TAROKO NATIONAL PARK, TAIWAN

It is very convenient to travel around in Taiwan. Their public transportation system, especially the railway, is impressive. The trains always arrive on time without fail. The weather is also mostly mild except for during typhoons, so it is a conducive country for outdoor activities. Try casual walking or even running a simple errand in Malaysia without any shade for a change. One will be dripping in sweat as if one just steps out of a shower. One can only imagine the bottles of sunscreens saved per annum from additional touch-ups.

So glad to have picked a part cloudy part sunny day to visit the Taroko National Park. Our journey began in Taipei. We took the Taipei Metro to get to the Taipei Main Station to catch the earliest possible train bound for Hualien. It was so early that it's unlikely to capture a single fly on the Taipei Metro. The Hualien bound "ordinary" train will arrive approximately 3 hours plus later at the Taroko station. The express train requires an hour less to get to the Taroko station. All train tickets can be purchased in advance online.

There are a total of sixteen aboriginal tribes in Taiwan. The name Taroko was derived from one of these aboriginal tribes known as the Truku tribe. According to the Truku native tongue, Taroko means "magnificent and splendid." The national park spans 920 square kilometers. The landmark Taroko gorge within the national park was carved out by the tremendous force of the Liwu River. It took more than 230 million years, pressure, and lithification to turn calcium carbonate deposits into limestones and then into marble masterpieces observable in the present.

During our hiking trip in Spring, the Shakadang river was quite dried up. However, the trail was still fun nevertheless. It took us less time than expected to complete the Shakadang trail. We love the unique natural curvature as well as the unevenness of rocks framing the pathway of the trail. A charming spot for temporary shelter when it rains.

The next trail we explored was the Swallow Grotto. The stunning crystal clear pristine gushing Liwu River was flanked by admirable carved marbles. The famous Taroko gorge is located here. It's breathtaking but we need to wear safety helmets while hiking. Sometimes, rocks might tumble down out of nowhere. Better be safe than sorry unless you're heavily insured. After completing the swallow grotto trail, we had a short lunch break. There was a cafeteria within the national park. It's a good idea to include some snacks in backpacks.

It's a shame that the Jiuqudong (Tunnel of Nine Turns) trail was closed for restoration during our visit. We can only dream about the beauty of that missed-out trail. We hiked around Yue Fei Pavillion until dusk. More time is required to thoroughly enjoy the national park. We ended our journey somewhere nearby Tianxiang Village, home to the Truku tribe.