Mountains to Sea National Greenway
山海圳（pronunciation: shan hai zun）
Distance: 177 km
Duration: 8-12 days
The Mountains to Sea National Greenway (MSTW for short, Romanized as shan hai zun), is located in Southern Taiwan. As its name shows, MSTW takes you on an epic journey from the sea leval (hai) through the irrigation canel (zun), and all the way into the higest peak in Northeast Asia, Mt. Jade (Yu han), at 3,952 meters. Crossing five climate zones and various river basins and forests, the trail exhitits the diversity of Taiwan's landscape, as well as the different ethnicities and cultures on the island. MSTW is also well supported by green transportation, such as bamboo raft, ferry, shuttle bus, and bicycles.
The trail consists of four thematic sections, and can be further divided into 31 routes.
Inner Sea Trail: This section of the trail winds through local Tainan city, and some of the museums along the way, such as National Museum of Taiwan History and Museum of Archaeology, Tainan Branch, displays the rich Taiwanese history and culture. The section is mainly composed of bicycle routes, and once you apply for a EasyCard, you can ride on the shared bike "Youbike" and enjoy your ride.
Canal Trail: The Jianan Irrigation System has sustained generations of people, and you will have the chance to see how Yoichi Hatta (ba tian yu yi), a Japanese engineer, designed reservoir and water conveyance canals that quench the southern Taiwan.
Indigenous Trail: Once you take the ferry to cross Tsengwen Reservoir, you enter into the mountains, which is also where the Indigenous Tsou people have dwelled for centuries. We encourage you to enjoy the natural trails in this area, and learn to live in harmony with nature under the guidance of Tsou people.
Sacred Mountain Trail: Now you are about 3,000 meters above sea level, and Mt. Jade is within reach. Looking back, you can reminisce about the path taken as how a trickle of water flows from mountain to sea.
A: Southern Taiwan is especially hot and humid during summer, so the best time to hike would be from October to March.
Q: Should I go East-bound (Sea to Mountain) or West-bound (Mountain to Sea)?
A: In terms of public transportation and comfort, we would recommend East-bound, namely going from sea to the Mountain. For the seaside trailhead, the Yanshuei River estuary, the easiest way would be to reach the Taijiang National Park, and ask the local ferryman to take you across the river. But currently there is no fixed schedule for the ferry, so the most convenient way to start your journey would be to take a taxi there.
For the mountain-side trailhead, the Paiyun Mountaineering Center (deng shanfu wuzhong xin), this would be a two step process.
1. Take the Alishan Forest Railway from Chiayi Train Station to Alishan. But as the railway is very popular, if you can't secure a ticket, another way would be to take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle No. 7329, 7329 A (departing from THSR) or No. 7322C. 7322D (departing from the Train Station) to the terminal station, Alishan.
2. From Alishan, take No. 6739 (Alishan-Sun Moon Lake line) of the Taiwan Tourist Shuttleto Upper Dongpu (Shang don pu), and take a 10 minute walk to the mountaineering station. Please note that since the seat is limited, you are advised to call the bus station at least 3 days beforehand. Their number is: (02) 049-2770041.
Q: What permits do I need to apply to hike MSTW?
A: If you want to complete the grand journey to hike all the way to the top of Mt. Jade, please make sure to apply for a permit and a night at Paiyun Lodge. Foreigners can have 24 beds per night, but you need to apply at least one month beforehand and wait for the result. For the complete guide to apply, please see Hike Smart Taiwan Service (Yushan National Park-Foreign Advanced Application).
Q: What signage should I follow along MSTW?
There will be signages along the way. The green one is for eastbound, and the blue one is for westbound. The logo itself is a combination of mountain, rivers and the sea.
Q: What is the etiquette when hiking MSTW?
There is no camping in the National Park area, so please make sure to apply for the permit and the lodge. In other parts of the MSTW, camping is in a gray area. Normally there are accommodations along the trail, and we would encourage you to experience local culture, but if you want to camp, especially on private lands, please make sure to get permission from the landowner.
Follow LNT principles at all times, and when you hike along the Indigenous section, please respect their customs.
Mountains to Sea National Greenway
山海圳（pronunciation: shan hai zun）
Distance: 177 km
Duration: 8-12 days
The Mountains to Sea National Greenway (MSTW for short, Romanized as shan hai zun), is located in Southern Taiwan. As its name shows, MSTW takes you on an epic journey from the sea leval (hai) through the irrigation canel (zun), and all the way into the higest peak in Northeast Asia, Mt. Jade (Yu han), at 3,952 meters. Crossing five climate zones and various river basins and forests, the trail exhitits the diversity of Taiwan's landscape, as well as the different ethnicities and cultures on the island. MSTW is also well supported by green transportation, such as bamboo raft, ferry, shuttle bus, and bicycles.
The trail consists of four thematic sections, and can be further divided into 31 routes.
Useful Links
Q&A about MSTW
Q: What is the best season to hike MSTW?
A: Southern Taiwan is especially hot and humid during summer, so the best time to hike would be from October to March.
Q: Should I go East-bound (Sea to Mountain) or West-bound (Mountain to Sea)?
A: In terms of public transportation and comfort, we would recommend East-bound, namely going from sea to the Mountain. For the seaside trailhead, the Yanshuei River estuary, the easiest way would be to reach the Taijiang National Park, and ask the local ferryman to take you across the river. But currently there is no fixed schedule for the ferry, so the most convenient way to start your journey would be to take a taxi there.
For the mountain-side trailhead, the Paiyun Mountaineering Center (deng shanfu wuzhong xin), this would be a two step process.
1. Take the Alishan Forest Railway from Chiayi Train Station to Alishan. But as the railway is very popular, if you can't secure a ticket, another way would be to take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle No. 7329, 7329 A (departing from THSR) or No. 7322C. 7322D (departing from the Train Station) to the terminal station, Alishan.
2. From Alishan, take No. 6739 (Alishan-Sun Moon Lake line) of the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle to Upper Dongpu (Shang don pu), and take a 10 minute walk to the mountaineering station. Please note that since the seat is limited, you are advised to call the bus station at least 3 days beforehand. Their number is: (02) 049-2770041.
Q: What permits do I need to apply to hike MSTW?
A: If you want to complete the grand journey to hike all the way to the top of Mt. Jade, please make sure to apply for a permit and a night at Paiyun Lodge. Foreigners can have 24 beds per night, but you need to apply at least one month beforehand and wait for the result. For the complete guide to apply, please see Hike Smart Taiwan Service (Yushan National Park-Foreign Advanced Application).
Q: What signage should I follow along MSTW?
There will be signages along the way. The green one is for eastbound, and the blue one is for westbound. The logo itself is a combination of mountain, rivers and the sea.
Q: What is the etiquette when hiking MSTW?
There is no camping in the National Park area, so please make sure to apply for the permit and the lodge. In other parts of the MSTW, camping is in a gray area. Normally there are accommodations along the trail, and we would encourage you to experience local culture, but if you want to camp, especially on private lands, please make sure to get permission from the landowner.
Follow LNT principles at all times, and when you hike along the Indigenous section, please respect their customs.
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