Yehliu

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Mother Nature's

Works of Art

at 'Wild Willow'

Globe and candle stones

A lone diver slowly makes his way to a solitary platform perched on a 35 meter ladder, above Ocean World's pool. After a few moments of silence, he springs from the ledge and somersaults earthwards, before straightening for a perfect entry into the pool.

I had come to Yehliu. Better known for its fantastic rock formations than its diving exhibitions,
Yehliu offers a great day out for those who like to be beside the seaside.

Yehliu itself, is a quiet fishing village. As with most coastal towns in Taiwan, you will find many restaurants offering fresh seafood caught by the trawlers that bob in the harbor. But for most, the sandstone, rock sculptures are the main attraction. Technically called sea-eroded platform, it resembles something from a Star Trek scene.
The unique landscape is a result of persistent waves clashing against the coastal scarps. Bits of the coastline were worn away in the course of time as progressive loss of rock drew the scarps further back from the sea until a flat layer of rock appeared at sea level. This is called the sea-eroded platform. Due to the different resistance and weathering properties of these rocks, they have been carved by nature into some very unusual, natural art forms.

The Queen's Head

A walk around nature's works of art gives you a sense of wonder. The fungoid stones, in the shape
of mushrooms, are lines up along the back of the scarp, while the row closet to the sea, is called
"Nymph's Sandal." By far the most amazing group, called the "Globe and Candle Stones," consist of
barrel shapes with a perfect sphere in the middle. Of course, the Chinese have given all the stones
fanciful names, the most famous of which is the "Queen's Head."

If you continue walking to the end of the outcrop, you'll be rewarded with a superb view of all Yehliu. Formed during orogenesis, the inclined stratum along the coast looks like giant wedges of cheese piled up along the shore. At the very top, there is a small, uninteresting lighthouse. At the entrance to the park, there is a market selling all manners of sea-related products. Dried, pickled, salted and smoked fish is for sale. There are also some tacky shell pictures for sale.

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