Guanwu National Forest Recreation Area

Embrace giant ancient trees amid mountain mist, admire Taiwan's largest Wushe cherry tree in snowy-white spring bloom, climb for views of the 'Holy Ridge' of the Xueshan Range, and perhaps even encounter a national treasure — this is Guanwu National Forest Recreation Area, offering a rich cloud-forest feast on the border of Hsinchu and Miaoli. Two hours from Zhudong, Guanwu is called 'Mao-yi-li' in the Atayal language, meaning 'higher mountain ridge'. It became a logging site in 1940 and operations ended in 1980, leaving hillsides of orderly plantation forest; along the Giant Cypress Grove Trail, five massive red cypress trees still speak to visitors of the former grandeur of Taiwan's forests.