Xitou Nature Education Area

Peaceful nature refuge with accessible walkways

The park covers an expansive area with varying elevation. Park highlights include the University Pond, a small pond with a picturesque bamboo bridge, and the Sky Walk, an elevated walkway 22.6 m / 75 ft above the forest ground. I found the Giant tree not that exciting - it’s a long dead tree and difficult to appreciate the size as it’s split into multiple sections.

The walkways can be steep so I’d recommend bringing walking poles and wearing comfy shoes /athletic clothes. There are golf carts that can take you to different areas but they’re usually already pretty full.

The park was exceedingly busy even on a weekday (Tuesday) full of tourists.

Ticket discounts available if pre-purchased at online sites.

A very beautiful place to relax and enjoy the biodiversity of central Taiwan.

You can buy the entry tickets cheaper at HSR Taichung at 150NTD. Then use an easy card to board the bus from the HSR to Xitou. One way is only 81 NTD.

There's a playground and skywalk in the area. You can also visit the Monster village after you finish visiting the Xitou education area. There are sufficient toilets and a snacking area.

As a foreigner, busy on weekdays with many old people! Fun to explore and wander around. Cool morning even in summer because of towering tree canopies. Therapeutic and highly recommended!

2 hours bus ride from Taichung TRA station. A nice hiking place suitable for beginners. This is a less touristy spot as compared to Alishan. Great place to escape the summer heat. Be amazed by the towering trees and fresh air. Great forest.

A good place to take a break from busy city life. The air is fresh and the trails are doable even for beginning hikers. If you’re a student, make sure to bring your student ID with you as there will be discount for entrance ticket. Although it’s not too close yo the center or Taichung, but it’s accessible by public bus. It would take around 2-3 hours by bus and around 1.5 hours by car. Definitely come back whenever get tired of the city life.

Relaxing stroll/hike through the forest park.
Low difficulty level for all ages.

It's more of a creative park rather than a education park, mostly wood based shops and Plum wine shops are seen here, it's definitely a 4 to 5 hour walk place, as it's huge and there are many places to see. There is a very beautiful lake in the mid of no where... loved the places as I was with my loved one..
Great vacation spot to be with family and freinds... I would recommend you guys to take some food if u can, because there are very less options 😉 regarding meat, mainly all they sell is veggies.

Happy vacation fellows
Peace ✌ ☮ 🕊 🏳

Trek in the middle of dense woods…many tranquil places where you can breathe fresh moist mountain air n spend time with your self or meditate…view the the nature bounty…
Sign boards n directions abundant…gather some water n few snacks in your backpack. Public transport like bus are available.

You can find spruce species (mainly Cryptomeria japonica and Taiwania cryptomerioides), and God they are tall. My trip is held by my uni course, so we mainly did some jungle trekking and have a look around the research area for academic purposes.
It's a pity that I didn't have the chance to visit the xitou tianwentai for a better night view. But when I walk out from my place at midnight, the view is still very different compared to cities. It's fascinating.

10/10 would come again

Very accessible by bus from Taichung city or Nantou City

It was rainy when I got there but I still enjoyed the experience. As long as you have an umbrella, you can still enjoy going through the routes.

There are options to take the road or the pathway to get to the different top spots.

There's a noodle shop near the Giant Tree and a public bathroom too.

My first trip ever and enjoyed it very much especially with very few tourists today. The unique bamboo made bridge with the reflections on the pond water from different angles showing various natural beauties. The small garden by the pond is also quite attractive with some bamboo made animals. The air is so fresh, so we laid down on the bench to relax and enjoy every single bit of it and every single minute. All I can say is I shall return in the future to explore more gorgeous views and fabulous surroundings. Hopefully, we will be lucky sufficient to have an environment with very few people (like today).

We are here for the fresh air and famous trails. Didn't disappoint. Must visit for trail lovers.

Great experience to hike. Wide parking space with 150NT fee. It takes 1km hiking from parking area to pond.

Nicely paved hiking trails in many areas - but it’s also an uphill battle for people that are not used to exercising😄😄😄. This is a well maintained and organized forest — very clean!! It is part of the experimental forest belonging to the National Taiwan University, with clearly posted signs indicating the year of these trees that were planted, including cedars, Chamaecyparis obtuse, red spruces, Phyllostachys edulis, and many other different kinds of trees.

大學池 pond has a pretty bamboo bridge. I was told it’s one of its kind in Taiwan and is rebuilt every year for safety reasons 😲😲😲

Giant Tree Trail is well paved, pretty easy walk, and a must-see.

Love their sky trail... pretty cool - it allows up to 100 people up there walking in the midair sky trail amongst tree. Pretty cool to see the auto counter incrementing as a person walks in and deducting from the count as one walks out👍👍👍

Amazing Park with tons of trails ranging from 500m to 3km and varying levels of difficulties. It's great for hikers, or for nature lovers who want to explore the local flora and fauna. You can get a map with all the trails and things to discover (definitely go to the sky trail if you are not afraid of heights and go to the bamboo forest). Entrance is 160 TW$ and well worth it. Just bear in mind the park closes at 5pm and it is pitch black dark. Also note that there is an awful amount of people coming in around 8am, departing at 3pm. This is a popular destination among retirees.

We went on a weekday thinking that it would be less crowded. We forgot that weekdays are the days when retirees like to visit 😂

It was a little crowded, but it didn't take away from a great experience.

Expect to walk a lot. There are trail options, as well as main road options. Both are nice.

No need to worry about bringing food and drinks, there are cafés and restaurants!

The weather changes quite quickly so make sure you bring a jacket just in case! Also, even though the walks are "easy", make sure to wear comfortable shoes (running or hiking).

Worth the trip!

Very scenic nature trails with multiple tourist hotspots. Trails are quite long ranging from 2 to 6km so do come equipped with a pair of decent walking shoes.

beautiful place.. good place for relax and good exercise..

Good place

During the Japanese rule of Taiwan, the forest was used as an experimental forest for University of Tokyo students. Later after the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China in 1945, the forest was declared a nature reserve and named Xitou Nature Education Area in 1970.[1] On 11 September 2016, a 2,800-year old giant tree fell after long heavy rain, injuring three visitors.[2]

The forest is located within a valley of mountain on its three sides and consists of many bamboos. It also has Ginkgo biloba garden. It is located at an average altitude of 1,150 meters above sea level and spans over an area of 2,500 hectares. The highest mountain peak within the forest reaches 2,025 meters above sea level, which is Mount Lingtou. It has a cool climate all year round with average monthly temperature ranges from 11-28°C and average monthly of 16.6°C.[3] The average annual rainfall is 2,635.18 mm.[4]

Tired of the 汙染 which makes you sleepy and tired? This is the gateway for you. Come here on a Saturday o Sunday afternoon...ot any other days. The effect you will have is the same...a deep relaxing experience surrounded by the nature and fresh air. Your lungs will be thankful and you will be home fully recharged.