About the Name

Taiwan’s creeks are some of the steepest in the world. Watersheds are short and typhoons bring massive changes in flow which erode both riverbanks as well as the mountains above. During typhoons, river flow can increase to close to a thousand times that of the dry season (1). Landslides occur, sediment buries waterfalls, house-sized boulders can be swept downriver, and new bedrock becomes exposed. Temporary beaches created by transient sediment deposits can disappear and reappear elsewhere. In this sense, Taiwan’s rivers are likely some of the most volatile in the world. Even taking a short walk up one is bound to induce feelings of being in the “wilderness”.

“Cafes” are physical (or virtual) forums where ideas and knowledge can be exchanged. Good coffee is secondary. Then again, it’s Taiwan. The coffee here is generally great.

(1) The Wanli River station recorded a peak flow of 6,371 m³/s on 2016-09-14 (Typhoon Meranti). Average flow is generally between 0.5 and 10 m³/s during most periods of the year. (Wanli River Gauge Historical Date)