Mt. Yangming

Located in the north of Taiwan, Mt. Yangming is the largest and most beautiful natural area in the province. It boasts of volcanic sights, natural valleys, waterfalls, hot springs, and a multitude of flower and plant varieties.

Throughout the four seasons you will enjoy four different sights here. In spring, flowers such as rhododendrons, cherry blossoms, camellias and wild flowers, cover the whole mountain. Every year from February to March, the local people hold the activity of Flower Season, which attracts thousands of visitors. In summer, due to frequent thunderstorms, you can always see a colorful rainbow arcing across the valley. There are many maple trees whose leaves turn red in autumn, and make the mountain more beautiful than ever. When it snows in winter, the mountain will become completely white with clouds and mist swirling around, just like a fairy world.

The mountain can be divided into two parts: the Front Mountain Park (also called Zhongzheng Gongyuan in Pinyin) and the Back Mountain Park (also called Yangming Gongyuan in Pinyin). In the Front Mountain Park, you can see the exquisitely designed bridges crossing limpid brooks, elegant pavilions standing on the low mountains, and various flowers blossoming along the trails. All of these sights form a simple and primitive world, which can completely relax your body and mind. The most famous waterfall here is called the Grass Mountain Waterfall, from which water flows all year round. In the northeast of the park, you can see an ancient architectural site. It is the Zhongshan Lou where Taiwan politicians often hold important activities.

Yangming Gongyuan is the most beautiful and important part of Mt. Yangming. It is encircled by several mountains, which include Mt. Seven Star, Mt. Gauze Hat, Mt. Bamboo Lake, Mt. Zhongzheng, and Mt. Datun. Mt. Datun is the main group of volcanoes that is famous for its amazing geography. On Mt. Seven Star, the hot springs spout with average temperatures ranging from 60C (140F) to 70C (158F). Bathing in the hot springs will help to cure diseases like neuralgia, anemia, and diabetes. The famous Flower Season, symbolized by the Flower Clock, is also held here. There are more sights to see in the park, such as the sparkling Xiaoyin Pool, the well-rounded Seven Color Fountain, the magnificent Guangfu Lou, and various waterfalls.

Due to the warm and humid climate and the volcanic geography, the mountain is rich in animal, insect, and plant species. There are 1,224 kinds of plants, among which cress, metasequoia, and gingko are considered as very precious rare plants. For the insects, the most famous is the butterfly. There are about 133 different kinds of butterflies, which make Mt. Yangming one of the best places to see them.