Manapan Agri-tourism Area

When the mountains are bright and green, the clouds are magnificent and the trees become luxuriant, no hustle and bustle of the city can contaminate the wonderland. As the mists and fogs jump and leap on tree tops amidst the mountain ridges, the fruit-picking secret spot is seemed to be more distant and far away.

To many people, Dahu, the hometown of strawberries, is a must-visit place in winter. The strawberry farm where red and green fruits interlace is like being provided with magic power that all who visit there will always exclaim, “it is such a wonderful thing to collect strawberries.” Located in the mountains of Dahu, Manapan Agri-tourism Area is at an average altitude of 500 to 1000 meters. The temperature is a little bit lower than the flat lands, and with sufficient sunlight and misty fogs that gather in the afternoon, the environment is particularly suitable for growing fruits and flowers such as strawberries, mandarin oranges, peaches, plums, sweet persimmon and roses. The endless aftertaste of the sweet-and-sour taste of the fruits is difficult to forget. The enchanting orchards and farms within Manapan Agri-tourism Area are definitely worth visiting.

The strawberry garden on Tunghai Farm is situated at the foot of a mountain and beside a river. The pollution-free environment is able to cultivate sweet and fragrant strawberries. (Photo courtesy of Tunghai Farm)

Hsu, Chih-Te, the owner of “Tunghai Farm”, returns to his homeland and breaks the ground to run strawberry farm and orchard business by taking advantage of the appropriate climate and soil of Manaban. Even having affected by climatic and environmental changes during the recent years, they still strive to find ways to improve the situation. For example, using clean and well-drained coconut fiber soil in order that the strawberries can grow healthier and prettier. Here at Tunghai Farm, one is able to enjoy the picturesque views, marvel at beautiful flowers or stroll along the trails in mountain forest to experience the charming idyllic scenery and beauty of nature. Every February as the plum bloom in full flower, the snowy landscape among the mountains is so enchanting that countless climbers and backpackers will always be attracted to the spot. Visitors are also welcome to come for fruit picking and savoring during the strawberry season which takes place from early winter to late spring and the season of oriental plum around Dragon Boat Festival.

“Manapan First Tourist Information Center” which provides tourism advisory service to visitors draws up entertaining DIY activity by exploiting native agricultural specialties: develop “shaking love jam”, the most natural flavor fruit granules jam by heating up fresh mountain fruits such as strawberries and tangerines with crystal sugar before shaking well, for instance. Furthermore, the hanging ornaments and bookmarks made from simple wood planks by the tourists according to their own creativity are also the manifestation of Manapan style.

Strawberry jam DIY program initiated by “Manapan First Tourist Information Center” is a must-join activity for the tourists.

Jointly run by the father and two sons of the Huang’s, the orangery, where honey tangerine trees are planted with their own hands, is named “Ju Er Dai (Tangerine House of Two Generations)”. The growth period of honey tangerines is long. As it is required that the fruits grow on well-drained soil while avoid exposure to the sun, the Huang’s family try to look after the trees with great care by applying sod culture in particular. The plump fruits with sweet and luscious pulps are highly praised and appreciated by the consumers. Huang’s father and sons have even developed wooden souvenir gift box for their tangerines based on the past experience in operating limber industry. The product, well-received upon launched, enables traditional agricultural products to have a new appearance. To realize efficient resource utilization, they use the remaining wood chips for compost to increase the retention capacity of soil and enhance the quality of tangerine.

The young fruits of “Ju Er Dai (Tangerine House of Two Generations)’s honey tangerine are sprayed with white calcium carbonate powder, which becomes a peculiar sight of midsummer

Speaking of planting trees in Manapan area like everyone else, the trees planted by Lan, Kai-Han and Chang, Shu-Jung are the stout camphor trees, the indigenous species of Taiwan rather the regular fruiters commonly-seen in the region. More than ten years of prolonged afforestation, forest maintenance and soil conservation, extensive stout camphor trees and massive seeds and seedlings are successfully cultivated on the farmstead of their self-run “Shan Shang Zhong Shu (Planting Trees in the Mountain) Stout Camphor Forest”. Stout camphor trees are also utilized to breed Antrodia camphorate (local fungus), which are made into products with like the light-scented stout camphor tea. The large-scale restoration of stout camphor trees allows this native species to create impressive economic value. The incubation of trees requires the investment of a month of Sundays. Lan, Kai-Han, hoping that the stout camphor trees can grow strong in a natural environment without human interference, only accepts tourists to partake in guiding interpretation tour and leaves bath bag DIY program upon reservation so that more people will understand the importance of conservation and restoration.

It is required that the stout camphor tree be pruned to promote its growth. The old leaf trimmed off by Lan, Kai-Han is then made into the light-sweet stout camphor tea of delicate fragrance.

Straddling the emerald green mountain and the brilliant blue water, Spend Time Coffee not only offers B&B lodgings but also serves specialty dishes which are made with fresh native ingredients including strawberries, pumpkin, striped bass and dragon fruits. The signature dish, the roasted chicken in strawberry beer sauce adopts the beer brewed from the strawberries of Dahu for marinating the chicken. The purpose is to increase soft, tender and juicy texture of the meat and bestow a slight aroma of strawberry on the dish. As for Hakka pizza which is involved with Meigan cai (molded dried vegetables) is an exclusive flavor that cannot be found elsewhere. What is more, Spend Time Coffee even elicits hot spring from underground. The undiluted and unheated spring water that reaches up to 52 degrees Celsius alone allows the visitors to enjoy the pleasure of taking a hot spring bath in a natural environment and experience the comfortable and delightful feeling of being slippery.

Roasted chicken in strawberry beer sauce – the signature dish of Spend Time Coffee

Maple Map B&B holds the best location for having an aerial view of Manapan region. The vast and open eyesight allows everyone to appreciate the sea of clouds, to enjoy the sunset, to gaze at the stars and even to overlook the landscape of Taichung Port and Wanggaoliao Night View Park on Dadu Plateau when the weather is nice and clear. Surrounded by mountains and forests, the area is where one can go spring outing and mountain climbing or admire fireflies at night in midsummer and marvel at the hilltops covered with red maples in autumn. There is endless natural scenery everywhere for everyone to experience. The delicacies made by the owner with five-star hotel cooking skills are something that can never be left out: the chicken fillet seasoned with anka, the fish fillet served with Hakka orange marmalade, the tomatoes and cheese slices topped with Chinese toon sauce, for instance. The new savor created through the integration of traditional Hakka sauces and seasonings with native farmhouse fruits and vegetables has earned recognition from innumerable visitors.