According to the driver, Taroko Gorge is a 20-kilometer grand canyon in Hualien County, Taiwan, from Taroko to Tianxiang. Hualien County is located in the middle of Taiwan's east coast. Taiwan's east coast is covered with high mountains and ridges, and all roads run along the coast. There are only three east-west roads across the central mountain range, and the road along the Taroko Grand Canyon is one of them.
Not long after driving, we can see the sea, the endless Pacific Ocean. We arrived at a scenic spot called "Qingshui Cliff" and entered the scope of Taroko Park. The high mountains almost plunge into the ocean, and the highway winds around the mountains like a line. The weather was gloomy at that time, and the sea in the distance was dark. The driver said that the sea in the dark place was very deep. A tourist bus from mainland China was driving here before, and it was hit by a mudslide and landslide into the sea. The bus was swept away several hundred meters and buried. In the deep sea, 23 people died, and their remains have not been found. Nearly 20 minutes further, you will reach a large archway, which is the entrance to the east-west cross-road of Taroko Park, and then enter the Taroko Grand Canyon Scenic Area. In front is the scenic area service center. There is a stone statue of the aboriginal people ( Gaoshan tribe ) in the square. The
service center does not sell tickets, but introduces the scenic spots with pictures and texts.
The mountains along the line reach into the sky, the valleys are unpredictable, the streams are gentle, the waterfalls are like curtains, and the scenery is amazing. There is a large red steel bridge across the canyon at the Shakadang Tunnel, which spirals down the stairwell. It is the Shakadang Trail, which was expanded from the passage of the aborigines in the deep mountains. It is carved into a concave shape on the vertical mountain wall halfway up the mountain, overlooking the canyon. There are huge boulders in the middle and the stream is crystal clear. It takes about half an hour to walk to the five rooms at the end of the trail. They are actually five adjacent pavilion-shaped sheds selling tourist products and food. There is a kind of wild vegetable called shansu , which can be seen everywhere on the roadside. It is the main vegetable of the Aboriginal people. Shangting sells this vegetable, washed and eaten raw, with sausages made of black pork . It has a unique flavor and is extremely delicious. The mountain walls here are mostly made of marble, so there are beautiful strange stones for sale.
h It took another half an hour to get back to the road. Get on the bus and drive along the Grand Canyon to Yanzikou and other places. The mountain walls are steep and rocks often fall down when it rains. The driver stops the car and goes to the roadside service office to get free helmets for tourists to wear. The considerate tourism service is worthy of praise.
Currently, Taroko Grand Canyon is open to Tianxiang, which is the climax of the scenery. The trees and flowers are blooming, and white clouds are floating on the peak. Nearby are the magnificent Dexiang Temple, seven-story Tianfeng Tower, Mengmu Pavilion, Pudu Suspension Bridge, etc. There is a five-star hotel here, a beautiful two-story white building, the Tianxiang Tourist Service Station, and complete postal and other service facilities. On the way back, we passed a beautiful place with two or three waterfalls flowing down the mountainside. It has a beautiful bridge, white stone railings and pavilions, and a three-bay ancestral hall. According to the driver, they were Taiwanese veterans from the mainland who were not involved in the war and were sent to build highway tunnels. Some people died in order to commemorate their achievements. , built this Martyrs’ Shrine. It is sad that the soul returns here and cannot return to its hometown.
After returning from Taroko, the driver took us to see Qixingtan. According to the driver, Hualien built a dual-use airport for both military and civilian use and the Qixingtan was buried and reclaimed. The water pool no longer exists. Facing the sea here, you can get off the car to see the wind and rain, and the turbulent white waves, which is very spectacular.Snap a few photo walls and get in the car quickly. After returning to the hotel and picking up our luggage, the driver took us directly to Hualien Station. Thank you to the driver for his hard work all day as a guide, patient explanation, and kind attitude. I gave him a tip of NT$300 when we parted. Take the Taiwan Railway at Hualien Station back to Taipei. The journey takes two hours and ends the most interesting day of free travel in Taiwan.
