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OutdoorTo Do

Does it Snow in Taiwan? – A Guide to Finding Snow in Taiwan

by rcjeng November 7, 2019
written by rcjeng November 7, 2019
A guide to finding snow in Taiwan.

Taiwan is in a unique geographic position. Not only is it a tropical country, but also a subtropical country. But despite it’s proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, you’d be surprised at how cold the country can get during winter.

So, does it snow in Taiwan? Yes, it does snow in Taiwan, but mostly in certain mountain ranges near the east and center parts of the country. Popular mountain ranges with snow include Hehuanshan, Yushan and Xueshan (which literally translates to “snow mountain”).

The best time to find snow in Taiwan is undeniably winter time, between November and February. If you go high enough, you’re sure to find snow. So let’s explore all the beautiful snowy regions of Taiwan.

RECOMMENDED: 12 Majestic Mountains in Taiwan

Table of Contents

  • Snowing in Taiwan
  • Taiwan Mountains with Snow
    • 1. Yushan (Jade Mountain)
      • How to Get to Yushan
    • 2. Xueshan (Snow Mountain)
      • How to Get to Snow Mountain
    • 3. Hehuanshan (Joy Mountain)
    • How to Get to Hehuanshan
    • 4. Yangmingshan
      • How to Get to Yangmingshan
  • How to Find Snow in Taiwan

Snowing in Taiwan

If you’re looking for a nice ski trip or you (for some reason) have a desire to build a snowman while traveling to Taiwan, look elsewhere. The truth is, it doesn’t really snow much in Taiwan.

And to actually see the snow, you’ll likely have to travel to the peak of some mountains. And even if you do manage to get a glimpse of snow, it won’t be as grand as if you were in Aspen (Colorado) or the northern “Himalayas” of Japan.

Still, snow can be found. And although Taiwan isn’t a great “winter attraction” for snow-seekers, the stunning scenery of these places are well worth the visit.

Snow fall is certainly possible during the winter months of Taiwan. And according to Climates to Travel, January is historically the coldest month out of the year and your best bet at seeing something that most Taiwanese locals never get the chance to.

So while it sounds like an amazing adventure, know that it’s not that easy to witness such an event. Traveling to the mountain tops of Taiwan aren’t mainstream tourist things to do, but still possible with a bit of effort, time and determination.

Taiwan Mountains with Snow

Taiwan is the mountain capital of Asia – at least according to CNN. In fact, Taiwan has one of the highest mountain densities in the world! You can find a mountain range nearly anywhere in the country.

With that said, here are all the top mountains in Taiwan where you’re most likely to see snow. We break them down by popularity and elevation. Of course, the higher the mountain, the more likely it’ll snow!

1. Yushan (Jade Mountain)

ELEVATION: 12,699 FT

By Kailing3 [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Out of the thousands of mountains situated on the small island, Yushan is the tallest of them all. Otherwise known as Jade Mountain, Yushan is 12,966 feet high in elevation.

Not only does that make it the tallest mountain in Taiwan, but also the tallest in East Asia. For reference, Mount Everest is 29,029 feet high. Yushan doesn’t crack the list of highest mountains, but it’s still impressive, especially for an island.

The mountain range is situated between two tectonic plates – the Eurasian and Philippine Sea plate. It sits below Nantou County (where Sun Moon Lake is) and east of Yulin County. There’s not much nearby but aborigine villages and more mountains.

What makes this mountain so interesting is that it’s the only place on the Tropic of Cancer where there is evidence of glaciation – a period of time during the ice age where colder temperatures and glacier advances are experienced.

Furthermore, the peak of Yushan is the highest point on the Tropic of Cancer line. So while the temperature is between tropical and subtropical, you need to reach the peak for a chance at seeing snow.

How to Get to Yushan

To get to Yushan, you’ll need to dedicate some time for the trip. It’s not a simple day trip, especially if you plan to do some meaningful hiking and/or reach the peak.

Yushan National Park is a big park. You’ll need to first decide where you want to visit. There are four visitor centers to start your trip: Nanan, Meishan, Shueli and Tataka. You can learn more about the visitor centers here.

There are a few peaks you can take, but the “main peak” is the most famous (2-3 days of hiking). The trailhead for the main peak starts at Tataka Visitor Center. So to get there, your best bet is to go with a tour group.

However, if you want to go by publish transportation, you can take the Yuanlin Bus 6739, which serves the link from Sun Moon Lake to Tataka and terminates at Alishan.

2. Xueshan (Snow Mountain)

ELEVATION: 12,749 FT

By Daniel Guo, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Xueshan, which literally translates to “snow mountain” in English, is the second tallest mountain in Taiwan. With a name like that, you already know there will be snow come winter time.

Sitting tall at 12,749 feet, Snow Mountain is just slightly shorter than Jade Mountain. But because this mountain range lies well above the Tropic of Cancer, temperatures get much cooler during winter time.

As a result, you’re more likely to see snow on Xueshan than Yushan – despite the latter being higher in elevation.

There’s been a lot of different names for Xueshan in the past. Prior to “Snow Mountain,” the mountain was actually called Mount Sylvia, at least to the western world during the Qing Dynasty.

Much later, during the occupation of Japan, researchers discovered that Xueshan was in fact, shorter than Yushan. Thus, it was renamed to Tsugitakayama, meaning “second highest mountain.”

