Nantou lies at the heart of Taiwan and is it's only landlocked county. It is known for its rugged natural landscapes and mountains, and includes the highest mountain in East Asia. If you come to Taiwan you should definitely pass through this place and stop by at some of the sights we will mention below.
In this blog we will visit the following places:
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The Chung Tai Shan Monastery in Puli, Nantou County (aka Chung Tai Chan Buddhist Temple) is a large monastery, built by the same architect that built the Taipei 101. The building features a full size wooden pagoda inside the main tower, as well as a Buddhism museum. It is the tallest Buddhist Monastery in the world.
Background: The Chungtai Shan Buddhist Temple is a large complex built as the headquarters for the Chung Tai Shan Buddhist Monastic Order. The Monastic Order was founded in 1987 by Master Wei Chueh. Now the order has branches all over the world. The monastery itself was completed in 2001, and is 136 meters tall. The cheif architect behind the building was Chu-Yuan Lee, the same architect that built the Taipei 101. It is the tallest Buddhist Monastery in the world, and the second largest in Taiwan behind Foguangshan. Hours: 8 AM to 5:00 PM every day Price: Free How to get there: Car/Scooter: Take County Road 78 out of Puli (Shoucheng Raod) and continue north until you see the large monastery. It is hard to miss. There is free parking near the monastery. Bus: Take an intercity bus from Taichung to Puli Bus Station. From there, take Nantou Bus 6651C to Chung Tai Monestary Station. Map: Please see below: 
The 99 Peaks Trail (aka Jiujiufeng Forest Trail or 九十九峰) in Caotun Township of Nantou County is one of the most unique and beautiful places in Taiwan. It features extremely steep grassy hills that look like they are from a cartoon. This is due to the easily eroding sediment that they are made out of. Taiwan's torrential rains and earthquakes have sped up the erosion on these hills, making them especially steep and pointy, and creating what looks like 99 peaks on the horizon. From the trail one clearly see the jagged 99 peaks as well as beautiful views of Caotun and Nantou.
Background: The 99 Peaks are built on the same sediment as Huoyanshan, with iron rich soil that was deposited and lifted up due to tectonic forces. Discoloration due to laterization (leaching and oxidation due to heavy rain) of minerals in the sediment has made the rocks near the top of the mountain here orange-red. Like Tianliao Moon World (田寮月世界) and Liji Badlands （利吉惡地）, 99 Peaks is considered a badland due to fast erosion. 99 Peaks, Huoyanshan (火炎山), and Shibaluohan Mountain (十八羅漢山) make up the three "Huoyanshan formations" in Taiwan. The slopes here are very steep, and average from 60-80 degrees, making them impossible to cultivate. The entire mountain area is like a bunch of mini slot canyons. At it's highest point, the 99 peaks are 779 meters above sea level, but were only 777 meters above sea level before the 921 earthquake. After the 921 earthquake, much of the soil on the mountain eroded away due to shaking, and the hills were left bare. Shortly after, the area was declared a nature reserve. 21 years after the earthquake, the hills are now covered in grass and shrubs. The trail doesn't go to the very top of the peaks, and if you venture further be careful because the cliffs are very steep on either side and erosion could happen at any time. As of March 2020, Nantou County has purchased the land of 99 Peaks for 100 million NT, in hopes of cultivating it for tourism, such as hot air balloon rides. Let's hope it becomes a major tourist destination! Hours: 24/7 Price: Free Length: 1 KM one way About 1 hour total About 200 meters of elevation gain. Difficulty: Easy How to get there: By Car: Take National Freeway 6 toward Puli and get off at the east Caotun interchange. Then drive east on provincial highway 14 until you reach Jianxing Rad intersection on the other side of the river. Turn left and keep going until you reach the trail head. By Scooter: Ride east on provincial highway 14 until you reach Jianxing Rad intersection on the other side of the river. Turn left and keep going until you reach the trail head. By Bus: Take bus 6268A east out of Caotun and get off at Pinglin Station. From there it is about a 20 minute walk to the trailhead. Map: Please see below: 
The Songbo Temple Trail runs through the forest that goes from Ershui Village in Changhua County up the mountain to Songbo Temple in Nantou County. Along this trail one can spot lots of Formosan Macaques which are indigenous to Taiwan. If you come, you can enjoy a sure sighting of monkeys, but for your safety do not feed them or get close to them.
