Laomei Green Reef (老梅綠石槽)

June 17, 2018 in Photo Post, New Taipei City, Landscape, Travel

People often have a hard time understand how it is that after so many years of living in Taiwan that I’m still so eager to explore the country. I often get asked by locals and foreigners alike how it is that I’m not “bored” living here. On the contrary, I’ve always been of the opinion that even though I’m constantly on the go, there is always something new to see and more importantly to learn about.

I think one of the best things about living in Taiwan is that we are truly blessed with a well-established schedule of things to see and do on the yearly calendar. Whether its a cultural or religious event or something happening with the natural environment, there is always plenty of things for locals and tourists to enjoy or take part in.

With that being said you will have to keep a keen eye on all of the events taking place and in some cases may even have to miss out on some in order to check out others. Being able to pick and choose though is one of the great things about living here.

I often tell people that Taiwan is only ever going to be what you make of it. So, if you spend all your time partying and going to clubs, you’ll have to excuse me when I roll my eyes at you when you tell me that this is a boring country with nothing to do - There is always something to do!

Today’s blog post is about a popular landscape spot in Northern Taiwan and is a spot that I always try to visit if I can find the time. It’s also a place that has been made popular thanks to the many skilled photographers who have spent time taking beautiful photos.

Unfortunately if you want to see it, you’re going to have to pay close attention to the calendar as it doesn’t last for long!

Laomei Green Reef (老梅綠石槽)

In recent years the the Laomei Green Reef has become a popular tourist attraction along Taiwan’s beautiful North Coast. The Green Reef is situated on a beach next to the Laomei community of New Taipei City’s Shimen District (石門區).

While photographers may have played a small part in making this unique spot a popular one with tourists, its origins date back at least two hundred thousand years ago when a volcano in the Datun Mountain range (大屯火山群) erupted. The lava that spewed out of the volcano helped to form Taiwan’s North Coast into the shape that we are familiar with today.

In addition to the 700 meter long reef formed by lava, centuries of sea erosion has helped to shape the rocks into strange-looking trenches where sea water easily goes in and out with the tide.

In the early months of summer, (more specifically April and May) when the weather starts to warm up, algae from the ocean comes in with the tide and makes its home on the reef. This creates a vibrant shade of green on the rocks and is the reason why large crowds of people flock to see it.

The area is especially popular at dawn and dusk with groups of photographers who want to catch some beautiful light reflecting in the water with the vibrant green of the created by the algae.

Unfortunately the amount of time that we’re able to enjoy the “Green Reef” each year depends on the weather and the tides. If April and May are hot (like they have been this year), the algae tends to die off quickly returning the rocks to their natural colour.

This means that the period of time people are able to enjoy the Green Reef is short and can be likened to that of the blossoming season of some of Taiwan’s flowers. If you want to visit Laomei when the reef is Green you’re going to need to pay close attention and make sure you’re free in April or May to pay a visit.

While the natural lifespan of the Green Reef depends on the weather, there are also external factors that contribute to the “green” parts of the reef dying off earlier than usual.

You will notice signs on the beach in both Chinese and English that urge tourists not to walk on the reef - The signs have not only been put up for the safety of tourists, but for the protection of the reef.

The popularity of the reef in recent years has caused a bit of an issue with disrespectful tourists and photographers tramping all over the green parts of the reef killing the vegetation.

Don’t be an ass. You can easily enjoy the natural beauty of the reef without walking all over it.

One of the best ways to know when the reef has turned green is to look at “Recent Photos” for the geo-location “Laomei Green Reef” or “老梅綠石槽” on Instagram which will give you a pretty good idea of the recent conditions at the reef.

There is a lot to do on the North Coast, so if you are lucky enough to visit Laomei when the reef has turned green, you will also be able to visit many of the other tourist stops along the way as well as being able to stop by one of the fishery harbours for a feast of fresh cheap seafood!

Getting There

If you don’t have your own method of transportation, you’ll want to go to make your way to the Tamsui MRT Station (淡水捷運站) and then take bus #862, #863 or #892 and get off at the Laomei stop (老梅站

Gallery / Flickr (High Res Photos)

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Thousand Island Lake (千島湖)

May 05, 2018 in New Taipei City, Mountains, Travel, Landscape, Photo Post

Over the past few weeks there has been a considerable amount of discussion and heated debate with regard to the methods that the government has been using to promote the country as a tourist destination. The government-run social media efforts in particular have been extremely unprofessional and have likely done more harm to the nation's reputation than good.

