Xitou Forest

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Xitou (溪頭; pinyin: Xītóu; pronounced like the English words "she toe") is a resort village and recreation area in the mountains of Nantou County, Taiwan. It's popular among domestic tourists for its relatively cool weather, evergreen (coniferous) forest setting, and "Monster Village" (an outdoor shopping plaza with a Japanese-enchanted-forest theme).

Originally a forestry research facility during Taiwan's Japanese era (early 1900s), Xitou is now something like a "hill station" for Taiwanese weekend travelers: Because of its location about 1000 meters of elevation, the weather is about 5-7°C cooler than nearby lowland areas.

Despite what some people will tell you, it's not as good as Alishan - the natural biodiversity is lower, and the views aren't quite as good - but it's an acceptable substitute if you're in the area or not picky.

There are two main zones of interest:

• 23.67222120.796431 Xitou Nature Education Area (溪頭自然教育園區), formerly Xitou Forest Recreation Area (溪頭森林遊樂區)). Entrance from 07:00 to 17:00 (flexible exit time). A sizeable forestry reserve and outdoor recreation zone. Though still officially an "experimental forest" operated by National Taiwan University, it serves largely as a public arboretum and botanical gardens, with lush greenery and many short- to medium-length walking trails through different types of vegetation, famously dominated by century-old plantations of cedar and cypress that today look like a natural evergreen forest (these do occur naturally in Taiwan, but mostly at even higher elevations). NT$250.  (updated Oct 2026)

• 23.6739120.795812 Xitou Monster Village (溪頭妖怪村), officially known as The M Village (妖怪森林) or Mingshan (明山森林)). Shops close around 17:0]. A tourist resort village outside the Nature Education Area (a couple minutes' walk downhill from the entrance). Though probably not worthy as a primary destination, it's fun to walk through: The village is nationally famous for its enchanted-Japanese-forest theme, with an open-air food and shopping area made up of thatched-roof wooden cottages among the evergreen trees, adorned here and there with depictions of grotesque Japanese forest spirits. free entry.  (updated Oct 2026)

The main tourist area is located a bit above 1000 meters (3,000 feet) in elevation, in a sloping, forested valley surrounded by mountain ridges that reach about 2000 meters above sea level. In the Nature Education Area there are many walking paths through that "forest", as well as along mountain streams with decorative bridges. The core area of walking routes involves only gentle slopes, but there are also some very steep trails (paved with stone steps) for more ambitious hikers, some of which cut through vegetation more closely resembling the original forest cover of the area.

Xitou's famous cedar "forests" are not true naturally occurring, having been planted a century ago at a lower elevation than Taiwan's native cedar growth - and partly with species imported from Japan. However, most people won't be able to tell the difference, and it has quite a nice shady forest vibe. There are also bamboo areas and plantings of native Taiwanese and Chinese cypress trees, as well as ginkgo and maple (both novelties in Taiwan, where they don't grow well in the hot lowlands).

For serious ecologists, the strenuous trails on the eastern slope, such as the Birdwatching Trail and the Hiking Trail, as well as the higher parts of the Phoenix (Fenghuang) Logging Road, pass through something more like the natural vegetation of this area, made up of broadleaf montane forest rather than conifers.

Xitou is a pretty good place for birding, with good numbers of mid-elevation species like Steere's Liocichla and Rufous-faced Warbler, as well as good chances to see Taiwan Yuhina, White-eared Sibia, White-tailed Robin, and Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler, just to name a few examples.

Mammal life is similar to lowland forests in Taiwan, with Formosan Rock Macaque monkeys and Pallas's Squirrel (the same species common in city parks) both common. It's sometimes possible to spot Perny's Long-nose Squirrel in the daytime and Giant Flying Squirrel at night, and it's not unusual to hear the barking calls of Reeves's Muntjac ("barking deer") from thick vegetation where you're unlike to get eyes on it.

In the summer (Jun-Sep), temperatures average daily highs of about 25°C and nightly lows of about 18°C - a modest but welcome respite from lowland temperatures around 30°C. In winter (Dec-Feb), daily highs average about 18°C, and nightly lows a chilly 9°C, with temperatures occasionally dropping close to freezing.

Xitou is easily accessible by road from Zhushan or Jiji, and can be done as a day trip from Taichung.

• 23.67291120.795641 Yuan Lin Bus Xitou Station. Several public routes from surrounding towns, and as far afield as Taichung, call here many times per day.  (updated Oct 2026)

As of Oct. 2026:

• Route 6883 is an express bus from central Taichung's Gancheng Station to Xitou, running about every hour and arriving in 1.5 to 2 hours.

• Route 6883A runs from the Taichung High Speed Rail station

• Route 6801 runs back and for between Xitou and Sun Moon Lake every two hours, stopping everywhere in between, including Jiji and Shuili, with one bus about every 2 hours during daylight. From Jiji, it costs about NT$100 each way and takes one hour. Unless you're spending the night in Xitou, make sure not to miss the last bus back down at 17:30, even if you can hitch a ride down the mountain with other tourists or resort staff, most of them aren't heading back this direction.
• Route 6719 from central Zhushan

As of October 2026, normal adult admission to the Nature Education Area - necessary to access almost any of the forest walking trails - is NT$250 per person. Entrance to the Monster Village is free.

