From Cacophony to Tranquility: Exploring Rural Taiwan in Shizhuo
Growing up in a relatively small town in the United States, whenever I mentioned that I had Taiwanese ancestry, most people immediately thought of a few different topics: “Taipei 101? China? Did I mishear Thailand?”. I’d immediately correct them about the latter two and briefly explain that Taiwan was an independent country and that Taipei 101 was the tallest skyscraper in the world. Nowadays, although it is no longer the tallest building in the world, it has received a boost in popularity due to Alex Honnold’s globally broadcast free climb.
I’m pleased that, due to this dangerous adventure and brilliant marketing around it, Taipei and Taiwan have entered casual conversation both offline and online around the world. However, I’d also like to point out that Taiwan is so much more than Taipei, as spectacular as the city is. I’m currently based in Taoyuan and teaching at nearby Wu-Ling Senior High School, and am entranced by this city’s nature and modern development. Teaching in Taiwan has been wonderful, with curious students, friendly coworkers, and an amazing work-life balance. During summer and winter vacations and other holidays in between, I take days off and eagerly explore Taiwan, and see what truly makes this country deserve the name of Ilha Formosa, beautiful island, so aptly named by Portuguese sailors in the 1500s.
Taiwan has countless attractions and destinations for everyone that span from historical forts to mountain gorges, but I’ll focus on one countryside town and nearby rural township that I’ve traveled to and reveal why it’s my favorite place in Taiwan.
Nestled in the interior hinterlands of south central Taiwan are Sun Moon Lake and Mt. Alishan, a pair often dually traveled to by tourists, and accessible by buses from Taichung and Chiayi. They are picturesque and definitely worth a visit, but just southwest of Mt. Alishan is a lesser-traveled town that deserves its own mention. Traveling via the 7322 bus from Mt. Alishan, just shy of an hour away is a mountain town named 石桌 Shizhuo (sometimes spelled 石棹 Shizhao or Shihjhuo). Its native name is Caphx no hamo, given to it by the Tsou indigenous tribe. Shizhuo is a small town, roughly 1,300 meters high, at the crossroads of multiple rural roads. These include Route 18 to the east and southwest, Route 159 to the west, and Route 169 to the north and southeast. Since this is Taiwan, there is still a 7-Eleven, a Hi-Life, and a local convenience store all located around the crossroads, with a smattering of other local restaurants and tea shops nearby.
The attraction of Shizhuo is its environment, and that’s why my girlfriend and I vacationed there. Entering Shizhuo from Mt. Alishan in the evening, we got off the bus next to the aforementioned 7-Eleven and Hi-Life. We then picked up some nighttime snacks and breakfast items for the following morning, and awaited a drive from our homestay host who offered to drive us and our luggage to the homestay for a small fee, since it was about 200 meters in height above the town center on hills to the north. She drove us up dark, narrow mountain roads for about ten minutes and I quickly lost my bearings. Similar to Mt. Alishan, it was 5–10°C colder up here in the mountains than on the flat plains, and stars sparkled above like nowhere else I had ever seen in Taiwan. Far off in the distance to the west, we could see the nighttime lights of Chiayi reflected in the clouds.
The next morning, we were able to get our first glimpse of this mountainous tea farm paradise in daylight. We woke up shortly before sunrise on a crisp October morning and walked over to the Sunset Trail, which proved suitable for sunrises as well. Our homestay was one of many on the hills and tea terraces north of the crossroads, and amazingly, narrow hiking trails had been carved in between these hills going in all directions. Reds, oranges, and yellows lit up the sky to the east as one of the most magnificent views I’ve ever seen in my life stretched to the south of us, giving us views of gorgeous valleys and majestic peaks, some of which were higher than ours. Since it was early in the morning, the only noises that drifted through the air were roosters crowing, the soft wind, and the occasional local driving their scooter or truck teetering precipitously on the narrow roads.
After watching the sunrise, we headed back to the homestay, cooked up some instant noodles we grabbed from the previous night’s visit to 7-Eleven, and ate them along with bananas and rice balls. We then sat on our homestay’s front porch, overlooking another angle of the vista, and enjoyed our breakfast in quiet contemplation. Shizhuo’s residents began to wake up and we saw the homestay’s dog run down the driveway to his canine friends below, and they disappeared around the bend in the road. The homestay’s host came out and we chatted for a while, exclaiming how beautiful this small town and its surroundings were.
Later that day, we continued hiking and snacking on various criss-crossed trails just a minute's walk away from our homestay, including the Tea Trail and the Mist Trail. The Tea Trail, true to its name, was surrounded by tea fields and farmers, giving it an earthy scent. Hiking through it, knots of bamboo forests sprung up and partially blocked off the warming daytime sun, casting shadows and displaying a greenish, brownish tint. The Mist Trail, on the other hand, had no mist by the time we arrived; it had likely been burned off by the sun.
When doing research on Shizhuo prior to this trip, we saw that multiple websites and Google Maps photos showed 雲海 Cloud Ocean, or an atmospheric condition in which clouds hang low and form what looks like the sea with rippling waves. However, during our short stay in Shizhuo, we never saw this exact phenomenon. It does, however, give us a compelling reason for a revisit in the future. Since it was not the right season, we also missed seeing Sakura trees in bloom, though Shizhuo is famous for it, and has an eponymous “Sakura Trail”, also very close to our homestay and the crossroads.
Upon finishing a pleasant hike down toward the crossroads, we ate an early dinner at a local restaurant named 湘Q炒飯 Xiang (Hunan-Cuisine) Q Fried Rice. The restaurant had cheap, scrumptious Taiwanese fare. In addition, its parking lot overlooked a spectacular view to the west with the sun just about to set. Gazing from our seats, we could hardly believe the expanse that lay in front of us.
Taking a postprandial walk back up the Sakura Trail and once again the Sunset Trail, we were able to enjoy its sun-dipped grandeur. The day ended with another starry sky sparkling up above and the faint sounds of karaoke singing from down in the village uplifted with the slight breeze. Life here felt peaceful and relaxing, unlike the hustle and bustle of Taipei, Taoyuan, or any of the other big cities in Taiwan.
The next morning, we returned to the crossroads, took the 7322 bus again on Route 18 continuing southwest, and made a pit stop in rural Fanlu Township on the side of the road to hike and make another attempt at spotting the Cloud Ocean. In the close vicinity of this bus stop were Xiding Elementary School, a few homes, a gas station, a couple tea stores, a bento box business, and, of course, another Hi-Life. This time, we took the combo Tea Mist Trail (different from the previous Tea Trail and Mist Trail) up to the Eryanping Path Observation Deck at 1,430 meters in height. Unlike the previous day, as soon as we started hiking, mist appeared around us, limiting visibility to about five to ten meters. On the way, we passed by some clucking chickens, aimlessly wandering around. They showed no fear toward us.
Like in Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” poem, we paused at a branch in the hiking trail, trying to guess which way we should go. Heeding his advice here would have been wise, as we pondered our choices, before choosing the well-trodden path. Almost immediately, we heard a scooter come up behind us. Luckily, this kind local chatted with us and discerned that our destination was via the other path, the one which was “grassy and wanted wear”. Thus, we took it. The mist thickened as we finally reached the observation deck.
The deck appeared to overlook a wondrous view, but unfortunately, our sight was obscured by the ever-lingering mist. One wooden set of stairs plunged into the mist in front of the observation deck, but as to its end, we knew not where that lay. After a short water break, we headed back down to the bus stop, stopping to get some lunch at the nearby bento box business in the garage of a local’s home. After our respite, we took the 7322 bus for the third time, still going west, until we reached Chiayi’s main train station. We settled in for a comfortable train ride back to Taoyuan on the Tze-Chiang train and arrived home in about three hours.
Although public transportation during this trip did not come frequently and required careful planning and foresight to align it with our schedule, it was possible to travel into the countryside without a car. I think this factor sometimes scares off foreigners in Taiwan from going outside of Taipei or other cities. But, by using a combination of Google Maps and various bus apps, this obstacle can be overcome. Knowing some Chinese is very useful since some of the bus apps are only in Chinese. Another option that foreigners can try is renting a car. Foreigners may be able to transfer their home country’s driver’s license to a Taiwanese one or obtain an international driver’s permit and use one of these while renting.
No matter the mode of transportation, Taiwan’s mountainous spine spanning from Yangmingshan in the north to Kenting National Park in the south is full of stunning national parks, massive trees, and soaring peaks. Although my experience centered on Shizhuo and Fanlu Township, Taiwan is full of similar locales, each with its unique trails and landscapes. I know I will be going back to savor the tea fragrance in the air and embrace that crisp, cool air as I slow down and recharge, away from the cacophony of the metropolis and into the tranquility of rural Taiwan.