Background: The Songbo Temple that overlooks Ershui Village, sitting on the edge of Nantou County, had its beginnings in the year1657 during the Dutch rule of Taiwan. The first temple structure (Shoutian Temple 受天宮 on the site was completed in 1745 during the Qing Dynasty, and has been renovated until this day. The temple is dedicated to the Zhenwu Emporer. I assume that the trail to the temple as existed since historical times. Length: 1.4KM one way, about 250 meters of elevation gain. Plan about 3 hours for this hike, or more if you stop for a while to look at Monkeys. Hours: 24/7 Price: Free How to get there: By Car/Scooter: From Ershui, cross to the west side of the tracks and north to Fengbai Raod (豐柏路) until you reach the trail entrance at Fengbo Plaza (豐柏廣場). By Train: Take the TRA to Ershui station. From there, walk (1.5KM, 20 minutes) or take a taxi to the trail entrance at Fengbo Plaza (豐柏廣場). Map: Please see below: 
Nantou's Houtanjing Sky Bridge (aka just Sky Bridge) is a tourist attraction near Nantou City, which features great views of Yuanlin and Changhua county. If you visit Nantou, this place should definitely be on your list.
Background: Nantou Sky Bridge was built in 2009 at a price of 20 million NT by the Houtanjing National Scenic area. It is 204 meters long, and sits 70 meters above the valley below. Only 150 people are allowed on the bridge at a time. Hours: 8:30 to 5:30 Price: 50 NT per person How to get there: By Car/Scooter: Take highway 139 from Nantou City up the mountain until you reach the bridge. By bus: From Yuanlin TRA Station, you can take Changhua Bus 6925A to Xiaping, and from there it is about a ten minute walk to the bridge. Map: Please see below: 
Xitou, officially known as Xitou Nature Education Area (溪頭自然教育園區) is a forested nature park in Nantou County Taiwan. The park includes a forest sky-walk, bamboo forests, forest experiments, over 70 species of bird, and a monster themed village. It is a great day trip for nature lovers and hikers, and a unique way to enjoy Taiwan's ecology.
History: The Xitou experimental forest was set up during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan under the University of Tokyo. After the ROC took control of Taiwan, the area was changed to a nature reserve. In 2016, the thousand year old pine tree that once sat in the park fell over after heavy rain, and its seeds were used to plant more trees. Hours: 7 AM to 5 PM every day Price: 200 NT per person 100 NT for parking How to get there: By Car/Scooter: Take county road 151 toward Lugu and Xitou. Xitou nature area is at the very end of the road. By Bus: There are many direct busses to Xitou from Taichung (also Caotun and Nantou). Map: Please see below: 
Hehuan Mountain (aka Hehuanshan or Mt. Hehuan) may be the most popular place to see snow in Taiwan, partly due to the fact that it has the highest public road in the country (located at Wuling (武嶺). Most people in Taiwan live at or near sea level in a tropical/subtropical environment that never has snow. However, it does snow in Taiwan at many places with higher elevations, such as Yangmingshan, Jade Mountain, Alishan, Snow Mountain, etc. If temperatures get low enough between December and February, snow is possible to fall wherever the elevation is high enough in Taiwan. However places like Hehuanshan are special because you can drive a vehicle right to the top.
Background: Hehuanshan lies at the edge of Taroko National Park on the border of Nantou and Hualien Counties. The road from Nantou to Taroko Gorge passes through the saddle on Hehuanshan between the the East Peak and Main Peak, and is the highest accessible public road in Taiwan (also known as Wuling 武嶺). Near this place, the Wushe incident and Taroko War took place (see below for more details). During the Martial Law period in Taiwan, a ski lift ran on the mountain, but has since been abandoned due to lack of consistent snowfall. The Taiwan military also has its winter training grounds near the mountain. Recently Hehuanshan has been a popular place for hiking and taking photos, and has been an Instagram hot spot. Hours: 24/7 unless otherwise closed by the department of transportation When to Go: It snows on Hehuanshan usually December to February. You can check the current weather for Hehuanshan here and live video feed of the mountain and ground conditions here. Price: Free How to Get There: Take provincial highway 14 from Puli, and keep going after your reach Qingjing Farm. Alos you can take Provincial Highway 8 from Taroko Gorge National Park. Stop when you reach the very top of the road, the Wuling parking lot. Traffic Control: Buses and large truck are not allowed. Sometimes chains are required (no one has chains in Taiwan). Map: Please see below: 
Sun Moon Lake is a beautiful scenic area in Taiwan and a popular tourist destination. Besides the lakeside scenery, one can also enjoy boat rides, Taiwanese street food, gift shops, temples, a gondola, aborigine theme park, and more. It is for sure a must-see destination for anyone coming to vacation in Taiwan.
