Plum Blossoms in Meiling All Year Round: Winter Hiking to Secret Spots to Admire Plum Blossoms and Taste Plums; Spring to Watch Fireflies Dance

Text and Photos /Papa A-Chun (Huang Yu-Ching), excerpted from "Travel Professionals in Tainan" published by Kate Culture

Meiling, All Four Seasons — Hiking Peaks and Exploring Plum Blossoms, Discovering Hidden Trails in Forgotten Wilderness

Winter is the peak season for plum blossom viewing in Meiling, but unlike the concentrated plum blossom parks found in other counties or cities, the scenic areas here are more scattered. To see the beautiful blossoms, you’ll need to walk along various hiking trails in Meiling. That’s when you’ll come across vast seas of pure white blooms. The plum gardens in Meiling are spread out along different hiking paths. Most visitors tend to admire the flowers at the Meiling Information Station or the beginning of the Wulong Trail before heading back down. But if you keep going higher, there are even more discoveries to be made.

Cherishing the Land: The Path of Renewal for Plum Farmers

After parking, there's an ancient trail called Meifeng Ancient Trail nearby, which takes about two hours to complete. However, since it was already near the end of the plum blossom season, I wasn’t sure if there would still be blooms on this trail, so I chose the more familiar Wulong Trail instead. Starting from the public eatery and walking toward the Wulong Trail for about 30 minutes, you’ll reach the first area with relatively dense plum blossoms. Quite a few hikers, geared up, were slowly making their way up. In fact, if you look to the sides of the main trail, some plum gardens that bloom earlier have already grown green leaves, though you can still spot some flower buds that haven’t bloomed yet. This is because within the same area, there are many plum gardens, and some farmers consider staggered harvesting times—some let their flowers bloom early while others bloom later. After the peak blooming period, it’s time for the farmers to harvest the bright green plums.

Following the directions of Mr. Xu Hongwen, the owner of the public eatery, and hiking for about an hour more, you’ll arrive at a rather private plum garden that fewer hikers visit. It’s considered one of the most densely blooming plum viewing spots in Meiling. Stepping into the garden filled with fully bloomed plum blossoms, you can hear the buzzing of bees all around, collecting nectar amid the blue-and-white backdrop, with sunlight making the petals appear even whiter.

Brother Xu has communicated with local veteran plum farmers for years and first used his own plum garden as a demonstration to advocate for avoiding herbicides and maintaining a more natural landscape. This allows the plum blossoms in Meiling to bloom in a better environment, and also enables the fireflies in Meiling to dance like sprites along the trails in April.

Back then, during the plum blossom season, Brother Xu would pass by small farm roads and see nothing but yellowing weeds killed by herbicides on both sides. He often lamented, “The plum blossoms are so white and beautiful—how wonderful it would be if the grass were green too.” After that, he began volunteering to remove weeds for others. At the time, his father was so angry he stopped speaking to him, thinking his son had gone mad for weeding others’ plum gardens instead of tending to their own family farm.

Ten years later, the fireflies that had disappeared from Meiling have returned, visitor numbers have increased during the plum blossom season, and the ecological environment is gradually recovering. Brother Xu has also planted mountain cherry blossoms and other flowering plants along the trails, striving to turn Meiling into Tainan’s version of Yangmingshan, ensuring there are flowers to enjoy in every season. During our conversation, Brother Xu kept receiving phone calls—mostly from friends or journalists asking about the plum blossom conditions. He patiently explained everything to each caller. The plum blossoms in Meiling aren’t as popular because you have to hike a bit to see them, but they are by no means inferior to those found elsewhere.

“No bitter cold, no fragrant plum blossoms”—this old saying suits Brother Xu perfectly. The same goes for plum blossom viewing in Meiling. The hike may be tiring, but when you reach the secluded mountain plum gardens with few visitors, the tranquility, accompanied by birdsong, the buzz of bees, the rustling of tree branches in the wind, and the faint scent of plum blossoms, along with the cool, slightly damp earthy air, makes all the effort worthwhile.

* Plum blossom season is around January to February. Signs for Meifeng Ancient Trail and Wulong Trail are clearly visible at the front of the shop.
* Firefly season is around mid-to-late April, after the first rainfall following Tomb Sweeping Day. From the Wulong Trail all the way up to the tea plantation area, fireflies can be seen.

