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Rock Climbing in Long Dong, Taiwan

Table of Contents

    • Welcome to Taiwan’s rock climbing mecca!
    • Rock climbing at Long Dong will blow your mind!
    • Rock Climbing Taiwan Guidebook
    • Where is Long Dong
    • Orientation / Access
    • Getting to Long Dong / Transportation
      • Getting to LD from other cities
    • By Train / Hitchhiking
    • By Bus From Taipei City
    • Getting Around Long Dong
    • Long Dong Accommodation
  • Camping in Long Dong
  • Food & Restaurants
    • Bolts, Anchors, Corrosion
    • Gear required at Long Dong
    • Weather in Long Dong
    • Emergencies
    • Long Dong on Facebook / Links
    • Pictures of Long Dong

Welcome to Taiwan’s rock climbing mecca!

My friend Kristina, crossing the traverse between Long Lane and Clocktower crags

I first came to Taiwan in 2000, for one main purpose: to rock climb at Long Dong! At the age of 20, I had already climbed extensively at some of the biggest crags in North America, namely Squamish, Yosemite, Red Rocks, and Joshua Tree…

school rock long dong
School Rock, one of the most popular walls at LD.
climbing at long lane, long dong, taiwan
Soja and Maxi are tackling one of LD’s finest lines – Sky Ladder, 5.10b, at Long Lane

I had never heard about the rock climbing in Taiwan. To me the only place worth spending money on a plane ticket to climb in Asia was Krabi, in Thailand. Little did I know that Taiwan had quality stone that could rival with the Railay Beach crags, as well as some of the most popular climbing cliffs in the world.

swimming in long dong
The area is also popular for cliff-jumping (in the water), deep water solo, snorkeling, diving, swimming, and of course, fishing.

Rock climbing at Long Dong will blow your mind!

I simply couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw the cliffs at Long Dong in Northern Taiwan: a 2km-stretch of beautiful golden and grey walls, set right by the wild Pacific Ocean.

long dong taiwan climbing
Long Dong rock climbing area is also one of the most scenic places in Taiwan – not just for climbers, hikers can find a piece of paradise here as well as you can see from this picture. There is a network of trails that criss-crosses the entire area.

At first, two things surprised me most: the amazing quality and texture of the rock (perfect for trad!), and how empty the whole area was. This part has definitely changed – there are more people climbing at Long Dong these days, but it’s mostly locals and expats who live in Taipei. Due to my work, I mostly climb at Long Dong during the week, and on a “busy” day, there might be one or two parties climbing. It’s still possible to get all the 3-stars climbs, any level, to yourself during the week. That would be impossible at a crag like Railay in Thailand.

North Face of Music Hall, 25m

Long Dong is definitely a premier climbing destination with fantastic varied climbing at all grades, and it is possible to climb here year-round. You should absolutely plan a climbing trip here one day, the sooner the better, as I think the area will get more and more popular in the future.

long dong drone shot taiwan
The Northeast Coast of Taiwan, near Long Dong, viewed from the sky

The aim of this page is to give you the best information possible to plan your rock climbing trip at Long Dong, in Taiwan.

rock climbing taipei taiwan long dong
My friend Stef at the top of Surprise Crack, School Gate, East Face

Rock Climbing Taiwan Guidebook

Rock Climbing Taiwan Guidebook
Long Dong Guidebook

In 2012, Taiwan’s rock climbing sphere got a precious gift that was gonna revolutionise every aspect of the game: a wonderfully well-researched and beautifully crafted guidebook, written by climber Matt Robertson. Matt spent countless hours, weeks, months, years developing this superb book about all the details you need to know to climb at Long Dong.

Everything is flawless – the pictures are high-quality and clear, the maps are colourful and detailed, the descriptions are to the point, and the book’s construction is solid. You can get more information about Rock Climbing Taiwan Guidebook on this page.

Map of Long Dong climbing area in Matt’s Guidebook

A new source of info is also out there online, called Guidebook Plus. GB+ brings further details about bolts and anchors at Long Dong. It is imperative you get your hands on that PDF, and that you print it and bring it along with you at the cliffs or have access to it from your smartphone if you want to be as safe as possible while climbing. Download Guidebook + here.


