Taiwan Bald Cypress Road Trip 2026: 8 Spots with Peak Season, Opening Hours, Parking Fees & the Nearest Car Rental Pickup

Taiwan Bald Cypress Road Trip 2026: 8 Spots with Peak Season, Opening Hours, Parking Fees & the Nearest Car Rental Pickup

Every winter, Taiwan's bald cypress trees (落羽松, Taxodium distichum) turn from green to gold, orange and rusty red. They are usually planted in rows along ponds, canals and farm roads, so the colour doubles in the water. The catch: most of the best spots are out in the countryside, on private nurseries or beside rural lakes, where buses are infrequent and each place has its own parking rules. A car makes it easy to link them up.

This guide covers the November–December 2026 season: 8 bald cypress spots across Taiwan with their usual peak weeks, opening hours, fees, parking, and the nearest GoodCars pickup location for each one (with booking links). The short version: in November most trees are only starting to turn; northern and central Taiwan usually look best from mid-December; Liujia in Tainan is the latest in Taiwan, usually late January to February. Taipei city also has bald cypress (for example Dahu Park, right by Dahu Park MRT station on the Wenhu Line), which you can reach without a car. This guide focuses on the countryside spots that are much easier by car.

Bald cypress is often planted by the water, so the colours reflect beautifully (Unsplash, location tagged as Sanwan, Miaoli)

Quick Table: 8 Bald Cypress Spots and the Nearest Pickup

Listed from north to south. The "nearest pickup" was chosen by comparing driving distances from GoodCars' official store list. Tap "Book this pickup" to open the booking page with that location already selected; pick your dates to see available cars and prices. Chinese names are included so you can paste them into your map app.

Distances and drive times are OpenStreetMap (OSRM) route estimates; the Daxi route was also checked on Google Maps. Weekends and traffic take longer. Fees and opening hours follow each site's on-site notice.

When Do the Trees Turn Red? Planning for November–December 2026

Bald cypress is native to the United States (hence its Chinese nickname "American water pine"). Unlike most conifers it is deciduous: in winter its needles go from green to yellow to orange-red, then drop like feathers. You will often see its knobbly "knees" (breathing roots) poking out of the ground around the trunks (Taoyuan Travel). How fast the colour changes depends on the temperature, so the same spot can shift by a week or two from year to year.

Timing tip: a week before you go, check the latest "status" posts from the site manager or local government. For mirror-like reflections, go on a still morning, but check opening hours first: private parks usually open in the daytime only.

The needles turn from green to yellow, then orange-red, before dropping (Unsplash, taken at the Indigenous Peoples' Cultural Park in Shilin, Taipei)

North: Two Spots in Daxi, Sanwan in Miaoli, and Lipi Lake in Yilan

Taoyuan | Daxi Bald Cypress Avenue & Daxi Bald Cypress Park (free)

Daxi's "Bald Cypress Avenue" used to be called Shiyuan Road. About 300 trees stand in two rows, and the road has since been renamed Luoyusong Road ("Bald Cypress Road"). The park at the junction faces the avenue and has a car park, toilets, a lookout platform and a playground, which makes it one of the easiest spots to park at in northern Taiwan.

Taoyuan | Nanxing Bald Cypress (formerly Bade Bald Cypress Forest; private, paid)

A private nursery beside Xiaoli Pond (霄裡大池) and the Jiadong Creek, with close to 3,000 trees on almost 3 hectares. It is bigger and denser than the Daxi avenue, and the open pond next door is great for reflections.

The Daxi park and Nanxing are only about 7.5 km apart (15+ minutes), so you can do both in one morning. For the rest of the day in Taoyuan, see Taoyuan Self-Drive Tour: 5 Routes.

Miaoli | Sanwan Bald Cypress (private land, free entry)

A private estate next to Provincial Highway 3, with 300-plus trees planted around two ponds. It is often described as the original "bald cypress in the water" spot in Taiwan. The owner has never charged admission, and there is a viewing tower, toilets and snack stalls.

