A complete list of 22 beautiful maple-viewing spots across Taiwan. Which one do you like best?

Travel Center / Special Report

The weather has been getting colder these days, and people have started putting on their coats. At this time, maple leaves also don a beautiful and vibrant red coat. Every year around this time is a great season for maple viewing. Taiwan has many maple-viewing spots. Is there one that you think is the most beautiful? Or which spot is at the top of your must-visit list this year? ETtoday EBC News Cloud has compiled a list of 22 maple-viewing spots across Taiwan for your reference. We’re also conducting“Autumn Maple Viewing Survey”Come share your thoughts now!

▲ Yangmingshan’s Taipei Aowanda is one of the famous maple-viewing spots in the Greater Taipei area. (Photo / From the official website of Taipei Aowanda / Yangmingshan Hot Springs and Food Network)

Taipei Aowanda in Yangmingshan
Taipei Aowanda is a private estate near Yangmingshan. The park features two types of maple trees — large and small. In autumn and winter, you can enjoy the falling large maple leaves, while from April to May every year, you can admire the red hues of the small maples. Aside from maple trees, the park also offers amenities such as log cabins and a water-friendly area.

Wulai Scenic Area
In Wulai, besides admiring beautiful cherry blossoms in spring, you can also enjoy red maple leaves during the colorful autumn season.

Xizhi Gongbei Temple
Gongbei Temple, standing on Sanyouxian Mountain in Xizhi, is a traditional Taiwanese wooden temple. Around December each year, the mountain maples gradually turn red. Thanks to its serene environment and rich cultural atmosphere, it has long been a popular maple-viewing spot among photography enthusiasts. Spots like the Other Shore Bridge and Double Arch Bridge along the forest trails offer even more chances to appreciate the harmony between architecture and crimson foliage.


▲ Taoyuan’s Shimen Reservoir is a well-known low-altitude maple-viewing spot in Northern Taiwan. (Photo / From the Shimen Reservoir Official Website)

Taoyuan Shimen Reservoir
With an elevation between 100 and 500 meters, Shimen Reservoir is a well-known low-altitude maple-viewing spot in Northern Taiwan. The high-elevation section of the Maple Forest Trail is planted with over 3,000 sweet gum trees, while the lower area features the Maple Park made up of green maples. During autumn and winter, visitors can enjoy the elegant scenery of mountains covered in a blend of red, orange, and yellow hues.


▲ Lala Mountain. (Photo / From the Taoyuan County Government Scenic Area Administration)

Taoyuan Lala Mountain
Lala Mountain is the midpoint of the Northern Cross-Island Highway and features varying elevations and diverse forest landscapes. At around 1,200 meters above sea level on Lala Mountain lies the Daguan Farm, and at 1,600 meters is the En’ai Farm — both are famous maple-viewing spots. Additionally, you might also catch glimpses of crimson foliage at spots like the parking lot of the Ecological Education Hall and the Central Farm Road.

Which place do you think has the most beautiful maple leaves? Join the “Autumn Maple Viewing Survey” and share your opinion!

Taoyuan Fairy Valley
Covering an area of over 200 hectares, Taoyuan Fairy Valley boasts tens of thousands of golden maples. From mid-October to mid-November, they turn a golden hue. The valley also has a field of lilies, allowing visitors to enjoy both maple leaves and flowers in the park.

▲ Manyueyuan. (Photo / From the Taiwan Mountain Adventure Network)

Manyueyuan
Manyueyuan Forest Recreation Area is located in the mountainous region of Sanxia District. From autumn to spring every year, visitors can admire the beauty of maple leaves and fallen foliage. The area also offers nearby attractions like Manyueyuan Waterfall and Virgin Waterfall. In addition to a rich variety of tree species, it’s also a hotspot for observing numerous amphibians, butterflies, and insects.

Snow Mountain Leisure Farm
Known as “Taiwan’s Little Switzerland,” Snow Mountain Leisure Farm offers a stunning view of clouds and red maples at an altitude of 1,900 meters. On the Cloud Walk at Guanwu, visitors can enjoy the beautiful sight of maple leaves amid the mountain mist. Furthermore, not far from Snow Mountain, you can visit the deep forests of Smangus to witness the breathtaking coexistence of ancient trees and crimson foliage — a delicate yet majestic scene that’s truly captivating.

Mount Manapan
Mount Manapan, standing 1,406 meters tall at the border of Dahu Township and Tai’an Township, is a beloved mountain-viewing destination among hikers. Here, you can see two main tree species: green maples and sweet gums. In autumn, under the influence of fog, they turn completely red, complemented by the ever-present mountain mist, creating a truly beautiful scene.

▲ The maple leaves of Wuling are enchanting. (Photo / Provided by Huang Qiuxiang)


Wuling Farm
Although the maple trees at Wuling Farm may not be as famous as its cherry blossoms, they still attract many visitors in the fall. The campsite area within Wuling Farm features a considerable number of bald cypress and ginkgo trees, all of which turn yellowish-orange in the autumn. The view, set against the backdrop of the mountain ridges, is truly refreshing.

