Before departure, many friends warned me that Taichung is rather boring, worlds apart from the vibrant diversity of Taipei. But because I’ve long yearned for Taichung’s bright mountain-and-water scenery (I’ve always loved hiking up high peaks and venturing to remote islands back in Hong Kong), I was genuinely excited about my self-planned, nature-packed four-day trip. The highest mountain in Hong Kong is under 1,000 meters—how does it feel to spend every day at higher altitudes? One word: awesome!
Day 1
-Rainbow Village-
Before heading up the mountain for the night, I stopped by Rainbow Village for a while. This place truly is better seen than heard about. Though it’s a tiny village you can walk through in less than five minutes, its walls and ground are covered in vivid colors (and you can imagine how often the elderly artist has to repaint to fight weather erosion). Seeing it in person is far more spectacular and moving than any photo—it’s truly astounding what street art can achieve.
Day 2
-Hehuan Mountain-
At over 3,000 meters above sea level, Hehuan Mountain might not be where an average Hongkonger would choose to stay on their first visit to Taichung. When the three of us girls dragged our heavy luggage into the ski lodge (one of only two homestays on the mountain) the evening we arrived, local travelers gasped upon hearing we were from Hong Kong: “Why would you come all the way here?” All we could manage was a tired smile.
In the evening, Hehuan Mountain was shrouded in thick fog. Watching the dense mist flow just meters away, we worried our trip had been in vain. But when we woke up at 1 a.m. and braved the cold to step outside, the clouds had completely cleared—the starry sky and Milky Way were crystal clear!
After shooting star trails for about forty minutes, the night on Hehuan Mountain was freezing cold. I sat alone on the steps at the trailhead, enduring the biting wind, too scared to leave my tripod to find shelter (in case it got blown down, so I stayed put to guard it). Scared of the dark and the cold, I could only sing to myself for courage. That mix of misery and inner conflict is really hard to put into words...
Since Qingjing has daily shuttle buses to take tourists up Hehuan Mountain for sunrise, we opted to watch the sunrise there instead of staying up to hike up the peak. Even if you’re not an early riser, the view awaiting you is absolutely worth it.
After sunrise, the mountains bathed in side light cast dramatic shadows—the scenery was so stunning, it felt almost unfair.
You don’t need grand mountains or vast waters—some quaint little scenes can also move the heart.
If there’s a photo that would make me laugh, this one would be it. Though we didn’t reach the summit, my companion struck a powerful pose near the Hehuan Mountain trailhead.
I couldn’t bear to leave these mountains and fields under the blue sky—their serenity felt otherworldly...
After leaving Hehuan Mountain, our next stop was Qingjing—when we passed this Wuling sign the day before, it was still enshrouded in thick fog. The next morning, it was a completely different world!
-Qingjing-
Descending from over 3,000 meters to 2,000 meters, the green grasslands under the blue sky and white clouds made visitors feel instantly relaxed. If Nara Park in Japan is famous for its deer, then Qingjing Grassland in Taichung is best known for its sheep.
The little lambs lazily strolled about, and for just NT$10, visitors could buy feed to feed them—definitely not to be missed.
Following the sheep's footsteps...
We had lunch at the Paperbox King Restaurant (get a free ticket to Little Switzerland Garden when spending above a certain amount), then headed to Little Switzerland in the afternoon. Compared to the boundless Qingjing Grassland, we both felt the former—which clearly relies more on artificial landscaping and upkeep—was slightly less impressive.
During the Windmill Festival, the colorful Little Switzerland
Tranquil windmill lake
In the evening, we arrived at our Qingjing homestay. Looking out from the balcony in the twilight, the mountains looming indistinctly in the darkness beneath the clouds felt like a fairyland...
Day 3
Carrying on the excitement from the previous night, we got up in the middle of the night to go out and shoot the Milky Way—even with some light pollution from street lamps, the galaxy was still more magnificent to the naked eye than anything I’d seen in Hong Kong.
Train tracks, Milky Way.
Took a short nap, then got up around 4 a.m. to shoot the sunrise in Qingjing. Though the mountains blocked the view of the red sun, the dazzling dawn light and violet hues embracing the peaks were a feast for the eyes.
Side-lit mountain scenery—never gets old...
Light-chasers. People always have an inexplicable yearning and fascination for sunrises—I wanted to capture that feeling.
After leaving Qingjing, we took a quick tour of Sun Moon Lake and made a brief stop in Checheng and Jiji, then set off for Alishan at 3 p.m.
Checheng—striking a pose on the train tracks is pretty much a must-do.
Day 4
- Alishan -
(The homestay area is at an altitude of around 2,000 meters) To admire and photograph starry skies that Hong Kong could only dream of, I dragged my sleepy self outside for the third consecutive night... The light pollution at the places I stayed grew worse each day, making the Milky Way increasingly hard to see. But no matter what, since I’d made the trip here, I had to take a photo of my tiny self with the galaxy.
Alishan has a Zhushan Line specifically designed for sunrise viewing. The weather wasn’t great, so we skipped the sunrise (at midnight, while shooting the Milky Way at the station, mainland tourists taking the Zhushan Line were as numerous as a tidal wave, bustling like Mong Kok—I much prefer the tranquility of Hehuanshan...). Due to time constraints, the next day we only took the Shenmu Line, strolling along the forest trails within the mountain to soak in its serene and cool natural aura.
Taking portraits under towering ancient trees turns out especially striking.
The entire trail isn’t very long and can be easily completed in about an hour.
The Blue Sky Divine Tree... even with a wide lens, it looks distorted.
My companions excitedly admired the divine tree.
After leaving Alishan, we prepared to head to the next stop. On the way down the mountain, we couldn’t miss the Tianchangdijiu Bridge—“Aim high, and you shall surely succeed; the Eternal Bridge.”
The Tianchang Bridge, seemingly floating mid-air—note that it’s not suitable for those who fear heights. — But if you’re not afraid of heights, you absolutely must experience the thrill of standing on it.
- Gaomei Wetlands -
Seems to be a place that has gained immense popularity recently (among Hong Kong people). The day we visited, probably because it was a Sunday, the dam and wooden bridge were packed with people—it was astonishing (there were several photography groups, each staking out the best spots).
Another place that’s far more beautiful in person than in photos. The weather was great that day, with blue skies and white clouds, and there were already several great spots just for shooting the sunset, so one day simply wasn’t enough. Close-up shots of the windmills, using the windmills and wetlands as foregrounds, walking to the very front of the wooden bridge... My goal was the windmill sunset, because such a foreground doesn’t exist in Hong Kong yet, so after walking the wooden bridge, I dashed back to the dam to set up my tripod.
Photo taken of the reflection on the wooden bridge. Gaomei Wetlands—if you know photography, you’ll definitely love it, right?
Faintly visible crowds of people up ahead.
Though the sunset that day wasn’t blazing red, I was already very satisfied.
The windmill path under the dusk light, incredibly beautiful...
The faintly glowing clouds painted the windmills red.
Day 5
After four days of wandering in the mountains, it was finally time to return to reality. After some shopping in the city, it was time to leave lovely Taichung.
――Grateful for the good weather and the support of my companions, which made this a trip full of shooting and joy. Starry skies and galaxies, sunrises and sunsets, grand mountains and vast waters... exhausted but smiling. Even though I only stayed on Hehuanshan for less than 24 hours, in all my future travels and in the days to come, I will think of everything about Hehuanshan all the time—its mysterious charm, its refreshing air, its peaceful moments... Especially that purple sunset.
Even that damn cold wind slapping my face has become something long-lasting and nostalgic.
My little photo blog: https://www.facebook.com/jeanneleungalbum