Renowned for its cultivation of wine grapes, Erlin is a largely agricultural township in Changhua County. It’s also a popular destination for photographing flowers in bloom, with kapok trees igniting the Dongluo River in April and May, while snow-white buckwheat flowers blanket Erlin Township in December.
Things to do in Erlin Township
In the heart of Erlin Township is the Renhe Temple, which has long been a centre of faith for the residents of Changhua County. While its date of construction is unknown, it was renovated around 1815 under the rule of Emperor Jiaqing. Admire the temple’s traditional Hokkien architecture and explore the courtyard where rallies by local sugarcane farmers were once held.
In the south of Erlin Township is a famous field of buckwheat that has become a popular photographic destination when its flowers bloom. Learn about the introduction of buckwheat to Taiwan during Japanese colonial rule and its importance to the local economy ever since. When the buckwheat flower (known as the “lover’s flower”) is in bloom, the field turns into a majestic sea of white.
Erlin Township is a convenient base for visiting the Fangyuan Wetlands, a protected nature reserve that provides habitat for a variety of water birds and fiddler crabs. You can stretch your legs along one of the walking trails that lead through its mangrove forest or coincide your visit with the late afternoon to watch the sun setting over the Taiwan Strait.
Getting around Erlin Township
Erlin Township is around an hour’s drive from the centre of Taichung City and Taichung International Airport, which has flights to destinations across Asia. Buses connect to Erlin and travel throughout the township while renting a car gives you greater freedom to explore the region.