The Hengshantou Agricultural Leisure Area

Hengshantou is where visitors can rest in every corner and appreciate the cooling mountain spring waters and enjoy the cozy flow of greenery while the exuberant fields of the countryside become a thriving scene of prosperity.

Water is the best present given to Yilan by God, particularly for Hengshantou, which is situated at the foot of a hill and beside a stream. Originating from the Lanyang River basin, the spring water that flows on the land of Hengshantou is abundant and of excellent quality, enabling all life to grow and thrive copiously and manifest their vitality.

Let’s put the fresh spring water of Hengshantou to use and plant flowers!
Planted on the farmland that is covered with watercourses by Yang Liu Ke, the eight varieties of butterfly ginger have become the prized feature of the “Hua Quan Leisure Farm”. Local organic coffees are also grown in this region for visitors to sample. In addition to coffee, Brazilian grape tree, Caimito, and West Indian cherry are other special crops cultivated on the farm. This site where children can get close to nature and enjoy the ecological environment is suitable for a family trip. Having a foot bath or participating in the clam touching program in translucent spring water are two of the most popular activities among tourists for cooling off and relieving the heat and stuffiness during the scorching summer season.

The natural aroma of flowers and plants is provided with a certain magical power that makes people content. Themed on the fragrance of plants, the “Artemis Garden”, the museum of aromatic plants in Taiwan, consists of friendly greenhouse buildings that are suitable for the growth of vegetation by means of green engineering. Flowering plants are also arranged so that the pleasant smell of flowers can be shared with more people. Along with the relishing fragrance, the Artemis Garden invites all tourists to visit and experience the pleasures of flower viewing and scent appreciation. Dishes made with flowers and herbs are also served with handmade bread in a vanilla flavor and handmade essential oil soap and essential oil DIY programs are provided for both children and adults. Pure plant essential oil that is entirely modulated by the farm and products such as floral-scented shower gel, handmade soap, and herbal tea can be found inside the store. Representing happiness, the delicate fragrance of the flowers softly transcends into your life.

From fish farming to the cultivation of aquatic plants, the “Sheng Yang Leisure Farm” also develops its business by making use of the good waters of Hengshantou. Bred by Sheng Yang using the waters of Hengshantou, high-quality water plants and fish are sold domestically and internationally and are used as ingredients for making fresh fish and special aquatic-flavored dishes. Meanwhile, fishing, bamboo raft rowing, water fighting, float grass noodles, and lotus-flavored jelly DIY programs are available for visitors to experience a relaxing life that is beautifully different from that in the city. Xu Zhi Xiong, the “aquatic expert” and person in charge of the Sheng Yang Leisure Farm is slowly transforming the site into a cultural and creative farm by developing cultural and creative products such as waterweed lamps and ecological balls by utilizing aquatic plants. The DIY program through which the participants can make handmade pencils of their own style using the waste woods from the Yilan cypress and fruit trees is the most popular activity when visiting the Sheng Yang Leisure Farm.

In Yilan, sweetfish farming is considered to be a legend. The growing environment of sweetfish requires excellent water quality and suitable water temperature, so, the fish were mainly bred in the high mountains in the past. The sweetfish cultivation in Yilan also accounts for 90% of the entire country and Huang Yu Ming at the Ba Jia Leisure Fish Farm has become the first expert to successfully culture sweetfish on level ground. Apart from sweetfish farming, remunerative sturgeons are also bred on the Ba Jia Leisure Fish Farm. While the texture of sweetfish is quite delicate with a slightly bitter and sweet taste on the belly meat, the fish meat of sturgeon that is rich in collagen is sweet, fresh, and nutritious. Made with both sweetfish and sturgeons, the handmade fish dishes are highly praised and appreciated by foodies. Furthermore, fresh sweetfish eggs and sweetfish boiled with honeydew is sumptuously developed to allow tourists to cook the dishes at home. Egg rolls, square cookies, and XO sauce made with sturgeons are additional distinctive souvenirs that are sold at the farm.

If you want to experience the countryside of Hengshantou, “Tie Niu Li Aka”, a remodeled iron ox carriage made of from traditional machinery that is run by the Neicheng Community Development Association, is undeniably the first choice. Led by the local elderly guides, this manned cart will transport visitors to explore many scenic sights within the agricultural leisure area including the three-hundred-year-old “Tai-chhiu-kong (the worship of the Tree Deity)”, the ferry pier that was created to transport lumber, and the bubbling Qiangzailain Pond. According to Jian Yu Hong, the director-general of the Neicheng Community Development Association, the tour of “Tie Niu Li Aka” includes the integration of the Yi Yong Ancient Trail, Huanshan Shuizhen Trail, and Tai Yang Pi Trail, as well as programs like the DIY iron oxcart handmade soap or glove compartment experience and the Caozaiguo (herbal cake) and anka-flavored red tortoise cake DIY experience provided by the association. Through these programs, tourists can become familiar with the mountain the water environment, humanistic culture, and the natural ecology of Hengshantou.

Prolific in their natural ecology, the energetic bees are the representatives of vitality in Hengshantou. Led by Huang Dong Ming, the beekeeping production and marketing group strives to improve the breeding of bees which are docile and more capable of gathering abundant supplies of honey while offering high-quality honey products based on the brand, “Bee Farmer”. The “Bee Family Museum” was also established to produce a lively and interesting guided tour that allows visitors to observe bee ecology in close proximity and the process of gathering and producing honey.
Products such as honey, propolis, royal jelly, honey-flavored pancakes, panna cotta, soft-serve ice cream, and beverages are sold on the sight for visitors to savor and experience the sweet and pleasant taste of honey.