Sandiaoling is a small station along the Pingxi Railway in Ruifang District of New Taipei, near Shuoren Village that was once reliant on coal mining. Officially the first station along the Pingxi Line, it is popular with hikers for nearby trails to waterfalls. The village also has a few historical sites such as the defunct Sandiao Mine and the abandoned Shuoren Elementary School. There are also quite a few tea and coffee shops here, perfect for resting hikers to relax. Sandiaoling Station is the only train station in Taiwan that is inaccessible by car; it can only be reached by foot. 

Background:
​The name Sandiaoling Comes from the Spanish name Santiago, which was the name the Spanish gave to the of the nearby Fulong Village and Santiaogo Cape in when they landed there in 1626. Sandiao is the Taiwanese transliteration of Santiago.
During the Qing Dynasty, Sandiaoling was also a town along the Danlan Old Trail that connected Taipei to Yilan. 
The Pingxi Line was completed in 1921 by the Japanese for coal transport, and opened to travelers in 1929.
The reason that Sandiaoling Station is inaccessible by road is that originally it was only meant as a stop for railway workers who were directing trains at the fork here. Trains from Sandiaoling can either go up the Pingxi Line or travel on to Yilan. Another reason is that the Keelung River acts as a natural barrier to the nearest road.
In 1968, another track was added between Houtong Station and Sandiaoling Station, so as to prevent train accidents, as Sandiaoling is a convergence of the Pingxi and Yilan lines. 
Coal mining at Sandialing stopped in the 1980s with the decline of the coal industry in Taiwan.
In 2018, there were an average of 86 passengers per day to Sandiaoling Station. 

Hours:
24/7 （first train comes at about 5:30 AM, last train leaves at about 10:30 PM, with one train coming every half hour or so)

How to get there:
By Train: Take the TRA to Ruifang Station, and then switch to the Pingxi Railway line. Get off at Sandiaoling Station, and you have arrived!
By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 2 east toward Pinglin, then get off the main highway once you reach Shuangxi. You then need to take highway 102 past Mudan (牡丹) and then turn left onto Houmu Public Road (侯牡公路), take it to the end and you will reach Shuoren Village near Sandiaoling Station (you then need to walk about 5 mintues to get the station). 

Map:
Please see below:

In an area full of majestic waterfalls, Sandiaoling's Three Tiered Waterfall Trail near Sandiaoling Station could be the most spectacular, with three large waterfalls over 30 meters tall in a row next to each other. 

Background:
There are many waterfalls along the Keelung River valley which runs through Pingxi and Ruifang; this is due to easily eroding sedimentary rock that makes up the terrain, which also makes for odd shapes and holes along rivers.
The Sandiaoling waterfalls lie on a tributary of the Keelung River, in a mountain valley above the former mining village of Sandiaoling. 
Coming from Sandiaoling, the first waterfall you will see on the trail is Hegu Waterfall (合谷瀑布) which consists of two falls, the higher falls are 25 meters high and 9 meters wide, and the lower falls are 15 meters high and 6 meters wide. 
The second or middle waterfall is Motian Waterfall (摩天瀑布) which is 41 meters tall and 7 meters wide; it perhaps the tallest waterfall along the Pingxi Railway.
The third or highest waterfall along the trail is Pipa Waterfall (aka Pipadong Waterfall 枇杷洞瀑布), and is about 31 meters high. 

Difficulty: 
This hike is moderately challenging; the whole hike take about an hour or two but there are ropes, chains, and ladders along the way, making for some gnarly climbs near the the top two waterfalls. 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

How to get there:
By Train: Take the TRA to Ruifang Station, and then switch to the Pingxi Railway line. Get off at Sandiaoling Station, then walk along the tracks to Shuoren Elementary School (碩仁國小); the trail starts at the entrance of the school. 
By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 2 east toward Pinglin, then get off the main highway once you reach Shifen. Then take highway 106 to Wufenliao (五分寮), and take the road down to the trail head, where there is plenty of free parking. From here the first waterfall you will come across is Pipadong Waterfall (coming down from above). You can also drive to Sandiaoling Station and use the directions above.  

Map:
Please see below:

Dahua Station is one of the smallest, most remote, and less visited train stations on the Pingxi Railway. There are almost no commercialized attractions, but that has also made it a pristine nature area popular with hikers. Nearby one can see natural sites such as the Dahua potholes, waterfalls, forests, and wildlife, as well as historical mining sites. 

Background:
Dahua Station was completed in 1956, 35 years after the Pingxi Railway itself was completed. Its main purposes at the time was to ship coal and other mining materials from the nearby coal screening facility and also provide transportation for mine employees. 
In 1990, coal production at Dahua station stopped along with the gradual demise of the coal industry in Taiwan, due to low coal import prices and safety issues. 
In 1994, a small platform was built for tourists. 
Dahua station is unmanned. As of 2018, only an average of 18 people per day visited the station.  
Popular attractions near the train station include the Dahua Potholes, Cukeng Falls, Youkeng Falls, and Youkeng trail that connect Dahua Station to Sandiaoling Station. 

A lot of visitors mistakenly stop at Dahua Station while trying to walk to Shifen Waterfall. This is a mistake! It is a really long walk to Shifen Waterfall. You are best to just wait an hour for another oncoming train. 

Hours: 24/7 （first train comes at 5:32 AM, last train leaves at 10:30 PM, with one train coming every half hour or so)

How to get there:
By Train: Take the TRA to Ruifang Station, and then switch to the Pingxi Railway line. Get off at Dahua Station, and you have arrived!
By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 2 east toward Pinglin, then get off the main highway once you reach Shifen, then cross to the south of the Keelung River and take the Dahua Agricultural Road all the way to the end where you will find the station. There is no road that directly connects to Sandiaoling. 

Map:
Please see below:

Orchid Island (not to be confused with the Fijian Island of the same name), known in the the local Tao language as Ponso No Tao (Island of the people), and in Chinese as Lanyu (蘭嶼) is a secret indigenous people's paradise off the southeastern coast of Taiwan. It is different than any other place in Taiwan, and has the best preserved indigenous culture anywhere in the country. If Taiwan's best tourist activity is experiencing the culture of Taiwan's indigenous peoples, then Lanyu has the best tourist experience anywhere in Taiwan.

Background:
History:
Orchid Island became inhabited about 800 years ago by the Tao indigenous people (達悟族) (aka Yami people 雅美族, which is a name coined by the Japanese, but the native people prefer Tao), which are thought to have traveled from the Batanes Islands in the Philippines , which are a little less than 200 KM away, cut off by the Bashi Channel. However Orchid Island is very different than the Philippines.
Beginning in1644, some Dutch Sailors were sent to investigate the island, and some settled there among the natives. Because of this, the Island was known as Red Head Island (紅頭嶼) by the Chinese and the Japanese.
After the Dutch were defeated in Taiwan, Lanyu was claimed but not controlled by the Qing Dynasty.
The Japanese claimed the Island shortly after the Sino-Japanese War in 1895, but protected it as an "ethnological research site" and forbid outsiders from entering.
After the Republic of China took over Taiwan following the end of WWII, they continued to ban visitors to the island until 1967, after which tourists were allowed to enter and public schools were built there.
​Christian missionaries began preaching and living on the island starting in the 1950s, and now basically all native people on the island are Christian (mixed with traditional beliefs). However Christianity was introduced much earlier starting with the Dutch in the 1600s although to a lesser extent. 
In 1982 a nuclear waste storage plant was built on the south side of the Island without the islanders consent, causing protests from the inhabitants. Also because of this, the Island inhabitants receive free electricity.
The island is volcanic in nature, with the last major eruption being over 5 million years ago. The highest mountain is 552 meters (1,811 feet).
Currently there are 2,400 people permanently living on the island, 90% of them being of native Tao descent. 
Tao Culture:
The Tao people number in about 2,000 living on Orchid Island, with about another 2,000 living on the Taiwan mainland. The Tao people rely on the sea for survival, and much of their traditions and lifestyle is centered on fishing. 
The Tao people are mostly Christian but also still practice many of their traditional beliefs. However their ancestral religion included a pantheon of Gods. 
Traditional roles for men are fishing while roles for women include harvesting taro and sweet potato and weaving. The men usually fish at night or early morning and rest on traditional wooden platforms during the day.
Boats are made from planks of wood and are painted with red, white, and black. The boat usually has human figures, waves, and the traditional sun image (red and black circles and sun rays) which is said to warn off evil spirits. Boats are considered sacred and the ultimate human creation. There is also a launching ceremony for new boats in which traditional clothes and headgear (such as silver helmets for men and wooden hats for women) are worn, pigs are slaughtered, and the boat is lifted into the air multiple times before being set in the water. Traditional clothes include loin cloths and vests for men, and aprons and vests for women. Young people on the street usually do not wear traditional dress.
Flying Fish Festival:
There are three basic seasons on Lanyu: one is the flying fish season when flying fish can be easily caught and used in and lasts from February to May. The other seasons are from May to October and October to February, when flying fish cannot be caught for ceremonial use. There are many taboos during flying fish season which are discussed below. 
The Flying Fish Festival lasts from aboutMarch to October when flying fish are caught. During this time many ceremonies take place such as for the beginning of the festival, plentiful harvest, etc. During the festival, there are multiple migrations of flying fish species near Lanyu. There are many taboos during this time, especially when it comes to catching and eating flying fish which are the main life source of the Tao people. 

