Spring is a generally comfortable if not damp season in Taiwan. The shifting winds of the Northeastern Monsoon will bring consistent rain to Northern Taiwan, while Southern Taiwan will remain relatively dry. During spring, while Taiwan’s high peaks may still shine with residual snow cover, flowers around the country will have started to bloom and the country’s national parks will be filled with weekend tourists trying to see the limited-time attractions. In Central Taiwan, the end of winter’s New Year’s celebrations give way to one of Taiwan’s most sacred folk events, the Mazu Pilgrimage.
Flower Festivals & Sightseeing
Yangmingshan Flower Festival
The Yangmingshan Flower Festival begins in mid-February and lasts until late-March. Less than an hour by car from Taipei, Yangmingshan’s colorful landscape features many kinds of sakura (cherry blossoms), azalea, camellia, wild peony, rhododendrons, and peach blossoms.
Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village: Cherry Blossom & Lavender Festival
Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village in Sun Moon Lake features over 2,000 cherry trees blooming at once—the most in one area in Taiwan. The Cherry Blossom Festival is immediately followed by the Lavender Festival in March.
Alishan Cherry Blossom Festival
More than 19,000 cherry trees dot the Alishan landscape. 18,000 of these are Yoshino cherry trees and can be identified by their beautiful pink and white blossoms. The Alishan festival can also be enjoyed while riding the Alishan Forest Railway, one of the world’s most impressive narrow-gauge alpine railways.
Cultural Festivals
Song-Jiang Battle Array in Neimen
Over the course of 20 years, the Neimen Song-Jiang Battle Array Festival has evolved from a local temple fair into Taiwan’s biggest folk arts performance troupe festival. Song-Jiang Battle Array refers to a traditional Chinese martial arts performance troupe which can be seen at temple fairs and folk events. The Neimen festival takes place over the course of several days and features dozens of folk performances troupes from all over the country competing and displaying their acrobatic prowess and spirit. It is one of the best opportunities to delve deep into Taiwan’s unique cultural heritage.
Kaohsiung Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage
The 340-kilometer-long Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage takes place over the course of 9 days and is Taiwan’s most well attended folk event—attendance is often estimated at close to one million followers. Mazu, known as the goddess of the sea, has over 850 temples devoted to her in Taiwan and it is estimated that over half of Taiwan’s population are Mazu believers. The Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage is the largest Mazu celebration in Taiwan. During Dajia, the sea goddess is taken on a 340-kilometer journey through Taichung, Changhua County, Yunlin County, and Chiayi County and back to the Dajia Temple in Taichung.
