Travel Date: 2023/06/22
Dragon Boat Festival, so we had a 4-day long holiday. Unfortunately, it seems that the weather wasn't too good. When we arrived at Sanmin Bat Cave, it was already cloudy. We also tried to visit Jiguopai Church, but it wasn't open for visiting.
Afterwards, we planned to go to Daxi Old Street, but the town was packed with people, and we couldn't find any parking space. After driving around the town for half an hour trying to find a spot, we gave up and went to a smaller nearby town to find some food.
Unfortunately, our son got a bit sick afterwards, so we ended up spending the long weekend at home instead of traveling.
Sanmin Bat Cave (三民蝙蝠洞)
Sanmin Bat Cave (三民蝙蝠洞) is located in the valley in the north of Sanmin Village. It's a huge natural cave and is known as Shuilian Cave because of the spring water above the cave entrance. The cave got its name due to its rough and primitive terrain beside a valley, attracting a large number of bats to inhabit here. In the past, thousands of bats lived here, adding to the mysterious atmosphere.
The trail to the bat cave is about 600 meters long, gently sloped, and paved with stone bricks. It takes around 20 minutes to walk to the Bat Cave. Along the trail, there are many trees providing shade, making the walk cool and comfortable. Rest areas with wooden seats are available along the road for those who need a break. There is also a toilet at the beginning of the path. During our walk, we even encountered a friendly pig!
About 450 meters along the trail, you'll reach the observation deck from which you can see mountains in the distance.
The cave entrance is about 20 meters high, 50 meters wide inside, and around 20 meters deep. The shape of the cave resembles a half-moon, and although the bats have migrated to other places, the cave's landscape still attracts many tourists who come to explore its wonders.
In front of the cave, there are two pools, a large one, and a smaller one. A 15-meter-high waterfall flows down, forming a deep pool with a diameter of about 10 meters. The environment is cool and pleasant, making it a suitable place to escape the summer heat.
Unfortunately, we didn't know that swimming isn't allowed here anymore. Five years ago, it was totally fine to swim, and we even saw a few kids playing in the water during our previous visit. However, it seems that it has become a less popular swimming spot due to the government's increasing restrictions on entering waters following accidents and drownings. Interestingly, despite numerous accidents and deaths on the roads, cars and scooters are still allowed.
We arrived around noon, but there was barely any sunshine, and the water was cold. There is parking space for about 5 cars, while others are parked in front of someone's home (though we're not sure if it's permitted). Public transportation in Taiwan is available, as we noticed a bus station nearby, making it unnecessary to drive.
See also: Hsinchu Fengxiang Falls
Check out my YouTube video
Jiguopai Church (基國派老教堂)
Afterwards, we also tried to visit Jiguopai Church (基國派老教堂), but unlike in the past, there is now a fence around it, making it impossible to visit.
This Presbyterian Church was built in 1964. The building was reconstructed after 2000, following the collapse of the roof, which caused damage to the building. The church is renowned as the most beautiful stone church in Taiwan.
During Japanese rule, Christianity was restricted in Taiwan. It wasn't until the war ended in 1945 that the first Christian community was established in Sanmin village. In the early years, prayers were held in the homes of church members until the construction of the church could be completed.
This picture is one that I took back in 2018:
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