{"schema_version":"v1","type":"trip_article","slug":"aowanda-maple","locale":"en","canonical_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/trips/aowanda-maple","updated_at":"2026-10-14T00:00:00+00:00","headline":"Aowanda maple season: mid-November to late December in Renai, Nantou","one_sentence_summary":"Aowanda's sweetgum leaves turn red from about mid-November to late December. The park in Renai, Nantou keeps an intact native Formosan sweetgum forest, and in cold, damp winters the colour can last into January.","facts":[{"label":"Colour season","value":"About mid-November to late December. The park says leaves turn faster when cold weather persists and the air is damp, and red leaves can still be seen from December into January.","source":"https://newtalk.tw/news/view/2022-11-23/844784","sourceLabel":"newtalk.tw"},{"label":"Location","value":"Renai Township, Nantou County, from 1,100 to 2,600 metres above sea level, with an intact native Formosan sweetgum forest.","source":"https://ao.forest.gov.tw/","sourceLabel":"ao.forest.gov.tw"},{"label":"In the park","value":"Mid-elevation broadleaf forest with about 120 recorded bird species, plus a suspension bridge, waterfall and birding trails.","source":"https://ao.forest.gov.tw/","sourceLabel":"ao.forest.gov.tw"},{"label":"Getting there","value":"Most visitors drive from Taichung or Puli, about an hour and a half on a mountain road, and the park has a car park.","source":"https://ao.forest.gov.tw/","sourceLabel":"ao.forest.gov.tw"},{"label":"Entry","value":"A national forest recreation area with separate entry and parking fees. Fares and opening hours are listed on the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's recreation website.","source":"https://recreation.forest.gov.tw/Forest/RA/0000074","sourceLabel":"recreation.forest.gov.tw"},{"label":"Tree species","value":"Formosan sweetgum (Liquidambar formosana) belongs to the Altingiaceae, not the maple family; in Taiwan, watching it change colour is still called maple viewing.","source":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquidambar_formosana","sourceLabel":"en.wikipedia.org"}],"city_tabs":{"nantou":{"title":"Nantou · Renai","bullets":["Drive up from Taichung or Puli; the park has a car park","The sweetgum trail in the main park is gently graded and needs no hiking experience","The suspension bridge, waterfall and birding trails are all inside the same park"],"source":"https://ao.forest.gov.tw/","sourceLabel":"Forestry Agency"}},"faq":[{"q":"When do the leaves turn red at Aowanda?","a":"From about mid-November to late December. The park says leaves turn faster when cold weather persists and the air is damp, and red leaves can still be seen from December into January. Timing shifts with the weather each year.","sources":["https://newtalk.tw/news/view/2022-11-23/844784","https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/paper/1560669","https://ao.forest.gov.tw/"]},{"q":"Where in Nantou is Aowanda?","a":"In Renai Township, Nantou County, between 1,100 and 2,600 metres above sea level, a mid-elevation forest with an intact stand of native Formosan sweetgum.","sources":["https://ao.forest.gov.tw/"]},{"q":"Is Formosan sweetgum a maple?","a":"No. Liquidambar formosana belongs to the Altingiaceae, a different family from the maples (Acer). Its three-lobed leaves turn red in autumn and winter, so in Taiwan it is part of maple-viewing season.","sources":["https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquidambar_formosana"]},{"q":"How long is the drive from Taichung to Aowanda?","a":"About an hour and a half on a mountain road from Taichung or Puli. The park has a car park, and the sweetgum trail starts from there.","sources":["https://ao.forest.gov.tw/"]},{"q":"Is there an entry fee?","a":"Yes. Aowanda is a national forest recreation area with separate entry and parking fees. Fares, concessions and opening hours are listed on the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's national forest recreation website.","sources":["https://recreation.forest.gov.tw/Forest/RA/0000074"]},{"q":"What else is in the park?","a":"Mostly mid-elevation broadleaf forest with about 120 recorded bird species, plus a suspension bridge, waterfall and birding trails that fit into the same day as the sweetgum trail.","sources":["https://ao.forest.gov.tw/"]},{"q":"What should I wear to Aowanda in winter?","a":"Winter mornings are cold, so bring a warm jacket and a hat. After rain the fallen leaves make the trails slippery, so wear shoes with grip.","sources":["https://ao.forest.gov.tw/"]}],"sources":["https://ao.forest.gov.tw/","https://recreation.forest.gov.tw/Forest/RA/0000074","https://newtalk.tw/news/view/2022-11-23/844784","https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/paper/1560669","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquidambar_formosana","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aowanda_National_Forest_Recreation_Area"],"key_takeaways":[{"text":"Aowanda's leaves turn red from about mid-November to late December, and in cold, damp years red leaves last from December into January.","date":"2026-10-13","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://newtalk.tw/news/view/2022-11-23/844784","source_label":"newtalk.tw"},{"text":"Aowanda is a national forest recreation area with separate entry and parking fees, listed with opening hours on the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's recreation website.","date":"2026-05-31","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://recreation.forest.gov.tw/Forest/RA/0000074","source_label":"recreation.forest.gov.tw"},{"text":"About 