The Slower Pace of Yilan

Most first-time visitors to Taiwan tend to stick to the marquee attractions, such as Taipei and Taroko National Park. Although we Taiwanese share the same fondness for those places, most of us ended up falling in love with the less touristy region. Having visited many big cities along the west coast on our last trip, I was looking forward to somewhere more laidback and places where there is no need to rush from one landmark to another. We have thought of visiting one of Taiwan’s outlying islands or the southeastern part of Taiwan. Due to our limited time, I opted to take my parents to Yilan County (宜蘭縣), located on the northwestern coast.

Despites presence of industries, Yilan is known for its nature and serenity.

Once physically isolated from the west coast, Yilan became increasingly popular thanks to the opening of the Hsuehshan Tunnel in 2006. The driving time from Taipei was cut from two hours to thirty minutes. Much to the dismay of many locals, Yilan was sometimes nicknamed Taipei’s “back garden” or the retirement community. Compared to the urban bustling capital, this is a place to take a deep breath and connect with nature. Since I left the trip planning to the last minute, Yilan seemed like an ideal destination for an impromptu family trip.

Toucheng

Unlike most other jurisdictions in the country, Yilan is made up of four distinct town centers: Yilan City, Luodong, Toucheng, and Jiaoxi. Although not the most prosperous, Toucheng Township (頭城鎮) is perhaps of the most interest for most visitors. The name Toucheng means the “first city” in Chinese, and it was indeed the oldest Chinese settlement in eastern Taiwan. The interaction between ethnic Chinese settlers and the indigenous Kavalan people was well documented during the rule of the Qing Empire. The town was also home to the region’s main seaport until it silted up in the late 19th century.

Although seldom visited by foreigners, the historic center of Toucheng was immensely charming and entirely underrated. The town is anchored by a 2,000-foot-long main drag, which has been largely pedestrianized. The buildings lining the street are remarkably well-preserved, showcasing the traditional architecture of different decades. From the grand historic mansions to colonial-era wooden shops, a stroll down the street was a trip down memory lane for most Taiwanese. Compared to most historic old towns in Taiwan, Toucheng is not over-commercialized. Besides a charming retro-candy shop, most businesses here cater to the locals only.

The main street is bookended by two shrines to Tudigong (土地公). Tudigong is a popular deity in Chinese folk religion, who was tasked with guarding the local community from evil. Each neighborhood has its own Tudigong, and it is probably the most ubiquitous deity in the country. Many locals would stop and pray to Tudigong daily to seek protection and good fortune; it is honestly an integral part of Taiwanese culture. My family may be one of the very few who do not pray to him. According to feng shui, the fortune of the town is guarded by temples at the two termini of the street.

The historic center of Toucheng was surprisingly absent of visitors.

Within Taiwan, Toucheng was most well-known for the annual Toucheng Ghost Grappling Competition (頭城搶孤). Ghost grappling is a religious celebration indigenous to Vietnam and China’s Fujian province. The origin of the festival is disputed, but it is closely related to the offering to the deceased during the “ghost month” of the lunar calendar. Per custom, the locals would provide offerings to the deceased to ensure they were well-fed during their annual outing so as not to cause trouble on earth. At the end of the month, the temples would distribute offerings to the needy as charity. The jostling for the offering has different religious interpretations. Some believe the mayhem was meant to “scare” the ghosts back to the underworld. Others claim the acts emulate the “hungry ghosts” as a form of entertainment for the locals’ ancestral spirits.

Regardless of interpretation, these festivals hold particular significance in specific communities. In Taiwan, Toucheng and Hengchun, at the opposite ends of the island, are particularly known for their elaborate ghost grappling competitions. In the cases of Toucneng, the early settlers suffered from high mortality due to disease and conflicts with the indigenous tribes. The scarce resource prompted the community to band together for a massive feast for the dead. Ghost grasping here became so elaborate that the government banned the practice for eight decades until more stringent safety measures were implemented in 1991.

