Yuanzuishan: Taipei's Alpine Ridge Hike

One of five ridge hikes accessible from Taipei, Yuanzuishan's altitude gives it a defining characteristic from the others and makes it an instant favorite. The 4-6 hour hike is tucked inside the Snow Mountain Range outside Taichung, resting between 2,000 to 3,000 meters above sea level. So, climbers are rewarded with the smell of pine trees and cooler mountain weather as opposed to the dense undergrowth and humidity of jungle trekking. Rhododendron bushes also line the path, making it a beautiful hike for early springtime.

This super fun climb shares all of the same defining characteristics as other more accessible knife-edge ridge hikes: ropes, rock scrambles, repels and stunning views of surrounding mountains. I would say gloves are optional depending on how callused your hands already are. I finally had to put mine on during the descent down from the ridge. However, sun protection is a must as much of this hike completely exposed.

Long lines on weekends mean that climbers can get stuck in uninterrupted sun for hours. My partner and I made great time, passing other groups and hikers, but the lines for the ropes down caught us and added at least an hour to our trek, which was spent sitting between the rocks and chatting with others about trekking bucket lists and favorite trails.

One would think that this hike's lack of public transport and distance from the city would make it less popular, but sadly this is not the case. Try to avoid Saturday and Sunday if possible unless you don't mind scenarios like the one described in the previous paragraph. Also avoid rainy, windy weather. There are better ways to die than by slipping on a wet rock from the top of this ridge.

There you have it. The elevation, evergreen flora and beautiful views of the Snow Mountain Range firmly place Yuanzuishan in the list of must-do day hikes from Taipei. Like Wuliaojian and HuanDiDian, it's also a great full-body workout that can be used to train for longer, more challenging high-mountain climbs.

Huang Di Dian: Ridges, Ropes, and Bats

There's a great, big bat cave... with bats! The off-trail trek to the giant cave is completely optional and should probably be saved for last on this eventful day hike. Unlike the other knife-ridge hikes around Taipei, Huang Di Dian doesn't follow a convenient loop and the best route to take is from west to east, starting with the wilder, less popular West Peak trail and then hiking through to the East Peak ridge. The constant up and down scrambles put this trail on a similar level as Wuliaojian, but it still isn't quite as challenging as Taipei's most famous day hike.



Be warned, there are two different sets of steps leading up to the West Peak trail. The first one you come to on the road from Shiding is not the one you want to take as it's two hours of unrelenting hell. (Whoops.) Bypass this illusion of beginning and continue up the road until you see a second set disappearing into the woods. This second set will get you to the trail faster and has a nice little pagoda where visitors can take a short break to enjoy the view. (I think I remember an abandoned building nearby as well as lion guardians marking the entrance, but my memory may be getting fuzzy.)



Once on the West Peak trail, things get more fun with a nice dirt trail that climbs over roots, around trees and up steep, smooth rocks. It's a nice quiet trek as most tourists don't wander onto this side, preferring instead to climb up the East Peak Ridge, get their pictures and then return to the safety of civilization. After an hour or two, the trail crosses another set of stairs heading down, this is the East Peak entrance as well as your exit. You'll start seeing more people now on the way to East Peak's famous bald ridge. The best views are captured from that side.



On your way down the East Peak exit, there is a VERY small trail leading off into the woods that is marked by a set of steps and a pile of trash (unless some good Samaritan has come along and cleaned). Beyond the empty water bottles and candy wrappers, this trail leads to Huang Di Dian's bat cave, which rests just below the East Peak Ridge. "Trail" is used figuratively here as it's more like a game of "hide and seek" with decaying tree flags.



Our trek to the cave was very slow as we were constantly searching the surrounding area for signs of past traffic (flags, ropes, etc.). We were basically picking our way through an overgrown path that had never been very large to begin with. Just before the cave, it turns into a narrow footbridge against a cliff supported by the thinnest line of vegetation growing against the rocks. Residents of the bat cave don't need to worry about hoards of tourists, as this precious little path could easily kill them all.




