10 Awesome Adventure Activities to do in Taiwan
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Loading... - Asmara Lubis
- 12 Oct 2022
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The subtropical island nation that I call home, Taiwan, is increasingly on the radar for travelers in Asia.
If you haven’t been yet, you’ve probably at least heard: this small island country has got some of Asia’s friendliest people, best street food, most efficient transportation, and tallest mountains.
In the 10 years since I first moved to Taiwan, the country has begun to attract a new type of traveler: those seeking extreme sports and adventure activities.
To be honest, I’ve never considered myself an adventure traveler (I’m the kind of person who spends three hours doing an easy hike that should take one hour because I keep stopping to photograph freaky bugs).
But over the years in Taiwan I’ve somehow managed to complete more than half the activities on this list, often at the behest of thrill-seeking friends who are far braver than me.
One thing that my preferred adventure activities have in common is that they all involve water.
Coming from a very cold city in Canada, I’m the guy who is still wearing a T-shirt and shorts when everyone else is in full winter gear in Taiwan. And for every season except winter, I’m that guy who is perpetually sweaty.
Jumping into some water is the perfect solution, and often the only thing preventing me from picking up and moving to Siberia every time Taiwan’s brutally hot and humid summer hits. I’m basically like a with legs once you get me into water.
You’ll notice that just about all my suggestions below are either around Taipei or on the east coast of Taiwan, so adventure-seekers will want to plan their Taiwan trip accordingly.
So here are my suggestions for the 10 best adventure activities to do in Taiwan.
For those I haven’t done myself, I’ve at least stood on the side wimpishly watching others do them, and all the photos are my own (except one creative commons photo; 3 points if you can guess which one it is in the comments!) And if this article isn’t enough to convince you to add Taiwan to your bucket list, then see my list of unmissable things to do in Taiwan for another 50 reasons!
What to do in Taiwan: 10 adventurous activities
1. Rock Climbing
I’m starting with rock climbing, because you can do it right within the Taipei City limits! Even though nearly 70% of Taiwan is covered with mountains, there are surprisingly few places in the country for rock climbing.
Taipei in fact sits in a basin surrounded by mountains and dormant volcanoes. In the same area as the popular Beitou Hot Spring village, there is a rock climbing spot called Rehai Cliff. It’s not very spot; in fact, few Taipei residents even know about it. I only found out about it a few months ago when I was (not so adventurously) stewing myself in a hot spring at Beitou, and somebody pointed out a little path of rock on the mountain opposite us with climbers going up. It’s not recommended to go alone, but Shawa Canyoning offers guided trips.
The best rock climbing spot in all of Taiwan is Longdong (or “dragon cave”) on the northeast coast. Longdong features a beautiful two-kilometer stretch of cliffs facing the Pacific Ocean, suitable for a full range of abilities. Be aware that some of the bolts on the cliff face can be eroded from the sea salt in the wind, so extra precaution is necessary. You can find guided rock climbing tours by doing a quick search on google.
There is a whole book dedicated to rock climbing at Longdong. You can reach Longdong in 90 minutes from Taipei Main Station on bus 1811. Longdong is also one of the best places in Taiwan to go cliff diving (see #2). Read More…
