Xitou is a natural outdoor classroom and a place and object for people to learn from nature. The forests of Xitou have multiple functions, including forest education, timber production, national security, and forest recreation.
The Xitou Education Center provides lodging and dining facilities for the convenience of visitors.
Friends who love ginkgoes must not miss this place. Every autumn, you can enjoy a golden ginkgo forest. The Xitou Nature Education Area is a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides. The highest altitude is Lingtou Mountain at 2,025m on the south side, which extends north to the Phoenix Mountain Range, forming the eastern boundary of the area. Extending westward, it becomes the Neishu and Mountain Ranges, turning northward to form the southern and western mountain ridge boundaries of the area. A stream runs through the two mountain ranges and exits to the north. The main area’s altitude ranges from 800 to 2,000m. According to the observation data from the Xitou Meteorological Station, the monthly average temperature in Xitou varies between 11.0 and 20.8 degrees Celsius, with an annual average of 16.6 degrees Celsius. The average annual rainfall is 2,635.18mm. It has a warm and humid climate, with no water shortage throughout the year. The effective temperature is not concentrated in summer, making it very suitable for people to come here for summer retreat and leisure.
The University Pond is a beautiful and elegant place that intoxicates visitors. Occasional misty scenes make it dreamlike.
At the University Pond, it is a popular spot for young people to confess their love, adding a touch of romance. You can see an arch bridge made of bamboo materials and observe the knee root phenomenon of the bald cypress. Between August and September, you can also witness the reproduction of Sowerby’s red frogs. When spring arrives, enjoy the blooming mountain cherry blossoms. If you get up early in the morning, you can watch the crested jay taking a bath!
The observatory features a semi-circular roof that can rotate 360 degrees, and a large skylight that allows you to explore the mysteries of the universe through an astronomical telescope. This observatory is set up by the Department of Physics at National Taiwan University for research purposes. Located at an altitude of 1800 meters, surrounded by forests, it has no light pollution after dark, allowing for a clear view of the starry sky.
Ginkgo trees are known for their beautiful shape, and their leaves change with the seasons, each with a unique charm: green in spring and summer, yellow in autumn, and bare in winter. In Taiwan, ginkgo is commonly known as white fruit, and its seeds are edible, but the seed coat is toxic. The ginkgo afforestation site in Xitou is very impressive, as ginkgo trees are scattered throughout Taiwan. Next to the ginkgo forest, the ‘Lu Lao Pit’ formed after the Taozhi typhoon provides an outdoor classroom for you to experience the power of nature.
The site is open from 07:00 to 17:00 all year round. Children under six years old enter for free.Service facilities:
– Parking:
– [First/Second/Third Parking Lot]
– Reference price: First Parking Lot NT$50 per hour; Second and Third Parking Lots NT$40 per hour on weekdays, NT$50 on holidays.
– Address: -; Spaces: -.
– Luggage storage:
– Reference price: Small locker NT$30, large locker NT$100 (coins).
– Address: Ticket office.
– Wheelchair rental:
– Reference price: -;
– Address: Second floor of the office.
– Nursery room:
– Address: First floor of the office and next to the service center ticket office.
– Catering:
– Souvenir shops:
