About 31 km (19 miles) southeast of Taichung, past verdant fields of tea, pineapples, and banaas, is the small country town of Chushan (Bamboo Mountain). Here craftsmen create bamboo items much as they have done for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. Scores of shops line the streets and sell every type of bamboo ware, from chopsticks and small carved items to complete living room and bedroom suites.

But Chushan is more than an interesting side trip on the ways to some of Central Taiwan's most popular scenic spots. Several good hotels make the town an ideal place to begin day trips to Hsitou and Shanlinhsi to the south and Tsaoling to the southwest.

Chushan is 20 km (12.4 miles) south of Nantou city and four hours by bus from Taipei to Chushan; travelers must transfer at Taichung or Nantou. Chushan can be toured in an hour.