![\"Cisingtan](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg\")
<\/a>Midway down the eastern shoreline of Taiwan is the city of Hualien.\u00a0 It\u2019s just a short, under-an-hour flight from Taipei and you\u2019ll find yourself next to lush green hills that parallel the seashore. This makes a perfect setting for the Cisingtan Scenic Bike Trail.<\/p>\nThe trail isn\u2019t very long. It can be ridden one-way in about an hour. To the north is a fishing operation where people come to watch large fishing boats transfer their catch to smaller Zodiacs who then rush their loads to the beach. A waiting construction road grader catches their ropes and pulls them up onto the beach. From here, the fish are loaded on trucks and whisked off to market.<\/p>\n
In the center of the trail, just off the tour bus parking lot, you\u2019ll find a bike rental shop with bikes for hire and accessories to make your ride more fun. As you leave the rental center, head south for 100 yards and you\u2019ll discover one of the most expensive bike paths I\u2019ve ever seen.<\/p>\n
For maybe a quarter mile, the bike path is paved with marble bricks of yellow, blue, greys and greens. Be careful however if there is any moisture in the air, as these can be rather slick when wet.<\/p>\n
As you reach the southern end of the trail, you\u2019ll encounter a couple switchbacks, winding your way up to the top of a cliff overlooking a crescent shaped bay and the Pacific. When the path gets too steep, there are stairs set in the middle of two ramps, such that you walk up the steps and roll your bike up the ramps.<\/p>\n At the top, Taiwan\u2019s military forces had a great view of the horizon during the war. Now, in peace time, the bike path takes you to the lighthouse and a parking lot overlooking the ocean.<\/p>\n For more photos of Cisingtan Bikeway, click here. [Slideshow]<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Taroko Gorge<\/strong><\/p>\n In the 60\u2019s, the government decided a road should be built through the gorge for a tourist attraction and hundreds of men rappelled from the cliffs with hand drills and dynamite to cut a path large enough to drive through. 226 men lost their lives during the construction and a memorial shrine was built in their honor just inside the park entrance. With a waterfall emanating from its base, the shrine is one of the most photographed locations in the park.<\/p>\n When the Japanese occupied the island, they built numerous tunnels through the mountains.\u00a0 Today, these tunnels along with some suspension bridges allow hikers to reach remote areas of the parks with some beautiful waterfalls. With a stroke of luck maybe you\u2019ll see the local monkeys, black bear or bobcat-sized cats.<\/p>\n The Swallow Grove Trail is doable by anyone and takes you through the tunnels on a paved road. Stop and look into the gorge to see the giant pock marks in the marble walls that are now home to fleet-winged swallows.<\/p>\n Both hostels and high end accommodations are available in the park for a great weekend stay. When you leave, if you take Route 8 to the east, you\u2019ll climb to the highest drivable point in Taiwan \u2013 3,275 meters. It\u2019s here in Wuling that the annual King of the Mountain bike race ends. Starting at Cisingtan and ending here, it\u2019s a 100 kilometer race that ends with a 30 degree climb for the last 10 kilometers or more. Gruelling.<\/p>\n For more photos of Taroko Gorge, click here. [Slideshow]<\/em>\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n More stories from Taiwan:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n The north coast of Taiwan for scenic beauty and succulent seafood<\/a><\/p>\n Taiwan, the perfect choice for biking, cuisine and natural wonders<\/a><\/p>\n Best Place to Bike \u2013 Taiwan<\/a><\/p>\n Taiwan\u2019s mineral springs and why you\u2019ll love them<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Follow Doug Bardwell on\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>,\u00a0\u00a0Twitter,\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Google+<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cisingtan Scenic Bike Trail Midway down the eastern shoreline of Taiwan is the city of Hualien.\u00a0 It\u2019s just a short, under-an-hour flight from Taipei and you\u2019ll find yourself next to lush green hills that parallel the seashore. This makes a perfect setting for the Cisingtan Scenic Bike Trail. The trail isn\u2019t very long. It can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5389,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","cos_headline_score":0,"cos_seo_score":0,"cos_headline_text":"","cos_headline_has_been_analyzed":false,"cos_last_analyzed_headline":[],"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[500,3660,1780,223,1779,1216,1251,1782,612,1778,1783,204,1781,1432],"class_list":["post-5381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","tag-biking","tag-cycling","tag-gorge","tag-hiking","tag-holiday","tag-restaurant","tag-seafood","tag-seashore","tag-taiwan","tag-tourist-attraction","tag-trail","tag-vacation","tag-valley","tag-waterfalls"],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?fit=150%2C112&ssl=1",150,112,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?fit=300%2C225&ssl=1",300,225,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