In my 25th post for the Blogging A to Z Challenge, I put together a photo essay of Yehliu Geopark, which is located along the north coast of Taiwan.
Y is for Yehliu Geopark
Yehliu is a cape in the town of Wanli, New Taipei, Taiwan. We went there via the north coast shuttle bus.
The cape, known by geologists as the Yehliu Promontory, forms part of the Daliao Miocene Formation, which is what makes Yehliu a geopark. The distance from the entrance of the geopark to the end of the cape is about 1.7 km; the widest area in between is shorter than 300 m.
Yehliu Geopark is famous for its sea-erosion landscape. The rocky landscape of of the geopark has made it one of most famous wonders in the world. The influences caused by strong relentless waves, rock weathering, earth movement and crustal movement all contribute to the formation of such a rare and stunning geological landscape.
Yehliu Geopark can be divided into three areas. The first area contains ‘mushroom rock’ and ‘ginger rock’. You may also see the appearance of cleavage, potholes and melting erosion panels. On top of that, the famous candle shaped rock and the ice cream rock are presented in this area too.
The second area is similar to the first area – ‘mushroom rocks’ and ‘ginger rocks’ are found, but in fewer numbers. The highlights are the Queen’s Head, Dragon’s Head Rock, etc. Since the area is near the coast, rocks that develop into four different kinds of formations can be seen in this area: ‘elephant rock’, ‘fairy’s shoe’, ‘earth rock’ and ‘peanut rock’. The rocks are formed as a result of corrosion by sea water.
The third area is the wave-cut platform located on the other side of Yehliu. This area is much narrower than the second area. One side of the platform is next to steep cliffs while down below the other side are strong waves. The third area also includes the major ecology reserve of Yehliu Geopark.
Most of the spots are very close to the sea, so tourists are advised to be careful and not slip and fall down the steep slopes into the sea.
The north coast shuttle bus that passes Yehliu Geopark stops at the following locations:
- MRT Tamsui Station
- Qianshui Bay
- Sanzhi Visitor Center and Gallery
- North Coast & Guanyinshan National Scenic Area (Baishawan Beach)
- The New Temple of Eighteen Deities (Shimen Wedding Plaza)
- Shimen Arch
- Yun Garden
- Juming Museum
- Jinshan (Old Street)
- Shitoushan Park (Jinbaoli Historic Trail)
- Jiatouli (Hot Springs)
- Yehliu Geopark
- Guihou Fishing Harbor
- Green Bay
- Dawulun Tourism Factory
- Keelung Railway Station
To get to the north coast shuttle bus, which is a cute little mini bus, one can take the MRT to Tamsui Station, which is right at the end of the red line. The bus station is right next to the MRT station. Tamsui itself is a scenic location worth a visit.
To read more about Yehliu Geopark, click here.
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