Exploring Taipei – Yangmingshan
I only had four days in Taipei and I managed to check out Wulai and Jiufen, and ate myself silly at these awesome restaurants and food stalls. On my last two days in Taipei, I knew I wanted to check out more of the beautiful mountains nearby so my friend Jo suggested that we go hiking at Yangmingshan.
Granted, fall weather in Taipei is a little unpredictable. It could be quite warm one day and start to pour down rain the next, regardless of what your weather app tells you! Jo and I crossed our fingers as we boarded the train to head to the mountains.
Yangmingshan
How to get there: There’s a plethora of ways to get to Yangmingshan. It really depends on where you are in the city so pick the most convenient way for you! We took the MRT to Shilin station and from there we took a bus to the Yangmingshan park stop. When you get to the stop, there’s a shuttle, bus 108 that takes you to the various stops along the mountain. Other buses also stop along the way so you have many options. It’s really easy! Be warned that the last bus to leave the Yangmingshan stop to return to the city is at 6 p.m. so don’t get stranded!
Yangmingshan’s original name is Caoshan (grass mountain) because of all the tall silvergrass covering highest slopes. The name was changed by military leader Chiang Kai-shek in honor of his favorite Ming philosopher Wang Yang-min, however, the older generation of Taiwanese still call it Caoshan, according to my friend.
When we got to the first area to check out the hot springs and Milk Lake (named for its milky white color), it started to rain heavily! We did manage to see the lake. It wasn’t as large as I thought it would be, more like a huge resort pool than an actual lake. The milky color is caused by sulphurous fumes gradually precipitating in the lake, causing the pale layers in the lake bed.
Thankfully, when we took the bus to the next stop, the rain stopped and we did manage to do a bit of hiking. The trail is really beautiful and well maintained. You can tell that the Taiwanese take great pride in their natural surroundings! As usual, we came across SO MANY incredibly fit elderly Taiwanese couples who were practically running up the stairs. It got pretty embarrassing for us, huffing and puffing away.
As we were short of time due to the rain and late start, we took the shorter Qingtiangang trail to check out the Jaunsi waterfall along the way. It was an easy hike and the views were breath-taking even with the cloudy skies. Apparently, it’s the spot to take wedding photos. We saw so many couples in full wedding attire taking professional shots, outfitted with balloons and other props!
While on the walk back to the visitors’ center where the bus stop is, we saw a bunch of cattle grazing and pretty much posing for photos.
We managed to catch the very last bus back. Phew! Lesson learned: it’s imperative to start your hike earlier in the morning to account for traffic and potential weather changes. I also got a tip from a taxi driver the next day that it’s best to visit Yangminshan during spring to enjoy the colorful bloom of the wild flowers. Hmm definitely an incentive for another trip to Taipei!