"rpg_gallery_admin_thumb":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"rpg_gallery_thumb":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"gb-block-post-grid-landscape":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1",600,400,true],"gb-block-post-grid-square":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"et-pb-post-main-image":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=400%2C250&ssl=1",400,250,true],"et-pb-post-main-image-fullwidth":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"et-pb-portfolio-image":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=400%2C284&ssl=1",400,284,true],"et-pb-portfolio-module-image":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=510%2C382&ssl=1",510,382,true],"et-pb-portfolio-image-single":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"et-pb-gallery-module-image-portrait":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=400%2C450&ssl=1",400,450,true],"et-pb-post-main-image-fullwidth-large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"et-pb-image--responsive--desktop":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"et-pb-image--responsive--tablet":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"et-pb-image--responsive--phone":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=480%2C270&ssl=1",480,270,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":" Cisingtan Scenic Bike Trail Midway down the eastern shoreline of Taiwan is the city of Hualien.\u00a0 It\u2019s just a short, under-an-hour flight from Taipei and you\u2019ll find yourself next to lush green hills that parallel the seashore. This makes a perfect setting for the Cisingtan Scenic Bike Trail. The trail isn\u2019t very long. It can be ridden one-way in about an hour. To the north is a fishing operation where people come to watch large fishing boats transfer their catch to smaller Zodiacs who then rush their loads to the beach. A waiting construction road grader catches their ropes and…<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"Travel<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"Doug","url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/author\/admindoug\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","author_meta":{"display_name":"Doug","author_link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/author\/admindoug\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?fit=300%2C225&ssl=1","featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"Doug","author_link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/author\/admindoug\/"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Cisingtan-4406.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Travel<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Travel<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["biking<\/a>","cycling<\/a>","gorge<\/a>","hiking<\/a>","holiday<\/a>","Restaurant<\/a>","seafood<\/a>","seashore<\/a>","Taiwan<\/a>","tourist attraction<\/a>","trail<\/a>","Vacation<\/a>","valley<\/a>","waterfalls<\/a>"],"unlinked":["biking<\/span>","cycling<\/span>","gorge<\/span>","hiking<\/span>","holiday<\/span>","Restaurant<\/span>","seafood<\/span>","seashore<\/span>","Taiwan<\/span>","tourist attraction<\/span>","trail<\/span>","Vacation<\/span>","valley<\/span>","waterfalls<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":0,"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 13 years ago","modified":"Updated 12 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on May 28, 2013","modified":"Updated on June 19, 2014"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on May 28, 2013 7:33 pm","modified":"Updated on June 19, 2014 2:47 pm"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p21Ejy-1oN","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5399,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/enjoy-sun-moon-lake-by-land-bike-boat-or-from-the-air\/","url_meta":{"origin":5381,"position":0},"title":"Enjoy Sun Moon Lake by land, bike, boat or from the air","author":"Doug","date":"May 30, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Sun Moon Lake has been drawing tourists since 1999, when it was reconstructed into a National Scenic Area after a major earthquake. It is now a 9,000 hectare vacation mecca for Taiwanese and international tourists alike. The largest alpine mountain lake in all of Taiwan, it\u2019s perfectly located at almost\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Biking on Sun Moon Lake","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Sun-Moon-Lake-2060.jpg?fit=600%2C399&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Sun-Moon-Lake-2060.jpg?fit=600%2C399&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Sun-Moon-Lake-2060.jpg?fit=600%2C399&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":106691,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/best-places-to-bike-taiwan-updated-2024\/","url_meta":{"origin":5381,"position":1},"title":"Best places to bike \u2013 Taiwan – updated 2024","author":"Doug","date":"February 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"If there\u2019s a country that \u201cgets\u201d biking, it\u2019s Taiwan. maybe the world\u2019s biking paradise. With phenomenal bike paths, natural parks, bike hotels and even bike coffee shops, this country offers more