Need-to-know: it is highly recommended to wear your helmet for this one. Hello, yes I did walk, it's all flat and just down the road so yes it does take about 30 minutes but it's easy :) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), organised Taroko National Park DayTourfrom Hualien, pick an Easy Card up in their airport via this service. Great Article Josh! The view of thefamily room with a gorge and river viewis spectacular. Towards the end, before reaching Tianxiang isXiangde Buddhist Temple which is worth a visit. There is still more to do in Taroko National Park that we missed out on. The last 3 buses from Qixingtan are at 15:57, 16:57 and 17:57. Jenny Lake Loop. Have you booked your flight to Hualien yet?? Few visit without being blown away by its sheer magnificence and raw natural beauty. You can find their kiosk among other carriers at the arrival hall at Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei. Neither did I until I got to the East Coast where a high concentration of indigenous people live. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Taroko Gorge, the stunning 18 km long canyon with the pristine blue Liwu river running through it is Taiwan's most known and celebrated tourist attractions in the country and for a good reason. It was beautiful here. We have only one day. Thank you!!! At the Tunnel of Nine Turns, there is a walking trail which considered to be one of the most scenic walks you can do in Taroko Gorge and I wholeheartedly agree. Explore #TimeForTaiwan and #HeartofAsia to see more of what the island has to offer on Instagram. Upon arrival in Hualien, meet your guide and set off in an air-conditioned vehicle. There is the Changchun Shrine trail that will take you to the shrine and around the area. One of the things to do in Hualien. If you want to do an epic one-day trail in Taroko National Park, you can also file for a permit to hike the Zhuilu Old Trail, one of the best hiking trails that will take you through the ancient trails of the indigenous people. If you plan to spend an entire day in the park, I would recommend you buy the Taroko Day Pass from the kiosk inside the orange building before getting on the bus. Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend you check out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace, and get an eSIM so that you can stay connected affordably while traveling in Hualien, Taiwan without having to switch out your physical sim card. Thank you for letting me know. Copyright 2023 The Wandering Quinn Travel Blog. Accommodation is within walking distance from the small town, where basic food and water supplies are available. Be prepared to walk a little extra to get to your destination. Search from over 150 blogs posts covering Asia, Pacific, and Europe. Stop 4: Deer Lick Cave. If you want to get to Taroko National Park and experience everything mentioned above, then you need to head to Hualien; its a small city on the East Coast. Keep an eye out for the almost hidden Wenshan Hot Spring sign. I topped up by 500NTD just to be safe but I only used 200NTD in my day in the National Park. Given the one-day itinerary above, we can calculate the estimated amount of money you will need to do this trip. The national park has plenty of amazing hikeson offer which wander through the mountains and the valleys. Halfway through the tunnel on the left is a pathway exiting the tunnel bringing you fully into the National Park! . It is quite commonly the entry, You Need to Try This 10 Day Taiwan Travel Itinerary In this 10 day Taiwan travel itinerary you will experience a diverse Asian country. After arriving at Hualien Train station, we waited for our hotel shuttle bus right in front of the station. Here are some top things to do in Hualien, book the ones you fancy! You will get wet from the spray, there is no avoiding it so prepare a rain jacket or you can do like me and wait for someone to donate one for you in front of the cave . Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here. Due to recent typhoon damage, most of the trail was closed, shortening our journey. The day was almost ended but I managed to speed up and arrive in Beibin Park before sunset. She shares in-depth destination guides and all her insider tips on traveling in Taiwan & Asia here. The visitor center has a great map with all of the hikes and parking areas. Cant wait! Depending on the condition of the trail, you can spend from 30 minutes to 2 hours exploring the trails around Changchun Shrine (Eternal Spring Shrine). The East Coast of Taiwan is an adventurers playground. A stop you should get off next is the Tunnel of Nine Turns bus stop where you will be able to admire the architectural wizardry that is the tunnel that dug through the canyon. The budget traveler should try the Tiensing Youth Centre. My next stop wasHeliu camping (which also has toilets.. Taiwan is great for people with small bladders!). Night Sky Viewing in Glacier National Park With dark skies overhead, Glacier National Park is an International Dark Skies Park. along the coast is one of the most beautiful drives in the world, some of the best beaches are along with this highway; Highway 11 will take you to the southern tip of Taiwan. Not only did they welcome me with open arms after a direct flight from Dubai to Tapei, but they helped to plan an itinerary that made sure I would get to grips with some East Coast Taiwan adventures in Taroko National Park. Be sure to get off there so you do not have to make the trip by yourself. The scenic Swallow Grotto trail is another beautiful and easy trail anyone can walk. In 2015, we just drove into the park, no permit necessary. One of my favorite parts of traveling is capturing everything we see and do on my camera. Nearby, a short dirt road leads to historic Frijole Ranch, with a museum and more trail heads. Simply approach them and they will show you the list of packages available