Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Shuanglong Waterfall

Taiwan's landscape is often reshaped as a result of floods and landslides triggered by summer typhoons. It used to be possible to drive very close to Shuanglong Waterfall (雙龍瀑布), visible in the distance, but now the only way to reach it is by crossing a long footbridge that's off limits to the general public. Of course, some people ignore the rules.

This photo and the following directions come from Taiwan's Waterfalls, a very useful English-language website which has excellent images and GPS coordinates of over seventy waterfalls around Taiwan.

Shuanglong Waterfall can be reached by taking Highway 21 from Shuili in Nantou County (水里鄉南投縣). "Follow Hightway 16 about 8km east to the small aboriginal village of Dili (地利). There will be two signs directing you to Shuanglong. Follow the signs across the valley and drive up to Shuanglong.  You can either park near the church if you want to go for a one-plus hour hike or drive a little further and turn left where there is mural of dancing men and a waterfall sign in Chinese. The easiest hike is to walk along the road but you can also start at the church and walk uphill following the irrigation canals [which are no more than 1m wide]. There are a few turns but just keep going along the canals and you will arrive at [the footbridge shown]."

The Roman Catholic Church in Dili runs an inexpensive campsite/hostel. From Dili, County Road 63 is a very scenic way to approach Sun Moon Lake via the indigenous community of Tannan (潭南).