NEW TRAIL GUIDE: Mount Kaiyanlun and Tea Terrace Trail (開眼崙山/茶園步道)

This short trail is a treat for anyone who is looking for something a little different. You could even turn it into a neat little day trip from Taipei. It’s accessible on public transport (see full post for details), and while it might not be as easy to get to as some places closer to the city, it is possible, and if you catch one of the earlier services, then you can head back to enjoy afternoon tea in Pinglin.

🔗 https://bit.ly/3kt9TsN

🧭 About 3.6km.

🕒 1½-2 hours.

🚶‍♀️ 2/10 difficulty level for regular Taiwan hikers. Steep on the way up, and slippery on the way down, but short and easy to navigate.

🚶‍♀️ 4/10 difficulty level for a new Taiwan hiker. A little out of the way to get to, some steep and muddy trail to climb, and equally steep on the way down.

⛰ Around 260 metres, all done in one solid push.

💦 I took 0.5L, and drank about half on a rainy day.

☀️ The first half is quite shady, the second half, not so much.

☎️ I had no signal at the start, but it was clear almost as soon as we climbed out of the valley.

🥰 This is a perfect short and sweet adventure for when you only have half a day to spend, there’s enough of a climb to get your heart beating faster, and the views on the way down are a great reward for your efforts.

📄 No permit needed.

🚌 Public transport is possible, but only on weekends and holidays.

#Taiwan #hiking #TaiwanNature #TaiwanIsOpen #台灣 #TravelTheWorld

Somewhere way back around the end of 2021, my partner and I took a short holiday in the old walled city of Hengchun. One of the days was spent walking the historic city boundaries. We thought it would be a very brief thing, but it turned out to be a great way to spend half a day. The route follows what’s left of the original walls as well as several rebuilt sections, and along the way we took time to pop in and out of temples, sit down for coffee, and just generally take a look at anything that piqued our curiosity. If you’re planning a trip to the area, I would definitely recommend it.

📝Hengchun City Walls (恆春縣城)

🔗 https://bit.ly/3ZcUfBR

🧭 The walls themselves are 2.6km, but we probably ended up walking almost three times.

🕒 We spent a leisurely four hours on this wander, but it could be done far, far quicker.

🚶‍♀️ 0.5/10 difficulty level for regular Taiwan hikers. This trail isn’t difficult in any way.

🚶‍♀️ 1/10 difficulty level for a new Taiwan hiker. The most difficult aspect for most newcomers is that walking of any sort in Taiwan’s southern heat can be energy-sapping.

💦 It’s a good idea to take your water bottle with you, but you’re never too far from refreshments. We included a couple of stops for coffee and snacks along the way.

☀️ Almost no shade. I needed to use an umbrella.

☎️ Perfectly clear mobile signal throughout.

🥰 I would thoroughly recommend this as a way to explore the little southern town of Hengchun. It may not take you on a tour of all of the sights and scenic spots, but it is a wonderful way to get a good feel for the place.

📄 No permit needed.

#walking #Taiwan #SlowTravel #TaiwanIsOpen #Travel