Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tion centre on 03-950 8199 (Chinese only so try going to a visitor centre in
Taipei or elsewhere and asking for help).
Boats leave from Wushih Harbour. It costs NT$600 for a 1½-hour cruise to and
around the island, and NT$1200 for a three-hour tour that includes a stop on the
island. Combination tours involving stops on the island and
dolphin- and whale-
watching
(April to September) are also available (NT$1600, 4½ hours).
To get to Wushih Harbour, take a train from Taipei to Toucheng (fast/slow train
NT$184/119, 1½/two hours, every half-hour) and then a short taxi ride. Or take a
train to Wai'ao and walk 15 minutes south along the beachwalk.
Call the
English Tourist Hotline
( 0800-011 765)
or Northeast & Yilan Coast Scenic
Administration for more information. If you are staying at Rising Sun Surf Inn (
Click
here
) in nearby Wai'ao, staff can help arrange fast permits for the island.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Nanao
03 / POP 500
The small coastal town of Nanao (Nánào) has a large crescent bay with a dark sandy
beach that's visible from the highway as you make your descent from the hills. It's a
great spot for strolling along and taking in the gorgeous coastal scenery. Heading towards
the hills, the scenery and the ethnography change completely, from alluvial plains and
the Hakka to deep-cut river valleys and the Atayal.
Though it covers a large area, it's easy to find your bearings in Nanao. Highway 9 runs
through the centre, and you can clearly see the sea to the east and the mountains to the
west.
History
Atayal aboriginals settled in the Nanao region about 250 years ago, and throughout the
late Qing period were successful in repelling Taiwanese advancement. It was not until
1910, after a five-year campaign by the Japanese to 'pacify' aboriginal groups, that
Taiwanese settlers were able to begin to develop the land for farming. These days the
Atayal presence is still strong, and much of their traditional way of life, including hunt-
ing for deer and pigs, is visible as soon as you head off the highway.
Activities
