Embrace the Mountains and Sea of Taroko in Summer — Enjoy Picnics and Kayaking in the Grand Canyon for Family Time

▲ Picnic in Buluowan (Photo / Reporter Yan Xintong)

Text and photos byAilishi

This summer, if you're looking for an escape from the heat, Eastern Taiwan (Hualien and Taitung) is a great choice. The Silks Place Taroko is nestled within a forested mountain landscape in Taroko, surrounded by soaring trees and perched beside a dramatic canyon cliff — a place where the spirit of nature thrives. Exploring the mountains isn't just an adventure for adults; you can also bring your little ones along for a forest picnic and enjoy family-friendly activities. No need to go abroad — you can experience relaxing holiday pleasures right here in Taroko.

This time, we joined the “Summer Refresh – One Night with Two Meals” package, which focuses on family experiences. Activities include picnicking in Buluowan, visiting the hotel’s 2015 newly built “Kid’s Town Baby Land,” and enjoying the summer-exclusive “water park.” For those who love adventure, you can also choose to go kayaking under the Qingshui Cliffs for a drift at sea. Friends looking to unwind both body and mind can join a parent-child yoga session, listening to the murmuring streams and birdsongs between heaven and earth.

Picnic in Buluowan

▲ Ma Jun, Marketing and PR Manager of Silks Place Taroko, introduces the Buluowan picnic. The double picnic set is NT$1,000, and the happy family picnic set is NT$1,600. Reservations can be made one day in advance. (Video / Reporter Yan Xintong)

Buluowan is part of the Taroko area. This time, the hotel offers both “double” and “happy family” picnic packages, providing essential items such as woven picnic baskets, colorful picnic mats, and tableware. The meal includes: Mexican rolls, club sandwiches, chef’s bread, homemade natural jams, salad, desserts, fruits, coffee, and juice drinks, along with toys for children.

The weather was great that day, yet not hot. The naturally regulated mountain climate was very pleasant. After being cooped up in the city for so long, coming here felt like arriving at a vast grassland, where you could run free. There were also adorable children playing along, making it a truly unforgettable memory.

Silks Place Taroko, Hualien
After the picnic, you can check in to the hotel. Its classic exterior and room designs offer a comfortable and homely feel. In the first-floor lobby, you can also enjoy the crisp chirping of canaries. During the afternoon tea session, there is also “free-flow red and white wine,” along with complimentary snacks for guests.
▲ Exterior of Silks Place Taroko, Hualien. (Photo / Reporter Yan Xintong)

Go Kayaking at the Qingshui Cliffs
The Qingshui Cliffs, a spot recommended with three stars in the Michelin Green Guide, offers a guided kayaking tour on the Pacific Ocean, lasting four hours, allowing you to fully enjoy the beautiful mountains and waters.
Cost: NT$2,000 per person. Advance booking is required one week in advance, and the package includes the kayak and shuttle service from the hotel to the Qingshui Cliffs.

▲ A relaxing kayaking journey beneath the Qingshui Cliffs, perfect for those who love marine outdoor adventures. (Photo / Li Yiping)

Parent-Child Yoga
With a view of the stunning Taroko Gorge scenery, follow the instructor in Indian yoga to achieve complete relaxation. The hotel also offers parent-child yoga as well as couples yoga, letting you experience the joy of yoga. The yoga studio is equipped with yoga inflation balls, yoga mats, and towels for use, and next door is a gym that all hotel guests can use for free.
Cost:Free.

▲ Parents and kids doing yoga together enhances bonding, relieves fatigue, and helps tone the body. (Photo / Reporter Yan Xintong)


▲ The hotel’s “Fortune Telling Room” is a must-visit for families with kids. It lets children experience the traditional baby fortune-telling custom, with hotel staff on hand to explain the ritual and a variety of costumes for the little ones to wear. (Photo / Reporter Yan Xintong)

The newly built in 2015 interactive family space “Kid’s Town Baby Land” and “Water Park” are perfect for parents who want to have fun with their kids while on vacation.Yang Juanhan, General Manager of Silks Place Taroko, Hualiensaid that while the cost of going abroad isn’t actually very high these days, it’s not very convenient for parents with young children to travel overseas. That’s why Silks Place Taroko has created family-friendly facilities.

Baby Town features many mini simulated environments, using imported furniture from top brands to ensure greater safety for children. There are a total of five themed spaces, two play areas, and resting zones for parents. Public relations officer Jackie said that parents can sit on the sofa and watch their kids play, which is also a form of relaxation. The area includes a mini shop, park, farm, restaurant, motorcycle shop, produce store, clinic, aquarium, and other shops, allowing children to immerse themselves in role-playing.

▲ Kid’s Town Baby Land (Photo / Reporter Yan Xintong)

▲Indoor swimming pool (available in summer only). (Photo by reporter Yan Xintong)

The indoor swimming pool provides various inflatable water toys. Opening hours: 8:00–10:00 AM and 4:00–6:00 PM daily.

Parent-Child Cooking Class
Parents and kids learn to make desserts together. Both parents and children put on chef uniforms, and after completing the course, they can enjoy delicious desserts and receive a chef certificate. It’s a moment of shared pride and unforgettable memories for the summer!

Schedule: Summer vacation period, Monday to Thursday
Fee: NT$600 per group (includes ingredients and equipment, etc.). Reservation required.

▲Parents and kids experience making pancakes together, taught by the head chef. It’s fun cooking pancakes as a family. (Photo by reporter Yan Xintong)

Mountain Feast
Groups of 10 to 25 people can book the Mountain Feast. It features locally sourced ingredients from Hualien, combined with Aboriginal culinary characteristics—such as the Amis “Abai,” lightly seasoned with spices and cooked on-site by the chef to highlight the natural flavors of the ingredients.

Fee: NT$2,500 + 10%, reservation required one week in advance.
Order hotline: 03-869-1155 ext. 3220, 3270.

▲Mountain Feast (Photo by reporter Yan Xintong)

▲The head chef cooks on-site. On the left are various ingredients blanched in broth, and on the right are grilled items, including grilled Formosan landlocked salmon. (Photo by reporter Yan Xintong)

Silks Place Taroko, Hualien
Address: No. 18, Tianxiang Rd., Xiulin Township, Hualien County
Reservation hotline: 03-869-1155