Lung-tung Favorites

Favorite thing: The most popular trail in the area goes up the cliffs to Bitouchiao Lighthouse. The light house is located about 3 kilometes west of Longdong.

The lighthouse was constructed in 1897 and is the norther-most lighthouse in Taiwan. (and judging by the severly rocky coast around here, I would say it was money well spent....)

Favorite thing: There lots of good hiking trails all around Longdong, both to the east and west of the bay, inlcluding the one popular trail that goes up to Bitouchiao Lighthouse.

Careful, though, as in a lot of places it is a sheer drop-off down into the water, so best to mind your footing.

Favorite thing: Longdong is probably the most accessible place close to Taipei for diving, snorkelling and the like.

Though, based on my limited experience here, I can't really say that the diving here is all that great.

Visibility was limited, and the areas that I saw had coral that was not in the best of shape. Also, due to a lack of dive boats, most people here do shore dives, and the rocky coast can make for a somewhat rough entry/exit in and out of the water.

I'm told that they are now developing some of the offshore islands here for diving, so I would image that that would be considerably better.... (Guess we will see...)

Favorite thing: Sorry, but no whales, sharks, morays, clownfish, parrot fish, or the like on this page. Unfortunately my last visit to Longdong was prior to procurement of my digital underwater camera, so I didn't have the opportunity to take any underwater pictures here...

I will get back here at some point and rectify that, though....

Favorite thing: See the unique rock formations along the coast near Longdong. The wind and the wave naturally sculpt the sand stones to make it appear as though a number of "heads" are protruding from the rocks.

These are similar, though smaller in scale, to the more famous rock formations at Yehliu, which is about 40 kilometers west of here.

Favorite thing: And so the sun sets, and the moon rises over the Northeast coast scenic area of Taiwan.

So after a long day of hiking, climbing, snorkeling and diving, its time to kick back, watch the stars come out and suck down many a well deserved cold beer. Such is life in Taiwan...