Photo By: Elin Chow
Address: No.20, Zhongxing Street, Xinshe District, Taichung City 426, Taiwan 台中市新社区中兴街20号
Leaving Zhong She Toursight Flower Market 中社观光花市, we got in the car and set off for our stop of the day - Lavender Cottage 薰衣草森林.
Lavender Cottage 薰衣草森林
Lavender Cottage was established by two young ladies who quit their jobs in Taipei and Kaohsiung to pursue a purple lavender dream. So, they bought a remote hill in nowhere, where there was no phone connectivity or tourists and started to grow lavenders. It was difficult, but after years of hard work and determination, they fulfilled their dream. They have successfully built a romantic hideaway where visitors could enjoy their own private moments without much disturbance. A Lavender Cottage, a dreamy garden, completed with its own restaurants, shops, merchandises and accommodation.
Entrance Fee
The entrance ticket was 100 TWD per person (inclusive of 100 TWD voucher), which can be used to offset any of your purchase in Lavender Cottage later.
Operating Hours
The operating hours for Lavender Cottage is as below:
Operating Hours
Monday - Friday
10.30 am – 6.30 pm
Saturday - Sunday
10.00 am – 6.30 pm
Located atop a remote mountain in Taichung City lies the serene and beautiful Lavender Cottage.
Upon arrival. you will find yourself surrounded by breathtaking views of the nearby mountains and valleys.
Lavender Cottage is not accessible by public transport. Even big tour buses have problems making their way up due to the narrow, winding mountain road that allows only one car to pass at a time. Thus, hiring a private car to take you to the top of the mountain is highly recommended.
Before we enter the attraction, let's take some group photos first.
We were excited to see a fabulous life-sized teddy bear greeted us the moment when we entered the cottage. Of course, I would not miss the chance to snap a quick photo with this adorable fluffy one.
Nestled in the midst of scenic mountains and lush greenery, the Lavender Cottage is a prefect place to relax, unwind and enjoy nature. I felt instantly safe, peaceful and calm from the moment I stepped into the place.
The cottage consists of an open-concept restaurant serving a mixture of western and eastern cuisines. You can choose to enjoy your meals, either in the restaurant's dining hall or in one of the sheltered spots outside of the restaurant.
It was a nice and relaxing environment to sit under the shade of an umbrella and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea with your family and friends.
There were several push carts selling postcards, notebooks and a variety of Lavender products such as handmade soap, lotion, fragrance bags and essential oils. We used our vouchers to purchase a few little gifts for our family and friends.
If you have purchased some postcards from the push cart, you can also send it home to your friends and family. Simply write down your wishes and blessings on it and drop it into any of the colorful cottage-like mailboxes available around. Lavender Cottage will help you to post it out to any part of the world. However, please allow 15 days for delivery to your destination.
Located just beside the push carts, you will find the Vanilla House 香草 house.
Further up, the slope grew steeper while the smell of trees grew stronger.
As you slowly climb your way up, take a deep breath of clean, cool and crisp mountain air and forget everything just for one moment. Enjoy the silence, smell the scents of flowers and listen to natural sounds like the wind in the trees.
Away from the hustle and bustle fast-paced city life, the Lavender Cottage provides a very soothing and tranquil surrounding to slow down, unwind and appreciate the beauty of nature.
Following the trail, we spotted the Teddy Bear's Home 小熊的家 along our way up.
Right at the end of the trail, we came by a little hill, planted with beautiful rows of lavenders flowers. However, if you expect to see a Provence-like lavender field, you will be disappointed. Naturally, we were too.
I actually pictured myself taking some awesome photographs with a stunning lavender field as backdrop. But obviously, that was not possible. Furthermore, the lavenders were not in bloom, thus it was disappointing to not see a sea of purple when we visited. I guess the month of May is just not a good time to visit a lavender field.
We were surprised and thrilled to find a magnificent carousel sitting in the middle of the forest. Take a spin and relive your childhood memories on the carousel. However, please note that there is an additional charge per ride for this attraction.
Surrounded by the untouched natural environment, the Lavender Cottage is an ideal place for couples looking for a romantic hideaway.
The place was very picturesque with plenty of photo opportunity around every corner. We spent majority of our time taking photos around the cottage.
Everything just feel so relaxing, peaceful and calm. It feels as though we were in a fairyland.
The Lavender Cottage is a perfect getaway for people who wishes to get away from the hectic city life and get close to nature. This is where you can enjoy a relaxing stroll around the cottage in a tranquil atmosphere, have a cup of coffee or tea or browse through the lavender products in the souvenir stores.
If you are interested to know more about our trip, you may want to check out our 11D10N round island tour itinerary for the list of attractions that we had visited during our 11 days in Taiwan. Be sure to follow me on Facebook or Twitter for the latest updates on my 11 days adventures in Taiwan!