This was all expertly pointed out by blogger Tricky Taipei in her post: "Something Very Wrong is Happening at Taiwan Tourism Bureau" which focused on a government run social media account that was full of spelling and grammatical errors. It would be easy for some to say that English isn't the native language of Taiwan, so a little leeway should be given in these matters, but in truth, the account in question was maintained by an outsourced company based in the USA, which more or less pointed to the government wasting funds.

The government has since acknowledged some of its mistakes and has promised to both improve and provide more oversight into the way it does its business, but the way the Taiwan Tourism Bureau promotes the country has always been problematic.

The picturesque national beauty of this country in addition to its beautiful cultures and traditions should be enough to attract people, but when it comes to promoting Taiwan overseas, the Tourism Bureau has traditionally only focused on the food scene or a few select locations. I'll gladly admit that the most common locations that are used are scenic, but it would be much easier to attract tourists if you let people know that there is more to Taiwan than just Taipei 101 and Stinky Tofu.

One of the most popular locations used in tourism publications is that of Taipei’s Thousand-Island Lake (千島湖) which itself is not actually a popular tourist attraction for tourists, but is I'm sure beautiful and exotic enough to entice people to visit.

I've lived in Taiwan for well over a decade and over that time I've seen hundreds if not thousands of beautiful photos of Thousand-Island Lake, but never really felt the urge to visit on my own. There are of course a few reasons for this - most importantly, I feel like this location is overdone.

I've also learned that when visiting photo hot-spots like this, you're very likely going to have to wage war against a large group of territorial old dudes with cameras who take up all the best spots. In cases like this I feel like it wouldn't be worth my time.

Over the recent extra-long Tomb Sweeping Day holiday, one of my hiking pals asked if I wanted to join her and some friends on a short day-trip to the area. I figured that since most people in Taipei had already gone south for the holidays that it was probably an opportune time to visit, so I thought why not go check it out to see what all the fuss was about.

Thousand-Island Lake (千島湖)

To start, I think its important to note that the area, which is known in English as ‘Thousand-Island Lake’ or in romanized pinyin as ‘Qiandaohu’ doesn’t actually have a 'thousand islands' nor is it even a 'lake'.

The water comes from the Beishi River (北勢溪) which flows between New Taipei City and Yilan County and is a tributary of the much larger Xindian River (新店溪). The so-called ‘islands’ are actually just submerged mountains in what is a man-made environment.

The 'lake' gets its name from a similar man-made lake in China’s North-Eastern Zhejiang Province (浙江省) which is similar in terms of landscape. China's lake however actually does have more than one thousand ‘islands’, which again are just submerged mountains from when the Xin’An Reservoir (新安水庫) was constructed in 1959.

The Taiwan version of ‘Qiandaohu’ was created in 1987 with the construction of the nation’s largest dam, the Feicui Reservoir (翡翠水庫) which supplies water to both Taipei City and New Taipei City and their almost seven million residents.

Plans for the reservoir project started in the 1970’s to solve the problem of water shortages in the north caused by severe droughts and damage caused by typhoons which often forced residents to have to go without water service for long periods of time.

The construction of the dam meant that the area where 'Qiandaohu' now exists would have to be flooded with water - The area at that time was scarcely populated, but to complete the project the government was forced to relocate over a thousand residents who resided in the now abandoned Bishan Village (碧山村).

Link: Taiwan in Time: The ‘Atlantis of Taiwan’ - Taipei Times

As usual with forced relocations or evictions in Taiwan, the government did a terrible job of forcing people out of their homes and they resisted the relocation for a number of reasons:

Most of them were dependent on the tea trade and their livelihoods were attached to the land.
Families had lived in the area for hundreds of years and their ancestors were all buried there.
The government offered little in terms of financial compensation - a battle that took until 1994 to resolve.

Today the Shiding (石碇) and Pinglin (坪林) areas continue to be an important player in Taiwan’s tea production. The area is considered to provide the perfect climate for growing Taiwan’s famous Pouchong Tea (文山包種茶) as well as Oriental Beauty Tea (東方美人茶). If you are a fan of Oolong teas, you will appreciate the hard work of the local people in the area, especially those who were relocated but persevered nonetheless.

When visiting the scenic areas of Qiandaohu, it would be difficult not to notice the terraced fields of tea which grow on almost every mountainside in the area. For tourists who want to experience Taiwan’s tea culture, I’d suggest that a trip to this area in conjunction with nearby Pinglin village would offer a much more authentic experience than a visit to the very touristy area of Maokong (貓空), which is closer to the city.

