Super Romantic Couples' Date Spots: 2 Attractions — Yilan’s Eagle Stone Peak & Pingtung’s Couple Trees!

Text and photos byAh Ge Tsai (Cai A’ga), excerpted from 《Ah Ge Tsai’s Fun Flash Tours of Taiwan》, published by Kao Bao Publishing

Couple Trees

Remember the old Windows desktop wallpaper with a vast grassland? Coming to Menmalo Mountain, you’ll truly find yourself surrounded by an expansive sea of grasslands. To climb up to the Couple Trees, most visitors can’t drive jeeps into the mountain and must rely on their own two feet. It takes about 20 minutes from the entrance, and almost the entire path involves climbing uphill through grassy terrain — so be sure to hold your partner’s hand as you make your way to the top together.

The moment you stand at the Couple Trees, the 360-degree view of lush green mountains and grasslands seems to greet you cheerfully. You’ll definitely want to sit under the trees for 30 minutes and not leave. The Couple Trees have a history of over 100 years, standing side-by-side at the mountaintop, witnessing the love of many couples. However, once a typhoon broke off the wife tree, leaving only its stump. Later, the villagers of Manchou couldn’t bear to see the husband tree alone, so they arranged a new “marriage” for it by planting a young female casuarina tree nearby and even held a grand wedding ceremony — how fun is that? So when you hike up, you’ll see the magnificent husband tree, the stump of the wife tree (the elder sister), and the newly “married” young wife tree all tied together in a magical sight.

▲ Originally two trees, after a typhoon, the wife tree was broken in half, leaving only the stump. Later, the villagers planted a new casuarina tree next to the husband tree and tied the two together with a red ribbon.

But I think the reason they’re called the Couple Trees isn’t just because there happen to be two trees at the mountaintop. For two people to climb to the top and enjoy this beautiful view, they must hold hands and work together every step of the way. Only those who can pass this hillside challenge can truly call themselves a couple, don’t you think? The origin of the name Menmalo Mountain is quite interesting too. Legend has it that when early settlers first arrived, the area was covered in dense jute forests, making it very easy to get lost. That’s why locals jokingly called it “摸无路山” (Mō Bô Lōo Suann, meaning “Can’t Find the Way Mountain” in Taiwanese Hokkien). It was only later that the characters were changed to the nicer-sounding “门马罗山.” Isn’t that fun?

▲ The grasslands of Menmalo Mountain are quite vast, and with the clear southern weather, the scenery is incredibly beautiful.

A sacred place to test love and trust

Let me stress again, getting to Menmalo Mountain, especially the Couple Trees, is really not easy. And in front of you lies a vast grassy sea. If you’re not great with directions, you might end up taking quite a few wrong turns. This is when the strength of your relationship is tested. To reach the Couple Trees and enjoy the view, the man leads the way, guiding while holding hands, and the woman must also put in the effort to keep going step-by-step. This journey is like life itself — it may be tiring, tough, and you might even argue. But is the person beside you the one who can walk hand-in-hand with you through it all? Heh, we’ll see how this trip goes!

Eagle Stone Peak

The more beautiful the scenery, the more rugged and winding the path usually is. Want to take your loved one to admire magnificent views without working up a sweat and ruining the mood? Then head to Yilan’s Eagle Stone Peak — it only takes about 15 minutes to get there, and you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Yilan Toucheng Bay and Guishan Island!
Eagle Stone Peak is also a famous photography spot. Though the photos may make it look like you’re standing right next to a cliff edge, it’s actually not as dangerous as it appears. There’s actually a large flat platform and some vegetation beneath the Eagle Stone Peak. For someone like me who has pretty bad acrophobia (sweating just thinking about it), standing at the edge of a cliff for a photo would be torture. But here, as long as you overcome that slight fear of heights, you can take amazing photos like these. Of course, the view at Eagle Stone Peak is unbeatable — sitting at the edge of the rock, you feel like an eagle soaring above the earth, enjoying the sea-meets-sky vista. It’s a very accessible photography secret spot, and I highly recommend everyone come and test their courage here.

▲ Doesn’t this angle look nerve-wracking? It feels like you’re perched on the edge of a protruding cliff, with the seascape behind you being absolutely stunning and majestic.

My Protective Man Spot

Although Eagle Stone Peak may look like a terrifying cliff that could send you to the afterlife with one wrong step (who are we trying to scare?!), once you’re actually there, you’ll realize it’s not that scary after all, haha. But if your partner is a bit afraid of heights, then it’s the perfect time to show off your inner “protector.” Just say, “It’s okay, I’ve got you!” Hold her hand, stand on the boulder, and snap some epic photos.

▲ Actually, there’s another rock beneath Eagle Stone Peak, so it’s not as scary as it looks. Just overcome your fear of heights a little, and you’ll be treated to an incredible seascape.

Menmalo Mountain Couple Trees
Address: No. 7, Yongnan Rd., Manzhou Township, Pingtung County ? Turn right at the entrance ?

Toucheng Eagle Stone Peak
Address: No. 17, Neidaxi Rd., Toucheng Township, Yilan County (signposted near Mingshan Temple)