With streams and waterfalls as the natural stage, the Taroko Gorge Music Festival kicks off tomorrow

Travel Center / Taipei Report

The Taroko Gorge Music Festival, which blends with nature, will hold its second performance tomorrow (the 17th). This year’s theme is “Sonata of Mountains and Waters.” The performances will take place in the Liwu River Valley at Changchun Shrine, with the morning session from 10:15 AM to 11:30 AM and the afternoon session from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM. Cellist Chang Cheng-chieh serves as the music director, assembling the Beyond Sound Chamber Ensemble and other renowned domestic musicians for the event.


▲ The Taroko Gorge Music Festival will be performed tomorrow in the Liwu River Valley at Changchun Shrine. (Photo / Courtesy of Taroko National Park website)

The Liwu River, the main river of Taroko National Park, is known for its steep valleys and dramatic drops, but near Changchun Shrine, it forms a naturally wide riverbed that serves as a perfect stage. The stage of this year’s gorge music festival incorporates the high mountains and cascading waterfalls, set against the classical Chinese architecture of Changchun Shrine. The open-air performance, accompanied by the natural sounds of flowing water, offers a truly refreshing experience.

On the day of the Gorge Music Festival, shuttle buses will depart from Xincheng (Taroko) Station at 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, and again from 1:00 PM to 2:15 PM. They will travel via the Taroko Visitor Center to Changchun Shrine. After the performances, there will also be dedicated shuttle buses back to the visitor center and Xincheng Station. Visitors who take the train to Xincheng Station can easily transfer to the shuttle bus to reach the concert venue, making it very convenient.

The Taroko Gorge Music Festival has been held for 11 years since its inception in 2002. Taking place in the beautiful natural surroundings of Taroko’s high mountains and gorges, the event is free to the public and attracts nearly 10,000 attendees each year. In previous years, performances were held on stages set up in the Taroko Plateau or Buluowan area, but this year, not even artificial stages are needed—the Pacific Ocean and Liwu River Valley serve as the natural backdrop, bringing performers and audiences closer together and immersing them in the breathtaking scenery of the mountains and sea.