Yilan
Yilan County is on the northeast coast of Taiwan, on the other side of the mountains from Taipei. Since the Hsuehshan Tunnel opened in 2006, the bus ride takes about an hour, so it is an easy weekend trip. The county is built around the Lanyang Plain, a wide, flat area of rice fields, rivers and small towns. Green mountains rise behind it, and the Pacific Ocean lies in front. Out at sea you can see Turtle Island, a volcanic island shaped like a turtle swimming. Boats from Wushi Harbor take visitors out to watch dolphins and whales around it. Yilan is best known for hot springs. In Jiaoxi you can soak in clear, hot water, and in Su'ao you can bathe in a rare cold, bubbly spring. There are waterfalls near the towns, cool forest high in the mountains at Taipingshan, a busy night market in Luodong, and a surf beach at Wai'ao. Bring a raincoat, because Yilan gets a lot of rain.
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All Yilan Guides
5 in-depth guides to Yilan — food, nightlife, beaches, transport, money and the practical detail that is hard to find.