May Parent-Child Snow Trip: Taiwan’s Hidden Tung Blossom Spots Revealed

There aren’t many places in Taiwan where you can see snowy landscapes, but every May during the tung blossom season, you can witness the mountainous scenery blanketed in “May snow.” Delicate tung blossoms flutter down before your eyes, bringing joy to children playing among them, while you can also enjoy this refreshing and delightful view. Tung blossoms can be found all over Taiwan. Below, we’ve compiled a list of ten fantastic tung blossom spots for a perfect family outing with kids and adults alike.

The Linmei Shiban Trail is located within a national conservation area and has visitor limits in place to protect the ecosystem. Along the trail, you can admire tung blossoms while listening to the gentle sound of flowing water. If you and your family get tired from walking, you can also soak in the hot springs in nearby Jiaoxi.
Public Transport: From Jiaoxi Railway Station / National Highway Bus Stop (Hot Spring Intersection), take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle [Jiaoxi Line] and get off at the Linmei Shiban Trail stop.
Self-Drive: Take National Freeway No. 5 to Jiaoxi, then connect to Provincial Highway 9. After about 1 km past downtown Jiaoxi, turn right and head towards Linmei Village. You’ll arrive in about 10 minutes.

The Water-Carrying Ancient Trail is located at the foot of Bagua Mountain. While enjoying the tung blossoms here, you can also imagine how ancient residents once traveled this path to fetch water. You can sit in the pavilion and watch the tung blossoms fall one by one, immersing yourself in a northern-style atmosphere.
Public Transport: At the “Changhua Bus Station” on the left side of Zhongshan Road in front of Yuanlin Railway Station, take bus 6924 bound for Caotun or Nantou and get off at Xitou Village Station. Enter the Water-Carrying Ancient Trail from the nearby entrance.
Self-Drive: Take the Nantou Interchange on National Freeway No. 3, head towards Fenyuan, follow Bixing Road (Provincial Highway 14B), turn left onto Bishan Road (County Road 148), then continue onto Section 1 of Yuancao Road (County Road 148) to reach the intersection directly.
(Image courtesy of Hakka Tung Blossom Festival Facebook)

The Xianji Rock Scenic Area features the Eight Scenic Spots of Xianyan, with the second spot being the tung blossom forest of Immortal He Xiangu. There are well-paved paths, where you can enjoy both nature and serenity—it’s a great weekend spot for picnics and leisurely walks. After admiring the tung blossoms, you can also visit nearby Shih Hsin University and stroll along the riverside.
Public Transport: Take the Metro Songshan-Xindian Line to Jingmei Station and walk about 10 minutes to reach the area.
Self-Drive: Head from Section 2 to Section 3 of Xinglong Road. After passing the Coast Guard Office on Section 3, find Lane 304 and turn right. You’ll see a temporary citizens’ minibus stop by the roadside—this is the entrance.

There are several trails along the reservoir, each offering a unique tung blossom experience. The cycling path offers a faint view of the reservoir, presenting a mesmerizing scene of blossoms on one side and water on the other. Going deeper into the area, you can enjoy being surrounded by tung blossoms. After exploring Shimen Reservoir, you can also visit the nearby Daxi Old Street to experience its old-town charm.
Public Transport: 1. Take the TRA to Taoyuan Railway Station → transfer to Taoyuan Bus (bound for Longtan) → get off at Longtan Station → transfer to a taxi (to the lakeside road) → and you’ll arrive at the Shimen Reservoir Cycling Path.
Self-Drive: Take the National Freeway No. 3 to the Longtan Interchange, connect to Zhongzheng Road via Quanqiao Middle School, continue straight along Zhongzheng Road (Section 3-Keng) and turn onto Minzhi Road, then turn left at Huai De Road (Lakeside Road), continue straight following signs to reach Nanyuan Parking Lot.