What most people are looking for from a visit to Qiandaohu is a wide view of the mountains, the terraced tea fields and the emerald green water of the river. Some think that you need to hike all the way down to riverside to get these photos, but you’d seriously be wasting a whole lot of time and energy if you did. The most iconic views of the area are from above and there are well constructed platforms in several different locations for visitors to view the beautiful landscape.

If you have access to your own means of transportation, then it will be easy to visit each spot to get photos. If you are a tourist and relying on public transportation however, you are going to have to decide how far you are willing to walk to check out the different views.

Getting There

'Thousand-Island Lake' is situated on Taipei’s notorious Number Nine highway (北宜公路) which is more or less a playground for the morons of the country who own fast cars and motorcycles. The ‘highway’ is a narrow and winding mountain road that is dangerous even without the Fast & the Furious wannabes. The road apparently averages at least one (or more) traffic fatality daily.

If you are a foreign tourist and driving either a scooter or a car on this road, you need to take extreme caution. Take your time.

If you are driving, just follow the road roads on the number nine until you reach the “Yong-An Community” (永安社區) where you’ll turn off the highway and head down the mountain.

Thankfully, Taiwan is a convenient country and you are able to make use of public transportation to get there - From the Xindian MRT station (新店捷運站) take the Green #12 bus to Shiding (石碇) to the “Shisangu” (十三股) bus stop where you get off and walk down the hill.

The walk shouldn’t take you any more than ten minutes to get to the first platform. From there its up to you if you wish to continue onto the others. Make sure to keep track of the time though and be aware of the bus schedule which takes you back into town.

Once you arrive on the hill you’ll notice detailed maps for the Yongan Trail (永安步道) which show each destination, the route and the distance.

Depending on your method of transportation, a trip to Qiandaohu can be a short stop on a day trip where you could also stop by the Shiding Old Street (石碇老街), Pinglin District (坪林), Wulai District (烏來區) or further into Yilan County. If you have to rely on public transportation however, its probably best to plan an entire day around your visit.

No matter how you get there, I'm sure you'll enjoy the beautiful scenery and will be able to take some nice photos. Be sure to share them online and help show people that there is more to Taiwan than just Taipei 101 and Stinky Tofu!

Enjoy yourself and be safe on that road!

Gallery / Flickr (High Res Shots)

Sacred Mother Trail (聖母登山步道)

April 21, 2018 in Yilan, Photo Post, Travel, Mountains, Landscape

If I've got some free time and the weather is looking good, its highly likely that you’ll find me somewhere on a mountain trail making my way to the peak of one of Taiwan’s beautiful mountains. I was always an avid outdoors person back home in Canada but since coming to Taiwan the hobby has certainly taken a life of its own thanks to all of the beautiful and accessible hikes that are available all around the country.

Before I start this post, I want to take a minute to express my gratitude to Richard Saunders, who has done so much amazing work promoting the country to the rest of the world. Richard, whom I've never actually had the pleasure of meeting has made the decision to head back to his native England after spending over two decades living in Taiwan. Like a lot of people I have all of his wonderful books on my book shelf and his work has been not only a resource for my blogging but also the inspiration for many of my weekend excursions. Thanks for everything you've done Richard and all the best for your future!

When it comes to hiking, my personal preference is for those where I get to use ropes to scale up rock faces or walk along jagged mountain ridges. There is a certain challenge and thrill to that kind of hike that makes the whole experience even more exciting and fulfilling. On the other hand, I’m much less of a fan of what I would consider the easier family-friendly style of hikes which tend to be on well-maintained trails that consist solely of concrete stairs.

I might argue that these types of hike are 'easier', but I'd be lying if I didn't say that walking up a never-ending set of concrete stairs is extremely tiring and is also a pretty good workout. The problem for me though is that the stairs on these hikes are rarely made for someone with feet the size of mine, so it makes walking up them a bit awkward.

I know that arduous five hour climb to the top of a hike like Wuliaojian (五寮尖) isn't for everyone, but I'm sure you'd agree that you'd have a much more rewarding experience doing that than you would on a hike like Taipei’s Elephant Mountain (象山) which only takes about ten minutes.

I hike for the experience, for the long walks through the forest, the peace and quiet and the enjoyable conversations I have with friends and other hikers who I meet on the trails. I don't get the same enjoyment out of a brisk walk up a set of stairs, but I can understand the appeal for some.

