M Y T R AV E L LO G
“I Want to Visit Them All” An Adventurous Traveler in Search of the Best Natural Spots Around Taiwan
Text & Photos: Asher Leiss
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’m one of those people who has to travel. It’s a need. A calling. Something that drives me. On backpacking trips around the world spanning several years, I traveled to 45 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, usually spending no more than a few months in each place. And so it came as a great surprise to my friends and family that when I came to Taiwan as part of my “I must see the entire world” adventure, I stayed. That was five years ago. Instead of circling the island once and then hopping on the next flight to Anywhere, I unpacked my bag, began studying Mandarin, and attended a university. At a quick glance it may appear that I’ve finally “settled down,” but that isn’t the case. I’ve never stopped traveling. I am constantly traveling. Traveling in Taiwan! Every week I go to places that I’ve never been before, following winding roads that take me further and further into the wilderness. The size of Taiwan can be misleading. The mountains here have fractaltype terrains. The deeper one goes, the more there is to see. Each turn on a mountain road is another fold in an endless pattern, with new adventure possibilities presented beyond. There’s always another ridge, another tea farm, another waterfall. I want to visit them all. One of my favorite mountain regions is the Maolin National Scenic Area in southern Taiwan. It’s only one hour from the center of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan’s southern hub of industry and culture, but it feels very remote and exotic. The landscape changes dramatically on your approach to its isolated tropical valleys – from flat fields of mango and dragonfruit to steep, undeveloped mountains with thick jungle and cascading waterfalls. Eagles are easy to spot circling in the open skies. High-flying pedestrian suspension bridges, colorfully painted by the local indigenous people, span the rivers below. It’s a paradise for bird and butterfly watchers, who come to see the endemic purple butterflies nest in the thousands. And a goal for adventuresports enthusiasts, who come to hike up the many hills and canyons.
Spectacular gorge in Maolin National Scenic Area
My first scenic adventure in Taiwan was in Maolin. It’s been five years, and I still keep going back. No matter how many times I visit Maolin, I find there’s still so much more that I want to go and see.
If you want to follow Asher on his adventures in Taiwan, visit his blog: www.followxiaofei.com/blog. Travel in Taiwan
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