Jazz Café at Taroko National Park

Taiwan – May 2023

My day trip to Taroko National Park starts in the city of Hualien in eastern Taiwan, where I arrived the day before. Of course, I am once again too spontaneous on the road and have to find out during my research on the spot, that various of the hiking trails are not accessible without special permission. Because I still would like to look at a few different place, I decide for the option of the public bus. According to the timetable, which is laid out in my hostel, a connection should leave the station in Hualien at 08:30 am.

So I go to the bus stop about 30 minutes before, where I find the exit for the bus to the national park at the long queue without problems. I buy my ticket, get in line and am lucky that the bus driver opens the gate shortly after. When I’m finally allowed to board, I grab the last seat (reminiscent of the trip to Etna Volcano), and watch as more and more passengers line the aisle. Fortunately, the air conditioning is running at full blast. Otherwise, the hour-long ride in the sardine can would be pure torture.

But this way I can relax and listen to the other hikers and have my intended exit point confirmed. When about half of the people at the visitor center at the foot of the national park climb up, I know that it is the right decision to continue up to Swallow Gorge. Together with a handful of US-Americans of Taiwanese origin, I get off at an unmarked spot and am immediately surprised with a spectacular view. There are no other tourists far and wide and I enjoy the opportunity to take undisturbed photos of the gorge and the roaring river far below us.

Then I walk north along the route cut into the rock, look around in awe and soak up every detail of this force of nature. Suddenly, the wind carries loud chatter from a Taiwanese tour group towards me. About 30 middle-aged people with white helmets are trying to find the best places for souvenir photos. The guys who got off together with me are immediately approached by them in Mandarin. To me, as the only obvious foreigner, they pay less attention.

Only one man comes up to me and asks where I am from. After the usual confusion between Sweden and Switzerland, he excitedly tells me that he has also been there and visited the Jungfraujoch. Then we part ways and I continue walking along the gorge up the mountain. The sun is already strong and I am glad for the shade of the steep rock face. At some point, I reach the end of the pedestrian path and I decide to turn back. On the way back, I take a snack break in a quiet bulge overlooking the gorge. I realize that I am on my way just in time to catch the next bus down into the valley.

So I return to the place where I got off and am glad to see 2 more people waiting there. When a bus comes I show the driver the intermediate station where I want to get off. The driver shakes his head and says only “Visitor Centre”. So I stay behind alone and hope for another bus. It arrives shortly afterwards and I enjoy the ride in the empty vehicle. On the way I consult my offline map and decide spontaneously to make a stop at the Changchun Shrine.

The view of the colorful temple in front of the green slope with the small waterfall is beautiful, but unfortunately the associated hiking trail is closed due to the rainy season. So I make my way along the main road towards Shakadang Trail. This trail starts right at the main road and is accessible on foot even from the visitor center. On the day I am there, it is definitely the most walked trail. Families, groups of seniors and also an increasing number of foreign tourists are on the flat, stony path along the Shakadangxi River.

It’s already noon and the sun is burning on my head. All I really want is to find a quiet, shady spot to eat my lunch from the 7-11 store in town. Because most of the rest areas are already occupied, I suddenly find myself at the end of the official path. Here there is a small farmer’s market where indigenous people sell their goods. Most tourists stop here. But when I see that some Taiwanese are walking further along the river, I also move on. The soundscape changes abruptly from chattering people to the loud silence of the jungle.

Crickets chirp loudly, the river roars, a woman with gray braids passes me on a rattling moped and suddenly the clouds open above me. The plum monsoon pours over the mountains and I barely find refuge under a rocky outcrop. I sit down next to a Taiwanese couple on a stone and decide to have lunch here. When the shower is over, I make my way deeper into the valley. At the river some families play with stones and a few bends later I see a picturesque bay of the river, where one reaches a natural basin over large stones.

Surprisingly, the silence of the jungle is now drowned out by a cozy jazz melody. My gaze wanders over the slope that towers above the river and I spot a sign between the trees that points to a café. I walk up the stone steps and see a small street food style kitchen to my left. Friendly smiling, the owner of the café appears and offers me tea and coffee. I decide on a homemade iced tea and the local tells me to go up the stairs. There I find a seating area covered with a tarp.

The 6 Taiwanese in hiking clothes, who are already sitting around the only table, pull an extra chair for me. I suddenly feel like I’m in some kind of parallel world. The hikers interrupt the conversation in Mandarin and one of the younger men asks me where I am from. He introduces himself as the tour guide and explains that he accompanied the older gentlemen on their 2-day hike in the mountains. Now they are on their way back to the city. During our conversation it starts to rain heavily again. One of the ladies shows concern and soon the group gets ready for the last leg. Since I have only a thin tippet and no umbrella with me, I decide to wait a short while.

I hope for a quick return of the sun and thankfully decline when one of the hikers offers me her umbrella. She herself is well equipped with rain boots, rain pants and jacket. The group says goodbye and I stay behind alone. After a few minutes, the rain subsides as I had hoped, and I also set off again. A short time later I meet the group again. It just starts to rain again and this time I accept the offer for an umbrella. I have a great chat with the tour guide and the one lady who wants to use her English slowly and thoughtfully.

I learn a lot about Taiwan, its inhabitants and the local politics. Time flies and soon we reach the visitor center soaking wet. The friendly lady asks how I got here. I explain that I took the public bus and probably soon the last connection goes back to the city. Then she goes to the guide, talks briefly with him and offers me to drive back with them. After all, there is still room in the car and the transfer is organized for them anyway. I accept with thanks, feel a little ashamed of my wet clothes and dry myself as well as I can with a terry cloth.

On the way, they all give me tips for food I should try and places that are worth seeing. Arrived before my hostel, I get out and our ways separate. This day trip seems like a dream and I am incredibly looking forward to the coming month in Taiwan.