Illegal operators sneak in guests for overnight stays at Jioming Lake (Jiāmíng Hú)! Day-trip permits to Jioming Lake in July will now require advance reservations.

▲The azure-blue Jioming Lake, known as the "Angel’s Tears," is adored by many hikers. (Photo / Provided byTaitung County Tourism Website)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

To improve the mountain hut booking system for the Jioming Lake National Trail, the new system will go live on July 1, 2016. In the future, day-trip applications will be changed to a reservation-based system.

The Taitung Forest District Office said that recently they have frequently received complaints from the public about operators who attract hikers with seemingly complete package tours.After payment, these operators often delay providing detailed itineraries under various pretexts, leaving hikers unable to obtain clear trip details until the day of entry. As a result, they only realize upon arrival that no mountain hut accommodations have been booked, forcing them to enter the hiking trail as a one-day round-trip visitor and then illegally sneak into the mountain huts.

To ensure hiking safety, the Forest District Office has set up publicly available emergency shelter beds. However, under normal circumstances, these are not open for general use by tourists. If hikers are forced to stay due to emergencies, they must pay additional fees and may also face usage restrictions. The office emphasized that visitors should carefully choose their guides and confirm their eligibility for mountain hut accommodations before entering the mountains, to avoid having to pack up and leave dejectedly before even seeing the "Angel’s Tears."

The Forest District Office stated that relevant adjustments to the system will be announced on the Taiwan Mountain Adventure Network in mid-June. Alternatively, you can call the Taitung Forest District Office service hotline at 089-324121, ext. 715 or 713 for inquiries.