Taiwan Flower Season Calendar for Road Trippers: What Blooms Each Month, Where to Pick Up Your Car and How Long the Drive Takes

Taiwan Flower Season Calendar for Road Trippers: What Blooms Each Month, Where to Pick Up Your Car and How Long the Drive Takes

Most Taiwan flower calendars tell you what blooms in which month, and stop there. If you are driving, the questions that matter are different: which station should I pick up the car from, how long is the drive, where do I park, and will the road be closed to cars on festival weekends? This calendar answers exactly that. For every month we picked one to three signature blooms, matched each spot with the nearest GoodCars pickup point, checked the drive on Google Maps, and summarised the traffic and parking rules published by the local government or park authority. Because we are publishing in October, the calendar starts in October, so the autumn silver grass, the Xinshe flower fields, the Tongluo chrysanthemums and next year's plum and cherry blossoms are easiest to find.

Autumn silver grass on Yangmingshan, the first stop of the flower year (Unsplash; the photographer titled it "Silver grass of Yangmingshan")

Taiwan flower calendar at a glance (starting in October)

Drive times start from the nearest GoodCars pickup point and were checked on Google Maps at midday on Sunday 27 September 2026, during a long weekend; allow extra time on festival weekends. Bloom months are approximate, and the official notice from each organiser or authority always takes priority.

October–December: silver grass, flower fields and chrysanthemums

Autumn is the busiest part of the flower year. Silver grass comes first, then in November the Xinshe flower fields in Taichung and the chrysanthemums in Tongluo bloom at the same time, while mountain maples and lowland bald cypress keep the colour going into January. Most of these spots are in the hills or farmland, where buses are infrequent, so a car saves a lot of time.

Silver grass at Qingtiangang, Yangmingshan (about October–November)

Quoting the Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters, Taiwanese media report that the silver grass season runs from roughly late September to mid-November and looks best after mid-October; the Qingtiangang grassland is one of the most popular places to see it. From our Taipei Main Station branch (No. 19, Lane 26, Sec. 1, Chongqing N. Rd., Datong District) it is about 45–60 minutes to the Qingtiangang Visitor Center, depending on traffic.

• Parking: a 2023 ETtoday report said drivers waited almost an hour for a space at Qingtiangang on a silver grass weekend, so go on a weekday if you can. On weekends arrive early, and if the car park is full, follow the staff's directions to another car park rather than stopping at the side of the road.
• Pickup hours: bookable pickup and return times at Taipei Main Station are 09:00–21:00. If you need to pick up or return outside business hours, call the branch in advance and they will arrange it. Walking directions from the station are in our Taipei Main Station pickup guide.
• More Yangmingshan: sights, hot springs and the calla lily and hydrangea seasons are covered in our Yangmingshan self-drive guide.

Silver grass on the Caoling Historic Trail (November festival)

The Caoling Historic Trail links Yuanwangkeng in Gongliao, New Taipei, with Dali in Toucheng, Yilan. The Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration holds a silver grass festival here every November; the 2026 dates listed in the Tourism Administration's event calendar are 1–30 November (the administration's notice takes priority). The highest point is the Yakou viewing pavilion, where on a clear day you can see the northeast coast and Guishan Island.

• By car: the Yilan side is closest. From Jiaoxi Station (No. 1, Wenquan Rd., Jiaoxi; self-service pickup in the station car park) it is about 50–55 minutes along the coastal Provincial Highway 2 to the Dali Visitor Center (No. 11, Sec. 7, Binhai Rd., Toucheng, next to Dali Tiangong Temple). We checked this at midday on a holiday weekend, so weekdays are usually quicker.
• Parking: the Dali Visitor Center has a car park and is open 09:00–17:00; the trail entrance is a short walk from there. Festival weekends are busy, so plan to arrive in the morning.
• Pickup: Jiaoxi Station can be booked for 00:00–23:55, and payment is completed online through the booking process. To compare the three Yilan pickup points, see our Yilan car rental guide.

Xinshe Flower Sea and Taichung International Flower Carpet Festival (about November)

This festival is organised by the Ministry of Agriculture's Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation Station and the Taichung City Government, at the station's second nursery in Xinshe (around No. 30, Xiexing St.). The Tourism Administration's event calendar lists the 2026 dates as 31 October–22 November; check the organiser's notice before you go.