Meiling Public Eatery
Address: No. 32, Meiling Scenic Area, Nansi District, Tainan City
Phone: 06-5752598

Stepmother’s April Skies, Winds Blow Down Yellow Plums

Every time I visit Fulai Plum Orchard, I always see Brother Chen Jufeng warmly serving pickled crispy plums for guests to taste, while explaining the cultivation and production process of plums—from harvest to final product. From tea plums and crispy plums to plum wine and plum essence... everyone gains a deeper understanding of the plum industry. Each stage of plum processing requires different aging periods. At first glance, one might think it takes only about a year, but in reality, it takes longer than that. After the harvest season ends, the orchard remains busy as various processed plum products are made before being sold. The chat is endless. Because the plum blossoms in Meiling require a bit of hiking to view, they aren’t as widely known, but the plum blossoms here are certainly no less abundant than elsewhere.

Plum farmers have to carry bamboo baskets and climb up and down the slopes, searching among the trees for plums that are ripe enough to pick. When April brings unstable, hot, and windy weather, the plums turn yellow quickly and are prone to falling off, resulting in crop loss. The sun in Tainan during April, combined with occasional rain and muggy humidity, makes it hard to imagine the hardships these farmers endure during harvest season and their helplessness in relying on the weather for their livelihoods.

▲ Fulai Plum Garden, the enthusiastic Brother Chen Jufeng.

Brother Chen’s orchard has many century-old plum trees, but you’ll also see many plum trees that are just stumps. When asked, Brother Chen explained, “Actually, we’re not randomly chopping them down. Plum trees have life cycles, and when their time comes, they die. At that point, we have to cut them down and replant young plum trees nearby to let them grow. After all, we rely on annual harvests.”

The walking trails in the Fulai Plum Garden area lead to the Meifeng Ancient Trail near the public eatery. The paths are very well maintained, and along the way, you can catch a faint, sweet aroma reminiscent of peaches. Brother Chen picked up a red-yellow plum that had fallen to the ground and asked me to smell it. Wow—it really did have a peach-like fragrance, emanating from the plum itself. It’s a unique variety that’s planted less frequently in the farm area, but it’s quite special.

Brother Chen said, “Many visitors think that plum blossoms and plums are unrelated. They assume that one type of plum tree produces blossoms while another bears fruit. Sometimes hearing that makes me laugh and cry. So in the future, when you come to admire the plum blossoms, please don’t shake the flowers off just to create a poetic scene—more flowers mean more fruit!”

The plum harvest season has a completely different vibe from the plum blossom season. The plum gardens are lush and green, a stark contrast to the snow-white scenery of January. Everyone knows about Guanzi Ridge’s famous “fire and water spring,” but Fulai Plum Garden also has a “fire and water cave” behind it. However, the flame there is often blown out by mountain winds, and the fire isn’t as strong as Guanzi Ridge’s, so it extinguishes easily. Occasionally, Brother Chen will go and relight it—it’s a truly unique little spot.

* Plum harvest season is around March to the end of April

Fulai Plum Garden (Fulai Plum Chicken Restaurant)
Address: No. 32-3, Meiling, Wanqiu Li, Nansi District, Tainan City
Phone: 06-5753658

A Taste of Rustic Farmhouse Cuisine in the Valley

After chatting with Brother Chen in his plum orchard for quite a while, it was already time for lunch. When Brother Chen said he’d take me to meet a good friend, I was still puzzled when we got into a small van that had just arrived. The road ahead was so narrow that only one car could pass at a time, with a mountain wall on one side and a cliff on the other—where on earth were we headed? Along the way, we even passed through a traditional three-courtyard house—we literally drove right through it. Amazing stuff!

After about ten minutes, we arrived at a quaint little farmhouse restaurant—Junming’s Home. Nestled among the winding paths on the hillside, this humble homestead is something you’d never find without a guide. Just like any other plum farmer’s home, there’s nothing that screams “restaurant,” just a simple counter-like area, a few tables and chairs, and a platform built into the hillside with a sweeping view of the valley. Beyond the mountains lies the catchment area of the Tsengwen Reservoir—it really feels like an isolated farming retreat!

