Bitoujiao Trail

Welcome to the breathtaking northeast coast of Taiwan, specifically to the Bitoujiao Trail located in the Ruifang District. The name 'Bitoujiao' translates literally to 'the cape of the nose,' a highly apt descriptor for this…

Our journey begins at a location that boasts perhaps the most enviable educational real estate in the country: Bitou Elementary School. By starting from the bus stop side rather than the steep fishing harbor entrance, we ease…

Just a ten-minute walk up the stone steps brings us to the first of many rest stops: the Haitian Pavilion. The trail planners astutely placed numerous pavilions along the route, allowing hikers to pace themselves against the…

Emerging from the dense Pandanus bushes, look for a small path branching to the right. This leads to Wangyue Slope, an expanse of gently inclining grassy land that drops dramatically down to a sea-eroded rock platform. …

Returning to the main path and climbing further upward, we reach a high saddle. Below you, nestled incongruously in the deep, green valley, sits a building painted in distinct, Neapolitan-ice-cream-colored camouflage. …

Leaving the valley, we ascend to the most visually iconic section of the hike. The trail here runs directly atop the narrow spine of the mountain ridge, undulating dramatically over continuous peaks. …

Following the ridge line to its terminus brings us to a wide observation platform. This site holds significant historical weight; it is the original location of the Bitoujiao Lighthouse, which was unfortunately destroyed during…

Our rigorous journey along the 'nose' of Taiwan is complete. The Bitoujiao Trail is a magnificent showcase of the violent, beautiful forces that shape an island. …