that you can pick from. From Hualien, we drove along Highway 9 to get to two spectacular viewing points of the clear-water (Qingshui) cliffs. Thats so good to hear! Taroko National Park on the East Coast of Taiwan is most famous for Taroko Gorge and a popular way to go from Hualien to Taroko Gorge to explore Taroko National Park via car or moped. Swallow Grotto, also known as the Yanzikou trail, sits on the Central Cross-Island Highway and lets you enjoy the dramatic terrain of the gorge and the Liwu River. It can get quite rainy in Hualien and in Taroko National Park so I would recommend taking a waterproof jacket and umbrella just in case. Hualien train station has more buses scheduled, while Xincheng train station is closer to the Taroko Train Station. The Swallow Grotto overlooks one of the narrowest sections of the Taroko Gorge. From S$ 246 / person. #kohphiphi #kohphiphileh #kohp, Ocean lover 5 National Park Don'ts 00:49. It looks like a great hike. As you know, I am a light traveler and packing light for a trip like this is an art in and of itself. From the visitor centre, I headed onto the main road, turned right and walked through the tunnel under the mountain in front of me. Taiwan also has an earthquake, the stone may be falling from the top during the event. No matter how you get to Hualien, bear in mind that you will need further transport to get you to Taroko National Park, whether it be a bus, a scooter or a car/van. Here we walked along the gorge, in and out of tunnels, looking down at the river below. A few hikes you should definitely consider in your stay are: One of my favorite things to do in Taroko National Park is to visit the Wenshan Hot Spring in the middle of winter. I recommend it as a sunrise lookout spot. it was destroyed by landslides in the national park. You will want to try negotiating with the driver first too. The morning buses you can get are 7:00am, 8:30am, 9:10am and 10:00am. Silk Place Taroko featured both indoor and outdoor pools. Here you have the opportunity to hike up and down a couple of steep dunes. Taroko National Park has a long list of attractions such as; amazing tunnels carved into the rockface, waterfalls out in the forest, hiking trails overlooking the gorge, and hot springs right in the river. Things to Know Before You Visit Taroko Gorge, Walk the Baiyang Trail and Check Out the Water Curtain Cave, Admire the Architectural Wonder of the Tunnel of Nine Turns, Eat Your Way Through Dongdamen Night Market, Other Things to Do in Taroko Gorge if You Have One More Day, Hike Longer Trails in Taroko National Park, Spend a Day Hiking the Sacred Zhuilu Old Trail, How to Get to and Around Taroko Gorge, Taiwan, How Many Days to Spend in Taroko Gorge, Taiwan, How Much Money Do I Need for Taroko Gorge, Taiwan, and don't forget to follow us on Pinterest. This is for the extreme enthusiast only as the road around Taroko Gorge is very narrow and bendy, and having several large buses sharing the narrow road with is not making it any easier for you. Remember to keep an eye out for poisonous snakes and giant hornets when hiking. The balance of having the right equipment but also travelling light is a fine line to walk and it would be neat to hear your opinions on what you brought and how you manage the photographic side of your travels. Best of Taiwan 5-Day Tour. Trip.com features the best things to do in Taroko Hualien, including travel-guide, attractions, restaurants, and cheap hotels. Need-to-know: the Shakadang trail is a flat 4.4km trail. Hi Carly, when I visited Taroko the bus did actually go up to the town, at least to the pagoda which isnt a long walk. Situated in Xiulin Township on Taiwan's mind-blowing east coast, this dramatic 19-km gorge is the shining star of Taroko National Park () - one of the country's nine national parks. Silk Place Toroko provides two dining options, Chinese cuisine for dinner at Mei Yuan Restaurant and had buffet for breakfast which serves across Mei Yuan Restaurant. Unless you want to go on a hike, DO NOT expect to walk from one attraction to another in Taroko National Park. How about you watch a Taiwan travel video? The room is spacious, and it comes with a few mini-games for the family. This websitemay contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. World Inn have them all noted on a board in the common area! Where to Stay when Visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Be sure to try Xiao Long Bao at at one of the food stalls at Dongdamen Night Market. Plettenberg Bay, South Afric, Joining a Taroko Gorge day trip Tour from Taipei, Best Taroko Gorge Hiking Trails & Things to do, Eternal Spring Shrine Trail (Changchun Trail), shared sightseeing car from Taipei to Hualien, 7 Best Waterfalls in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 11 Unmissable Things to do in Yilan, Taiwan, Summer in Taiwan: 15 Awesome Things to do. If Taroko is known of its gorges and rivers, Alishan is known for its forest and gigantic trees as old as Christendom. When you stand on the rooftop and look around you, youll see mountains everywhere and in the distance, youll catch a glimpse at all the things you plan to do tomorrow, including hiking trails, suspension bridges and hill-top pagodas. Taroko National Park. Looking for a complete guide to Taiwan Street Food? I stayed at World Inn Hostel in Hualien City for 2 nights which I loved. You can check rates & availability for World Inn Hostel here and Hualien & Taroko Gorge Accommodation here! The KOT 'King of Taroko' is one of Taiwan's most thrilling cycle routes, climbing through the Taroko National Park to the top of He Huan Mountain at 10,744ft (3,275m) above sea level. The Tunnel of Nine Turns, also known as the Jiuqudong trail, is just 700m in length and, yes, you guessed it this trail brings you through nine turns. The entrance gate was closed on both of our visits. 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