6 Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in Taiwan

Taiwan may not be as famous for its cherry blossoms as compared to Japan, but it is actually a stunning destination with its own flowering seasons! In fact, it’ll probably surprise you to learn just how many spots there are to catch cherry blossoms in Taiwan. 

Taiwan’s sakura season starts early in January and ends in April. Taipei is the first to see the pretty pink blooms every mid-January which lasts until March. As the weather turns warmer, the flowers continue blooming south in Taichung. By the time April comes around, the last cherry blossoms in Taiwan will bloom in Alishan.

Planning a late winter/spring 2022 trip? (We hope travelling will become a norm again by then!) Here are the best spots to catch cherry blossoms in Taiwan according to seasons and regions.

Pingjing Street Lane 42, Taipei

Best time to visit: mid-January to early February

Pingjing Street in front of Yangmingshan is where the cherry blossoms in Taiwan first appear, blooming as early as mid-January. Full bloom is in the end of January to February, and that’s also when the valley and Yangmingshan is most crowded. 

The area is easily accessible by public transport and there are also many farms and stalls in the vicinity offering coffee and small bites. Make sure to charge up your devices – every nook and cranny here is awfully Instagrammable. You will no doubt leave with tons of photos to capture the beautiful sights!

LOHAS Park, Taipei

Best time to visit: end January to mid-February

LOHAS Park in Neihu is another hotspot in Taipei to catch the cherry blossoms. The flowers start to bloom towards the end of January, with full bloom in effect between February and March. During this time, the riverside is lined with shades of pink.

The park is a short 10-minute walk away from Donghu MRT Station and quite easy to find. Every year the park also hosts a cherry blossom festival where visitors can take part in a variety of activities. These include outdoor movie screenings, games, and of course, indulging in yummy street food!

Wuling Farm, Taichung

Best time to visit: mid-February to early March

Wuling Farm is said to have the prettiest cherry blossoms in Taiwan, but we’ll leave you to be the judge! With thousands of cherry blossom trees, the full bloom towards the end of February is quite a sight to behold.

You can explore Wuling Farm with a day trip from Taipei or Yilan. Like LOHAS Park, Wuling Farm also hosts a cherry blossom festival annually. During this time, there are shuttle buses that take visitors from Taipei and Yilan to the farm and back. However, the journey itself does take about three to four hours one way, so you may not have enough time to explore the park adequately. An alternative is to book a stay in one of the hotels in the vicinity, so you can take your time instead of following a tour schedule. 

Lalashan Loving Farm, Taoyuan

Best time to visit: end February to mid-March

Located in Taoyuan, Lalashan Loving Farm stands at 1,600 meters above sea level, offering beautiful views of the Central Mountain Range. When the weather is clear, you can see as far as Snow Mountain and the Daba Peaks! Every February to March, the farm draws in throngs of visitors looking to spend some time in the mountains with the beautiful sakura blooms. 

Getting to Lalashan Loving Farm is best with a car. You can also access it with public transport from Zhongli Bus Terminal to Shangbaling, but you will have to hike almost 4km up to the farm. If you’re driving and visiting during peak bloom, then it’s likely that you will have to join a queue of cars to enter the farm. Be patient, play some good music and have some snacks and drinks to accompany you. We promise that the view will be worth it!

Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, Taichung

Best time to visit: end February to mid-March

Taichung has some of the prettiest cherry blossoms in Taiwan, and Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village is one of the best spots to catch it. This is proven by the fact that it is the first and only Japan-certified cherry blossom location outside of Japan! Instead of the usual pastel pink blooms you may be used to, you will find the yaezakura variety here which are a deeper pink hue. 

The cultural village is accessible by road, but we highly recommend taking a cable car ride on the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway. Seeing the cherry blossoms from a cable car is an unforgettable sight! There’s also an added bonus of learning about Taiwan’s indigenous tribes during your trip here.

Alishan National Scenic Area, Chiayi

Best time to visit: early March to early April

Alishan is a great spot to visit all year round, however, the cherry blossom season makes it especially alluring. Between March to April, different varieties of cherry blossoms will bloom in succession. It may be far away from the cities, but every year, many visitors make the trip for an authentic Taiwanese hanami experience.

We recommend staying at least a night in Alishan, to fully appreciate the beauty of this alpine region, the must-see sunrise, and its many scenic hiking trails. The easiest way to get to Alishan by car, but it is also possible to travel on public transport. If you’re especially adventurous, may we suggest catching the Alishan Forest Railway from Chiayi to Fengihu? It is undoubtedly one of the most iconic train rides in Taiwan!