Where is Long Dong

Long Dong’s cliffs are located in the northeast part of Taiwan, along the coast, about 45 minutes to 1 hour away from Taipei by car. The cliffs are near Homei (He Mei), a quiet fishing village in a small bay.  Long Dong means Dragon Cave in Mandarin Chinese.

Orientation / Access

The cliffs are located along a north-south axis, facing the ocean. Access to the crags can be done from 3 places: North Parking Area near Hemei Elementary School, South Parking Area at a temple, and the Central Parking Area, above the cliffs, near a hiking trail.

The hiking trail is popular with tourists for good reasons: it provides jaw-dropping views of Taiwan’s east coast, the ocean, and some parts of the steep cliffs below. Conveniently, the trail connects all 3 access points to the crags.

rock climbing long dong taiwan
View from the trail above the cliffs

The North entrance is near Hemei Elementary School. It has the safest parking lot in Long Dong, toilets, showers, a small shop that sells drinks, beer, and snacks, as well as the only guesthouse around. It’s also possible to camp at the parking lot.

North Entrance – Hemei Elementary School
To get to the cliffs, follow the path at the end of the parking lot next to the school

The South entrance is next to a Chinese temple, and I don’t recommend to park there if you have valuables in your car. In 2000, my friend’s car got broken into and her backpack got stollen. She had camping and climbing gear worth about 2000USD$ in her bag.

taiwan rock climbing long dong
Trail to Back Door from the South Entrance

The Central entrance is through a parking spot in the middle of some bushes at the top of the cliffs. There’s nothing around except 2 beautiful pavilions that overlook the ocean where you can pitch a tent or have a beer at night. I usually camp at that parking lot.

One of the pavilions along the hiking trail

Getting to Long Dong / Transportation

Getting to Long Dong is very straightforward, regardless of your mode of transportation.

By Car
If you are making your way by car from Taipei or other cities on the west side of Taiwan like Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Kaohsiung, Tainan, or Taichung, you first need to get to Highway 62, near Keelung City.

You can access Highway 62 by either National Freeway #1 or #3. You want to take the 62 toward Ruifang, but don’t take the last exit to the town of Ruifang. If you do, well, you’ll regret you did!  Instead, drive on the 62 all the way to Ruibin, by the ocean, then take a right and head south on the Coastal Highway #2. From there it’s a short and easy 20-minute-drive to Long Dong.

Getting to LD from other cities

From cities along the East Coast such as Hualien, Yilan, and Taitung, simply drive along the coastal highways up north until you reach Long Dong, just past Fulong and Aodi.

me and daryl
My friend Daryl and I

By Train / Hitchhiking

First, take the train to Taipei (if you’re not already there), then take another train to either Keelung, Ruifang, or Fulong. From these 3 places you could simply jump in a taxi (between 400-500NT$ from Keelung), or hitchhike.

From Keelung or Ruifang train stations, you can also catch a bus that heads down south along the Coastal Highway. Watch for a bus with a sign that says Yilan or Luodong. Tell the driver you need to get off at Long Dong. He most likely won’t speak English, so just repeat Long Dong, Long Dong, a couple of times and he will hopefully let you get off at the right place.

By Bus From Taipei City

You can take a bus to Long Dong right from Taipei Main Railway Station. At Taipei Main Station, you want to go to Taipei West Bus Station Terminal A, and find the ticket window which has signs for Luodong or Yilan. Tell the clerk you want a ticket for Long Dong, and the price should be around 140NT$. The bus ride to Long Dong from Taipei takes about 50 minutes. In Long Dong, you want to get off the bus at the traffic light, on the other side of the bay. There is a bus stop there and it’s the closest you can get to the cliffs. From there, it’s only a 10- minute walk to Hemei School and the North Entrance.

Me and a lady with a face-kini

Getting Around Long Dong

Having a car or scooter makes things easier around here, especially if you’ll be eating at restaurants. Fulong and Aodi are about 20 minutes south by car. Bitou is closer, but most restaurants are tourist traps with exorbitant prices. Hitchhiking is a reliable option along the East Coast.