We have visited Sun Moon Lake a total of 6 times over 7 years, using 3 different cameras and 3 cell phone cameras, in luckily mostly good weather. In the blog below I will stitch together all of these trips in a way that hopefully makes sense. It may not be the most ultimate guide ever but it has most of the major sites in it. Background: Sun Moon Lake (aka Zintun in local Thao language) is the largest natural lake in Taiwan and home of the aboriginal Thao tribe. According to legend, a white deer led the tribe to the lake, and is now trapped in a marble stone on Lalu Island, which is sacred ground to them. The name "Sun Moon Lake" comes from the different colors of the water in the lake, some of it being murky and on other parts of the lake, clear. Another account says that the name comes from parts of the lake being round like the sun, and other parts of the lake being curved like the moon. The first hydroelectric plant was built on the lake in 1919 by the Japanese, which was later taken over by the ROC government. The hydroelectric power is part of a system of hdro power plants running from Wushe to Sun Moon Lake down to Shuili Township, and includes at least 8 plants. Sun Moon Lake Scenic area was created in 2000. The lake attracts visitors from around the world from year round for its beauty and surrounding sights, and is also known for the annual Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival which thousands of people attend each year. How to Get There: Bus: There are buses (Ubus/Kbus/etc) that leave all day from Taichung Station. By Car: Take National Highway 6 from Taichung up to Puli, and then follow the signs on highway 21 down to Sun Moon Lake. You can also take a car/scooter up highway 21 up from Shuili Township further south. Boat: You can circle the lake via three spots: Shuise Pier, Xuanguang Pier, and Ita Thao Pier. Price: Scenic Area Entrance: Free Parking: Around 100 NT per day for cars Boat Ride: 300 NT per person Gondola Ride (Ropeway): 300 NT per person Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village: 850 NT per person Hours: Scenic Area: 24/7 Parking: 24/7 Boat Ride: roughly 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM every day Gondola Ride: 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM every day Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village: 9:30 AM- 5 PM every day Map: Please see below: 
Qingjing Farm (aka Cingjing Farm) is a high mountain farm in Renai Township of Nantou County. It features beautful mountain scenery, sheep petting zoo, animal shows, horse riding, and horesmanship shows.
Historical Background: During Japanese rule, the area around Qingjing farm was originally pasture for the cattle of the Seediq aboriginal tribe. This is the same tribe that caused the Mushe Incident, the biggest rebellion against the Japanese during that era involving mass killings of Japanese and even more Aboriginals in return. If you don't know what I'm taking about, you should watch the film Warriors of the Rainow: Seediq Bale. The Mushe incident memorial can be found a littler further down the road in Wushe as the Mona Rudo Resistance Monument. Later in 1959 the ROC government made the area a relocation area for a few military families to plant tropical fruits. In 1967 Chiang Chin-kuo (Chiang Kai-shek's son) visited the area and remarked: 「清新空氣任君取，境地優雅是仙居」meaning "There is fresh air for one to breathe, and the area is elegant like the dwelling place of a fairy." From then on the farm changed it's name from Rongmin Farm (榮民農場meaning honorary citizens' farm) to Qingjing Farm, meaning "Fresh Landscape." By 1985 the farms around Qingjing all were making losses. But then the first hotel was built in the area, the income of which was greater than that of the farm itself. From then on the tourist sector of Qingjing farm began. Nowadays the farm is purely a tourist attraction, and many hotels and hostels have been built in the area. Price: Full adult ticket: 200 NT on holidays, otherwise 160 NT Student ticket: 130 NT Elderly/disabled/children 6-12: 80 NT Groups over 30 people: 120 NT Hours: 8 AM - 5 PM every day! How to get there: By Bus: From Taichung, take the Kbus, Nantou Bus, or Quanhang bus to the Puli bus station. You can also take Kbus from Taipei Main station straight to the Puli bus station. From there, you can buy entrance tickets to Qingjing and round trip bus tickets all in one via Nantou bus. The bus will leave and come back to Puli Station. Be sure to take the bus all the way to the Qingjing entrance. By Car: Take national Highway 6 to Puli and then continue onto provincial highway 14 all the way to Qingjing farm. There are private parking lots above the entrance for about 200 NT a day, and there are usually extra spots even on a busy day. Map: Please refer to the map below: |
Author 作家We are US Expats that have extensive experience living, working, and travelling in Taiwan. In our day, we had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But we have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. Our blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. We are just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Archives 檔案
January 2021
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