• Where to pick up: from our Taichung Station branch (No. 157, Jianguo Rd., Central District) it is about 41–44 minutes; from HSR Taichung (self-service pickup in the station car park) about 41–48 minutes. Arriving by high-speed rail? Use HSR Taichung. Staying in the city? The Taichung Station branch is closer to your hotel.
• Traffic control (2025 example): during the festival, from 8 am to 5 pm daily, Xiexing St. and Xingyi St. around the venue became pedestrian-only with no vehicles allowed, several nearby roads were one-way, and on busy weekends some roads were limited to shuttle buses and coaches. The city ran free shuttle buses on several routes. The 2026 arrangements will be announced by the Taichung City Government.
• Parking tip: the closer you get to the venue, the heavier the traffic. Go in the morning, and if the car parks are full, park further out as directed or switch to the shuttle. For Taichung pickup options, see our Taichung car rental guide and HSR Taichung pickup guide.

Chrysanthemums in Tongluo, Miaoli (about mid-November to early December)

According to the Miaoli County Government, the white chrysanthemum fields spread across Jiuhu, Zhangshu and Chaoyang villages in Tongluo Township, and the best viewing window is about three weeks from mid-November. The county says Tongluo grows about 50 hectares of chrysanthemums, and you can smell them as you drive past. These are working farms, not a park.

• Where to pick up: the closest point is our Taichung Airport (RMQ) station (self-service pickup in the airport car park, bookable 00:00–23:55), about 40–45 minutes from Jiuhu Village: book Taichung Airport. Arriving by high-speed rail? HSR Hsinchu is about 48–49 minutes via National Freeway 1 and HSR Taichung about 46–52 minutes, so get off at Hsinchu if you are coming from Taipei and at Taichung if you are coming from the south.
• Traffic and shuttles (2025 example): during the two-day chrysanthemum and taro festival, traffic on Jiuhu Bridge and the flood-control road was limited to the north-to-south direction, and free shuttles ran from Tongluo railway station. The 2026 festival dates had not been announced as of 27 September.
• Be a good visitor: the lanes between fields are narrow farm roads. Please do not park beside the fields or block the lanes, and stay out of the flower beds when taking photos.

Autumn leaves: mountains in October, lowlands in December

The colour starts in mid-October with the golden Taiwan beech on Taipingshan in Yilan, and Wuling Farm turned early in 2026. Fushoushan follows in November, Alishan usually looks best from late November into December, Aowanda runs from November to January and Dasyueshan peaks in December. Shimen Reservoir in the lowlands closes the season from mid-December to early January. Best times, vehicle limits and the nearest pickup points are all in our Taiwan autumn maple road trip guide.

Bald cypress: turning in November, deepest red in December–January

Bald cypress starts turning in November, is fullest in northern and central Taiwan from December into January, and turns last at Liujia in Tainan. Opening hours, parking fees and the nearest pickup points for eight spots are in our bald cypress road trip guide.

Next January–March: plum blossoms first, then cherry blossoms

Plum blossoms open first, from the end of the year to mid-January. Cherry blossoms follow, moving from low altitudes up the mountains until early April. Both are mountain destinations with busy festival weekends, so leave early and check the official notices.

White plum blossom, the first flower of Taiwan's winter (Unsplash; tagged taiwan and plum blossom; illustrative)

Plum blossoms in Xinyi Township, Nantou (about late December–mid-January)

The Nantou County tourism website lists Wusonglun (烏松崙), Niuchoukeng (牛稠坑) and Fengguidou (風櫃斗) as the classic plum routes in Xinyi Township, along with the Tuchang and Waipingding plum areas. In past years the best viewing has been from around New Year to mid-January, shifting earlier or later with winter temperatures.

• Where to pick up: HSR Taichung is about 1 h 19–20 min from the Xinyi Farmers' Association Plum Dream Factory (梅子夢工廠) via National Freeway 3, and about 1 h 32–34 min from Wusonglun. The Provincial Highway 16 route takes 20 minutes or more longer.
• Traffic control (past practice): on holiday weekends from 4 to 26 January 2025, cars heading to Wusonglun, Fengguidou and Niuchoukeng on County Road Tou-91 were sent one way, exiting via Xinxiang Village back to Provincial Highway 21. The 2027 arrangements will be announced by the Nantou County Government and police.
• Driving tip: the orchard roads are narrow and passing is difficult, so follow the one-way route and do not cut through side lanes.

Plum blossoms at Jiaobanshan Park, Taoyuan (about mid-January)

The plum garden at Jiaobanshan Park (角板山行館) in Fuxing District is the easy plum trip from Taipei and Taoyuan. The Taoyuan City tourism department expected the blossoms to peak in mid-January, and the 2026 plum festival was held on the weekends of 17–18 and 24–25 January; 2027 dates will be announced by the department.

