Few places in Taiwan have been transformed more by a single piece of infrastructure than Yilan County. Since the completion of Freeway 5 in 2006, which made day-tripping from Greater Taipei much more feasible, the county has enjoyed a tourism boom.
The tourists wouldn’t come, of course, unless there were plenty to see and do. This well-watered region boasts lush rural landscapes, some of the country’s most popular hot springs, and highlands where indigenous communities coexist with vast tracts of ecologically diverse woodland. Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area is the largest reserve of its kind in Taiwan, while the Cilan Divine Tree Garden protects a remarkable assortment of ancient red cypress and yellow cypress trees.
The isolation that once held Yilan back resulted in a distinctive local culture. Many of those who grew up in the county speak Taiwanese with an “inland” accent that’s noticeably different from those heard elsewhere on the island. The performing art now known as Taiwanese opera – renditions of which are common in temple celebrations throughout the country – emerged here.
For both the national and local governments, preserving what makes Yilan so appealing is a priority. Since 2000, the Yilan Green Expo has been offering droves of visitors a combination of aesthetic pleasure and practical advice for those trying to live in harmony with nature.
Integrating facets of the local economy with community culture, the 2025 edition will run from March 29 to May 11 at the Wulaokeng Scenic Area, where mountains, forests, and creeks converge in the county’s Suao Township. This year’s principal theme is “A sustainable future starts from the heart,” with a strong focus on creating “an inclusive world” in which every part of society works toward sustainability.
This expo’s 16 exhibition areas cover a variety of aquatic, marine, and land ecosystems while exploring agricultural upgrading, energy and water conservation, farm-to-fork foodways, habitat protection, and net-zero and carbon-negative initiatives. To make sure visitors don’t feel like they’re back in the classroom, there are also plenty of games, puzzles, and entertainment for people of all ages. Ticket prices vary from NT$300 (allowing multiple visits over several days), NT$200 (one-time admission on weekends and national holidays), NT$150 (one-time admission on other days), and NT$100 (special price for Yilan County residents).
In keeping with the expo’s environmentalist goals, there’s no need to drive. Travelers coming from Yilan City or Luodong can take bus 1766 to the venue. Those coming from farther afield can take a Taiwan Railway local or express train to Suaoxin Station and then, near the station’s West Exit, board the free shuttle bus to the Expo site (one bus every 20 to 30 minutes).
Those hoping to minimize their “food miles” can feast on the county’s excellent rice, famous duck meat, and ultra-fresh seafood, not to mention spring onions from Sanxing Township and green bamboo shoots cultivated in Dongshan Township. Fruits grown in Yilan include pears, pineapples, watermelons, and cantaloupes.
Reaching most of the county’s tourist attractions by public transportation isn’t difficult. The National Center for Traditional Arts (NCFTA) – where visitors can enjoy performances of shadow and glove puppetry, acrobatics, and Taiwanese opera – is served by the Dongshan River Route (Green 21) Taiwan Tourist Shuttle. Other Tourist Shuttle routes connect spots in and around the hot-springs resort town of Jiaoxi (Green 11-A and Green 11-B) and along the coast (Green 18).
One of the most intriguing places on Yilan County’s long coastline is the Zhuangwei Sand Dunes Ecological Park, part of the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area. The landscape here is an expanse of sand and grass, enhanced by indoor and outdoor art installations and the work of Huang Sheng-yuan, one of Taiwan’s leading architects.
The balanced and ecologically sensitive development of the site was chosen as one of the Top 100 Stories of 2024 by Green Destinations, a Netherlands-based tourism management organization.
Last year, Green Destinations recognized the National Center for Traditional Arts (NCFTA) for its efforts to revive a vibrant grassroots custom through a program titled Be a Sharer: The Revitalization of the Traditional Orange Turtle Sharing Culture. The initiative earned third place in the “Culture & Tradition” category at the 2025 Green Destinations Story Awards, held during ITB Berlin, one of the world’s leading travel and tourism conventions.
For decades, Yilan’s residents have been weaving bamboo into turtle-shaped offertory vessels, which they fill with locally grown oranges and kumquats. In Han culture, turtles symbolize longevity and peace, while there’s an auspicious ring to the sound of the Mandarin and Taiwanese words for those fruits. Once the relevant prayer and sacrifice rituals are completed, the “turtle” is taken home, and the fruit is shared with family, friends, and neighbors.
After learning that this folk art was on the brink of vanishing, NCFTA experts worked with the one temple where the custom was still practiced to retrieve lost weaving skills. Rather than depend on unpredictable levels of interest at a particular place of worship, the NCFTA has introduced “The Orange Turtle Sharing Ceremony” to two dozen temples around Taiwan and worked with a supermarket chain to promote it as one of Yilan’s cultural assets.
Another gem within the national scenic area is Guishan Island. Thanks to subsea hot springs, the waters around this uninhabited islet have a special ecosystem. To visit, tourists must obtain a permit, which is best done through a tour company.
Another organization working hard to develop sustainable and meaningful travel in the region is the Great Northeast Tourism Union. This government-backed alliance brings together tour operators, shops, community associations, and other stakeholders. Together, they’re building enriching itineraries that make the most of Yilan’s natural and cultural wealth.
Yilan’s proximity to Taipei also makes it a superb potential venue for meetings, incentive travel, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE).
Travelers setting their sights on Taiwan’s northeast can gather additional information from the following websites:
Yilan Green Expo
Slow Coast – Yilan County Government (bilingual website)
Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area (multilingual website)
Great Northeast Tourism Union (multilingual website)
Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Service (multilingual website)
Tourism Administration (Ministry of Transportation and Communications) (bilingual website)
Meet Taiwan (MICE) (bilingual website)
The 24-hour tourist information hotline (0800-011-765) is toll-free in Taiwan and staffed by English, Japanese, and Chinese speakers.
