A cold snap gripping the northern Taiwan during Lunar New Year. It started to snow in the mountains of Yilan. Every time cold snaps hit Taiwan, Yilan’s Taiping Mountain usually tops the list of watching snow.
In March 2021, friends and I grabbed a chance to travel to Taiping Mountain during off season. It is only two hour driving from Taipei city through National High Way 8. Therefore it ranked as top destination at northern Taiwan.
Chang Mei A Mai Leisure Farm
Along our way, we also visited Chang Mei A Mai Leisure Farm, a newly visited spot in Yilan county. It is known for its deers and cabybaras.
Cabybaras are so common that a handful of Taiwanese zoos and leisure farms raise, including Taipei Zoo, Shoushan Zoo and Pusing farm.
Taipinshan is filled with the green mountainous landscape, which harbors hot springs, sea of clouds, snow, waterfalls and lakes. Cueifong lake, at 1840m, is the highest mountain lake in Taiwan.
Few accomodations offered at Taipin Mountain, Taipin villa and Cueifong villa. Since Taipin villa’s great location - right behind the tourim center, it was fully booked since it was released.
Bong-Bong Train
Bong bong train is one of features many tourists visit Taipin mountain. It, used to be a logging train transporrting timber, now transports tourists from Taipinshan station to Maosing station.
While the orange-yellow colored Bong Bong train moves slowly along the slope and heads to Maosing Station, it makes the loud sound of“Bong Bong”resonating in the valley. And that’s the reason people name it.
At Maosing Station, we found a self-guided forest trail, a native ferns garden and Maosing National Forest Trail. The average humidity of the area is above 85%. As such, Taipingshan is a paradise for plant to grow. Among them, the most precious ones are the Taiwan Cypress and Taiwan Beech.
