Shakadang. What a mysterious name for a stream in Taroko National Park! I first heard of it two years ago when my friends and I were planning our canyoneering adventure in Hualien. Shakadang was one of our options. However, its strange name wasn’t enough to give us a big reason to choose that place for river trekking. We decided to explore the Golden Grotto (黃金峽谷) instead and the place remained a mystery to me for a very long time.
 |
| Shakadang River |
 |
| Shakadang Trail |
The Shakadang River is one of the tributaries flowing from the mountains in Hualien down to the Liwu River to become a bigger body of water. A trail runs along its edge made originally by the aboriginal people who once lived here. Visitors inside the Taiwan Tour Bus easily ignore this place after the public bus had passed through a tunnel from the Taroko National Park Headquarters. Those who pressed the stop button at the trail entrance are easily drawn to get close to its waters.
Stone lion dogs. I was quick to notice them upon getting off the bus. The Shakadang trail entrance is located on top of a red arched bridge with stone lion dogs sitting on both of its sides. They were there acting as little guardians of Shakadang. A few meters from the bus stop was an archway. It serves as a marker. A portal to an unknown realm.
Entering the trail was like going down to the underworld. With the bridge representing as heaven and the jagged edges of the stone roof of Shakadang trail as hell, the only way for humans to travel between them is the zigzag staircase tower. Warnings of snakes and other dangers are visibly seen by visitors as they go down the staircase. At the base, you become closer to the stream. Its crystalline blue waters is an endless temptation to all those who cannot resist looking at it.
The Shakadang trail cuts through rocks along the edge of the river making it somewhat dangerous. If you are a tall person, then you need to watch your head. The stones above are a bit sharp that it can hurt your skull if you are careless. On a rainy day, the rocky portions of the trail become a waterfall curtain making it useless as a cover.
Speaking of the rain, the trail is a landslide prone area. With nets providing protection against big rock rolling down from the mountain slopes, it is a solid evidence that the place is alive. There are also people living in Shakadang! Visitors are reminded that some areas are ancestral lands of the aboriginal people and no one should enter them.
Stop, look and listen. The Shakadang Trail is not only a scenic spot in Taroko. Villagers use it as transportation route and motorcycles can sometimes be seen running in the 4 km “road”. It often happens early in the morning or during lunchtime and visitors are advised to stay on the sides if a vehicle is coming.
With all of the marble-clad beauty of this scenic place in Taroko, what can be seen on the far end of the Shakadang Trail? According to Google Maps, there will come a point that visitors must make a U-turn back to where they came from. But do not get fooled by what you see on the internet because the Shakadang River can expand so rapidly during torrential rainfall and it can engulf portions of the trail along its banks.
At the time of my visit, construction was being done on the low-lying portion of the trail and I managed to have some time on the stream. The water was so inviting but as the mountain tops become covered with dark clouds it becomes dangerous to stay longer. I tried to continue my hike but the sight of construction workers and the muddy walkway discouraged me and killed my eagerness to finish the trail. The rain then had started to fall. From small droplets, it had become bigger and bigger driving away visitors to finish their hike. It was like the famous scenic trail in Taroko has a mind of its own. It will always try to keep its secret whenever it sees the opportunity.
Shakadang. The name means 'molar' in the Sedik tribal language. They are the big boulders in the river that took the shape of a molar tooth. Shakadang. It will always be Taroko’s mysterious valley trail.
**************************************
Notes: Aside from the Taiwan Tour Bus Taroko Route (Bus 1133A), Shakadang Trail is also served by buses 302, 1126, 1133 and 1141. The road going to Shakadang Bridge only runs in a single direction. Visitors returning to Hualien Station or Xincheng Station must walk back to the Taroko National Park Headquarters through a tunnel or ride the next bus uphill to the mountains then ride a bus going down to the city.
From Xincheng Station: Bus 302 and 1133
[1] Bus 302 (Xincheng Station -> Tianxang)
*A one-day ticket costs NTD 150
Departure times from Xincheng Station: 7:10/8:00/9:40/10:30/11:20/13:00/13:50/14:40/15:30/16:20/17:10
[2] Bus 1133 (Hualien -> Tianxiang)
Departure times from Hualien Station: 10:50 and 13:50
From Hualien Station: Bus 1126, 1141 and 1133
[1] Bus 1126 (Hualien New Station -> Luoshao)
*This bus starts from Hualien Station. Only one bus leaves at 6:30 am.
[2] Bus 1141 (Hualien→Taichung(Lishan))
*Only one bus leaves Hualien Station at 8:40 am.
