Taiwan

Climbing in Taiwan Is One of Asia’s Best Kept Secretes

Few people know that Taiwan offers world class rock climbing and amazing water based pursuits – which is one reason it’s so wonderful. While the west side of Taiwan contains large modern cities, the east side of the island is lined with sheer sandstone cliffs and quiet sandy beaches – making it a climbing paradise for those who love getting off the beaten-path. The east side’s sparse population and a slower paced lifestyle, makes it an ideal location for enjoying a variety of outdoor endeavors and soaking up the amazing Taiwanese culture.

Enjoy the gorgeous turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean on Taiwan’s east coast shores.

By day, LittlePo will lead a variety of outdoor activities such as rock climbing at Long Dong (aka Dragon Cave) a stunning sea cliff with rock climbing routes for all abilities. Other land based activities will include hiking the historic Caoling Trail and biking along the shimmering Pacific coast. In the warm, inviting ocean, you’re free to snorkel and swim amongst the colorful coral and with other amazing sea life. If sea kayaking in your preferred choice, paddle through the unique bays and explore small islands is another fun option. And of course you’re always free to kick back on the beach and catch some waves in the friendly surf. The choice is yours!

And there’s even more fun to be had during your adventure travel!

Evening and rest day activities will include lounging in one of the soul soothing hot springs, visiting the Sky Lantern festivals, vibrant night markets, historic temples, and of course sampling the mouthwatering culinary options of Taiwan.

So come indulge all of your outdoor passions in Taiwan’s awe-inspiring natural playground!

Pricing Details…:

Our reasonable price includes all of the in-country costs upon arrival, including the following: meals, ground transportation, lodging (camping and shared B&B style rooms), admission to museums and parks, bilingual guides, and elementary Mandarin conversational lessons. The only costs you will need to pay outside of our rate is airfare, checked baggage fees, a visa fee, travel insurance, immunization, personal snacks, alcoholic drinks, and gratuity.

We offer a tentative Itinerary that allows flexibility and personal options:

Because this trip is not a backcountry trip, there is no strict day-to-day itinerary. We’ll weave the active sports of your choice into the plan, along with with interesting evening events currently taking place.

We will also select one or two suitable day excursions as our rest day options that include some of the following: for people who want to learn more about rock climbing, our competent instructors have prepared a curriculum for class sessions; for those that want to sea kayak, options will be selected routes at the northern or northeastern shores; for day hikers, options will include beautiful trails in Yangmingshan National Park, geological hikes, historical trails, and small islet discovery.

Below we list our rock climbing curriculum and sample options for day tours and evening events during your stay in Taiwan.

Sample Day Excursions

1. Taipei Day Tour

Taipei, with its special geographic location and unique historical position, cannot be defined with simple words. Taipei is international, vibrant, and friendly; its energy and diversity attracts millions of visitors and still often brings residents pleasant surprises. During Taipei Day Tour, we will take advantage of the convenient public transportation to visit a few Taipei landmarks, explore its cultural and historical stories, taste authentic Chinese cuisine and gourmet Taiwanese snacks, and sip Kung-fu tea underneath stars.

http://taipeitravel.net/

2. Yangmingshan National Park

Yangmingshan is one of the eight national parks in Taiwan; it is located at the northern edge of the Taipei basin. It is probably best known of its flower season, and therefore it attracts the most tourists in springtime. During May to August, it is the best time to view the butterflies and Datunshan is one of the well known places to see some of the 168 different species of butterflies in northern Taiwan (ref. wikipedia). Other places worth visiting include Menghuanhu, Qixingshan, Qingtiengang etc. Yangmingshan is also one of the best places to see the night view of Taipei city. A bath in a hot spring can be easily incorporated to this day tour.

http://www.ymsnp.gov.tw/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yangmingshan

3. National Palace Museum

If you come to Taiwan, you cannot miss National Palace Museum. It has a permanent collection of over 600 thousand pieces of Ancient Chinese artifacts and artworks. It is said that only 1% of the collection is displayed at a given time, and it takes one more than 40 years to possibly see all the items. Visiting National Palace Museum gives one a glance of over 5,000 years of Chinese history.

http://www.npm.gov.tw/

4. Northern Shore Geological Tour

Taiwan is a so-called ecological and geological classroom. There are more than 250 peaks which are more than 3,000 meters (~10,000 feet) high. Its climate and a variety of terrains make the island home to abundant animal and plant life. Along the northern shore, unique landscape and geological features caused by active sea and wind erosion are everywhere. We will visit and study many formations, including Tofu rocks and the famous soon-to-be-history Queen’s Head in Yehliu Geological Park. A stroll in an old mining town featured in the movie Bei Qing Cheng Shi can be incorporated in this day tour. Bei Qing Cheng Shi (A City of Sadness) won the Golden Lion Award of Venice Film Festival in 1989.

http://www.northguan-nsa.gov.tw/
http://www.ylgeopark.org.tw/

Taiwanese Short Activities Also Available

During this amazing stay in Taiwan, KAF wants to provide you with as many rich experiences as possible. So we’ve also included these side hikes and evening events to choose from (usually lasting two or three hours in duration). Evening events are as follows: Pingxi Sky Lantern, Jilong Miaokou, Beitou hot springs and KTV. Side hikes typically include a hand-picked hike in Taipei County like the historical Caoling trail, Bitoujiang trail, Longdongjia trail, etc.

http://www.taiwan.net.tw/
http://www.forest.gov.tw/
http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002040

Rock Climbing Progression in Taiwan

Session I:
Introduction to gear and basic climbing knots. Climbing movement overview. Proper belay techniques. Climb on top ropes.

Session II:
More knots. Anchor cleaning. Rappelling. Sling craft and easy anchors. Advanced climbing movements. Introduction to types of holds.

Session III:
Belay a leader. Lead theory. Gear in depth. Gear placement. Anchor building. Route following and cleaning.

Session IV:
Anchor building. Sport leading versus traditional leading. Mock leads.

Session V:
Lead climb. Multi-pitching. Self Rescue.

Words from Past Participants of Rocking the Pacific:

“I had a fantastic time climbing with LittlePo at Long Dong, Taiwan!  The climbing was beautiful and varied, and the instructors were super accomplished climbers and inspiring teachers. On the cultural side, I enjoyed having LittlePo’s insider perspective when visiting the mountain and beach villages, night markets, and hot springs.  And the food was delicious!  I would highly recommend this trip to any of my friends looking for an active adventure and cultural immersion.” – Heather Buchholz

Related Links and Articles:

• Photo Album of Rocking the Pacific
• Ten Must-Dos in Taiwan, Part I & Part II
• Taiwan Rock Climbs – Long Dong, Where the Dragon Resides

If you have any questions,feel free to contact us!

Want to checkout another amazing Asian climbing holiday? We offer custom itineraries and group climbing trips to Thailand too! Take a look at our Thai rock climbing vacations! 

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