Author Julien Huang
Photographer Julien Huang
Editor Julien Huang
The magnificent Taroko Gorge, once a mandatory stop on every international tourist’s Taiwan itinerary, fell silent in the wake of a devastating earthquake in 2024. The disaster left highways fractured and forced the five-star Silks Place Taroko to shutter its doors for 270 days. On January 16, 2025, the hotel finally reopened, and now, a month later, I find myself here, spending a night and sitting down with the general manager Jackie Chao to uncover the untold story of what transpired behind the scenes during that challenging year.
As our shuttle winds through Taroko Gorge, the magnificence of the marble cliffs remains undimmed, though now bearing fresh scars – tear-like streaks left by falling rocks. The river below runs gray and urgent, and while the asphalt roads have been restored, occasional patches still bear witness to little landslides. Boarding the noon shuttle from Hualien Station, I can’t shake a lingering anxiety: Is this journey safe? Is reopening now too ambitious?
But something shifts the moment I step into the hotel. Familiar faces among the staff greet me with genuine warmth, and my apprehension begins to dissolve. There’s something remarkable in their dedication, something that makes me wonder: What compels these people to stand guard over this hotel with even greater resolve after such a severe earthquake? The answer becomes clear – they harbor an undeniable love for their work, a passion they’re eager to share with every guest. After just two days, I find myself wondering if this might be Taiwan’s finest five-star service experience.
Consider this: Silks Place Taroko stands alone as the world’s only hotel within a national forest park to survive a magnitude 7 earthquake and three severe typhoons while maintaining operations. Such resilience demands exceptional crisis management. When the earthquake struck, the hotel transformed into an emergency shelter and command center for the national park, providing sanctuary for search and rescue teams, vendors, and stranded hikers, sharing power, water, and food supplies. These powerful moments are now preserved in the documentary.(English subtitles)
The team has since developed comprehensive crisis protocols: detailed evacuation routes, strict guest registration requirements for both tour groups and individual travelers, and emergency inventory management. While encouraging the use of water dispensers, rooms still maintain bottled water supplies just in case. Internal communication channels ensure every staff member can respond appropriately to guest concerns. The company promotes disaster response training and CPR certification, but perhaps most crucial is their philosophy of crisis service – treating guests with genuine empathy.
Today, while hiking trails remain under renovation, the hotel has introduced new experiences to enrich guests’ stays. My favorite was visiting Taiwan’s first public experimental elementary school in the forest, Xibao Elementary School. Located at 900 feet altitude, the first-graders have to board here. Learning self-reliance and community care in a setting where teachers and students form an extended family. When the earthquake threatened the school’s existence by cutting off road access, the principal entrusted Jackie with the school keys, asking them to bring guests to the campus, keep it aired out, and share the story of Xibao.
I enjoy talking with the guide, Asser very much. He’s the former hotel graphic designer of Amis and Hakka descent, leads tours with palpable affection for the school. The hotel team enhances these excursions with thoughtful touches – organic vegetable wraps, juice, and tea from local producers, served as charming boxed meals that maintain the five-star standard even in this intimate setting.
The indoor activity I signed up was making natural toothpaste from organic coconut oil, food-grade baking soda, and mint essential oils, aligned with sustainable tourism principles. One of the latest activities is crafting homes for solitary bees. Global studies show that over 85% of the world’s 20,000-plus bee species are solitary, with Taiwan home to more than 100 identifiable species. By repurposing abandoned wood from the forest park into bee habitats, guests contribute to biodiversity while deepening their connection to nature.
The dining experience is equally thoughtful, from the welcome afternoon tea with cocktails to semi-buffet dinners featuring hot pot or barbecue alongside mountain vegetables and the Chinese restaurant’s signature hot dishes. Late-night warm snacks and three breakfast options, including vegan choices and fresh soy milk, ensure guests never go hungry. Morning and evening yoga sessions, each instructor bringing their unique style, offer perfect harmony with the mountain setting.
Given that Taroko National Forest Park’s full recovery may take three to five years, I’m already planning my next visit – a three or four-night stay to fully immerse myself in this sanctuary, with no rush to explore beyond its embrace.
