Liushidan Mountain

Liushidan Mountain (六十石山, Liùshídàn Shān) is a high terraced hillside in Fuli Township, at the southern end of Hualien County's East Rift Valley. Its fame rests on one extraordinary seasonal spectacle: in late summer the slopes erupt into a vast carpet of orange-gold daylilies (also called tiger lilies or "golden needle" flowers), one of Taiwan's most photographed natural sights. For most of the year it is a quiet area of farmland and rolling green; for a few weeks it becomes one of the busiest places in eastern Taiwan.

The name "Liushidan" translates roughly as "sixty stone" — local tradition holds that the area's fields were once exceptionally fertile, yielding sixty dan (a unit of grain) where other land yielded far less. The daylilies are a working crop: the unopened buds are harvested, dried and sold as a prized ingredient in Taiwanese cooking, and the same hillsides that draw photographers are also farmers' fields. Scattered pavilions and viewing platforms across the terraces give sweeping vistas over the rift valley below, framed by the Coastal Mountain Range on one side and the Central Mountain Range on the other.

The mountain lies at moderate elevation, so it is generally cooler and breezier than the valley floor. The single best time to visit is the daylily bloom, roughly mid-August to mid-September, when the slopes are at their most golden — though this also means crowds, traffic and full guesthouses, so go early in the morning and book ahead. Outside the bloom the area is peaceful and green but lacks its signature spectacle. Avoid typhoon periods, when the exposed mountain roads can be hazardous.

By Plane

The nearest airport is Hualien Airport (HUN), well to the north near Hualien City. From there it is a long drive or train-plus-road journey south down the rift valley. Taitung Airport (TTT) to the south is a roughly comparable distance. Neither is close, so most visitors arrive overland.

By Train

There is no station on the mountain. The nearest railway stations are along the Hualien–Taitung line in the rift valley — Fuli Station is the closest, with Yuli Station a larger stop a little farther north. From either station the mountain is reached by taxi or rental scooter up a winding mountain road. Express trains from Taipei reach Yuli in roughly 3 hours.

By Car / Road

Liushidan Mountain is reached by a narrow, switchbacking mountain road climbing off Provincial Highway 9 in the Fuli area of the southern rift valley. A car or scooter is the most practical way to get up and around. From Hualien City it is a long drive south down Highway 9; from Taitung it is a shorter run north. The mountain road is steep with tight bends — drive carefully, especially in the rain.

Once on the mountain, the terraces and viewpoints are spread along the looping road and are best covered by car, scooter or on foot between the closer platforms. There is no public transport network on the mountain itself. During the daylily season the access road becomes congested and parking is at a premium — arrive at dawn to beat both the crowds and the heat. Walking between the main pavilions is pleasant in the cooler morning hours. There are no particular scams; the main practical hazards are the steep road and seasonal traffic.

• The daylily fields — The reason to come: tier upon tier of orange daylilies blanketing the hillsides during the August–September bloom. Free to view; the fields are working farmland, so stay on paths and respect crops.

• Viewing pavilions and platforms — Several scenic pavilions and observation decks are dotted across the terraces, giving panoramic views over the rift valley and across to the mountains. Free.

• Rift valley panoramas — On clear days the high vantage points look down over the patchwork of valley farmland and the two flanking mountain ranges.

• Sunrise and cloud-sea views — In favourable conditions the mountain catches early light and occasional seas of cloud filling the valley below.

• Daylily-season photography — Time a visit for the bloom and shoot the golden terraces in the soft light of early morning or late afternoon.

• Walk the terraces — Stroll the network of paths and pavilion routes for changing views over the flowers and valley.

• Catch the sunrise — Come before dawn to watch the sun rise over the Coastal Mountain Range and, with luck, a cloud sea below.

• Combine with a rift valley road trip — Fold the mountain into a wider drive or cycle through the southern East Rift Valley, taking in farmland, hot springs and indigenous townships.

• Learn about daylily farming — During the harvest, watch the working fields and learn how the buds are picked and dried.

Eating on the mountain itself centres on simple, daylily-themed fare served from seasonal stalls and small eateries that open up for the bloom.

• Budget — Seasonal food stalls and small restaurants near the viewpoints serve daylily soups, daylily omelettes and other local dishes, plus snacks and cold drinks.
• Mid-range — A handful of guesthouse restaurants and hillside eateries offer fuller rift-valley meals built around local produce.

For a wider choice of restaurants, including night markets, head down to Yuli (Friday night market) or Fuli. Vegetarian eating is straightforward in this farming region — daylily dishes are often meat-free — and "素" vegetarian eateries can be found in the valley towns. Halal and certified gluten-free options are very limited; plan ahead.

Seasonal stalls and small eateries on the mountain sell tea, coffee, bubble tea and cold drinks, busiest during the daylily bloom. Convenience stores are found down in the rift-valley towns rather than on the mountain itself, so carry water for any extended walking. Tap water in Taiwan is treated and considered safe once boiled, but most visitors drink bottled or filtered water.

• Budget — Simple homestays and guesthouses (民宿) on and around the mountain offer basic rooms; expect rough rates from around NT$1,000–2,000 per night, higher and heavily booked during the daylily season.
• Mid-range — Mountainside and valley guesthouses with better facilities and rift-valley views run roughly NT$2,000–3,500.
• Upscale — There are few genuinely upscale options on the mountain itself; for higher-comfort lodging, look to the rift-valley towns or southern Hualien resorts and hot-spring hotels.

The signature local product is dried daylily ("golden needle", 金針) — the harvested, dried flower buds used in Taiwanese soups and stir-fries. Roadside stalls and small shops on and around the mountain sell it during and after the season, alongside daylily-themed snacks and other local farm produce. For a fuller range of shopping, the rift-valley towns of Yuli and Fuli have shops and markets. Prices at farm stalls are generally fixed, though buying in quantity may earn a small discount; bargaining is not customary in Taiwan.

• Yuli — A short drive north; a rift-valley farming township and gateway to the Walami Trail.
• Fuli — Nearby in the valley; rice-growing country, with the well-known Fuli rice produced here.
• Ruisui — About 35–40 km / 1 hour north; hot springs, dairy ranches and Xiuguluan River rafting.
• Chishang — Just south in Taitung County; famous for its scenic rice paddies and lunchbox rice.
• Antong Hot Springs — Near Yuli; rift-valley hot springs for a post-hike soak.
• Taitung — Farther south; a laid-back east-coast city with strong indigenous culture.