Taiwan Day 4 (Part 1) - Backpacking around the coast! Yehliu Geopark
Leaving Pig Home at 7am (yes, it was amazingly early considering the time we slept the night before packing our bags), we headed to Taipei West Bus Station Terminal A to buy tickets to the first destination of our coastal trip, Yehliu. We texted Pig Home to remind them that we are leaving early the next morning and whether was there a need to bring our bags to their office the night before. They were very kind to let us leave our bag in the rooms and they will pick it up to move it into their office. That saved us alot of frantic rushing.
We got to Taipei West Bus Station through the underground walkways and bought breakfast along the way. It is a longer way than just going up to the main road and crossing the overhead bridge but there are no eateries or bakeries available on the road. Taiwanese underground planning is just freaking amazing. If there was a nuclear holocaust on the surface, they can go on as usual underground.
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| Look for exit K12 if you travel underground (pic courtesy of Google Map) |
When we got to Taipei West Bus Station and found Terminal A, we went to Kuo Kuang ticketing counter and found out that we could use our Easycard instead! Another plus point instead of buying separate tickets. The ticket counter lady informed us to go to Platform 8 and the overhead sign will inform when the "Yehliu --- Jin Shan Youth Activity Centre" will be boarding. The bus ride is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes and cost us a mere NT96. How to beat that?!
It's free seating (since you just tap your card) so call dibs on the front if you are prone to motion-sickness although the cross country roads in Taiwan are generally straight and level.
When we boarded the bus, the bus driver informed us that we only tapped our card when we get off. Funny thing about Taiwanese busses, some you tap when you get on and not when you get off, some you only tap when you get off, some you tap when you get on and off.. Very confusing....Apparently there is some sort of sign that lets you know but I didn't see any. So I just followed what the locals did.
The Kuo Kuang bus driver was really nice. He told us that the trip is quite long so we should take a nap first and he will wake us up when we reach our destination. I don't think Malaysian bus drivers will ever tell us. We may actually end up at some random small town or worse, being held at knife point somewhere. My confidence in being safe in Malaysia is in the red zone.
The bus makes a detour to City Hall to pick up more passengers. I am not sure where to get the tickets from the City Hall station but that may be more convenient for some instead of going to Taipei West Bus Station.
We really did sleep almost all the way to Yehliu, waking occasionally and catching a glimpse of the serene Taiwanese countryside.
The bus driver called out that we have arrived at Yehliu and we can get off. At first we were confused, Yehliu? Get off? We did not see a bus station or a bus stop. We did see a sign that says Yehliu Geological Park when we turned into the town but where's the rocks? All we saw was a sleepy town with a couple of rows of shops. Were we at the right place? We got off the bus with a few other tourists. As we got off, we asked the driver where was was the Geological Park. He said just walk a bit and we will see it. Hmm....
The bus driver called out that we have arrived at Yehliu and we can get off. At first we were confused, Yehliu? Get off? We did not see a bus station or a bus stop. We did see a sign that says Yehliu Geological Park when we turned into the town but where's the rocks? All we saw was a sleepy town with a couple of rows of shops. Were we at the right place? We got off the bus with a few other tourists. As we got off, we asked the driver where was was the Geological Park. He said just walk a bit and we will see it. Hmm....
We looked down at our feet and we saw crabs painted onto the street. I guess when in doubt follow the crabs! *crab-walking*
Crab cages and anchors
As we followed the crabs, we passed a jetty.
Crab cages and anchors
Yehliu Geological Park (野柳地質公園) is a 1.7km cape between Taipei and Keelung that has been gazetted as a national park due to the unusual soft rock formations, which resulted from eons of erosion . As a result of erosion, these rocks took on distinctive sorta recognizable shapes. Entrance fee is NTD50 pax.
When we reached the area was full with China tourists. Buses regurgitated them from their metal stomachs. As they entered the park, they swarmed and broke all kinds of rules! C'mon these stones have so far withstood the test of time and shouldn't be put under more stress than they are already under. With huge signs saying "Don't Touch!" and markers on the ground designating danger zones, they just didn't care! They trudged through everything. You can hear security whistles going off every minute. Some even after they have been warned, continue to abuse the formations by sitting or standing on it. The security volunteers should have been empowered to escort them off the park. There was this uncle who made a loud noise trying to expel phlegm from his throat and all the non-China tourists looked around and glared at him. He stopped at mid-spit, held it in and shambled off. I wonder did he spit at some plant instead. (-___-)
With the amount of tourists at the rock formation area, we saw stairs leading away from the crowd and decided to take it. We found ourselves in a more rugged part of the GeoPark and we LOVED it!!
