Beidawushan

Beidawu is the southernmost of Taiwan's hundred famous peaks over three thousand metres, and it is held sacred by both the Paiwan and the Rukai, whose origin accounts place ancestors on the mountain. The climb is normally done over two days with a night at Kuaigu cabin, through cloud forest thick with moss and epiphytes, ending on a rocky summit that on clear mornings looks out over a sea of cloud with the whole southern range beyond.

What you actually see

• The summit - 3,092 metres, the southern end of the high range.
• The cloud forest - moss and epiphytes through the middle section of the climb.
• The Kuaigu cabin - the overnight stop, booked in advance.
• The cloud sea - the view from the top on clear mornings.

When to go

October to April is the driest window. Summer typhoons close the trail and cause landslides. Cabin space and permits must both be booked well ahead.

Honest expectations

Permits and cabin bookings are both required and heavily oversubscribed; the process must start weeks ahead. Landslides have closed the trail for extended periods. This is a serious two-day climb, not a walk.

Nearby

Wutai is north, and Pingtung city is southwest.