▲ Junming’s Home: the classic and kind-hearted couple, Brother and Sister Junming.

Brother and Sister Junming live here in the valley with their parents. In addition to plums, they also grow plums, guavas, and more. Most of their income comes from selling fruit, but they also offer meals. If you just want to eat, it’s 150 NT per person. If you add a hands-on farming experience (fruit picking, guided tours, even playing by the stream!), it’s only 400 NT per person. There’s no fixed menu—the meals depend on what’s freshly harvested that day by Brother Junming.

Sister Junming is from Cambodia and has been married to her Taiwanese husband for over ten years. She speaks Hokkien very well, and most of the dishes are now prepared by her. She’s especially skilled at cooking with plums, balancing the tangy flavor perfectly—I’d say this is the best plum-themed meal I’ve had in Plum Ridge. If you’re lucky, you might even get to try her special Cambodian-style red curry chicken, which is both delicious and pairs perfectly with rice. For dessert, there's fresh milk fruit harvested from the farm a few days ago—its flesh is chewy with a sweet-tangy flavor.

Junming’s Home is just like any ordinary countryside farmhouse, set in the valley with layers of mountains stretching out before you. Though there’s no mobile signal, it’s a place you’ll want to return to. Owner Brother Junming is a simple, reserved farmer who often smiles with his eyes half-closed and doesn’t talk much—but you can feel his warm hospitality. Enjoying lunch here felt just like dining at a rural relative’s home.

Almost forgot to mention—Brother Junming also made his own beehive, which he hangs under the eaves of his house. With bees becoming increasingly rare, he’s created a bee-friendly environment where they can freely collect nectar. As a result, the farm uses eco-friendly farming methods as much as possible. Bees, farmers, and plants are an inseparable ecosystem—there’s no harvest without bees.

▲ Junming’s Home: the simple dining setup barely gives away that this is a restaurant.

* Please call ahead if possible, and wait at the FuLai Plum Orchard parking lot for Brother Junming to pick you up.

Junming’s Home
Address: No. 32-5, Banana Mountain, Wanqiu Li, Nansixi District, Tainan City
Phone: 0918-352262

A Secret Base by the Tranquil River

Back in 2008, I visited this place with the couple who run the Homestay Owei Si Mountain Villa. At that time, it wasn’t yet a campsite—it was just a small vacation spot for the owners. Later, encouraged by friends, they started running it as a campsite.

The owners are the retired Chen couple. The husband speaks with the wisdom of an elder, while the wife has the warmth of a mother. Seven years on, the grounds are filled with many aromatic herbs, which Mama Chen picks to brew tea for campers. Many guests have become loyal regulars because of her tea. Watch as she picks herbs from here and there, washes them, puts them in a pot, adds hot water—and that’s it, no additives. Then she smiles confidently at me and says, “Go on, try it. No one’s ever said no to it!”
Go on, try it. No one’s ever said no to it!”

▲ The herbal tea at Qingqing Riverside Campsite is Mama Chen’s specialty—you’ll fall in love after one sip.

It’s incredible—just leaves and hot water turn into a lightly sweet, fragrant herbal tea that’s really energizing. Nature really does know best. Soon after, Mama Chen showed us her treasure—“butterfly cocoons.” It turns out Mama Chen has been planting plants that butterfly larvae love to eat, hoping to create a fluttering paradise. Over time, she became a butterfly expert and began breeding butterflies.

Qingqing Riverside is located in a valley by the river, with beautiful scenery and fresh air. In recent years, as camping has become popular again, it’s turned into one of the most beloved campsites. There’s a small creek nearby, and Mama Chen says, “In summer, dads bring their kids down to play in the water. We welcome anyone who loves nature and respects ecology to come and share the space.” Guarded by this kind grandpa and grandma, Qingqing Riverside is a secret base where humans, nature, and ecology coexist in peaceful isolation.

▲ Qingqing Riverside Farm Camping Site: the lovely couple, Teachers Chen.

Address: No. 51-2, Banana Mountain, Wanqiu Li, Nansixi District, Tainan City
Phone: 0919-855705

The Hidden Double Arches: A Century-Old Sticky Rice Bridge

Traveling along Provincial Highway 188 south of Plum Ridge, around the 6.6 km mark, you’ll see a sign for the “Century-Old Sticky Rice Bridge” by the roadside. Most people just speed past, heading straight up the mountain for plum chicken and rarely notice it.

