Taiwan is a geographically diverse island nation. This remarkable diversity is reflected in its wide array of national parks, which encompass icy mountain peaks, wildlife-filled wetlands, steamy jungles, volcanic hot springs, and tropical atolls.
In this article, I’ll introduce all nine of Taiwan’s national parks, each which showcases a different side of the country’s natural beauty. I’ll cover what makes them unique, how to experience them (for those which are actually easy or possible to visit), and a few personal insights from my own visits.
I’ll also touch on some of the country’s other protected areas, such as its 19 national forest recreation areas, which are often confused as national parks.
Taiwan National Parks Overview
In 1937, during Japanese colonial rule, the Japanese created three national parks in Taiwan: Daiton National Park (today’s Yangmingshan), Tsugitaka‑Taroko National Park (today’s Taroko), and Nītaka‑Arisan National Park (today’s Yushan).
When the Japanese relinquished control of Taiwan in 1945, these three parks ceased to exist.
In 1984, Kenting National Park at the southern tip of the country became the first modern-day national park in Taiwan. Yushan, Yangmingshan, and Taroko National Parks would follow in the next two years.
The 1990s would see two more (Shei-Pa and Kinmen). The final three, all marine or island focused, followed in the 2000s and 2010s (Dongsha Atoll, Taijiang, and South Penghu Marine National Parks).
The below table shows some quick info about each of Taiwan’s national parks. They are organized by year or creation, from oldest to newest.
| Name | Key Features | Visiting Notes |
| Kenting National Park (墾丁國家公園) | Southern tip of Taiwan in Pingtung county, beaches, water activities, sand dunes, coral reefs, uplifted coral reef caves | Popular year-round beach destination, best visited as a 2-3 day trip from Kaohsiung. See my Kenting guide. |
| Yushan National Park (玉山國家公園) | Central Mountain Range in Nantou county, largest land-based national park, tallest mountain in Taiwan, high mountain hikes, diverse wildlife | Hiking Yushan is the most popular way but requires advance permit and acclimatization due to high elevation. |
| Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山國家公園) | Volcanic massif spanning Taipei and New Taipei City, hot springs, fumaroles, easy hikes, flower viewing | Easily accessible as a half-day or full-day trip from Taipei. See my Yangmingshan guide. |
| Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園) | Hualien county, world’s largest marble canyon (Taroko Gorge) and high mountain treks in Hehuanshan area | Much of Taroko Gorge is closed following the 2024 Hualien earthquake but hikes in Hehuanshan remain open. |
| Shei-Pa National Park (雪霸國家公園) | Miaoli and Taichung in Northern-Central Taiwan, named after its two main peaks, including 2nd tallest in Taiwan. | Difficult to reach, accessed from Wuling Farm, which is famous for flower and is staging point for Snow Mountain hike. |
| Kinmen National Park (金門國家公園) | Parts of the Kinmen islands just off the coast of China, historic battlefields, wetlands, and traditional Ming-dynasty houses. | Requires a roughly one-hour flight from any major city in Taiwan, off-the-beaten-track. |
| Dongsha Atoll National Park (東沙環礁國家公園) | Marine park 420 kilometers southwest of Taiwan, ring-shaped reef with tropical marine wildlife | Not open to tourism |
| Taijiang National Park (臺江國家公園) | On the coast of Tainan city, tidal wetlands with migratory birds and sea creatures. | Seldom visited by tourists except for Sicao Green Tunnel, which is partially human-made |
| South Penghu Marine National Park (澎湖南方四島國家公園) | Southern Islands of an archipelago in the Taiwan Strait, coral reefs, marine wildlife, basalt cliffs, traditional coral houses | Difficult to reach, visitors can experience similar features on Penghu’s other islands, which are typically covered on boat tours. |
Other Parks and National Forest Recreation Areas
Taiwan has one national nature park (國家自然公園): Shoushan National Nature Park, otherwise known as “Monkey Mountain” in Kaohsiung. It differs from national parks in scale (much smaller) and setting (in a big city), with lower-level funding and management.
Taiwan also has 19 national forest recreation areas (國家森林遊樂區). These are often incorrectly called “national parks”, especially Alishan, the most famous one.
Taiwan’s national forest recreation areas are mostly in former logging areas. They are managed by a different ministry than national parks.
While national parks focus on conservation first and tourism second, national forest recreation areas focus on public recreation first, but still with conservation in mind.
Besides Alishan, some of the best-known national forest recreation areas include Neidong (Wulai in New Taipei City), Taipingshan (Yilan), Aowanda (Nantou), Chihnan (Hualien), and Zhiben (Taitung).
Interestingly, a couple of them lie inside national parks (like Kenting National Forest Recreation Area in Kenting National Park and Hehuanshan National Forest Recreation Area in Taroko National Park).
This is because the national forest recreation area system predates those national parks, so they were already there when the national parks were established.
Here’s a list of all 19 national forest recreation areas. Under “type”, click “forest recreation area” to filter them.
Taiwan’s Nine National Parks
Now let’s dive into each of Taiwan’s official national parks and how to explore them. I’ve listed them in the same order as the table above.
Kenting National Park
In 1984, Kenting was designated as Taiwan’s first modern national park. The park protects 330 km2 of coastal areas in Pingtung county at the southern tip of Taiwan.
Highlights of the park include coastal sand dunes and cliffs, uplifted coral reef caves (especially in Kenting National Forest Recreation Area, which lies within the national park), the National Museum of Marine Biology (Kenting Aquarium), Eluanbi Lighthouse (at the southernmost point of the country), and dozens of beach resorts and hotels.
In the waters just off the coast, Kenting is known for its coral reefs and tropical fishes. Its handful of beaches, considered some of the most beautiful beaches in Taiwan, attract the masses for water activities including snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, jet skiing, and the iconic “banana boats”.
Kenting makes for an easy weekend beach getaway from Kaohsiung, which is 2-3 hours away by bus. Being in the tropical far south of Taiwan, it is warm enough to swim year-round, though spring and summer and most popular.
Kenting’s popularity (especially among locals) exploded after the 2008 film Cape No. 7 (海角七號) was filmed there and the annual Spring Scream Music Festival every April long weekend reached its peak popularity – my friends and I attended several of them. In 2012, scenes from Li of Pi were also filmed there, not to mention that director Ang Lee is from Pingtung.
However, its popularity has waned since then, and the music festival has been replaced with a smaller (and free) one on the same long weekend. I enjoy visiting Kenting outside of the peak season, when it doesn’t feel busy at all.
It’s sometimes easy to forget that Kenting is a national park. Kenting Night Market attracts masses of people, the beaches can be packed and noisy, and they may not be as clean or idyllic as you might expect.
See my guide to Kenting National Park for more information.
Yushan National Park
Taiwan’s second national park, Yushan National Park, was created in 1985. It is one of only two landlocked national parks in the country. At 1031 km2, it is Taiwan’s largest land-based national park, at the meeting point of Nantou, Kaohsiung, Hualien, and Chiayi counties.
Yushan National Park protects (and is named after) Yushan (玉山 or Jade Mountain), the tallest peak in Taiwan (3952 meters) and Northeast Asia – just a hint taller than Mount Fuji in Japan.
Yushan has been called the “ark of Taiwan” due to its abundance of rare species, including Formosan black bears, flying squirrels, and Reeves’s muntjac.
In 2007, Yushan National Park was one of the finalists for the list of New7Wonders. It is also a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site, if Taiwan is ever allowed to have any.
Despite Yushan’s size, it is difficult to access. Pretty much the only way to explore it is by hiking. The Yushan Main Peak Trail is the most popular by a long shot, but you’ll need to apply for a permit four months in advance or join a group or private tour six months in advance. I’ve done it twice and both experiences were extremely memorable.
The most common approach is a two-day (one night) hike, including watching sunrise from the peak on the second day. Due to the high elevation, I always acclimatize for one night before the hike.
It’s also possible to simply take a bus to Yushan from Sun Moon Lake or Alishan, or drive to the national park, but there are only a few hikes in the national park that don’t require a permit.
Many tourists view Yushan from afar from the famous sunrise viewpoint in Alishan National Forest Recreation Area.
Yangmingshan National Park
Yangmingshan National Park is the most accessible national park in Taiwan. The volcanic massif spans Taipei City and New Taipei City, with most of the popular attractions and hikes in the Taipei part of it.
The park encompasses 113 km2 of the Datun volcanic range, including Qixingshan (七星山 or “Seven Star Mountain”, the park’s highest peak, at 1120 meters), volcanic fumaroles at Xiaoyoukeng and Dayoukeng, and several thermal hot springs.
Once thought to be dormant, geologists now believe the volcano qualifies as active. The national park has a different climate than Taipei, often foggy, and with long-lasting rainbows.