Sanwan sits at the northern tip of Miaoli, right next to Hsinchu County. To keep exploring, see our Hsinchu Car Rental & Self-Drive Guide.

Yilan | Lipi Lake, Yuanshan

Lipi Lake is named for its clam-like shape seen from above. Bald cypress and ginkgo trees ring the shore, and morning mist often hangs over the water. The lake lies inside Yuanshan Fuyuan, a cemetery park run by the Yilan County funeral services office, and a small memorial bridge crosses the water.

To compare Yilan's pickup points, see Yilan Car Rental; for Luodong pickup details see the Luodong Station Car Rental Guide; for full itineraries see Yilan Self-Drive Tour: 5 Routes.

Central Taiwan: Two Spots in Houli and Xiangshan at Sun Moon Lake

Taichung | Tai'an Bald Cypress (private) + Lihpao Bald Cypress Avenue (free)

Houli has two very different spots, and you can do both on the same day:

Nearest pickup: Taichung Airport (RMQ, self-service pickup in the airport car park) is approx. 29 km, 31+ minutes from Tai'an Bald Cypress; Taichung Railway Station store is approx. 32 km, 32+ minutes (pickup/return bookable online 09:00–21:00; call +886-4-2201-0077 first for night-time). Airport pickup steps are in our Taichung Airport (RMQ) Car Rental Guide, and more Taichung ideas are in Taichung Self-Drive Tour: 5 Routes.

Nantou | Xiangshan Bald Cypress, Sun Moon Lake

Next to the Xiangshan Administration and Visitor Center, the "Wedding Plaza / Xiangshan bald cypress" grove runs down to the Xiangshan section of the lakeside cycle path. Bald cypress against the water of Sun Moon Lake makes this the most distinctive spot in central Taiwan. The Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration describes the ride from the visitor center as passing first through a golden bald cypress grove, then on to the Tongxin and Yongjie bridges and the famous over-water cycle path.

For the ring road, ropeway, Shuishe and Ita Thao, see our Sun Moon Lake Self-Drive Guide. Houli to Xiangshan is about 100 km (1 h 40 min+), so split Houli and Sun Moon Lake over two days rather than cramming them into one.

Sun Moon Lake; the Xiangshan bald cypress grove is on the shore beside the visitor center (Unsplash, location tagged as Sun Moon Lake; for illustration)

South: Liujia Bald Cypress Forest, Tainan (Jingpu Pond)

The Liujia forest surrounds Jingpu Pond (菁埔埤) in Liujia District, right beside Provincial Highway 1 and close to the wooden Linfengying railway station, which is why it is also called "Linfengying bald cypress". Over a thousand trees line the pond, and a loop path gives you reflections, morning mist and flower fields. It is the last place in Taiwan to change colour: Tainan's tourism bureau only announced it was "gradually turning red" in mid-January 2025, and the Siraya National Scenic Area's bald cypress festival ran 18 Jan–9 Mar 2025 and 31 Jan–1 Mar 2026.

To continue into Tainan city, see Tainan Self-Drive Tour: 5 Routes; for pickup at Tainan HSR, see our Tainan HSR Station Car Rental Guide.

5 Pickup + Bald Cypress Combinations

• Taoyuan, half a day: pick up at Pingzhen Fumei Station → Daxi Bald Cypress Avenue & Park → Nanxing Bald Cypress (about 7.5 km apart). Nanxing opens at 07:30; arrive early for easier parking.
• Miaoli, half a day: pick up at Hsinchu HSR Station → Sanwan Bald Cypress → back to Hsinchu or on to other Hsinchu sights.
• Yilan, one day: pick up at Yilan Station → morning mist at Lipi Lake → the rest of the Lanyang Plain.
• Central Taiwan, two days: day 1, pick up at Taichung Airport and visit Houli (Tai'an + Lihpao); day 2, drive to Xiangshan at Sun Moon Lake and stay overnight.
• South (January–February 2027): pick up at Chiayi HSR Station → Liujia → south to Tainan city. To drop off at Tainan HSR Station instead, choose a one-way rental; availability and any extra charge are shown on the booking page (see One-Way Car Rental in Taiwan: 10 Routes).

