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Over 160 peaks over 3,000 meters (9,800 feet), hiking trails laid out by indigenous people thousands of years ago, remarkable national parks and forests, and epic surf churned by waves rolling unhindered throughout the Pacific.

It might sound like Chile, New Zealand or even California. But rather than one of the most obvious hubs of wellness and outdoor adventure, it’s actually Taiwan.

These days, this big island has a lot of power for a place that’s about the size of Belgium or Massachusetts.

In addition, Taiwan also offers a post-adrenaline opportunity to relax, sleep in climate-controlled comfort, recharge your physical and mental batteries, and immerse yourself in gourmet cuisine at lodges and resorts. luxury from national parks and scenic areas.

“Several factors have contributed to the rapid growth of outdoor sports in Taiwan,” says Kate Chen Taiwan Tourism Administration.

“The diverse landscapes provide ideal settings for a wide range of adventure sports, and the island’s compact size makes it easy to reach destinations within hours, making exploration convenient for visitors.”

The pandemic was a major turning point, says Michael McCreesh, the founder Taiwan outdoorswhich offers adventure tours and ParkBus Taiwan shuttle service from city to wilderness.

“The borders were closed, but you could travel internally,” he says. “There’s been a huge increase in young adults wanting to go hiking or biking.”

But it’s not just the locals who are discovering the island’s outdoor opportunities. Taiwan’s new world is also easy to access for international visitors.

Wellness and nature retreats

Wilderness camping and backpacking are possible but still relatively rare in Taiwan. Not so when it comes to luxury at remote lodges and resorts in stunning locations.

Deep in the Taroko Gorge, Silks Place Taroko The resort offers five-star comfort, cuisine and amenities such as a spa with health and beauty treatments, indoor and outdoor pools, morning yoga sessions and even a kids’ club.

However, nature is close at hand, including Taroko attractions such as the Baiyang Trail with its tunnels and waterfalls, and the path leading to the multi-story Hsiang-Te Pagoda. (The resort is slated to reopen early next year after repairing damage sustained during Typhoon Krathon.)

Meanwhile, Lalu the resort is located along the coast Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area in the central mountains. Chic Lake View Suites have private balconies with panoramic water and mountain views, as well as fireplaces to banish the winter chill.

There are hiking and biking trails right in front of the hotel. The 30-kilometer (18-mile) bike trail around the lake is “ranked as one of the top 10 cycling routes in the world,” says Chen.

For those looking for a more challenging trek, The Lalu can arrange transportation to the trailheads for the Shuishe Great Mountain Nature Trail or the Maolan Mountain Trail. It’s also easy to access the culture, cuisine and crafts of the indigenous Thao and Bunun peoples, who have called the Sun Moon region home for thousands of years.

You don’t even have to venture far from Taipei to experience nature. Volando Urai Spring Spa & Resortin the hot spring-filled Wulai District of the Nanshi River Valley, it is less than an hour’s drive from the city center.

A member of the Relais & Châteaux group, the resort offers top French and Chinese restaurants, as well as a spa combining Western and Oriental treatments and private hot spring baths overlooking the river. Premium suites open onto private gardens with swimming pool and roof terrace.

There are dozens of hiking options near Volando Urai, from the bends to Baoqing High Temple and the scenic trails of the Neidong Forest Recreation Area, to full-day hikes in the Tonghou River Valley with its waterfalls and jungle-like ambiance .

Other places that combine nature and luxury dining include Villa 32 luxury boutique hotel and spa in Beitou near the north coast; and Mudanwan Villa near Kenting National Park on the south coast.

Taiwan boasts 10 national parks and 19 national forest recreation areas that cover a wide range of terrain, from coastlines and coral atolls to lush subtropical evergreen forests and peaks that rise above the tree line.

“Taiwan’s national parks have a mandate more for preservation and conservation,” says McCreesh. “And the national forests are more geared towards visiting and public access.”

The island’s most famous nature reserve is Taroko National Parkwhich protects the aforementioned Taroko Gorge, a colossal 18 km (11 mi) chasm carved by the fast-flowing Liwu River. Also called the Marble Gorge because of its predominant type of rock, the canyon can be explored via the narrow and winding Zhong Bu Cross-Island Highway or on vertiginous hiking trails that cross suspension bridges and go through tunnels.

