Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Get lost in the old streets of
Lukang
(
Click here
).
Bird- and butterfly-watch around
Linnei
(
Click here
)
.
Explore ancient forests at
Alishan
(
Click here
).
Take in the quaint countryside around
Jiji Small Rail Line
(
Click here
)
.
Revel in the picture-perfect mountain scenery of
Highway 14
(
Click here
).
National Parks & Forest Recreation Areas
Western Taiwan has its share of parks, including pristine Yushan National Park, home of
the 3952m-high Yushan (Jade Mountain), the highest peak in Taiwan. Rather tame by
comparison, the Alishan Forest Recreation Area is its polar opposite, with an old alpine
train and cherry-blossom trees as the main draws. Dasyueshan Forest Recreation Area
and Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area offer the best birdwatching venues in the
country, while rugged Hehuanshan Forest Recreation Area offers scenic hikes above the
treeline. Huisun, Sitou and Shanlinhsi Forest Recreation Areas are cool mountain retreats
with short hikes and plenty of good scenery.
The Linnei area has a bird reserve for the globally threatened fairy pitta, and is also a
mass gathering point on the purple crow butterfly's yearly migration (
Click here
).
Changhua's Baguashan is one of the best places to watch migratory raptors in the spring.
Visit the Formosan macaque nature reserve in Ershui to see monkeys in the wild.
Getting There & Around
Taichung has one airport for both international and domestic services.
Regular trains run frequently down the coast, connecting all major and minor cities,
and there are decent bus services to most smaller towns. The High Speed Rail (HSR) is
in service here, but stations are located quite far from city centres. A narrow-gauge
alpine train (out of commission at the time of writing) does the route from Chiayi to Al-
ishan.
The only areas where public transport is inconvenient are Yushan National Park, the
more remote parts of the Alishan National Scenic Area and on Hwy 14 past Puli.
In most cities you'll find scooter and car-rental outlets.