The national park also has a few historic buildings, including Zhongshan Hall (former National Assembly Hall) and Yangmigshan Shuwu (a summer retreat of ex-president Chiang Kai-shek).
Yangmingshan sits right on Taipei’s doorstep. Many residents use it as a cool respite for hiking, hot springs bathing, and flower viewing, including cherry blossoms in February to early March, calla lilies in March to April, hydrangeas in May to June, and silvergrass in November.
However, visitors to Taiwan may find the park overwhelming, with spread out attractions and a complicated network of local bus routes. Many opt to hire a driver or join a day tour to explore it with ease.
For newbies, I recommend Qintiangang Grassland as the easiest and most scenic walk in the park. For a longer hike, I like to climb Qixingshan, starting from the volcanic fumaroles at Xiaoyoukeng and finishing at the rustic hot spring Lengshuikeng.
The best hot springs are in Beitou, which is at the base of the mountain, just outside the national park and MRT accessible. I usually head there for a soak after exploring the national park.
Taroko National Park
One of the three original Japanese-era national parks, and re-established in 1986, Taroko National Park in Hualien county is today a favorite among visitors to Taiwan and a focal point of trips to the wild and stunning East Coast of Taiwan.
The park is best known for Taroko Gorge, the world’s largest marble canyon. One of the top scenic attractions in Taiwan, it includes numerous suspension bridges, shrines perched on cliffs, lookout points, hiking trails, and the gorgeously situated Silks Place Resort (see on Booking / Agoda).
Taroko National Park is much larger than first meets the eye. The park includes the coastal Qingshui Cliffs and extends much further inland from Taroko Gorge, up into the Central Mountain Range and small parts of Nantou county and Taichung.
Hehuanshan National Forest Recreation Area, close to where the three counties meet, and which many don’t realize is part of Taroko National Park, is a hiker’s paradise.
Hehuanshan’s five peaks are some of the best high elevation hikes in Taiwan which don’t require permits. Songsyue Lodge, a former ski lodge, sits between them and is Taiwan’s tallest hotel.
Most visitors tour Taroko Gorge as a day tour from Hualien city. However, Taroko Gorge was unfortunately severely damaged in the April 2024 Hualien earthquake. I visited shortly after the earthquake and wrote this article about it.
Since then, many of the top attractions and hikes in the gorge remain closed. While they are gradually reopening, visiting now is more complicated and it will take many years for a full recovery.
Hehuanshan, on the other hand, remains totally open, but is best visited not from Hualien but from Taichung on the west side of Taiwan. When I visited Hehuanshan, I acclimatized in Cingjing Farm area first, which I strongly recommend.
Many visitors stay in Cingjing and then do a sunrise tour (see here) to Hehuanshan. The sunrise at Hehuanshan is one of the most dramatic ones I’ve ever seen.
Shei-Pa National Park
Shei-Pa National Park is Taiwan’s second landlocked national park. Like Yushan National Park, it protects some of the tallest peaks of the Central Mountain Range, but further north from the latter, spanning Taichung city, Miaoli, and a small section in Hsinchu.
The park is named after its two main peaks: Xueshan (雪山 or Snow Mountain, also spelled Sheishan or Syueshan), which is the second tallest peak in Taiwan at 3886 meters, and Dabajianshan (大霸尖山, also spelled Tapachien-shan, or Papak Waqa in the Indigenous Atayal language).
Also like Yushan, this park is large but difficult to access. Snow Mountain is perhaps the second most coveted high mountain trek in Taiwan, and equally if not more difficult to get a permit and hike.
I did the Snow Mountain trek several years ago, in late winter, and the mountain truly lived up to its name. The day before our ascent, there was a huge snowfall. We summited the peak in knee-deep snow – it’s an experience I’ll never forget.
Snow is rare in Taiwan – many visitors hope to see it but don’t realize how difficult that will be. This hike was quite tough, and like Yushan, I had to book it many months in advance.
Dabajianshan is the 30th tallest peak in Taiwan, but still no joke, at 3492 meters. The huge vertical mound at the peak is extremely recognizable, inspiring its Atayal name, which means “towering ear”. I haven’t hiked Dabajianshan (it’s on my list!)
It’s not easy to pay a casual visit to this national park. From the west side, this day tour from Taipei will get you close enough to see the mountains but not quite into it.
