Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Recommend!" Show more 8 Hi Huy, Theres are very basic campgrounds with limited amenities, so you need to bring everything you need, including food and water. This is quite convenient because Songshan Airport is right in the Taipei City center and you can even get there by MRT. To make your visit more relaxed, spend two nights there, so you dont have to do any traveling on the same day as your Taroko tour. offers wooden huts and aboriginal buffet dinners. Also it gives you that kind of one and only in the world magical experience due to the closeness of huge rivers and being in the heart of the mountain range. The vantage points and short walking trail here get their name from the swallows who build nests in the cliff face. After the Japanese left, the KMT government later abolished the national park, and it wasnt reestablished again until 1986. The first step is getting to Hualien. Taroko Gorge, named after the Truku or Taroko aboriginal tribe, is one of Taiwan's premier scenic attractions. Also note that, like most of Taiwan, Taroko Gorge are very safe for solo or female travelers. I'm David, an American with a passion for adventure, the outdoors, and all things travel. The rough diamond of Hualien County, it is located southeast of Taipei and is accessible by a two-hour train ride. If you have time on your side, spend 3 days in Taroko, but you can cover a lot of ground with just two. It includes the marble gorge of Taroko, the Qingshui Cliff, the trail along the Shakadang River, and the waterfalls of the Baiyang trail. Taroko Gorge is a deep, rocky, tree-lined canyon with a boulder-strewn, blue-green river at the bottom. After Hehuanshan (if you are able to get there from Taroko Gorge), the highway continues on to the popular Cingjing Farm, a gorgeous high-mountain, European-style farm. we are planning to visit in Late sep- oct. Under Road Conditions Highway 8, you can find out if any sections of highway are closed. On an island full of mountains, rain forests, beaches, and abounding natural beauty, Taroko Gorge might just take the top spot as the most beautiful scenic area in Taiwan. So what times would the campground be opened for walk-up and how would I pay the fees (in cash)? Hiking in Taroko. Thanks for your support. For a good mid-range option, Happiness is My Home (see on Booking) lives up to its name the owners of this guesthouse are super welcoming and helpful. Ill further introduce both of these places below. It is slightly closer to Xincheng but further from Taroko. This price got us a clean double room with a private bathroom and cold A/C. We stopped here for a lavish feast when we camped at Heliu campground to enjoy the best of both worlds! I am a bit concerned after reading your comment about the road being closed due to land slides? One time when I visited many years ago, the entire highway was closed for set times every day past the Swallows Grove, which meant I couldnt make it to several spots. Riding through the tunnels and between the valley walls of Taroko Gorge is an incredible experience. Some people get off the train in Xincheng, a small town that is closer to Taroko Gorge (5-10 minutes), but has fewer services. Highly recommended. How to go to Taroko Gorge from Taipei 1. Zhuilu is the best hike in Taroko Gorge. Hotels in Taroko Gorge are limited and pricey. Buses also stop at the start of Shakadang Trail. A smart thing to do is to rent a Giant bicycle near Hualien station, take your bike on the local train to Xincheng, the ride on from there. In fact, it extends from the Pacific Ocean (Chinghsuei Cliffs) to over 3700 meters of . The cliffs are located on a stretch of the coast just 10 minutes drive north of the entrance to Taroko Gorge, with a few different spots along the coast where you can pull over to see them. Great post avout Taroko Gorge! Bicyclists share narrow roads with motor vehicles. Best of luck! Whenever you buy something through one of these links, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Therefore, it is much easier and safer to visit Hehuanshan from Taichung on the west side of Taiwan. Taroko National Park Visitor Center, Xiulin Township, Hualien County, Taiwan, +886 3 862 1100 Local tips There are a few restaurants near the hotels that are located in the gorge itself, but these are a little overpriced. The Eternal Spring Shrine () is probably the most recognizable sight in Taroko Gorge and often crowded with tour groups. Simply driving through, you get to see a lot of the scenery. The entrance gate (called on GoogleMaps) officially marks the entrance to Taroko Gorge. I'll be traveling to Taiwan in a few weeks for the first time, and am planning on taking a day in Taroko National Park. They are so useful! You can park at the side then walk along the road, peering over sheer vertical drops to the river far belowclassic Taroko Gorge scenery. Then, Level 0 to 5 refers to the various hikes in Taroko Gorge by difficulty. It only takes 15-30 minutes roundtrip. A trip to Taroko can see majestic canyons, waterfalls and relics of the Taroko people, and experience the changeable climate of spring, summer, autumn and winter. For temples lovers, be sure to check out my guide to the top 30 temples in northern Taiwan. Happy New Year 2023. The whole drive takes about 1.5 hours one way (but youll likely get off sooner). Do you need a license to rent a scooter and are there a lot of bugs? The Central Cross-Island Highway (Provincial Highway 8) extends from Asian tropical deciduous forests to high mountain pine and cedar forests. Explore some of Taiwan's most stunning scenery on this full-day tour to Taroko National Park departing from Taipei. The parking lot for the tunnel is just off the main highway, and buses of course stop here too. If not can you give me a rundown of places to see starting from the start until the end? They are also highly reviewed and have a five star rating on Tripadvisor. Sadly this trail was closed when we visited. The awesome Taroko Gorge National Park in Hualien is a bit like Taiwans version of the Grand Canyon. The area referred to as Taroko Gorge is a steep, dramatic valley carved by the Liwu River (), which flows from the Central Mountains of Taiwan to the Pacific Ocean. Hi Nick, where do you think is a good base to visit Taroko Gorge when travelling with a 3 year old and a 1 year old? Right after the Taroko Gorge entrance gate, the