Over the past few months I’ve posted about a few locations around Taiwan that have gone a bit viral thanks to the help of the social media - These locations are often popular with locals, but not really as well-known with tourists and most people in the expat community.

One such location that has become popular on social media is a mountain trail in Yilan (宜蘭) which offers hikers the opportunity to take some really beautiful and photos of a landscape that is somewhat unlike what you commonly see in Taiwan. The mountain trail was always a popular one among hiking enthusiasts, but a beautiful photo from a popular Instagrammar transformed this quiet trail into a busy weekend destination.

While I think its great that young people are taking an interest in hiking, I think its important for these people to remember that when you’re making weekend plans to climb a mountain that you first do a bit of research as to what is going to be involved - Don’t just look at a photo on social media and think that its going to be a simple and short hike.

Preparation and safety are always important when it comes to hiking and of course are more important than your social media photos. Of the hikes that have become popular as of late, Jinmian Mountain (金面山) in Taipei is one where you can get away with not knowing what you're getting yourself into, but then others like Wuliaojian, Yuanzui Mountain and Stegosaurus Ridge are really dangerous, especially for those who are inexperienced hikers and have no idea what they're doing or where they're going.

The ‘Sacred Mother Hiking Trail’ in Yilan is one of those hikes that has become popular over the past few months and is one where you are certainly going to be rewarded with that viral photo to add to your collection, but you should know that it is on a trail that is going to make you work for it and is one of those trails that I mentioned above that is full of stairs!

Sacred Mother Peak (聖母山步道)

It’s safe to say that Yilan’s Sacred Mother trail is unlike any other mountain you’re going to climb in Taiwan. Not because of the hike itself, nor the amazing landscape, but because it is oddly full of Catholic imagery. If you've spent any amount of Taiwan and have visited as many temples as I have, you'll probably feel it is little surreal to see this kind of Christian religious stuff, but as usual there’s an interesting backstory to all of it.

The hiking trail is situated in Jiaoxi (礁溪) which is most well-known as a hot spring resort town as well as for its popular Wufengqi Waterfalls (五峰旗瀑布). It starts near the waterfall area and brings you up a long vertical climb of more than 700 meters to a peak which is not only a popular hiking trail but a Catholic pilgrimage site as well..

I’m not going to go into too much detail about the backstory, but the reason this trail became somewhat of a sacred place for Taiwan’s Catholics goes a little like this - In 1980 a group of hikers set off from Pinglin (坪林) in what is now New Taipei City (新北市). They hiked over the mountains passing into Yilan but along the way they got lost and as the daylight started to fade they became worried for their safety.

At this point, most Taiwanese would likely say a prayer to either Guanyin (觀音), Mazu (媽祖) or any of the other myriad of local deities for spiritual deliverance, but these guys prayed to the Virgin Mary. Luckily they chose the right spiritual figure to pray to as they claim that she appeared at the top of a nearby tree and guided them down the mountain to safety.

Source: Corpus Christi (聖體堂) - 礁溪-五峰旗聖母

Since then, the peak where the 'miracle' was said to have occurred has become a pilgrimage site with a memorial set up to honour not only Mary, but Jesus as well.

The cement steps that lead to the top of a viewing platform have fourteen plaques which depict the ‘Stations of the Cross’, imagery that is well-known among Catholics. The plaques depict the different events that took place on the last day of Jesus’s life here on Earth.

The viewing platform, which sits atop one of the mountains has a statue of Jesus on the cross in the centre and provides a beautiful 360 degree view of all the nearby mountains as well as the Lanyang Plains (蘭陽平原) and the Pacific Ocean in the distance.

Below the platform you’ll find the Sacred Mother Hut (聖母山莊) where most people stop to have lunch before heading back to the trailhead. The hut is administered by a local church and you'll likely find a group of nuns inside who take care of the grounds and do nun-related things. The hut has running water and you’ll usually find more experienced hikers sitting there eating the five course meal that they prepared with the stoves they carried up there with them.

I’m not much of a believer in miracles, but I guess if anything could be considered a miracle it would be that the area around the peak is somehow full of concrete. If I was to have any complaints about the hike, it would be that someone figured it would be a great idea to ‘add’ to the natural environment by pouring a bunch of concrete around the place.

How did they even get concrete up there in the first place?

I’ll never understand. It’s a Taiwanese miracle.

The Hike

As mentioned above, the trailhead for the hike starts near the entrance to the Wufengqi Scenic Area (五峰旗風景區). Whether you are taking public transportation or if you have your own means of transportation, most people will start the hike to the trailhead from the Scenic Area’s parking lot and walk along the river to the entrance.

