Breathtaking Autumn Foliage Without Leaving Taiwan: A Guide to 13 Popular Maple-Viewing Spots Across the Country

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Although the weather has been unusually warm these past few days and people are still going out in short sleeves, the maple leaves in the mountains are gradually turning into vibrant shades of red. For example, on the 18th, Fushoushan Farm announced that about 50% of the maple leaves in Songlu and Mandarin Duck Lake areas had turned red. Can’t travel abroad to Japan or South Korea to see the autumn foliage? No worries — Taiwan has plenty of stunning spots to enjoy beautiful maple colors. ETtoday EBC News Cloud has compiled a list of 13 popular maple-viewing destinations across Taiwan for your reference. Why not take a holiday to enjoy the foliage with family and friends?


▲ Maple foliage at Taipei Aowanda. (Photo / Courtesy of Taipei Aowanda official website / Yangmingshan Food & Hot Springs Network)

Yangmingshan Taipei Aowanda
Taipei Aowanda is a private estate near Yangmingshan. The park features two types of maple trees — large and small. In autumn and winter, you can admire the fallen leaves of the large maples, while from April to May each year, the small maples turn red. In addition to maple trees, the park also offers facilities such as log cabins and a water-friendly area.


▲ The double arch bridge behind Gongbei Temple. (Photo / Provided by netizen Chen Borui. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

Xizhi Gongbei Temple
Perched on Sanxiu Mountain in Xizhi, Gongbei Temple is a traditional Taiwanese wooden structure. Around December each year, the maple leaves on the mountain gradually turn red. Thanks to its tranquil environment and rich cultural atmosphere, it has long been a favorite spot for photography enthusiasts. Areas along forest trails such as the Other Shore Bridge and Double Arch Bridge offer especially picturesque views where architecture and autumn foliage harmoniously coexist.


▲ Last year’s maple foliage at Wuling Farm (Photo / Screenshot from Wuling Farm’s official Facebook page)

Wuling Farm
Though not as famous as its cherry blossoms, Wuling Farm’s maple trees still attract many visitors in autumn. The campsite at Wuling Farm features a number of bald cypress and ginkgo groves that turn golden yellow in the fall. Paired with the surrounding mountain landscapes, the scenery is truly uplifting.

Taoyuan Shihmen Reservoir
With an altitude ranging between 100 and 500 meters, Shihmen Reservoir is a well-known low-altitude maple-viewing destination in northern Taiwan. The Maple Forest Trail’s upper section is planted with more than 3,000 sweetgum trees, while the lower area includes the Maple Park, made up of green maples. In autumn and winter, visitors can enjoy the elegant sight of mountains painted in hues of red, orange, and yellow.

Taoyuan Lala Mountain
Located midway along the Northern Cross-Island Highway, Lala Mountain features varied altitudes and diverse forest landscapes. At around 1,200 meters above sea level lies the Daguan Farm, and at 1,600 meters, the En’ai Farm — both renowned maple-viewing spots. The parking lot of the Ecological Education Hall and the Central Farm Road also offer chances to witness spectacular autumn foliage.

Qingjing Farm
Situated in Ren’ai Township, Nantou County, Qingjing Farm lies at an altitude of about 1,700 to 2,000 meters. Along with Wuling Farm and Fushoushan Farm in Lishan, it is known as one of Taiwan’s three major high-mountain farms. Aside from its acclaimed apples and pears, Qingjing Farm also boasts many unique guesthouses. Starting in October, the maple leaves begin to turn red, making it another great place to admire autumn foliage.


▲ The maple foliage at Fushoushan Farm is absolutely spectacular. (Photo / Courtesy of Fushoushan Farm’s Facebook page)

Fushoushan Farm
Nestled among the Hehuan and Snow Mountains, Fushoushan Farm is surrounded by peaks and offers different sceneries in each season. Its official website introduces it with a poem: “January brings snowy skies, February praises cherry blossoms, March dances with peach blooms, April smiles with pears, May sees flowers bloom together, June enjoys tea fragrance, July reflects golden chrysanthemums, August seeks peach aromas, September savors pear sweetness, October celebrates autumn harvest, November enjoys maple views and fruit picking, December embraces frostfall.” Like Wuling Farm, Fushoushan Farm attracts large crowds every cherry blossom and maple season.


▲ The red leaf scenery at Nantou Aowanda is absolutely gorgeous. (Photo / Courtesy ofAowanda Information Station’s Facebook page)

Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area
Located in Ren’ai Village, Ren’ai Township, Nantou County, Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area is known as the “Hometown of Maple Leaves” and is arguably Taiwan’s most popular maple-viewing destination, drawing huge crowds during foliage season. The park mainly consists of native mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests, so besides maple and pine trees, visitors can also see beech, tung trees, and fragrant cypresses.

Xitou Nature Education Area
Located in Lugu, Nantou, Xitou is home to over 80 ginkgo trees planted around 1921 (Year 10 of the Republic of China), which start turning golden yellow in early November. The poetic landscape stretches as far as the eye can see, and with the breeze gently scattering the leaves, the scene becomes even more romantic — it’s also one of Taiwan’s rare ginkgo tree-lined trails.


▲ In autumn, Alishan’s maple leaves also attract many visitors on a pilgrimage. (Photo / Provided by Alishan Hotel)

Alishan National Forest Recreation Area
Like Sun Moon Lake, Alishan has long been one of Taiwan’s internationally renowned attractions. The sunrise, sea of clouds, sacred trees, cherry blossoms, and fiery red maples all offer breathtaking views. Moreover, the Alishan Forest Railway is one of Asia’s rare alpine railways.


▲The purple-leaf maple in Taiping Mountain blooms like fiery red maple leaves. (Photo / Courtesy of the Luodong Forest District Office website)

Taiping Mountain National Forest Recreation Area
The Taiping Mountain area in Datong Township, Yilan, is home to precious woodlands. In the past, it was ranked alongside Alishan and Baxian Mountain as one of Taiwan’s three major logging areas. Since its transformation into the Taiping Mountain National Forest Park in 1982, its most enchanting feature is the wine-red purple-leaf maple, creating a uniquely elegant and captivating landscape.

Mingchi National Forest Recreation Area
Commonly referred to as Mingchi, the Mingchi National Forest Recreation Area, also known as “Chidian,” is also located in Datong Township, Yilan County, Taiwan. In autumn, you can see larches, palmate maples, and ginkgo trees all at once, painting the mountain scenery like a palette.

Guanziling Scenic Area
The Guanziling Hot Spring Scenic Area is situated on the eastern side of Baihe District, surrounded by peaks such as Pillow Mountain, Tiger Head Mountain, Big Frost Mountain, and Chicken Cage Mountain. The mountain-area attractions start from the alkaline hot springs of Guanziling and include leisure spots along the way such as Red Leaf Park and the Water-Fire Dual Spring. This hot spring site is ranked among Taiwan’s top five hot springs, alongside Yangmingshan, Beitou, Sichongxi, and Zhiben, and its springs are abundant year-round.