March 28, 2020

Tainan Travel: Kapok and Trumpet Trees

After returning from Alishan, we also made a stop in Tainan's Baihe District. It's currently kapok tree season, so some roads around Baihe are filled with red flowers and tourists. There are also 3-4 pink trumpet trees in the area. Close to the popular road, there is another park with ponds, as well as a farm with donkeys and peacocks. It's a nice place for an afternoon walk.

In recent years, Kapok Road in Baihe District, Tainan has become a must-visit spot for photography and tourism during the spring season. Kapok trees are widely planted in Southeast Asian countries. The Kapok Flower Road is mainly located along South 90 and nearby roads. In 2015, this road was listed as one of the top 15 most magical streets shaded by flowers and trees in the world.
The kapok trees' opening season is from March to April each year, and the flowering period lasts for about two weeks. During this season, the kapok tree first blooms and then grows tender leaves. In winter, the kapok tree appears as if it has dead branches.

Trumpet trees are also common in central and southern Taiwan. These flowers are rich in nectar, making them useful honey plants. You can find Golden Trumpet Trees and Pink Trumpet Trees, with the latter being less popular. Both species are native to the American tropics and subtropics. Tabebuia rosea is an important timber tree, and the wood of these trees is usually light in weight. They are also widely cultivated as ornamental flowers.


kapok trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan

kapok trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan  

kapok trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan

kapok trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan  

kapok trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan

kapok trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan  

kapok trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan

trumpet trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan

trumpet trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan

trumpet trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan

trumpet trees, baihe, tainan, taiwan

donkeys, baihe, tainan, taiwan

donkeys, baihe, tainan, taiwan

Address:

732台南市白河區玉豐里林初埤白河林初埤木棉花道

March 25, 2020

Flowers viewing in Chiayi

The beginning of March is a good time to see the blooming trumpet trees. First, the pink ones start to bloom, and after 1-2 weeks, you can also see yellow flowers. Unfortunately, I was late to see the yellow trees blooming this year.
There is a place in Shuishang, Chiayi, that is not well known and has only a few trees, mostly pink ones.
Another place to see the pink trumpet trees is in the East District of Chiayi. Unfortunately, this park only has three small trees.
National Chung Cheng University is also a popular place to see these flowers bloom. Unfortunately, when we went there, most of the flowers had already fallen. However, you can also find azaleas in bloom there, and in June, you can see plenty of phoenix trees blooming.











Another place to see pink trumpet is East District of Chiayi. Unfortunately, this park has only 3 small trees. 




National Chung Cheng University is also a popular place to see those flowers bloom. unfortunately when we went there, they nearly all fall down already. You can also find there azaleas flower and in June see plenty of phoenix tree blooming.






March 19, 2020

Chiayi Travel: Alishan ~ Magnolia Garden and Sisters Ponds

First time visiting Alishan and luckily it's cherry blossom season. Upon arriving at the national scenic area, we noticed there was also a magnolia garden. I was actually hoping to see some flowers, but when we searched before, those gardens were always located in the north of Taiwan. We didn't have much time to explore, only three hours. We visited the cherry garden, magnolia garden, sister ponds, and then returned to the parking area. Next time, we hope to stay overnight to witness the sunrise and visit the places we missed this time. The journey was really beautiful with a lot of cherry trees along the way.

One of the attractions in Alishan is the Sacred Tree, located at Shenmu Railway at an elevation of 2000 meters above sea level. Shenmu is said to be 3000 years old. This giant tree is surrounded by many other old trees and is considered one of the five must-see Alishan Sceneries. In this area, there are more than 36 notable giant trees that are 1000-2000 years old.
The tree is a red cypress and has been guarded by the Tsou people for generations. It stands 53 meters tall, making it the tallest tree in Taiwan. The trunk has a diameter of 4.66 meters and a circumference of 23 meters. In 1956, the tree was struck by lightning and suffered internal burning. In 1998, the Forestry Bureau decided to cut and lay the giant tree due to its slant. A pavilion was built alongside the sacred tree.

On the way to the sister ponds, there is also a Magnolia Garden. It was originally a sika deer garden that raised sika deer. Magnolia is known as "Dulan" because of the fragrance of its flowers, and "Mulan" because of the shape of the flowers. The park is home to many types of magnolia, including purple magnolia or Japanese Xinyi (white flowers).
Jiemei Lakes (Sister Lakes) are two ponds of different sizes that connect together. The ponds are known as the Elder Sister Pond and the Younger Sister Pond. The Elder Sister Pond has a size of 530 square meters, while the other one is 120 square meters. According to the story, two sisters from the Tsou tribe fell in love with the same man. They didn't want to ruin their sisterhood and couldn't have the man for themselves. The sisters decided to jump into the two ponds and end their lives.

The largest temple in Alishan is the Shouzhen Temple, also the highest altitude temple in Taiwan, located at 2150 meters above sea level. After its reconstruction in 1969, it became the most popular temple for locals. The temple is home to the God of Justice (Syuantian Emperor), God of Commerce (Fude God), and the Goddess of Fertility (Jhusheng Goddess). According to legend, every year on the third day of the third lunar month, a group of Alishan Kuciouluowun Moths lands and stays on the statues of the gods for 15 days.


magnolia blossom, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

magnolia blossom, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

magnolia blossom, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

magnolia blossom, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

magnolia blossom, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

magnolia blossom, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

magnolia blossom, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

Another place to visit are Jiemei Lakes (Sister Lakes). Those ponds are two different sized ponds which connects together. Those ponds are known as Elder Sister Pond and Younger Sister Pond. The Elder Sister Pond's size is 530 square meters, the other one 120 square meters. 
The story says that two sisters of Tsou tribe fell in love with the same man. They didn't want to ruin their sisterhood and wasn't able to have the man themselves. Sisters decider to jump into two ponds and end their lives. 