Chen says Taroko National Park also includes a spectacular Pacific coastline, and one of the coolest activities is a guided sunrise kayak trip along the tower. Qingshui Rocks.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s tallest peak punctuates the sky above Yushan National Park. Rising nearly 4,000 meters (13,100 feet) above sea level, it is the fourth highest mountain in the world.

“The best sunrise I’ve ever seen was from the height of the clouds atop Mount Jade – a little taller than Mount Fuji – in Yushan National Park,” says Nick Kembel, a Canadian writer and photographer based on the island and the author of the future Nick Taiwan Travel Guide and Itineraries.

Perched near the southern tip of the island, Kenting National Park it is famous for its tropical climate, strange rock formations and popular sandy beaches Taiwan Music Festival which takes place in the park every spring.

Floating in the South China Sea between Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines, Dongsha National Marine Park offers a completely different approach to outdoor adventure. One of the world’s northernmost atolls, it is home to pristine coral reefs, vast seagrass meadows and shore nesting sites for turtles and seabirds.

Sometimes called Taiwan’s best-kept natural secret, national forests There are often nature centers that focus on the island’s diverse flora and fauna and forest cultural parks where you can learn about human history and forest activities. It also provides a venue for more than 100 nature trails that are part of a national trail network created in 2002.

“Taipingshan and Alishan they are my favorite national recreation areas,” says Kembel. “Both are former logging areas with easy walking trails and heritage railway lines through mist-shrouded ancient hinoki forests.”

Hitting the trail…and the waves

While hiking and biking may be the easiest ways to access Taiwan’s outdoors, the island is also fertile ground for diving and snorkeling, rock climbing and sea kayaking, and many other energetic activities.

“There is no better or easier way to take advantage of Taiwan’s nature than hiking,” says Kembel. “Within an hour of Taipei, you can stroll past steaming volcanic fumaroles, bubbling hot springs, canopies of cherry blossoms, or cliffs towering over the sea.”

McCreesh estimates that between wilderness and urban/suburban routes, there are now thousands of trails to choose from. The AllTrails the app lists over 900 hiking trails, including 78 it deems family-friendly. Most of these are quite short. But the app also lists longer hikes like a Taipei Grand Trail which winds 92 kilometers (57 miles) through the mountains that loop around the capital.

Taiwan’s 29 indigenous groups—people who inhabited the island before the first mainland Chinese settlers arrived—have become an important part of the hiking scene. Many of the trails cross their traditional territories and guided multi-day treks (such as those offered by Taiwan Outdoors) often overnight in remote tribal villages.

Chen recommends Alangyi Historical Trail: “It runs along one of the last undeveloped shores of Taiwan, where the low-altitude coastal forest is well preserved. The trail served as a commuting route for indigenous tribes for hundreds of years. Hiking along the trail, visitors reach a pebbly beach and have breathtaking views of the Pacific.”

For avid hikers, the crown jewel of trekking in Taiwan is the Baiyue (100 Peaks Challenge), which involves summiting the 3,000-meter mountains considered the island’s most historic, scenic, or dramatic. There is also the Xiao Baiyue (100 Minor Peaks Challenge) to clear the top urban and suburban routes.

Cycling is a close second when it comes to Taiwan’s most popular outdoor sport, but mountain biking is relatively new. for now, Yetopia on the east coast, Yilan County offers the island’s only network of MTB trails. But road cycling is widespread, and with paved shoulders, many of the highways and country roads have been adapted for cycling.

The east coast also boasts the island’s best surfing conditions. And maybe the best part is that there aren’t many surfers competing for the best waves. Based in Hualien City, Taiwan Surf Travel puts together packages that include accommodation, meals, equipment and transport to some of the best surf spots.

The city of Hualien is also the starting point for whitewater rafting trips on the rapid-strewn river Xiuguluan River. A guided trip takes between three and four hours, usually with a midway stop at the Aboriginal village of Amis.