After leaving our hotel,
we headed to two of Taroko’s famous sights:
Swallow Grotto and the Eternal Spring Shrine.
The scenery was dramatic,
with huge rock walls rising around the gorge.
Seeing it in person had far more impact than I expected.
Please note: Swallow Grotto Trail and the Eternal Spring Shrine area are currently closed while restoration work continues after earthquake and typhoon damage. This article is based on our firsthand visit in 2018, with current access information added. Always check the latest Taroko National Park information before visiting.
Walking Swallow Grotto in Our 60s — Helmets, Cliffs and Huge Views!
Swallow Grotto runs through a dramatic marble gorge carved by the Liwu River.
The rock walls rise steeply on both sides,
and you can see holes and patterns formed by erosion in the cliffs.
When we visited,
we wore helmets while walking through the area because of the risk of falling rocks.
So yes,
I was a little nervous.
But then I noticed something important.
My cardigan was light blue...
and my helmet was light blue too.
Perfect coordination（笑）
At least if I was going to walk through a gorge in a helmet,
I was going to match.
Then I looked down.
Okay... that was pretty scary!
The walkway was high above the gorge,
and the river looked very far below.
When I took photos with my phone,
I found myself holding it much tighter than usual.
All I could think was:
“If I drop this phone, I won’t be able to write my Taiwan travel blog!”
Suddenly,
taking a photo became a serious mission（笑）
But of course...
I still wanted the photo.
So here is the picture I took with slightly trembling hands♪
Ahhhhhh!!
It almost felt as if the gorge could pull you in.
And yet...
what an incredible view!
The combination of mountains,
river
and huge marble cliffs felt completely different from the mountain scenery we usually see in Japan.
If you are afraid of heights,
or simply terrified of dropping your phone,
a phone strap would definitely make things more relaxing if the trail reopens.
A Taroko Rock Face That Looked Ready for a Kiss!?
The mountains and cliffs around Taroko feel enormous.
They do not seem far away.
They feel as if they are
right in front of you.
And then we found this funny spot.
Doesn’t the rock look like a human profile?
A Finemakers staff member pointed it out to us.
That nose is pretty high...
maybe a European face?（笑）
And if you look carefully...
aren’t they basically one second away from kissing!?
So there we were,
surrounded by one of Taiwan’s most dramatic landscapes...
looking for kissing rock faces（笑）
That is travel.
Visiting the Eternal Spring Shrine in Taroko
After enjoying the scenery around Swallow Grotto,
we continued toward the
Eternal Spring Shrine.
The shrine was built to commemorate those who died during construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway.
According to Taroko National Park information,
226 people died and 702 were injured during construction of the highway.
The shrine has also been damaged and rebuilt over the years following natural disasters.
We walked through a tunnel on the way.
Being surrounded by rock
made the whole place feel strangely mysterious.
Then we reached the Eternal Spring Shrine.
The colorful shrine stands out beautifully against the surrounding greenery and rock walls.
But once I learned why it was built,
the place felt much more serious.
I put my hands together
and quietly paid my respects.
It is not simply a place with beautiful scenery.
It is also a place that reminds visitors how difficult and dangerous the construction of this mountain road was.
This photo with my daughter
is still one of my favorites.
Travel photos are funny.
Years later,
one picture can bring back the whole day.
What It Was Like Walking Swallow Grotto and the Eternal Spring Shrine
Swallow Grotto was simply
huge.
The mountains,
the river,
the cliffs...
everything felt dramatic.
You could really feel the power of nature here.
When we visited,
Mamarin in her 60s was able to enjoy the walk without difficulty.
However,
Taroko is a place where conditions can change after earthquakes, typhoons and heavy rain.
At present,
many areas including Swallow Grotto Trail and the Eternal Spring Shrine area remain closed.
Even after they reopen, routes, safety measures and walking conditions may be different from those we experienced.
If the area becomes safely accessible again someday,
I would love to see this incredible scenery one more time.
More Taiwan Travel Stories
After the dramatic cliffs of Taroko,
we visited another beautiful Hualien landscape:
Qingshui Cliffs.
Even under cloudy skies,
the mountain-and-ocean scenery was beautiful.
We also stayed surrounded by nature in Taroko at
Leader Village Taroko.
It felt completely different from staying in a city hotel.
And if you are wondering how we traveled from Taipei to Hualien,
we also took the
Puyuma Express.
Train travel in Taiwan was part of the adventure too♪
Disclosure:
Our Taiwan trip was hosted by Finemakers.
At the time,
we were guided in Japanese,
which made the experience easy to enjoy even though we were relatively new to traveling in Taiwan.
Please note that Finemakers’ current tours, language support and booking arrangements may differ from those available during our trip.