Weather and Climate:
The island has a tropical rain forest climate, with average high temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees year round. The rainy months are in summer, especially due to Typhoons, but the most sunny days are also in summer (expect a lot of sun), and the most rainy days are in winter. Summer is the tourist season, but spring and fall are also popular times to visit. Winters are said to be dreary, cold, and have constant northeastern winds that can stop airplanes and ferries from departing to the island.

When to go:
The best time to go they say is around May when it is not too hot and there are no northeasterly winds or typhoons which can cancel your transportation to the island.
​Typhoon season lasts from around June to October. The busy season is during summer break from June to August, during which time it can be hard to book a hostel or airplane ticket. Winter is the less crowded season, but the water will be cold, there will be constant wind (which could cancel transportation), and it will rain more often. 

Taboos:
General Taboos:

• Do not take pictures of or enter any of the underground houses without permission.
• Do not use any of the resting pavilions without permission, and if you are given permission take off your shoes before entering.
• Do not visit schools when they are in session.
• Do not speak loudly or shout while inside the villages.
• When villagers are performing traditional rituals, watch from a distance and keep quiet.
• Do not touch or enter into traditional canoes
• Do not disturb the ecology or habitat when snorkeling, hiking, etc.
• Do not bring any plants or animal parts with you when you leave Lanyu.

Flying Fish Season Taboos (February to June):

• Do not take photos or get near the fisherman or catch when they are coming ashore
• Do not touch or get into canoes to take photos.
• Women should keep away from canoes due to traditional beliefs.
• Do not bring oranges to beaches or harbors or give oranges as gifts, as this is believed to be a curse.
• Do not ask the fisherman what they are doing, this is thought to bring them bad luck for their catch.
• Do not try to fish without asking locals the proper time and place to do so.
• Avoid swimming and snorkeling in or near traditional fishing harbors. Always ask your hostel owner or other locals where it is okay to swim and snorkel.
• Do not fish for flying fish especially using nets or motor boats
• Do not harm or remove coral

Basic Courtesy:

• Know the taboos above before coming to Lanyu.
• Do not photograph local people or things without permission.
• Come to Lanyu with an open mind, and try to understand and sympathize with the people’s culture and way of life.

How to get there:
By Plane:
The only planes to and from Orchid Island come from Taitung.
Flight times: As of the time of this blog, there were six flights per day byDaily Air Corporation from about8 AM to 4 PM (Please note their website is only in Chinese). The flight from Taitung to Lanyu takes about 25 minutes. Please note that the aircraft are small and flights can be  cancelled due to high winds or unfavorable weather. 
Costs: NT 1428 to Lanyu and NT 1360 from Lanyu. 

By Boat:
There are two places that offer ferry rides to Lanyu: Houbihu Harbor (恆春後壁湖漁港） in Pingtung and Fugang Harbor in Taitung (臺東富岡漁港). There are also two ferry companies that operate at both harbors. Both companies leave from both harbors at the same time and arrive at the same time for the same price (2300 NT per person round trip).
Ferry Boat costs:
2300 NT per person round trip from both Taitung or Pingtung. Both ferry companies have the same price.
Ferry Boat Times:
7:30 AM departure, 9:30 AM arrival to Lanyu.
1:00 PM departure, 3:00 PM arrival to Lanyu.
10:00 departure from Lanyu, 12:00 arrival to Taitung or Pingtung.
3:30 PM  departure from Lanyu, 5:30 PM arrival to Taitung or Pingtung.
Both ferry companies depart and arrive at the same time to both locations. 

Getting around the island:
Rent a scooter! The island is small so you should not need to rent a car. You can rent bicycles but you will not be able to travel as fast. You can also hire a driver to take you on tours.
Ask your hostel for more rental information. They can help you book a rental in advance.

Scooter Rental:
Price: expect 500 NT per day.
Be sure to book your rental in advance, especially during summer weekends. Ask for help from your hostel owner if needed.
I am 100% percent certain you do not need a Taiwan local license to rent scooters here, however they may ask for an international license (but I'm fairly sure they will let you rent without one).
Helmet wearing is not enforced at all as you will quickly find, but it's still the law.
Also be careful to not hit any goats because they wander as they please.
There is only one gas station next to Kaiyuan Fishing Harbor.

Car Rental:
Price: expect 2000 NT per day.
Don't rent a car unless you absolutely need to. Renting scooters should be sufficient for most travelers.

Accommodation:
Booking accommodation on the island can be difficult in summer months and on weekends, when rooms can be fully booked for months in advance. AirBnb has the most choices, however there is also a nice selection on Booking.com. Here is a list of every registered hostel on the island, but it is in Chinese.
​My hostel required that I pay for my room in advance via bank wire transfer (this may not be an option if you are a foreign traveler, so make sure they accept credit cards if you do not have a Taiwan bank account).
Expect to pay 2000 - 4000 NT per night for a standard double room on Lanyu. 

Map:
​Please see below:

Pingxi Crags are a set of hiking trails that traverse steep mountain peaks and rock cliffs in the mountains south of Pingxi Village. The sedimentary rocks here stick out of the forest at the tops of the mountains, making for great views but also dangerous climbs. 

Background:
The rock formations that form the Pingxi crags hike formed as sediment under the ocean millions of years ago and were then uplifted thanks to the collision of the Eurasian and Phillipine plates. The rocks are mainly sedimentary and are part of the same formation that forms the special rock formations on the northern coast around Keelung.
The area also has some coal deposits, and there is an abandoned mine on the trail. 
There are basically six main peaks along the Pingxi Crags trail: Xiaozishan (孝子山), Cimu Peak (慈母峰), Cien Peak (慈恩嶺), Putuoshan (普陀山), Choutoutshan (臭頭山) and the Zhongyangjian Peak (中央尖)  which is the highest peak in that chain of mountains. 
Xiaozishan is 140 (459 feet) above sea level.
Much of the climbing is medium to difficult, and includes rock scrambling and rope climbs up steep cliffs with carved steps and footholds, as well as ladder crossings and chain ladder climbs in some places.
The area is popular with hikers and can get busy on the weekends. 

Hours:
24/7

Permits Required:
None

Duration:
The trail is technically 1.6 KM to Zhongyanjian, but it could take you most of the day because the hike is steep and there is lots of rope climbing. The difficulty here is medium because you are not gaining tons of elevation but there are some really scary rope climbs, rock scrambling, and near vertical rock climbs in some places. 

When to go:
On a sunny dry day. The rocks can get slippery and a fall on some of the trails could kill you. 

When not to go:
Don't go when it is raining. You could slip right off a cliff to your death, plus it will be cloudy with no good views. Don't bring children under 12 years old. 

How to get there:
By Train: Take the TRA to Ruifang Station, and then switch to the Pingxi Railway line. Get off at Pingxi Station, and then walk south past the river toward the mountains. The trailhead starts right to the right of the public bathroom.
By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 2 east toward Pinglin, then get off the main highway once you reach Shifen. Then turn right and go west on county road 106 until you reach the Pingxi Old street and turn left up the mountain after you reach the Taiwan Power Company. There is a parking lot and trail head at the end of the road. 

Maps:
You can check out the full trail map here or here. 
For the location of the start of the trail, please see below:

Wanggu Waterfall is a less known set of four waterfalls near Wanggu Station on the Pingxi Railway Line, located in Pingxi District of New Taipei. The short hike from Wanggu Station will take you to a series of waterfalls, with the second waterfall being the biggest. The trail is a pleasant hike and also a relaxing place to swim. 

