Taiwan boasts diverse forest resources—24 forest recreation areas, 3 lowland forest parks, 154 nature trails, 4 forestry culture parks, and 8 nature education centers—providing quality recreational experiences to 7 million visitors annually. The island is actively integrating ecological, historical, and cultural resources alongside public-private partnerships to develop sustainable tourism corridors and networks. Innovatively using flavor and taste experiences to promote forest healing, Taiwan is building forest recreation destinations compelling enough to warrant a special trip.

Dining in the Forest


A meal in the forest is more than just dining—it's a practice in sustainable living.


Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area. (Image: Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency)


At Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area, visitors immerse themselves in natural beauty while savoring dishes crafted from Yilan's organic local ingredients. Taipingshan offers not only dreamlike hot springs renowned even during the Japanese colonial period but also serves as a model for sustainable forest cuisine. The park features two pools where visitors can boil eggs; spring water piped to the lodge maintains a temperature of approximately 75°C.

The on-site restaurant embraces the philosophy of locally grown, locally consumed, sourcing organic fresh produce from Yilan to ensure quality and safety—particularly rice from Dongshan Township in Yilan County. In 2018, Taipingshan Restaurant received the Taiwan Rice certification from the Council of Agriculture's Agriculture and Food Agency, promoting the plump, high-quality rice grown across Dongshan's 1,600 hectares of pristine mountains and waters.


The on-site restaurant at Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area. (Image: Taipingshan Lodge Restaurant)


The collaboration between forests, farms, and restaurants not only promotes the local economy and stabilizes the organic produce market but also advances ecotourism while reducing carbon footprints.

Along mist-shrouded trails, Alishan National Forest Recreation Area showcases culinary excellence with locally abundant high-mountain bamboo shoots. Dongyanshan National Forest Recreation Area features an Environmental Protection Administration-certified green restaurant. Amid hundreds of hectares of planted Japanese cedar (cryptomeria) and China fir forests, visitors enjoy both forest bathing and culinary exploration—a deep immersion into the slow food philosophy of "green tourism."

A Dialogue Between Plant Hunter and Chef

In Gaoshu Township, Pingtung County, stands a place brimming with vitality and passion—the Dr. Cecilia Koo Botanic Conservation Center. This is the world's largest tropical plant conservation center, housing over 30,000 plant varieties. Hung Hsin-chieh, nicknamed "A-chieh," plays a vital role here. Despite hyperactive from childhood and only completing junior high school, he became a plant hunter certified by National Geographic Channel.

Hung and his team dedicate themselves to protecting and preserving endangered plant species, bringing these rare specimens from distant lands back to Taiwan and successfully establishing them in Taiwan.

His work extends beyond merely collecting and preserving plants; he collaborates with experts across industries to unlock greater value from these species in different fields. One notable creative partnership is with Hugo Lee, head pastry chef at Le Ruban Pâtisserie.

Lee is a renowned Taiwanese pastry chef who specializes in incorporating local Taiwanese agricultural products into French pastries, creating distinctively flavorful confections. Lee has collaborated with numerous farms, integrating fresh local ingredients into his creations. For instance, young farmers in Yunlin County cultivate Hami melons; Lee's stable contract purchases have enabled these delicate melons to thrive in new territory.

When Hung and Lee first met, they immediately connected. Both share a common aspiration: to leave a lasting mark on Taiwan's future through native plants and agricultural products.

Hung brought forth maqaw, a Taiwanese indigenous spice plant, and together they created the Maqaw Mille-Feuille. The French puff pastry layers buttery richness with the robust notes of pepper and ginger—distinctive in flavor and beautifully layered. This creation appears in Le Ruban Pâtisserie's "Wandering Taiwan" (漫步台灣) Taiwanese cookie collection which features Alishan oolong tea from Chiayi County, organically cultivated Yamagata roses from Nanto County's Puli Township, and longan harvested from the northeastern hills of Wufeng District, Taichung—a harmonious encounter between Taiwan's primordial forests and the international pastry stage.


Le Ruban Pâtisserie's Taiwanese Cookies Collection. (Image: Le Ruban Pâtisserie)

Savoring Cuisine While Experiencing Sustainable Forests

Sustainable forests and the flavors born from them are flourishing in Taiwan through the growing market of in-depth travel.

For instance, environmental development and illegal logging of maqaw trunks in recent years have drastically reduced wild maqaw populations in the mountains. A restaurant in Wulai, New Taipei City, boldly transformed its approach: actively cultivating maqaw trees, opening its grounds to visitors, and promoting the traditional use of this Atayal spice plant. Their handcrafted Hunter's Maqaw Sausage, infused with lemony fragrance, has become wildly popular.

Qulaw Organic Farm. (Image: Qulaw Organic Farm)


In the Atayal villages of Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County, another restaurant has developed Maqaw Roasted Duck alongside Maqaw River Shrimp and Maqaw Bass, served with hunter's wrapped rice. Partnering with local farms to demonstrate food provisioning and traditional fire-making techniques, they attract travelers seeking authentic experiences on a forest healing journey engaging all five senses.

These initiatives not only advance ecotourism but also embody the concepts of forest understory economy and sustainable cycles. As visitors explore natural beauty, they promote sustainable resource use—savoring cuisine while experiencing the allure of sustainable forests.