Text & Photography / Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network & Scenic Spots | Photos Provided / Cai Jiayang
On the other side of the Xueshan Tunnel lies the Lanyang Plain, offering a respite from the concrete jungle and a chance to reconnect with lush mountain forests and greenery. As you step into the Jiuliao Stream and Songluo Forest Trails—both revitalized through stream conservation efforts—you’ll experience the cool, refreshing air and the carefree tranquility of nature. Visit the only organic tea plantation in the magnolia tea region and enjoy a uniquely flavorful organic tea meal. In the evening, return to your homestay to indulge in an authentic “Taiwanese Rural Kaiseki” dinner. Then, in the stillness of the night, quietly appreciate the elegant art of the “tea ceremony” and enjoy an organic eco-journey that nourishes both the soul and the palate.
Stroll along the pristine rainforest trail, leaving behind the noise and bustle from the mountains beyond. (Photography / Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network & Scenic Spots)
Lanyang Ecological Trail Leisure Tour: Jiuliao Stream Trail & Songluo Trail
Amidst the continuous patter of rain, droplets and babbling brooks compose a natural symphony, set against the backdrop of dense, towering low-altitude broadleaf forests and thriving ferns. With branches and leaves draping over clear streams and stones visible beneath the water, walking along the 1.8-kilometer Jiuliao Stream Trail, it’s hard to imagine such a quintessential subtropical forest landscape existing just about a 1.5-hour drive from Taipei City.
Not far from the renowned Yulan Tea Region—one of Ilan County’s famous tea-producing areas—the Jiuliao Stream in Pichun Village was once a popular spot for visitors drawn by its pristine natural environment and abundant fish in the stream. Though they left with bountiful catches and memorable experiences, they also left behind large amounts of trash, devastating the stream’s ecosystem.
Thanks to local residents’ efforts in stream conservation and fish protection, the ecological vitality along Jiuliao Stream has gradually been restored. (Photography / Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network & Scenic Spots)
Fortunately, since 2002, local tribal residents have long committed to stream conservation and fish protection. They abandoned concrete embankments in favor of using local stones and natural construction methods. They carefully paved the paths with gravel, and the local Atayal people involved in the design and construction preserved the trail’s original appearance—even installing eco-friendly wooden boardwalks in narrow sections of the valley. They also built several ecologically friendly wooden arch bridges, such as the Huoyun Bridge and Dunong Bridge, named after Atayal legends, all contributing to the preservation of their hometown’s ecology.
The self-healed Jiuliao Stream now boasts crystal-clear waters where fish such as varicorhinus barbatulus and brown-spotted gobies swim freely. According to Cai Jiayang, Vice President of the Changhua Environmental Protection Union, although the Jiuliao Stream Trail doesn’t feature particularly rare plants, insects, or animals, the species density along the trail is much higher than that of typical mountain forest trails. In summer, you can see numerous butterflies fluttering about, as well as more than ten bird species—including bamboo partridges, Chinese bulbuls, red-whiskered bulbuls, and Taiwan hwameis—soaring through the forest. The rich variety of fern plants also offers delightful surprises at every step.
The wooden bridges built by the Atayal people not only provide passage but also have no impact on Jiuliao Stream’s ecology. Along the Jiuliao Stream Trail, you may spot birds such as bamboo partridges (bottom left) and Chinese bulbuls (bottom right), which are especially common during their summer breeding season. (Photography / Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network & Scenic Spots; Bird photos provided / Cai Jiayang)
The Songluo National Trail, located in the mountainous area of Datong Township, Ilan County, at an altitude of about 300–400 meters and also close to the Yulan Tea Region, is considered by Cai Jiayang to have an even more pristine landscape than the Jiuliao Stream Trail.
With a climate similar to that of the Jiuliao Stream Trail, the approximately 2-kilometer-long Songluo Trail was built along the Songluo Stream along an ancient Atayal hunting path. The warm, humid climate fosters a rainforest-like ecological scene, complemented by meanders, shallows, and pools formed by the erosion of the stream. In summer, it attracts visitors for water activities, while in autumn and winter, the cool mountain scents draw many nature enthusiasts.
The Songluo National Trail, one of Ilan’s six national trails, features more pristine ecological forest landscapes than Jiuliao Stream. (Photography / Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network & Scenic Spots)
In the past, the Songluo Stream suffered from deforestation in the surrounding woods, and the delicious flesh of the Formosan landlocked salmon attracted food lovers, leading to overfishing and a near-collapse of the stream’s ecosystem. Also in 2002, local Atayal indigenous people took the initiative to protect the stream and its fish, restricting access to fishermen. The materials used to build the mountain paths were sourced locally instead of using environmentally harmful artificial materials. Today, native fish species have returned to the Songluo Stream, and the surrounding ecology is gradually regaining its original pristine state.
Spotting a winter migratory bird, the grey heron, along the Songluo Trail. (Photography / Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network & Scenic Spots)