Fulong Beach in Xinbei 大飯店小人資

When it comes to hiking trails in Taipei, the Caoling Historic Trail must be mentioned. For those who grew up in Yilan, it is always kept well in their mind. Every student of elementary schools in Yilan has gone hiking on the historic trail as a field trip.  Hikers can find colorful flowers and small fruits along the trails, and they can also look down to the ocean and Guishan Island from the top point of the trail.

The historic trail had been built since 1790s and extended by 1856. There are two anchient stone tablets named after "Tiger Tablet" and "Smoke Suppression Tablet" in the trail. The two tablets are both carved by an administrative officer of Qing Dynasty, LIOU,MING-DENG. In anchient Chinese belief, tiger can control the wind. LIOU wrote the chinese "tiger" word on the tablet is for stopping the wild wind on the trails and keeping the travellers safe. 

The best season to Caoling Historic Trail is Autumn because silver grass (Miscanthus) would cover the trail nearby the top at that time. Moreover, our government will hold the Silver Grass Festival every November. Tourists can not only appreciate the beautiful scenes but also engage in workshops such as "anchent stone tablet rubbing" or photography held by the government.

When you arrive the top of the trail, you can find there is a trail to another trail called "Peach Blossom Spring Valley" in the mountains. The trail is famous for the wild water buffalo stocked in the mountains. The scene is very peaceful and relaxing.

It will take 3 to 4 hours to go around the whole hiking route from the Fulong train station to the Dali train station. On the way you will pass by a water park, a big Banyan tree, "Smoke Suppression Tablet", gazebo I, Tiger Tablet, a gazebo on the top of the trail, gazebo II, a temple in Dali. You can choose to start your hiking from Dali in Yilan or Fulong in Taipei.

I would recommend you to start your trip from Dali and end it up in Fulong because there is a nice hot spring there. After hiking for a long distance, you can release your fatigue by the hot spring. However, if you plan to have a trip in Yilan after hiking, you can start your trip from Fulong. When you arrive the Dali train station, you can go to Jiaoxi by train. Jiaoxi is also famous for its hot spring.