ways to enjoy your bike.","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/111110IMG_1573-960x340.jpg?fit=960%2C340&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/111110IMG_1573-960x340.jpg?fit=960%2C340&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/111110IMG_1573-960x340.jpg?fit=960%2C340&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/111110IMG_1573-960x340.jpg?fit=960%2C340&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6188,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/tainan-where-taiwan-started\/","url_meta":{"origin":5381,"position":2},"title":"Tainan, where Taiwan started","author":"Doug","date":"August 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"When you want to get to the heart of Taiwan, a great place to start is Tainan, Taiwan\u2019s oldest city. During Imperial times, this was the capital of Taiwan. Today it is the fifth largest city on the island. To get the best sense of life in the olden times,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chihkan Tower","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Chihkan-Tower-9.jpg?fit=600%2C398&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Chihkan-Tower-9.jpg?fit=600%2C398&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Chihkan-Tower-9.jpg?fit=600%2C398&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9768,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/top-15-ways-play-southern-delaware\/","url_meta":{"origin":5381,"position":3},"title":"Top 15 ways to play in Southern Delaware","author":"Doug","date":"July 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Delaware won\u2019t win any awards for being biggest, but they sure could rack up the awards for outdoor activities. From birding to biking, from sailing to surfing and from water activities to wildlife viewing, Delaware has endless opportunities to get outside and enjoy the best of Mother Nature. They've even\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Delaware-8497.jpg?fit=1024%2C558&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Delaware-8497.jpg?fit=1024%2C558&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Delaware-8497.jpg?fit=1024%2C558&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Delaware-8497.jpg?fit=1024%2C558&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5359,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/biking-around-taiwan\/","url_meta":{"origin":5381,"position":4},"title":"Biking around Taiwan","author":"Doug","date":"May 23, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Back in Taiwan, in search of some of their most beautiful biking and sightseeing areas. Hit the subscribe button (on the right) and get all the posts for the next week with slideshows of all the sights. \u00a0 Our first stop was Taipei City where a network of bike paths\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Keelung River bikeway","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Taiwan-4222.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Taiwan-4222.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Taiwan-4222.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5472,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/narrow-door-cafe-eat-too-much-and-youll-never-leave\/","url_meta":{"origin":5381,"position":5},"title":"Narrow Door Cafe, eat too much and you\u2019ll never leave","author":"Maureen","date":"June 5, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Some places are difficult to find, but once you do, you can usually get in with no problem.\u00a0 The Narrow Door Cafe is just the opposite.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy enough to find \u2013 it\u2019s directly across the street from one of Tainan\u2019s main attractions \u2013 the Confucius Shrine. The challenge is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Narrow Door Cafe in Tainan, Taiwan","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Narrow-Door-Cafe-2384.jpg?fit=600%2C399&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Narrow-Door-Cafe-2384.jpg?fit=600%2C399&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Narrow-Door-Cafe-2384.jpg?fit=600%2C399&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5381"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5381\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5389"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a>Heading further south on the trail, you\u2019ll pass the Hualien Airport which is also the base for Taiwan\u2019s Air Force. With a little luck you\u2019ll see their F-16\u2019s taking off for maneuvers. \u00a0Look quick or they\u2019ll be in the clouds before you know it.<\/p>\n<\/a>Moving north along Highway 9, keep your eyes out for the entrance to the left into Taroko Gorge, entry point for Taroko National Park. Taroko Gorge is an amazing valley with mountains of marble on either side of the roadway. Eroded through millions of years, the marble is pocked and polished in some of the strangest configurations.<\/p>\n<\/a>The Water Curtain trail is also doable by most everyone. If you can keep your balance, crossing some water splashed rocks, you\u2019ll use your flashlights to illuminate the inside of a cave where water is pouring from the ceiling. Oh yes, you\u2019ll want a poncho for this part of the hike because you will get wet.<\/p>\n