It is possible to walk all the way to the end of the cape but it takes around an hour if you are going to stop at all the interesting sites and stone bridges to take photos. Its great to take a break away from the tourists crowds and take in deep salt filled air.
We didn't manage to make it all the way to the end as we had to catch a bus to our minsu in JiuFen and our lantern adventure later on at night.
The park is designed to have a separate entrance and exit. One of the exits is near the replica Queen's Head in the garden. As we exited the designated walking route took us through a market where lots' of dried seafood products especially cuttlefish were sold. I would think it is a tourist trap and the prices are not that much cheaper than from town.
There are also stalls selling ginger tea. It's not plain ginger. It's old ginger (the spicier sort) and it is boiled with red dates and sugar. Calling it a tea is a misnomer actually since there isn't any tea leaves in it nor does it have caffeine Its a tummy warming drink especially on the cold day such as the one I had when I came here. At the end of the dried-seafood-tourist-trap place, there are 2 stalls facing each other selling ginger tea. I would recommend buying the ginger and black sugar sachets here. Some people informed me that it is easily obtainable in Taipei. Liars I tell you ~! In the 6 days I was actually, physically in Taipei, I DID NOT SEE EM' INSTANT GINGER AND BLACK SUGAR TEA SACHETS NOWHERE!
After taking our short ginger tea break, we walked back out to the main road to look for a way to Keelung Bus Station where we begin our next leg of the journey to Jiu Fen. We crossed the road (from where we got off earlier) and waited in front of a sundry/grocery/convenience shop. There is no signboard indicating that the bus was going to stop here but since the visitor centre assured us (and we checked with the sundry/grocery/convenience store workers), we just hoped that no one was pulling a fast one on us.
Some taxis offered us a ride for NTD500. Although it would be a much shorter journey, we decided against it and waited it out. After all that's the point of backpacking :) We were told to wait for bus #790, #862 or #1022. The fare wouldn't be more than NTD50 per person for a 14km trip. When we boarded the bus, we found that there were quite a number of young tourists from Singapore and Malaysia with the same mind set and equally as ignorant as to where to get off. HAHA. Well, at least if we get lost, we will find comfort in those in the same predicament.
The bus ride was pretty long and luckily we all packed a backpack with our clothes. The bus was packed and some of us had to stand the entire way! The bus driver informed everyone on the bus when Keelung Bus Station was near. He actually dropped us a bus stop away as he said that this is a better stop.
We all got off the bus, feeling really disoriented. It felt like we were waiting for buses at Kotaraya with the Metro busses edging their counterparts and motorbikes squeezing in between the gaps. According to the Yehliu tourist info counter lady, we had to hop onto #788 or any buses heading to Jingguashih (金瓜石). Jingguashih is like the end of the bus route so it would be displayed on the bus signs.
We got onto #788 and paid NTD51 for the fare. We all took power naps once our butts hit the seats. After leaving Keelung, the bus wound its way uphill towards Jiu Fen. If you are prone to motion sickness, be prepared!
We got off when we saw the fork in the road come up. Why were we at getting off here instead of the usual-blog-advertised-Jiufen-street? That's because our minsu was something real special ^^
What is at the end of these stairs you may ask? Stay tuned for our little slice of Jiufen.
Yehliu Geological Park
Address:No.167-1, Kantung Rd., Yehliu Village, Wanli District, New Taipei City 20744, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Tel: (02)-24922016
Web: http://www.ylgeopark.org.tw/
Getting there: Taipei WestMain Station ►Terminal A ► Platform 8 (travel for 1 1/2 hours) ► Alight at Yehliu stop near road T-junction ► Follow crab path for 15 minutes ► Reach Yehliu Geological Park (野柳地質公園)
Keelung Bus Station
Getting there: Board #790, #862 or #1022 bus opposite from where you got off ► Travel 40 minutes ► Keelung Bus Station
Jiufen (九份)
When we reached the area was full with China tourists. Buses regurgitated them from their metal stomachs. As they entered the park, they swarmed and broke all kinds of rules! C'mon these stones have so far withstood the test of time and shouldn't be put under more stress than they are already under. With huge signs saying "Don't Touch!" and markers on the ground designating danger zones, they just didn't care! They trudged through everything. You can hear security whistles going off every minute. Some even after they have been warned, continue to abuse the formations by sitting or standing on it. The security volunteers should have been empowered to escort them off the park. There was this uncle who made a loud noise trying to expel phlegm from his throat and all the non-China tourists looked around and glared at him. He stopped at mid-spit, held it in and shambled off. I wonder did he spit at some plant instead. (-___-)
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| Top L-R: Ocean Erosion Potholes, Drumstick Rock, Polo Bun Rock, Pothole, Candlewick Rock and Honeycomb Rock |
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| The famous Queen's Head and sand dollars |
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| L-R: Mushroom Rock colony, Marine Bird Rock, Vase Rock, Dragon Head Rock |
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| This freakily looks like a cat |
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| From the top of the path scene |
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| Looking out from Lover's Cave |
We didn't manage to make it all the way to the end as we had to catch a bus to our minsu in JiuFen and our lantern adventure later on at night.
The park is designed to have a separate entrance and exit. One of the exits is near the replica Queen's Head in the garden. As we exited the designated walking route took us through a market where lots' of dried seafood products especially cuttlefish were sold. I would think it is a tourist trap and the prices are not that much cheaper than from town.
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Cuttlefish!
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After taking our short ginger tea break, we walked back out to the main road to look for a way to Keelung Bus Station where we begin our next leg of the journey to Jiu Fen. We crossed the road (from where we got off earlier) and waited in front of a sundry/grocery/convenience shop. There is no signboard indicating that the bus was going to stop here but since the visitor centre assured us (and we checked with the sundry/grocery/convenience store workers), we just hoped that no one was pulling a fast one on us.
Some taxis offered us a ride for NTD500. Although it would be a much shorter journey, we decided against it and waited it out. After all that's the point of backpacking :) We were told to wait for bus #790, #862 or #1022. The fare wouldn't be more than NTD50 per person for a 14km trip. When we boarded the bus, we found that there were quite a number of young tourists from Singapore and Malaysia with the same mind set and equally as ignorant as to where to get off. HAHA. Well, at least if we get lost, we will find comfort in those in the same predicament.
The bus ride was pretty long and luckily we all packed a backpack with our clothes. The bus was packed and some of us had to stand the entire way! The bus driver informed everyone on the bus when Keelung Bus Station was near. He actually dropped us a bus stop away as he said that this is a better stop.
We all got off the bus, feeling really disoriented. It felt like we were waiting for buses at Kotaraya with the Metro busses edging their counterparts and motorbikes squeezing in between the gaps. According to the Yehliu tourist info counter lady, we had to hop onto #788 or any buses heading to Jingguashih (金瓜石). Jingguashih is like the end of the bus route so it would be displayed on the bus signs.
We got onto #788 and paid NTD51 for the fare. We all took power naps once our butts hit the seats. After leaving Keelung, the bus wound its way uphill towards Jiu Fen. If you are prone to motion sickness, be prepared!
We got off when we saw the fork in the road come up. Why were we at getting off here instead of the usual-blog-advertised-Jiufen-street? That's because our minsu was something real special ^^
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| Image from Google Map. You will see this fork and Circle K (Taiwan convenience store) on your right. Follow the arrow down the road. |
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| Walk down these stairs |
Yehliu Geological Park
Address:No.167-1, Kantung Rd., Yehliu Village, Wanli District, New Taipei City 20744, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Tel: (02)-24922016
Web: http://www.ylgeopark.org.tw/
Getting there: Taipei WestMain Station ►Terminal A ► Platform 8 (travel for 1 1/2 hours) ► Alight at Yehliu stop near road T-junction ► Follow crab path for 15 minutes ► Reach Yehliu Geological Park (野柳地質公園)
Keelung Bus Station
Getting there: Board #790, #862 or #1022 bus opposite from where you got off ► Travel 40 minutes ► Keelung Bus Station
Jiufen (九份)
Getting there : Board #788 or any bus which states Jinguashih ► Travel for 40-50 minutes ► Be prepared to get off once the bus runs parallel to a river on your right ► See fork in the road ► Ring bell and get off at Circle K
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