The architectural setup for the ghost grappling competition was impressive. Sixteen sturdy fir pillars supported a massive platform, which in turn supported thirteen pillars, with the offering dangling from the top. The entire structure would be greased with beef tallow to make the climbs all the more arduous. The overall silhouette of the structure is reminiscent of Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família. Participants, in teams of eight, compete to be the first to snag the offerings on top. The winner is thought to receive divine protection and is awarded a special cash prize. The current record is 8 minutes and 9 seconds, set in 2015.

Together with Tainan’s Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival (鹽水蜂炮), this is one of the two most iconic and outrageous religious festivals in Taiwan. But as far as I am aware, there has never been a significant push to make this festival a focal point for cultural tourism; it is certainly a missed opportunity. Outside the festival period, the only vestige is the near-empty field of Toucheng Cianggu Education Park. I think this is one festival that's worth planning your trip around. I am confident it is more of an adrenaline rush than the Palio di Siena or the Encierro of Pamplona.

The evocative architecture of Lanyan Museum.

Outside of the historic center, the worthwhile stop is the iconic Lanyang Museum. This ethnographic museum is dedicated to the history of the Yilan basin and features a wide range of cultural traditions, including the ghost grasping competitions. Even if you are not particularly interested in the exhibit, the museum’s unique architecture warrants a worthwhile stop for most visitors. It is the work of Taiwanese architect Kris Yao and resembles geological formations commonplace in the region. The architecture blends seamlessly with the beautiful landscape, showcasing the varied rocks of Yilan.

Guishan Island

Yilan’s most famous natural landmark is Guishan Island (龜山島), which is just offshore from Toucheng. Meaning “Turtle Island” in Chinese, the island closely resembles the silhouette of a tortoise. At nearly 1,200 ft in height, the island is visible from the coastlines of Yilan; the locals often use it to orient themselves. The island is technically a dormant stratovolcano; geologists have found evidence of four prior eruptions over the past 7,000 years. Thankfully, the last major eruption occurred in 1853, and there have been only minor activities since then.

Guishan Island is probably Taiwan’s most famous island due to its iconic shapes and unique history. Fishermen from Fujian province first inhabited the island, and the island was once a center of smuggling operations with the Japanese. After the Nationalists’ retreat after the Chinese Civil War, the government could no longer tolerate the gray zone activities. The government forcefully evacuated the islanders to Taiwan and turned the island into a military outpost. The story of these islanders reminds me of Ireland’s Great Blasket Island. I hope the Taiwanese government could one day shine a light on their historical memories.

The silhouette of Guishan Island resembles a giant tortoise.

In 1977, the military presence came to an end, and it has remained uninhabited ever since. The island became a popular hiking destination. Many also come to take a peek at all the abandoned structures, including an elementary school, a Taoist temple, and the network of defensive tunnels. Because we happened to visit on a Wednesday, when the island was closed to the public, we had settled for a cruise around the island. As a consolation prize, it also happened to be a dolphin and whale-watching tour. Despite the poor weather, the 2.5-hour voyage was enjoyable and calm. It was not a bad way to spend a dreary afternoon.

We were surprised by how many dolphins we got to see on this excursion.

Much to our surprise, we were treated to several pods of dolphins in only half an hour. Over twenty minutes, we got up close with these adorable pantropical spotted dolphins, and they are friendly and very playful. Even though Brian and I had previous close encounters with dolphins in Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, the sheer numbers of dolphins here are mind-boggling. Our guide explained that the odds of seeing dolphins are more than seventy percent this time of the year. Even though we did not see any whales on this trip, I, in a million years, never imagined Taiwan would be an excellent destination for wildlife. I was glad my parents were able to have this experience with us.

Without landing on the island, we still had an excellent tour of various sites from the water. As a volcanic island, Guishan has its unique ecology. The most famous sight is the turquoise water around the southeastern tip of the island. The color was created by the sulfur gas from hydrothermal vents. We all had strong whiffs of the sulfur, so much so that it made a girl on the boat throw up. The most remarkable thing we learned was the “unboilable” crabs indigenous to this little patch of water. They could live at a near-boiling temperature.

