Ben's Guide to Taipei and Taiwan

Taroko National Park / 太魯閣國家公園 / Tàilǔgé gúojiā gōngyuán Taroko is one of the must see sites in Taiwan. Winding along a mountain pass on one side the cliff goes straight down to the river and on the other side straight up. This is definitely at minimum a weekend trip, but a long weekend would be more realistic. Free camping was available, although this may have changed. In 2005 sites were available with parking, wooden tent platforms, and toilet facilities. The only thing missing was hot water. Also in 2005 the hotsprings were closed indefinitely after falling rocks killed and injured visitors. Taroko is an excellent site to drive if you have a car. If you are more adventurous, you can take the train and then rent a motor scooter. Depending on which shop you go to, you may or may not have a problem renting without a Taiwan driver's license. The closest larger city is Hualian. This is where many people stay and do day trips into Taroko. They have all of the necessities and luxuries ...

Update 2007 : In July 2007 the gondola began providing access from the Taipei Zoo. This gondola will be under the same management as the MRT and you may use your Easy Card. From the Taipei Zoo MRT, exit and walk about a block to the gondola entry. This is the opposite direction from the zoo entrance. This will definitely cause Zhinan temple and the tea houses near the gondola station to see a lot more traffic, but the less accessable tea houses will probably keep their character. Official Website 貓空 māo kōng is one of Taipei’s best-kept secrets. This is a small mountain lined with tea houses overlooking Taipei. It is not crowded and offers a nice escape from the city. There is an excellent view of Taipei city, both day and night, and on the same mountain is the impressive Zhinan Temple (sometimes spelled Chihnan Temple). Mao Kong is located in Taipei’s Muzha district, which is on the southeast corner of the city. From Gongguan or Wanfang Hospital MRT Stations, take bus 236 ...

Wulai 烏來 The Wulai Falls are not Niagara Falls, but are a nice waterfall and an easy day trip out of Taipei. While the scenery is beautiful, there can be a lot of tourists and vendors to remind you that the city is not far away. In addition to the waterfall there are hot springs here and some scenic areas along the riverside. There is a mini-train that can take you to the base of the waterfall. The cost is $50. There is also a cable car that goes to the top of the falls. At the top are some really lame amusement park rides and games, a hotel, and some good hiking trails where you can leave the crowd behind. Wulai Hotsprings 烏來溫泉 wūlái wēnquán There are many spas and hotels in Wulai where you can pay to play in the hot springs or you can enjoy open air hot springs along the riverside. Spas offer communal baths, private rooms, or both. The communal baths are sometimes separated by sex, and are sometimes co-ed. The free pools can be crowded and get dirty quickly, but you definitely g...