Donโt let its size fool you, Taiwan is home to a 23-million strong population that keep its spirited traditions and luxurious culture alive
Taipei
Named after Ming Dynasty scholar Wang Yangming, ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป is the treasure trove of wonders for the Taipei expat and well deserves its reputation as the most beautiful national park in Taiwan. Here are some highlights to get your bucket list started: ๐ธ soak in the local hot springs ๐ธ visit historical buildings ๐ธ wander through flower gardens ๐ธ take scenic hikes through forests or grasslands ๐ธ feast on sweeping vistas and great photo-ops.
๐ญ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ต๐ (lit. ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ) is a scenic farming village hidden away in the western reaches of Yangmingshan National Park, and one of my favourite places to cater to my floral obsession and escape from the sultry Taipei summers. Originally a lake created by lava from the surrounding volcanos, today Zhuzihu is home to an unique flora, delicious restaurants and attractions for all ages. Romantic flower gardens and ancient hiking trails abound, so choose your pick and start exploring! ๐ Spring to Autumn Distance: ๐ 2h 15min | ๐ 40min
Zhuzihu Lake, Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan 112
If you know me in real life or follow me on Instagram, you may be aware about my obsession with ๐ต๐๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฎ๐. The iconic flower that ushers in Japan's rainy season, these pompom blooms are enjoyed year round in Taiwan's subtropical climate, available for purchase at local markets as early as January. The area around ๐ญ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ต๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ is heaven for the hydrangea lover, exploding during summer with the full spectrum of the rainbow. ๐ธ Make a stop at one of the many insta-famous ๐๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ while exploring the Zhuzihu area and you'll have a collection of beautiful photos you'll want to look back at over and over again. ๐ April (for calla lilies) - May (for hydrangeas) ๐ 1-2 hours ๐ซ 100ๅ (when the calla lilies are in bloom, rental boots and picking lilies included)
112, Taiwan, Taipei City, Beitou District, ็ซนๅญๆน่ทฏ67-7่
Considering enjoying Zhuzihu's famous calla lilies or hydrangeas? Why not pair your photoshoot with a cappuccino and some homemade cookies at ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ. This cafรฉ boasts both a cozy interior and a carefully landscaped garden with winding paths, a flower slope and a variety of photo-ops. The drink menu is extensive, offering varieties of coffee, milk and milk teas for all tastes. ๐ April for calla lilies - May for hydrangeas (if you plan on picking calla lilies, please note it can only be done in the morning) ๐ซ 100ๅ for either calla picking or consumption (you can go to Beitou's Farmer Association to buy discounted entrance tickets) https://www.facebook.com/minyangpu
็ซนๅญๆน่ทฏ(็จgoogle mapๆๅฐๅ้ฝๅไผ้่พฒ่ๅณๅฏ, ๅๆๅๅฐๅๅธ Taiwan 112
โ๐๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ๐ถ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ด ...โ ... is covered in ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฎ ๐น๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐. How would you like to enjoy an afternoon strolling through endless fields of these beautiful pure white flowers, with a scenic backdrop of steam-shrouded mountains? I know Iโd be as happy as 6 year old in a playground! ๐ March to May ๐ 3 hours ๐ซ While you can walk around the fields free of charge, entering the privately owned farms to get close and personal with the flowers will usually cost an admission ticket of 50~100ๅ .
112, Taiwan, Taipei City, Beitou District, ็ซนๅญๆน่ทฏ67-8่
If a hot dip is your favourite way to chase away the cold during the chilly months, you will find ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ to be a true haven. Beitou is the only hot spring village in Taipei, and the only metro-accessible one in Taiwan. It sits at the feet of Yangming mountain, a dormant volcano. Thermal valleys located uphill provide the hot springs with three kinds of sulphur-rich waters (white sulphur, green sulphur and iron sulfur).
112, Taiwan, Taipei City, Beitou District, Guangming Road, 283่ๅฐๆนพ
๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐๐ต๐๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด literally translates as ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ. Maybe the cartographers were just having a bad day, but don't let this name fool you, as it doesn't do these hot springs any justice. First of all, the water is not cold (just not as hot as that in the Beitou hot springs). Secondly, at Lengshuikeng you can experience hot springs in a National Park ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ. If you plan to hike Qixing mountain, this is where you should start, as many trails conveniently loop back to this visitor centre. Before heading out, take the time to visit the ๐ ๐ถ๐น๐ธ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ, where sulphuric fumes turn the water murky white. On the way back, soak your weary feet in the ๐ผ๐๐๐ฑ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ต for instant relief. ๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฒ: the hot springs are gender-segregated, and you enter the baths in the nude.
Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111
111ๅฐๅๅธๅฃซๆๅ
Despite being the highest peak in Yangminshan, ๐ ๐. ๐ค๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ด (๐ด๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ณ๐ด) is a relatively easy hike that anyone can tackle. The mountain owes its name to its seven peaks, the result of time eroding the ancient volcanic crater that once crowned the top. The trailhead can be easily accessed by the Lengshuikeng Visitor Centre, which will first skirt ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ before starting the ascent proper. The path will take you through woodland staircases, bamboo corridors and grassy trails. Take your time to get personal with the local wildlife of bamboo partridges, iridescent lizards and huge butterflies. Once you summit the East Peak and then the Main Peak (approx. 1100m) you will be rewarded by sweeping 360 degrees vistas over Taipei and the surrounding mountain range. At this point it's up to you if you want to loop back to Lensuikeng through ๐ค๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ or make the full round trip that will take you all the way past ๐ญ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ต๐. ๐๐๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐. Mt. Qixingn is the highest (dormant) volcano in Taiwan. ๐๐๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐. Talking of biodiversity, the densely forested southern slope of Mt. Qixing is said to be inhabited by a spectrum of critters with the most interesting names: weevils, assassin bugs, darkling beetles and blister beetles, just to name a few. Now, who wants to hike that side of the mountain? ๐ 4 ~ 5 hours
Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan 112
Expect to be enchanted by your visit to ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ (ๅคขๅนปๆน literally translates as ๐๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ). Much of this pond's fame comes from the extremely rare variety of aquatic fern that grows in it, thanks to which this location has been granted Ecological Protected Area status. You are not allowed down to the pond's shore or into the water, of course, but there is a viewing deck along the trail. ๐๐๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐. The pond's former name was Yachi, or Duck Pond.
Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 112