Our trailblazing skills were ultimately rewarded though. Soon, the giant cave came into view and we carefully half ran/half scrambled up to the mouth, zig-zagging between a few well-placed trees to keep from falling back down the cliff. Once inside the mouth, we were pleasantly surprised to find bats sleeping above us in the cave's ceiling. (Everything I'd read up to this point had said that the cave was deserted.) After some pictures and a dare-devil descent into the cave from my climbing partner, we slid back down the mouth and headed back the way we came. Familiar with the way and racing a setting sun, we made it back to the main trail in about half the time.

Getting Around:

Huang Di Dian is easily accessed by public transit via a bus from Muzha. Catch a ride to the town of Shiding where you can make a last-minute pit stop at the local 7-11. From here, use Google Maps to direct a taxi up to the West Peak entrance of your choice. After exiting the trail on the East Peak side, there is another bus stop where you can catch a ride back to town and ultimately back to the city. True confessions: We decided to split an Uber instead.

Lanyu: Scuba Diving in Taiwan

Climbing into the back of a pickup with oxygen tanks and fins, we make our way back to Chicken Rock for our second dive of the day. Under the water, we swim between coral tunnels to hunt for clams, sea snakes, Nemo, and other life. It's fly fish season, so diving on the other side of the island with the ships is forbidden to protect the precious food source. I get it. We've been eating char grilled fly fish every day since coming ashore and it's delicious. It's our daily routine now: dive, eat fly fish, dive, drink, sleep, repeat. Not bad for a short spring holiday.



This is our first visit to Lanyu and the fresh seafood is amazing. The diving isn't bad either. I wouldn't mind a return trip to go explore the sunken ships nearby. Like Ludao, Lanyu is a coral island with a thriving underwater reef as well as many interesting rock formations, caves and other places to explore both on and off land. Unlike Green Island, it's big. The whole thing takes multiple hours to circle by scooter as compared to Green Island's short, little joyride.



Lanyu, also known as Orchid Island, is located a good three hours from Taiwan and supports a local population of traditional Tao. There are some Taiwanese on the island as well, but they are mostly seasonal workers, such as our scuba guide Xiǎobō. He was on working holiday as an instructor after quitting his job at Asus. We were also diving with a bunch of Google engineers. Apparently, this is where the techies go to unwind.



Between dives, we spent our time scooting around in search of pretty rocks and food. We found all the formations, including a few that aren't on the maps. If you go, ask your host about the secret cave next to the more famous Lover's Cave. Maybe they'll tell you. There's also a secret little swimming hole hiding under the rocks on the East side of the island.



On your way around, keep an eye out for a great little driftwood cafe serving fresh crushed juice to-go in mason jars and little rope bags. We got in the habit of swinging by there to stock up before heading around to find a cave or catch a sunset. Speaking of, the best place to watch the sun go down is Mantou Rock on the west side. You can watch it disappear from view in the company of some local goats looking for their dinner on the rocks.

Where to Stay

We stayed at Blue Ocean Scuba Center. Of course, we were on a scuba trip, so sleeping literally above the dive shop made things super convenient for us. I'd stay there again though. It was clean and cute with fresh breakfast served every morning. Plus, the location was good. Walking distance from the harbor, it made both our arrival and departure easy. Our host was also always nice and knowledgeable with some great tips for making the most of our time.

Getting There

I want to go back. I do, but the sad truth is that in less time it takes to get to this island, I could also fly to Indonesia. This fact really puts things in perspective on how committed you have to be to get out there. First, it's a 3- to 5-hour train ride from Taipei to Taitung. After that, it's a three-hour vomit-inducing ferry out to the island. We did it. We held our stomachs, tilted our heads back and kept it together. I'd probably do it again, but I am starting to question the logic behind this.

Hehuanshan: Taiwan's Pink Peaks

With thousands of wild rhododendron bushes blooming every spring, Hehuanshan is a yearly favorite. From late April to early June, the mountains turn a beautiful shade of pink. The flowers just take over, covering hills, slopes, and even peaks. 

Hehuanshan is a national recreation area home to multiple hikes. My go-to's are Hehuan North Peak and East Peak. North Peak is a natural dirt trail that takes about four hours round trip. There's also a split in the trail leading off to a quiet little campsite for those interested. It is a great place to try and catch the Milky Way. 

Stairs the whole way up... and down, East Peak is a little less enjoyable, but the two-hour round-trip hike is a fun challenge with a rewarding view at the top (when it's not raining). 