Shueitou Nature Education Area
Located in Lugu, Nantou, the over 80 ginkgo trees planted in Shueitou around the 10th year of the Republic of China (1921) begin to turn golden yellow in early November. The poetic landscape stretches out before your eyes, and with the gentle breeze scattering the leaves, the scene becomes quite romantic. It is also one of the rare ginkgo tree-lined paths in Taiwan.

Qingjing Farm
Located in Ren'ai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan, at an altitude of about 1,700 to 2,000 meters, Qingjing Farm is known as one of Taiwan’s three major high-mountain farms, along with Wuling Farm and Fushoushan Farm in Lishan. In addition to its acclaimed apples and pears, Qingjing Farm is also home to many unique and charming guesthouses. Starting in October, the maple leaves begin to turn red, making it a great spot to enjoy autumn foliage.

%The scenery of QiuＪ偕脚┏∪ツ甑姆阋丁（Photo／Taken from Fushoushan Farm’s Facebook）

Fushoushan Farm
Nestled between Hehuanshan and the Snow Mountain range, Fushoushan Farm is surrounded by mountains and offers different charms in each season. Its official website introduces it with a poem: “January – snowflakes fly; February – admire cherry blossoms; March – dance with peach blossoms; April – laugh with pears; May – flowers bloom together; June – enjoy the fragrance of tea; July – shimmering chrysanthemums turn yellow; August – search for the scent of peaches; September – taste sweet pears; October – autumn harvest; November – enjoy the fun of maple viewing and fruit picking; December – frost glistens.” Like Wuling Farm, Fushoushan Farm attracts large crowds every year during the cherry blossom and maple leaf seasons.

▲Autumn leaves at Aowanda. (Photo／Taken from Aowanda Nature Education Center’s Facebook)

Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area
Located in Ai’ai Village, Ren’ai Township, Nantou County, Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area is known as the “hometown of maple leaves” and is arguably the most popular maple viewing destination in Taiwan. When the leaves turn red, crowds flock here. The park mainly consists of native mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests, so apart from maple and pine trees, you can also find species such as beech, Pistacia chinensis, and Taiwan incense-cedar.

Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area
When it comes to Sun Moon Lake, it is not only famous in Taiwan but also a must-visit attraction for tourists from Japan, Korea, and mainland China. Although there aren’t many maple trees here, the combination with the lake and mountain scenery makes it a great place for maple viewing.

▲Red leaves at Shanlinxi. (Photo／Taken from Love Shanlinxi Facebook)


Shanlinxi Forest Ecological Area
A well-known scenic area in central Taiwan, located at the southeastern end of Daranli in Zhushan Township, Nantou County, on a small river valley plain upstream of Jiacaoliao Creek. It is famed for its “Ten Scenic Spots of Shanlinxi,” “Nine Major Trails,” and rich animal and plant ecological landscapes.

Alishan National Forest Recreation Area
Like Sun Moon Lake, Alishan has long been an internationally renowned attraction in Taiwan. The sunrise, sea of clouds, sacred trees, cherry blossoms, and autumn foliage are all breathtakingly beautiful. Moreover, the Alishan Forest Railway is one of Asia’s rare high-mountain railways.

Guanziling Scenic Area
The Guanziling Hot Spring Scenic Area is located on the eastern side of Baihe District, surrounded by peaks such as Pillow Mountain, Tiger Head Mountain, Dadong Mountain, and Chicken Cage Mountain. The scenic spots around the mountains start from Guanziling’s alkaline hot springs, with rest and leisure spots along the way including Red Leaf Park and Water-Fire Spring. These hot springs are ranked among Taiwan’s top five, alongside Yangmingshan, Beitou, Sichongxi, and Zhiben, and the spring water is abundant all year round.

▲The purple-leaved maple in Taiping Mountain blooms like fiery red maple leaves. (Photo／Taken from the Luodong Forest District Office website)

Taiping Mountain National Forest Recreation Area
The Taiping Mountain area in Datong Township, Yilan, is home to precious woodlands. In the past, it was listed alongside Alishan and Baxianshan as one of Taiwan’s three major logging areas. Since transforming into Taiping Mountain National Forest Park in 1982, its most captivating feature is the wine-red purple-leaved maple, offering a uniquely noble and enchanting landscape.

MingChi National Forest Recreation Area
Commonly referred to as Mingchi, the Mingchi National Forest Recreation Area, also known as “Chiduan,” is also located in Datong Township, Yilan County, Taiwan. In the fall, you can see bald cypress, Acer palmatum, and ginkgo trees all at once, painting the mountain scenery like a palette.

Red Leaf Village
Red Leaf Village, located in Yanping Township, Taitung County, earned its name “Red Leaf Village” because the Japanese planted maple trees here during the colonial period. Here, the red leaves are the most beautiful sight of autumn. The village has many maple trees, and between December and February each year, the autumn foliage begins to turn red, along with golden, yellow, and orange hues. Paired with the lush green of the mountains, the view is stunning.

Yanping Forest Road
The Yanping Forest Road is located in Haiduan Township and Yanping Township, Taitung County, Taiwan. Nearby, there are many famous attractions, such as Red Leaf Hot Springs, Fridge Waterfall, and the Bunun Tribe.


Which attractions have you visited or are planning to visit this year? Join the "Autumn Maple Viewing Survey" and share your thoughts now！