Taiwan Immigrants' Global News Network-Paradise Garden: Taiwanese Alpine Rhododendron of Hehuan Mountain

The Hehuanshan National Forest Recreation Area is situated where Hualien County in the east and Nantou County in the center of Taiwan meet. There are 3,422 meters of elevation on the tallest summit. Hehuanshan features four different seasons, with sea of clouds in summer and flowering alpine azaleas in spring. There is also the first one "Hehuan Mountain Dark-Sky Park" (國際暗空公園) in Taiwan where you can observe stars, and when the cold hits in winter, the snow-white Hehuan Mountain attracts tourists to go up the mountain to experience the silver-white world.

Hehuan Mountain, commonly referred to as "Hehuan Mountains," is made up of seven interconnected summits. Shimen Mountain (石門山), which is ranked among Taiwan's 100 peaks(台灣百岳), is the one among them that is best for casual tourists to trek on. Shimen Mountain is 3,237 meters above sea level. Wooden plank roads and stone steps make up most of the routes. It just takes 10 minutes to ascend the mountain from the parking lot to the summit. Additionally, it draws quite a lot of non-professional travelers.

Sea of clouds on Hehuan Mountain.Photo provided by Tourism Bureau, MOTC

The azalea season at Hehuan Mountain lasts from the end of April to the beginning of June each year. The azaleas atop the 3,000-meter Hehuan Mountain bloom later than those in the flatlands because of the temperature and altitude. Yushan Rhododendron and Taiwanese Alpine Rhododendron make up the majority of the rhododendron species on Hehuan Mountain. Many tourists who enjoy taking photos, hiking, and viewing flowers will decide to climb the mountain during this season solely to observe the alpine rhododendrons over 3,000 meters for themselves.

The worldwide media and visitors hail Hehuan Mountain's springtime landscape as paradise garden. Photographers from Taiwan and abroad are drawn to Hehuan Mountain every spring to capture the breathtaking panorama that resembles a paradise garden.

Hehuan Mountain.Photo reproduced from Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam Facebook

From April 1 through June 15 of this year, Hehuanshan will be in azalea season. There are also high-load and flow control procedures in place during the blossoming season. In order to visit the mountain and take shared rides to see the blooms, the public is encouraged by the Directorate General of Highways MOTC to do so on days that are not holidays.