To read a great blog about this place in Chinese, check Willy Chang's incredibly extensive blog of the area here, from which I have pulled some information. 
我不會把這篇翻成中文因爲“放羊的狼”已經寫了一篇更完整的中文部落格在這裡。

Background:
The Pingxi Railway was completed in 1921 during the Japanese Era of Taiwan mainly to transport coal in the area. Wanggu Station was completed in only 1972 as the coal industry was gradually declining. It is an unmanned station, where you are on your honor to buy a ticket and the station you get off at because there is no one working at the station (or use an Easy Card). Wanggu Station was originally named Qinghe Station "慶和車站" after the main coal mine right next to it, but was later named to Wanggu Station in 1989.  
There is a broken suspension bridge near the train station, nemed Qinghe Suspension Bridge (慶和吊橋) that used to ship coal from another mine across the Keelung River before it was brought to Wanggu Station. 
By the 1990's, Taiwan's coal mining industry was in decline, and it was hard to produce cheap local coal. 
As of 2017, there was an average of 18 people a day arriving or leaving from Wanggu Station. 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

How to get there:
By Train: Take the TRA to Ruifang Station, and then switch to the Pingxi Railway line. Get off at Wanggu Station, and then walk west down the road up the bridge and over the train tracks, you will see the trail to the waterfall at the top of the bridge. 
By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 2 east toward Pinglin, then get off the main highway once you reach Shifen. Then turn right and go west on county raod 106 until you reach the Wanggu Station turnoff. After that, you have to drive on a narrow road between old buildings and the train tracks, then cross over the tracks to the hiking trail entrance. Parking is free and plentiful along the road. 

Map:
Please see below:

Full Moon Waterfall (Manyue Waterfall) lies in Sanxia's Manyueyuan National Forest Recreation Area in New Taipei. It's a beautiful waterfall and an easy family hike.
滿月圓瀑布位於新北市三峽區的滿月圓國家森林游樂區，是一個美麗的瀑布且容易的步道。

I actually recommend not going until the new tourist information center and Virgin Waterfall are opened up. That's right, Virgin Waterfall, the biggest waterfall in the park, is not even accessible, but you can still see Manyueyuan Waterfall for a discounted price.
其實我建議等到處女瀑布開放之後再去。對了，處女瀑布關閉了，整個公園最大的瀑布。但是滿月圓瀑布有優惠哦！

To get there, the only way is by taking your own vehicle or taxi. According to the recreation area website, there are no buses to get there. See a map of the waterfall below:
去那邊只能開車或搭計程車。本地區的網站說沒有公車。請參考以下的地圖：

Before we get into hiking just let me tell you about the parking situation here. If you go on a weekend, especially on a long holiday weekend, parking is going to be competitive. There is some free parking near the entrance to the trail, if you buy some vegetables. So what happens if you don't buy some veggies before your hike? You get yelled at by the kid next to the sign and by the people selling them. We were afraid that people would scratch our car while we gone out of spite, but we also didn't want to haul a bunch of potatoes up a mountain.
我開始討論爬山之前，奇偶想要分享這邊停車的情況。如果你周末去的話，特別連假，你會發現停車很競爭。有些“免費”停車場在步道入口附近，但是你要買菜。你不買菜怎麽辦呢？你會被旁邊的小男生罵，而且被賣菜的老闆罵。我們跟他們說：回來再買可以嗎？整個爬山的過程我們很怕他們會把我們的車子刮傷，但是我們也不想把一大堆菜帶上山。

There is an entrance fee, which is normally 100 NT per person. However, because Virgin Waterfall was closed on this day, the fee was only 50 NT per person. Yipee!
​門票原價100，但是因爲處女瀑布關閉我們享有50塊的優惠，黑皮黑皮！

View of the trail entrance as we began our way up. There's even a map in English!
步道入口居然有英文地圖！

This day in January was rather chilly and windy (you can tell how far behind we are on posts for this blog). ​
我們一月去的天氣有一點冷，風有點大 （你可以發現我們的部落格已經不是更新的很好）

From the get-go, there were signs that this nature trail had little nature. Besides the smelly bathrooms, the trail was a paved asphalt path, and you can see the river below has a rock wall.
一開始我們發現這個大自然的地方沒什麽大自然。除了很臭的厠所之外，還有泊油路和河邊的石頭墻壁 。

Oh, the rock wall reduces the impact of the stream water?! Really! 
哦，挑流工的石頭墻可以減緩河流的影響嗎？真的嗎！

The sign says" Piled stones are used to reinforce the riverbed. The arch principle and watertight construction methods are used to reduce the impact form the water in areas where the waterway curves even large stone pile-ups may not be able to withstand the long-term erosion of the water. In these locations, adding a spur dike can achieve the goal of protecting the shores."
​標識牌說：中文看的到吧？

Let's protect nature against getting destroyed by nature by building walls all over nature!
我們不可以讓大自然破壞大自然，所以要在大自然蓋一個很醜的墻壁！

There are large stones in the river due to erosion!
有巨石在河流裏是因爲土石流的關係！

This is probably the prettiest part of the trail, even though it is completely man made. A nice stop for selfies from everyone walking by.
這邊應該是整個不到最美麗的地方，雖然整個都是人造的。每個人在這邊一定要自拍。

Further up the trail, we find a pavilion that has truly become one with nature.
​在更上面，這邊的涼亭真的變成與大自然合一。

Here is the tourist information center that is still under construction. It will probably be a cool place once its finished, so come back in few months or a year and check it out.
這邊的游客中心還在施工中，所以我才會建議幾個月后或明年再來。

My perfectly balanced photo of the park ranger lodge.
我的完全平衡的國家森林員工木屋之照。

Is this the Full Moon Waterfall? Nope, its a man made waterfall that you can barely see through the bushes. Keep walking.
這是滿月圓瀑布嗎？不是，是個幾乎看不到的人造瀑布，繼續走。

If you are sick of nature halfway through the hike, you're in luck because there is a restaurant right at the halfway mark so satisfy your hunger for man-made consumables. 
如果你走到一半就受不了大自然，你很幸運因爲在半途中有一個餐廳，所以你可以好好滿足你對人造的消耗品的渴望。

You can also learn about nature from these cool flippy signs.
​你也可以從這些開開關關的標識牌學到大自然的東西。

Soon you'll be able to memorize the Latin name for almost every plant in the forest!
很快你可以把森林裏的每一個植物的拉丁名稱背起來！

A glimpse of the river below before the waterfall.
去瀑布之前可以看一眼河景。

Just before the waterfall, there is a trail to the left that leads to a pavilion overlooking the waterfall. 
去瀑布之前，左邊有一個步道，走到底有一個可以看到瀑布的涼亭。

It's a beautiful view! On the day we went there seemed to be quite a lot of people, so we couldn't sit and stare for very long.
真的是很漂亮的風景！那天人很多，所以我們不能站在那邊發呆太久。

Below the waterfall is a bridge from which you can see the lower part of the waterfall.
​瀑布下面有一座橋，從此処可以看到瀑布的下方。

So you can't see much here and there are a few branches in the way, but that's what nature is all about.
​從這個位置幾乎什麽都看不到而且樹枝多，但是這就是大自然。

Closeup of Full Moon Waterfall. There happened to be a full moon that night! It was destiny that we visited this magical waterfall.
更接近滿月圓瀑布。那天晚上真的是滿月！我們真的有緣看到這麽有魔力的瀑布。

The whole hike took less than two hours, and was really easy and flat. You could bring young children here and hike to the end with no problem.
整個爬山過程不到兩個小時，都是很平很簡單。你可以帶你的小朋友來河邊爬整個步道沒問題。

After our hike down, we bought a bag of sweet potatoes for only 45NT and headed down the mountain. The traffic was quite bad going down the mountain to Sanxia Old Street.
下山后，我們在停車場買了一袋地瓜45元，就開走。開下山到三峽老姐很塞車。

It took a while to find parking, but we eventually found a spot under the elementary school nearby. That night we ate some sausages, ice cream, stinky tofu, and we bought some Ox Horn Bread for our relatives because apparently that is the delicacy of Sanxia.
找到停車位花了一點時間，但是我們終於找到在國小下面有空位的停車場。那天晚上我們買了香腸，魚丸，冰淇凌，臭豆腐，和三峽的特產：牛角面包送給我們親戚。

​Sanxia Old Street is beautiful and one of the  best Old Streets in greater Taipei. Be sure to follow our Instagram!
三峽老街很漂亮，真的是大臺北最好看的老街之一。記得發嘍我們的IG哦！

Thanks for sharing this obscure family friendly hike in Taiwan with us, and be sure to follow and like so you can see our next adventures!
謝謝讓我們分享這個家庭步道，記得按讚和發嘍所以你可以知道我們下次的冒險！

First off I would like to warn everyone that the road from Xinyi to Yushan is blocked off from 6:30pm-6:30am for rock fall control. We had to drive around Alishan which added 4 hours of driving to our trip.
首先我要提醒大家，由於石頭掉落，從信義到玉山的道路從早上六點半到六點半被封鎖。我們不得不在阿里山周圍另外駕車四個小時。

