Yehliu Geopark, I was told in all sincerity, was THE place to visit. At the time, I swear I didn’t know what to expect – although something about the word screamed “rocks” I did not rush to Google because I wanted to be surprised. And surprised I was too – and how!
As we approached Yehliu Geopark via a series of twists in the roads half kissing the sea on side and cradling the mountains on the other, a whole new landscape was revealing itself. In the northern coast of Taiwan, the geography was mind boggling – here the mountains are married to the sea and the result of which is Yehliu Geopark, my destination.
We parked outside the entrance and made our way up along the cape to see this marvel of nature. The town itself was a vibrant one – filled with tourists and of course, food stalls. Hard to imagine any place in Taiwan without food! I was determined to let my first impression of this rocky wonder blow me away. As expected, it was pretty crowded, despite the threat of rain and winds.
Very soon we arrived at our first stop – a raised wooden platform with railings that looked down at a geographical wonderland. And stared.
I admit that my imagination went on an overdrive.
But first, a little history
Yehliu Geopark is located on a 1.7 kilometer landscape filled with nature’s oddities in Taiwan’s Guanyinshuan National Scenic Area and as mentioned, is filled with some unique rock formations caused by centuries of sea erosions. The waters around Yehliu are dangerous, although it serves as a key trading route between the Mainland China and Keelung Harbor. History has it that centuries ago, the people living here were forced to “steal” rice from the ships passing through by sticking sharp bamboo tubes into the sacks for it to slip out.
What to expect at Yehliu Geopark
From above, the area appears like a giant turtle sinking into the sea, but from the ground – I might add here that a little imagination coupled with a knowledge of the local legend and history helps. The area is dotted with many interesting rock formations, but the most famous one is dubbed Queen’s Head – which, depending on which way you are looking at, resembles Queen Elizabeth or Queen Nefertiti.
Please note that this rock is a treasured symbol of Taiwan and visitors are advised not to rush too close to this rock and follow the rules of queuing up for a photo session. Visitors are prohibited from touching the delicate rocks.
Even to this day, this rock is being shaped and battered by natural forces and it is predicted that the iconic Queen’s Head could even topple over in several years with erosion. Your time to see it is NOW.
Going from one area to the other, closely inspecting rocks and fossils made me feel as though I’d lived under a rock all this while. What I stood looking at was definitely beyond the bounds of my imagination. Literally a sea of rocks looking like mushrooms, honeycombs, candlesticks, chicken thighs, ice cream, sprung out of the ground overlooking the sea.
Nature was indeed partial to Taiwan.
The park is divided into three different sections with the first two sections from the entrance featuring many of the famous rock formations. If you were blindfolded and dropped into this part of Taiwan, you could easily believe yourself to be on an alien planet – until of course your attention is called to the scores of Instagramers and photographers.
While I was admiring the rocks, the sea was changing colours -going from a vibrant blue to grey as darkness approached. It was time to go.
How to reach Yehliu Geopark
Travel time is around 90 minutes. The bus drops you right outside the park entrance.
Visiting hours and entrance fee
Yehliu Geopark is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Best is to go early to avoid crowds – but that being said, this is a hugely popular place and only 90 minutes away from the capital city, so there is no avoiding crowds. Sunsets are stunning – but bear in mind that the park gets dark after dusk rather quickly.
Adult entry fee is NTD80 (less than 3USD)
