Waves Meet Rock at Long Dong

Seaside cragging in Asia means to most climbers either Thailand or Vietnam. Japan also has several sea cliffs and even little Hong Kong supports an active climbing community of locals, expats, and visitors. But few climbers outside of Taiwan are aware that this island nation has some of the best coastal climbing in Asia. Taiwan is a mountainous island with hundreds of peaks, many topping 9,000 feet. Taiwan's best cragging is a glorious exception--a long row of gleaming sandstone cliffs along the northeast coast near a fishing village called Long Dong. This area, a scant 50 kilometers from the capital city of Taipei, is justedly popular with Taiwanese climbers.