Grass sledding and flying in a heat balloon — Luye Gaotai is bustling all year round.

Text & Photography / Li Xinyi

Luye Gaotai is located in Longtian Village, Luye Township, Taitung County. Due to its unique geographical environment, it has long been a renowned paragliding site in Taitung. From April to October every year, skilled paragliders can be spotted here enjoying the sport, gliding high above the Huatung Valley and having the rows of farmland below literally at their feet — an exhilarating experience indeed.

To try paragliding, visitors need to register in advance with the Taitung County Soaring Sports Association. Even if you’re not paragliding, the area is popular among tourists for photography and sightseeing. From Luye Gaotai, one can clearly see the boundary where the Philippine Sea Plate meets the Eurasian Plate, offering insight into how tectonic forces have collided and uplifted to create these spectacular landforms.

Even when it’s not paragliding season, visitors to Luye Gaotai can enjoy grass sledding year-round on the nearby Gaotai Prairie. Originally a tea plantation, it was converted into an open grassland to promote tourism. This vast prairie offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Grass sledding costs 100 NT dollars per sled — it’s fun and thrilling, perfect for family outings. However, children under 8 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

The first-ever Paragliding Carnival held at Luye Gaotai this July and August was a huge success. The tethered hot air balloon experience alone attracted 8,800 participants. Taitung County plans to hold the event again next year, letting hot air balloons once more grace Taitung’s skies.