Camping in Yilan County's South
Yilan County’s south provides quality camping experiences in the quietest of environs just 90 minutes to two hours from Taipei’s thrumming. There is little light pollution, opening up the starry skies for you at night. Here, for your consideration – two of the region’s best and most popular campgrounds.
Nan’ao
Na Sun Na Gu Leisure Farm
This campground is located in mountainous Nan’ao Township deep up a mountain valley formed by the Nan’ao South River, which joins up with its north sister just outside the town of Nan’ao before traveling the short distance to the conjoined waterway’s Pacific debouche. The town is pierced by Provincial Highway 9D, the twisty-thrilling original coastal highway between the Yilan County port city of Su’ao and Hualien County’s Taroko Gorge area.
The owner-operator is an Atayal tribe member. “Na Sun Na Gu” means “my home” in the Atayal language – his goal has been to create a relaxed community feel among all who spend time here, staff and campers. His house is on-site, and he spends much of his time moving around the grounds. Many of the staff are Atayal, especially those handling the river-fun experiences (see below). There are two native settlements in the valley: Wuta, passed on the drive up the valley from the highway, and Jinyang, deeper up the valley. There is little valley development past Wuta save for campgrounds and scattered farm plots.
Na Sun Na Gu is located right beside the valley’s sculpting river, which is shallow enough to wade across in most places and at most times except after heavy rains and during/after typhoons. It provides camping facilities along with easy, family/group-oriented guided river-tubing and river-trekking experiences (beyond campsite fees, extra fees for tubing/trekking experiences). Campers are also free to visit the riverside area on their own, with adult accompaniment for kids strongly advised. No, despite the “farm” in the name, you’ll be enjoying no farm-related funtime at Na Sun Na Gu.
There are a variety of camping-style options available: campsites with turf or pallets, glamping sites, camper trailers, and even chalet accommodations. High-quality communal-use bathroom and shower facilities are provided (hot water 24h), as are refrigerators for food/beverage storage, spin dryers, and water dispensers. If you don’t have some or any needed camping equipment, everything is available for rent. The check-in area also has food/beverage supplies for sale.
Dongshan
Tan A Camper
This attraction is in a busier location than Na Sun Na Gu. It’s in Dongshan Township on the edge of Yilan’s Lanyang Plain as it meets the mountains on its south side, seated right beside the bikeway/pathway encircling popular Meihua (Plum Blossom) Lake. You have immediate access to the lake’s various teases – lake-encircling walks or rental-bike rides, e-boat tours, ice-cream and cold drink stands, and a number of breezy-seating cafés.
Your lake view from the grounds takes in Meihua Lake’s scenic island and island-connecting pedestrian suspension bridge on the left and, on the right, the lofty and colorfully photo-demanding Sanqing Temple looming over the lake from its forest-surrounded mountainside perch high above the lake’s south side. The sounds of frolicking tourists fades to crickets after the lakeside shops close in the late afternoon, returning only late morning next day. Read More…
