Escape to Shanlinxi

Nantou (南投) County has always been one of our favorite destinations, as it combines beautiful scenic locations with easy accessibility. So the last long weekend again saw us driving through Lugu (鹿谷), aimless and agenda less, enjoying the gentle countryside and the pleasant weather. After a satiating lunch at a road-side joint, in which we tasted a variety of bamboo based items including a delicious chicken a la bamboo shoot, we proceeded towards Xitou (溪頭).

Xitou was so crowded that we planned to move on. A brown sign board caught our attention for its unusual name - Sun Link Sea - Shanlinxi(杉林溪) in Chinese. These brown boards are a very good way to discover new places in Taiwan, all you need is a desire to bear with a little hardship and a sense of adventure.

Further enquiry revealed that Shanlinxi is a Forest Recreation Park, about 17 kilometers and an hour’s drive up the hill from Xitou. No sun links the sea there, the English name is not a “translation” of the Chinese characters but are phonemes of them. The wanderer in me needed no more urging and we set sail towards Sun Link Sea.

The route was very scenic; thick forests on either side dotted with colorful flowers. Different flowers bloom at different seasons, the road is at its spectacular best in autumn when the maple leaves turn into a deep yellow setting fire to the green backdrop.

A huge mural bearing the name of the park greeted us upon entering. Driving further we were suddenly swept into a different world that looked almost magical, except for the hundreds of cars in the parking lot and thousands of visitors wandering about. The park covered an area of 40 hectares, and offered a gamut of attractions to cheer up every individual, yet it did manage to retain a kind of laid-back charm which was very relaxing.

The major attraction was a beautiful river flowing gracefully through the center and ringed by an idyllic settlement of cottages with red roofs, which require advance reservation. Colorful boats, both paddle and motor propelled, raced through its tranquil depth. Finding it hard to ignore the spell, as excited shrieks and laughter wafted through the air, we too indulged in some childish fun.

To explore the interior, which includes scenic spots like Shijingji, Ecological Herb and Flower Garden, Qinglong waterfall, and Tiandeyan or Eye of the Heaven, hop into one of those big buses going up and down the hill. The more enthusiastic ones could retrace the footsteps of the river to reach the waterfall. I found the hike very fulfilling, a bit tiring though. The melodious chuckle of flowing water and continuous chatter of birds provided excellent background music for an otherwise silent journey. It’s worth attempting, any time you feel tired you can take the bus, paying the full fare of course!

The last bus stop was at Qinglong or Green Dragon waterfall, beyond which it was a pedestrians’ world. The waterfall was a mesmerizing sight. A large mass of water tumbled down the cliff from a height of 115 meters, creating a misty haze while spraying the onlookers with droplets of water.

About six hundred meters from the waterfall was the most amazing sight of the park, appropriately named as Tiandeyan or Eye of the Heaven. The trek was quite steep; you would find giant tree trunks, similar to that found in Alishan forest. The Eye of the Heaven was actually two huge holes in the mountains that gave the appearance and feeling of a pair of eyes — the all-encompassing, all-caring eyes of the Almighty.

The Ecological Herb and F

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