That being said, let me tell you about our one day hike of the tallest mountain in Taiwan and East Asia (okay, East Asia is debatable, but it sounds better).
I know that I am not the first person to have climbed Jade Mountain in a day, but it seems like no one has blogged about it in English in a while. The last blog I found about hiking it in one day is from 2012, so I would like to give everyone some more recent info about the hike. I will also walk you through our experience with help with meticulous time notes compiled by my climbing partner.
說到這裡，讓我告訴你我們有一天在台灣和東亞最高的山上徒步旅行。好吧，東亞的領域是有爭議的，但聽起來不錯。
我知道我不是第一個單攻爬上玉山的人，但是沒有什麽人會用英語寫這樣的博客。我發現的最後一個單攻博客是從2012年，所以我想給大家最新信息。我也會通過我的攀登合作夥伴編寫的細緻筆記，幫助您了解我們的經驗。

Applying for permits 申請許可證:
This is perhaps the most difficult part of hiking Jade Mountain. In Taiwan, mountain and park permits are required to limit fatalities and help with rescue on the mountain. Originally we planned to do a two day hike and stay at Paiyun Lodge, but we realized we didn’t have time to wait; my climbing partner is going to get a Master’s degree in America at the beginning of next year, and Jade Mountain is closed for normal hikers from January to March. Also, I wanted to take as few days off from work as possible, so we opted for the one day hike, which is easier to get approved for if you meet the qualifications.
這也許這是爬玉山最難的部分。本來我們打算做兩天的爬行，在排雲山莊過夜，但是我們意識到我們沒有時間等待。我的攀岩夥伴將在明年初在美國開始讀研究所，1月至3月期間，玉山將關閉山。另外，我想盡可能地少休息幾天，所以我們選擇了一天的徒步旅行，如果你符合條件，那麼這個旅行更容易獲得批准。

The mountain permit  and park entry permit can both be applied for online. Some special requirements for the day hike though are that you must have experience climbing mountains above 3000 meters in the past 5 years. All you have to do is upload a picture of yourself on top of a mountain above 3000 meters and tell them which mountain it was. Also, you must give the park personal information such as name, age, and ID or passport number.
入山證和入園證都可以在線上申請。單攻特別要求過去5年3000米以上的爬山經驗。所有你需要做的就是傳一張你自己在3000米以上的山頂照片，告訴他們是哪一座山。此外，您必須提供個人信息，姓名，年齡，身份證或護照號碼。

As with Paiyun Lodge, the day hike also requires a lottery process, but there are a lot less people who apply for it, so getting a spot is easier. We originally planned for Dec. 19th, but later the Jade Mountain Park service called us and told us that spots had opened up on the 18th, so we switched.
跟排雲山莊一樣，白天的徒步旅行也需要抽排，但是申請的人少得多，所以得到一個位子比較容易。我們原本計劃在十九號，但後來玉山公園的服務員給我們打電話，告訴我們十八號也可，所以我們換了。

Preparation 準備:
I had brought some my climbing gear from America, such as hiking boots, wool socks, hat, fleece pants, and gloves. I didn’t have any polyester long underwear, which I regretted later. My main food for the trip was 6 chocolate Costco muffins, which was too much. I only ate 2 ½. I also brought 3000 cc of water, although this may have been excessive as well because I’m sure you can fill up water at Paiyun lodge. 
我帶了一些從美國來的登山裝備，如登山靴，羊毛襪，帽子，羊毛褲和手套。我沒有任何聚酯長內衣，因此後來我感到後悔。我此行的主要食物是6個巧克力Costco碼分，太多了。我只吃了2½。我也帶了3000 CC的水，雖然這也可能是過度的，因為我相信你可以在排雲山莊加滿水。

Also, because Jade Mountain had snowed the week before we left, we rented some crampons, not because we needed them but because we feared the park service would reject our climb if we didn’t have them (we ended up not needing them).
另外，因為我們離開前一個星期玉山下了雪，所以我們租了一些冰爪，不是因為我們需要它，而是因為我們擔心如果我們沒有它們（我們后來不需要它們），公園服務會拒絕我們的攀登。


The Adventure 冒險:

Day 0: Dec. 17th, 2017
12:40 Met at Nangang Station and departed 南港車站集合，出發
15:05 Exited off the Mingjian Interchange 從名間交流道下來

At this time we figured there was time in the schedule for a quick trip to Sun Moon Lake. We drove to the lakeside and took some pictures and that was about it because it was super cold outside.
在這個時候，我們發現在日程安排中有時間來到日月潭。我們開車去湖邊拍了一些照片，因為外面太冷了就走了。

18:00 Arrived at Go Bier Hostel 到GO比爾民宿

Once we drove about the Xinyi there was super thick fog everywhere. Our hostel was in the middle of some fields on top of a mountain. Eventually we had to ask one of the locals to show us where it was. To get to the hostel we had to drive through some farmland on bumpy roads. Once we got there, our hostess told us that the road to Jade Mountain was going to close at 6:30 for rock fall control. If we left then, we would get no sleep and arrive too early to hike the mountain (Our permit was only for the 18th). If we left after 6:30, we would get there too late, because if you arrive later than 10:00 AM to Paiyun Lodge, they will not let you press on to the main peak.
我們開車到信義，到處都是超濃霧。我們的旅館在山頂的一些田地中間。最終，我們不得不請一位當地人向我們展示它在哪裡。要到旅館，我們不得不在崎嶇的道路上開車經過一些農田。一旦我們到了那裡，我們的老闆娘告訴我們，去玉山的路將在六點半封閉，進行石頭掉落控制。如果我們離開了，我們就不會睡覺，到達山頂就太早了（我們的許可證只有十八號）。如果我們在六點半之後離開，我們會遲到，因為如果您遲於上午十點抵達排雲山莊，他們不會讓您上去主峰。

This nightly road closing had only started last year with the advent of the Labor Standards Act, because the road crews have less manpower to keep the roads open for longer at night. 
由於勞動基法案的出台，這種每晚的道路封閉只是在去年才開始，因為道路工人的人力較少，以致在夜間保持道路暢通。

At this point our entire trip was in jeopardy. Then the hostel owner’s husband told us that the road to Jade Mountain from Alishan should be open, but there could be thick fog. It would be a three hour car ride, while driving from Xinyi would only have been one hour.
在這一點上，我們整個旅程都處於危險之中。然後老闆娘的丈夫告訴我們，從阿里山去玉山的道路應該是開放的，但是可能會有濃霧。這將是一個三小時的車程，而從信義開車只有一個小時。

18:40 Slept 睡覺
21:00 Woke up 起床
21:10 Departed from the hostel 從民宿出發
22:14 Got on National Highway 3 toward Chiayi上南三高往嘉儀
22:55 Stopped at Family Mart to get drinks and some gas停全家買食物，加油

On the way up from Alishan we were lucky that there was very little fog on our way to the trail head, so we made it safely to the top.
在阿里山的路上我們很幸運因爲在前往途徑的路上幾乎沒有霧，所以我們安然無恙地到了停車場。

Day 1: Dec, 18th, 2017

00:50 Made it to the Tataka parking lot (2610 M, 8562 ft.), parked, ate, broke an iPhone, and made sure we had everything. 抵達塔塔加停車場（2610M）停車，吃東西，破壞手機，整理裝備

As we were about to depart I found myself looking for my cell phone which had disappeared. Then I remembered I left it on the back door latch of our Toyota Wish to use as a light, but it was too late. We had smashed the iPhone with our car door twice. Later, I found that the phone was too expensive to repair. At that time I was very sad because for the long hike my music would be gone.
在我們準備要離開的時候，我在尋找我失踪的手機。然後我想起我把它放在我們豐田汽車的後門閂上。當時把它用作燈，但想起來已經太遲了。我們用我們的車門兩次撞到我的iPhone。後來，我發現手機無法修理因爲太貴。當時我很傷心，因為我登山沒辦法聼音樂。

01:25 Departed 出發
02:05 Made it to the Linzhi Mountain Entrance 麟趾山登山口
02:20 Made it to the top of Linzhi Mountain 麟趾山山頂 （2854）

We made history by being perhaps the only day hikers of Jade Mountain to start of the day by climbing Linzhi Mountain. This added maybe 200 meters to our total climb, but I didn’t add it to the total because I am not sure of the altitude of the Jade Mountain entrance vs the parking lot entrance. It’s not really important. Basically, it was dark, we were first-timers, and we took a right when we should have turned left at the ancient tree. But, we still made it to the Jade Mountain hiking entrance in good time.
我們也許是玉山登麟趾山的唯一單攻者。我們總共多爬了200米，但是我並沒有把它添加到底部，因為我不確定玉門入口和停車場入口的高度。這並不重要。基本上，天黑了，我們是新手，我們應該在神木左轉。但是，我們還是及時到了玉山登山門口。

02:40 Made it to the Tataka saddle / Jade Mountain entrance 塔塔加鞍部登山口 (2610 M, 8562 ft.)
03:21 Menglu Pavillion 1.7K (1  mile) 孟祿亭 1.7K

