Destination - Taroko Park (太魯閣國家公園), Hualien (花蓮)
Taroko National Park (traditional Chinese: 太魯閣國家公園; pinyin: Tàilǔgé gúojiā gōngyuán; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Taroko kok-ka kong-hn̂g) is one of the seven national parks in Taiwan and was named after the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park. The park spans Taichung City, Nantou County, and Hualien County.
Sights include:
- Tunnel of Nine Turns (九曲洞 Jiuqü Dong, pictured at right)
- Eternal Spring Shrine (長春祠 Changchun, pictured below)
- Swallow Grotto(燕子口)
- Jinheng Park (靳珩公園)
- The Bridge of the Kind Mother (慈母橋)
- Tiansiang (天祥)
- Jhueilu Precipice (錐麓斷崖)
- Lioufang Bridge (流芳橋): 1,666 meters above the riverbed
- Hill of Yu the Great (大禹嶺)
- Buluowan (布洛灣)
Get in
The nearest major city is Hualien. Flights and trains are available from Taipei and most major cities.
By bus
There are five buses a day from Hualien to Taroko. A single journey costs about NT$82.
From 2010, the Taiwan Tourism Office began running a Tour Taiwan (台灣好行) Taroko Bus departing from Hualien train station, stopping at Sincheng station, Taroko Tourist Information Centre (太管處), Shakadang Trail (砂卡礑), Buluowan (布洛灣), Swallows Grotto (燕子口), Tunnel of Nine Turns (九曲洞), Lushui (合流.綠水) and finishing at Tiansiang (天祥). The service is free until the end of 2010. On weekdays, there are 8 buses per day, departing from 6.50am from Hualien with last bus leaving Hualien at 3:00pm. From Tiansiang to Hualien, buses begin at 8:20am with last bus leaving Tiansiang at 4.30pm. The buses run hourly. Additional services run on weekends. The Tour Taiwan bus stops are red in colour with the 'Tour Taiwan' logo. They are placed in prominent locations at the pick up/drop off locations. Make sure you are standing on the right side of the road and hail at the bus if you wish to get on. Bus time tables are avaiable here: http://www.taiwantrip.com.tw/upload/road/2010729182145.xls
By train
A journey by train from Taipei to Hualien takes 2 hours by express train and 3 to 4 hours by local trains. The trains are cheap, reliable and comfortable. Station names are announced in English and Chinese so you should have no problem identifying your stop. The closest train station to the park entrance is Sincheng (新城). From there, there is the choice of a one way taxi ride from the station to Taroko for about NT$200 or a day tour costing about NT$2,000.
The Tour Taiwan (台灣好行) Taroko Bus picks up and drops off at both Singcheng (新城) station and Hualien station.
By taxi
A taxi from the Hualien train station to Tiansiang (town in Taroko National Park, where the Grand Formosa hotel is located) costs about NT$1200 and takes about 1 hour.
By scooter
You can rent a scooter near the train station in Hualien. It takes around 30min to reach Taroko Gorge. However in some cases you may need a local drivers license to do so.
Fees/Permits
Entry to the park is free but if you want to go to some of the wilderness or into areas designated as Eco-protection areas or restricted mountain areas, you will need an entry permit. Be sure to apply for the permits early (at least 1 week before) as some permits are limited by a small number per day. Refer to the official Taroko National Park information website for application procedures: http://www.taroko.gov.tw/English/
Get around
By bus
There are numerous bus tours visiting the gorge every weekend. And, while the buses are comfortable and air-conditioned, the tours tend to have a tight itinerary (including, of course, the obligatory stop at some local gift shop), leaving little time for extended hiking. Tour buses leave from the Hualien visitor information center and cost about NT$988 per person for a whole day tour.
There is also a non-tourist bus that brings passengers to and from Tiansiang. However, it goes pretty fast around some sharp turns along steep cliffs. If you get car sick easily or are afraid of heights, you might want to pass on this bus.
There is also a free shuttle bus which you can take from outside the Visitors Centre near the Train station. This runs all the way to Tiansiang and you can get off and on at about 10 stops. The timetable is available from the Visitor's Centre. It runs approximately every hour from about 8:00 to 17:00 [though not on the hour]. There are a few extra services at weekends.
By car
Renting a car in Hualien is definitely an option, though be very cautious; the roads through the gorge are extremely narrow with numerous bends. In addition, there are pedestrians, scooters, cars and massive tour buses all vying for the tight space.
By scooter
The Gorge is not the best place for a first scooter experience. However, it's a fantastic place to ride for those with experience. Scooters are available to rent in Hualien. If you run low on fuel, the locals often stock a small supply that they'll part with for a miraculously uninflated price. There is also a gas station 50km passed Taroko on the number 8 road (around kilometre 118). The drive there climbs to an impressive 3 km altitude. Bring warmer clothes. You can rent a scooter near the train station in Hualien (around NT$300/day)
By bicycle
For the truly adventurous, cycling is a wonderful way to traverse the park. However, before slipping on cycling pants and helmet, the road conditions referred to in the 'car' section (above) should be seriously considered. Traffic is much lighter on week days. You can rent a bike just in front of Taroko(SinCheng)railway station. it cost NT$350 for a day .Taroko gorge Bike shop[3].
By Foot
If you do not have any of the above you can see some parts of the national park by foot. The closest hiking trail to the park entrance is the Shakadang Trail, which departs from the road after the first tunnel approximately 1 km from the park headquarters. The eternal spring shrine is only 1.4 km further trough the tunnels. Taking this tour takes about 4-5h, don't forget to take enough water with you.
Tour suggestion :here
Hotels: here
Official park website: National Taroko Park
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
註釋
用 登入 或是用 以新增一個使用者帳號 來下註解 。
