Bitoujiao Scenic Area, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwán
Magnificent scenery of Taiwan’s northeast coast was one of the first places I visited on arriving in Taiwan, way back in 1993, simply because it was one of the few Taipei area places listed in the Lonely Planet back in those days that actually sounded worth visiting. My copy of that old edition (with a beautiful, coyly smiling aboriginal girl on the front, I remember) has long been lost, but I remember the author seemed to have a fetish for temples, introducing loads of them throughout the book while leaving out many major attractions.
The Northeast Coast Scenic Area, as it became known in 1995 (the protected area was extended south to beyond Suao in Ilan County a couple of years ago), has always been one of the great attractions of the Taipei area, and while I usually give such touristy places a very wide berth (Yehliu, anyone?), There’s so much open countryside and such staggering views along the stretch of coast between Keelung and Longdong Bay that I just can’t resist returning often. It’s also an obvious choice, with its fairly gentle climbs and cool sea breezes, for the lingering summer heat of early September.
It’s only a small cape, but Bitoujiao amazes with its variety. The little harbor at the start of the walk was especially lovely in the morning sun, and utterly peaceful, since the crowds that would descend on the place in the afternoon were nowhere to be seen.
Epic Taiwan Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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