I took a wizz here. It was quite a smelly experience. I think I understand now why my climbing partner didn’t go to the bathroom pretty much the whole day.
我在這裡上厠所。這是一個非常臭的經驗。我想我現在明白了為什麼我的攀登夥伴幾乎整天沒有去洗手間。

At this point, I was pretty beat. My climbing partner was in much better shape than me and she was pushing at a pace I couldn’t keep up with, which is why I went in front. 
在這一點上，我非常棒。我的攀登夥伴比我的身材好得多，而且她的速度在加快，我無法跟上，這就是為什麼我走在前面。

03:48 Jade Mountain Front Peak Trail Entrance 2.7K (1.6 miles) 玉山前峰登山口 2.7K
06:15 8K (5 miles)

At about 8 kilometers (5 miles), it was bright enough outside for me to turn off my headlamp and take a picture of the sea of clouds below.
​大概在8公里，天亮了，我把頭燈關掉和照相雲海。

We suddenly realized we were in the middle of a beautiful nature scene.
​我們突然發現我們在很美的風景裏面。

A small variety of bamboo grows everywhere here (sorry for the blur, it was dark).
​小的竹子在這邊到處都是。

The path the Paiyun seemed close. 去排雲山莊好像很進。

06:45 Made it to Paiyun Lodge (3402M, 11,161 ft) 8.5K (5.2 miles), delivered our park permits to the administration, rested 排雲山莊 (3402) 8.5K, 繳交入園證給管理員，大休

The first glorious sight of Paiyun Lodge. 第一次看見排雲山莊。

I noticed they had breakfast at the lodge for the guests there. As this blog is about the day trip and not the lodge stay, I have no further information. I sat on a stool here and slept for about 10 minutes. I could have slept for the whole day, but we had a mountain to climb.
我注意到他們在旅舍為那裡的客人吃早餐。由於這個博客是關於一日遊而不是旅館，我沒有進一步的信息。我在這邊睡了一下。

We were told we could leave some bags at the lodge before our ascent to the top, so I gladly unpacked our heavy crampons that we had prepared in case there was going to be snow (there were only tiny patches of snow on the mountain).
我們被告知，在我們爬上山頂之前，我們可能會在旅館裡留下一些袋子，所以我很高興地把我們準備好的重冰爪打包，以防下雪（山上只有一些小塊積雪）。

I guess collecting rainwater is important at Paiyun Lodge. 在​排雲山莊積水好像很重要。

The smelly bathrooms at the lodge. 排雲山莊很臭的洗手間。

07:15 Departed from Paiyun Lodge 從排雲山莊出發
07:58 Round Peak Fork 圓峰交叉口

We could see the top of Jade Mountain laughing at us from afar. 玉山主峰遠遠地似乎諷刺我們。

At around 8:30, the sun peaked over the ridge, and from then on it was a hot, hot hike.
大概早上8：30日出，以後的行程非常熱。

At about the same time, we has hiked above the tree line. 大概這個時候我們超越森林綫。

This is just to give you an idea of how steep  the trail was toward the top. The climb got steeper and steeper on the 2.4 KM (1.5 miles) from Paiyun Lodge to the top, which is a very short distance to climb 550 meters (nearly 2000 feet).
​讓您知道到上面步道有多斗。Paiyun Lodge在2.4公里的距離內，總高度達550米，爬坡陡峭而陡峭。

The higher we climbed, the stepper it got, and we began to see chains along the trail. 
我麽越爬越斗，然後開始看到鏈子。
​
​09:12  Rock Cages 鐵龍

Before the final run to the very top, there is a short section of cages to protect from rock falls along the side of the mountain. Everyone stopped here for photos and seemed content on resting here for a while.
到山頂之前有鐵龍，目的是防止石頭掉落。大家在這邊很開心的拍照，也似乎不想繼續爬上去。

At the end toward the main peak the trail almost went vertical, and some rock scrambling was required. Also, the higher up we got the stronger the winds were. I was feeling a bit queasy actually about halfway up from Paiyun Lodge, but I just took my time and near the top as we started scrambling I felt a lot better. We passed many people that had hiked the mountain from Paiyun Village early that morning, many that seemed to be Japanese tourists. One group told me that it would have been easy for me to stay in the Lodge because I’m a foreigner, but I didn’t have 3 other foreigners to go with me, so I couldn’t have done that.
 在主峰的盡頭，這條小路幾乎垂直，需要一些亂石。另外，越高，風越強。 Paiyun Lodge的中途，我感覺有些不舒服，但是我只是把時間花在接近頂端，因為我們開始爭先恐後地感覺好多了。當天早上，我們經過許多從排雲村上山的人，有不少似乎是日本遊客。有一個小組告訴我，因為我是一個外國人，所以我留在旅館很容易，但是我沒有其他三個外國人和我一起去，所以我不能這樣做。

​09:22 Main Peak – North Peak fork主北岔路

​​After the cages, you come directly to the Main Peak – North Peak fork. Here, known literally as the wind hole （風口）, the wind was the strongest. The wind was blowing hard enough to blow your hat and socks off.
鐵龍後，主北岔路就到了，這邊風口的風非常非常大，簡直像可以把你的帽子跟襪子吹走。

​Taking a short rest right before the summit.
​登山頂前的小休息。

There was some rock scrambling involved.
爬山一定有涉及到小爬岩。

A fall here could kill you. 這邊率倒會死。

Almost there! 差一點就到頂！

09:49 Made it to Yushan Main Peak! (3952 M, 12,965 ft) 10.9 K (6.7 miles) 玉山主峰 （3952）10.9K 拍照

On the top we found another couple holding the ROC flag up, and we helped them take some pictures. I brought my company’s flag up too, but all the pictures turned out pretty terrible because it was so windy. The weather was perfect at the top and coming down, so we were lucky in that regard.
​在最上方，我們發現另一對夫婦拿著中華民國國旗，我們幫助他們拍了一些照片。我也把公司的標誌帶上去了，但所有的圖片都非常可怕，因為風很大。天氣是完美的頂部和下降，所以我們在這方面很幸運。

Me attempting to take a picture of our company flag.
​試著拍公司的旗子。

View of Yushan West Peak. 玉山西峰。

View of Yushan North Peak. The Jade Mountain weather station lays on top of it. I think the view of Jade Mountain is best seen from this peak. Next time I think I would want to climb this one instead of the main peak.
玉山北峰。從那邊看到玉山，風景最好。很羡慕去爬那邊的人。下次再去。

Yushan East Peak. Dashuikushan in the background. 玉山東峰。大水窟山在後方。

View to the southeast.
往東南的風景。

View of Yushan Round Peak on the bottom and South Peak on the top.
上方為玉山南峰，下方為玉山圓峰。

View of Nanshan (Yushan south peak) through the clouds.
看見南山和玉山南峰在雲海裏面。

The best picture of me and my climbing partner at the top.
​我們拍最好看的照片。

​​10:02 Journey back回程

Coming up and down the top was the steepest part. My climbing partner said that most of the deaths on Jade Mountain have occurred here. I believe that.
上下是最陡峭的部分。我的攀岩人，玉山大部分的死亡都發生在這裡。

Coming back down the cages.
​從籠子裏面下來。

View coming down. 下來的風景。

11:15 Paiyun Lodge排雲山莊

This stretch from Paiyun lodge to the entrance was the longest part of the trip, probably because I didn’t recognize anything, as we hiked up in the dark. I found myself hallucinating, and every half kilometer seemed like a lifetime. I felt like I had lost control of my body and was watching myself walk down the trail. This was probably due to lack of sleep and fatigue, as well as the five blisters festering on my feet (I think it’s time for a new pair of hiking boots).
排雲山口到入口處的這段路程是這次旅行中最長的一段，可能是因為我們在黑暗中抬起頭來，什麼都不認識。我發現自己產生了幻覺，每半公里似乎都是一生。我感覺自己已經失去了對自己身體的控制，並且正在註視著自己走過的路。這可能是由於缺乏睡眠和疲勞，以及我腳上的五個水泡（我認為是時候換一雙新的登山鞋了）

Even in my state of hallucination, I managed to get some photos of the nice ancient forest and mountain scenery.
雖熱我快瘋掉，我還是有拍到神木的照片。

Views similar to that of a Chinese painting. 像山水畫的風景。

Last view of the ancient forest. 神木森林最後的照片。

View of the valley right before the trail entrance. 我們來到登山口的最後山谷之照。

​14:42 Tataka saddle entrance塔塔加鞍部登山口

When we reached the trail entrance, there were shuttles waiting for the hikers. At 100 NT to go like 1 K back to the parking lot, the price seemed a little steep, but we were exhausted and happily paid. This same shuttle was not available when we started at midnight. 
當我們到達小道入口處時，有班車正在等待遠足者。在100 NT, 才1 K回到停車場，價格似乎有點貴，但我們已經筋疲力盡，愉快的付出這筆錢。當我們在午夜開始的時候，同樣的班車沒有開。

