Taroko National Park 太魯閣國家公園

Magestic marble gorge
Word to the wise: Many accidents happened here recently, due to winding roads and falling rocks, so always take caution and heed the park warnings and closed areas.

With majestic marble canyons, steaming hot springs, towering waterfalls and a whole range of wildlife, this free, 92,000-hectare national park in the northern section of the Central Mountain Range makes for an incredible day trip. It's a long ride - roughy three to four hours on the train from Taipei - but one of Taiwan's most impressive sights.
Day-trippers can hike many of the peaks, which tower about 3,000m, soak in hot springs along the Liwu River, river trace or go rafting and marvel at the waterfalls, plants and animals, including bear, Formosa Macaque (a monkey), wild boar and deer. If covering this in a day is daunting, spend the night at the monastery inside the park (ask for details at the entrance).

Those short on time can hire a driver or rent a scooter near the park. There is also a hop-on a tourist bus (Taiwan Tour Bus picks up by the visitor's centre, NTD600), which rides along the Central Cross-Island Highway to take in the park's sites.