Why you need to visit Taitung

Fancy leaping off a cliff and sailing into thin air, towards lush greenery, vast padi fields and meandering rivers? If the thought of paragliding sends the adrenaline rushing through your veins, Taitung may just be the place for you.

Taitung — which means Eastern Taiwan in Chinese — is located on the east coast of Taiwan and is known for a few things: Ravishing scenery, fantastic waves for surfing, a thriving aboriginal culture, the best homegrown rice in Taiwan and its laid-back, “chillax” vibe. Relatively undeveloped compared with the rest of Taiwan, it’s not often the first-choice getaway destination that comes to mind, even for domestic travellers. Young people who want to hit the beach usually head further south to Kenting; hikers go to the central mountains; and those who want to experience nature opt for the famed Taroko Gorge National Park in the popular Hualien.

However, Taitung being off the radar is good news for the intrepid traveller and outdoorsy types eager to experience nature untouched and without the crowds.

There’s a tranquil way to see Taitung’s gorgeous, expansive landscape: Hop into a basket at the crack of dawn and take a dreamy hot air balloon ride into the misty sunrise. Regulated by the same aviation authorities that govern the commercial airlines, Skyrainbow Airlines in Luye Township operates small balloons and baskets that take about three passengers plus one pilot. Compared with the massive balloons in other countries such as Cappadocia in Turkey, which can take as many as 16 or 32 people, this is relatively small, but it is a much more intimate experience. And you can chit chat with the pilot, who also offer nuggets of information about flight altitude and the area you’re flying over. Each ride lasts approximately 30 minutes, which is just enough time to take pictures that will cause heaps of Instagram-envy. Then put the cameras away and just relish the moment.

RIDING THE WAVES

Admittedly, the thought of our next activity, surfing out in the Pacific Ocean, made my stomach churn as hard as the roaring waves crashed against the coast. That’s because I can’t swim, and the last time I stepped into any body of salty water was at Sentosa. Still, I love the ocean, and the image of surfers sitting on their boards in the middle of the ocean, patiently waiting for a good wave to make their day, has always held some romantic appeal for me. Plus, it helped that the coaches said we would be surfing at a shallow spot where the water is, at most, chest-high.

Before we stepped into the water, we were put through drills on how to swiftly prop yourself up, stay balanced and not get washed under by the relentless waves. And I have to say: Surfing is utterly exhausting — but utterly exhilarating. Attempting to get into a standing position on a surfboard on the crest of a wave is like trying to do a push up with check-in luggage strapped to your back. The surfer dudes from Taitung Surf Shop — one assigned to every two or three of us flailing beginners — were pros who took it upon themselves to maximise everyone’s chances to successfully ride a wave and have fun attempting it.

Finally, after we were all back on shore having snorted enough sea water, the coaches went out with our amateur foam boards and put on a little display of what the future could hold if we were to persevere in the sport.

LEISURELY PLEASURES

After the exertion of surfing, a leisurely ride on two wheels sounded almost like bliss. Taitung is known for its scenic cycling routes that are easy enough for riders of any proficiency. Thanks to EVA Air, the most famed route at the moment would be Brown Boulevard in Chihshang Township. The airline ran an ad campaign that featured the delectable Japanese-Taiwanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro riding in picture-perfect countryside and stopping to sip tea under a tree. Overnight, the autumn maple tree became a sensational tourist attraction, so much so that when the tree was toppled by the Typhoon Matmo last year, a “Japanese tree doctor” that cares for the trees in Tokyo’s Imperial Palace was called in to replant and nurse it back to health, said our guide. The treatment was also sponsored by the airline, which even offers a shuttle bus service to ferry visitors around the area if you don’t want to cycle. Tree or no tree, Brown Boulevard offers an incredibly picturesque ride that should not be missed.

After all that activity, nothing soothes aching muscles like a hot spring bath. Taitung is home to several famous hot springs, including Jhihben in the National Forest Recreation Area and Hongye Hot Springs near Luye. It’s nature’s perfect backdrop.

Which brings us back to our aforementioned paragliding experience. While it is one of the best ways to check out the scenery; unfortunately for us, the wind forecast was not in our favour the day we visited, so our trial session with paragliding firm Soar 001 could not be arranged. Wind direction, air turbulence and a multitude of factors are considered before a take-off; and weather conditions there are ever-changing. Still, later on, we got to see two girls take that leap of faith. Strapped to a canopy together with an experienced paragliding coach, their screams trailed off into thrilled laughter. Watching them drift off into the clouds, I couldn’t help but think: I’ll be back for this.

This trip was made possible by EVA Air