• Where to pick up: the closest point is our Pingzhen Fumei Station (self-service pickup in a car park, bookable 00:00–23:55), about 55–56 minutes away via the Northern Cross-Island Highway (Provincial Highway 7): book Pingzhen Fumei. Coming by high-speed rail, HSR Taoyuan (self-service pickup in the station car park) is about 1 h 6–13 min away via National Freeway 2 or Provincial Highway 7.
• Nearby: wild mountain cherries start to bloom along the Northern Cross-Island Highway from late January, while the later varieties around Baling and Lalashan open in February and March; see our cherry blossom road trip guide. To compare Taoyuan pickup points, see our Taoyuan car rental guide.

Cherry blossoms: late January to early April, low altitudes first

The season starts in late January with the early cherries at Tianyuan Temple in Tamsui and along the Northern Cross-Island Highway. From mid-February to early March it is the turn of the Yangmingshan Flower Festival, Wuling Farm and Smangus, and from mid-March to early April the Yoshino and double cherries of Alishan. During the Wuling festival, visitors without accommodation cannot drive into the farm, and on designated Alishan festival mornings cars must switch to shuttles at Leye. These rules and the nearest pickup points are in our Taiwan cherry blossom road trip guide; for a full day on the mountain, see our Alishan self-drive guide.

April–June: calla lilies, tung blossoms and hydrangeas

In late spring, Zhuzihu on Yangmingshan swaps its white calla lilies for colourful hydrangeas, while the Hakka hills of Miaoli turn white with tung blossoms. Zhuzihu is close to Taipei but the road up is slow on festival weekends, so an early start is the key.

Calla lilies at Zhuzihu, Yangmingshan (most flowers in March–April)

The Taipei City Department of Economic Development says Zhuzihu sits at about 670 metres, calla lilies flower from January to May, and the most flowers appear in March and April. From the Taipei Main Station branch it is about 57–61 minutes (checked at midday on a holiday). Our Yangmingshan self-drive guide already covers the farms, festival parking and one-way routes in detail.

March and April bring the most calla lilies to Zhuzihu (Unsplash; tagged taiwan and calla lily; illustrative)

Tung blossoms in Sanyi and Shitan, Miaoli (about late April–early May)

The Miaoli County Government says tung trees bloom every April and May. The 2026 Miaoli Tung Blossom Festival ran from 18 April into early May, with events at the Bogongkeng activity centre in Sanyi and a guided walk on the Mingfeng Historic Trail in Shitan; on the 25 April event day, free shuttles linked HSR Miaoli, Miaoli railway station and Shitan. The 2027 programme will be announced by the county.

• Sanyi: the closest pickup is Taichung Airport (RMQ), about 33–34 minutes to the Bogongkeng activity centre; from HSR Taichung it is about 40–45 minutes. Both routes use National Freeway 1.
• Shitan: about 1 h–1 h 8 min from HSR Hsinchu to Shitan Yimin Temple, handy if you are coming from Taipei.
• Parking: the trails are in the hills and parking is limited, so use the shuttle on event days. Take mountain descents slowly and keep right on narrow roads.

Tung blossoms cover Miaoli's Hakka hills from late April to early May (Unsplash; location given as Tongluo, Miaoli; illustrative, not a specific trail)

Hydrangeas at Zhuzihu, Yangmingshan (about May–June)

After the calla lilies, Zhuzihu holds its hydrangea festival. The Taipei City Department of Economic Development set the 2026 hydrangea season for 22 May–21 June, with farms such as the Datiti Flower Farm creating flower installations. Pick up at Taipei Main Station, and see the festival section of our Yangmingshan guide for routes and parking.

July–September: lotus and daylilies

Summer lotus fields are on the western plains, with easy roads and short drives. The August–September daylilies are high in the hills of Hualien and Taitung, on narrow, winding roads with festival traffic control, so they need the most planning of the whole year.

Lotus in Baihe, Tainan (about late May–July)

Baihe is known as Taiwan's lotus town. The Tainan tourism website listed the 2026 Baihe Lotus Festival from 23 May to 25 July, opening at the Machouhou Guandi Hall (No. 130, Caodian, Baihe District). Actual flowering depends on the season, and 2027 dates will be announced by the Tainan City Government and the Baihe District Office.

