Dongpu Lodge (東埔山莊)

For a lot of hikers taking on Jade Mountain, especially those relying on public transportation, a stay at Dongpu Lodge is part of the package. This hikers’ accommodation is found just off County Highway 18, close to Paiyun Hiking Service Centre (where you will need to show your permits before beginning your Jade Mountain climb).

Bookings can be made as early as a month in advance of your stay, and as late as a couple of days before you visit. However, it’s worth knowing that beds fill up pretty quickly on weekends and holidays, so it’s better to get in there early. At the time of writing, a one-night stay costs NT$400 per person.

Below, you can find a comprehensive step-by-step guide to booking a stay at Dongpu Lodge as well as information on what kind of facilities to expect when you’re there.

Booking Dongpu Lodge

Step 1

Head to the Dongpu Lodge website and select “住宿與訂房” to see the accommodation and reservations drop-down menu. If your group has fewer than 19 people, you’ll need to choose the first item on this menu “19人以下住宿預約”. (The second item is for groups of more than 20.)

Step 2

Fill out the basic information form. You don’t need to input the name of each group member, just the name of the person who is booking. If you’re attempting a one-day ascent of Jade Mountain, you will need to select the “early check-out option”.

When you’ve completed the form, click “下一步” to move on to the next step.

Step 3

The next page just asks you if you’re sure that the details you entered are correct. If you’re sure, click “送去” to send off the booking request.

Step 4

That’s all you need to do for now. This page just explains that you can expect an email either confirming or rejecting your booking within a couple of days.

Step 5

When the confirmation email comes, it will ask you to pay the booking fee via bank transfer. This payment method only works if you have a Taiwan bank account. If you’re coming from abroad and don’t have a Taiwanese account, just send them an email explaining the situation and you’ll be able to pay when you arrive. (If you apply using a foreign name, there’s a high chance they won’t even bother sending you the transfer information.)

Step 6

If you are able to complete the bank transfer, you need to let the lodge know that you’ve done so. You can do this by heading to https://dongpusky.tw/payment-method/ and filling out the above information.

Step 7

After you let Dongpu Lodge know that you’ve made a payment, they’ll send you one final confirmation email. That’s it. All you need to do now is turn up on the day of your booking. Check-in time starts at 3:30 in the afternoon.

Staying at Dongpu Lodge

Dongpu Lodge is a basic hikers’ hostel. It has three dormitory-style rooms filled with bunk beds that can sleep a total of 90 people. It’s a bit shabby, but I found it more comfortable than Paiyun Lodge. As with other mountain lodges in Taiwan, you’ll be sharing very close accommodations with lots of other people, but as long as you go in with low expectations, you should be fine.

What facilities does Dongpu Lodge have?

Dongpu Lodge has the following basic facilities:

  • Wooden bunks — Hikers sleep on huge wooden bunks with 26-30 people to a room. The bunks have thin foam mattresses, but they are not comfortable.
  • A kitchen space — Hikers are able to use the lodge’s kitchen area for cooking. Only the space and hot water is provided. If you need utensils, pans, or gas, you’ll need to bring them yourself. While we were there, we saw some people prepare veritable feasts despite these limitations. There’s no fridge to store perishables in.
  • A communal indoor dining area — Long rows of tables and chairs occupy the communal area.
  • Shelves for storing bags — Each room has a row of shelves for hikers to store their packs on. No outdoor packs are allowed in the dorms, so make sure you have a small clean bag to put your valuables in.
  • Toilets and tap water — There are squat toilets (no Western-style toilets). They’re not lovely, but they’re alright.
  • Showers — The lodge provides hot water for showers between 4:30pm and 8:30pm. There are only two showers, so queues are inevitable. Getting in early seems to be the smart choice because everyone wants to shower after dinner time.
  • A clothes drying rack — There is an area beside the front entrance that has been set aside for air drying wet gear.
  • Hot (or warm) drinking water — Hot water can be found in the kitchen.
  • A limited number of charging sockets — There are some sockets for charging your electronics in the communal area, but they are in high demand.
  • Bedding — The lodge provides warm blankets and not-quite-thick enough pillows. The bedding is clean and pretty comfortable.

Dongpu Lodge provides the following additional facilities for a fee:

  • Basic food — Dongpu used to offer meals, but that’s no longer the case. They have a few very, very basic food items such as instant noodles
  • Shuttle bus services — You can arrange for transportation to pick you up or drop you off at either Alishan Transport Station (NT$1200 one-way) or Shuili (NT$3500 one-way). The fees are on a per-car basis rather than a per-person, so if you’re in a bigger group, it’s maybe not so bad.

A queue of phones waiting to be charged.

Hot water dispenser in the kitchen area.

Sinks in the communal kitchen.

Work surfaces in the kitchen.

There are four squat toilets and some urinals.

One of the lodge’s two shower rooms.

One of Dongpu Lodge’s three dormitory rooms.

What do I need to take to Dongpu Lodge?

The following items will make your Dongpu Lodge Stay more comfortable:

A sleeping pad — This is a non-essential item, but if you don’t do well on hard beds, it might be a good idea. I made a kind of cocoon from my blanket and that was almost OK.

Toilet paper — Dongpu Lodge does not provide toilet paper. You need to take your own.

Soap or alcohol — There is hot running water here, but that’s it. You need to bring your own soap.

A towel — If you plan to use the shower facilities, this will be necessary.

Earplugs — An essential tool to help block out all the snorers and people getting up at 2am to climb Jade Mountain.

Food — There really isn’t much choice of snacks here and there are no shops nearby.