Yilan

Taipei's backyard getaway in Taiwan. Enjoy whale watching at Turtle Island, hot springs at Jiaoxi, the Dongshan River Children's Festival and Sanxing scallion pancakes on the relaxed Lanyang Plain.

Yilan lies in northeastern Taiwan. It is ringed by mountains on three sides and faces the Pacific on the fourth. In the middle is the Lanyang Plain, formed by alluvial deposits, and Turtle Island offshore is its emblem. Since the Snow Mountain Tunnel on Freeway No. 5 opened in 2006, the drive or bus from Taipei to Yilan takes only 50–70 minutes, making it Taipei residents' favorite weekend getaway. Yilan is a rainy region. From October to March, the northeast monsoon brings long spells of rain, so the best time to visit is late spring to early autumn (April–October). Turtle Island is open for landings from March to November. Summer is peak season for whale watching and surfing. The Yilan International Children's Games Festival is held in July, and winter is ideal for hot springs.

Sights fall into four areas. In the north are Toucheng and Jiaoxi: boats from Wushi Harbor to Turtle Island, the Toucheng old street, Jiaoxi hot springs, Wufengqi Waterfall and the Lanyang Museum. In the center is Yilan City, with Jimmy Liao Square, the Yilan Founding Memorial Hall and the Yilan Distillery. In the south, around Luodong, Wujie and Dongshan, are the Luodong Night Market, the Luodong Forest Cultural Park and the Traditional Arts Center. In the mountains is the Taipingshan Forest Recreation Area, with Cuifeng Lake, the Jianqing Huaigu Trail and Jiuzhe Hot Spring.

For transport, Taipei Bus Station, Taipei City Bus Terminal and Nangang run frequent direct buses from Kamalan, Capital Bus and others to Jiaoxi, Yilan and Luodong. Taiwan Railways Puyuma or Taroko Express trains from Taipei take about 1 to 1.5 hours. The sights are spread out, so renting a car or hiring a driver is recommended. You can also use the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle lines to Jiaoxi, Dongshan River and Taipingshan. Two to three days is recommended: one day for Toucheng and Jiaoxi (the island trip and hot springs), one day for the Luodong Traditional Arts Center and night market, and an extra day for Taipingshan.

Note: Turtle Island landings require applying about 20 days in advance on the official website of the Northeast Coast and Yilan Coast Scenic Area. Daily quotas apply, and landings are not allowed on Wednesdays or in bad weather. Taipingshan is high, with many winding roads, so bring a jacket and check for entry restrictions.

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