Treading Lightly in the Forest: Low-Carbon Travel in Taiwan

Taiwan is a top-tier fall destination. The drier, cooler months that follow summer are a splendid time to explore the country’s major cities as well as its spectacularly mountainous interior.

Visitors can look forward to dependably comfortable weather. In October and November, daytime temperatures in Taipei average 22 to 25 degrees Celsius (72 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit). Rain is infrequent in the southern half of the island. Conditions are ideal for all kinds of outdoor activities, from the gentlest of strolls to strenuous multi-day treks.

Renting a car or a motorcycle is an option for those eager to explore Taiwan’s highlands. The road network is well-maintained, and most signs and information boards are bilingual. Still, not everyone likes to drive or ride, and an increasing number of tourists wish to minimize the environmental impact of their travels. Recognizing this trend, and long committed to the protection of Taiwan’s natural spaces, the authorities have in recent years developed various forms of sustainable and low-carbon tourism.

One place where this kind of tourism has made particular progress is Gukeng Township in Yunlin County. About 200 km down the island from Taipei, Gukeng is renowned for its coffee cultivation. This delightfully bucolic patch of hill country has more than one string to its bow, however. The township’s many farms also produce bamboo shoots, tangerines, and tea. There is even a winery. Hiking trails crisscross stunning landscapes – no surprise, given Caoling village’s proximity to the sublime Alishan National Forest Recreation Area.

More than a decade ago, Yunlin County government began promoting low-carbon tourism routes that encompassed Gukeng Green Tunnel, Janfusun Fancyworld Theme Park, and other attractions.

More recently, the launch of the Great Caoling Tourism Union signals another step forward in sustainable tourism. This destination marketing organization promotes Caoling – Gukeng’s most remote village – and the surrounding area, simplifying planning for tourists and itinerary designers. Like Taiwan’s other tourism unions, it is an alliance bringing together businesses, nonprofits, government entities, and experts with a passion for building the type of low-impact, meaningful tourism that benefits both visitors and local stakeholders.

The area around Caoling is ruggedly mountainous, with a number of scenic spots more than a mile above sea level. The top of Yunling Hill is a short but steep walk from the nearest road, but the panoramic view over tea plantations and woodlands more than justifies the exertion. Five Yuan and Two Jiao, which got its name from huts originally constructed to shelter travelers and forestry workers from rain, is secluded amid thick clusters of Moso bamboo. Muma (meaning “wooden horse”) Ancient Path was blazed a century ago to facilitate the extraction of timber and other forest products. 

Among the area’s other attractions are Penglai Waterfall, a 70-meter-high cascade, and the Old Changhu Elementary School. Since its closure (the result of rural depopulation), the latter has been repurposed as a community center where traditional dyeing techniques are taught.

The caffeine-rich black stuff remains central to Gukeng’s appeal, and the 2024 Taiwan Coffee Festival will be held at Gukeng Green Tunnel on October 26 and 27 and between November 1 and 3. In addition to ensuring all attendees enjoy themselves, this annual event endeavors to enhance the international profile and competitiveness of Taiwan-grown coffee. The festival will also introduce camping (which some say is the best way to experience the uplands during the fall season) and local artisanal foods. Festivalgoers can enjoy live music as they sip their cup of joe.

The work of the Great Caoling Tourism Union interlocks with that of two neighboring groupings, the 235 Regional (Chiayi) Tourism Union and the Great Alishan Tourism Union.

The 235 Regional (Chiayi) Tourism Union gets its name from the approximate position of the Tropic of Cancer, 23.5 degrees north of the Equator. The union encompasses sights in both Chiayi City, which many Alishan-bound travelers pass through, and Chiayi County.

Since the 1895-1945 Japanese colonial period, Alishan has doubled as a high-altitude resort, connected to the lowlands by a remarkable narrow-gauge forest railway. The dazzling valleys around Alishan are dotted with villages inhabited by members of Taiwan’s Austronesian indigenous minority.

Commercial logging ceased throughout Taiwan more than three decades ago, and forests like those surrounding Alishan are now treasured as havens of wildlife and rare plants. To preserve these priceless ecosystems, tourism in the region is carefully managed.

One important facet of this is encouraging sightseers to consider alternatives to Alishan National Forest Recreation Area and Fenqihu, to avoid overcrowding at these perennially popular places. Caoling is one good option; the Tsou tribal community of Laiji is another.

Another approach undertaken is nudging travelers to leave their cars at home. Several buses per day set out from central Chiayi and Chiayi High-Speed Railway Station. During peak periods, such as the March-April cherry blossom season, a combination of extra services, discounts, and traffic controls ensures a first-rate visitor experience while reducing air and noise pollution.

Covering around 1,400 hectares, Alishan National Forest Recreation Area is much too big to explore on foot, and private vehicles are barred from most of it. Fortunately, there is a way to save both money and shoe leather while curtailing carbon emissions.

The Alishan Low-Carbon Tour package includes admission to the recreation area and use of the area’s two electric minibus shuttle services. Red Line minibuses get you close to the Giant Trees Plank Trail and Sister Ponds, while the Blue Line terminates at Zhaoping Park, from which it is a 45-minute walk to Zhushan Viewing Point, 2,489 meters above sea level.

Standard admission to the recreation area is NT$300, but this package can be bought online for just NT$260. In keeping with environmental principles, there are no paper tickets; users instead get a QR code that they scan to enter the recreation area and when boarding a minibus. Because many of the region’s attractions have a distinct seasonal appeal, this is one part of Taiwan where careful planning always pays generous dividends. 

TOURIST INFORMATION
Travelers planning to explore the East Longitudinal Valley in-depth can gather additional information from the following websites:
Great Caoling Tourism Union (multilingual website)
Great Alishan Tourism Union (multilingual website)
235 Regional (Chiayi) Tourism Union (multilingual website)
Alishan National Scenic Area (multilingual website)
Tourism Administration (Ministry of Transportation and Communications) (multilingual website)

Back issues of Travel in Taiwan, a bimonthly English-language magazine sponsored by the Taiwan Tourism Administration and filled with detailed articles, can be read online at travelintaiwan.net. The 24-hour tourist information hotline at 0800-011-765, which is toll-free within Taiwan, can answer all kinds of questions in English, Japanese, and Chinese.