Where is Luanshan's "walking tree," and how do you get there?

It's in the Luanshan (鸞山) community in Yanping Township, Taitung County, at the southern end of the Coastal Mountain Range, about a 40-minute drive from downtown Taitung. There is no public transport on the mountain roads, so we recommend chartering a car or going with a local guide.

Do you need a reservation for the Luanshan Forest Culture Museum?

Yes. The museum runs by reservation only, with guided tours led by Bunun community members; you cannot enter on your own. Our one-day itinerary handles your transfers and the official tour booking for you.

Why is Luanshan called "the homeland of Avatar"?

The aerial roots of the thousand-rooted banyan (large-leaf white fig) stretch outward like legs, and the whole grove of giant trees evokes the forests of Avatar and Hayao Miyazaki's films, which is how it earned the name.

Is Luanshan suitable for elderly travelers or children?

Yes, though the trail gets slippery after rain and involves a short walk, so wear comfortable shoes. The lack of phone signal on the mountain is intentional by design, so relax and put yourself in the hands of the community guides.

Forest greenery in the East Rift Valley (on-location photo · Tourism Administration, MOTC open data)

Luanshan · Bunun People · Forest Museum

Luanshan SaZaSa · 1 Day

Step into the homeland of Avatar and read the walking trees with the Bunun people

1 days 0 nights|from NT$ 4,800 / person|Up to 6 guests

Reserve · ask about dates →LINE

Forty minutes from downtown Taitung, the Luanshan (鸞山) community is tucked away at the southern end of the Coastal Mountain Range.

For generations the Bunun people have called this land "SaZaSa" — a place where the sugarcane grows tall, the animals thrive, and people live well. Twenty years ago it was nearly bought up by a corporation to build a columbarium, until museum director Aliman and the community raised the money to buy it back, turning it into what is now the Luanshan Forest Culture Museum.

On this 1-day itinerary, we pick you up from downtown Taitung and pair you with the museum's existing official tour program, where a community guide leads you into the precious grove of thousand-rooted banyans — the very trees everyone knows as the "walking trees."

For the full story of the community, start with our story page: The Walking Trees | Luanshan SaZaSa

The Day's Rhythm

08:30 Pickup at Taitung Station
09:20 Arrive at the plaza by the Luanshan police station and meet your Bunun guide from the Forest Museum
09:40 Visit the "walking tree" family
10:20 Forest Museum lookout — a Bunun welcome (charcoal-grilled meat, the hunter's Sport drink, and millet wine); take in the seven river terraces of the Beinan River (卑南溪), the East Rift Valley, and Chulu Ranch (初鹿牧場)
10:30 Mountain-entry ritual (red-label pure rice wine + betel nut + a boar's skull) → explore the wild forest "savings bank"
12:00 Bunun forest-flavor lunch — cooked the traditional way over wood, with wild greens gathered on the spot
13:10 Traditional mochi-pounding experience
13:30 Plant a sapling and leave behind 200 grams of memory
14:00 Head back down the same trail
15:30 Drop-off at Taitung Station

What's Included

A dedicated 6-seater vehicle and local guide for the whole route (downtown Taitung ↔ Luanshan community, 4 hours of driving company)
One official one-day experience tour at the Luanshan Forest Culture Museum (including the Bunun welcome, forest-flavor lunch, mochi experience, and tree planting)
The mountain-entry offerings provided on your behalf (red-label pure rice wine, betel nut)
Travel liability insurance
A pre-departure briefing on mountain-entry essentials (what to bring, taboos, and cultural etiquette)

What's Not Included

Personal spending and souvenirs
Optional sights at your own expense (if you'd like to swing by Chishang (池上) or Brown Boulevard (伯朗大道) along the way, a half-day add-on is available)

Things to Note

Please turn off your phone inside the Forest Museum and explore with a quiet, humble, learning heart.
Bring your own: reusable bowl and chopsticks, water bottle, gloves, rain gear, and lightweight hiking shoes.
The trail gets slippery after rain, so we suggest wearing pants you don't mind getting dirty.
The community experience is run by Indigenous community members, so it may be adjusted or postponed for important ceremonies or bad weather.
This itinerary is run in partnership with the Luanshan Forest Culture Museum; we do not replace the museum's own services.
There's no phone signal on the mountain — that's by design.

Who It's For

First-time visitors to Taitung who want to see something truly different
Anyone interested in Indigenous culture and ecological conservation
Fans of the forest atmosphere of Avatar and Hayao Miyazaki films
Families bringing elders or children who want a meaningful trip together

Why We Recommend This One

✅ Genuinely local-run: the Forest Museum was founded and is run by community members — not a community turned into a tourist attraction
✅ Plenty of buzz online: the homeland of Avatar, visited by Miyazaki — a story worth sharing with friends
✅ A real sense of harmony between people and nature: the mountain-entry ritual, the source of the Bunun eight-part harmony, planting a tree as a keepsake — no rushing past the highlights
✅ Stress-free transfers: the mountain roads are winding with no public transport, and even self-driving demands you know the way

This itinerary is illustrative. The actual shuttle arrangements, guide scheduling, and meal details will be confirmed with you once we've coordinated with the Luanshan Forest Culture Museum and the downtown Taitung driver before departure.

Official Forest Museum information: forestculturemuseum.com.tw / 0911-154-806

照片來源: 花東縱谷國家風景區管理處・政府資料開放授權條款第 1 版

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