YunlinPlay Recommendations

Five Yuan Two Jiao is in Caoling, Gukeng Township, Yunlin County, at an elevation of about 1,600 metres, a natural landscape wrapped in Moso bamboo forest. The grounds are dotted with bamboo-woven pavilions; the cumulative count of their corners gave the spot its name 'five yuan and two jiao', and the scene evokes a hidden-away atmosphere reminiscent of Kyoto's Arashiyama. Summer temperatures run low, making it ideal for escaping the heat, walking and photo ops, and it connects with the neighbouring Wood Horse Old Trail and Yunlingzhi Hill trails, well-suited to a one-day hiking itinerary.

Five-Year Millennium Park sits beside Maming Shan Zhenan Temple in Baozhong Township, Yunlin County, and is Taiwan's largest temple-themed park, covering about 2 hectares with 73 featured spots in a maze-style garden design that blends strange rocks, rainbow bridges, deity statues and large-scale sets such as dinosaurs and giant boats. Admission is free and free parking is provided, suitable for families, couples and whole-family outings. Visitors pick up a guide map and follow the signs around the park, taking roughly 60 to 90 minutes. Open fires, barbecues, drinking, gambling, fishing and smoking are not permitted, and there is no barrier-free access; visitors are advised to bring their own food and drink.

Tianchang Dijiu Waterfall lies in the Zhanghu Scenic Area of Gukeng Township, Yunlin County, and is counted among the area's 16 signature sights. The trail has been newly completed and lets visitors take in three waterfalls in sequence, with fossil beds and the ruins of the Zhanghu Suspension Bridge along the way, hinting at the seabed sediments of millions of years ago. The falls themselves are eye-catchingly tall; a pumping station beside them slightly affects the view, but it remains a good spot for a gentle family hike and forest bathing, well-suited to summer cooling.

Douliou Pengshu Forest Park in Douliou City, Yunlin County, covers more than 7 hectares and is the largest family-themed park in the area. Merging the original Douliou Environmental Park and Sports Park, the site is designed around a squirrel theme and offers a wide range of equipment, including acorn slides, a spinning flying disc, an inline-skating rink, a giant climbing net and a small train, alongside a dry-fountain splash area and a summer spray plaza so children can cool off safely in hot weather. Holidays bring the Pengshu Forest Market, gathering local food and handmade stalls, well-suited to family picnics, play and shopping. Free entry and easy parking make it a top pick for family outings in Yunlin.

Cedar Forest Trail in Yunlin County is a summer-cooling trail themed around cedar woods. The surroundings are serene, with dense cedar trees providing a shaded, cool walk that takes visitors away from summer heat. Walking among the straight, tall cedars, visitors are immersed in phytoncide-rich air, with quiet forest paths for a leisurely stroll and the calm and freshness of nature. The trail is ideal for families or friends to walk and take photos, and is also a good summer escape.

Shibi Xiangu (Stone Wall Fairy Valley) lies deep in the mountains of Gukeng Township, Yunlin, where a vast expanse of bare Dawo sandstone rock face follows the strata, with the river polishing the stone over time into a spectacular wall of potholes. The stream runs clear and cool, waterfalls punctuate the scene, and the surroundings are wrapped in dense bamboo and lush trees, creating a fairy-tale summer escape. Visitors can stroll along bamboo paths, admire the natural carvings of the stone walls and the crisp sound of the stream, or take in sweeping valley views from the observation deck. Shibi Xiangu is not only a flagship natural landscape, but also an ideal spot to escape the city and unwind.