Road Trip from Taipei to Kaohsiung: Sun Moon Lake and Xitou

After a fun-filled and exhilarating day at Qingjing Farm, we continued our journey south, making a quick stop at the picturesque Sun Moon Lake along the way. For some of the family, it was a nostalgic trip down memory lane, revisiting a place they had fond memories of from many moons ago.

Misty beauty of Sun Moon Lake

Reminiscing with a walk through town in the drizzling rain

That evening, we arrived at the Howard Resort, ready to kick back and relax after a full day of sightseeing. Imagine our surprise when we discovered there were no elevators to the reception area or our rooms!

Taiwan was the first stop on our seven-week adventure across Asia, which would take us from wintry weather to the tropics, with a wedding celebration along the way. With such a varied itinerary, we had packed for every occasion—and naturally, that meant lugging around some rather hefty suitcases!

See those stairways? Yep, we had to haul our suitcases up those! 😅

and these steps to the room

Thankfully, our younger cousins came to the rescue and helped haul our luggage upstairs. Thank you all! We really appreciated the help. 😊

After a restful night and a delicious, hearty buffet breakfast the next morning, we were ready to discover what our cousins had planned for us.

The Howard Resort is just a stone’s throw from the entrance to the Xitou Nature Education Area, a beautiful mountain retreat known for its towering trees, lush bamboo groves, scenic hiking trails, and diverse wildlife. 

Don't you just love these garbage cans?

According to the Taiwan Tourism website, the area is home to 70 varieties of birds. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any during our visit, but we did see visitors enjoying leisurely hikes, yoga classes, and picnics amid the lush greenery.

It was early February, and the cherry blossoms were just beginning to bloom, adding a lovely touch of color to the peaceful forest. It was heartwarming to see people of all ages embracing the outdoors and enjoying the tranquility of this beautiful mountain retreat.

cherry blossom blooming early February

University bamboo bridge

Xitou was the perfect little escape from the hustle and bustle of Taipei and Taichung. Surrounded by crisp mountain air and tranquil forest scenery, it reminded us to slow down, and appreciate the simple pleasures of life.

We’re truly grateful to have foodie and travel-savvy cousins who took us beyond the usual tourist trail and introduced us to these hidden gems. Experiencing Taiwan through their eyes made the journey all the more special, giving us a glimpse of places we might never have discovered on our own. Good food, beautiful scenery, and precious family moments — what more could we ask for? ❤️

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday. 

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Taiwan Road Trip: Taipei to Kaohsiung — Wulai

After six blissful days savoring the food and soaking in the vibrant energy of Taipei, we began our journey south toward Kaohsiung. But instead of speeding down the highway, we took the scenic route — thanks to our cousins (Ta Ming, Wai Ming, and crew!) who rented a minivan for us and even joined us for the first leg of the adventure. What followed was a road trip filled with fresh mountain air, cultural discoveries, and delightful surprises.

Our first stop was Wulai, a charming hot springs town just an hour from the city—yet it felt a world away. The winding mountain roads, surrounded by lush greenery, made the drive itself a refreshing escape from urban life.

We made a stop at Neidong National Forest Recreation Area for a short and easy hike to see the waterfalls. Tucked within the forest, the paved trails led us to cascading falls surrounded by vibrant greenery. It was an unexpected highlight of the trip—a peaceful retreat and a welcome respite from the buzz of Taipei.

Neidong upper falls

After the hike, we stopped in Wulai’s old town, where a dramatic waterfall provided a scenic backdrop for lunch. The area has a strong presence of the Atayal people (泰雅族), one of Taiwan's indigenous communities, and we enjoyed local dishes at a nearby restaurant.

The highlight was the bamboo rice—we had to bang the thick bamboo tube hard enough to crack it open ourselves, revealing perfectly steamed, fragrant rice inside. Many of the vegetables were new to us, making the meal both delicious and eye-opening.

see those bamboo sticks of rice?

Wulai Waterfall

Wulai Old Street

Exotic mountain vegetable and fruits

After lunch, we hopped on a small train down the mountain, where our driver was waiting to whisk us away to Full Moon Spa Hotel for the night.

train ride down the mountain

Full Moon Spa (top left building with the red sign)

The hotel is a charming little spot right in town. There’s an elevator up to the lobby, but reaching the rooms requires walking down a set of steps—something to keep in mind for the elderly or anyone with limited mobility. The highlight, of course, was the enormous spa-like tub in our room, complete with a lovely view of the river. Filled with piping hot spring water, a long soak was the perfect antidote after a full day of exploring.

view of the mountain from the restaurant

A delicious hot pot seafood dinner was part of our room package

Unbeknownst to us, there was no heat in the room—and the temperature had dipped to a chilly 56°F  or 13.3°C. It was cold! Around the same time, much of the southern U.S.—especially Nashville, TN — was battling a major ice storm and widespread power outages. All things considered, we’d much rather brave the cold in Wulai than the ice in Nashville.

Our next stop was in Taichung, but it'll have to be another post. Stay tuned.

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday.

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Seize the day - hiking and kayaking

We've endured mid-90-degree temperatures for weeks. A storm came through Monday, dropping the temperature to the 60s that night. Next morning, we awoke to a cool 62 degrees. It's a tad early for fall weather, but boy, do we welcome the change!

We took advantage of the cool weather and went hiking at our favorite Foster Falls. We haven't been there since April. The falls were flowing pretty well from the recent rainstorms.

one of the people we met on the trail

It was still nice in the late afternoon. We drove over to nearby Marion County Park to see some boating friends and do a "sea-trail" of our new 2-seater inflatable kayak (see video below for more details.)

What a beautiful day!

Thanks to our friends, we got some nice pictures and videos of the lovely day kayaking at the park.

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday and Pictorial Tuesday.

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Seize the day - hiking at Lookout Mountain	Serendipity ... at Foster Falls	Hiking Little Lougheed, Kananaskis, Alberta