the tree, it was damaged during a typhoon and they are trying to save it because it has become a popular tourist attraction.
Kenting National Park
Kenting National Park is the southern end of Taiwan. The coast is rugged at the southern tip, however there are some swimmable beaches nearby on the west coast. In the bottom picture Diane is standing in the sculpture designating the furthest south point of Taiwan.
Hiking Through Lava
Unfortunately Kenting is typically windy in winter. We had one calm day, then the next two were not beach days. So we went inland and enjoyed a couple of hiking trails (Eluanbi Park and Kenting Recreation Area). They have interesting trails that wind through rock formations and jungles. Fortunately we did not see any snakes, wasps, or centipedes.
Visiting a Nuclear Power Plant
On a windy, rainy afternoon we went to the nearby Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant Museum. The plant recently reached the end of its lifespan. Although there is some debate about running it longer but it seems the majority want it shut down. There is an interesting exhibit with its own cutesy mascot. One special treat is a popsicle made with the purified seawater that they use to cool the nuclear core (from before the water is used, not after).
Starting our Journey up the West Coast
We really enjoyed our drive down the remote East Coast. It was very beautiful and different than the rest of Taiwan. Kenting was our transition back to the more populous West Coast. We dropped off the rental car as public transportation was now accessible, and started exploring cities again, beginning with Kaohsiung. That is where we will start he next blog.