Walking is the point here, and the only places beyond modest walking distance are either serious hiking routes or not considered part of Xitou. There may be some kind of small shuttle service between the Nature Education Area entrance and University Pond.

You can see Xitou's hallmark evergreen forests on most of the walking routes within the Nature Education Area, and even outside of it. The Monster Village, a sight on its own, is listed above under "Understand". Here's an incomplete list of spots you might want to hit inside the Nature Education Area:

• 23.67206120.790991 University Pond (溪頭大學池). The nature area's most popular (if least natural) point of interest, this is a landscaped pond with a footbridge, surrounded by messy greenery including many tree ferns. Well-suited for unambitious walkers, it's accessible from the entrance by a short walk along a wide paved road or a pretty evergreen forest path.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 23.66067120.798572 Xitou Giant Tree (溪頭神木). A massive, old-growth Taiwan Red Cypress tree stood here for thousands of years, standing out as the only remaining natural-growing evergreen conifer tree in the area until it fell in 2016. Today there's a boardwalk that allows to you walk around part of enormous fallen log, which is being allowed to return to nature, covered with thousands of smaller forest understory plants.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 23.66346120.792983 Sky Walk (空中走廊). A wooden canopy walk among the cedar trees.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 23.65846120.795814 Giant Rock (鳳凰山巨石). A house-sized boulder that tumbled down the mountain during the 1999 Jiji Earthquake (921). Now already partially overgrown with plant life. Access via a short but steep paved trail.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 23.665246120.7972685 Ginkgo Bridge (溪頭銀杏橋). Maybe the most photogenic architectural feature in the nature area - a wooden footbridge in a wavy shape with two humps.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 23.661713120.8077566 Overlook and Astronomical Observatory (溪頭天文台). For more ambitious visitors, this is the place for expansive views of the surrounding mountains, located atop the mountain ridge bounding the nature area to the east. A 750-meter climb from the nature area entrance via steep stone steps or long switchback roads. (Not something to aim for late in the day unless you're a fast hiker.)  (updated Oct 2026)

• 23.673313120.7992111 Bird Watching Trail (賞鳥步道). A good strenuous short hike: 1.4 km along a well-maintained trail with a climb of about 200 meters (stone steps), passing through something like the area's natural montane broadleaf forest.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 23.66605120.8026092 Hiking Trail (登山步道). A strenous short hike, climbing 400 m in 1.3 km from where it branches off the Bird Watching Trail to its end near the Observatory, crossing the switchback roads in a couple of places  (updated Oct 2026)
• 23.663225120.8081743 Phoenix Mountain (Fenghuangshan) North Ridgeline Trail (鳳凰山北嶺線). For serious hikers: one of several longer treks that can be done from Xitou, this route follows the mountain ridge from the Observatory across several peaks of Pheonix (Fenghuang) Mountain.  (updated Oct 2026)

Gift snacks and souvenirs can be bought at the Monster Village and its surroundings.

There are various tourist restaurants in the Monster Village, and probably a few snack bars scattered around the Nature Area. Most things seem to close around 17:00 when the day tourists leave, but there could be something open later.

At the uphill end of the Monster Village there is a Family Mart, the only chain convenience store in the area, which appears to be open 24 hours (some remote locations close late at night) and definitely accepts credit cards.

There are many accommodations within easy walking distance of the nature area entrance, including a few around the Monster Village and many more in the next real village down the hill. Prices are not cheap, but are semi-reasonable by Taiwan standards: As of October 2026, there are many options around NT$2,000 for a room on weeknights (NT$3,000 is more normal on weekends). There are also a couple of upscale resort hotels.

• 23.67411120.795771 The M Village (明山森林會舘). The official hotel of the Monster Village From NT$2,300-3,600.  (updated Oct 2026)

• 23.67813120.797812 Xitou Camping Area (溪頭露營區). The official campground of the nature area is operated by commercial glamping chain Chanshuo (蟬說). Tent sites starting from NT$750 on weekdays, NT$950 weekends and holidays; deluxe tent camping set rentals from NT$2,000.  (updated Oct 2026)

There are no particular dangers here to speak of. Just make sure to carry enough water: Even with the mild weather, the more strenuous hikes can get very sweaty in the summer.

• Sun-Link-Sea (杉林溪): A commercial resort and forest recreation area farther up the mountain from Xitou, at 1650 meters above sea level
• Sun Moon Lake is surprisingly easy to access from Xitou, about an hour's drive away with buses going back and forth several times a day (1.5-2 hours)
• Jiji: Historic railroad and the epicenter of Taiwan's earthquake of the century, with a collapsed temple still on display
• Shuili: The end of the historic Jiji railroad is in this township's scenic Checheng village, popular with tourists for logging and railroad history, and of course snack shopping.
• Zhushan: The closest major town center down the mountain from Xitou