Long Dong Accommodation

Crack House is a very cool hostel which is located in Hemei village, near the cliffs. If you want to have a cheap bed, meet climbers, rent gear, have access to a shower, and a kitchen to cook your own food, Crack House is where you want to go!

Crack House Long Dong
Crack House is the most popular hostel for climbers in Long Dong.
Crack House hostel LD
Crack House hostel even has a bouldering wall

Accommodation in Fulong
Fulong has a bunch of hotels, motels, guesthouses, and BnB. The reason you’d want to stay in Fulong is because it’s the closest town where there is some sort of action like packed restaurants, a train station, 7-11, bike-rental shops, and a billion Taiwanese tourists on holidays.  Most seafood restaurants in Fulong have great local fares with the freshest fish / shrimp / creatures from the sea you can get in Taiwan. Oups… How could I forget the beach! Yes, Fulong has a nice, long beach where you can even surf when the waves are not too shy.

You can book a hotel in Fulong here.

fulong beach taiwan
The beautiful Fulong Beach


Camping in Long Dong

4 spots are popular for free camping at Long Dong: the 3 parking areas and the Second Cave. The Second Cave is the coolest place, as you’re right at the cliffs and next to the ocean, but you need to carry all your camping gear, food, water all the way there. The North and South parking areas are OK if you don’t mind pitching your tent on concrete.

My tent, my friends, my van

The Central Parking Area is where I usually camp as I find it’s the quietest one and it’s surrounded by trees and bushes. It’s also the quietest of the three parkings and I can make a fire without attracting too much attention.

Fulong also has a camping area with tons of facilities, but it’s so expensive you’d have to be a billionaire to afford a night there. If my memory is right, it costs 800NT$ per platform + more cash for your car. Outrageous!

camping in long dong taiwan
Camping at the Central Parking Area

Food & Restaurants

A woman sells huge squids and other weird “food” at Miaokou

You can get water, food, snacks (like seaweed crackers), and beer next to Hemei School, and there are small eateries on the other side of the bay where you’ll find really basic Chinese food.

If you’re in the mood for a real feast, head for Aodi or Fulong where you’ll find a couple of good, affordable Taiwanese restaurants that serve fresh seafood and huge plates of veggies.

  • The nearest 7-11 is in Bitou.
  • Avoid restaurants in Bitou at all cost.
  • Check out WOW CAFE 海派廚房 in Fulong for a seriously good burger and a good selection of craft beers. Western vibe, good music, friendly staff.
    Address: #67, Dongxing Street, Fulong, Gongliao District
wow cafe fulong
Wow Cafe in Fulong – AWESOME burger! Basically the only western restaurant in the entire area! Perfect place to have a cold beer after a long day climbing!

Bolts, Anchors, Corrosion

Because Long Dong is a seaside climbing area, there are some serious problems with bolts and anchors. Metal corrosion is a real issue that adds a layer of serious danger. Accidents have happened in the past, like bolts breaking under the weight of a leader’s fall, and anchors have been found to be not safe for rappelling or top-roping. As of mid-2020, there is still an ongoing effort to re-bolt some, or all routes at Long Dong.

Obviously, you don’t want to trust something like that!

The Rock Climbing Taiwan Guidebook states: “Most routes labeled as SPORT in this guide are equipped with bolts that are, as of 2012, believed to be reliable.” This is obviously not the case anymore, as there have been bolts failures on those routes in recent years. Unless the route you want to climb has been re-bolted with Titanium bolts, you should bring trad gear and backup bolts wherever possible. Fortunately, this is quite easy to do as there are cracks all over the place at most cliffs in Long Dong.

Broken bolt on Great Pumpkin, 11c, in Golden Valley (Picture provided by James Song.)

Refer to the Guidebook + for the latest information about bolts and anchors at Long Dong. Hopefully, in the near future, all the routes will be equipped with high-quality, corrosion-resistant titanium bolts and rappel stations, and we won’t have to worry about this issue.

