Tianliao Moon World Introduction
Tianliao "Moon World" is a unique landscape referred to as "badlands" in geography. It has formed due to the crust's "rejuvenation," where rainwater and river water have intensely eroded over the years, accumulating sediment on mudstone. After geological changes, the sediment mixed with the mudstone, and through weathering and deposition, created today's topography. Only drought-resistant and salt-tolerant shallow-rooted plants (such as: arrow bamboo) and coastal plants can thrive here. Along the Route 28 from Tianliao to Qishan, in addition to the Moon World scenery, there are more than twenty mud volcanoes of various sizes, often exhibiting intermittent eruptions. The scale of eruptions depends on the accumulation pressure of natural gas and mud underground. The areas where the mud flows accumulate undergo erosion from rainfall, creating some unique small terrains, with Da-Gunshui and Xiao-Gunshui being the most convenient observation points for the mud volcanoes. Mud volcanoes are "pseudo-volcanoes" where underground natural gas and mud, under high pressure, are expelled through surface cracks in the shallow rock layers. They are also a type of badlands terrain. Tianliao is the most developed area for badlands and mud volcanoes in Taiwan, where the badland landscape formed by Gutingkeng Formation mudstone is filled with the desolate beauty of a desert, resembling a geologic ecological classroom untouched by human tools, more so developing unique products and cuisine. In October 2021, the Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau organized hot air balloon activities at the Love River and Tianliao Moon World, which received enthusiastic responses from various sectors and attracted many tourists. This allowed the public to alleviate their desire for international travel, enjoying the beauty of Kaohsiung. The unique mudstone terrain of Moon World is comparable to Turkey's Cappadocia, and the local first hot air balloon tethered experience caused a buzz online with breathtaking photos.
