Zhiben Forest Recreation Area

Last month I visited Zhiben (Jhihben) Forest Recreation Area, just south of Taitung City, for the first time since the early 1990s. Because the weather was surprisingly good, there were few people and it's a very well-managed place, I spent more time there than expected.

Here are some photos. From top to bottom: (1) Looking downriver from the bridge visitors cross before entering the forest, which is on the north bank of the Zhiben River.

(2) One of the forest's many giant banyans.





(3) A waterfall in the lower part of the forest recreation area.























 (4) A magnificent male Hebomoia glaucippe formosana spotted just outside the visitors centre and identified for me by this blogger (many thanks!). Unfortunately I couldn't get a full frontal. The forest offers much better butterflying than birding.