Taiwan Part 1 - Taroko National Park

[dtbh]

I had the opportunity to go on a free trip to Taiwan recently - an opportunity I couldn't miss even if I had to "close shop" for the trip. :D Being a place I have not been before I made some enquiries and was recommended to visit the north-eastern part of Taiwan (specifically Taroko gorge), Danshuei (north) and the museums/temple in Taipei proper given the time duration I would be there.

This series is about the Taroko gorge/National Park which features many high mountains and sheer gorges. Many of the peaks tower above 3000m in elevation. The mountains look like limestone ones but due to the immense tectonic forces, the high pressures and temperatures of compression folded and metamorphosed the original limestone to marble...yes, the beautiful marble. Never have I seen rocks that are so beautiful.

There are many ways one can travel there but my wife and I chose to fly (again time constraint) which only took 35 min. Landscape is something very new to me and I was at a loss as to what/how to capture. These are the results of my newbie status.

#1
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1435/661953394_45c6aafb24_o.jpg

#2
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1216/661952502_1bb9e79d35_o.jpg

#3
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1100/661098325_8b8445c81b_o.jpg

#4
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1192/661949558_e86e68b742_o.jpg

#5
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1343/661948556_33d240f5c2_o.jpg

#6
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1302/661941724_8c986a8bae_o.jpg

#7
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1238/661944596_111febceea_o.jpg

#8
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1084/661090389_b35034e542_o.jpg

#9
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1291/661942824_8a959c254c_o.jpg

[dwaynefoong]

I like #6

beaaaautiful

[dtbh]

Glad you like that Dwayne. I was quite far away from it. Took it with my 70-200 and had it cropped.

Thanks!

[chuah406]

thanks for sharing, doc. besides the 70-200, what other lenses did you pack for yr trip?

[dtbh]

thanks for sharing, doc. besides the 70-200, what other lenses did you pack for yr trip?

My 17-35 and 85/1.4. Heavy but well worth the effort.

Thanks Chuah!

[ShaolinTiger]

Hey doc have moved your Taiwan series to Travelogues section as very nice pics combined with some useful info will help people looking to travel to Taiwan!

It would be good if you could include any info you think might be useful such as prices of food and lodgings and transport.

Cheers!

[dtbh]

Hey doc have moved your Taiwan series to Travelogues section as very nice pics combined with some useful info will help people looking to travel to Taiwan!

It would be good if you could include any info you think might be useful such as prices of food and lodgings and transport.

Cheers!

Didn't know there is a Travelogues section here....poor eyesight. :D Thanks ST for moving them.

As my lodging was fully paid for I did not bother to find out how much others would cost. The Sherwood hotel I stayed in apparently cost RM550/night.

Prices of food and transport are comparable to Hong Kong. MRT travel was very convenient. For 7-8 stops travel it only cost me RM5 to and fro. I didn't eat any food outside of the hotel other than the 2 days I went to Taroko gorge and Danshuei. We had a Japanese lunch (Taiwan style with lots of fresh organic vege) at Taroko which cost us RM15/pax!

At Danshuei we had a local delicacy made of glutinous rice with meat fillings at RM4/bowl. We tried that 'cos it looked interesting...they were immersed in warm oil but when you eat it, it didn't feel oily at all. A bowl of desert cost RM3.50. Very reasonable prices but the catch is we ate standing by the roadside. As a sidenote traffic in Taiwan travels on the right side of the road. Almost got ourselves knocked down a couple of times. :?

[nitehawk]

I like No.6 too.

[dtbh]

I like No.6 too.

Thanks Nitehawk!

[csjian]

I had the opportunity to go on a free trip to Taiwan recently - an opportunity I couldn't miss even if I had to "close shop" for the trip. :D Being a place I have not been before I made some enquiries and was recommended to visit the north-eastern part of Taiwan (specifically Taroko gorge), Danshuei (north) and the museums/temple in Taipei proper given the time duration I would be there.

This series is about the Taroko gorge/National Park which features many high mountains and sheer gorges. Many of the peaks tower above 3000m in elevation. The mountains look like limestone ones but due to the immense tectonic forces, the high pressures and temperatures of compression folded and metamorphosed the original limestone to marble...yes, the beautiful marble. Never have I seen rocks that are so beautiful.

There are many ways one can travel there but my wife and I chose to fly (again time constraint) which only took 35 min. Landscape is something very new to me and I was at a loss as to what/how to capture. These are the results of my newbie status.


dtbh, nice series!! agree with u..Taroko gorge. is a MUST visit spot when u r in Hua Lien, i have been 2 times...but i believe i still will go.

Do u went to Jiu Fen as well?? another nice spot.

[dtbh]

dtbh, nice series!! agree with u..Taroko gorge. is a MUST visit spot when u r in Hua Lien, i have been 2 times...but i believe i still will go.

Do u went to Jiu Fen as well?? another nice spot.

Only stayed around Taroko as it was only a day trip. If one is into landscape photography Taroko gorge is definitely a must. In fact I met a big group of photographers there. What is at Jiu Fen?

Thanks Csjian!

[noruazumi]

i really like #6. the roof colors really attracted me.
#5 is OOF, no?
some of the shots looks wide.
at first i thought it was shot using 12-24mm or something.
anyway, nice awesome series doc.






Prices of food and transport are comparable to Hong Kong. MRT travel was very convenient. For 7-8 stops travel it only cost me RM5 to and fro. I didn't eat any food outside of the hotel other than the 2 days I went to Taroko gorge and Danshuei. We had a Japanese lunch (Taiwan style with lots of fresh organic vege) at Taroko which cost us RM15/pax!

At Danshuei we had a local delicacy made of glutinous rice with meat fillings at RM4/bowl. We tried that 'cos it looked interesting...they were immersed in warm oil but when you eat it, it didn't feel oily at all. A bowl of desert cost RM3.50. Very reasonable prices but the catch is we ate standing by the roadside. As a sidenote traffic in Taiwan travels on the right side of the road.

i'm very surprised that the food there are very cheap. wow... u must have a great time shooting + travelling + eating there.


Almost got ourselves knocked down a couple of times. :?
i almost got knocked down many times in PENANG! :P

[dtbh]

i really like #6. the roof colors really attracted me.
#5 is OOF, no?
some of the shots looks wide.
at first i thought it was shot using 12-24mm or something.
anyway, nice awesome series doc.

#5 is OOF. That is the best I have from this area. :redface:


i'm very surprised that the food there are very cheap. wow... u must have a great time shooting + travelling + eating there.

The food prices in Taipei proper may be more expensive...at least those from the hotel was. :D

[noordin]

Beautiful sceneries! Wow................ :thumbs_up:

[csjian]

Only stayed around Taroko as it was only a day trip. If one is into landscape photography Taroko gorge is definitely a must. In fact I met a big group of photographers there. What is at Jiu Fen?

Thanks Csjian!

jiu Fen was a small town which north of taipei.
here some photo which taken by my Nikon coolpix 5200 (not into DSLR yet at that time)

#1 Jiu Fen Night Scene
http://photo.hibiscusrealm.net/g/c/7630/vjujjfmdbf44f14e8450c24.JPG

#2 Jiu Fen Night Scene
http://photo.hibiscusrealm.net/g/c/7630/qzckejvmrx44f14e81800a9.JPG

& another place I like so much was Mt Ali (Ah Li Shan):
#3 Mt. Ali
http://photo.hibiscusrealm.net/g/c/7630/qzckejvmrx44f14e09eccde.JPG

#4 Mt Ali
http://photo.hibiscusrealm.net/g/c/7630/yynhkslwfn44f14e1e6fd53.JPG

[blur]

I like #1, #6. The dash of orange and red stands out pretty nicely against the greens. I like the composition in #9, but wished the lighting could have been a little nicer or more dramatic :D

[dtbh]

Thanks Noords and Blur...and Csjian for sharing your pix. Alishan was one of the areas I didn't have time to visit. Perhaps next time.