Entrance to the Yeliu rock formations
The phrase “Waves of Wonder” describes the feeling of awe and wonder a visitor may experience, when exploring Taiwan’s diverse landscapes, from its rolling hills to coastline to scenic roads. Not to mention their night markets offering street foods and other local finds, a blockbuster hit to both locals and tourists. It’s no surprise that today, it’s one of the most popular destinations in Asia.
Me and my two girlfriends, Ayen and Carla, recently joined the Destination Taiwan craze. Our 5-day trip took us to the different sights, sounds and tastes of Taiwan, which I will be sharing with you in this 3-part Wanderlust article.
Our first stop was the North Coast, known for its dramatic landscapes like coastal cliffs, sandy beaches and geological wonders. A must see is the Yehliu Geopark famous for its rock formations, including the Queen’s Head, considered as the symbol of the area. Inside the park are other unique formations like the mushroom rocks, candlestick rocks and tofu rocks. The weather was good to enjoy a leisurely walk along Taiwan’s beautiful rugged coastline.
We proceeded to see two waterfalls: the Golden waterfalls which is a unique cascade that seems to glow with its yellow-colored rock formations, caused by the high mineral content of the water flowing from above. After a few steps, going up and down and crossing a hanging bridge, we arrived at the Shifen waterfalls, dubbed as Taiwan’s Niagara Falls, due to its Niagara-like cascade-type waterfall. These two are, definitely, crowd drawers.
While in Shifen District, we went to Shifen Old Street to do Taiwan’s must-do sky lantern activity. Just like any other tourists who flocked this tiny village, we wrote our wishes on a big sky lantern and released them to the sky from the Pingxi Railway tracks. Hope the universe will receive and grant our wishes!
We made a brief stop at The Remains of the 13 Levels, also called Potala Palace of Mountain Mines. Learned that this photogenic ruins atop a mountain, was once the largest copper and gold smelter in Asia. Across is the Yin yang Sea, famous for its unique color, which is a mix of blue and yellow. The natural minerals coming from the bay and from the surrounding mountains give the sea this unique contrast, often praised as a natural color palette. Photos cannot simply capture this natural beauty. One has to see it personally to appreciate it.
Next week…Taichung District.
