Maolin

My recent trip to Maolin featured more than enough rain, mist and mud for my liking. However, I was still very impressed by how much there's to be seen there, even though damage done by Typhoon Morakot remains visible. Because of the weather I didn't take many photos. I saw aone monkey, a great many birds, but not many butterflies, even though wintertime is when vast numbers of purple and blue crow butterflies descend on Maolin. The valley and nearby areas amount to a butterfly migration point of international significance.

The butterflies shown here were in the enclosures at Maolin Ecological Park, which is right beside the main village. Most of the people in Maolin are Rukai aborigines.

There are no public buses to Maolin, so you'll need your own vehicle. A motorcycle is preferable to a car. Alternatively, get a local tour operator to organise everything; this article profiles one who takes people to see the butterflies.