The road down from Jade Mountain to Xinyi was amazing. I felt like it is one of the highest roads in Taiwan, with amazing views of the surrounding mountains. Howver, there are often rock slides, and the speed limit is only 30-40 at most. Much of the road was under construction at the time, and I felt that at any time a section of the road could slide off the mountain.
從玉山到新沂的路是驚人的。我覺得這是台灣最高的道路之一，周圍群山的美景盡收眼底。不過，經常有滑梯，速度限制最多只有30-40。當時大部分道路正在建設中，我感覺到在任何時候都有一段路可以從山上滑下來。

16:25 Made it back to the hostel, prepared our things, showered 回到民宿，整理裝備
17:20 Departed from Taipei 出發回臺北
21:10 Back to Nangang 回到南港

You may ask why we didn't stay an extra night at the hostel. Because I didn't want to take off work again. You may ask why we booked a hostel at all. Simply because my wife and child were there waiting for us.
你可能會問為什麼我們沒有在宿舍多住一晚。因為我不想再脫下工作。你可能會問為什麼我們預定了一個旅館。只因為我的妻子和孩子在那裡等著我們。

Total hiking statistics for our trip 我們此行的總徒步數據:
Total walking distance: 2.1K (1.3 miles) from the south river and Yushan forest trail, + 1.8K (1.1 miles) from Linzhi Mountain to Tataka saddle entrance, 8.5K*2 (5.3 miles*2) from the entrance to Paiyun lodge, 2.4K*2 (1.5 miles*2) Paiyun lodge to Yushan main peaker, for a grand total of 25.7K (16 miles).
Total Elevation gained: Tataka parking lot (2610, 8563 feet) to Yushan Main peak (3952M, 12966 feet) = 1342M (4,403 feet).
Total hiking time: 14:42 - 01:25= 13 hours 17 minutes
Total time driving: 5:20+3:40+1:20+3:50= 14 hours 10 minutes
Total time sleeping in a 48 hour period: 3 hours 30 minutes
總共行走：2.1K 南溪和玉山林道+1.8K麟趾山步道+8.5K*2 登山口到排雲山莊+2.4K*2排雲山莊到玉山主峰=25.7K
總共爬升：玉山主峰（3952）塔塔加停車場（2610）=1342M
總共行走時間：14:42 - 01:25= 13小時17分鐘
總共開車時間：5:20+3:40+1:20+3:50=14小時10分鐘
總共睡覺時間：3小時30分鐘

If this blog hasn’t been as helpful as you need, there are a few forums on climbing Jade Mountain that you can search:
如果這個博客沒有你需要的幫助，那麼你可以搜索幾個關於爬山的論壇：

Forumosa: 
Lonely Planet Forum: 
Trip Advisor Forum: 
General Info: 

Fun Fact 有趣的事實：

After I climbed the mountain, my coworker showed me a photo from when she climbed it a few decades ago:
​爬上山後，我的同事給我看了一張幾十年前的照片：

From 1965 until 1995, a bust of the famous scholar and ROC revolutionary Yu Youren stood on top of Jade Mountain. It was thought that if they placed his bust high enough, it could reach above 4000 meters (however later they found that Jade Mountain was 3 Meters less than this height, making the mountain with his bust only 3997 meters).
從1965年到1995年，著名的學者和中華民國的革命者于右任的半身像站在玉山頂上。有人認為，如果他足夠高，可以達到4000米以上（但是後來他們發現，玉山比這個高度還要低3米，使得他的胸圍只有3997米）。

However, in 1995 a group of environmentalists cut off the bronze head and threw it off the mountain. Later, the park service found the head and put it back, but then in 1996 an unknown someone cut off the head again and it was never seen again. The reason that these original perpetrators did this is they thought that the bust on top of Jade Mountain was disrespecting nature. After the last beheading in 1996, later the Nantou county head placed a smaller rock on top of the mountain instead.
然而，一九九五年，一群環保人士把它從山上拋下。後來，公園服務部門找到了這個頭部，並把它放回去，但是到了1996年，一個不知名的人又再次把頭切斷了，而且再也沒有見過。這些原始肇事者之所以這樣做，是因為他們認為玉山山頂上的雕像是不自然的。在1996年的最後一次斬首之後，南頭縣長後來在山頂放置了一塊較小的石塊。

The ROC government did not prosecute the environmentalist beheadeders and has had no further reaction to this incident. I think most people can respect this action and realize that Jade Mountain should stand as a natural edifice and not a monument to Yu Youren.
中華民國政府並沒有起訴環保人士，也沒有對這件事作出進一步的反應。我想大多數人都會尊重這個行為，認識到玉山應該是一座天然的大廈，而不是余友仁的紀念碑。

Conclusion ​結論:
Climbing Jade Mountain in one day turned out to be much harder than I thought it would be, and it definitely takes a greater fitness level to climb it in one day than two. As much as people like to play down how hard it is, the last 2.4 K, 550 meter climb at 3000+ meters （1.5 mile, 2000 foot climb at 10,000 feet) are a tough test for anyone. But, climbing it in one day gives you more flexibility time wise, is easier to get a spot, and takes less time.
在一天之內攀爬玉山竟然比我想像的要難得多，而且在一天之內肯定需要更高的健身水平才能爬上去。儘管人們喜歡貶低它有多難，但最後2.4千米，550米的爬升高度超過3000米對任何人來說都是一個艱難的考驗。但是，在一天之內攀登它會給你更多的時間，更容易抽到位子，而且花更少的時間。

The best advice I can give is to go to the mountain from Alishan, not Xinyi, no matter how much faster Google Maps tells you it will be. If you want a nicer accommodation than the Dongpu Lodge, you can book a hostel in near Alishan. 
我可以給的最好的建議是從阿里山而不是信義上山，不管Google Maps告訴你的速度會多快。如果您需要比東圃小屋更舒服的住宿，可以預訂阿里山附近的民宿。

Also, one thing that became clear to me while hiking this is that I was climbing it only for pride, because it was the highest mountain. I think I would have enjoyed a lower hike with less people and less work much more. But because I climbed it, be sure to tell the whole world how great I am. Seriously, go shout it from the rooftops.
而且，在徒步旅行時，我清楚地知道一件事，那就是我只是為了驕傲而攀爬，因為那是最高的山峰。我想我會享受更少的人，更少的力氣的步道。但是因為我爬了，所以一定要告訴全世界我有多棒。

Thanks for reading our experience. Please like comment, and share below!
Stay tuned on our social media channels for our next adventure!
​感謝您閱讀我們的經驗。請暗讚，並在下面留言和分享！
請繼續關注我們的社交媒體渠道，來指導我們的下一次冒險！

​All photos credit to Stephanie Huffman and Candace Chen
Though the form for which the island is named is readily apparent from angles further north and south, from Toucheng pier due west, Turtle Island looks more slug-like than terrapin-shaped. A small and curving rock covered in green, the island – like all points on the horizon – grows larger and more distinctive as our boat draws closer. There are about sixty people on the Blue Whale, all wearing bright orange life jackets and hoping to catch a glimpse of the dolphins sometimes spotted frolicking around the island. The boat takes its time along the island’s southern end, a steep hill dotted with carved outcroppings.
所有的照片都歸功於Stephanie Huffman和Candace Chen
儘管從南面和南面的角度，西面的頭城碼頭，這個島嶼的名稱是顯而易見的，但是龜山島看起來比鱉魚更像是瓜牛的樣子。 隨著我們的船靠近，一個綠色的小彎曲的岩石，像島上所有的點 - 越來越大，更加鮮明。 “藍鯨”上有六十人左右，都穿著明亮的橙色救生衣，希望能看到有時在島上嬉鬧的海豚。 船沿著島的南端，一個陡峭的小山，點綴著雕刻的露頭。
 
“Are those lookout points?”, asks Stephanie. I point to the long, faded green barrel of a cannon just sticking out of one of the outcropping. “Among other things,” I answer. As with many of Taiwan’s outer islands, military utility took precedence over tourism for many years.
Stephanie問道：“那些瞭望點？ 我指著長長的，褪色的大砲剛剛露出的一個大砲。 “還有其他用處，”我回答。 和台灣的許多外島一樣，軍事用途多年來一直以旅遊業為主。

