The most beautiful time is when the leaves fall! The endless bald cypress forest feels like stepping into a foreign land.

▲ The yellowing bald cypress forest. (Photo provided by netizen weilinko. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

Reported by Yu Jiayun / Taoyuan

After the maple foliage, the next scenic highlight is the bald cypress trees. In Taoyuan, besides the Bald Cypress Avenue at Daxi Stone Garden and the family-friendly Yu Shan Park, the vast bald cypress forest located in Xiaoli Pond in Bade District, Taoyuan, is an absolutely stunning hidden gem. The expansive woods feel like a paradise on Earth. Nearby, there’s also a large quinoa field, a rare winter sight.

▲ Bald cypress trees turning from green to yellow in winter. (Photo by reporter Yu Jiayun, same series below)

Compared to the vast red maple foliage of autumn, the yellowing bald cypress trees of winter carry a more desolate beauty. The Xiaoli Bald Cypress Forest, spanning Bade, Pingzhen, and Daxi districts in Taoyuan, covers a vast area, stretching as far as the eye can see, creating a distinctly foreign atmosphere. As the seasons shift from autumn to winter, the bald cypress trees gradually transition from green to yellow, red, and finally shed their leaves—each phase offers a new natural spectacle.

▲ This bald cypress forest is on private land.

Besides the bald cypress forest, the nearby vast red quinoa fields are also quite eye-catching. The bright red quinoa fruits are abundantly laden, and when the wind blows, they sway like wind chimes, creating a rare and moving scene.

▲ Red quinoa fields, uncommon in urban areas.

Xiaoli Pond
No. 1, Ln. 16, Fumi, Xiaoli Li, Bade District, Taoyuan City (surrounding area)
Best time to view bald cypress trees: Late December to early January