Daxueshan National Forest Recreation Area

Dàxuěshān 大雪山 Guójiā sēnlín 國家森林 (National Forest)

Nestled in Taiwan’s lush, mountainous interior, is the highly acclaimed Daxueshan National Park. This destination is a three-hour trip from Taipei. Alternatively, it is an hour-and-a-half drive from Taichung city. Due to its altitude, most travelers visit Daxueshan during the summer, to escape the blistering heat spells, when the cool, crisp air will is refreshing.

How to get there:

There is one bus you can take (number 252) to Daxueshan National Park from Dongshi (東勢) bus station. To get to Dongshi bus station, there are two options. You can get there from Fongyuan (TRA station) or, from Taichung (HSR station). 

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The photos below are generously shared by my good friend, Amanda, who has spent countless hours appreciating the natural beauty of Daxueshan. Through these pictures, we hope to share the grandeur of Taiwan!

The Flora

As the website proudly boasts, Taiwan has the largest mountain Alpine forest in the world —and Daxueshan park has the “most complete” Alpine forest in Taiwan. There is also an abundance of flower species and members of the Fungal Kingdom (mushrooms!).

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The Fauna

In addition to the perplexing beauty of the flora, there is also a plethora of Taiwanese critters, most notably the bird varieties. Apparently, there are over twenty (or more!) bird-watching conventions and gatherings, every year. Visitors from all over the world come for no other reason than to get their “bird watch” on.

Tip #1: To maximize your opportunities to see wildlife, try to cultivate the habit of “Fox-Walking”. This Native-American Apache term, which I borrow from the author Tom Brown Jr., is the custom of walking extremely slow —much slower and silent than you’ll ever walk in a city. If you can gather the patience, you will be shocked at the ability to see (and even approach!) animals that get easily spooked.

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Reeve’s Muntjac Deer (a.k.a. Chinese Muntjac)

This is Taiwan’s smallest deer. Evidently, the name derived from a dude named “John Reeve”, who used to work for the British East India Company. Go figure. Here are some fun facts: unlike most deer, Muntjacs are known to eat eggs and even scavenge dead animals. Furthermore, they bark like dogs —while also eating bark. Tree bark, that is. Basically, they eat a lot of stuff. They are savages.

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Formosan Serow “Goat”

This is the only Bovidae (cloven-hoofed) animal in Taiwan. They are obviously bigger than Muntjac, but more surprising, is that they are known for giving stare-downs. In other words, it is likely that they will invite you to compete in a staring contest.

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White-faced Flying Squirrels

Though there are three species of flying squirrels in Taiwan (and at Daxueshan), the White-Faced Flying squirrel is the most common.

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Bugs and Stuff

Although the creepy-crawlies are not everyone’s favorite animal, Daxueshan has some pretty interesting species, including beetles, moths, and butterflies.  

What you need to know: There are snakes. However, none of the snake varieties at this park are considered dangerous.

Accommodations

As mentioned earlier, the best time to visit Daxueshan is during the hot, summer months. However, that is also the time when it is most popular. Ideally, it is probably best to visit on a weekday, and plan to stay overnight —at the very minimum.nIf instead, you decide to visit during the winter, bring warm clothing!

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In closing, we hope you have enjoyed these photos, and you have even been inspired to visit. As mentioned earlier, all of these pictures were provided by my good friend, Amanda, who is always praising the magnificence of Daxueshan National Park. Please share this article with your friends!

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