Taroko National Park

Yesterday we went on a trek to the Taroko National Park on the eastern side of Taiwan. It was quite a journey; it took four hours of thin, winding roads and near-death experiences to get to our destination. However, the wait was totally worth it. Breathtaking views and the overall atmosphere made it an incredible place to just relax and take in the surroundings. I really can’t describe it to you in words, and even these pictures are a really crappy way to convey how beautiful the place is. In fact, get off your computer and go to this place NOW.

Our tour guide was an awesome guy named Roy who always seemed to be bursting with pertinent information about what we were seeing around us while we rode in the bus. He knew how many species of birds that can be found in Taiwan, the significance of the recent rains and earthquakes, and how to tell male and female plants apart. He was also armed with jokes, which were too terrible for me to repeat here.

At this amazing park is a small place called the Bulowan resort. In the Taiwanese Aboriginal language, “bulowan” means “echo” (an appropriate name because of the huge cliff faces that easily reflect sounds). As you can guess, it is run by people of Aboriginal descent. The resort itself is made up of many small buildings, including shacks for guests and a communal cultural center for meals and education. Here we stayed the night and enjoyed traditional Aboriginal food and culture. The meal was excellent: a buffet that included barbecued pork slices and ribs. Entertainment for the night consisted of a bunch of local kids who performed traditional dances and songs. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me for this show. Just imagine kids yelling and hopping around wildly to tribal beats and you’ll get the idea.

I just wish we could have stayed at the park long enough to see all of the different attractions. I guess I’ll just have to return later.