Taipingshan (aka Taipingshan National Forest Recreational Area 太平山國家森林游樂區) is a magical mountain paradise in Datong Township of Yilan County in Taiwan. It has an old Japanese-era logging railroad track which has mostly been abandoned, but part of it has been restored with a working train. In addition, there are hot springs, Taiwan’s largest alpine lake, hikes, wildlife, and endless mountain scenery to explore.
⛰️ Planning your trip to Yilan? 🌊
Here are some top travel tips for you:
- Best time to visit: March to November. During winter months there is constant rain due to the northeasterly winds.
- How to get there: Taiwan Railway (TRA/TRB) and Inter-City Bus
- Best places to stay: Ying Shih Guest House or Toucheng Leisure Farm
- Book tours and activities in Yilan on Klook
- Stay connected with a local SIM
- Rent a car to explore distant sights
Historical Background:
In 1906, the Japanese Indigenous Affairs police officers sent a team of men to Fanfan Mountain, where they discovered huge ancient cypress trees. Later the Japanese renamed the area Taipingshan and began logging the mountain in 1915.
The Taipingshan Forest Railway was completed in 1934 and had at least 12 stations, with the grade up the mountain ranging from 2-3%. Loggers relied heavily on wires and pulley systems to haul logs to the railway, which differentiates it from the Alishan Railway. Because of the extensive use of wires or iron donkeys, it was difficult to convert the entire railway to a tourist railway, therefore only a short section at Maosing remains for tourists.
The logging industry continued in Taiwan until it was banned in the 1980s, after which the area was converted into a forest recreation area in 1983 and opened to the public.
The mountains in Taipingshan range from 500 to 2000 meters high and are part of the northern central mountain range. The highest peak here is Nanhu Mountain at 3,740 meters high. The terrain generally consists of high mountains and deep valleys, which have been pushed up by the convergence of the Eurasian and Philippine plates, and eroded by torrential rains.
Taipingshan is 12,929 hectares and includes six major areas: Tuchang, Jioujhihze, Jhongjian, Taipingshan, Maosing, and Cueifong Lake.
Taipingshan holds the record for 24-hour rainfall in Taiwan of 1015 mm, recorded in 2016 during Typhoon Megi. The area is also one of the most accessible places in Taiwan to see snow during winter.
The forest recreation area is now a popular place for nature enthusiasts and hikers and is one of the top three most popular forest recreation areas in Taiwan.
Hours:
6 AM to 8 PM (open 4 AM on weekends)
Price:
150 NT for non-holidays, 200 NT for holidays
Cars: 100 NT
Scooters: 20 NT
Jioujhize Hot Springs: 250 NT in winter and 150 NT in summer
Bong Bong Train: 180 NT
You can buy a discount entrance ticket to Taipingshan on KKday here or book a tour on Klook here.
Website:
When to go?
The best weather in Yilan lasts from about March to November. During winter months there is constant rain due to the northeasterly winds. However, it can also snow on Taipingshan during winter.
Cherry Blossom Season: Cherry blossoms can be seen in the park from February to late March. Check our our full guide to Cherry Blossom Season in Taiwan here.
How to get to Taipingshan?
By Bus: Kuo-kuang departs from Yiland and Luodong at 7:40 and 8 AM, and arrives at Taipingshan at 10:30 AM. The bus then departs Taipingshan at 2:30 PM. You can book tickets to travel to Yilan via inter-city bus on Klook here. You can book tickets to Yialn via high speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here.
Bicycle rental: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here.
By Car/Scooter: From Taipei, take National Freeway 5 to Yilan, then turn southwest on provincial highway 7 until you reach the turnoff to Taipingshan via Yijhuan Route 1. Looking for scooter rental in Yilan? You can search Klook here or KKday here to look for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
If you are looking for car rentals in Yilan, you can also search Klook here or KKDay here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.
Tours and Activities:
You can purchase tours and tickets for many activities in Yilan such as Su’ao Crayon Castle, Taipingshan, Turtle Island, International Children’s Festival, Lanyang Museum, Toucheng Leisure Farm, Zhang Mei Ama Capybura Farm, Bambi Land, Yinong Ranch, National Center for Traditional Arts, Taxi Museum, Glamping, Camping, ATV / 4-wheeling experience, SUP / paddle boarding, Ximeng Forest Theater, Surfing, Kayaking, Horse Riding, River Tracing, River Rafting, River Tubing, Pack Rafting, Water Biking, Snorkeling, Canoeing, Shrimping and many others through Klook here or KKday here.
Where to Stay:
We have stayed at and recommend Ying Shih Guest House, a resort in Datong Township near Taipingshan and Fan Fan Hot Spring (you can book on Agoda here or Booking.com here), and Jiaosi Hotspring Hotel, a hotel with hot springs in each room (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, or Trip.com here). We have also stayed at Toucheng Leisure Farm, a recreational farm and experience center in Toucheng (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Klook here, or Trip.com here).
We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality accommodation on the islands. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.
Map:
See a list of sites we will cover in this blog below.
Our Journey:
We have been to Taipingshan once, and we had a great time. We went in March when it was not too hot, not too cold, and it was great.
You can buy a discount entrance ticket to Taipingshan on KKday here or book a tour on Klook here.
Tuchang Station 土場車站
Jioujhize (Jiuzhize) 鳩之澤
Jioujhize is a hot spring area at the foot of the mountain, sitting at 520 meters above sea level. This area was first made into a hot spring resort by the Japanese, and the hot spring area is now run by the Forest Bureau.
360 view of Jiuzhize Hot Spring in Taipingshan Forest Recreation area. Not only is there a hot spring spa here, but also…
Posted by Foreigners in Taiwan 外國人在台灣 on Monday, March 9, 2020
Jhongjian Visitor’s Center 中間游客中心

Bailing Giant Tree 白嶺巨木

Jiancing Historic Trail 見晴步道
I highly recommend walking the whole trail.
Taipingshan Village 太平山莊
Taiping Village Service Center 太平山莊服務站

Bong Bong Train 蹦蹦車
360 view of the “Bumper” tourist train going through Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area. #碰碰車 #太平山國家森林遊樂區 #宜蘭
Posted by Foreigners in Taiwan 外國人在台灣 on Friday, March 13, 2020
Sunrise Pavilion 日出景觀

Cueifong Lake 翠峰湖
360 view of Cuifeng Lake in Taipingshan Forest Recreation Area. From here you can see the sunrise over the Pacific Ocean. Too bad the clouds were already rolling in before I could see the view. #翠峰湖 #太平山 #宜蘭
Posted by Foreigners in Taiwan 外國人在台灣 on Wednesday, March 11, 2020
You can buy a discount entrance ticket to Taipingshan on KKday here or book a tour on Klook here.
You can purchase tours and tickets for many activities in Yilan such as surfing, kayaking, horse riding, river tracing, river rafting, river tubing, pack rafting, water biking, snorkeling, canoeing, and many others through Klook here or KKday here.
You can see our full guide to Yilan here.
Check out our full guide to Taiwan’s Northern Coast here and our full guide to Taiwan’s East Coast here.
You can also check out our full guide to Taiwan here.