Atayal Resort
Ren’ai Township, Nantou County
https://www.atayal.com.tw
Are you looking for something serene, picturesque, ecological, and rich in culture? Then you might find Atayal Resort the perfect place to stay. Situated in the middle of the Guandao Mountains and Beigang River north of Puli Township in Nantou County.
The 47-hectare resort, which sits on pristine and rich natural surroundings, offers a baroque style palace hotel with a spectacular view of the mountains, as well as resort cabins.
Go for a stroll in the impressively landscaped European style garden with a clock tower, and stand by the fountain for that picture-perfect shot.
The resort is adorned with sculptures, which illustrate the distinct qualities of the Atayan culture. They also offer activities at natural hot springs, a 500-meter-high sky walk for a spectacular view of the landscape, camping, and a few rides for the kids.
There’s more to Atayal Resort than meets the eye. This resort was built and dedicated to preserve the aboriginal heritage of the Atayal tribe, also known as Tayal or Tayan which means “genuine person” or “brave man” – the third largest indigenous group in Taiwan.
Here, you can immerse yourself in the traditional lifestyle of the Atayal Tribe which involves weaving, performing rituals to drive away bad spirits, firing a bamboo canon to protect crops from birds, hunting with a bow and arrow, traditional dances (which is similar to our Tinikling dance), and playing native tribe games called “Djemuljat” where rattan balls symbolizing human heads are thrown into the air by the tribal leader, and participants must thrust bamboo poles to catch it. Whoever does is believed to be blessed with a year of abundance in love, health and wealth.
This enchanting park up in the mountains with its fascinating landscape and natural scenery is a one-of-a-kind experience and is absolutely one for the books. Oh, and did I mention I caught the ball? Yay for a year of abundance in love, health and wealth!
Dongshi Forest Garden
Dongshi District in Taichung City
https://www.tsfa.com.tw
This resort is perfect for those who to love hike and be surrounded by nature; it’s filled with beautiful, natural and lush greenery. The 225-hectare resort, also known as “Four Corners Forest”, has an ever-changing landscape that adapts to each of Taiwan’s four seasons.
It is ecologically abundant and perfect for camping and recreation.
You can see flowers in full bloom here all year round, as the resort plants flowers to ensure full bloom all year round. Cherry Blossoms, azaleas and paulownias are in full bloom from March – May, tung flowers from June-August, bright red maple leaves from September-November, and plum blossoms winter from December – February.
You can also watch fireflies dance at night as the resort provides continuous efforts to ensure the conservation and survival of the fireflies. Butterflies and rhinoceros and stag beetles can also be seen. They also have a little bee farm where you can take home some locally sourced honey.
As mentioned earlier, though, my first trip to Taiwan was made all the more fun and memorable by the wonderful people I met and spent time with. I will always, always be grateful to be part of this tour and this team, as we fondly call it: Taiwan and Only.
Special thanks to Taiwan Amusement Park Association and Tourism Bureau, MOTC
For more information on Taiwan Amusement Park please visit: https://eng.taiwan.net.tw/
