Reviews
Guide
- Yilan Taipingshan / Hualien Chihnan, Fuyuan, and Taitung Jhihben: 4 Major National Forest Recreation Areas Ticket Package Discount
- Valid for one year from the date of purchase
⛰️ Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area ⛰️
Taipingshan, formerly known as "Miannao," means "lush and green" in the Atayal language. Visitors can stroll through the primeval forest behind Zhen'an Temple, letting their thoughts wander back to an era when giant trees covered the mountains. Driving along the Cuiying Forest Road, where Taiwanese macaques and Swinhoe's pheasants are often seen, the destination is Taiwan's largest alpine lake: Cuiying Lake, at an altitude of 1840 meters. On the opposite bank is the home of the national treasure, Taiwan beech, and in autumn, visitors can enjoy the golden mountains along the 4-kilometer trail. Not far from the toll station, Jiuzhize Hot Spring is a renowned carbonic acid spring and a major feature here. Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area is definitely the first choice for nature lovers visiting Yilan.
⛰️ Chihnan National Forest Recreation Area ⛰️
Chihnan National Forest Recreation Area is located next to Liyu Lake Scenic Area in Hualien. Chihnan is one of the three major miracles in Hualien's forestry history, and the starting point of the Halun Mountain Railway. From the 1930s, the Japanese planned and the Nationalist government expanded it, creating Hualien's most glorious forestry railway empire, nearly 50 kilometers long. Until the complete logging ban in 1989, the Halun Workstation, located deep in the mountains, was disbanded, and it became isolated from the world. Only the Chihnan Workstation was transformed into a forest recreation area, allowing people to reminisce about this period of forestry. In addition to historical records, Chihnan's forests are mainly composed of Moraceae and Lauraceae, interspersed with reforestation tree species such as Fraxinus formosana. The Eastern Taiwan Bulbul, unique to the east, often appears here, making it a great choice for people to get close to nature.
⛰️ Jhihben National Forest Recreation Area ⛰️
Jhihben National Forest Recreation Area is located in Beinan Township, Taitung, at an altitude of 110-650 meters. The climate is warm and humid all year round, and the park has a rich variety of flora and fauna. The main attractions include evergreen broadleaf secondary forests, century-old banyan trees, Taiwanese orchids, century-old sour vines, Jhihben Stream, waterfalls, a medicinal plant garden, and suspension bridges. Within the park, there is a "Huajian Jhihben Herb Garden" covering over 300 pings (approximately 990 square meters), where more than 50 kinds of aromatic herbs are planted, such as the golden button-like "six-god flower" and the golden aromatic marigold. These aromatic herbs allow visitors to relax their mind and body. The recreation area is surrounded by mountains on three sides, separated from the bustling hot spring hotel area by the Jhihben Stream basin. It is the best place for hiking, trekking, bird watching, butterfly watching, academic research, recreation, and forest bathing, and also a good place for weekend outings in the suburbs of Taitung City.
⛰️ Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area ⛰️
Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area is traversed by the Fuyuan Stream, with well-developed mountain trails. The deepest parts are Longyin Suspension Bridge, Fuyuan Suspension Bridge, and Longyin Waterfall, which are very secluded. It combines bird watching, butterfly watching, forest bathing, and hot springs, offering visitors a diverse recreational experience. Due to its location in the shallow mountainous areas of the Central Mountain Range, the park has rich bird resources and is a famous bird-watching spot in Hualien, including the Hualien County bird, the Black-naped Oriole, as well as the Taiwan Barbet, Yellow-bellied Fantail, Taiwan Blue Magpie, Grey-throated Minivet, and the Crested Serpent Eagle that often circles in the sky. In addition, every spring and summer (March-August) is the best time for butterfly watching, and the diverse butterfly resources have earned it the reputation of "Butterfly Valley." The humid and unpolluted environment of the park makes Fuyuan rich in firefly species, with the Dark-winged Firefly appearing from March to June and the Taiwan Mountain Window Firefly from October to December, making it a popular spot for firefly watching among locals in recent years.
