Taoyuan District
Echoes of Nature and Cloud Sea From Heaven
Taoyuan District has natural landscapes like cliffs, longitudinal valleys, and hot springs, located at a high altitude south of the central mountain range. Guanshan Yakou is an excellent place to watch the sunrise and the sea of clouds. Besides the beautiful scenery, you can also visit the Bunun Tribe to participate in the festival, enjoy the unique Pasibutbut of Bunun, and feel the friendliness of their people.
Travel Guide
- You can enjoy pink cherry blossoms in "Baolai Cherry Blossom Park" in January and February.
- "Baolai and Bulao Hot Spring Area" is a famous tourist attraction in southern Taiwan, offering various hot springs.
- Bunun Tribe holds the "Ear-shooting Ritual (the Malahodaigian Ritual) " from April to May yearly.
Popular Attractions
Local Specialties
- AiyuAiyu (Ficus pumila L.) is a special Taiwanese mountain herb used to make cool foods for the summer. Although it is a healthy, low-calorie food, many people in Taiwan think of it only in connection with the popular dessert: aiyu jelly. A trip to Taoyuan Township can teach you much more about aiyu. Aiyu grows both wild and on farms in high altitude mountain areas of Taoyuan Township. A hectare may yield a harvest of 500 kg. At a price of NT$700 per kg it is one of Taoyuan’s important commercial crops. Thick wild aiyu juice cooked with in Lingshan spring water makes a unique taste treat. Even President Chen Shui-bian praised it profusely after taking a taste at the Lily Festival in 1991. No wonder that it is one of Taoyuan Township’s prized agricultural specialties. Aiyu-related promotions are held every year, culminating in the crowning of the Aiyu Prince and Aiyu Princess. Every important tourist spot in Taoyuan is graced by little booths selling iced aiyu juice or raw aiyu to take home and prepare it yourself. Don’t miss it! Source: Taoyuan Township office
- GranadillaPassion Fruit is a popular fruit rich with vitamins and organic acids. The sweet and sour savor of passion fruit is said to resemble ten other fruits combined. It is served as iced passion fruit juice and other cool foods for hot summers. Taoyuan Township produces passion fruit at Jianshan Village. The area under cultivation is not large but the quality is high. The vendors at Baolai sightseeing area are not bad at all; so don’t forget to try the fresh passion fruit juice of Jianshan! Source: Taoyuan Township office
- PlumsTaoyuan Township has 800 hectares planted with plum trees. Every winter in plum blossom season, visitors come to enjoy the scenery with its white plum blossoms. From March to April, when plums begin to mature, fruit farmers are busy picking the harvest. If picked ten days before the harvest season, the plums are not ripe yet and must be processed as bitter plums. In the middle of April, the harvest is used to make wine, produce preserved plums and dried plums, etc. Plums are thus one of the most important economic resources of Taoyuan Township: They add natural beauty and help the tourism industry, and they're delicious, too!
- Monkey Head MushroomsMonkey Head Mushrooms are a kind of large-size fungus, whose surface is full of acicular growths that look almost like hair. They get this name because their appearance is similar to a monkey's head. The mushroom contains plenty of protein and polysaccharides, as well seven kinds of essential amino acids for the human body. The content of glutamic acid is pretty high and it is a very famous and delicious edible fungus. Taoyuan Township's Baoshan Village mountain area has the high altitude, moisture, clouds, and mists to successfully grow Monkey Head Mushrooms. Taste them in Baoshan, and don’t forget to bring some home: whether cooked in soup, deep fried or sauted they make an unusual delicacy! Source: Kaohsiung area Farmer's Association
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