120 bird species have been recorded in the park, and the sweetgum trail, suspension bridge, waterfall and birding trails are all in the same park.","date":"2026-05-31","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://ao.forest.gov.tw/","source_label":"ao.forest.gov.tw"}],"reading_outline":[{"id":"executive-summary","label":"Summary"},{"id":"city-routes","label":"Places and routes"},{"id":"rules","label":"Before you go"},{"id":"faq","label":"FAQ"},{"id":"sources","label":"Sources"}],"topic":{"chain":["trips","taiwan-festivals","aowanda-maple"]},"status":"published","hero_image":{"src":"/hero/aowanda-maple.webp","alt":"Aowanda maple season: mid-November to late December in Renai, Nantou"},"editorial":{"tagline":"In cold, damp years the sweetgum stays red into January","paragraphs":["Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area climbs from 1,100 to 2,600 metres in Renai Township, Nantou, and holds an intact native Formosan sweetgum forest. You reach it by driving a winding mountain road from Taichung or Puli, and the sweetgum trail starts from the park's car park.","Formosan sweetgum (Liquidambar formosana) is not a maple but a deciduous tree in the family Altingiaceae, with three-lobed leaves that go from green to yellow to red in winter; in Taiwan the season is still called maple viewing. Peak colour usually runs from mid-November to late December. The park says that in years of steady cold and damp air the leaves turn faster, and red leaves can still be seen from December into January.","The sweetgum trail in the main park is gently graded and needs no hiking experience. After rain the fallen leaves are soft and wet, and the trail is more slippery than usual.","Beyond the sweetgums, most of the park is mid-elevation broadleaf forest with about 120 recorded bird species, and the suspension bridge, waterfall and birding trails are all within the same park."]},"guide":{"lede":"Peak colour runs from about mid-November to late December, and in cold, damp years red leaves last into January. Most people drive up from Taichung or Puli, and weekend traffic is heavy in the leaf season, so plan to be off the mountain before dark.","sections":[{"heading":"Location and the tree","body":"Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area is in **Renai Township, Nantou County**, and holds an intact **native Formosan sweetgum forest**. Sweetgum belongs to the Altingiaceae, not the maple family, and its leaves turn from green to yellow to red as the weather cools."},{"heading":"When the leaves turn","body":"Peak colour runs from about **mid-November to late December**. The park says leaves turn faster when cold weather persists and the air is damp, and red leaves can still be seen from December into January. Timing shifts with the weather each year."},{"heading":"Getting there: driving from Taichung or Puli","body":"Most visitors **drive from Taichung or Puli**, about **an hour and a half** on a mountain road, and the park **has a car park**. The road has many bends and gets busy on weekends in the leaf season, so plan to drive down before dark."},{"heading":"Entry fees and opening hours","body":"Aowanda is a **national forest recreation area** with **separate entry and parking fees**. Full fares, concessions and opening hours are set out on the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's national forest recreation website, which is the authority for current prices."},{"heading":"Where to stay and planning the day","body":"The park is off most travel routes and the round trip by road takes about three hours, so it usually needs a full day. To get in early, stay the night before in Puli or around Renai. Besides the sweetgum trail, the **suspension bridge, waterfall and birding trails** fit into the same day; bring binoculars for the birds."},{"heading":"Mountain weather and the trails","body":"Winter mornings up here are cold, so pack a warm jacket, a hat and a wind- and waterproof layer. After rain the fallen leaves make the **trails slippery**, so wear shoes with grip. On the suspension bridge and narrow trails, don't block the way for long while taking photos, and keep your voice down on the birding trails."}]},"kind":"festival","available_locales":["zh-TW","en","th","id"],"event_start_date":null,"event_end_date":null,"dates_estimated":false,"next_edition":null,"offers":[{"id":"aowanda-ticket","title":{"zh-TW":"奧萬大國家森林遊樂區門票","en":"Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area ticket","th":"ตั๋วเข้าอุทยานป่าแห่งชาติอ้าวว่านต้า","id":"Tiket Area Rekreasi Hutan Nasional Aowanda"},"merchant":"klook","utility":"ticket","landing_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/go/aowanda-maple?o=aowanda-ticket&locale=en&src=data","checked_at":"2026-10-13"},{"id":"aowanda-maple-tour","title":{"zh-TW":"奧萬大賞楓＋武界部落一日遊","en":"Aowanda maple viewing & Wujie village day tour","th":"ทัวร์หนึ่งวันชมใบไม้แดงอ้าวว่านต้าและหมู่บ้านอู่เจี้ย","id":"Tur sehari daun maple Aowanda & desa Wujie"},"merchant":"klook","utility":"experience","landing_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/go/aowanda-maple?o=aowanda-maple-tour&locale=en&src=data","checked_at":"2026-10-13"},{"id":"nantou-sml-cingjing","title":{"zh-TW":"日月潭＋清境農場一日遊（含遊湖船票）","en":"Sun Moon Lake & Cingjing Farm day tour with lake cruise","th":"ทัวร์หนึ่งวันทะเลสาบสุริยันจันทราและฟาร์มชิงจิ้ง รวมตั๋วล่องเรือ","id":"Tur sehari Danau Sun Moon & Cingjing Farm, termasuk kapal danau"},"merchant":"klook","utility":"experience","landing_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/go/aowanda-maple?o=nantou-sml-cingjing&locale=en&src=data","checked_at":"2026-10-13"}]}