How to Get to Snow Mountain

Unlike Yushan, Snow Mountain is much closer to a major city in Taiwan. In fact, it’s part of the Heping District of Taichung City. This means there are plenty of transportation options to the mountain.

Despite technically being in Taichung, the base point for the Xueshan hike is near Yilan County. Specifically, it’s at Wuling Farm. So if you’re starting in Taipei, you’ll want to get to Yilan by bus from Taipei Main Station. Alternatively, you can take a long taxi ride (45 minutes).

Once in Yilan, you need to take another bus to Wuling Farm. Take the Kuo-Kuang Bus from Yilan bus station. For more information on the service and bus times, check this out.

3. Hehuanshan (Joy Mountain)

ELEVATION: 11,207 FT

YangChen(TW) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Also known as Joy Mountain, Hehuanshan is a mountain range located in central Taiwan. And like the other mountains, you’ll really only see snow on this mountain during winter times higher up.

However, the good news for snow-seekers is that snow is relatively common at Hehuanshan during the colder winter months. At least, more so than other mountains in Taiwan. So your best bet for seeing snow would probably be at Hehuanshan during January.

Though you’re not able to ski in Taiwan today, the remains of the only ski lift in Taiwan ever is located in Hehuanshan. It was apparently in operation during Taiwan’s martial law period from 1949 to 1987. However, only the elitists of the country had access.

It’s been abandoned for many years, but the physical lift was never destroyed or taken down. So, hikers can check out the eerily awesome infrastructure on the east peak trail.

In the past, there were military training camps built in this area. My once dad told me a story about how he hiked through Hehuanshan when he was a teen.

And because it was during Chinese New Years, the camps were empty. During his journey, the military personnel actually let him and his friends stay at the camps and eat there too!

How to Get to Hehuanshan

Though this mountain range borders Nantou and Hualien County, it’s actually located inside Taroko National Park. But to hike Hehuanshan, you’ll need to make your way to Taichung County first.

If you’re traveling from Taipei, you’ll want to take the High Speed Rail to Taichung HSR Station. From there, you can get a ticket from the Nantou Bus Company. It has about 5 buses that run daily from the HSR station.

For more information on the schedules of these buses, check out the official site here. You’ll want to take the bus that goes to Ching Jing Farm (清境農場).

Once you get off the station, you’re only 30 minutes from the trailhead of Hehuanshan. At the Ching Jing Farm station, take the transfer bus in Puli directly there.

4. Yangmingshan

ELEVATION: 3,674 FT

Rong-Yuan Lin [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Ok, I’ll admit – it’s pretty rare for Yangmingshan to experience snowfall because of it’s relatively low elevation. Still, that hasn’t stopped the mountain from experiencing this icy phenomenon in the past.

Yangmingshan may be the most difficult and the easiest to see snow if you’re traveling from Taipei. Let me explain. It’s difficult because snowfall doesn’t happen frequently on this mountain. However, it’s very easy to get to this mountain from Taipei.

As the first national park in Taiwan, Yangmingshan is known for very many things. It boasts hot springs, sulfur deposits, cherry blossoms, waterfalls, lakes, stunning hiking trails and more. But snow is not one of them.

Regardless, I still highly recommend Yangmingshan if you’ll be visiting Taipei. Even without the snow, it’s still (in my opinion) one of the best tourist attractions in all of Taipei. You won’t regret it!

How to Get to Yangmingshan

Yangmingshan is by far the easiest and most convenient mountain you can get to, especially if you’re starting from Taipei. If you don’t want to deal with public transportation, you can even take a taxi or Uber to the trails.

If that’s what you want, I’d suggest taking the MRT Red Line to Beitou MRT Station. From there, you’re pretty much at the base of the mountain and you can grab a taxi to the top for a reasonable price.

However, if you want to go with public transportation, I suggest taking the MRT Red Line to Jiantan MRT Station. After getting off, you want to head to the adjacent bus station and take the Red-5 Bus to the Yangmingshan stop.

Once you reach the Yangmingshan stop, you’ll need to take Bus #108 to the tourist center stop. And, that’s it!

How to Find Snow in Taiwan

All these mountains and ranges are fantastic natural attractions in Taiwan. As a result, they’re some of the most popular destinations, with or without snow. So if you don’t find any, you still get to experience beautiful sights unlike any other.

However, there are things you could do to increase the likelihood of seeing snow in Taiwan. First, you’ll always want to check the national weather report before you go. You can check out Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau for more info.

Generally, the higher you go, the colder it is and more likely you’ll find snow. When visiting these mountains, always aim for the highest peak. These mountains will almost always have snow at the top peak during the winter, but not necessarily anywhere else.

Also, make sure you visit during winter time. Even at Hehuanshan, you likely won’t be able to see any snow if you come during the fall or spring.

Other Nature Attractions in Taiwan:

  • Elephant Mountain Hike
  • Beitou Thermal Valley
  • Sun Moon Lake
  • Wulai Mountain District
  • Daan Forest Park
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rcjeng

Richard Jeng is a Taiwanese-American who's reconnected with his heritage and roots in the beautiful country of Taiwan. After college, he visited Taiwan and instantly fell in love. A year later, he moved to the country to deep dive into the country's culture, nature, history and food.

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