Gear required at Long Dong

Most routes at Long Dong can be done with a fairly light rack: +/- 15 draws, a few slings, a set of wires with doubles for mid-sizes, cams to #4, and a 60m rope. A helmet is always a good idea, even if it makes you look like a construction worker. Pack a swimsuit if you want to enjoy the ocean. Bring strong sunscreen if you don’t want to burn in summer.

climbing rack gear
My rack for LD

Wash your gear!
You need to wash your gear (even your harness) after a few days of climbing at long Dong due to the marine air. A friend of mine didn’t wash his harness and look what happened to his harness: the main buckle corroded on both sides! I could peel the whole thing with my fingernail – I doubt it would have taken a fall that generated a force of 1kn.

corrosion harness black diamond momentum
Wash your gear after climbing at Long Dong!!

Weather in Long Dong

The Northeastern part of Taiwan receives the most rainfall annually, and Long Dong is right in the middle of that area. The weather can be especially shitty during the winter months. But it is still possible to climb all year – it’s just a matter of luck. In 2002, I spent 10 days climbing at Long Dong during Chinese New Year and we only got few drops of rain at night. As I am writing this (winter 2015) the sky is clear over LD and it hasn’t rained in 9 DAYS!!

Summer is super hot and everybody is trying to climb in the shade. Fall and spring, it seems, are the best months to climb here. You can check the weather forecast for LD here, on Taiwan Weather Bureau’s website. Long Dong is located in Gongliao District, in New Taipei City.

Emergencies

In the unfortunate event that you require assistance for evacuation of an injured climber, call the coast guard at the following phone number: 02-2490-9176. In case of any other emergency which doesn’t require an evacuation, (like your tent caught on fire because you were cooking inside and the tent has melted on you – how likely is that!?) you can simply dial 119.

Long Dong on Facebook / Links

Check the following links to get more information about LD:

Long Dong on Mountain Project: Route descriptions by areas, list of classic climbs, topos, pictures, forum messages

Taiwan Rocks: Website about rock climbing and bouldering in Taiwan – not just LD. Info, locations, and pics of gyms around the island. List of climbing gear shops in Taipei and Taichung. Helpful links about climbing in general.

You can buy the Long Dong Guidebook here. The guidebook can also be bought at outdoor / climbing shops throughout Taiwan, but you might be out of luck and they may be sold out once you get there, so get it online.


Pictures of Long Dong

Long Dong taiwan
My climbing partner, looking ready to conquer those cliffs!
taiwan east coast ocean
Ocean view from Clocktower
Long Dong taiwan climbing
Climbers analyzing a route near Recital Hall
rock climber taiwan long dong
Me, chilling between two climbs
climbing group taiwan
Rock climbing classes can occupy entire areas on weekends.
long lane long dong taiwan
Long Lane is the busiest crag at LD. It features excellent trad and sport climbs. Best spot to find shade during hot, sunny days.
Long Dong climbers taiwan
Climbers practice rescue techniques on the South Face of School Gate
Long Dong boulders
Boulder field between the North Entrance and School Gate
Long Dong Taiwan
Amazing Long Dong! One of Taiwan’s best kept secrets!
Long Dong
Me, cartwheeling down Golden Gate Slab
Long Dong taiwan
Dragon Boat Wall, Golden Valley
Long Dong taiwan east coast
View from the trail above the cliffs
hemei elementary school
Hemei Elementary School at the Northern Parking Area
Long Dong mountains taiwan
Pavilion along the hiking trail. It’s possible to pitch a tent there, but make sure your tent can withstand strong wind!
bitou taiwan
The outdoor food-court at Bitou
chinese seafood
Fresh (and cheap) seafood at the food-court in Bitou
taiwanese temple
The Chinese temple at the South Entrance

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ugo taiwanese secrets websiteI’m the weirdo behind this site. I’ve been living in Taiwan since 2000, so basically I’ve spent half my life here. I have a big passion for everything Formosa and I’ve been working on this website since 2008 to share the beauty of Taiwan with the world! Read more about me.

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