4ever Discovering

After we finished our morning trip to Jiufen, we jumped back on the karaoke bus and made our way northeast to Yehliu Geopark.  This park is located along the Daliao Miaocene Formation, stretching outside of the town of Wanli and providing many tourists the chance to see the natural beauty of Northern Taiwan.  Yehliu Geopark is filled with many land formations that have been eroded naturally over time.  The Datun Mountains have endured so much erosion and geological movement over thousands of years; they have formed different shapes and have become iconic in the country.

 

The main tourist attraction that can be seen at Yehliu Geopark is the infamous Queen’s Head.  There are rocks in the area that have eroded into what are called “mushroom rocks”, as they have the spongy look to them and a small stem. (I compared this landscape to a racetrack course in Mario Kart.  I don’t know if I only have Beerio Kart on my mind, but they definitely reminded me of an obstacle as Donkey Kong raced through the desert.)  One of these mushroom rocks in particular, resembles the side profile of the Queen.  Many people line up to snap a picture with this iconic rock; we on the other hand, didn’t have the patience to wait in line and took the picture from the opposite side.  Personally, I don’t even see the difference between us and the Queen!  Twins??

​

Along with the mushroom rocks, the natural formation of different rocks has also taken place in Yehliu.  Some other types include the Sea Candles, the Fairy Shoe and the Ginger Rocks.

​

We only had limited time to spend here, so we decided what better way to spend it than hiking to the top of the mountain and seeing the park with a better view.  The hike was nothing less than scenic, as we were able to see the entire surroundings of the Geopark and all along the coastline.  To catch this view is amazing in itself, but to see it during sunset was even more incredible.  We were at the very Northern tip of the country and had nothing but blue ocean behind us.  It was truly breathtaking.  Nothing feels better than fresh air and the smell of the ocean surrounding you.  This island is full of surprises; you just need to open your eyes to see them all from a different view.