5 Inspiring Places to Explore in Taiwan

Taiwan, a little known island in the Pacific Ocean, is full of inspiring places to explore. The Portuguese originally named Taiwan Ihla Formosa, meaning ‘beautiful island’ – and a beautiful island it is. Once you escape the cities, Taiwan’s mountainous middle, famous limestone gorge, and azure coastline make its natural beauty endless.
For anyone who likes a little adventure, here are the top 5 most inspiring places to explore in Taiwan.
Juifen The winding old streets of Jiufen are full of hanging red lanterns and little stalls selling freshly cooked taro balls. In a past life, Jiufen was such a prosperous gold-mining settlement that it became known as ‘Little Shanghai.’ When the mining industry declined, Jiufen was forgotten – but not for long. Jiufen is famed for being the inspiration behind Miyazaki’s anime film Spirited Away, and is now a popular place to visit. Teapot Mountain Not too far from Jiufen is Teapot Mountain, an ideal place for hikers to explore. Once you climb the stairs next to the giant gold statue and follow the rubble path into the green mountains, you’ll reach some long ropes. Pull yourself uphill and you can climb into the stony teapot shaped rock that gives this small mountain its name. Climbing inside a teapot sounds just like something out of Alice in Wonderland to me. Of course, Teapot Mountain is quite different to the hallucinogenic landscapes of Lewis Carroll’s world but it’s just as enchanting.
Chongde Beach Feeling uninspired by too many golden sand beaches? Well, me too. Chongde beach, on Taiwan’s east coast, is a different kind of beach altogether: it’s a black shingle beach. Though Taiwan has a few black beaches, like Waiao, Chongde is different. It’s far more isolated and isn’t particularly close to any towns. Visit on stormy days, because that’s when the atmosphere is at its peak. Taroko Gorge Taroko Gorge National Park is an awesome place to explore for all travellers, hikers, and weekend breakers. This 19km-long marble canyon boasts mountain treks, emerald forests and blue waters all around. The tourist crowds at the visitor center and trail heads can be really uninspiring, so grab a map and get walking immediately. There are various trails to explore all over the park, the first of which is the Shakadang trail (also known as the ‘Mysterious Valley Trail’).

Taroko Gorge

Jia Jiu Liao River Not inspired by those other four places? Why not get off the beaten path and explore Taiwan’s rivers instead? River tracing is a popular activity for walkers who want a bit more adventure on their weekends. At Jia Jiu Liao, river tracing is both tranquil and perilous. Hiking up stream is no easy task, it takes determination. Be prepared to be entirely submerged in river water, scramble over wet rocks and climb waterfalls. The route is scenic too.  There are isolated pools to cool off in all along the river and flat rocks if you need to take a break. Feeling inspired? I hope so. Taiwan’s natural beauty can’t fail to inspire. The small historical towns, the endless mountain trails, and the outlying islands mean that there is always somewhere to explore. About the Author Charlie is a world traveler, freelance writer/editor and house sitter taking an alternative path across the world. Her travel blog, Charlie on Travel, is about making green travel achievable with just a few pennies and a good moral compass. Follow her adventures on Facebook, Twitter and Google+