13 Best Things to Do in Yilan

Located in the Chungshan Park area, Luodong Night Market is one of the most happening places in Yilan. It not only offers a great shopping experience, but it’s lined with street vendors and cafés offering mouth-watering local Taiwanese cuisine. Despite its name, the market actually opens early in the morning, but runs late into the night.

Some of the most popular snacks to be found here include mutton herbal soup, rice noodle soup and iced tapioca. This is a must-visit location for those who love to hang out and enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing but munching on delicacies. Yilan pastry, smoked duck meat and ya shang are some of the other delicacies you may want to try at Luodong Night Market.

Gueishan Island is one of the major attractions of Yilan. The island is in the shape of a sea turtle due to many long years of volcanic activity and, unsurprisingly, many people refer to it as Turtle Island. You will require a permit to visit this remote place and the number of people allowed to go is usually limited. You can enjoy whale-watching here, and Turtle Island is also known as one of the best places to appreciate the beauty of the sunrise.

Annong Creek is known for its splendid whitewater rafting venues. It also has a number of smaller attractions and, because it’s so popular, there are plenty of budget and luxury hotels in the area. Apart from some great whitewater rafting destinations, there are places of historical interest as well as a number of untouched natural belts.

The Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area is located in Datung Village and the whole recreational belt is built around Mt. Tiaping, which rises to almost 2,000 metres above sea level. Although the mountain is covered in mist all the year round, the peak offers epic views of the surrounding area and is one of the few places in Taiwan where you’ll see snow. The forest below is an especially diverse one, with attractions ranging from from cypresses to hemlocks and other types of vegetation. If you love nature, visiting the Taipingshan region should certainly be on your list of things to do in Yilan.

Hot springs are located towards the centre of the region and are said to possess therapeutic properties. The famous Pong-Pong trail is also in this area. This trail was used for transporting logs and wood in the past. These days, it’s open to visitors and enjoying a ride along this trail is a great experience. There are so many areas of interest in the Taipingshan region that you really have to visit the place with plenty of time available to catch the essence of it.

The Yilan Distillery Chia Chi Lan Wine Museum is a one-of-a-kind place which, as the name suggests, is devoted to alcohol-related collectibles and souvenirs. The museum is located in one of the oldest distilleries in Taiwan and the place is a must-visit for those who want to have a sneak peek at historical methods of wine production and preparation. There is also a small gift shop here.

The Kavalan Distillery offers a very literal flavour of the Yilan countryside. The whisky produced here has a smooth and creamy flavour, which has even beaten Scotch whiskies in blind taste tests. Since the distillery opened in 2005, it’s been racking up the awards and praises, particularly for its single malts.

Taking its name from the indigenous people of the Kabalan Plain where it’s located, the distillery is a little bit out of town, on the outskirts of Yuanshan Township. Hourly tours of the factory are run throughout the day and are free, but you’ll need to make a reservation if you want it in English.

The Yilan County Historical Museum exhibits some old relics and souvenirs from the Japanese colonial era and gives you the chance to get personal with the rich culture heritage of Yilan. Most parts of the museum are free, except for County Prefect’s House, which is about NT$30 for an adult.

The National Centre for Traditional Arts is one of the most important centres of traditional and fine arts in Taiwan. It’s located in Wujie and its main focus is to promote Taiwanese arts and culture. You can also shop for souvenirs that are sold along the ‘Old Street’ – a renovated part the town which is part of the complex. The entry fee is NT$150 for adults.

Dong Shan River Park offers a fun way to escape the sweltering heat of a Yilan summer. It has some really cool activities that you can indulge in, often accompanied by trance-techno music, giving you a head-rush beyond imagination. Some of the most popular attractions of the park include slides and jumping water jets.

With mighty waves rolling in from the Pacific Ocean, the northeastern coast of Taiwan is known as a surfing mecca. Yilan has some really cool surf spots. Suao is one such harbour town of which is known the world over for its challenging surfing.