After parking, follow the sign and walk down. At the bottom, you’ll reach a fork—take the left path to descend into the valley and see the bridge. But because the area hasn’t been maintained in a while, it’s overgrown with spiderwebs and weeds, so we chose the right path to see if we could find another way down. This valley used to be called Echo Valley and was once a water recreation area, though it’s much less visited these days.

After walking a short distance, we found a staircase cutting through the trees down into the valley. Once down, the first thing you notice is how crystal-clear the stream is—it makes you eager to press on and see the century-old sticky rice bridge. Along the creek, dragonflies occasionally hover above the rocks, basking lazily in the afternoon sun. Perhaps shielded by the trees, even though the valley sits right next to the main road, you can barely hear traffic—only birdsong and the sound of flowing water. The afternoon sun warms the quiet valley, and the clear stream sparkles as it slowly winds its way downstream. Looking across the creek from the other side, layers of green are tinged with the yellows of seasonal dryness—a uniquely beautiful sense of quiet desolation. The calm waters reflect everything sharply.

▲ The century-old sticky rice bridge lost in the valley is a fantastic hidden gem along Plum Ridge.

Finally, at the end of the trail, you’ll come upon the beautifully arched bridge that has accompanied the stream for a hundred years. Though it no longer serves as a major crossing, it remains tightly nestled against the large rocks of the valley. The clear water creates the illusion of another world beneath the surface, with another perfect arch visible below.

Back during the Japanese colonial period, outsiders were encouraged to settle here and cultivate bananas. To facilitate access, this glutinous rice bridge was built. The entire structure is made of glutinous rice, lime, brown sugar, and stones. Having withstood a century of rushing stream water, wind, and sun, it still retains its beautiful appearance, showcasing the exquisite construction techniques of the time.

Gazing at the clear stream, with a few red leaves floating on the surface and the greenery covering the valley tinting the water, the air is truly refreshing and the temperature pleasantly comfortable. I simply took off my shoes and soaked my feet. Before long, all the little fish in the stream swam right up to me.

It’s been a long time since I last enjoyed such a serene, deserted mountain valley. The mountain breeze cascaded down the valley, continuously blowing in from the other side of the bridge. Sitting on a rock with my feet soaking in the stream, I leisurely took in the view before the bridge. Perhaps it’s because the recreational signage and the access road have not been maintained in a while—otherwise, how could such a wonderful place have no visitors?

Usually, everyone speeds past the new road beside the bridge, never noticing that “she” has always stood there quietly in the most graceful posture. Perhaps she gazes at her reflection in the stream every day, or perhaps she fears being overgrown by grass, collapsing, or falling into the valley, eventually fading from everyone’s memory. Now, “she” is just an old arched bridge over a mountain stream, but a hundred years ago, who knows how many people relied on her for passage and how vital she was to the local economy. Since signage and recreational information have been placed around her, the relevant authorities should
take good care of her so that visitors can safely enjoy her presence. After all, it’s rare to see an arch bridge in Tainan, let alone one that has remained intact for nearly a century.

The beauty of Tainan often lies in the small, overlooked places.
They may have existed for a long time, but no one has ever told us about them. They may be hidden away somewhere, but their beauty has never faded.
Century-old Glutinous Rice Bridge Scenic Spot
Address: About 6.6 km along County Road 188 in Nansi District, Tainan, heading toward Meilin; look for the signpost.

Ah Chun’s Dad (Huang Yuqing), a Tainan native, blogger, writer, and traveler.
A man who travels with absolutely no plans, often mistaken by the egg fried rice auntie downstairs as a college student who never goes to class.
The egg fried rice auntie often asks him: “Ai-jiann-ji̍t koh bô khì o̍h-hāu ah!” (“You’re not going to class again today?”)

He says that most visitors’ impressions of Tainan are limited to the historic sites and snacks of the old capital city.
But actually, Greater Tainan, which comprises 37 administrative districts, has a highly diverse character.
From mountains to the sea, from countryside to city, he wants to share his personal experiences of the delicious, friendly, and moving aspects of Tainan.
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