First of all, I wanted to apologize to 
About me
If you've already seen my previous posts, you'll notice that most of them involve outdoor activities, if not photography. I am very much an outdoor person. I enjoy cycling, hiking, river trekking, and camping. I also like surfing, although I don't get to do it often because I live quite far from the beach now.
So, I really believe it's worth sharing my outdoor experiences in this community. I love engaging in outdoor activities as it contrasts my daily life as a Software Engineer, where I'm mostly sitting. I've also found that outdoor activities are helpful in coping with stress and depression. I believe this could be true for others as well. I'm going to make a fresh start in this community with this blog, where I'll be sharing my experience of a weekend camping trip and a short hike.
Weekend Escape
This trip was planned a month ago with my friends who are also foreigners living in Taiwan. Like me, they also have full-time jobs that can be exhausting and lead to burnout. We booked a campsite that offers tent rentals and sells barbecue dinners for the night. Interestingly, the campsite is also located near a waterfall trail, so we added it to our list of activities.
It was a Saturday afternoon when we set-off to Yilan County and arrived in our campsite around 4PM. Just exact time to prepare our tents and barbeque dinner. Here is my friend who asked me for "dab" picture right after we settled down in our tents and ready for a barbeque dinner.
Yilan CountyYilan County is found in the northeastern part of Taiwan, an island in East Asia. It's surrounded by the mountains to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the north. This creates a beautiful landscape with lush greenery and stunning coastlines. The people of Yilan are known for their warm hospitality and strong connection to nature. They celebrate various traditional festivals, and their cuisine is famous for fresh seafood and local delicacies. |
BBQ Dinner
It was a perfect barbecue dinner for a quiet and cold evening in the camp. We could only hear the rustling trees, hummingbirds, and ourselves enjoying the night with relaxing instrumental music playing at a subtle volume.
I really liked the dinner. I had six cans of Taiwan Beer and a few sips of locally made rice wine. Rice wine is a special treat from Yilan County because Yilan has lots of fields where they grow rice. Yilan is famous for growing really good rice because the soil is really good and the weather is just right. They use this rice to make a special kind of wine that you should definitely try if you visit Yilan.
UNO
Shortly after dinner and washing, we spent the rest of the night playing card games including UNO and Mafia. You see, one of my friends is already busy with his phone because he was the first to finish the game. Meanwhile, I only have two cards left, and soon will leave the game 😄
Morning Coffee Vibes
I was the first one to wake up very early the next morning. I just can't miss the camlness around the nature during the morning while having a sip of a hot coffee.
I really enjoyed the calmness of this moment while listening to the rustling trees and hummingbirds. It's not something I get to experience every day. I wish it were.
Off to the Waterfall Trail
It was around 9 AM when we set off to the Xinliao Waterfall Trail. Along the way, we encountered several groups of elderly locals taking pictures at the trailhead and leaving the trail.
In Taiwan, it's not uncommon to see many older people going for a hike. To be honest, I was surprised the first time I went hiking in Taiwan. The local elderly population really loves being in nature, and hiking is just a regular weekend activity for them. And we were the only younger group that I saw on that day.
Xinliao Waterfall Trail
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Xinliao Waterfall TrailThe Xinliao Waterfall Trail can be accessed from Zhongshan Village in Dongshan Township, Yilan County. It runs up the Xinliao Creek valley to the Xinliao Waterfall. The source of the creek is in the 980m-high Xinliao Mountain. As a result of the fault lines in the terrain, there are ten waterfalls along the way. The Xinliao Waterfall is the one at the bottom. The rapid current of the creek flows eastward and converges with the Jjuliao Creek to form the river of hope for the folks in Yilan—the Dongshan River. Source |
As we continued along the trail, we began to encounter an abundance of beautiful flowers, and numerous butterflies were gracefully fluttering around. This vivid display simply indicates that the trail is richly vegetated.
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You'll also notice warning signs along the trail instructing visitors not to swim or play in the river, and there's a sign cautioning that the trail can be slippery.
Another indication that this trail is richly vegetated is the presence of various frog species living in the area. Have you ever heard a large group of frogs making sound together in synchrony? I did! I think it is the reason why the title of the sign is "The Frog Chorus". Isn't it?
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As we get near the waterfall. I saw a glimpse of it and a hanging river that made our group more excited.
Here is an adorable old couple enjoying taking pictures at the bridge while their dog is happily playing along the bridge.
As I wait for our turn to enjoy the bridge, I took the opportunity to find a good take-off spot to fly my front and capture the awesomeness of this waterfall.
I was so stunned when I saw this scenery from my remote controller. The river, the waterfall, the surrounding trees, and the mountain fog make the place even more captivating.
I always like to take overhead drone shots. It is just beautiful, ain't it?
And finally, our group photo on the bridge! Just guess who am I in the group 😁 (I am the one carrying the camera while flying)
I hope you like this blog and the photos that I shared! Thank you for reading through 😁
-krios
See my other photo blogs here:
A Magical Journey on the Alishan Forest Railway
Full Blown Adventure to the West Peak of Mt. Hehuan in Nantou, Taiwan
The Breathe Taking Mt.Hehuan North Peak - Nantou, Taiwan
My gears:
- Canon D200 II
- Insta360 One x2
- DJI Mini 4 Pro
- Xiaomi 11 Lite
All photos are mine unless otherwise stated and/or referenced