​The smell of sulfur, a gentle rotten egg fragrance fills the air as the Blue Whale approaches the underwater thermal springs bubbling from beneath the waves by the Turtle’s head. Steam rising from the water makes it seem like the beast is smoking some great underwater hooka. As our boat rounds the Turtle’s head, the gentle green curves of the island’s Taiwan-facing side give way to the rocky cliffs of its seaward side, which in parts look almost as if the process of collapsing into the sea are ongoing.
當藍鯨靠近烏的龜頭部下方的海浪冒出的水下溫泉時，硫磺的味道瀰漫著一股溫和的臭雞蛋香味。從水中冒出的蒸汽使得它看起來像野獸正在吸取一些偉大的水下鉤子。當我們的船繞著海龜的頭時，島的台灣邊柔和的綠色曲線讓位於海邊的岩石峭壁，這部分看起來好像正在進入海洋的過程。
 
From this angle, Turtle Island is far more foreboding. Over the boat’s loudspeaker, the guide explains in Mandarin that the seaward side of the volcanic island takes the brunt of the area’s regular typhoons, and that some of the more rugged cliffs were formed by earthquakes. Past the cliffs the landscape becomes more gentle, and with a bit of squinting I can almost see the long, sloping neck of the turtle connecting head to shell, all covered in green. Although I’m told there are hiking trails along the spine, no hikers are currently present.
從這個角度來看，龜山島更是不祥的預兆。在船上的揚聲器上，導遊用中文解釋說，火山島的海面受到該地區正常颱風的衝擊，一些較為崎嶇的懸崖是由地震形成的。過去的懸崖，景色變得更溫柔，有一點瞇眼，我幾乎可以看到連接頭部和殼體的烏龜的長長的，傾斜的脖子，全部被綠色覆蓋。儘管我被告知有沿著脊椎的徒步旅行路線，但目前沒有人爬山。
​
Though technically open to tourists as a maritime ecological park since 2000, tourism to the island is fairly restricted. Our friend Candice had applied for our landing permit nearly a month in advance, but of the other travelers on our boat only one couple from Taipei had done the same. It was a far smaller group that were permitted to disembark from the Whale at the boat dock that sits just to one side of the Turtle’s tail. Only when our names are checked against those on a list by a Coast Guard official are we allowed to cross the floating bridge connecting pier to island. The Blue Whale will head further out in search of dolphins while our small group would explore the area around the Turtle’s tail.
自2000年以來，雖然在技術上作為海上生態公園，也向遊客開放，但到島上旅遊受到相當多的限制。我們的朋友Candice已經提前一個月申請了我們的登陸許可證，但是其他船上的旅客，只有一對來自台北的夫婦也這樣做了。這是一個小得多的小組，被允許從坐在鯨魚尾巴一側的船塢的鯨魚下船。只有當我們的名字與海岸警衛隊官員的名單進行核對時，才允許我們穿越連接碼頭的浮橋。”藍鯨”會進一步尋找海豚，而我們的小組將探索烏龜尾巴周圍的區域。

​Our guide, Mr. Guo, brings us first to the island’s ranger station staffed by an older gentleman and lady. The woman is cheerful, and runs a small, well-stocked gift shop. The man’s semi-military attire suggests that he’s an official of some sort. He sits behind a long desk, empty except for six round, smooth stones arranged in the shape of a turtle.
“Can you guess what these are?” The man says, adding before anyone can reply: “That’s right! Turtle Eggs!”
我們的導遊郭先生把我們帶到了一位老先生和女士的護送站。這個女人很開朗，並且經營著一個小型的，儲備豐富的禮品店。這名男子的軍裝顯示他是某種官員。他坐在一張長桌子後面，除了六個圓形的光滑的石頭，排列成一個烏龜的形狀。
“你能猜到這是什麼嗎？”男人說，在沒有人回答之前補充說：“沒錯！龜蛋！“
 
I pick one up. The man’s claim is patently false. I wonder if he is just testing me to see if I, as a foreigner, am aware of the dual meaning of the term Turtle Egg in Mandarin. In China the term can be used as a pejorative.
“They’re stones,” I say.
“Ha ha ha ha!” The man’s voice booms through the room.” Of course you’re right…but they are laid out in the shape of a turtle!”
我挑一個。這名男子的說法顯然是虛假的。我不知道他是否只是在考驗我，看看我作為一個外國人是否意識到了中文的龜卵的雙重含義。在中國這個詞可以用作貶義詞。
“他們是石頭，”我說。
“哈哈哈哈！”男人的聲音在房間裡嗡嗡作響，“當然你是對的，但是它們是以烏龜的形狀擺放的！
 
 
He has the bearing of a man who knows well the lay of the land (and had much time for rock collecting). I ask him if there are any guest houses on Turtle Island, or if perhaps camping is allowed. He laughs again, even louder this time, as if willingly spending the night on this godforsaken rock was something people would pay for.
他擁有一個熟悉土地的人（並且有很多時間可以收集岩石）。我問他在龜山島有沒有民俗，或者是否允許露營。他又笑了起來，這次更大聲了，好像自願在這個被人遺忘的岩石上度過夜晚是人們付出的代價。
 
“No camping, no guest house.” He tells me. “Even I don’t sleep here.”    
Turtle Island wasn’t always uninhabited. Settlers began arriving in 1853, and by the early 1970s the small, flat plain on the part of the island facing Taiwan boasted a village with houses, a school, a fresh water spring, and even a temple. But in 1977, the villagers – then numbering around 700 – were relocated to the town of Toucheng in Yilan. The official story, according to both Guo (and the surprisingly well-translated English language displays in what’s left of the town itself) is that after a particularly bad typhoon which cut the village off from resupply for almost two weeks, the villagers agreed that life on the island had become unsustainable and moved willingly to the mainland as part of a deal negotiated with the government. Immediately thereafter Turtle Island was declared a restricted military zone, and of course it’s equally likely that the villagers’ relocation was not entirely as enthusiastically agreed-upon as our guide or the display suggests.
As it turned out, the island’s new inhabitants would come to wish that one particular Turtle Island resident had not joined the villagers’ exodus.
 “沒有露營，沒有民俗。”他告訴我。 “即使我不在這裡睡覺。”
龜山島並不總是無人居住。定居者於1853年開始抵達，到70年代初，面向台灣的島嶼上的一片平坦的小平原吹起了一座有房屋，有學校，淡水泉，甚至還有一座寺廟的村莊。但是在1977年，當時的村民大約700人，搬到了宜蘭頭城鎮。據郭（以及在鎮上留下的驚人翻譯的英文）顯示，官方的故事是，在一個特別糟糕的颱風將村莊補給了近兩週的時間之後，村民們同意，作為與政府談判的一部分，這個島上已經變得不可持續，願意向大陸轉移。此後，龜山島立即被宣佈為受限制的軍事區，當然，我們的指導或展示所表明的那樣，村民搬遷的可能性也不盡如人意。
事實證明，島上的新居民會希望一個特定的海龜島居民沒有加入村民的外流。

​Guo takes us to a temple, a small one by Taiwanese standards, but one that’s clearly been maintained to weather the elements. “Can you guess whose temple this is?” he asks.
“Matsu,” I answer. It seems a sensible guess. A temple built on a small island by people whose livelihoods depend on the sea would naturally offer prayers to the Goddess of the Sea. But I am simultaneously right and wrong.
郭先生將我們帶到了一個按照台灣標準來看的小寺廟，但是一個明顯被保留下來的寺廟可以抵禦這個因素。 “你能猜出這是哪個廟嗎？”他問。
“媽祖，”我回答。這似乎是一個明智的猜測。一個建在小島上的人們依靠海上生活的人自然會向海洋女神祈禱。但我同時對與錯。
 
Guo tells the tale of how the villagers, evicted from their island home, brought their goddess with them to their new village. Shortly thereafter, the military moved in. But in the months that followed, the new residents complained that a general malaise seemed to have crept into life on the island.
“After the villagers left, the weather was rougher than normal, and the soldiers now living on the island described feeling uneasy,” Guo tells us. “It was decided that having an empty temple was upsetting the very spirit of the island itself. The military brought a statue of Guanyin from Taiwan along with some priests, who re-consecrated the temple to the Goddess of Compassion and Mercy.”
According to Guo, things got better shortly after.
郭先生講述了被趕出島上的村民如何把他們的女神帶到新的村莊的故事。不久之後，軍方進來了。但是在接下來的幾個月裡，新居民抱怨說，島上似乎有一種全身不適的感覺。
“村民們離開後，天氣比平時更加粗糙，現在住在島上的士兵感到不安，”郭先生告訴我們。 “這是決定有一個空的寺廟是令人不安的島嶼本身的精神。軍方帶來台灣觀音像和一些祭司，把寺院重新奉獻給慈悲仁慈。
據郭先生介紹，事情不久後就好轉了。
 
