Xitou Scenic Area

　　Guide      The Xitou Forest Recreation Area is located in Lugu Township, Nantou County, 24 kilometers from Zhushan. It is one of the seven forest districts of the Experimental Forest managed by the College of Agriculture at National Taiwan University. The area is planted with a variety of trees including fir, cypress, red cypress, ginkgo, and moso bamboo, making it suitable for plant observation and bird-watching.   Introduction       The Xitou area is home to about 300 species of woody plants and 1,300 species of herbaceous plants. Information on the plants can be found on the identification signs. The exhibition hall located on the second floor of the Xitou Forest District Office building houses a rich collection of plant specimens, supplemented by slides, charts, and text descriptions for easy understanding.     The moso bamboo forest in the park is known for its beautiful scenery and tranquil atmosphere. Hidden among the bamboo is the “Bamboo Cottage,” once used as Chiang Kai-shek’s guesthouse, which now remains locked and is not open to the public. The Xitou Sacred Tree, with a history of over 2,800 years, stands 46 meters tall and has a girth of 16 meters. It is a living red cypress giant whose trunk has become hollow due to decay fungi. It was spared from logging in the past due to its low economic value and has since been preserved as a sacred tree for people to admire. Additionally, the Xitou Youth Activity Center, built with cedar wood, can accommodate up to 400 guests.

　　Transportation       There are intercity buses to Xitou from Taichung (via Caotun and Nantou), Zhushan, and others. Taichung→Xitou intercity bus: from Shuangshi Road, Gancheng Bus Station in Taichung City; Caotun→Xitou intercity bus: from Changhua Bus Station in Caotun Town, tel: 049-2332502; Nantou→Xitou intercity bus: from Changhua Bus Station on Fuxing Road, Nantou City, tel: 049-2222061; Zhushan→Xitou Yuanlin Bus: from No. 21 Caiyuan Road, Zhushan Town, tel: 049-2642005; Douliu→Zhushan Taixi Bus: from Taixi Bus Station on Wuchang Street, Douliu City, tel: 05-5322016     By car: From the north: (1) Take National Freeway 1 (Zhongshan Expressway), exit at Wangtian Interchange → Provincial Highway 14 → Nantou → Xitou     (2) Take National Freeway 3 (Zhonger Expressway), exit at Zhushan Interchange, head toward Zhushan (without entering the city), then turn onto Provincial Highway 151 via Lugu → Xitou     (3) Take National Freeway 3 (Zhonger Expressway), exit at Caotun Interchange → Provincial Highway 151 → Lugu Township → Xitou     From the south: (1) Take National Freeway 1 (Zhongshan Expressway), exit at Dounan Interchange → Douliu → Zhushan → Lugu → Xitou     (2) Take National Freeway 3 (Zhonger Expressway), exit at Zhushan Interchange, head toward Zhushan (without entering the city), then turn onto Provincial Highway 151 via Lugu → Xitou     (3) Take National Freeway 3 (Zhonger Expressway) → exit right at Douliu → Linnei → Zhushan → Lugu → Xitou   Admission/Open Hours       Full fare: NT$200, holiday fare: NT$150; concession fare: NT$150, holiday fare: NT$120; child fare: NT$100, holiday fare: NT$80; group fare: NT$150, holiday fare: NT$120. (Note: Holidays include weekends, public holidays, winter and summer vacations. Fare unit is New Taiwan Dollar.)     Opening hours: 7:00–17:00   

　　 Nantou County, Taiwan