©Lonely¨Planet¨Publications¨Pty¨Ltd Yushan National Park & Western Taiwan Why Go? Yushan If you’re looking for variety in your Taiwan travel experience, National Park. 204 look west. The Matsu Pilgrimage, one of the country’s big- Taichung . 208 gest and holiest celebrations, is definitely a highlight. This nine-day parade across half of Taiwan is an extravaganza of Chiayi . 213 feasting, prostrating, praying and great acts of generosity. Changhua . 222 Keen on hiking or trekking? Head to Yushan National Lukang (Lugang) . 224 Park to climb the highest peak in Northeast Asia; if you Sun Moon Lake . 228 continue down the back route trails you’ll be in total wil- Jiji Small Rail Line. 233 derness for days at a time. Alternatively, hike Dasyueshan or Hehuanshan, two awe-inspiring, high-altitude forests of pristine alpine scenery. For a glimpse of indigenous tradi- tions, spend the night at one of the firefly-lit aboriginal vil- lages in the Alishan Range. Best Hikes For a bit of nostalgia, look no further than the quaint Japanese-era railway legacy in Alishan or the frozen-in-time ¨¨The Yushan Peaks (p205) streets in villages such as Lukang, both of which provide ¨¨Yuanzui–Shaolai–Xiaoshue beautiful examples of the Taiwan of yore. National Trail (p211) ¨¨Taichi Gorge (p235) ¨¨Aowanda National Forest When to Go Recreation Area (p236) Taichung ¨¨Hehuanshan Forest °C/°F Temp Rainfall Inches/mm Recreation Area (p238) 40/104 20/500 16/400 30/86 12/300 20/68 Best Temples 8/200 ¨ ¨Chenghuang Temple (p214) 10/50 4/100 ¨ ¨Fengtian Temple (p216) 0/32 0 J F M A M J J A S O N D ¨¨Chaotian Temple (p216) ¨¨Nanyao Temple (p222) Apr Colourful Mar–Jun Firefly- Sep–Dec Best ¨¨Longshan Temple (p224) nine-day Matsu watching in time for hiking in Pilgrimage hon- Alishan. Yushan National ¨ ¨Glass Matsu Temple (p226) ours the patron Park. ¨¨Chung Tai Chan Temple of seafarers and (p232) fisherfolk. 203 National¨Parks¨&¨Forest¨ and Aowanda National Forest Recreation Recreation¨Areas Area offer the best birdwatching venues in the country, while rugged Hehuanshan For- Western Taiwan has its share of parks, in- est Recreation Area offers scenic hikes above cluding pristine Yushan National Park, home the treeline. Huisun, Sitou and Shanlinhsi of the 3952m-high Yushan (Jade Mountain), Forest Recreation Areas are cool mountain the highest peak in Taiwan. Rather tame by retreats with short hikes and plenty of good comparison, the Alishan Forest Recreation scenery. Area is its polar opposite, with an old alpine The Linnei area has a bird reserve for the train and cherry-blossom trees as the main globally threatened fairy pitta, and is also draws. Dasyueshan Forest Recreation Area a mass gathering point on the purple crow Sheipa Syueshan 0 30 km National 0 20 miles 3 Park (Snow Mountain; 1 3886m) 7 Dajia (Matsu Pilgrimage) Dasyueshan FRA Houli Fengyuan 8 Gaomei Wetlands Lishan Guguan osed Road ClHehuanshan Bashianshan (3416m) 17 TAICHUNG FRA T A I W A N Huisun Forest Cingjing 14 Taichung S T R A I T Changhua Reserve Chung Tai Yushan Wushe 14 Chan Temple Nenggao 3 Cross-Island Lukang Caotun 14 Highway Trail Puli 14 Aowanda 3 National n ational Park & Western 1 Changhua Jiji Small FRA Rail Line Sun Moon Lake Shuili Ershui Jiji Lugu 16 Mailiao Jhushan Checheng Touliu Linnei 21 17 Huben Taiji 1 Gorge Shanlinhsi Beigang 149 Minhsiung 159 Caoling Rueili Fengshan Aogu 19 Dongpu Wetlands Alishan Tatajia Chiayi Fenqihu 18 Yushan Tropic of Cancer Shizhuo 169 (3952m) 18 Alishan National t Putai ai Scenic Area Tekuye Yushan Dabang National Park W 3 Shanmei 1 an Lijia South Cross-Island Hwy (Closed) Yenshui Sinying Jiaming Nankunshen 3 Lake 21 Guanshan (3666m) Yushan National Park & Western Taiwan 3 Seek the spiritual at the 6 Explore ancient forests Highlights Matsu Pilgrimage, which at Alishan (p217). 1 Climb Yushan, Northeast starts in Dajia (p212). Asia’s highest mountain, 7 Take in the quaint 4 in Yushan National Park Get lost in the old streets countryside around Jiji (p204). of Lukang (p224). Small Rail Line (p233). 2 Cycle, boat and stroll 5 Bird- and butterfly- 8 Revel in the picture- along Sun Moon Lake watch around Linnei (p227). perfect mountain scenery of (p228). Highway 14 (p236)..