WESTERN your scenicfix. thelargestthe ricefields,mountainsandSunMoonLake, bodyofwater inTaiwan, for Styrofoam,cables,plasticand–yougetthepicture.of coastlineunlessyoulike Lookto Lukang, Puli and,toalesserextent, ,even ifyourtimeistight.Forget themiles the citiescanbegiven amissexceptasjumping-offpoints. Forsmallertowns,don’tmiss there are somereal treasures outthere, there’s alsoalotofdismalwasteland. Ingeneral, (which includeslettingyouknowthoseareas youdon’tneedtofollowouradvice).While mountains inEastAsia lanesthroughthecountryside? orcycleeasybike of theseaorlearntomeditate ataBuddhisttemple? Shouldyouclimboneofthehighest oftemples)collection oritsaboriginal culture? Shouldyoujoinapilgrimageforthegoddess among them.Shouldyouexplore Taiwan’s southernChineseheritage(whichincludesagreat alpinerailwayisyourcarriage). old single-track biogeographical zones–tropical,subtropicalandtemperate –injustthree hours(arare contrasts, justheadtotheAlishanNationalScenicArea. Here youcantravel throughthree rich farmlandandendinthehighmountainsofcentralrange. forastudyin Infact, If youwantcontrasts,headto western Taiwan atthecoastline,continuethrough andstart Taiwan Western 208 © LonelyPlanetPublications Of alltheregionsOf inTaiwan, thisisonewesuggestyoufollowouradviceformostcarefully But unlessyouhave unlimited time,thewest’scontrastswilldemandyouchoosefrom

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Wandertheoldmerchantstreets of Crosstheislandon Becomea pilgrim forMatsuin Cycle,boat andstrollat Bird-watch at Swimtherivers inremote arare Ride alpinerailwayto Seemountainsideslightupwithfireflies in GetaprimerinBuddhismatthe ClimbYushan, oneofEastAsia’s highest ( p216) Island Historic Trail ( p222) Rueili Chan Temple mountains, in (p237) Yushan NationalPark ( p226 ) inPuli Aowanda (p230) Nenggao Cross- (p230) Sun MoonLake Fengshan Alishan Dajia Chung Tai Lukang (p216) (p241) (p239) ( p243 )

Lukang Rueili Fengshan Dajia Jiji Alishan Puli Moon Lake Sun Aowanda Forest Yushan NationalPark Recreation Area Historic Trail Cross-Island Nenggao WESTERN TAIWAN 209 40 km Hsiulin To Chihsingtan Beach Hualien 20 miles 9 Jici Beach Gorge Taroko 11 Tropic of Cancer Fongbin O C E A N P A C I F I C

Shihtiping Hualien River Hualien Eight Fairy Cave 14 Liyu Lake 11 8 Tienhsiang 9

Taroko NP To Ilan River

Rueisui Hsiukuluan (3607m) Hot (3349m) Chilaishan Antung Springs Tayuling Kuanyun Tunyuan Nengkaoshan 7 ng), the third-largest city in city ng), the third-largest Lishan Yuli Rueisui Tienchih ō Hot Springs 0 0 14 14 (3883m) Syueshan Nanan Hungyeh Wuling Hot Springs Aowanda Forest 台中市 8 Techi (3416m) Wanda Reservoir ὈὈ ὈὈ Reservoir Hehuanshan Hehuanshan Tsuifeng Wushe

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Jiaming Lake Road Closed Road Siangyang Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village Carp Lake Sheiba NP 04 / pop 1,021,292 Puli Yakou The only areas where public transportation public where areas The only Reserve

Sun Moon Lake Dongpu 16 storybook fantasyland library for children. storybook fantasyland library for children. (lit- sunshine is also a bright ray of day for those winter living erally) on a dreary very have and Taichung in the capital. Taipei is but Taichung temperatures similar average rain of around 1700mm drier, receiving much 2170mm. Taipei’s with a year compared Orientation the train station around is called The area the focus of but, in reality, Central Taichung Note the city is shifting westward all the time. is inconvenient are Yushan National Park, the Park, National Yushan are is inconvenient National the Alishan parts of remote more Hwy 14 past Puli. and Scenic Area, TAICHUNG % Taichung (Táizh is hardly a must-see for the short- Taiwan, expats visitor, though long-term term many The city getaway. do enjoy it as a weekend has several streets, pleasant restaurant and tea goodan excellent science museum and a very art museum, a top-of-the-line includes which Daxueshan Bashianshan Yushan Yushan NP (3952m) Huisun Forest Guguan Chung Tai Tienchih Tatajia Chan Temple 21 Yuchih 3 ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ Ὀ 18 Checheng (3666m) To Taipei Guanshan Alishan Rail Line Jiji Jiji Small Fengyuan Dakeng Scenic Area Shihcho Fengshan 16

Sitou TAICHUNG 1 Tsaoling Luku Meishankou 21 Shanmei Shanlinhsi 3 Chushan Houli Taichung Changhua Chiayi Farm Rueili Dajia Fenchihu 159 Changhua Touliu 3 Scenic Area 17 Guanziling Hot Springs Alishan National Baihe Reservoir 1

1 ὈὈ 3 18 Meishan Wushantou Reservoir Chiayi Reservoir Tsengwen Baihe

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Sinying Yunlin Minhsiung 19 Chiayi •• Taichung WESTERN TAIWAN

Lukang Beigang Matou 17 Yenshui ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ

Putai

S T R A I T T A I W A N

WESTERN TAIWAN

Nankunshen National Parks & Forest Recreation Recreation Forest Parks & National does the route from Chiayi to Alishan. In most does from Chiayi to Alishan. the route car rental. and cities you’ll find scooter town. Taichung has one airport for both inter- town. Taichung national and domestic services. A small-gauge in the world) only three alpine train (one of towns. The High-Speed Rail (HSR) is now far from down- quite running, but stations are connecting all major and minor cities, and and minor connecting all major decent bus services are there to most smaller Regular trains run frequently down the coast, Regular trains run frequently scenic hikes above the tree line. line. tree the above scenic hikes Getting There & Around bird-watching sites in the country. Rugged Rugged in the country. sites bird-watching offers Area Recreation Forest Hehuanshan anda Forest Recreation Area is one of the best one of is Area Recreation anda Forest Tame Alishan Forest Recreation Area is the Area Recreation Forest Alishan Tame and with an old alpine train polar opposite, being the draw. Aow- blossom trees cherry portunities for long hikes, including several for long hikes, portunities is week-long National Park ones. Yushan Mountain). (Jade 3952m Yushan home of Western Taiwan is one of the most pristine is one of Taiwan Western endless op- offers the country and parts of Areas Areas lonelyplanet.com