Travel to Xitou Forgotten Forest

A hotspot for travel bloggers, influencers, and hikers alike, Xitou Forgotten Forest is truly a magical place. The dead trees, rooted upright and reaching for the sky, create a sense of longing and mystery. Who or what created this forest? How long has it remained like this for? Visitors to the clearing stumble upon these questions like upon the twisted roots beneath their feet.

History of Xitou Forgotten Forest

Also known as Lotus Forest, Xitou Forgotten Forest was formed after the 921 earthquake. Originally a dense forest of cedar trees, the earthquake disturbed a nearby river, causing its path to be blocked by landslides thus creating this swamp. As a result of the permanent water, the trees withered and died, creating this clearing within the forest.

Renowned for its magical beauty in all four seasons, Xitou Forgotten Forest is most popular during the summer season. Found at an altitude of about 2000 meters, the high frequency of rain in the summer months often causes the forest to be cloaked in mist. The rain also drops the temperature significantly, making it the perfect summer destination to cool down.

As you can see in the image above, nature has used the formation of a swamp to her advantage. Tadpoles can be visible in the swamp’s waters from as early as March, but it’s really in the summer months where it starts to get interesting. With such large numbers of them in the water of different sizes and personalities, it is truly another attraction within the forest. 

How to get to Xitou Forgotten Forest?

Although Xitou Forgotten Forest is technically part of Xitou Nature Education Area (溪頭自然教育園區), it’s a little bit tricky to get to. That’s in part because it’s well and truly in the forest area. That said, there are three ways you can visit Xitou Forgotten Forest, although I only really only recommend one of them.

1. Shuttle Bus

Like the road you’ll be traveling on to get to the forest, this option’s cost is quite steep. We’re serious. This is not a mountain road you’ll want to be driving on with a rented car. For this adventure, you need an experienced driver and the one at MingChun Tea is honestly the best. The driver singlehandedly (literally) maneuvers the minivan up the mountain. That’s right, minivan. Though fast and bumpy, you can tell that the vehicle is in control and that, most importantly, you are safe.

We also think this is a more convenient mode of transport. Instead of mentally preparing yourself for the drive down the mountain, you can just call the driver to come and collect you, making the trip easier and breezier.  

~ NOTE ~ We are not affiliated with this company, it was just the service that we’ve used. There are many practically identical places around this area that provide this service, so we urge you to explore your options. It may seem more expensive than it should be, and maybe it is, but at least you know that you (and your car) will make it out safely.

2. Car

As previously mentioned, we seriously do not recommend driving yourself up the mountain.This isn’t just because of the incline, though that is a pretty significant factor, but also because the road itself up the mountain is quite difficult to find.

If you really want to go for it, the pass heading up the mountain is found on the highway heading to Sun Link Sea (Google Maps). Please be super careful when taking this pass, and pray that you don’t run into any vehicles coming down the mountain.

3. On foot

Like with driving your own car, we urge you to avoid hiking up the mountain yourself. You can try to brave the mountain road on foot, but be aware that there may be cars and vans hurtling down then pulling away at the last second…if that’s something you’re into, then go for it. Otherwise, we strongly insist that you take the first option.

Package Deals for Travel in Xitou

While there are no deals specifically for Xitou Forgotten Forest, it does feature as part of several package deals. The most popular combination involves travel to Shanlinxi (杉林溪), Monster Village (妖怪村), and Xitou Forgotten Forest. Below are two deals we think are pretty decent. Click anywhere on the image to find out more!

Conclusion

Open Hours: Always open

Price: Free (aside from transport)

Oh, and one last thing. The path to the forest can get fairly muddy after a good rainfall, so try to avoid wearing new white shoes!