Fees proposed for new Qilai Mountain Cabin, Paiyun Lodge rate hike

Taipei, Oct. 17 (CNA) Stays at the new Qilai Mountain Cabin in Taroko National Park would cost NT$800 (US$24.65) per person per night on weekdays and NT$1,200 on holidays under a proposal released Friday, which would also raise fees at Paiyun Lodge in Yushan National Park.

The Ministry of the Interior's National Park Service said the proposed fees will be subject to a 60-day public consultation period and that an implementation date will be announced later.

Located at an elevation of 3,345 meters in Hualien County near the border with Nantou County, the new cabin has 40 beds for hikers tackling some of Taroko National Park's most challenging routes. It opened on a trial basis on Aug. 21, and stays are currently free.

The National Park Service also proposed raising the fee at Paiyun Lodge, Taiwan's highest-altitude mountain lodge, from NT$480 per person per night to NT$1,000 on weekdays and NT$1,500 on holidays.

The NT$480 rate has not changed since 2013.

The proposed increase reflects the high cost of maintaining the lodge at 3,402 meters, where resupply and maintenance are difficult, as well as the cost of ongoing staffing and facility upgrades, including solar power and energy storage, drying and changing rooms, and communications and charging equipment, the National Park Service said.

According to the National Park Service, the new Qilai cabin uses renewable energy and has other green features, and its lightweight construction is designed to minimize its impact on the surrounding area.

The cabin was built near the site of the former Qilai cabin, which had eight beds and where bookings were suspended in October last year.