The wonders of Liushan Mud Volcano in Donggang

However, there can be no stranger sight on this island than its mud volcanoes. 'Erupting' at intervals with oozing streams of thick, sticky mud and flammable gas, mud volcanoes are just plain weird.

Mud volcanoes are remarkably uncommon, found in only about twenty countries around the world, but above all, they're highly unpredictable. On a recent visit to Taiwan's southernmost county of Pingtung, we made a quick diversion off the road south towards Kenting to visit the Liushan Mud Volcano (鯉魚山泥火山), not far from the town of Donggang (東港, best-known as the jumping-off point for boats to Xiao Liuqiu Island).

Photos in a local guidebook show the mud volcano as a sizeable and shapely dome, but when we finally found it, there was nothing to see except a huge wasteland of bare, ashen-colored dried mud. Standing in the middle is a small temple, its walls painted bright orange.

There was no oozing mud and no bubbling pools to see as we walked across the dried, cracked mud, but it's clear the mud volcano has been active recently. One orange-painted wall of the temple is splattered with a thick coating of mud reaching several meters above the ground, and a sign warns visitors not to come too close to the deep hole that has opened up at the base of the great muddy splash, almost underneath the temple.

We walk round the building to take a look through the glass door of the temple, and immediately a man comes over and offers to explain a little more about the activities of the mud volcano. It seems we've just missed the latest eruption, as the volcano last blew its top just a couple of weeks before our visit, opening up the gaping hole under the temple wall and belching out huge volumes of mud and gas, which threw flames several meters into the air. Our impromptu guide, Mr. Hong (洪先生) goes on to explain that the volcano springs into action several times a year, opening up a fresh crater in a new position each time.

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