Tunnel of Nine Turns — Attraction in Xiulin

Exploring the Exotica of the Marble Mountains and Swallow Cave

Taroko National Park doesn't just keep living traditions. The stretch of nature in the form of stunning mountains is there. One that can be explored is Jiuqudong or winding nine. Also swallow caves that are formed naturally by nature.

Jiuqudong is a tunnel that passes through the rock mountains in the taroko gorge. The road which was only enough for a two-way MPV car was built by human hands during the Japanese occupation.

During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, 1895-1945, the road was built to meet transportation needs when mining gold. The workers were forced to penetrate the rocks and form a road and tunnel following the Liwu river channel. Only with manual tools such as crowbars and hammers, without the help of heavy equipment. The construction also took many victims.

After the Japanese occupation, the Taiwanese government resumed construction. Until now the former tunnel that was built during the Japanese occupation is still clearly visible. Stone tunnel with steep rocky walls. Feels like walking in a natural cave. The length of the cave tunnel varies. There are only 20 meters, there are more than 100 meters.

The existence of the road which is on the side of a cliff bordering the steep river Liwu. Making the government build several tunnel umbrellas out of concrete. Some walls are also given a steel wire mesh. However, visitors can still see the exotic of the Liwu river.

Before entering the track along the 2 kilometers. Tourists are required to register to borrow a helmet. Just in case there are stones or gravel that suddenly falls.

After that you can walk along the river bank. Local authorities have added a path in the form of wooden boards supported by iron foundations. Jutting 50 centimeters to the edge of a cliff whose depth can reach more than 30 meters. A sturdy iron fence is also a guarantee for visitors to stay safe. Feels like floating above the Liwu river. For those with a phobia of height, please hold your breath.

Along the way you can see a whole cliff of marble. With white, brown and beige shades. On one wall there is also a dark blue one. This is called marble cliff.

During the trip maybe you will ask wonder about the hole in the cliff. That is called pot holes. Some are inhabited by swallow nests. Some others release water. If lucky tourists can see the natural phenomenon clearly. Water poured heavily from the pot holes.

According to information from the national park, the hole was formed due to erosion eroded by water. When it rains the holes will release water. The result of seepage entering the crevices of the stone.

For those with strong imagination, there are a number of stone shapes that depict unique characters. One of them is Indian Face in the bend of a cliff.

The view of the majestic cliff wall with various shades is increasingly spoiled when the mist falls from the top of the cliff. The suspension bridge which was established further adds to the beautiful feel...

Very beautiful natural scenery. This is the narrowest part of the whole taroko gorge. The whole part can only be walked and it takes 25 mins including phototaking to reach the end. There are many informative signs explaining the geography and history of different features of the gorge. It is a must see if you're in the area.

However if you're driving, you can't park outside the entry. It is only for dropping off and picking up passengers.

We decided to drive through the road tunnel highway 8 eastward (towards hualien). The tunnel is about 1.5 km long and a short distance afterwards there is a parking lot on the right (if you're driving eastward. If you're driving westward, the parking lot will be on your left, before entering the road tunnel). The road marker is around the 174 km mark. Then you can walk through the tunnel, it takes about 15 mins at a moderate pace. Hope this helps others who are driving!

Alternatively you can drive to a nearby Confluence campsite as others suggested in the Google reviews, but it is not walkable (40 mins walking). You can take bus 302 from the campsite. It seems the bus is quite frequent, because we saw it multiple times from our car while driving.

If you're cycling or riding a scooter/motorbike, there are parking lots at...

This is undoubtedly the monumental part of Taroko National Park. Formerly part of the central cross-island road spanned across east and west of the island until this section was replaced with a new tunnel, it has since been transformed to a scenic path that is about 700m from the entrance. One can not stop to marvel the huge, alternating black and white marble much like an abstract painting on the rock face . There lies a risk as the fault or tectonic plate is apparently visible. Any adverse earth movement can be catastrophic. Additionally the amazing scenery of the crystal clear water running along the Liwu stream, a small waterfall that cascades into the stream. The steep stream of water continually erodes the marble walls of the gorge, creating a curved and narrow ravine. This is truly a grand finale of the whole journey to Taroko National Park, its unique, majestic sight is not...