Hualien’s newest photo attraction isn’t the mountains, the forests, or Taroko Gorge– it’s a giant driftwood pile attracting netizens from all around the island for photos.
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The Hualien coastline is famous for many things: its beauty, its important role as an impact zone for ocean storms, and now for excessive driftwood. Four successive typhoons battered the island late into November, leaving behind large piles of driftwood, which are now their own 5-star attraction.
Named the “super easy to lie on wood”, a pun on the fact that the driftwood now covers the “super easy to lie on” rock at Nanbin Beach Park, the scene has attracted netizens from all over the island to make the pilgrimage. Many post stylized photos, with some even taking on more challenging activities like driftwood yoga.
Of course, the logs can’t stay there forever. With this in mind, the forestry department has given permission for the public to take away whatever amount they’d like– providing that it’s comprised of Taiwan cypress or Taiwan red cypress, which make up the majority of the logjam.
According to statistics, Typhoon Kong-Rey washed nearly 13,000 tons of driftwood onto Hualien’s coastline. As of November 23, residents have been allowed, even encouraged, to take away the wood by themselves as long as they abide by relevant warnings.
If logs are allowed to pile up too high, it can eventually affect fishing and local ecology, prompting the township to call relevant authorities for disposal. However, this time, the creativity of visitors has turned this tree-mendous natural consequence into a unique interactive experience.
Amanda Stephens, for Rti News