North Coast & Taroko Gorge

Meet our representative in the early morning, we will drive you to Hualien. Before your tour guide will take to you to the world-famous Taroko National Park. Let visit TCC DAKA Taiwan Cement Corporation has set up a factory in the northernmost village of Hualien-“Peace” factory for 20 years. This is a tribe of the Taroko tribe. “The Peace factory”  is the place everyone must pass when driving on the Suhua Highway. The factory is not only a place for producing products, but also a living area, a classroom for transferring knowledge, and a museum for collecting artworks. Drive through from the archway entry to Tianxiang, this 12.5-mile (20-km) section of Central Cross-Island Highway winding through the steep marble cliffs and tunnels of the gorge will take your breath away. First, take a walk along Shakadang Trail, where the crystal clear blue water of Liwu River is running beside you. This river has cut through the marble over millions of years and created the deep, narrow gorge. After that, walk through the tunnel of Swallow Grotto, where you will enjoy a stunning view of the cliffs reaching up to the sky. The potholes on the cliff surface were created by the groundwater and the rapid stream of the river. In the past, they were the natural nesting location of swallows; hence it got the name Swallow Grotto.

Hotel: Silks Place Taroko  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Continue trail in the Taroko Gorge, stop by Cihmu Bridge (Motherly Devotion Bridge), an H-Shape hanging bridge built of marble and named by Late President Chiang Jing-guo, for a heart-touching story about a loving mother. Next, hold your breath, because this nature’s masterpiece will take your breath away. Tunnel of Nine Turns is considered as the most scenic section of Taroko Gorge, which has reopened in 2019 after years of repair work. Along the trail, you can see the meander running through the deep and spectacular canyons from high above. Also, you can have a closer look at the faults and folds of the sheer marble cliffs, as well as the vegetation on the walls. After that, you will visit Eternal Spring Shrine, which commemorates the 225 personnel (military veterans) who died during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway. Qingshui Cliff, located on the section of the Suao-Hualien Highway that stretches between Heping and Chongde stations, is one of the most spectacular sights on Taiwan’s Pacific coast. The cliff is more than 1,000 meters high and drops almost vertically into the sea. The highway snakes along its curving face more than 20 kilometers, with the sheer cliff rising on one side and a sheer drop to the ocean on the other.

Hotel: Hotel Royal Chiao His ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the morning, we will explored the 2,167-meter Old Caoling Tunnel. It was built during the Japanese Occupation as part of a railway project to ease traffic difficulties between Yilan and the greater Taipei area. Because the land is rigged, it was especially tough to build this tunnel.  The Northeast Coast and Yilan National Scenic Area Administration spent years of effort to turn the Old Caoling Tunnel into a tourist biking trail featuring the local history and culture. The bricks blocking the entrance were removed and the tunnel was reopened on August 10, 2009. Today, visitors are free to feel its rustic charm on a bike. A round bicycle tour through the tunnel is 15 to 20 minutes. Not only the biking path looks like a railway track, the tunnel lights with oil lampshades are also of a retro-style. Riding through the Old Caoling Tunnel is like riding on an early-day railway. The ride is fun and nostalgic! The biggest harbour in Northern Taiwan—Keelung, Among all the tourist attractions in Keelung, Keelung Maritime Plaza is one of the most visited. Keelung Maritime Plaza was opened in August, 2009. This place was built to a beautiful wooden deck offers a beautiful view of entire Keelung Inner Harbor. You can also see enormous cruise ships berthing alongside the wharf. On sunny days, you can take a relaxing tour to soak up the maritime ambiance, appreciate the beautiful public artworks on display, and also sit in the coffee shop and enjoy the refreshing sea air. Then stop by Guihou Fishing Port, a scenic little fishing village of leisure tourism on the north coastline. The buildings are painted with style and the waters clear. Every year during autumn in September through November, the Fishermen Market near Guihou will gather crowds competing for the delicious “Wanli Crab”. Today, Guihou Fishing Port is known for the Wanli crabs and has become one of the busiest ports along the north coast. Must try classics is the “Steamed Wanli Crab”. The most awaited stop is the Yehliu Geopark, famous for its natural rock formations which are an amazing array of artistic shapes created by erosion and other natural forces. Among the rocks, the Queen’s Head is one of the most famous ones.

Hotel: Evergreen International Hotels

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Jiufen Village, flourished in the 1940s due to the gold mining industry, even though the golden age has long gone, this small town still has lots of stories to tell. The movie “A City of Sadness” directed by award winning director Hou Hsiao-hsien, made Jiufen Village once again brought to people’s attention, and has become the most popular tourist spot in Northern Taiwan. You may take a sit in one of these unique tea shops, and enjoy a picturesque view of the town. Or stroll along the street, where you may enjoy a little shopping for the local snacks and souvenirs. If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss opportunity to try the famous local snack “Taro Balls”! Shifen is well known for the Shifen Waterfall or the little Niagara of Taiwan, a 20 meter tall waterfall that creates a rainbow as it splashes into the lake, widely regarded as the most scenic in all of Taiwan. Shifen Old Street (Sky Lantern releasing) The train station located down the river from the waterfall area, originally built for transporting coal, was built right alongside the Shifen Old Streets, and today stands as a reminder of Taiwan’s history and culture. Not far away, the Pingxi Sky Lantern area is where you can write your wish on your lantern to set into the sky. Finally, after enjoying and relaxing through nature it’s time to go back to the city and have a quick memorable time in the most iconic Taipei 101. Your tour ends with return transport to your chosen drop off location.