 
Beneath the main statue in the Guanyin temple, there is also a lucky money tiger, where visitors exchange old coins for new while wishing for good fortune. Though the tiger is a simulacrum, Green Island’s other wildlife is not. The island is best-known for what lives in the waters surrounding it, from a species of crab that feeds on the sulfur coming from the underwater hot springs to a number of larger aquatic animals such as dolphins and killer whales.
在觀音廟的主雕像下面還有一隻幸運的金錢老虎，遊客在交換舊金幣的同時也希望得到好運。雖然老虎是一個模擬，但綠島的其他野生動物卻不是。這個小島以生活在周圍水域中的一種生物而聞名於世。這個小島由一種以水下溫泉產生的硫磺為原料的螃蟹，到一些大型的水生動物，如海豚和虎鯨。

​One animal endemic (some say epidemic) to turtle island are snakes, and signs warning visitors to be wary of venomous snakes greet us at various points along our journey. As we walk through the remains of the now-abandoned fishing village, Guo tells us his own version of a not-uncommon tale among the Taiwanese of Japanese snake-breeding experiments designed to create particularly venomous vipers, presumably to be used in battlefield situations. Having heard the story before, I already know where it’s going.
一個動物流行（有人說流行）龜山島是蛇，並警告遊客警惕蛇毒蛇在我們的旅程中的各個點上迎接我們。在我們走過現在被遺棄的漁村的遺跡時，郭先生向我們講述了他自己的一個日本蛇飼養實驗中的一個非常罕見的故事，這個實驗的目的是為了製造特別有毒的毒蛇，大概是在戰場上使用的。之前聽過這個故事，我已經知道他要講什麽。
 
“Of course, when the Japanese lost the war, they released all the snakes, which is why there are so many snakes on Turtle Island today,” Guo tells the group. Whether by nature or nurture, the snake population is clearly a concern to the people in charge of maintaining guest safety. In addition to the general Beware of Snakes signs posted throughout, part of a multilingual exhibit of text and photographs covering the history, geography and ecology of Turtle Island is specifically devoted to snakes, going into detail on their size, color patterns, aggressiveness and venom level. The display is sobering, and I find myself hoping that the ranger station has a well stocked anti-venom bar somewhere by the gift shop.       
 “當然，當日本人輸掉戰爭時，他們釋放了所有的蛇，這就是今天龜山島上有這麼多蛇的原因。無論是自然還是培育，蛇的種群顯然都是維護客人安全的人們關心的問題。除了一般“小心蛇”標誌外，部分多語種文字和照片展示了龜山島的歷史，地理和生態，專門針對蛇，詳細介紹了它們的大小，顏色模式，侵略性和毒液水平。展示令人清醒，我發現自己希望護林員站在禮品店的某個地方有一個儲備豐富的防毒酒吧。

​We continue through the village, a lonely collection of a few crumbling stone houses and a newer barracks building built for the military, all built on the side of a brackish lake. I try to imagine children playing in the rock-paved streets and people living in the houses, now being used to store massive rolls of green mesh webbing used to gather stones to create the walls and levees that keep the high tides from inundating the island’s low-lying spots. Even with my imaginary life, the place still feels forlorn.  
我們繼續穿過這個村子，孤零零地收集幾座搖搖欲墜的石頭房屋和一個為軍隊建造的更新的軍營建築，全部建在半鹹水湖的一側。我試圖想像孩子們在岩石鋪就的街道和住在房子裡的人們玩耍，現在被用來儲存大量的綠色網狀織物，用來收集石頭，以創造牆壁和堤壩，防止高潮淹沒島上的低 - 點。即使在我想像的生活中，這個地方仍然感到孤獨。
 
Lack of time and hiking permits does not allow our small group to hike up the Turtle’s back, but Guo has a different kind of exploration planned for us. A short hike leads us to a tunnel entrance, next to which a few abandoned military-type buildings stand, broken doors revealing electronic equipment likely state of the art in the 1970s, including a stereo system, microphone and tape deck likely used to both facilitate communication throughout the island and keep up troop morale.  Another sign warns us to keep only to the main tunnel, and again to beware of snakes.  
缺少時間和爬山許可證不允許我們的小組加入龜背，但郭先生有一個不同的探索計劃。短暫的徒步旅行將我們帶到了一個隧道入口處，在那裡，幾座廢棄的軍用建築物立於其中，上世紀70年代破門而出的電子設備可能是最先進的，包括立體聲系統，麥克風和磁帶機，溝通整個島嶼，並保持軍隊士氣。另一個標誌警告我們能走在主隧道，並再次提防蛇。

“This is one of the tunnels built throughout the island for military defense purposes,” Guo tells us. The tunnel is long enough so that midway through, the only light comes from fluorescent tubes stuttering at even intervals; secondary tunnels branch off here and there, but, technically off limits to tourists in any event, unlit. Reaching the end of our tunnel, I realize that we are now inside one of the outcroppings that Stephanie had pointed out from the deck of the Whale. The 120mm naval gun makes clear the fact that observation is only one of the lookout’s purposes.      
“這是為了軍事防禦而在全島建造的隧道之一，”郭先生告訴我們。隧道足夠長，以至於在中途，唯一的光線來自熒光燈管，每隔一段時間，二級隧道在這里和那里分支，但是，技術上禁止遊客在任何情況下，熄燈。走到隧道的盡頭，我意識到我們現在正在斯蒂芬妮從鯨魚甲板上指出的露頭之一。 120毫米的海軍炮明確表明，觀察只是其中一個目的。
 
Guo shows some of the features of the area, from the swiveling gun turret to the shape of the ceiling, designed to dissipate the gun’s deafening boom. I try to imagine being among the conscripts assigned to man the lonely outcropping day in, day out, staring out over a patch of ocean that, in the eighties and nineties at least, seemed an unlikely spot for conflict. Our guide looks at his watch and tells us we’ll need to hurry if we’re to catch the boat back. We return through the tunnel and village, past the ranger station (now closed), and to the dock where the Blue Whaleawaits to return us to Taiwan, leaving Turtle Island uninhabited once more save for a few officials, an unknown number of snakes and whatever ghosts choose to remain behind beneath the watchful eye of the Goddess of Compassion, Mercy and Kindness.
郭先生顯示了該地區的一些特點，從旋轉砲塔到天花板的形狀，旨在消除槍聲震耳欲聾的繁榮。我試圖想像成為那些被派去孤軍奮戰的義務兵的日子，他們盯著一片海洋，至少在八十年代和九十年代，似乎不太可能發生衝突。我們的導遊看著他的手錶，告訴我們，如果我們要趕回船的話，我們需要快點。我們穿過隧道和村莊，經過巡邏車站（現已關閉），到“藍鯨”等待將我們送回台灣的碼頭，離開龜山島再次無人居住，還有一些官員，數不清的蛇，幽靈選擇留在慈悲善良女神的監視之下。
 
Our exploration focused mainly on culture and history, but Taiwan based author Richard Saunders writes lovingly about his 2010 Turtle Island Hiking trip at Taiwan Off The Beaten Track.  
Interested in visiting Turtle Island?  MyTaiwanTour will do its best to hook you up. (No promises though – permits need to be obtained in advance, and slots often fill up quick.)
我們的探索主要集中在文化和歷史上，但是台灣作家理查德·桑德斯（Richard Saunders）深情地寫下了他在台灣“Off The Beaten Track.  ”的2010年龜島徒步旅行。
有興趣參觀龜島嗎？ MyTaiwanTour將竭盡全力來吸引你。 （沒有任何承諾 - 許可證需要提前獲得，而且插槽通常會很快填滿。）

​(Guanyin, Snakes & History’s Ghosts: An Afternoon on Turtle Island 觀音，蛇和歷史：龜山島的一個下午之旅) originally ran at the MyTaiwanTour Journal.  All photos and text posted in the above blog were taken from https://www.mytaiwantour.com/blog/. Follow this link for more stories like this one!
 
Visiting Taiwan? Let MyTaiwanTour help curate your experience. Find them online at https://www.mytaiwantour.com/  

​（Guanyin, Snakes & History’s Ghosts: An Afternoon on Turtle Island 觀音，蛇和歷史：龜山島的一個下午之旅）最初跑在MyTaiwanTour學報。 https://www.mytaiwantour.com/blog/. 點擊此鏈接獲得更多這樣的故事！
 
拜訪台灣？ 讓MyTaiwanTour幫助策劃你的經驗。 通過 https://www.mytaiwantour.com/  

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​Next we made our way to Ershui, (二水), to see the monkeys. We got lost, and finally asked a guy who told us that the road was just ahead. But that was all he said. Luckily it was the next road to the left. We walked up the trail a ways before we saw the monkeys, but there was an entire family of about 20 monkeys. It was fun to interact with them and we may or may not have fed them. Matt named a monkey George and tried to adopt it, but it seemed George was happy to stay right where he was.