NantouPlay Recommendations
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Illustrative Shan Lin Xi Forest Eco Resort Area in Zhu Shan, Nantou County, sits at roughly sixteen hundred meters elevation and is a natural summer retreat. The grounds are known for primeval forest, mist-wrapped mountains, and multiple trails, with major sights including the Song Long Rock Waterfall, Tian Di Eye trail, flower center, and Red Pavilion. The park offers free shuttle service between major spots, making it well suited to families, hikers, and photographers. Admission is free throughout the year, and the cool climate offers a perfect escape from city noise into natural tranquility and beauty.
Illustrative Taiwan Craft Culture Park in Cao Tun, Nantou County, spans about six hectares and is operated by the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute. The site groups five main halls—the Local Craft Hall, Craft Information Hall, Craft Design Hall, Craft Culture Hall, and others—showcasing a wide range of Taiwanese traditional and innovative crafts. The Living Craft Hall houses a 'Joyful Forest' inclusive children's space and a 'Children's Workshop' with free traditional toys, DIY experiences, story time, and interactive games suited to kids under twelve and their parents. The park also hosts craft mini-camps, holiday markets, and special exhibitions, with free admission throughout, making it an enriching educational outing for families.
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Illustrative Bao Hu Gong Tian Di Tang Di Mu Temple crowns the peak of Jin Ying Mountain in Pu Li, Nantou County, and has served as the area's spiritual anchor for more than sixty years. Its distinctive green-tiled palace architecture and green glazed-tile roof went viral on social media and earned it the nickname Taiwan's Cheong Wa Dae. Built into the mountainside, the temple spans a colorful Qian Kun gate, a majestic five-gate archway, and the Ba Gua Nine Dragons Pool, all showcasing exquisite craftsmanship and grand scale—an ideal spot for photos and absorbing religious atmosphere. Free parking and accessibility services make it welcoming for families and faithful alike.
Illustrative Cao Tun Ku Bi Parent-Child Sports Park in Cao Tun Township, Nantou County, is a spacious park that blends forest greenery with large container-themed play structures. The grounds feature a three-story container-stacking slide, roller and water-pipe slides, a carousel, trampolines, balance-bike track, climbing wall, and sandpit, ideal for toddlers, teens, and adults to play together. The park offers free parking, gender-friendly and accessible restrooms, and is open year-round with free admission, making it an ideal choice for family outings, parent-child sports, and outdoor leisure.
Illustrative Zhong Liao Shi Long Temple in Zhong Liao Township, Nantou County, is a temple famous for its Instant Noodle Earth God. Worshippers can offer whole boxes of instant noodles as offerings, and after the ritual the temple distributes free noodles to all visitors, creating a distinctive experience of eating instant noodles for wealth and peace. The temple grounds include a large parking lot, wishing-ingot stones, and divination-stick interpretation services, with twenty-four-hour free all-you-can-eat instant noodles that delight locals and tourists alike.
Illustrative Pu Li Yuan Shou Hall in Pu Li Township, Nantou County, is a free leisure and sightseeing spot. The grounds feature a giant 3D chessboard and European-style castle, perfect for photo check-ins, and provide clean restrooms and free parking. The hall sells local agricultural specialties and souvenirs, allowing travelers to rest, shop, and browse along the way to Sun Moon Lake or other attractions. The environment is spacious and open year-round, making it ideal for self-driving families stopping in briefly.
Illustrative Bao Hu Gong Tian Di Tang Di Mu Temple (also known as Pu Li Di Mu Temple) crowns the peak of Jin Ying Mountain in Pu Li Township, Nantou County, and is both the local spiritual anchor and a tourist focal point. The temple is famous for its green-tiled palace architecture, with a green glazed-tile roof that gives a grand yet classical exterior, and interiors that house the Di Mu main hall, Qian Kun gate, Tai Yang, Tai Yin, and other shrines, plus the Ba Gua Nine Dragons Pool and observation platform. A large free parking lot sits out front, weekdays are quieter, and it is well suited to self-driving visitors for photo check-ins and quiet worship. The site is free and open year-round, making it a must-visit destination that blends religious culture with natural scenery.
Illustrative Xi Tou Monster Village (also known as Monster Forest) sits beside the Xi Tou Nature Education Area in Lu Gu Township, Nantou County, and is an open-air shopping district that blends Japanese monster themes with the surrounding natural beauty. Admission is free and the village operates around the clock, offering AR puzzle hunts, escape rooms, kimono experiences, and other interactive activities, with red lanterns, torii gates, and wooden architecture evoking a strong Japanese atmosphere. The lanes gather snack stalls and souvenir booths, with the signature treat being the Yao Ren Cat bread infused with the local stinging-na-cat plant. Weekends draw larger crowds, parking is paid, and the village is ideal for families, couples, and indie culture fans to take photos and stroll.