The largest Temple is Alishan is Shouzhen Temple. It's also the highest attitude Temple in Taiwan laying 2150 m above sea level. After reconstruction in 1969 it became the most popular Temple for locals. The Temple is a home to God of Justice (Syuantian Emperor), God of Commerce (Fude God) and the Goddess of Fertility (Jhusheng Goddess).
As it's said, every years on the March 3rd of lunar calendar a group of Alishan Kuciouluowun Moths lands and stays on the God's statue for 15 days. 

alishan, chiayi, taiwan

alishan, chiayi, taiwan

alishan, chiayi, taiwan

alishan, chiayi, taiwan

alishan, chiayi, taiwan

alishan, chiayi, taiwan

alishan, chiayi, taiwan

alishan, chiayi, taiwan

alishan, chiayi, taiwan

alishan, chiayi, taiwan

Address:

Alishan Visitor Center: 605嘉義縣阿里山鄉中正村東59號阿里山旅客服務中心

March 13, 2020

Chiayi Travel: Alishan ~ Cherry Blossom Season

cherry blossom, tea farm, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

For me, it was my first time visiting Alishan. On the way there, we made a stop at a temple with abundant cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time in Alishan as it took us nearly three hours to drive from our home. We paid 500 NTD for entrance and arrived around noon. By 2 pm, it started getting darker and foggy, so we decided to head back. During our three-hour visit, we managed to see the cherry garden, Magnolia garden, and sister lakes. There was also a plum garden, but the trees were not in bloom. We didn't have enough time to explore other popular places, but we hope to stay overnight next time to catch the sunrise.

There were numerous cars parked around, and if we had parked outside the park, we would have had to walk 3-4 km. Instead, we entered the park and just stopped along one of the roads, like many other people did, as there were no available parking spaces. The weather was refreshingly cool. While Tainan was already reaching 30 degrees Celsius, Alishan was around 17-19 degrees at that time. We encountered many cherry blossom trees on the way, but it was challenging to find a suitable spot to stop and take pictures.

Alishan Forest Recreation Area

The Alishan Forest Recreation Area is located in Chiayi at an elevation of 2200 meters above sea level. The Alishan National Scenic Area was established in 2001. The annual temperature in this area is around 10 degrees Celsius, and it experiences abundant rainfall. Rainy weather occurs for approximately 210 days a year, while fog is present for about 245 days. This high humidity contributes to the unique forest climate and beautiful landscapes. Alishan is well-known for its stunning sunrise, sea of clouds, afterglow, forests, and mountain railway.
The mountains of Alishan are covered with forests. Below 800 meters, the hills are filled with tropical forests consisting of acacia and mulberry trees. Between 800 and 1000 meters, a warm climate prevails, dominated by eucalyptus and maple trees. From 1800 to 3000 meters, Taiwanese cypress and pine trees can be found. The area between 3000 and 3500 meters is covered with cold-forest trees, mainly Taiwanese fir.

The indigenous Tsou tribe inhabits Alishan. They have two prominent tribes, Tapango and Tfuya, each with their own leaders, cultivated fields, and cultural traditions. The Tsou people were pushed into the deep mountains when Han Chinese settlers arrived and established homes in the plains and grasslands of Chiayi. The Tsou Tribe resides at elevations ranging from 500 to 1300 meters above sea level, and one place where you can encounter Tsou people is Shanmei Village.
During the Japanese colonial period, Alishan became a logging site due to the demand for locally grown cypress wood. It was during this time that people began to appreciate the area's beauty and started traveling to Alishan. By 1970, logging activities had declined, and tourism became the main source of income for the locals. The railway, previously used for logging, transformed into a major tourist attraction.

Alishan Forest Railway

The Alishan Forest Railway, one of the two remaining forest railways in Taiwan, is still in operation. The other forest railway is located in the Taipingshan area. The Alishan Forest Railway was built in 1914 primarily for transporting wood from the Alishan Forest Farm. In 1963, the farm was closed, and passenger transport and sightseeing became the railway's main function.
Another attraction in Alishan is the lake, situated at an elevation of 1400 meters above sea level. Surrounded by mountains to the east, west, and north, the lake resembles a dragonfly in shape. It is located near Fenqihu Station, which was renowned for its old street, Banto, Shifang Bamboo, and the 16 scenes of Fengqi Lake. Fenqihu was the largest station, and the train would make longer stops here, contributing to the development of a railway lunch culture.

In 2010, Xiaoliyuanshan became a popular spot. From this lookout, you can see the three major mountains in Taiwan: the Central Mountain Range, Yushan Mountain, and Alishan Mountain. Xiaoliyuanshan sits at an elevation of 2500 meters, providing a view of the main peak of Yushan, which stands at 3952 meters high.
At an elevation of 750-1000 meters, you can explore the Fengshan Scenic Area. Fengshan still retains many traditional agricultural tools and facilities that have disappeared in the flatlands. This area offers various sightseeing trails featuring waterfalls and cherry blossoms. The Ruili Scenic Area, situated in Meishan Township at an elevation of 1000 meters, is rich in tea, bamboo shoots, betel nuts, plums, daylilies, and chestnuts. Visitors can enjoy waterfalls, cliffs, caves, and other attractions in this area.


cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

cherry blossom, mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

mountains, alishan, chiayi, taiwan

Address:

Alishan Visitor Center: 605嘉義縣阿里山鄉中正村東59號阿里山旅客服務中心