Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Not only is Taiwan an island, but also a mountainous area.
With an area of only 36,000 square kilometers, Taiwan has 268 mountains located at over 3,000 meters above the sea level, making Formosa Island one of the islands with the highest mountain density in the world.
Over the past decades, Taiwanese workers consisting of soldiers and civilians built hiking trails that cut through the valleys and unite these high mountains, so that they became pleasant places for many people to enjoy the atmosphere of the forest and the fragrance of plants.
Taiwan has a number of mountain trails with different characteristics.
Lake Jiaming trailThis trail leads to Lake Jiaming which is located at an altitude of 3,310 meters above the sea level, with climbing difficulty level at medium-high.
Because of its beauty and location on a high mountain, Jiaming Lake is also called the God's Sapphire or Tears of Angels.
The Lake Jiaming trail is about 26 kilometers long.
Along the trail are stunning views of Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range, with dense vegetation that ranges from lowland forest to hill meadows in the highlands.
The scenery on this trail varies. Hiking during right season will allow visitors to enjoy the red maple leaf forest and the sea of clouds in the high mountains.
If you want to enjoy the Tears of Angels in a relaxed manner, you should stay for two days and one night or three days and two nights at the available lodgings.
Another accommodation option when climbing the mountains is camping overnight, so you can enjoy the silence of the mountains with a sky full of stars.
Lake Jiaming which located at an altitude of 3,310 meters above the sea level is also called the God's Sapphire or Tears of Angels. (Alvin)
Zhuilu Old Trail in HualienThis trail is not high, only about 700 to 800 meters above the sea level.
However, the Zhuilu Old Trail was built along the edge of a marble mountain cliff, making it much unique.
If we look up, we will see a very steep cliff with 700 meters high, and when we look down, there is a gorge with a depth of 500 meters.
Visitors can see the river and the winding road under the cliff gorge.
The most challenging and thrilling experience is treading on a narrow path at the edge of the mountain that only one person can pass while holding on to the rope fixed on the mountain wall.
The journey on this path really shakes the adrenaline.
The Zhuilu Old Trail is about 10 kilometers long, and can be covered in 6 to 8 hours, with low-medium difficulty level.
The Zhuilu Old Trail was built along the edge of a marble mountain cliff, making it much unique. (Taroko National Park/Kuo Sang Yen)
Jade Mountain Main Peak TrailThis trail is located on the highest mountain in Taiwan, namely the main peak of Mount Yushan or Mount Jade with a height of 3,952 meters.
Mount Jade is the highest mountain in Taiwan, and also the highest mountain in the East Asia.
Hence, climbing the main peak of Mount Yushan has become one of the life achievements that most Taiwanese want to do.
The path to reach the main peak of Yushan is the Tatajia Saddle trail which has the most complete trail information as indicators and road safety measures are all available in full.
The round trip route can be reached with a distance of about 22 kilometers, so it usually takes two days and one night to complete the dream of climbing to the top.
After arriving at the main peak of Yushan, visitors can enjoy an unobstructed 360-degree panorama.
The Yushan peaks to the east, south, west, and north surrounding the main peak will be clearly visible, along with views of the sunrise and the sea of clouds at the summit.
Some of the trails in the mountain are flat, except those at a few hundred meters before reaching the main peak, which are rather steep. Make sure both your hands and feet are strong to climb this path. However, the difficulty level of climbing is medium.
The Jiaming Lake Trail, Zhuilu Old Trail, and Mount Jade are just three mountain hiking trails on the Formosa Island.
There are hundreds of beautiful and enchanting trails to explore.
Those who want to explore Taiwan's mountainous scenery need not worry about transportation because this service is available throughout Taiwan.
Travelers need only one to two hours’ drive from major cities to arrive at the entrance of the mountain trails.
Most of the mountain forest trails are suitable for all ages and are a comfortable place for all family members.
To make the trip more fun, you should get complete information about the travel route on the internet, then prepare the equipment according to the suggestions and instructions, and invite family or friends to go together.
Source: Taipei Economy and Trade OfficeReporting by Indonesia Window
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