From the east side, you can take a bus from Yilan (only a few per day), day tour, or drive to Wuling Farm, which is famous for flower viewing and sits at the base of the mountains. Beware that Wuling Farm (and the road to it) gets packed during cherry blossom season.
Snow Mountain treks start from Wuling Farm, but you won’t get far without a hiking permit.
Kinmen National Park
Kinmen is one of three island counties in Taiwan, and one of two which are located just off the coast of China (the other being Lienchiang county or “Matsu Islands”).
When the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) army lost the Chinese Civil War in 1949, they fled to Kinmen and then Taiwan. Kinmen would remain a battlefront between China and Taiwan for years to come.
Today, there is much evidence of the military history of the Kinmen Islands, which include one main island and a few smaller ones. This includes numerous coastal forts, military hideouts including some deep tunnels, walls of speakers to blast nationalistic music towards the Mainland, anti-landing spikes, and even a full tank stuck in the sand on one beach.
Kinmen National Park was established in 1995, or three years after Kinmen stopped being treated as a war zone, to protect several such sites on these islands.
The national park has five different sections on the Kinmen Islands, protecting 35 km2, or roughly a quarter of the total space on the islands.
Besides military sites, it also protects wetland ecosystems and traditional Fujian-style architecture dating to the Ming Dynasty.
Kinmen is the only one of Taiwan’s major offshore islands that I haven’t been to yet. I’ll be going in 2026, so I may add more details after that!
Dongsha Atoll National Park
At 3537 km2, Dongsha Atoll National Park is the largest national park in Taiwan, though it is almost entirely underwater.
The national park lies in the South China Sea roughly halfway between Hong Kong and the Philippines. It includes the huge (25 kilometers in diameter) Dongsha Atoll and the waters around it, including tiny Dongsha Island, which mainly houses research facilities.
There are no permanent inhabitants in the national park and tourists cannot visit it.
The national park was established in 2007 primarily for marine ecological research and conservation. It also plays a strategic role, as it sits at the confluence of overlapping territorial claims between China, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
Taijiang National Park
Another relatively recent newcomer, Taijiang National Park was established in 2009 to protect a 393 km2 tidal wetlands area northwest of the Tainan city center.
Once an inland sea that allowed Tainan to become a major salt producer, 85% of Taijiang National Park still consists of water.
The national park was created to preserve these wetlands, which are home to over 200 species of shellfish, 240 species of fish, 49 species of crab, and migratory birds such as the endangered black-faced spoonbill.
In part because it is so new, Taijiang National Park is not well developed for tourism. The best (and one of the only) ways to experience the national park is by taking a short boat ride at Sicao Green Tunnel, easily done as a half day trip from Anping District of Tainan city.
When I did this, I noted that many of the trees have been pulled down with ropes to create a “tunnel” for boats to pass through. Nevertheless, it was still beautiful.
In winter, when it’s possible to spot the black-faced spoonbills, there are boat tours which depart from the same spot to explore the national park more deeply, but I’ve never heard from anyone who actually tried it.
If you’re interested in Taiwan’s wetlands, I recommend visiting Gaomei Wetlands in Taichung, where its easier to spot sea creatures and birds.
South Penghu Marine National Park
Taiwan’s youngest national park, South Penghu Marine National Park, was established in 2014. It protects several islands at the southern end of the Penghu archipelago, a county of Taiwan and collection of islands in the Taiwan Straight between Taiwan and China.
These islands include Dongjiyu, Xijiyu, Dongyupingyu, Xiyupingyu, and some smaller islets. Less than 50 people in total live on these islands.
The national park was created to protect the fragile marine life around these islands. It also includes some basalt columns, traditional houses made of basalt and coral, temples, lighthouse, and sea caves.
Penghu is one of my absolute favorite places in Taiwan. I have been multiple times and taken two island-hopping tours to many small islands around it. However, I’m not aware of any tours which include the small islands of South Penghu Marine National Park (and perhaps that is for the better).
Still, the same features that South Penghu Marine National Park is known for can be easily enjoyed elsewhere in Penghu.
For example, there are gorgeous basalt columns and houses made or basalt and coral on Xiyu, one of the four main connected islands.
To the east, Peng Peng Beach Island has what is perhaps the nicest beach I’ve ever seen in Taiwan, while Qimei Island to the southwest has the famous twin heart shaped weirs.
So, which of Taiwan’s national parks have you visited or now want to visit? Let me know in the comments below!