• The closest pickup is not in Tainan: Baihe is at the northern tip of Tainan, right next to Chiayi. HSR Chiayi is only about 19–25 minutes from the Machouhou Guandi Hall, while HSR Tainan is about 53–58 minutes. HSR Chiayi is a self-service pickup in the station car park, bookable 00:00–23:55; see our HSR Chiayi pickup guide.
• Parking: the lanes between the lotus ponds are farm roads where passing is hard, so park at the festival venue or at a shop's car park, not on the field edge. Summer middays are very hot; early morning or late afternoon is more comfortable.

Lotus season moves from Baihe in Tainan to Guanyin in Taoyuan over the summer (Unsplash; tagged taiwan and lotus; illustrative)

Lotus in Guanyin, Taoyuan (about July–August)

The Taoyuan City Department of Agriculture held the 2026 Taoyuan Lotus Festival in the Guanyin Lotus Garden leisure farming area from 4 July to 30 August, based next to the visitor center at the junction of Xinhua Rd. Sec. 1 and Jinhua Rd., with free weekend shuttles linking the main site and nearby farms. It is about 26–28 minutes from HSR Taoyuan, an easy half-day after picking up your car.

Daylilies on Liushidan and Chike Mountains, Hualien (about August–early October)

The Hualien County Government set the 2026 Hualien Daylily Season for 8 August–11 October on Chike Mountain in Yuli and Liushidan Mountain in Fuli. Both are in the hills beside the East Rift Valley, roughly two to three hours from Hualien or Taitung station, so plan an overnight trip or a one-way rental (pick up in Hualien, return in Taitung).

• Drive times: Taitung Station is about 1 h 43–52 min from Liushidan, closer than Hualien Station (about 2 h 26 min–2 h 57 min). Chike Mountain, in Yuli, is about 2 h 15–19 min from Hualien Station; see our Hualien car rental guide for how pickup works there.
• Traffic control (2024 Hualien County notice): coaches were banned from both mountains, while private cars with up to 9 seats and motorcycles could drive up normally. On Liushidan, traffic was one way from 8 am to 5 pm: up from the Zhutian Village entrance (Provincial Highway 9, km 293) and down via the Wanning–Fuxing road. A temporary traffic light stood at the Little Switzerland viewpoint, and parking on red lines was fined. Check the Hualien County Government and Fuli Township Office for the current rules.
• One-way rental: whether you can pick up in Hualien and return in Taitung, and the cost, is shown on the booking page; see our one-way rental guide and East Rift Valley self-drive guide.

Daylilies on Taimali Jinzhen Mountain, Taitung (about August–September)

According to the Taitung County Government tourism website, Jinzhen Mountain's daylilies bloom every August and September, reached by a narrow, winding mountain road that climbs to more than 1,300 metres, so it is noticeably cooler than the coast: bring a jacket. The same website says the Taimali Township Office ran flower-viewing shuttles from Taimali railway station from 10 August to 13 September 2026.

• Drive time: about 1 h 18–27 min from Taitung Station to the Twin Peaks (雙乳峰) and Qianxi Pavilion (千禧亭) area.
• Do not rely only on GPS: the township office has warned that the farm roads branch in every direction and visitors following navigation apps have ended up on very narrow lanes or lost, so it added flower-route signs at key junctions. Follow the signs.
• Traffic control: Taiwan's public broadcaster reported in August 2026 that, with typhoon-damaged roads still under repair, traffic was one way from Xiufeng Pavilion to Zhongzheng Hall, coaches were banned, and cars were let into small viewpoints in groups. Check the Taimali Township Office for current arrangements. For more on Taitung, see our Taitung car rental guide.

Six things to know before a flower road trip

• Check the notice the night before: bloom times, festival dates and road closures change every year. This guide gives approximate months and past practice; the organiser's latest notice is what counts.
• Arrive early on festival weekends: parking at Qingtiangang, Zhuzihu, Xinshe and Jinzhen Mountain is limited, and an early start also avoids the afternoon queue down the mountain.
• Never park on red lines or in farm lanes: chrysanthemums, lotus and daylilies grow on working farms. Use car parks; red-line parking on Liushidan and Chike is fined.
• Photograph, do not trample: the flowers are a farmer's crop, so stay on paths and viewpoints.
• Take mountain roads slowly: Jinzhen Mountain, the plum orchards and the Northern Cross-Island Highway are narrow and winding. Use a low gear on long descents, keep right when passing, and head down before the afternoon mist.
• Choose the car by group size: a five-seater handles the main flower roads. For bigger groups or more luggage, a seven- to nine-seater is more comfortable, and past daylily controls allowed cars with up to 9 seats. Compare models in our 7- and 9-seater guide.

