Mingchi National Forest Recreation Area — Attraction in Datong

If a zero or negative star were available as an option for review I’d have chosen that instead. As one star is the lowest rating, I guess that’s what we’ll go with. As noted by many other people, the attitude of the staff serving customers leaves a lot to be desired. It’s almost as if interaction with the public is valued (solely) as an opportunity to contribute difficulty, inconvenience and overall promote a negative impression of the facility. It’s almost as if they hold contempt for the facility and are intent on sabotaging the image of it in the eyes of visitors. To be fair, I had one experience which was satisfactory, and dissatisfactory service only on the other visit. The review I read of the staff refusing to allow a child to use the toilet unless they paid was trumped in my case by (on one occasion) refusal to allow my use of the toilet, even if I did pay. The cherry on the cake was the sniggering of the two members of staff and comments at my expense to each other as I walked away. Either these particular staff have no training in customer service, or for some reason beyond understanding, they seek to eschew it in favour of enjoyment in the satisfaction derived from being as difficult and awkward to customers as they can possibly muster. If possible, avoid. A note of caution for any unsure of their footing, the paving around the entrance is incredibly uneven and may present a trip hazard, so far as I can see, and I can’t fathom the design intent where the facility promotes itself as being wheelchair accessible. I’d honestly like to see how someone is meant to negotiate their way along the pavement on a...

As mentioned by other reviewers, the park is small, yet I find it peaceful to stroll around. I visited on a sunny day (Feb 28) and appreciated the lack of crowds.

Be warned! The left side of the park, the trail became slippery between the Flower Garden and Floating Pavilion. Despite being extremely careful, I unexpectedly fell.

The Flower Garden itself was serene, with sunlight filtering through the trees and flowers drifting down in the breeze. I spent quite some time enjoying the tranquility until a group of people arrived and began talking loudly.

Overall, I spent a good 4 hours at the park. My favorite part was the Fairy Tale walking trail, where the wooden boardwalk seamlessly blended into the forest, creating a magical atmosphere.

However, I probably won't be visiting Mingchi again anytime soon since I feel I've seen all it has to offer. Additionally, the drive up here, with its twists and turns, is not for the faint of heart. Although I consider myself an advanced driver in any road condition, it didn't feel safe due to motorcycles crossing the road's midsection when making turns at corners. Furthermore, there's ongoing construction if you're coming from I-lan.

Despite these challenges, I enjoyed my visit. My only complaint is directed towards those groups of people who fail to appreciate the quietness and beauty of nature. For them, taking photos seems more important than genuinely enjoying...

Date visited: end Sep 2025. Self drive: most part of road are not that broad - basically barely fitting two cars - so new driver please drive slowly. Road is winding most part Parking - park at the hotel. NT100 per entry. Cash only Entrance ticket: 150 per person - cash only Parking to entrance - need to walk about 10 minutes Forest area: nice cool quiet and serene. Basically many ancient pavilions - this place used to be for ex president summer retreats - so you can imagine yourself immersed in this environment thinking of big stuffs. Not easy to throw tempers in this environment. Forest area - not big and parts of path are blocked. No stunning views ( idk if any bcos some paths were closed). Not suitable for people who have challenges in walking as rocky and stone roads. Nice to sit and relax. Probably one hour or two hours in the park depending on how long you can tolerate or...