Longdong Bay Cape Trail (龍洞灣岬步道, Longdongwan Cape Trail) is located in Gongliao District of New Taipei City. It is one of the attractions on the northeast coast of Taiwan. It is 49 km (30.4 mi) from Taipei Railroad Station and takes about an hour by car. The Longdong Bay Cape Trail is a scenic trail that connects two largest capes on the northeast coastline - Bitou Cape and Longdong Bay Cape. This trail also links these two different geological eras, one took place six million years ago and the other 35 million years ago. The origin of the name Longdong (dragon’s cave) came from the shape of the coastline. It looks like the shape of a dragon lying down. Along the coastline are a series of hard, steep rising sandstone formations.
We went to Longdong Bay Cape Trail twice and really enjoyed the scenery of the cliffs and the vast East China Sea and Pacific Ocean along the trail. It is a 3-km (1.86 mi) trail. We started our hike from the Longdongwan side near the Hemei Elementary School. There is a parking lot on a small branch line off the No. 2 province road. From the parking lot, there is a short uphill path before you are right on the Longdong Bay Cape Trail and can see the sea. I recommend a side path on the left we took just before we could see the sea. The beginning of the path was a forest tunnel and was a wonderful place to avoid the sun and heat, especially in the summer. There was a flat field once we left the tunnel. Make sure you go to the far end, and you can see a small observation platform which gives you an incredible view of the cliff along the coastline. We also saw some crazy young people jumping from the rocks and diving into ocean below from a distance. Back on the main trail, we saw wayside pavilion where we could take a rest and enjoy the different views of the coastline and cliffs. If you are geology lover, you will notice the rich and diverse geological views along the trail. We saw the Xilingyan Temple while approaching the end of the trail. The original temple was built during Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty. The present building is a reconstruction. The final trail is the 97 steps down to the Longdong South Ocean Park.
Longdong area is divided by the Longdong Tunnel into two areas, the Longdongwan Park and the Longdong South Ocean Park. Nearby is the Longdong Rock Climbing Site which is located in the Longdong Cape near the Hemei Elementary School. It is the most popular natural rock-climbing site in Taiwan. The trail opens all year long and is free to visit. Rogue waves are likely to take place during northeast monsoon months (October – March). To ensure your own safety, please do not carry out any leisure activity near the shores.