Taroko Gorge

No. 18, Zhongbu Cross-island highway, Xiulin Township, Hualien County, Taiwan 972

These beautiful hot springs are located several kilometres into the gorge. To get there you must drive or cycle to the parking lot and then walk down a long wooden staircase built into the cliffside. At the bottom you’ll find a quaint Japanese-style changing room. From there you cross the river on a suspension bridge and then walk down to an open marble basin filled with flowing hot water. The view from the bottom of the gorge is spectacular, the water is blisteringly hot, and the river is near enough to jump in to cool off. And the best part: it’s free.

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Wenshan Hot Springs in Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

These beautiful hot springs are located several kilometres into the gorge. To get there you must drive or cycle to the parking lot and then walk down a long wooden staircase built into the cliffside. At the bottom you’ll find a quaint Japanese-style changing room. From there you cross the river on a suspension bridge and then walk down to an open marble basin filled with flowing hot water. The view from the bottom of the gorge is spectacular, the water is blisteringly hot, and the river is near enough to jump in to cool off. And the best part: it’s free.

The Vertigo Trail, Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

This trail is actually called the Jhuliu Trail, but was dubbed the Vertigo Trail by local expat guide Richard Foster for one long section where the trail is little more than a 1 meter-wide exposed ledge 500 m above the gorge. It’s both picturesque and thrilling. This is not an easy hike. Although it’s only 10km in length, there is a steep climb of several hundred meters at the beginning, and a similar descent at the end. You should plan to spend at least four or five hours walking, and must apply for a permit at least a couple of days in advance.

Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. If you would like to report anything that’s inaccurate, let us know at notification@afar.com.

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