If you are driving a car, parking in the parking lot is only $50NT for the day and its a lot better to leave it there than on the side of the road where you’ll get a ticket.

When you arrive at the entrance to Wufengqi you have a choice in terms of which route you want to take - One route allows you to first check out the waterfalls and eventually connects with the hiking trail. The other takes you up a steep and winding road that brings you to the newly constructed Catholic Sanctuary of Our Lady of Wufengqi church (五峰旗聖母朝聖地) which provides an excellent view of Yilan and the ocean in the distance.

Whichever route you decide to take is completely up to you - Whether you go to see the waterfalls or the church, the trail to the Sacred Mother Hut is about 5.6 km of unrelenting stairs that is sure to tire out even the best of us.

The most sought-after photo on the mountain. #SUCCESS

My Apple Watch recorded that I climbed 280 flights of stairs and walked more than 15 km on this hike. So, if you are attempting to do this one without actually first doing any proper research or wearing proper hiking attire, you’re going to regret it.

While on the trail we came across a young “Internet Beauty” (網美) wearing a cute dress and flip-flops who had to stop less than halfway through the trail. The poor girl had tears in her eyes and her mascara running as she was forced to give up due to lack of proper preparation.

Likewise I came across a group of young guys who were wearing the latest all-white and extremely expensive Nike Air Force sneakers who were doing everything they could to wipe the dirt off their shoes. I don't remember seeing them at the top.

The almost six kilometre hike to the Sacred Mary Hut should take most people around five hours to complete, but its important to note that once you pass by the hut there are other peaks that you can climb which will add to the time it takes to finish the hike.

Put your phone down and enjoy the scenery!

If you want to go as far as the Sanjiaolun Peak (三角崙山) for example, you’ll have to add at least another hour to your trip - The views from Sanjiaolun are well worth the extra time though and more interesting for someone like myself is that you’ll have to use ropes to pull yourself up a very steep mountainside to get to the peak!

The main attraction for people these days though is not actually to hike to the top, not any of the other peaks but getting a photo of themselves standing along the ridge of the mountains just below the platform.

The view which has beautiful grass-covered and somewhat untouched mountains that roll off in the distance has become a social media favourite as of late and is a scene that, if you are visiting on the weekend, you may end up having to wait in line to get a photo.

I can understand the appeal of getting photos in this spot, but the area where you stand to take the photo is so small that it is really difficult to get something that is even remotely different than any of the hundreds of others who have stood in the same spot.

I’m not particularly a fan of going places to take the exact same photo that others have already taken, but I can understand the appeal, it really is a beautiful scene.

Things to Remember

The weather in Yilan can be a bit unpredictable, so apart from wearing proper hiking shoes, its important to prepare a raincoat in case the weather takes a turn for the worse.
The peak tends to be quite windy, so even if its a hot day, you should bring a windbreaker to help you stay warm.
Make sure to bring enough water with you as well as snacks to eat at the various resting huts along the way. Like all mountains, its probably best to pack fruit or food that requires you to pack out as little garbage as possible. Remember not to leave your garbage on the mountain for others to carry out.
Start the hike early, don’t start it after midday unless you have prepared flashlights or headlamps to help you navigate the trail in the dark.
This hike is part of a very well maintained trail that has covered rest stops along the way as well as places for hikers to use the bathroom. You won’t have to worry about being stuck in the mountains and having to relieve yourself. Make sure to bring some tissue though!
After about an hour or two of hiking you’ll reach the Sacred Mother trail where there is a river and waterfalls. The trail tends to become a bit damp and can be slippery. Be careful walking up and down the stairs in this area.
Don't feed the monkeys - There are monkeys on the trail and its best not to feed them junk food.

Even though this hike is a long one that requires you to walk up a lot of stairs, its a well taken care of trail and is a popular one on weekends. Whether you are visiting to get that special photo for Instagram, for a great hike or even for a religious experience, you’re sure to enjoy your time on this one. It’s not only a great workout, but offers beautiful landscapes as your reward for a day of hard work!

Getting There

If you are taking public transportation all you have to do is catch a train to Jiaoxi (礁溪車站) and from there get on either Taiwan Bus (台灣好行礁溪線) #11 or Yilan Bus (宜蘭勁好行) #112, 113, 191, 131 all of which cost $20NT per ride.

Link: Bus Routes + Schedules

Here are a couple of bonus links to two of my most widely used English hiking pages that also covered this hike in pretty good detail: