pulau ubin’s chek jawa wetlands

The few tourists on the island rented bikes. But when I biked around Taiwan’s Taitung, I had to watch the road, and missed some of the sights. So I hiked to Chex Jawa Wetlands’ boardwalk, and was rewarded with spotting butterflies, but not so lucky to discover a wild boar glaring at me through the forest.

Taitung’s peinan site park

Peinan Site covered an area from behind Taitung Train Station to the foothills of Beinan Mountain. It was once a large Perinan village.

The strange shapes of xiaoyeliu

I cycled north of Taitung to Xiaoyeliu, where sandstone formed strange shaped rocks near waves that lashed the coast.

Farmlands within taitung

I didn’t expect to find any crops growing as I made my way to my Taitung B & B. With scooters whizzing passed I was surprised to spot several fields of rice that looked like they were ready to harvest. I crossed a bridge and below in the grassy riverbed were wild cows. Another female and her calf meandered under the bridge while traffic groaned overhead.

Donghai Wetland park

Right on the coast in Taitung, Donghai Wetland was so close to where I was staying that I headed over the highway while almost gale force winds roared in off the Pacific Ocean. Waves crashed on to the pebbly beach by this small marshy region.

Taitung’s wetlands

Complementary bicycles were available at the place I stayed at in Taitung, so I took full advantage and cycled towards Taitung’s Forest Park. I passed the fifth person in Taiwan I’d seen peeing at the side of the road — two had been women!