How the price works: rental fee + mileage fee, with a fuel card

• Rental fee: depends on the model and dates; check live prices for each pickup point on the booking page.
• Mileage fee: charged on the distance you actually drive, with no cap on how far you can go, so a long daylily loop around Taitung is no problem.
• Fuel card: every car comes with a dedicated fuel card. Fuel is already included in the mileage fee, so you pay at the pump with the card and do not pay for fuel yourself. You do not need to stop at a gas station before returning the car. Mountain gas stations are few, so use the fuel card to top up in the lowlands before you head uphill. If you forget and pay for fuel yourself, keep the receipt and it can be deducted from the mileage fee.
• ETC tolls: every car has an eTag, and freeway tolls are settled when you return the car; see our ETC highway toll guide.
• Parking fees: festival venues, parks and car parks charge according to their own rules; see our guide to parking in Taiwan.

For the details, see the mileage fee page and our mileage charges explained.

FAQ

Q1. What flowers can I see in Taiwan from October to December?

Silver grass on Yangmingshan from October; in November the Caoling Historic Trail silver grass festival, the Xinshe flower fields in Taichung (31 October–22 November 2026 in the official calendar) and the Tongluo chrysanthemums (about three weeks from mid-November). Mountain maples and lowland bald cypress change colour through this period, and plum blossoms start in Xinyi, Nantou, at the end of December. Always check the organisers' notices for exact dates.

Q2. Which pickup point is best for each flower?

Yangmingshan and Zhuzihu: Taipei Main Station branch. Caoling Historic Trail: Jiaoxi Station. Jiaobanshan plums: Pingzhen Fumei is closest, or HSR Taoyuan if you arrive by high-speed rail (HSR Taoyuan also suits Guanyin lotus). Tongluo chrysanthemums and Sanyi tung blossoms: Taichung Airport (RMQ) is closest; by high-speed rail, HSR Hsinchu works for Tongluo and Shitan. Xinshe flower fields and Xinyi plums: HSR Taichung or the Taichung Station branch. Baihe lotus: HSR Chiayi. Liushidan and Taimali daylilies: Taitung Station. Available models at each point are shown on the booking page.

Q3. Can I drive a rented seven- or nine-seater up during festival traffic control?

Most festival controls target coaches, or (at places such as Wuling Farm) visitors who are not staying overnight, while ordinary cars can usually still go up, sometimes on a one-way route. For example, the 2024 Hualien daylily notice banned coaches but allowed private cars with up to 9 seats and motorcycles. Rules differ by festival and year. Our seven- to nine-seaters include the Wish, M7 Turbo ECO Hyper, Staria, Starex and Touran (7–9 seat models), and the five-seaters include the New Vios, New Yaris, Yaris Cross and New Colt Plus (5-seat models).

Q4. Baihe is in Tainan, so why pick up at HSR Chiayi?

Because Baihe is at the northern edge of Tainan, next to Chiayi. On Google Maps, HSR Chiayi to the Machouhou Guandi Hall is about 19–25 minutes, while HSR Tainan takes about 53–58 minutes. From HSR Chiayi you can also add Alishan or Chiayi city to the same trip.

Q5. Can I pick up in Hualien and return in Taitung for the daylily season?

You can choose different pickup and return points on the booking page; availability and the one-way fee are shown there. Bookable pickup and return times at both Hualien Station and Taitung Station are 09:00–21:00. If you need another time, call the branch in advance and they will arrange it.

Q6. How is fuel handled on long mountain drives, and do I have to stop for fuel before I return the car?

Every car comes with a fuel card; fuel is included in the mileage fee, so you pay at the pump with the card and do not pay for fuel yourself. You do not need to stop at a gas station before returning, and there is no cap on distance: you simply pay for the kilometres you drive.

Q7. Can I pick up the car early in the morning, and will staff speak English?

Self-service stations such as HSR Hsinchu, HSR Taichung, HSR Taoyuan, HSR Chiayi, Taichung Airport (RMQ), Pingzhen Fumei and Jiaoxi Station can be booked for 00:00–23:55, and payment is completed online through the booking process, which makes dawn starts easy. The Taipei Main Station, Taichung Station, Hualien Station and Taitung Station branches take bookings for 09:00–21:00; call ahead for other times. Staff use translation apps, and some branches can assist in English. See our list of late-night and early-morning pickup points, the self-service pickup and return guide, and the complete Taiwan car rental guide for foreign visitors.