Ilha Formosa – Part II of II

The high peaks that surround the city of Hualian foreshadowed the next few day’s adventures. Hualien, a city along the east coast of Taiwan is bordered by mountains on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other, offering boundless scenery to locals and tourists alike.

The first day we went river tracing, which is essentially hiking and bouldering along a rivers banks, crossing fast moving streams and swimming in blue-green water holes. River tracing in a nutshell was amazing. Descending deeper into the mountains, two identical 80-degree peaks stretching to heights of 2500 meters flank the wide river and its rocky banks. The steep mountain grade is layered with a lush green coat of thick vegetation and palm trees, lacking any visible trail into the forest.

Some of the wildlife that we saw included small crabs, fish and indigenous birds that would gracefully glide through the natural marble canyon ecosystem. The water itself, literally clean enough to drink, so pure looking that you didn’t want to spit in it, maintained a light shade of transparent blue. Amongst enormous boulders and rocks, the water flowed with authority through, over, under and around the obstacles unheeded, creating fast moving channels as it continued its journey to the ocean. The canyon itself is composed of an assortment of colored marble. Of reds, blues, greens, browns, whites and creams, the dense rocks, polished smooth through centuries of flowing water each hold their own unique fingerprint of swirling white as they litter the river bed in abundance.

Hiking along the slick banks, we frequently came across pools of water deep enough to jump into from adjacent boulders which was extremely refreshing in the Taiwan heat and humidity. After a decently long trek we eventually arrived at a small waterfall overshadowed by an immense boulder the size of a small house to which we drank from. Navigating through the crevice behind it and climbing the rocks we reached a deep emerald pool of water, being re-filled by a waterfall at the opposite end. Lacking any dry avenue in getting to the other side we waded through the pool and climbed up the waterfall, resisting the heavy falling water as we ascended to find yet another emerald pool and an even bigger waterfall at its opposite end. Wading through the water we were essentially in a bowl of overhanging marble walls artistically covered with swirling designs and formations that you’d be more apt to find in a cave through eons of water erosion. The sides of the canyon dripped with trickling water and overhanging plant life as sunlight from above strained to creep over the marble edge above. Climbing three separate water falls and wading through three separate pools, we eventually reached the end where a 70-100 foot waterfall was draining from above into the marble sleeve we had just hiked through. Being there, it just felt clean and pure, refreshing and alive, seemingly untouched. It was amazing and I had never seen or experienced anything like it. The pictures in their truest sense don’t do it justice.

Drinkable water

Swimming in the pools

Clean, refreshing

The last waterfall

The next day we went to Taroko Gorge, which is also entirely made of marble and quite close to where we were river tracing. Taroko was equally incredible, with sheer white marble walls and tall peaks. One location along the wall had holes throughout to which sparrows had made their homes and were living. Using the funneled wind we saw one sparrow literally do about 20 figure eights. Around and around it went and I couldn’t figure out what it was doing, but it seemed to be having a good enough time. Pulling out the BB gun I purchased in Hualien I picked him off pretty quick, watching him plummet to his death in the rushing water below. That was the last figure eight he would ever do….jk. Throughout the park there were temples we explored, each offering fantastic scenery of the surrounding mountains, bridges, and river.

Swallows homes in the marble wall

Trailhead

One trail in the park we walked along, called the Tunnel of Nine Turns, which has since been closed to motorized traffic thankfully, is essentially a carved tunnel through the mountain. At the trail head they handed out hard hats because rocks from above fall onto the trail.Fortunately no incidents occurred while we were there. Along the trail the high peak on the opposite side of the ravine had numerous waterfalls cascading down the side. Uniquely enough, the water was actually flowing upward in some locations due to the way the air is channeled between the two marble walls. I looked for any lingering sparrows, but didn’t see any. Lucky them.

Tunnel of Nine Turns

Waterfalls adjacent to Nine Turns

Taroko Gorge’s originality mirrors that of such parks as Yosemite in California. You really have to see it to believe it. After Taroko, we boarded a train and headed back to Taipei. Our weeklong trip had come to a close leaving a sense of fulfillment and giving true meaning to the Portuguese coined term “Ilha Formosa.”

Thanks to Farmer for coordinating a flawless trip that allowed us to see the true beauty of Taiwan.