IAB Conference 2025

    We are excited to introduce some attractions in Taiwan and hope you can take the time to explore this beautiful island before or after the meeting. Taipei City is very accessible to foreign visitors. In addition to Taipei, transportation is convenient in Western Taiwan, where we recommend several attractions. You can click the photos containing the super link on the right of each attraction; clicking them will redirect you to the website with more information about it.

Alishan National Forest Recreation Area

      Tall mountains surround the Alishan area, which has a cool climate with an average temperature of around 10 degrees Celsius. The average low temperature is 8 degrees Celsius, while the average high temperature is 15.7 degrees Celsius. Humidity is high, and rain is sufficient (the Rainy season is April to September, while the dry season is from October to March). There is often dense fog, so please pay attention during your travels.

As you go up the mountain, you’ll notice the plants in the forest change as the altitude rises – subtropical broad-leaved forest (Fiscus-Machilus zone), warm broad-leaved forest (Machilus-castanopsis zone), cool temperate mountain coniferous forest (Tsuga-Picea zone), bamboo forest, India-charcoal trema, Ring-cupped oak, Formosan cypress, Taiwan incense-cedar, Luanta-fir, Taiwania, Taiwan Yellow Cedar, Dragon spruce, and Chinese hemlock. From time to time, you can smell the unique fragrance released by the variety of trees in the forest. A walk in the forest will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Many Japanese bryologists have visited the Alishan area and recorded many bryophytes. You can find Marchantia formosana, and Sphagnum palustre beside the road. Abound Meteoriaceae grow on the branch. Here, you can also find Pogonatum shevockii, a species published in 2017.

Yushan Maik Peak 

For the people who like hiking, you won’t miss the chance to go to Mt. Yushan. Yushan Main Peak is located in the central part of Taiwan. Its altitude is 3,952 meters, making it the highest mountain in Taiwan and the highest peak in Northeast Asia. It is also the first of the Hundred Peaks of Taiwan. The surrounding mountains include the Front Peak, Little Nanshan, Nanyu Mountain, East Little Nanshan, Lushan, and North North Peak. These mountains surround the main peak like stars surrounding the moon, highlighting its majestic and kingly status. The magnificent and majestic mountain appearance, excellent view, and beautiful sunrise scenery have attracted countless domestic and foreign climbers to come and climb it. In recent years, it has become one of the three things that Taiwanese people must do in their lifetime.
    The elevation of this trail is above 3,000 meters. Many species are similar to high latitude areas, such as Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, and Bartramia. Gollania philippinensis and Pogonatum urnigerum can be found on the rock along the trail.

Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake is a beautiful lake in Taiwan’s Yuchi Township, Nantou County. Lalu Island in the middle of the lake separates it into a part shaped like a crescent moon and another part shaped like a round sun; thus, the name Sun Moon Lake. Surrounding the lake are mountains, streams, and forest trees. The lake is vast and calm, providing a perfect reflection of its changing appearance each season.

The bikeway around Sun Moon Lake was selected by CNNgo, the online streaming platform of CNN, as one of the world’s top 10 most beautiful bikeways. The 400-meter Shuishang Bikeway starts from Shuishe and goes to Xiangshan Visitors Center. Biking here evokes the feeling of boating on the water. Some famous attractions in worth visiting are Wenwu Temple, Longfeng Temple, Ci En Pagoda, Yongjie Bridge, and Xiangshan.

There are many more attractions to discover on the Tourism Administration of Taiwan website.