Dajia Stone House 大甲石頭屋

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The "Dajia Stone House" in Taichung reminds many people of the movie Up. It's called the stone house because of the pile of stones in front, and the colored balls are floaties used for fishing that the owner has collected over time. Please be respectful when visiting because people still live in this house. 

​Background:
According to a news report by ITN here, The owner of the Dajia Stone house is Mr. Liu, who began collecting rocks and fishing instruments to decorate his house 40 years ago. Currently, Mr. Liu lives in the house with his wife and son. However, the house has become a popular photo destination only recently, to which Mr. Liu is pleased. 
Despite this other neighbors nearby have complained to the city government about the smell, cockroaches, and rats that the pile of rubble attracts. Parts of the rubble have been cleaned up before by Taichung's sanitation division, only to have Mr. Liu verbally abuse those trying to clean the mess and pile on more garbage later.
More cleaning is planned for the future, as well as fines for Mr. Liu if he does not keep his house clean.

How to get there:
By Bus: You can also book a Taichung sightseeing bus on KKday here. ​
By Car/ Scooter: Looking for scooter rental in Taichung? Check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options.
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. ​You can also check out our car rental guide here.  
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Market Biking Tour in Taichung on Klook here.  
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

​Hotels in Taichung:
Most of the accommodation you will find is near the city center.  If you will only visit downtown, you can consider a day trip from Taipei.
We have stayed at and recommend the Norway Forest Travel Hotel, a convenient hotel right in front of Taichung Station (you can book on Booking.com here or Agoda here), and Sin Fu Business Hotel which is also a great value for the money and great quality in downtown Taichung (you can book on Agoda here). 
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

Map: Please see below:

Our Journey:

I have only been to the balloon house once. Actually it was quite a scary experience. Mr. Liu often walks without his shirt on in front of the house, and to me it seemed he didn't enjoy foreign strangers visiting. Also there are quite a few stray dogs and the place smells. Visit at your own risk. 

A taro field just outside the neighborhood in Dajia. 

First view of the house here. This is rural Taiwan, so helmets on scooters are optional. Sorry to burst your bubble, Taipei expats. 

Here I viewed the house from the safety of my car. There was some feral dogs roaming around here. 

View of the roof which is totally covered in floaty fishing implements. 

Closeup on the front of the house. 

View of the front of the house with a bunch of rocks, which is why it is called the stone house. 

I did see Mr. Liu there but I was not going to ask for his permission to photograph him. He stared at me the whole time and it was awkward. I did not stick around long. 
Here is a photo advertising nearby Youshi Beach. 

If you have time, you can also check out the nearby Da An beach. Check out our full blog on Da An Beach here. 

You can also check out the nearby Dajia Old Street. See our full blog on Dajia Old Street here. 

There are many tours of Taichung available on KKday here or Klook here, such as an Instagram Day Tour, Historic Downtown and Sun Cake DIY Experience, Taichung Railway Station Walking Tour, Local Market Biking Tour, Aboriginal Food Tour, and much more on KKday here or Klook here. 

​Be sure to check out our full guide to Taichung here.

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here. ​

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