Dongshan Mr. Brown Avenue

Yilan may be known for its fertile fields and pristine water, but it was too easy to spend our entire trip in the urban areas. By coincidence, we had a couple of hours of good weather one afternoon. I thought it would be a great time to visit the open rice paddie fields. It just so happens that there is a “perfect” patch of rice fields, ideal for tourists. Fifteen minutes east of Luodong, Dongshan Mr. Brown Avenue (宜蘭三奇美徑) is a marvelous photo stop perfect for families. This pristine agricultural road winds through the fields and is particularly beautiful under the late afternoon sun.

Freely accessible to the public at all hours, this trail is a popular spot to bike and enjoy the expansive vistas. The local community constructed a three-story observation platform made of shipping containers. From the top, visitors have a great view of the crop art that is created for each growing season. I had no idea that art crops were even possible on rice paddies until then, and I was surprised by how beautiful they were. These fields are particularly popular right before the harvest in early summer, when the fields turn golden. The harvest also coincides with the annual Dongshan hot air balloon festival.

Although still a working agricultural field, this is a popular place for biking, with rentals available at the local Taoist temple. Visitors could also rent kayaks to paddle through the nearby irrigation canals. I really admire how the local community approached sustainable tourism. The dramatic surge of tourism has not fundamentally altered the local character. This is precisely why I think Yilan should be on the itinerary for your second visit to Taiwan.

Chung Hsing Cultural and Creative Park

Because of Yilan’s fertile fields and pristine water, the region has plenty of famous produce and regional specialities. The most famous among them must be the single-malt whisky by Kavalan Whisky Distillery. This twenty-year-old distillery burst onto the international stage when it beat three Scotch whiskies in an international competition in 2011 and was named the best whisky in the world. The world was shocked that good whiskies could come from a subtropical place like Taiwan. Even more shocking was the fact that the corporation behind Kavalan specializes in cheap canned coffee in Taiwan.

Permanent exhibition on the history of paper making at Chung Hsing.

As fun as it would be to pay a visit to Kavalan Distillery, I decided to skip it this time since my parents don’t drink alcohol. Instead, we headed to Chung Hsing Cultural and Creative Park (中興文化創意園區). The park occupies the former campus of Chung Hsing Paper Corporation, a state-run paper mill that was once the largest in East Asia. Like other nationalized enterprises in Taiwan, it was ill-equipped for global competition and was forced to be privatized. The plant eventually closed in 2001 and stood empty for fourteen years. The site was revitalized when it was chosen to host the annual Taiwan Design Expo in 2015.

Following the success of Huashan 1914 Creative Park and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei, the government inaugurated this “creative park” in 2017, with a focus on encouraging traditional industries to adapt to the new economy. Although numerous exhibit spaces are showcasing local artists, the primary focus is on highlighting the industrial transition from commodities to value-added products. Most tenants here not just sell their products but also offer workshops and quick DIY crafts, making this a great place to visit for young families. Since my parents are very young at heart, we participated in a session in wood-burning arts.

Architecture model made of LEGO-like micro bricks developed by a traditional brick maker in Yilan.

Among more than two dozen businesses represented here, one memorable shop is Old Coconut, which sells a vast collection of houseware made exclusively from the roots of the coconut trees. I was happy to discover the existence of dishwasher-safe wooden chopsticks. However, my personal favorite is an old-school brick manufacturer. In the spirit of the creative park, they began developing a system of LEGO-like micro bricks that create models of traditional Taiwanese architecture. This is probably the best Taiwanese souvenir I came across on this trip.

▲

Toucheng

Guishan Island

Dongshan Mr. Brown Avenue

Chung Hsing Cultural and Creative Park

Kaohsiung - Taiwan’s Second City

Taiwan & Bangkok Itinerary - Spring 2025