Itinerary Introduction
Day 1
7:00 Departure from Taipei Main Station East Exit 3, 8:20 Departure from Hsinchu HSR Station Exit 4, 11:20 Smangus, Lunch (Western-style box lunch), Smangus Giant Tree Trail (Self-guided), Yaya Giant Tree Trail, Cinsbu Smangus Tribe, Dinner at the homestay
Day 2
Breakfast at the homestay, Tour of Smangus Tribe, Forest Elementary School, Cinsbu Church, Xiuluan Warship Rock Suspension Bridge, Lunch, Frog Rock Skywalk (Self-paid experience), 17:00 Return to Hsinchu HSR Station, 18:00 Return to Taipei Main Station
● During the cherry blossom season, the visit to Smangus may be rescheduled to the second day, and the attractions for the first and second days will be swapped, depending on the date of the Smangus entry permit provided by the homestay.
-- Accommodation Information --
◆ Na-Shan Homestay, Ririchun Homestay, Silike Homestay, Ganghao Villa. If fully booked, you will be arranged to another homestay of the same grade.
◆ It is not possible to specify a homestay; arrangements will be made by our staff.
◆ The tribal homestays are equipped with hair dryers. To support environmental protection, we recommend bringing your own towels, facial cleanser, toothbrush, toothpaste, and slippers to reduce waste in the mountains. The homestay only provides body wash and shampoo.
◆ Except in private spaces where masks can be removed, masks must be worn at all times in all public areas and throughout the tribe. Thank you for your cooperation. Please wear a mask when using the buffet and refrain from talking.
-- Attraction Introduction --
- Warship Rock & Warship Rock Suspension Bridge
Warship Rock—Located near the Baishi Creek in Xiuluan, there is a giant rock in the valley. Because the rock face is triangular, resembling a warship ready to set sail, it was named 'Warship Rock'. The Warship Rock Suspension Bridge is about 60 meters long and was built in March 2015 with pillars symbolizing Atayal patterns. It is one of the access paths to the Kongxi Tribe and an excellent place to appreciate the magnificence of the Xiuluan Warship Rock and the Kongxi Suspension Bridge up close. Walking on the suspension bridge and admiring the wave-breaking ship-shaped rock wall, the entire natural landscape is right before your eyes.
- Smangus
Located in the remote, high-altitude area (about 1500 meters above sea level) of Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan, it belongs to Yufeng Village in Jianshi Township. All residents are indigenous Atayal people. Because it is located deep in the mountains with inconvenient transportation and had no electricity for a long time, it was once called the 'Dark Tribe' and is the most remote indigenous tribe in Taiwan. Later, due to the discovery of the giant tree group, tourism developed, and it has now become an important tourist destination. Known as 'God's Tribe', the area is famous throughout the province for its red cypress giant tree forest. It takes about two hours to walk from the tribe to the primeval forest. When you arrive at the red cypress giant tree forest, you can see the giant tree known as the 'Big Old Man', which is about 2,500 years old, 20.5 meters in circumference, and about 35 meters high. Its biggest feature is its 'human' shape. The discovery of the giant tree group has attracted many people and it has become the Furusato of cypress trees.
- YAYA Giant Tree (YaYa Qparung)
Smangus is famous throughout Taiwan for its red cypress giant tree forest. When you arrive at the red cypress giant tree forest, you can see the giant tree known as the 'Big Old Man', which is about 2,500 years old, 20.5 meters in circumference, and about 35 meters high. Its biggest feature is its 'human' shape, resembling a gentle mother, opening her arms to embrace the children who come to visit her in the mountains, waiting for you to listen to the sounds of the forest. It is said that when the Japanese came, the people of Smangus hid here to escape the war, so the tribe called it Yaya, which means mother, thanking it for sheltering the entire tribe. (The giant tree trail is about 5.2 kilometers long, and the 10.4-kilometer round trip takes about 4.5-5 hours.)
- Frog Rock Skywalk
The only skywalk in Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County, it perfectly presents the original appearance of beautiful mountains, clear waters, and nature. It is a trail for getting close to the forest and enjoying a forest bath. In addition to the rock that looks like a frog, the most exciting part is the 'Skywalk (also known as the Rainbow Bridge)' and the 'transparent viewing platform' made of reinforced glass at the end of the trail. Below is the river valley of the Naluo Creek, allowing you to experience the visual sensation of being suspended over the valley. On the right is the famous Frog Rock Waterfall, where you can occasionally see the dreamy scene of a rainbow appearing in the waterfall. On the left side of the trail is the panoramic view of the magnificent Naluo Creek Valley, which is definitely a must-visit photo spot in Hsinchu.
- Cinsbu Smangus Tribe
Cinsbu (Atayal name for Cinsbu) originally means 'the place illuminated by the first ray of dawn'. There are only about 30 households of Atayal residents here, with a population of about 200, which can be said to be a super mini indigenous tribe. This place nurtures the largest primeval cypress forest in Taiwan, looking across the Takejin Creek at the Smangus giant tree group, and connecting to the Yuanyang Lake area in Yilan to the east, forming a continuous piece with the Qilan native cypress forest. Later generations named the giant trees according to their shapes, among which the vivid Adam, Eve, and Pregnant Mother giant trees are the most famous. Cinsbu has its own beauty in all four seasons: peach blossom season in March, peach season in June, cherry blossom season (about February-March), and maple season (about November-December) are the peak seasons. If you go during these times, there may be traffic jams on the way up and down the mountain!
- Cinsbu Church
The church is at an altitude of about 1,700 meters. It is a Christian church built by the Atayal people with their own hands, brick by brick and tile by tile. The breathtaking architecture embodies the life wisdom and faith of the Atayal people. The church also has an excellent view, overlooking the town of Cinsbu, symbolizing the protection of the small town.