For a quick weekend trip, the thing to do is drive up, hike to North Peak campsite and stay overnight. The next morning summit North Peak, then hike down to quickly run up East Peak before heading back to the city. 

The other trails in the recreation area are all easier and shorter than these two, with one exception: West Peak. This overnight trail looks fun, but I've yet to accomplish it and probably won't anytime soon :P

Other than West Peak, these are the easiest high mountain hikes in Taiwan and it's very possible to complete 2, 3, or even 4 of the shorter routes in a single day. Just drive up, park the car and get going. There are also a few rest areas around where visitors can grab some hot chocolate and warm steam buns. 

A word of caution: The quick ascent by car has a nasty habit of making these trails more difficult than they should be. Make sure to take proper care for altitude sickness by going slow, drinking lots of water, staying warm and sleeping lower than you climb. Bringing a hefty supply of ginger tea never hurts either.

Shuiyang Forest: The Best Campsite in Taiwan

It started out normal enough, just another four-hour hike through the woods. At the three-hour mark, we could have sworn we were making good time and would be out of the woods before dark. Two hours later, it's five o'clock and we're still in the woods. It's getting foggy, the sun is going down and we can't see ten steps ahead of us in the slippery medium-altitude evergreen forest. We just walk now, no stopping, no talking. We have to get out of the woods. Luckily, half an hour later we reach, drop the bags and give each other a big hug of relief. On the lake shore, we have just enough time to set up camp and collect firewood before night sets in.



Needless to say, this hike did not go as planned. The anticipated mostly flat four-hour trail turned out to be a five and half hour trek with four steep, roped rock climbs. Surprise! Not a problem, just unexpected, especially since the dogs were with us. There were multiple instances of dropping the bags in order to carefully assist the dogs down through the more challenging sections. They were champs though. No one panicked, complained, gave up or turned around. In fact, Atai really came alive on the second-day trekking back to the car. I could see the wolf. Poor Snoopy started strong but then began to wilt on the second day. An early morning swim in the lake may have had something to do with this.



What's been said so far doesn't sound very flattering, but the truth is we'd gladly do it again. We'd just be smarter and drive up the night before to camp at the trail head to get an earlier start and have more time at the lake. Staying two nights on the lake is also an option as there's a healthy running stream right next to the campsite. It'd be a great long-weekend getaway. I dream of going back there with a hammock, swimsuit and good book. Especially if you catch it during the week and have it to yourself.



The location is just amazing and the best camp site I've seen to date in Taiwan. This is mostly because of the view, lake, and freshwater source. The trail isn't bad either, a good three hours of it is on flat ground, winding in and out of evergreen forests and silver grass. It also crosses over a handful of running streams that could be made useful with one of those special filtering straws. As we learned the hard way, it's the final two hours of the trail that get you.



As we were running low on time, we hiked the lower, faster forest path to the lake. However, there is a higher mountain-way that crosses over a 2,000ish m peak. There are conflicting opinions over which way is easier, but the mountain way is most definitely longer, averaging out to about seven hours. The split in the trail for the different paths is clearly marked and easy to see. With more time, I'd have loved to try both ways, taking one in and a different one out.



The trail entrance is tucked behind a pagoda inside the Sun Link Sea Recreation Area. Campers will need to pay a $300 deposit per person upon entrance that includes overnight parking. From the resort parking lot, the trail entrance is about a 20-minute walk down the road. The pagoda is just beyond the flower center? or something like that? You'll figure it out. From the pagoda, the trail goes up into the woods, cutting over a road multiple times before letting out onto an old logging road. Follow the yellow and red tree flags.



Avoid Saturday night if possible when there can be as many as 50 to 80 people camping with tour groups. We went on a Sunday/Monday and it was perfect. There were maybe eight people total at the lake, including us.

Hot Spring Camping: Sileng Waterfall

Credit: Dustin Craft

The hot spring is nice, but the best parts of this adventure were the campsite and hike. Unlike Galahe, the trail on this one is beautiful: no stairs! The second half is almost like a miniature version of Wuliaojian with a few scrambles, jumps and repels. It’s so much fun, but exhausting especially when wearing nothing but a bathing suit in the freezing cold.

We weren’t thinking and left all the water and snacks back at camp before continuing on to the hot spring, so after an hour of mountaineering and an hour soaking in sulfurous hot water, we were beat. Upon getting back, I crawled into my tent to huddle up with water and a protein bar until (finding that I couldn’t blackmail anyone into it) felt human enough to start the stove and make some tea.

Credit: Ryan Hevern

From the trail head at the road to the hot spring is about an hour total, but the campsite is located right in the middle. It’s misleading because the first half of the trail is easy, but the second half to the hot spring is more challenging and a bit longer. There’s also a chance that being cold and dehydrated on the return trip are making it seem worse than it really was.

The hot spring itself is small, making it difficult to spread out and you’ve got to feel around for the best spot. I definitely missed the fire hot water and pools at Galahe, but it was still nice. Everything’s wild, green and beautiful. The warmest place to be is in the little crawlspace behind the waterfall. Someone can sit in there and have a private natural sulphur-infused hot box. It’s awesome, especially on a cold winter day after just crossing a freezing river.

Credit: Dustin Craft

To get to the hot spring, everyone must cross a roaring, leg-numbing river. You’re thigh high in freezing blue water doing its best to push you downstream and it’s so cold you can’t feel your feet. (That was fun.) We watched quite a few people stumble and fall completely in. (No thank you.) In the summer, it would be great though and there is a rope to hold, so no one actually gets carried away.

The campsite is nestled in the middle of the woods with large clear tent spaces and a huge fire pit. A few of us spent the following morning lazing around in hammocks, looking at trees and reading books. Our guide mentioned that this is one of the best wild campsites around and I would agree. Of course, the screaming deer that woke everyone up at 6:30 in the morning were cute, but I’d definitely rather have them than a car alarm.

Getting Around

It’s about two hours outside of Taipei down winding mountain roads. You need wheels, so of course joining up with a group is the best way to go. I went with TAO and I think they take regular trips out there. Honestly, even with my own car, I’d probably still sign up with them. It’s a good group, with good food, people and lots of fun. We cooked steak, veggies and s’mores right on the fire and ate like kings for about four hours straight till bedtime.

Hot Spring Camping: Galahe Waterfall

Photo Credit: Ryan Hevern

There’s a natural waterfall hot spring in the middle of the mountains where you can have with some quality nap time. Just snuggle up to the hot rocks and relax in the warm water while trying to figure out the difference between things you can and can’t change to the tune of the waterfall in front of you.

The waterfall itself isn’t hot, but there are two steaming small streams flanking it. Don’t touch them. They are super-hot, but create perfect bath water when mixed with the chilly mountain falls. It’s amazing that something like this formed naturally. (Thank you nature.) Spots like this actually riddle Taiwan, averaging three per county. For real, my winters just got a lot better.



Even more incredible is that the hot spring has a natural set of tiered pools. Of course, the top one just beneath the falls is the hottest, but the two below are still warm and make for nice secluded spots out of sight from people hanging out above.

Most people don’t camp, so we had the spot entirely to ourselves in the evening and then again the next morning. Surprisingly though, we weren’t the last ones out of the pools on the first day. As we were getting out and prepping for the run back to camp, a lone hiker showed up as it was getting dark. He made sure we were leaving and followed up with: “Good. I want to be naked.”

Not going to lie, the weather was miserable: constantly spitting rain and the lowest temperatures of the year, but it was perfect hot spring weather. The issue was getting to the hot spring. We had to change into our suits at camp and then bolt for the freezing river, which had to be crossed getting to and from the pools.



Being dedicated to warmth and s'mores, we all took turns nursing the fire for four hours straight before bed. We literally forced it to burn with constant fanning and tissues. The stupid thing burned through an entire log and never caught. That’s ok though. The effort kept us warm and we got our s’mores. I know at least one person in the group ate five :)

The campsite itself was cozy, surrounded by jungle and within hearing distance of the river, so we all slept to the soundtrack of running water. Apparently, lots of people had to step out of their tents during the night. It was rocky though and a few of us woke up with small mountains digging into our hips.



Also the route to the campsite was a 700? meter hell that consisted of steep sketchy, slippery switchbacks and stairs, but we did it. It took an eternity of strenuous baby steps to keep from falling on the way down and our gear got a wet, but it was worth it. Between going down and climbing back up again, none of us needed to see the inside of a gym for at least a week.

That’s it! Put the phone on airplane mode and enjoy. With river tracing in the summer and hot spring camping in the winter, Taiwan is shaping up to be a nature lover’s dream. I might not leave guys.

Getting Around

It’s two hours outside the city down a winding mountain road in Yilan, so you need your own wheels or to partner with a group. I joined Taiwan Adventure Outings and loved it. Going with them also made my pack lighter because I didn’t have to worry about food or cooking supplies. They charge a bit, but the price includes a car rental, meals and good company. Our guide, Ryan, was nice, knowledgeable and knew what he was doing, which came in handy around the time we had to carve our own chopsticks to eat with. I’ve been out with them a few times and it’s always a blast.

Wuliaojian: Mountaineering in Taipei

The two main attractions of this hike are a narrow knife ridge and the almost vertical 100 ft. rappel down it. I was terrified and said so… “That’s why we do this,” promptly replied the random hiker next to me. He’s right. This is one of Taipei’s most difficult, thrilling and popular day hikes. Emphasis on difficult as it was a strenuous five hour, full body workout, but it was fun!

The hike starts off with a quick, challenging ascent. It’s a proper climb using ropes, rocks and the occasional tree root. We loved it. It was a proper challenge that used every muscle we had without the monotonous feel of stairs. After about an hour of this, you reach the top of the ridge. On your way up, there’s a good view of Sanxia and possibly a little green snake or two.



Keep climbing. After reaching the top, the path goes up, down and then up again with lots of rope and little 30 ft. rappels. Eventually you’ll reach the first section of the knife ridge, which offers an awesome 360 degree view of Sanxia on one side and a beautiful valley on the other. Don’t stop. You’re almost to the big rappel.

Soon, you’ll reach the #5 trail marker. Here you can head up and over another ridge leading to the big rappel or cut around and go the easy way down. Do the rappel! It’s a terrifying highlight of the hike and more than likely you’ll surprise yourself. Plus, I don’t actually know where that other little side trail goes. I’m just assuming it’s an easy way down because other blogs/books mentioned there was a way to cut around the rappel.

Going into this, I thought the rappel was only 60 ft… not 100, and we’d already been doing smaller rappels, so it felt like the hike had been building up to this “do or die” moment. Luckily, there are two different rappelling options for getting off the ridge. One of which is supposed to be a bit easier than the other. The “easier” one is ever so slightly shorter and broken into three sections, whereas, the difficult one is a little longer with no breaks.  

Our group split up, with two taking the “easy” route and two going down the hard way. Everyone had fun and made it down, but it’s worth mentioning that the “difficult” route ruined the arms on one of our members. He had trouble gripping and couldn’t completely close his hand for the rest of the hike, almost falling. Not something you want to deal with in the middle of the most ropy hike you’ve ever seen.



At the bottom of the rappel, there’s an optional crag hikers can climb. It’s the most difficult rock to scale on this hike, but it’s short and offers a good view at the top. Only one of our members monkeyed his way up it and was very proud of himself. If feeling tired, it’s a good idea to skip it as you need to save energy for getting off the mountain.

After climbing or “not climbing” the crag, get back on the trail and keep descending down the mountain. There are a few more “small” (not 100 ft, but substantial) rappels and climbs, but eventually you’ll make it to the #6 trail marker. Here, hikers can choose to keep monkeying around in the woods with ropes by continuing on to Wuliaojian peak or they can choose to make a break for it and head for the exit.



Running out of water and arm strength, we bolted and followed signs for the trail entrance. We were finally free of the ropes, but ironically this is when everyone started slipping, sliding and falling on the FLAT rocks. I have no idea how we did this nor do I understand why we want to go back, but this is definitely our new favorite day hike in the Taipei area.

Getting Around

The trail head is only an half hour taxi from our apartment door 😃, making this the easiest hiking commute we’ve ever had. For the less fortunate, head to Dingpu MRT Station and from there grab a $300 NTD taxi to the trail head. Be sure to get the taxi’s number and arrange for him or her to pick you up after the hike. Supposedly, there is a bus that goes out that way, but I read that it’s unreliable and inconsistent.

Next to the trail entrance, there’s a little store where you can stock up on water (if doing the whole hike: two liters per person) and gloves (MUST HAVE THESE) if you didn’t remember to bring any. You will also have to contend with mosquitoes, so if you forgot to bring repellent maybe grab a beer as well and chug it real quick to make yourself less appetizing. This should be common sense, but if it’s raining or windy save this hike for a different day. The ridge and big rappels are completely exposed, so too much sun can also be a huge problem.

Waterfall Hunting: Wufenqi and Yuemeikeng

We have a new favorite waterfall hike. This day trip from Taipei consists of two, two-hour hikes and a total of four waterfalls. The first few at Wufenqi are meh, but the last one, Yuemeikeng, is what makes this one of Taipei’s must do day hikes. Overall Wufenqi is quite touristy with nice, neat stairs and crowds at the first two falls. Yuemeikeng is a bit different. Instead of stairs, you have zigzags, trail jumps and cascade climbing. We loved it 😍 The last bit of the trail is a piece of magical fairy land that we’ve been dreaming about since and we had it completely to ourselves.

Start your day with the Wufenqi waterfalls and get those pesky stairs out of the way. Also, the third fall will still look impressive before being dwarfed by Yuemeikeng. The first falls is a bit of a joke. The second is at least a real waterfall, but still just ok. The third is actually quite nice with a massive freefall. We were impressed. They’ve got the trail for it gated with warning signs, but both of those things are easily ignored. If anything, the experience is actually nicer because you’ll have it to yourself. When the sun is out, walk to the edge of the waterfall to see rainbow effects in the mist.

The path for Wufenqi falls is clearly marked, with signs everywhere. However, Yuemeikeng isn’t so easy. We had a hard time finding trail head and asked around only to learn that local vendors had never heard of it. The book we were using (Yes, I said BOOK.) was dated. The only thing the book and blogs agreed on was that we needed to cross a makeshift bridge at the bottom of some stairs and to all of them I say this: A barrel bridge covered in gravel and large enough to support vehicles is NOT a makeshift bridge.

This bridge marks the beginning of the trail; you’ll see it on your way to the Wufenqi Falls. It’s at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the food stalls, after the little dams. Just after crossing the bridge, go right and follow the little footpath along the river for about twenty minutes until you come to a little shrine and fork in the path: go right again. Soon, you’ll cross two bridges. After the second bridge, the trail zigzags up and away from the river.

At the top of the zigzags, there’s another fork: go left, back down toward the river. Soon, you’ll cross the stream for the first time where it’s a good idea to put on river tracing shoes. (Yes, the stream is easy to navigate, but things are about to get slippery.) You’re almost there and soon the path will spit you out into a river gorge where you’ll be able to glimpse the waterfall for the first time.

It’s a slippery, muddy, wet adventure and many of the assistance ropes are so loose that they’re more of a safety hazard than a help. The trail has also given away in a few places, requiring hikers to take really big steps or jump across. At the waterfall, you’ll need to scale a small cascade, but it’s manageable and fun. Although, getting back down is a bit of a brain game. Long legs help.

Again, we were the only ones on the trail, so we ditched our bags and tucked them safely away before wading into the gorge. That said, it’s not necessary to ditch and you don’t need any special waterproof equipment. The deepest water is about thigh height and my shorts never got wet. The biggest danger is falling, but river tracing shoes will fix that. Reading other people’s stories, I completely overreacted and packed a towel, change of clothes and triple zip-locked everything... All of which was completely UNECCESARY. That said, if I’d fallen or slipped on the cascade with my bag, I’d have a different story to tell.

Getting Around:

From Taipei City Hall Bus Station (located right next to the MRT), catch the bus to Jiaoxi. The ride takes about an hour or two in bad traffic. From Jiaoxi Transfer Station, line up for the little tourist shuttle that’ll take you to the Wufenqi bus stop. If confused or worried, just keep repeating “Wufenqi” at the attendants and they’ll literally walk you to the queue. Both buses run consistently throughout the day, at 15 to 20 minute intervals. You’ll have no problem getting around and can pay for everything using an EASYCARD. About $300 NTD will cover it. If you want to skip the shuttle bus and taxi from Jiaoxi Transfer Station to Wufenqi, you can. It’s only about ten minutes away.