The Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in Taiwan

The cherry blossoms at Wuji Tianyuan Temple | © 攝影家9號 / Flickr

It’s a little-known fact that when it comes to seeing cherry blossoms in full bloom, Taiwan around March time is a good alternative to the more popular destinations of Korea and Japan. If you’re in Taiwan during cherry blossom season, here are the best places to see these beautiful flowering trees.

Yangmingshan National Park

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Yangmingshan National Park, Taipei

This is usually where the cherry blossoms first appear, and it’s also a pretty good place to go for a day trip too. Yangmingshan is one of Taiwan’s finest national parks, and it’s a favorite destination for day-tripping hikers and those looking to get out of the city for a breath of fresh air. Here you’ll find that many of the cherry blossom trees are planted alongside hiking trails and paths, making for a wonderful setting for a long walk under the blossoms. To get there, just take the local bus from Beitou MRT station to the park, and you can’t miss them.

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Taipei City, 112, Taiwan

Alishan National Scenic Area

Alishan is popular throughout the year as people take a trip up the mountain railway to witness the sunrise over the sea of clouds. However, cherry blossom season from January to April is the absolute best time to visit. The area is awash with color, and it’s simply breathtaking.

If you’re heading to the scenic area, make sure to take the old train up part of the mountain. The scenery is spectacular, and it’s quite the experience.

Alishan National Scenic Area, Alishan Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan

Alishan mountain train | © Jerry Lai / Flickr

Wulai

This small aboriginal village in the New Taipei City countryside is another popular day trip destination for locals, and on the weekends it can get a little busy. Here they have quaint little restaurants, an aboriginal cultural village, souvenir shops, a cable car that leads to a waterfall, and there’s even a public hot spring. Yes, there are lots of reasons to visit this beautiful little village, but during cherry blossom season its scenic surroundings become even more stunning (if that’s possible.)

It can get very busy here though, and the traffic can be a bit hectic, so be prepared for a slow bus ride from the nearest MRT station – which is actually a great opportunity to soak up the atmosphere, as the ride takes you through the local countryside.

Wulai Visitor Center, 45-1 Wulai Street, Wulai District, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Donghu

Just on the edge of Taipei City near Xizhi district, you’ll find the newly developed LOHAS Park, which is also the starting point for a riverside pathway that leads to another quiet park. The newly planted cherry blossom trees here draw quite a lot of local residents while they are in bloom, but as the park is small, it’s not quite as busy as some of the other locations on this list.

You can easily get to the Donghu cherry blossoms by taking the MRT to Donghu Station. The park is just a short ten-minute walk from the MRT and quite easy to find.

Donghu cherry blossoms, Lohas Park, 114 Lane 61 Kangle Street, Neihu District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Wuji Tianyuan Temple

Located in the ever-popular Danshui, this is another one of those places that locals love to visit. Take a trip here during early cherry blossom season, and you’ll see why – the temple overlooks a stunning garden packed with a variety of blooming trees and flowers. But of course, it’s the cherry blossoms everyone is here to see, and they’re not disappointed.

With the blossoms located right by the temple and in a relatively quiet part of Danshui, it’s a much more serene experience than the other more tourist-oriented areas such as Wulai and Alishan. To get there take the MRT to Danshui and take the 866, 875, or 893 buses, any of which will drop you off at the temple.

Wuji Tianyuan Temple, 36 Beixin Road Section 3, Danshui District, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Wuling Farm

Farms are always popular destinations for a weekend away here in Taiwan, and Wuling Farm is no different. Home to several fruit farms and set in the spectacular mountainous countryside of Taichung, it really is the perfect setting to unwind. And during the early months of the year, the area is transformed into a veritable sea of pink flowers.

Getting to the farm which is 2,000m (6,562 feet) above sea level is no mean feat, and access to the area is restricted to preserve its natural beauty. Best to hire a car and drive yourself or better still join a tour that guarantees you make it to the farm without getting lost.

Wuling Farm, 3-1 Wuling Road, Pingdeng Li, Heping District, Taichung City, Taiwan

Sun Moon Lake

Taiwan’s largest inland body of water is actually a man-made lake, but nevertheless, it is surrounded by unsurpassed natural beauty. There are cherry blossom trees dotted around Sun Moon Lake itself, but the best location to enjoy the spectacular colors is in the Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village.

The village is accessible by road, but you can also take a cable car ride if you’re feeling adventurous. The views are incredible, and there’s the added bonus that you’ll also learn a lot about Taiwan’s indigenous tribes during your trip here.

Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village, 45 Jintian Alley, Dalin Village, Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan