The pleasure of an exotic international vacation is usually only something that is found in the artificial reflections of hotel balcony photo shots and bullet-point amenities.
Don’t get me wrong, we all love push-button access to anything from 24-hour room service, on-premises spas, to large flat screen televisions with movies galore.
But oftentimes at the tail end of the amenities and when the sun sets on the 3–4 or 6–7-day vacation, there may be an empty feeling. It symbolizes what was sought but not experienced, yet was the purpose of the vacation in the first place: serenity.
It can be found on the island of Taiwan.
Continuing on our experience through the land of what the Portuguese called Formosa, meaning “beautiful island,” we find ourselves on the east coast at Taroko National Park.
Taroko National Park and Taroko Gorge
The Taroko National Park, like the island of Formosa itself, the root meaning of its name “magnificent and beautiful,” is well known for exceptional aesthetic views, particularly the Taroko Gorge.
Think Grand Canyon but green; think steep and mountainous but manageable. Taroko Gorge is a visual feast for the eyes.
If you like to ride, then a bicycle is a must at the gorge. But be prepared to stop, for there are snap and shoot opportunities for the digital or mental camera throughout the way.
A must at the gorge is a prolonged, hearty, deep-breathed view of the Changchun Shrine, which when translated means the Eternal Spring Shrine.
The Shrine’s waterfall is aptly named in memoriam of the deaths of 212 construction workers who worked on the Central Cross-Island Highway. It is derived from a legend that says the falls never stop flowing.
After a look from any vantage point, you will certainly hope so.
Next on an aesthetical bullet-point list of Taroko offerings is a walk through Jiuqü Dong, also known as the Tunnel of Nine Turns.
Nine being symbolic for both good luck and big or large, the Tunnel of Nine Turns is a lengthy symbol of the beauty and strength of nature.
The Liwu River, which carved through the marble for thousands of years, has left walls of twisting cliffs separated by distances so small the Chinese call it a “thread to the sky.”
About 30 minutes is all it takes to go through the twists and turns of one of the most enchanting of journeys—lush greenery, marble cliffs, and the glistening Liwu River mirroring the heavens above.
The Shakadang Trail
If you are up to a more lengthy and adventurous but not too strenuous walk, grab a hiking stick and begin stepping along the Shakadang Trail.
The 2.7-mile trail, also known as the “Mysterious Valley Trail,” provides up-close views of the river and the marble formation of the gorge walls.
Continue on and follow poet Basil King’s mantra that, if you’re bold, “…mighty forces will come to your aid.” There will certainly be a remarkable vista to behold at the end of the trail. A waterfall comes shimmering down at Water Sheet Cave where a wall of water rains down over the opposing exit.
But, alas, all things must come to an end. No stars or grades needed to evaluate a trip to Taiwan’s Taroko National Park. Just a sense of adventure, a yearning for serenity, and a digital camera with wide, zoom, and tilt lenses to keep the memories of peace reflected in images for years to come.
This article is sponsored by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.
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