Text / Reported and compiled by Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network
With a six-day Lunar New Year holiday, besides traveling abroad or visiting relatives and friends to exchange New Year greetings, arranging a nature-filled trip for your family—breathing fresh air and recharging for the new year—is also a fantastic choice. Among places like Qubing Wujie, the Forest of Forgetfulness, the New Central Cross-Island Highway, the Tian Ti Gorge (Heavenly Ladder), and the Daxue Mountain area, which differ from popular scenic spots, you can enjoy the natural ambiance of the New Year while avoiding crowds, creating a relaxing and pleasant family holiday experience.
Don’t stay at home during the holiday—head out into nature with family and friends for a spring walk together. (Image provided by the Chinese Green Lifestyle Leisure Development Association)
Embrace the Beauty of the Mountains and Forests to Welcome the New Year
Climbing the Heavenly Ladder to admire the Gorge is an excellent spring walk route within Nantou County. The “Tian Ti Gorge” (Taiji Gorge) plunges hundreds of meters deep, and the “Heavenly Ladder” that spans both ends is Taiwan’s first suspension bridge with stairs, the second in Asia, and the fourth in the world. Named the “Ladder Suspension Bridge,” it stretches 136 meters with 208 steps and has a height difference of 20 meters over a depth of over a hundred meters. On the middle section lies the Taiji Gorge; on the lower section is the Ruilong Waterfall, offering spectacular scenery often referred to as the “Little Taroko of the West,” and it is also listed among the world’s top twenty wonders.
Additionally, there’s the “Daxue Mountain” Forest Recreation Area, named so because a patch of grassland resembles the Daisetsuzan mountain range in Hokkaido, Japan. In summer, it’s a great place to escape the heat, and in winter, you can enjoy cherry blossoms and forest-fresh air. There’s also the lesser-known hidden gem “Forest of Forgetfulness,” tucked away in the mountains. Visiting the Forest of Forgetfulness not only allows you to be baptized by beautiful natural scenery but also helps you forget your worries.
Nantou County’s Heavenly Ladder is Taiwan’s first suspension bridge with stairs. (Image provided by the Chinese Green Lifestyle Leisure Development Association)
New Ways to Explore the Mountains and Fields During Spring
The “Living Basin” in Toushe Village, Yuchi Township, Nantou County, spans fifty hectares with peat soil wetlands up to dozens of meters deep. It boasts superior terrain and geology—an exceptionally rare gift of nature. The basin is also known as the “Mambo Field,” where stepping or jumping hard on the ground nearby will make the earth tremble, allowing you to feel the rhythm of the Living Basin. It will be an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.
The Living Basin is also called the “Mambo Field,” and stepping hard on it lets you feel the earth’s vibrations. (Image provided by the Chinese Green Lifestyle Leisure Development Association)
For a new way to explore the forests and valleys of Chiayi’s Fengshan, try the “Yuantan, Ruitai, and Taiwan Dunhuang Grottoes” adventure. The beauty of Fengshan is hidden deep in the mountains and forests, not easily seen unless you venture in person to uncover its wonders.
The “Ruitai Ancient Trail” is lined with Moso bamboo forests, broadleaf woods, and rich ferns, offering tranquility and comfort along the path. Scenic highlights include the Yuantan Nature Ecological Park, Youth Ridge Trail — Lover’s Bridge, Swallow Cliff, Thousand-Year Bat Cave, Forest of Forgetfulness, Seven-Step Echo Valley, Bamboo Pit Stream Trail, and Wild Ginger Flower Stream Trail. The world-class national landscape of the “Thousand-Year Bat Cave” and Swallow Cliff, known as Taiwan’s Dunhuang Grottoes, are considered the most stunning sights along the Ruitai Ancient Trail.
The magnificent beauty of Swallow Cliff is truly breathtaking. (Image provided by the Chinese Green Lifestyle Leisure Development Association)
Indigenous Tribal New Year Feasts
Visiting indigenous tribal areas has become a popular travel trend in recent years, with its mysterious culture and secluded natural wonders being major draws. One forgotten and mysterious tribe—“Qubing Wujie”—is nestled in Ren’ai Township, Nantou County, located downstream from Aowanda, a famous maple-viewing spot in Nantou’s Ren’ai Township. It is one of the few northern villages of the Bunun tribe, surrounded by high mountains, clear waters, and independent valleys with stunning scenery resembling a paradise on earth, preserving its pristine landscape and the most genuine era of the Bunun people.
Another new Tsou tribe secret spot—“Tashan Secret Base” in the La Ji tribe—might be unfamiliar to many. But if you know that celebrity actress Tang Lan Hua grew up in this spiritually rich and naturally blessed place, it adds familiarity and curiosity. Visit Tang Lan Hua’s hometown and head to the sacred Tashan Mountain to personally experience and enjoy the most pristine natural beauty while wandering through mountain trails, completely freeing the urban spirit.
Experience unique cultural vibes by going on a spring walk to an indigenous tribal area. (Image provided by the Chinese Green Lifestyle Leisure Development Association)
- 1
- 2