Paula, a Polish backpacker, recently stated on YouTube that while Taiwan is well-known for its mouthwatering cuisine and warm hospitality, it is unfortunate that the island does not actively market "climbing" initiatives as a tourist destination given the abundance of challenging mountains in the area that can be climbed. As a mountain climber, she also believes that the processes and times for certain mountains and forests that need to apply for licenses to enter the mountains may be streamlined and shortened, to better accommodate international visitors to Taiwan.
Paula said in the video that she was born and raised in a tiny Polish village. She relocated to Iceland for three years and then stayed in Canada for six months since the landscape there was flat and there were no mountains to climb in Poland. In the last six months, she has begun to travel extensively and climb mountains all around Asia as a backpacker.
Polish hiker thinks that Taiwan's natural beauty—its mountains and forests—deserves greater recognition as a specialty than its cuisine.Photo reproduced from Stopkiddinstudio Youtube
Paula claimed that when trekking in Canada, she ran into other Asian visitors, and they encouraged her to visit Taiwan in order to do mountain climbing. After traveling 37 kilometers to Hsüeh-Pa National Park after arriving in Taiwan, she ascended Dajian Mountain, reaching an elevation of 3,400 meters in a single day, which gave her a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. She thinks that mountain climbing might be a popular tourist attraction in Taiwan, in addition to the wonderful cuisine and snacks.
But Paula also mentioned that you had to be ready to apply for a mountain-entry permit many weeks ahead of time if you want to climb some of the more well-known mountains. For a traveler like her, who comes to Taiwan briefly, it might be a little challenging. Her goal is to streamline the application procedure without sacrificing the ecosystem of the mountains and forests.
