Ecological Exploration Half-Day Trips-Xinwei Forest Park, Shenwei Tiantaishan Monastery

The beautiful sound of the birds in Xinwei Forest Park is comparable to that of a symphony by Beethoven. Remember to take a pair of binoculars and a bird identification book and see if you can recognize the birds from their song and mating calls to make your eco-tour more fun!

Xinwei Forest Park
The Xinwei Forest Park sits on a tableland on the west bank of the Laonong River, around the 45km mark of the Provincial Highway No. 28. Since it is 200 meters above sea level, visitors can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the Central Mountain Range and Laonong River below. The forest park used to be the biggest seedling plantation in Taiwan and covered an area of about 29 hectares. It is now home to more than 200 kinds of seedlings, mostly tropical plants. Mahogany, bamboo, and Chinese fir seedlings are most commonly seen in the plantation.


Shenwei Tiantaishan Monastery
Shenwei Tiantai Temple is the largest Yiguandao temple in Taiwan. Located near the 14km mark of the Provincial Highway No. 27, the temple compound covers an area of over 300 hectares. The temple complex consists of a front, middle, and rear temple, which shines brightly under the sunlight and radiates solemnity. The Buddha statues sitting inside the temple are carved out from the largest white jade in Asia. They are held up by a table made of a hundred-year-old Cinnamomum camphora.


Meinong Township
Meinong, preserved complete Hakka culture, is the largest Hakka town in Kaohsiung. Here, tourists can appreciate the local architectural features, experience painting oil paper umbrellas, and visit Hakka blue-dyed shirts. You can also taste traditional Hakka snacks like flat rice noodles and pounded tea. The rich Hakka cultural experience here has also become a popular tourist attraction that tourists love.