A fantastical pink wonderland—Nantou’s cherry blossom tunnel paired with sea of clouds feels like a fairyland

Text & Photos /Douglas Fang      Visit Date: 2016.3.12 / Revisit Date: 2017.3.27

Although this year’s weather has been a bit abnormal, causing the cherry blossoms to bloom somewhat erratically, even so, as we approach mid-March, many spots’ blossoms are starting to fade, so flower viewing really requires good timing~

Since after the Lunar New Year, I’ve been heading to various cherry blossom spots in central Taiwan every weekend. In early February, I visited the Kawazu-zakura at Shihma Park in Lugu, Nantou. At that time, the Kawazu-zakura in the Phoenix Education Area hadn’t even bloomed yet. They’re both in Lugu and the same variety—how could their blooming times be so different!!!

I had seen others share photos of the Phoenix Education Area last year and immediately added it to my visit list. A week before my visit this time, I learned online that about 50% of the blossoms had opened, so I decided to go flower viewing this weekend. But with a cold front arriving and rain this week, I was worried about the flower condition and feared it might rain on the weekend. However, when I woke up this morning and saw no rain, I immediately drove to the Phoenix Education Area in Lugu.

The entire Phoenix Education Area spans over 20 hectares, and the main purpose of this visit was to see the Kawazu-zakura here. The cherry blossom trail is located on the left side of the park. Aside from this main blossom trail on the left, other routes also have cherry blossoms, though not as densely lined on both sides like the main trail. The entire park has about three hundred cherry blossom trees, including Kawazu-zakura, Yoshino cherry, and mountain cherry, scattered throughout various spots, including the parking lot and the log cabin lodging area.

But most of the blossoms in the park are still Kawazu-zakura. This cherry blossom trail has 333 stone steps (official data), and beside the trail is a tea plantation. The pink of the cherry blossoms and the green of the tea fields complement each other beautifully. From different angles, you can also see mountain mist and the high mountains in the background, forming a picturesque scene.

When visiting this cherry blossom trail, it’s best to bring a lens with a longer focal length, as it creates a more compressed and visually appealing shot. Close-up shots may feel a bit sparse if the cherry trees aren’t 100% dense, but with a long lens, the overlapping trees in the foreground and background fill the frame, making the blossoms appear denser, almost like a tunnel, with an arched “cherry blossom roof” overhead.

Due to the terrain, around mid-to-late afternoon in the Phoenix Education Area, sea of clouds often appear. If you’re lucky, you can see the sea of clouds along with the tea fields and cherry blossoms.

Along the straight cherry blossom trail, there are three cross paths that offer different viewpoints. The first cross path has several sets of benches where you can sit and admire the cherry blossom trail to your right and the tea field in front. Many people even have picnics here.

Looking up, because the Phoenix Education Area is relatively high in elevation, you can see the streets of Lugu in front of you—a pretty nice view.

At the top observation deck, the scenery isn’t as great as the two lower spots, as the trees in front are taller. But on a clear day, you can overlook the towns of Lugu, Jiji, and Shuili, and even see Taichung and Mailiao!!!

This photo was taken at the second cross path on the cherry blossom trail—the Lugu scenery paired with the cherry trees here is lovely~

In the days leading up to my visit, a frontal system passed through, bringing two to three days of rain. I saw online that the Showa cherry blossoms at Zhushuo on Alishan in Chiayi had lost quite a few petals. So I was a bit worried about the cherry blossoms here in Lugu’s Phoenix Education Area, but the petal drop here wasn’t too severe—just that the blossoms were a bit droopy from the rain. Some also still had faint marks from the rain and water droplets clinging to them.

The entire cherry blossom trail isn’t short—even walking and taking photos took over half an hour. Every spot, whether looking up or down, offers a different feeling. For a stronger “cherry blossom tunnel” vibe, head to the upper section, where the blossoms are much denser than below. Also, due to the recent rain, petals kept falling, creating a beautiful scene of the blossom-lined trail and tunnel in the rain!! Honestly, this cherry blossom trail is quite rare in Taiwan, and with the lovely pink of the Kawazu-zakura, every step up the stone stairs is a great photo spot.

The weather on the day of my visit wasn’t great—the sun barely showed, so it was mostly overcast, and the breeze carried a slight chill.

Aside from cherry blossoms, the Phoenix Education Area also has a large number of camellias. Around February each year, they hold a camellia exhibition here. If you’re interested, you can visit in February. In previous years, the camellia show happened when the cherry blossoms were already blooming, but this year, the blossoms are significantly later.

When I was about to leave at around 2 PM that day, heavy fog had rolled in. Viewing the cherry blossoms in the fog has a uniquely ethereal feel.

The location of the Phoenix Education Area isn’t too hard to find—just follow the signs on the road from Lugu to Xitou. There’s an entrance fee to enter the Phoenix Education Area, and they also offer lodging. For more details, click the link below. I highly recommend coming here to stroll around, enjoy the cherry blossoms, and breathe the fresh air. Nearby, you can also visit the Phoenix Valley Bird Park, but come early to avoid the crowds. There are plenty of tourist spots in this area~

Revisit Date: 2017.3.27

This year, the Kawazu-zakura at Nantou Lugu’s National Taiwan University Tea Plantation bloomed about half a month later than last year. I thought I wouldn’t get a chance to visit. But due to work, I had the opportunity to take some photos at the tail end of this year’s blooming season—it was a small joy amidst work. Compared to last year, the blossom trail was sparser, and aside from the delayed season, the blooms weren’t as lush this year. But looking up from the rest area opposite the trail entrance, you could still see a vast expanse of cherry blossoms. This year’s blossoms are better viewed from afar rather than up close. Perhaps because the blooming season is nearing its end, up close, most blossoms are just stamens, with many petals already fallen. This week’s Qingming holiday is likely the last time the blossoms will bloom—come during these days to catch the flowers, and enjoy the beautiful sea of clouds in the afternoon.

Phoenix Nature Education Park
Address: No. 1, Renyi Road, Fenghuang Village, Lugu Township, Nantou County
Tel: 049-2752843
Admission:Related Information

Douglas Fang
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