A realm to forget worries   Golden carpets spread across Chike Mountain

Text and photos byDouglas Fang

Date of visit: 2016.8.20

I also visited Sixty Stone Mountain in Fuli, Hualien, at the end of July last year. At that time, the daylilies had not yet fully bloomed, but I was already captivated by their yellow-orange hues and decided to return the following year to enjoy the golden blooms. Originally, I had planned to come to eastern Taiwan in early July this year, but due to a typhoon, the trip was postponed to the end of August. As it turned out, I arrived right during this year’s daylily season. The flowers this year may have been affected by the climate—they were about two to three weeks later than in previous years. Thanks to the trip being postponed, I had the chance to witness such a beautiful sea of golden daylilies this year.

There are three places in eastern Taiwan where daylilies bloom: Golden Needle Mountain in Taimali, Taitung; Sixty Stone Mountain in Fuli, Hualien; and Chike Mountain in Yuli, Hualien. On the first day in Taitung, I headed straight for Golden Needle Mountain in Taimali, but unfortunately the weather was poor—when we reached the mountain, it started pouring rain. The heavy rainfall made it impossible to continue to the Forget-Worry Pavilion and Twin Peaks on Golden Needle Mountain, so I only managed to see some unopened daylilies around Qing Shan Farm before heading back down. A revisit to Golden Needle Mountain in Taimali will have to wait for another opportunity.

Early the next morning, taking advantage of the good weather, I drove from downtown Taitung to Chike Mountain in Yuli, Hualien. From online information, I already knew that over 70% of the daylilies were in bloom during my visit—a perfect time for flower viewing. However, the drive from downtown Taitung to Yuli, Hualien, isn’t short—it took nearly two hours to reach Chike Mountain. But the scenic views of the valley along the way temporarily made me forget the fatigue of driving.

(Read more:[Travelogue | Hualien Fuli] Sixty Stone Mountain ~ Sea of Daylilies / Breathtaking Scenery)

Starting from Taitung, follow Highway 9 to the gas station at the 287K mark, turn right, cross Gaoliao Bridge, and then follow the signs. Alternatively, you can also drive from Taitung via County Road 193, turning at the 103.4K mark toward Chike Mountain.

Compared to the bumpy road to Golden Needle Mountain in Taimali, the road to Chike Mountain is in fairly good condition. Although some sections are a bit narrow for passing, driving slowly poses no major issues. It takes about 30 minutes to drive from the base to the top of the mountain. The entire road is quite winding, with many S-curves, so those prone to motion sickness might want to take some medication just in case.

Along the way to Chike Mountain, there are also beautiful valley views to enjoy. You can pull over at wider spots along the road to take some photos.

Upon arriving at Chike Mountain, you’ll first reach the Temple of the Earth God. The route around Chike Mountain is roughly circular, so whether you go left or right from the temple, you’ll eventually return to the starting point. Most visitors choose to drive left.

Today, we followed that route, with our main stops including Little Switzerland Farm, Chike Farm, the Wang Family Ancestral House, and the Lin Family Garden. We had originally planned to have lunch at a farm restaurant on the mountain, but found it crowded and hard to park, so we decided to head down to Yuli town to try the famous Yuli Noodles.

In fact, along the circular route at Chike Mountain, sea after sea of daylilies is easily accessible. As long as there’s a good parking spot, many locations offer chances to slowly take out your camera and capture the beautiful scenery.

Daylilies are also known as “forget-worry flowers.” Just from the name, you can tell that gazing upon these beautiful blooms can help you forget the noise of the city and the troubles of daily life. The economic value of daylilies lies in harvesting them just before they bloom. However, in recent years, to meet tourism demands, they’ve been allowed to bloom for all to admire.

The first stop was Little Switzerland Farm. In addition to the sea of daylilies directly in front of the farm, there are also several cedar trees on the hillside next to the farm. Together with the daylilies, they make you feel as if you’re in a foreign land.

The second stop was at a drink vendor’s house in front of Chike Farm. Behind the house is a hillside covered with blooming daylilies. The slope creates a stunning photographic composition, with the flowers stretching all the way to the mountaintop.

The third stop was the Wang Family Ancestral House, the oldest building on Chike Mountain, built as a traditional wooden three-section compound.

Aside from being open to visitors, the Wang Family Ancestral House also offers meals. The open space in front of the house often has large areas of daylilies laid out to dry in the sun, and there are also plenty on the roof. It’s a great spot for taking photos with a humanistic touch.

The small slope next to the Wang Family Ancestral House and the woods behind it are also popular photo spots. With layers of scenery, the yellow-orange daylilies in the foreground, green woods in the middle, and the blue sky in the background create an absolutely unforgettable view.

The final stop was Lin Family Garden, which offers free parking. Behind the garden is another expanse of blooming daylilies. Along the way from Little Switzerland to the Wang Family Ancestral House and Lin Family Garden, via Chike Boulevard, daylilies are visible almost everywhere you look. Although the sky was a bit overcast that day, sometimes lacking sunlight, it didn’t diminish the beauty. And be sure to walk through the daylily fields near each farm to truly experience the magnificent sea of flowers. Some of the fields follow the contours of the land, offering perfect spots for photography.

This kind of beauty is truly beyond words—your best bet is to see it in person, or at least look at the photos!!!

Although the sea of daylilies at Chike Mountain doesn’t have the valley scenery to complement it like Sixty Stone Mountain does, visiting Chike Mountain this year allowed me to deeply appreciate the beauty of daylilies. This breathtaking scenery helped me forget my worries. Standing before such vast fields of flowers, raising my camera, and capturing the scene over and over again was the greatest reward of this eastern Taiwan trip. I hope to have the chance to revisit Chike Mountain or Sixty Stone Mountain in the future. Though the journey isn’t easy, it’s entirely worth it. As for Golden Needle Mountain in Taimali, where I was unsuccessful this time, I hope to conquer it on my next visit to Taitung.

Chike Mountain
Location: Chike Mountain, Yuli Township, Hualien County

Douglas Fang explores the world with you — food discovery × attraction exploration × visual documentation