Taroko Gorge

Taroko National Park of Taiwan is situated in the eastern part of the island. The park covers more than 92,000 hectares in the northern section of the Central Mountain Range. It features high mountains and sheer gorges. Many of its peaks tower above 3,000m in elevation. The varied mountain peaks, numerous waterfalls, diverse plant forms and animal life, together with the indigenous Taroko people, create the rich texture of this unique natural ecosystem.

The mesmerizing Taroko Gorge is located at the heart of Taroko National Park , a geological marvel sculpted over millions of years by the relentless erosion of the Liwau River. This magnificent gorge meanders through the mountains, revealing a diverse array of picturesque landscapes at every twist and turn.

The mountains around Taroko Gorge

The gorge twists and turns in the mountains

Narrow road is typically several meters above water level

The gorge at Swallow Grotto

A view of Liwu River and Pacific Ocean from Xiaozhuilu Trail  

A symphony of waterfalls serenade the green-clad mountains and gray cliffs. Some waterfalls are grand, while others are more modest, but all contribute to the park's enchanting allure. Baiyang fall stands out, it is a water cascade - two falls are visible from baiyang trail. Another water fall is actually inside the mountains, in a cave, the water curtain cave.

Water curtain cave 

Baiyang fall - a water cascade

A small water fall on the left hand side cliff

The primary activity in the park revolves around hiking, allowing explorers to immerse themselves in the park's natural splendor. These trails often follow the course of the gorge, and at times, even the roadside doubles as a scenic trail. Most of these paths offer breathtaking vistas high above the flowing waters, with the notable exception being the Shakadang Trail. Here, one can descend to the banks of the Liwu River, witnessing the mesmerizing transformation of its waters, displaying a spectrum of captivating hues.

The "ramp" to the trailhead of Baiyang trail 

The first several hundred meters of the trail is a tunnel 

Sakadang Trial is the only trail that hikers have access to the Liwu River

The Liwu river by Shakadang trail

the emerald green water 

The color of water changes with view angle and Sunshine

a water pool along Liwu river

Throughout Taroko National Park, a network of road bridges and suspension bridges gracefully blends into the natural surroundings, becoming an integral part of the tapestry of beauty that defines Taroko.

While there are countless captivating destinations to explore within the park, we only had the opportunity to visit about one-third of the named viewpoints and trails. Taroko is undeniably a place that beckons to be revisited, its beauty an ever-changing masterpiece waiting to be rediscovered time and time again.

A road bridge

Baiyang Suspension Bridge

A suspension bridge by Yuewangting

Bulohwan Terrace 

A suspension bridge to Zhuilu Old Road (front)

Hundred Lion Bridge at Shakadang  

Notes 

a. The trails we hiked, listed in the order of  great to good  - 1) Shakadang, 2) Baiyang,  3) Swallow Grotto, 4) Buloh Terrace, 5) Idas Trail. 

b. fauna at Taroko: there are many animals and birds in the park, mostly in the mountain region inaccessible to tourists. The ones we saw are listed in the blog "Fauna of Taiwan".

c. Self driving in the park makes travel there convenient. But the road is narrow with many sharp turns.

d. We drove to Taroko National Park from Taipei, a 150km drive. Once out of the city, the drive is pleasant, and the vista is great.

e. We stayed at a hotel Moment by the ocean front, in the city of Hualien.

A Day of Surpises at Sungei Buloh Wetland

Sungei Buloh Wetland is our favorite place because of its serene hiking trails and abundant wildlife. On the morning of Sunday, September 10th, 2023, we returned to this natural haven once again, and this visit held a couple of delightful surprises in store.

As we wandered through the lush wilderness, fortune smiled upon us - we had the rare opportunity of spotting not one, but two owls! These enigmatic creatures are seldom seen, making this encounter all the more special. Nearby, a group of photographers had gathered beneath the trees where the owls perched. Our eyes followed their gaze, and there it was, an owl with its eyes wide open, and after a while, it closed them. Then, prompted by a photographer's alert, we noticed another owl perched on a higher branch nearby. To our amazement, these owls remained perfectly still, as if posing for an audience of admirers.

Although Sungei Buloh is home to some owl families, this marked only our second owl sighting, both occurring in the same location - a trailhead near the Neo Tiew Crescent Car Park. It seems that this tranquil spot holds a special allure for these mysterious birds.

an owl with eyes open - did we disturb it?

The owl closed its eyes

 

Before this owl encounter, we witnessed a delightful spectacle. A pair of ashtailors engaged in an exhilarating chase, darting through the trees near the fantail pod. Unfortunately, they vanished into the trees before I could capture them with my camera. While the ashtailor is a common sight at the reserve, witnessing a pair engaged in such spirited play was a first for us. It appears they've had a successful breeding season, as we later encountered several more of these lively birds along the trail.

Of course, the reserve's usual avian residents were still there. Egrets, herons, sandpipers, and plovers graced us with their presence at every turn. As we gazed up at the sky, a magnificent, large bird caught our attention. Swiftly, I aimed my camera and captured its graceful glide. To our delight, it turned out to be a painted stork, another of the reserve's usual inhabitants. Interestingly, I had taken an almost identical photograph of this  bird during our very first visit to Sungei Buloh over two years ago, showcasing the timeless beauty of this sanctuary.

Adding to our day of surprises was an unexpected sighting of mudskippers locked in combat. These peculiar fishes are residents at the swamp, typically seen meandering solo. However, on this particular morning, we observed two mudskippers engaged in a fierce battle, their dorsal fins raised. After a brief but intense confrontation, one of the mudskippers relented, lowering its fin and retreating. It was a remarkable sight that I had coincidentally learned about from a TV documentary just days prior.

fighting mudskippers with fins on there back erected

Our hike was further enriched by the presence of colorful fungi, vibrant green moss, and a striking green snake with a captivatingly colorful head, each contributing to the tapestry of biodiversity along the trail.

colorful fungi

A large heron in the middle of Buloh Besar River

A large monitor lizard walking at water's edge

As we neared the visitor center on our return journey, a tinge of sadness hit me upon noticing the absence of a sea eagle's nest atop a towering tree near the center. However, my spirits were quickly lifted when Lily directed my gaze upward. Lo and behold, a sea eagle was perched near the former nesting spot! This unexpected sighting was the perfect finale to a day that had already exceeded our expectations at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Fauna of Taiwan

I barely saw any birds at Sun-Moon Lake or Takoro National Park due to dense trees there. 

Egrets were the most commonly seen birds at Sun Moon Lake, because of their large size as well as the bright white plumage that gives away where they are. In fact there is a water fowl reservation area at eastern side of the lake for them. What surprised me was to see them in Takoro Gorges, along Liwu stream, standing on rocks. They are graceful and elegant anywhere they are.

Another famous birds at Takoro Gorges are the pacific swallows. Swallow Grotto is named after the birds. We got to the trail head shortly before the closure of the area, and lucky for us, we saw the swallows there, as lively as ever, gliding around, flipping wings, and making noise.

Egrets at Sun Moon Lake

Water fowl preservation area at Sun Moon Lake

An egret at Takoro Gorge

An egret gliding along the Liwu stream

Pacific swallows at Takoro Gorges

A more common seen fauna at Takoro Gorges are some big dark wing butterflies. They were everywhere, and restless. It was hard for me to take any pictures of them unless they were rested.

A big butterfly chewing on rocks on the trail

Formosan Rock Macaque is a type of monkey endemic to the island of Taiwan. We saw them the first time by chance at Buluowan Terrace on our first day at Takoro National Park: some body took selfies and saw the monkeys in the photo and exclaimed - that's how we noticed where they were in the dense trees. The next day on the Shakadang trail, we saw a troupe of Formosan Rock Macaques foraging in the trees by the trail side. The monkeys have red faces and bottoms. 

Formosan Rock Macaque

Actually we saw more birds at Taipei on the campus of National Taiwan University, and in the gardens at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial. Several new species to me  - pacific black duck, Muscovy duck, black colored starling. 

A black swan at drunken moon lake on NTU campus

juvenile black head night heron 

Pacific Black Duck

Muscovy Duck

common moorhen

Black Night Crowned Heron

Black neck starling

The most amazing and unexpected sightings of new faunas happened at Elephant Mountain Park near our hotel. We went for a hike and a view of Taipei 101. On the way to trail head, I saw three photographers aiming their big lens cameras at a tree. Upon talking to one of them, I knew and saw a hole on a tree trunk, which was the nest for a 5 color bird or Taiwan Barbet - another endemic specie to Taiwan. 

He also told me he went here to look for and take photos of a colorful tree bug - Fulgorid Planthopper. I spotted the bug with his help.

A colorful tree bug

I stayed there for a while, saw a bird chick stretched its head out of the hole from time to time. A few more minutes later the mother bird came to feed the chick a butterfly! My patience paid off. 

What a sight!

A Taiwan Barbet feeding its chick