7 Hiking Trails in Shilin That You Shouldn't Miss

Reviewed By maryyeo - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Qingtiangang is a grassland on part of the Yangmingshan national park. You will like it if: 1. You enjoy the sheer expanse of space and fresh air atop a mountain. 2. You enjoy watching cows graze. 3. Easily accessible by car as the car park is just 100 metres away. Public buses are available too for the budget-conscious. Comparing Qingtiangang and Cingjing Grasslands: 1. Qingtiangang is right inside Taipei city, on Yangmingshan, one of the few national parks in the world that's in a city. Also, there are many other attractions atop this Yangmingshan mountain. Cingjing is somewhat in central Taiwan so much harder (few hours ride or need to take the high speed train and transfers) to get to, be it from Taipei or Tainan airports. The main attraction in Cingjing is just the grassland and Swiss Garden, a manmade garden. 2. Qingtiangang is free compared to Cingjing Grassland. 3. Qingtiangang on Yangmingshan is open even at night so you can visit at night to enjoy the stunning nightview of the Taipei city from the top of a mountain. Cingjing Grassland the attraction closes at 5pm. 4. Cingjing has more animals and activities e.g. pony riding, sheep feeding, etc. Qingtiangang only has brown cows and they are not released to graze when the weather is bad. 5. Cingjing is more quaint and probably has more mountain lodges or 'minsu' and you can enjoy the mountain mist as you walk around the small town at night or in the morning. You can find overnight stays at Yangmingshan too but probably not as quaint as the feeling of staying in a small mountain town like Cingjing, and probably doesn't overlook the grasslands like the one at Cingjing.