The Slower Pace of Yilan

Most first-time visitors to Taiwan tend to stick to the marquee attractions, such as Taipei and Taroko National Park. Although we Taiwanese share the same fondness for those places, most of us ended up falling in love with the less touristy region. Having visited many big cities along the west coast on our last trip, I was looking forward to somewhere more laidback and places where there is no need to rush from one landmark to another. We have thought of visiting one of Taiwan’s outlying islands or the southeastern part of Taiwan. Due to our limited time, I opted to take my parents to Yilan County (宜蘭縣), located on the northwestern coast.

Once physically isolated from the west coast, Yilan became increasingly popular thanks to the opening of the Hsuehshan Tunnel in 2006. The driving time from Taipei was cut from two hours to thirty minutes. Much to the dismay of many locals, Yilan was sometimes nicknamed Taipei’s “back garden” or the retirement community. Compared to the urban bustling capital, this is a place to take a deep breath and connect with nature. Since I left the trip planning to the last minute, Yilan seemed like an ideal destination for an impromptu family trip.