The Tung Blossom Happy Park is a theme park that combines Hakka culture with tung blossoms. From April to May each year, when tung blossoms are in full bloom, you can see not only trees covered with tung flowers but also petals carpeting the ground, creating a stunning tung blossom floor.
Self-Drive: Take the National Freeway No. 1 to the Miaoli Gongguan Interchange, connect to Provincial Highway 72 (East-West Expressway), go under the Hakka Bridge Expressway, continue straight to the end, then turn right to see the Tung Blossom Park.
(Image courtesy of Hakka Tung Blossom Festival Facebook)

The Salt-Carrying Ancient Trail is divided into two sections. One section is a popular biking route in Tongluo. Not satisfied with just strolling through the tung blossom path? Bring your bike and enjoy the blossoms while riding. The other section of the Salt-Carrying Ancient Trail is paved with cobblestones, featuring winding paths where tung blossoms occasionally fall, creating a romantic atmosphere. This section sees fewer visitors, so you won’t find trampled petals everywhere—instead, intact blossoms dot the ground, making for a rare sight.
Self-Drive: From Tongxiao Town’s Nanhe Li to Tongluo Township’s Jiuhu Village, the trail is divided into upper and lower sections. The lower section entrance is located at the 4.5 km mark on Miaoli County Route 38, which leads from Tongxiao Town to Tongluo Township. It’s about 300 meters long, exiting at the 5.5 km mark on Route 38, then walking about 100 meters further to connect with the upper section of the Salt-Carrying Ancient Trail, which is about 700 meters long.

In Tucheng, popular tung blossom spots include Chengtian Temple and Tung Blossom Park, but the road from Tucheng Shimen Road to Ganlu Temple is also a worthwhile tung blossom trail to explore. However, it’s only accessible by car, so it tends to have fewer visitors.
Self-Drive: From Tucheng’s Qingyun Road, turn right onto Shimen Road. Walk along the trail next to the “Mountain Lake” pavilion, or start hiking from the entrances at Shimen Road 68 and 70 to reach the spot.

Have you ever thought about enjoying tung blossoms on a university campus? Chi Nan University in Puli, Nantou, is nestled against the mountains, with clusters of tung blossom trees adorning the entire campus. If you have the chance, take some time to stroll around the campus and admire the tung blossoms.
Public Transport: Exit the highway at the Changhua Interchange, follow Provincial Highway 14, pass through Caotun, turn right onto Provincial Highway 21 after passing the Niuer Stone Sculpture Park, and you’ll arrive after about 2 km.
Self-Drive: After getting off at Taichung Railway Station, go to the Taichung Bus Gancheng Station and take the Taichung–Puli Zhongxing bus (departing approximately every 30 minutes). Get off at Puli Station (Taichung Bus Terminal), then transfer to a shuttle bus at the Nantou Bus Dongmen Station next to the terminal.
(Image courtesy of Hakka Tung Blossom Festival Facebook)

In recent years, the Yuanlinzi Community has established the Yuanlinzi Eco-Art Development Association to promote community revitalization, preserving the community’s old trees, cold springs, ancient wells, and more. Every April during the tung blossom season, the community hosts related events to invite visitors to admire the tung blossoms.
Self-Drive: On Dongyi Road in Chiayi City, head toward the direction of National Freeway No. 3, and you’ll see signs for the Yuanlinzi Community by the roadside. Follow the signs to reach the destination.

Although Hibiscus Mountain Park isn’t very large, a stroll through it reveals waves of beautiful scenery. If you feel the Tung Blossom Park wasn’t enough, you can explore nearby hiking trails, where you’ll often come across clusters of tung blossom trees and enjoy the feeling of blossoms covering your feet.
By car: Take National Freeway No. 3 and transfer to Expressway No. 78. After exiting at the Gukeng Interchange, drive along Provincial Highway No. 3 in the direction of Douliu. Turn right onto County Highway No. 149A and continue straight to reach the destination.

Read more: