Breaking News, World News and Taiwan News.

Updated Thursday, March 19, 2009 9:28 am TWN, By Richard Saunders, Special to The China Post

The breathtaking beauty of Jiaming Lake

On a visit to Sun Moon Lake last year, I got my first look (from the outside) at the fabled Lalu Hotel, considered one of the best in Taiwan. It was a weekend, and, despite the jaw-dropping per-night rate for the privilege of sleeping within its no-luxury-spared walls, there seemed no shortage of guests milling in and out.

It's unlikely I'll ever be able to justify spending the equivalent of a flight ticket to Europe on a couple of nights at the Lalu, but lovely as it would be to stay and enjoy the high life for a weekend, I'd be happier still spending a cold night in a tent at 3,000 meters above sea level on the remote but breathtakingly beautiful shore of Jiaming Lake (嘉明湖) in Kaohsiung (高雄) County.

Three kilometers above sea level it gets bitterly cold every night of the year, and a good night's sleep is sometimes difficult while lying in a sleeping bag on a rough, bumpy mountainside, but as any keen hiker will attest, an uncomfortable night is small price to pay for experiencing a crystal-clear night sky filled with an unbelievable multitude of stars. Best of all, waking up at dawn to witness the breathtaking sapphire blue expanse of Jiaming Lake spread out in front, is indisputably one of Taiwan's most magical experiences.

The hike to Jiaming Lake isn't for everyone. There are no mod-cons such as toilets or mountain huts on the way, and it's a good deal more strenuous than the ascent of Yushan (Jade Mountain) so bring an extra reserve of determination and a sleeping pad to provide a little insulation against the cold ground, and to make the hard, stony surface less uncomfortable to sleep on.

If sleep is slow in coming, the star-studded night sky (far from any source of light or any other form of pollution) is a stunning sight, while the silence deep in the mountains is, as they say, deafening (assuming there are no snorers in the group). Best of all, though, is the sight of the lake itself, which is even more beautiful than in the photos of it that regularly feature in the Taiwan Tourism Bureau's guides to the island.

Jiaming Lake is a 2-day walk from the spectacular South Cross-island Highway (南橫), starting with a lengthy, steep uphill climb that really sets the pulse racing. Soon after leaving the trailhead just east of the Yakou (啞口) Tunnel (at the highest point of the highway) the path tilts steeply upwards and continues up, up and up for almost the whole of the long first day.

1|2|Next Page>>

Share

Print

Email



	Mt. Sancha, with its spectacular view, lies just a short detour off the route to Jiaming Lake. (By Richard Saunders, Special to The China Post) More Photos (2)


Sponsors
▪	Save 70% for hotel in Shanghai and 6000 hotels, in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and all China.
▪	Get the best deals for Guangzhou Hotels or choose from more than 10,000 hotels in 499 Chinese cities.
▪	Find great real time deals on China Flights. Book flights to China or China domestic flights 24/7.
▪	Buy china wholesale products from reliable chinese wholesalers on DHgate.com!

Discount Hotel Rates