[3] Bus 1133 (Hualien -> Tianxiang)
Departure times from Hualien Station: 10:50 and 13:50
Sakura Series - Taiwan
2024 Forecast
Taipei 101 first flowers
Tianyuan Palace backyard
Taipei Flower Test Center
Pingjing St. Lane 42
Broadwood Park
Sunshine Sports Park kawazu sakura
Wuling Farm (武陵農場)
SYS kawazu sakura
Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village
CKS Memorial Hall
Shibafen Yoshino Sakura
Hope River
Dongfang Temple
Tianyuan Palace
Neicou Stream Trail
Orange Garden Cafe
Yangming Park Visitor Information Center
Yangming Park Service Center Bus Stop
Huashan Road
Qianshan Park
Zhongshan Hall Entrance
Tenglong Sakura Farm
Flower Test Center Shōwa Sakura
Neihu Creek Trail
Shulin Land Office
Xióng Kōng Cherry Blossom Forest
Lung Yen Sakura Forest
Yangming Park cherry stream
Yangming Park fountain
CKS Memorial Hall Tairyō sakura
Wugu District Tianyi Road
CKS Memorial Hall yaesakura
Loving Farm
Yong Long Farm
Zhongbaling Sakura Road
Sun Link Sea
Tai'an Police Station
Cherry Hill Slope
Hsinchu Park
Taipei 101
Kāng Gào Kēng Creek
New Garden City
Broadwood Park
Tianyuan Palace backyard
Pingjing St. Lane 42
Alishan Ranger Station
Alishan House
Alishan Police Station
Alishan Forest Railway
Alishan Station
Alishan Entrance
Alishan Gou Hotel
Alishan Magnolia Garden
Wulai tour
Wun Chang Elementary School
Bishanyan
Sanzhi Sansei Trail
Sakura Series - Taiwan
Nei Cuo Stream
Orange Garden Cafe
Sansei Trail
Tenglong Sakura Farm
Yangming Park Cherry Stream
Yangming Park Fountain
Flower Test Center
Broadwood Park
New Garden City
Yinghua Park
Pingjing St. Lane 42
Yangmingshan Visitor Center
Taipei 101
Tianyuan Palace backyard
Sakura Series - Japan
Kamonyama Park
Near the Nippon Maru Memorial Park
Shinko Park
Minato-mirai 21 area
Tokyo Tech Suzukakedai Campus
Onda River
Tenryuji
Byodoin
Kiyomizudera
Himuro shrine and Yakushi-ji Temple
Hōryū-ji Temple
Nara Park attractions
Tokyo Tech Ookayama Campus
Sumida River
Tsuruma Park
Gion
Maple Series
Taipei Aowanda
Shimen Dam
Alishan
Aowanda
Shanlinxi
Taoyuan Valley Garden
Fushoushan Farm
 |
| Yehliu to Jiufen? Yehliu to Shifen? Cheaper than yellow taxis |
The "Taipei kong mahal" (My beloved Taipei)
Always in my heart
MRT birdman
Valentine's Day
Tulips Festival
2018 Taipei Lantern Festival
City of Azaleas
Linji Huguo Temple
Nanjichang Night Market
Gudetama Chef restaurant
Dalongdong Bao'an Temple
Shilin hollyhocks
Ningxia Night Market
Ximending graffiti
Discovery Center of Taipei
Chunghwa Postal Museum
Double-Decker Bus
Shilin Cold Balls
Jingimoo
GomanMango
mud volcanic ice
Fire and Ice Dumpling
Opium Fen-Yuan
Ichiran Ramen
Liu Shandong Beef Noodles
hydrangea flowers
National Palace Museum
Other attractions in Taipei
Taipei on a budget
Japanese buildings
Dāoxiāomiàn beef noodles
Presidential Office Building
Yongkang St. and Elephant Mountain
CKS and SYS Hall
City tour
Beitou ramen
MRT Monopoly Game
Winter city tour
Zhicheng Park
Shilin Plum Blossom
Art museums
Shopping in Taipei
Summer desserts
Qingtiangang
Qixingshan hiking
2015 Calla lily
2016 Calla lily
Beitou tour
Beitou-Zhuzihu tour
NTU
Confucius Temple
2015 Dadaocheng Festival
Puppet Museum
Fantasy Ice World
2016 Bread Show
Strawberry picking
2015 Rose Garden
Modern Toilet
Shilin Night Market
NASA Exhibit
Raohe Night Market
Longshan Temple
2013 Taipei Zoo
Maokong Gondola
Lupin flowers
Taipei 101 day visit
Taipei 101 night visit
Tiger Mountain
Din Tai Fung
Taipei Story House
2014 Flower Show
Chrysanthemum Show
Miramar Ferris wheel
Miniatures Museum
Archery
1600 Pandas
Wulaoguo hot pot
Upside Down House
2016 101 Fireworks
New Taipei
Tamsui Pumpkin Tunnel
Shifen Waterfall
2017 Sand Sculpture
Dragon Caves
New Taipei tour
2016 Kite Festival
Pingxi Crags
Bitou Cape
2016 Sand Sculpture
2015 Christmasland
Juming - Jinshan
Houtong - Pingxi
Sandiaoling Waterfall
Jiufen foodtrip
Guanyinshan hike
Yehliu Ocean World
2014 Kite Festival
Pingxi Rail tour
Jinguashi tour
Vigor Kobo Pineapple
British Consulate
Yehliu Geopark
2014 Sand Sculpture
Paragliding
2014 Christmasland
2014 Pingxi Lantern
firefly watching
Yingge Ceramics Street
Jiufen tour
0 comments:
Post a Comment