The 20 Most Popular Hidden Gems in Taiwan According to Netizens — Worth Every Hike and Hurdle

▲ Jioming Lake, "Angel’s Tears." (Photo by JOE JOE HUANG, provided)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

Taiwan may be small and densely populated, but it offers no shortage of scenic spots that can easily rival those abroad. In recent years, "hidden gems" have become one of the hottest buzzwords. Thanks to social media, the more secluded and hard-to-reach a place is, the more it fits the definition of a hidden gem — and the more it sparks netizens' curiosity to explore.DailyView Internet Popularity MeterThrough its “Top 100 Private Hidden Gem Spots,” and covering the period from September 12, 2016, to March 11, 2017, it has ranked the top 20 most attention-grabbing “private hidden gems.” See how many you recognize!

1. Keelung Forget-Worry Valley

▲ Keelung Forget-Worry Valley. (Photo by @IG user, provided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.) rayraytsou 2. Yilan Plum Blossom Lake

▲ Plum Blossom Lake Scenic Area in Dongshan Township, Yilan. (Photo captured from the Yilan County Government Scenic Area website)

3. Taipei Laomei Rock Pools

▲ Laomei Rock Pools (Photo by @IG user, provided. Please do not take photos without permission to avoid copyright issues.)

4. Miaoli Xiangtian Lake Trailleelee_fung▲ Xiangtian Lake in Nanzhuang, Miaoli. (Photo by @IG user, provided. Please do not take photos without permission to avoid copyright issues.)

5. Taitung Jioming Lake

▲ Jioming Lake (Photo by Joe Joe Huang, provided.)jennysky79216. Chiayi Alishan Xikengding

▲ Alishan Xikengding Second Yipingding Mountain Sea of Clouds. (Photo provided by the Alishan Fan Page “Walking in the Clouds,” photo by Huang Yuanming. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

7. Pingtung Alangyi Ancient Trail

8. Taipei Mysterious Coast

▲ Mysterious Coast. (Photo by @IG user, provided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

9. Taitung Lison Hot Springs

▲ Lison Hot Springs (Photo by Or workshop x Oicky Robin Travel Life Adventure, provided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

10. Nantou Nenggao Grassland chia1018_ 11. Yilan Pink Bird Forest Fishing Port

9. Taitung Lison Hot Springs

▲Lison Hot Springs (Photo provided by netizen Or workshop x Oicky Robin Travel Life Adventure. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited to avoid copyright infringement.)

10. Nantou Nenggao Grassland

11. Yilan Pink Bird Forest Fishing Port

▲ The hidden gem of Fen Niao Lin. (Photo provided by netizen Zhou Wan-zhen. No unauthorized screenshots, please avoid infringement.)

12. Taichung Pinglin Park

13. Tainan Jiangnan Resort

▲ The "lake cruise painting boat" at Jiangnan Resort. (Photo by reporter You t
ru)

14. Hualien Yuzhan Nursery

▲ Hualien Yuzhan Nursery. (Photo by photographer A Wei Su)

15. Hsinchu Sound of the Sea

▲ Hsinchu hidden gem "Sound of the Sea," after Typhoon Soudelor. (Photo provided by an Instagram user @______, no unauthorized screenshots, please avoid infringement.)yuiyui_hsu 16. Taitung Luan Shan Tribe

17. Taoyuan Xiaoli Pond

18. Hsinchu Buddha World

▲ Buddha World (Photo by reporter Peng Huai-yu.)

19. Taipei Xinshan Dream Lake

▲ Xinshan Dream Lake. (Photo from the official fan page of Xinshan Dream Lake)

20. Miaoli Houlong Headland

▲ The Houlong Headland Trail in Miaoli. (Photo provided by an Instagram user @______, no unauthorized screenshots, please avoid infringement.)

20. Miaoli Houlong Headland

▲Miaoli Houlong Headland Trail. (Photo/Instagram user @eason_lin1223Provided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)