Yangminshan 陽明山

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Yangminshan is one of the nine national parks in Taiwan. It is located between Taipei and New Taipei City. The National Park is famous for its cherry blossoms, hot springs, sulphur deposits, fumaroles, venomous snakes and hiking trails. Taiwan's tallest dormant volcano, Seven Star Mountain, sits there. Relative to other national parks, Yangminshan National Park has a lower elevation, from to 200 to 1120 metres. The landscape is beautiful and with lots of variations: ridge, lake, forested walks, grassland, etc.


It's not difficult to reach Yangminshan.  There are several ways but we opt to arrive at Jingtan and take a bus out of a few choices to reach the park.  The bus climbed the mountain and took us to the park's tourist centre.  

You can get information such as the route of a bus (no. 108) driving through different sights of the park and advice where to visit.  It cost TWD60 to get a day ticket for hopping up and down at any bus stop.


Our first stop was Zhuzihu Bamboo Lake 竹子湖.  A bit earlier before our visit in early May was the calla. Off the bus, we had to walk on the road until we saw signs for the calla.  We were late for the blossom but could still see a few surviving calla and other species fighting for the attention from the tourists.  The walk is between forested paths, different farms and most parts are flat. Sometimes, animals or birds walk with you.


Our next stop was Erziping 二子坪,  It is a shady walking path very popular with families.  Till the end is a lake with greens.   We bumped into two extreme animals.  One is very sweet and cute, a squirrel.  The other one is frightening, a snake!



We then rushed to Xiaoyoukeng 小油坑, a post-volcanic geological landscape area.  Already from Zhuzihu can everyone view the smoke from the fumaroles of Xiaoyoukeng.  It is a magnet which draws all tourists there. Yellow sulphur, looks beautiful but dangerous in reality.  A bubbling muddy pond gets attention but not a touch.  Take a look here.


Ascend up a viewing terrace to have a panoramic view of the post-volcanic geological area and the surrounding.  Be amazed by the beauty.


My friend would like to see the Milk Lake 牛奶湖 .  We got off at Lengshuikeng, where people can plunged their feet into free hot spring water.  Quite crowded.  


It is how it looks from a bit higher.  Quiet, almost no tourist around. The other side is a little bridge and a pond at the end.  Perhaps, the gloomy weather downgraded the impression of this tourist spot.The funnier is a scene of two dogs made to stand still for their owner to take photo.  They looked disengaged.

 


We came to our last stop, Qingtiangang Grassland 擎天崗.  It is an area of undulating grassland. There were cattle eating grass and totally undisturbed by the tourists. But there can be exceptions. 







Location: Yangmingshan National Park, Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan 112

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