This short trail on the southern tip of Green Island boasts coastal scenery and the possibility of a hot spring dip.
easy hike in Taiwan
TEFUYE GIANT CAMPHOR TREES and BAMBOO TRAIL (特富樟樹巨木群/特富野竹林步道)
The Tefuye Trail is a short, easy hike circling the Tsou tribal village of Tefuye in Chiayi's Alishan Township. The trail takes hikers through a small-scale coffee plantation, past a giant camphor grove, and back down along a bamboo-lined trail. Along the way, visitors can also take a look at this aboriginal village's tribal architecture and enjoy the local coffee.
MOUNT SONGBOKENG (松柏坑山)
This gentle walk in Nantou County has to be one of the easiest of Taiwan's Xiao Bai Yue. From Songboling Shoutian Temple, rural lanes take you on a gentle ramble through tea plantations, pineapple patches, and decommissioned military bunkers.
SAVAGE VALLEY (野人谷)
This loop walk in New Taipei's pretty Pingxi District takes you through an abandoned pleasure park, past a couple of waterfalls, and past the odd landscape of Dahua's potholes.
MANYUEYUAN WATERFALLS (滿月圓國家森林遊樂區)
One of two National Forest Recreation areas within the Greater Taipei area, Manyueyuan and its waterfalls is a popular spot for city folk seeking respite from Taipei’s hot summers. The park has abundant greenery, two or three waterfalls, and a handful of easy trails to explore.
KEELUNG GUANYIN STATUE and LONGTOU HILL (基隆大觀音像/龍頭山)
This short and easy wander takes you up into hills and alleyways above Keelung Port.
XISHAN CANAL TRAIL and PINGJING HISTORIC TRAIL (溪山百年古圳/平菁古道)
Just up the road from Taipei's National Palace Museum, Pingjing Historic Trail and Xishan Canal Trail offer walkers a pleasant and shady walk with the promise of coffee and cherry blossom at the top if you visit at the right time of year.
SMANGUS LOOKOUT and KORAW ECOLOGICAL PARK (司馬庫斯觀景臺/KORAW生態公園)
This gentle trail climbs up to a viewing platform overlooking Smangus, a secluded mountain retreat once considered Taiwan’s most remote settlement. While many visitors come to admire the village’s cherry blossom or its grove of giant trees, this forest trail at the other end of the village offers a quieter escape for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.
JINGUASHI to BENSHAN GEOLOGICAL PARK LOOP (金瓜石/本山地質公園O型)
The area around Jiufen and Jinguashi is absolutely riddled with hiking trails — many of which can be found on this site. This latest addition to the collection details an easy-to-moderate walk that takes in some sites of historical and geological interest.
FISHERMAN’S TRAIL: SOUTHERN SECTION (魚路古道南段)
The Fisherman’s Trail is a historic 30-kilometre trading route connecting Jinshan on Taiwan’s northeastern coast with Shilin. This post covers the southern section connecting Qingtiangang with Shilin.
KEELUNG MOUNTAIN NIGHT HIKE (基隆山夜爬)
Keelung Mountain offers great views at either end of the day, and who doesn’t want to see the sight of Jiufen snuggled into the hills as it beds down for the day?
99 PEAKS FOREST TRAIL (九九峰森林步道)
The Ninety-Nine Peak Trail in Nantou is a short hike that can be completed within a couple of hours. It has been voted as one of the six best trails in Nantou and takes hikers through some geographically interesting terrain.
LIGHTHOUSES, BAIMIWENG FORT and XIANDONG ZUISHENG CAVE TEMPLE (基隆走走：基隆燈塔/球子山燈塔/白米甕砲臺/仙洞巖最勝寺)
This trail in Keelung's Zhongshan District isn't the prettiest walk I've ever done, but it certainly packs in a lot of interesting spots into its short length. There are two lighthouses, port views, a fort, and a subterranean temple.
BAT HILL (蝙蝠山)
The hike to Bat Hill Lookout from Shuangxi is a short and (mostly) easy walk that can be combined with an exploration of this historic riverside town in New Taipei.
SHUISHAN GIANT TREE TRAIL (水山神木步道)
The Shuishan Giant Tree Trail is an easy walk in the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area that is suitable for hikers of all levels of experience. The trail takes you through old forests and along old railway tracks.