main road continues on the same side up Taroko Gorge. If you have arranged a private driver, it makes sense to have them pick you up at Xincheng. The park covers 1200 sq km, rising from sea level to over 3700m, incorporating 27 peaks over 3000m. If you want to get to Taroko Gorge by scooter, there are scooter rental stations outside of Xincheng and Hualien train stations. Again, it is best to get to Cingjing from Taichung, not from Taroko Gorge. As for bicycles, I havent personally rented from those shops myself, so I cant say for sure. For this reason, it is better to reach those attractions from Taichung on the west coast. Taroko Gorge is a 19-kilometer-long narrow valley located on the east coast of Taiwan. Climb the wooden stairs up to the observation deck and you can look down on the highway as it emerges from two tunnels through the mountain, one for traffic in each direction, and then crosses Liufang Bridge (). You can do so by joining thisHehuanshan tour. Id enjoy doing it by scooter. In the Central Mountain Range, the highway also connects to Highway 14, which continues to famous attractions like Hehuanshan (one of the best places to see snow in Taiwan), Wuling Pass (Taiwans highest), Cingjing Farm, and Puli (access point for Sun Moon Lake). Hualien county runs regular buses (NT170 per person, no change given, four per day) and tourist shuttles (NT 250 day pass, 13 per day) from Hualien through Taroko Gorge to Tianxiang, the village at the head of the Gorge, stopping at Xincheng station on the way. Each of the three areas would be accessible via the Hop-On/Hop-Off Bus. The train station is just a 15 minute walk away, or you can easily hail a taxi or rent a scooter to get around. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Visitors can check out the . Obviously with kids, I am not going to be able to visit Taroko in single day. It was a huge draw for us as well, as our family can't resist hiking trails, rock scrambles, and beautiful vistas, things Taroko Gorge offered quite a bit of. This national park, located on the eastern coast of Taiwan very close to the city of Hualien, is a huge draw for visitors to Taiwan. Satellite. While Highway 8 and 14 are tempting, they are frequently closed due to landslides, unsafe to drive in winter, and dont have public transportation. Swallow Grotto/Swallows Grove ( or Yanzikou) is a stretch of road that veers off from the main highway and through multiple tunnels. You might want to avoid weekends and holidays, when traffic is much heavier. Because the tour starts at 7:30 AM, youll need to sleep in Hualien City or Xincheng the night before. This tour visits most of the popular tourist spots in Taroko, and also stops at a couple of nice scenic spots outside of the park Qingshui Cliff and Qixingtan Beach! Best to bring a packed lunch or buy something in the convenience store. Island Life Taiwan Adventures & Experiences: Taroko Gorge - See 365 traveler reviews, 327 candid photos, and great deals for Hualien City, Hualien, at Tripadvisor. All four of these are pretty flat and easy enough with kids. For these trains, you must have a reserved seat. This 3416-meter mountain is considered one of the best places to see snow in Taiwan. Taroko Gorge is the countrys premier scenic attraction, along with Alishan and Sun Moon Lake. However, the ground is sometimes bumpy, and there could be a few stairs on all of them. Read our Privacy Policy. When I stayed there, I remember we just walked in, chose a platform, and set up our tent. As of late 2022 and early 2023, the highway was severely damaged in three different places. [1] Hualien City has the best selection of rooms, but it also the furthest away. Taiwan Asia Taroko National Park is located northeast of the midpoint in the island nation of Taiwan, and southeast from the capital city of Taipei. Otherwise, you can pay on the bus with EasyCard or cash. Taiwan's Central Cross-Island Highway crosses the park, which is at the eastern end of the highway. If you have even more time in the area, youll want to check out more things to do in Hualien here, my recommended Hualien itinerary, my two guides to the east coast of Taiwan, covering Yilan to Hualien and Hualien to Taitung and Kenting National Park, as well what to do in Taitung, the county below Hualien. (If you want to learn how to cook aboriginal cuisine, I stayed here with my family several years ago, and while the facilities are lacking, it was an awesome setting. If you come here with a private driver, they will be willing to park and wait for you while you do the hike. Im hoping to do it by bike and so far research hasnt shown us a giant station next to xincheng. We stayed at Xiong Zhi Mi B&B in Hualien city for $900 NTD ($30 USD) per night and loved it. Please also see the Taroko Gorge section of my article Taiwan with kids, in which I describe our visit with kids and some kid-friendly hotels in the area. Be awed by the power of nature at stunning Taroko Gorge, the twisting, soaring centerpiece of Taroko National Park. The name "Taroko" () derives from the Truku tribe, an indigenous group formally recognized by the Taiwanese government as of 2004. From Xincheng station, it only takes 15 minutes to cycle to the entrance of Taroko, or you can take the bus to the entrance and rent a bike there. Three main options are staying right in Taroko Gorge, staying in Xincheng (the small town near the entrance to Taroko), or staying in Hualien city. Taroko National Park (; Tilg Goji Gngyun), the east coast's top tourist attraction, really puts the formosa (beautiful) into Taiwan's historic name. Enjoy accommodation in 5-star hotels. The Tunnel of Nine Turns ( or Jiuqudong) is a dramatic stretch of walking-only tunnels that was closed for six years due to major damage from a landslide. Later the Eurasian plate was uplifted where Taiwan is . Taiwan is the kind of place where people leave their laptops unattended for half an hour in a cafe. Take train back to taipei 18th morning/afternoon. The National Park stretches over 90,000 hectares - about 230,000 acres. Should I arrive from Taipei in the evening of 15th, stay overnight at Taroko and start early 17th oct at the national park and take train back or stay at Hualien. The closest train station to the park is Xincheng Station of the Taiwan Railways Administration, roughly 7 kilometres (4.3mi) from the park's main headquarters. 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