Over New Year, winter break and Lunar New Year, cars at popular locations book out fast, so reserve early.

Winter Driving Tips for Bald Cypress Trips

Rows of bald cypress mix yellow and orange as they turn (Unsplash, taken on Yangmingshan, Taipei)

What It Costs: Rental Fee + Mileage Fee, with a Fuel Card Included

GoodCars pricing is simple: rental fee + mileage fee.

• Rental fee: depends on the car type and dates (weekday, weekend or holiday). Check live prices for each location on the booking page.
• Mileage fee: charged by the kilometres you actually drive. There is no cap on distance, so linking two or three spots in a day is no problem.
• Dedicated fuel card: every car comes with a GoodCars fuel card. Just use it at the pump, and you don't pay for fuel yourself (fuel is built into the mileage fee). No need to top up before returning the car.
• Forgot to use the fuel card? If you paid for fuel yourself, keep the receipt and it will be fully credited against your mileage fee.
• Other costs: freeway ETC tolls are charged separately according to the official rules; entry and parking fees at the spots are paid by you.

See how the mileage fee works on our mileage fee page, and typical prices by car type in How Much Does Car Rental Cost in Taiwan?

Which car? For 2–4 people, a 5-seater such as the Vios or Yaris is easy to drive and park on narrow farm lanes; the Yaris Cross sits a little higher. For 5 or more people, or tripods and picnic gear, choose a 7–9 seater (GoodCars' fleet includes the Wish, M7, Touran, Staria and Starex). See our 5-seater and 7–9 seater pages; what's available at each location on your dates is shown on the booking page.

FAQ

Q1. Will the trees be red if I go in November 2026?

Probably not. In most years, November is when the trees only start to turn yellow. In the north and centre, colours are usually strongest from mid-December (Taoyuan officially lists mid-December to end of January; Sanwan is usually best around mid-December), and Liujia is later still, late January to February. For November colour, see our autumn maple road trip guide.

Q2. Which bald cypress spots charge a fee?

Of the 8 spots here: Nanxing charges for entry and parking, Tai'an charges a cleaning fee to enter, and Sanwan is free to enter but its car parks charge. Daxi park, Lipi Lake, the Lihpao avenue, Xiangshan and Liujia have no entry ticket. Private sites' fees follow the on-site notice.

Q3. How does pickup work at the HSR and airport locations?

Pingzhen Fumei, Hsinchu HSR, Yilan Station, Taichung Airport, HSR Taichung, Chiayi HSR and Tainan HSR are all listed on the GoodCars website as self-service car park pickup locations. Book online, upload your documents and pay before you travel, then collect the car at the spot given in your booking notice. First time? Read our Self-Service Pickup & Return Guide.

Q4. What do I need to drive in Taiwan as a visitor?

Bring your passport and your home driving licence. Most nationalities also need an International Driving Permit (IDP); a few countries, such as Japan, use their home licence plus an official Chinese translation instead. Country-by-country details are in our Complete Taiwan Car Rental Guide for Foreign Visitors.

Q5. Do I have to add fuel before I return the car?

No. Every GoodCars car comes with a dedicated fuel card and fuel is included in the mileage fee, so you don't need to top up before returning. Just return the car at the agreed time.

Q6. Can I pick up at Chiayi HSR and drop off at Tainan HSR?

GoodCars offers one-way rentals. Choose different pickup and return locations on the booking page to see availability and price; any one-way charge is shown there.

Q7. How many bald cypress spots can I fit into one day?

Spots in the same area pair up well: Daxi + Nanxing takes half a day, and Tai'an + Lihpao in Houli also work together. For different regions (Houli to Sun Moon Lake is about 100 km), use two days and save the morning for the place you most want to photograph.