Dalin Township, formerly known as Dapulin, is an agricultural township in Chiayi County. Due to climate change, its main agricultural products, such as rice, citrus, and orchids, have shifted, and current products include black-shell green bamboo shoots, pineapples, rice, bananas, and orchids. Focusing on “Bamboo-Wang Dalin,” the township has created a unique Dalin brand to assist farmers in production and sales, thus increasing their income.
Dalin Township boasts a rich traditional cultural beauty. With its simple agricultural roots and deep community spirit, the township offers a blend of beautiful landscapes and unique attractions that draw many visitors for leisurely strolls. In 2016, Dalin received Cittaslow certification, and despite the recognition, the town’s character and lifestyle remain unchanged, exuding a tranquil natural beauty and a harmonious, carefree philosophy of life.
Dalin's Best Spots
Dalin, a small town that blends culture and nature, boasts a rich historical charm and unique slow-living appeal. Whether it’s the ever-changing beauty of the seasons, the lively festivals, or the culturally rich tourist factories and historical sites, there’s something unforgettable for every visitor. From the lively New Year’s Eve camping nights to the dazzling lantern displays during the Lantern Festival, from the hidden beauty of the blooming yellow flower wind bells to the nostalgic atmosphere of old theaters and sugar factories, every corner holds a unique story. In addition, the local music instrument factories, famous square pastry shops, and European-style castles provide a variety of sensory experiences. The lush parks, bike paths, and walking trails offer travelers a peaceful pace to connect with nature. Now, let’s explore the charming and surprising town of Dalin!
Dalin Cittaslow New Year’s Eve Camping Party
On December 31, 2024, Dalin Township in Chiayi County hosted its first-ever New Year’s Eve event with the theme “New Year’s Eve Camping Chill” at the Dalin Sports Green Corridor, attracting a large crowd for a memorable night. The event featured live performances from several bands and singers, with beautiful melodies echoing under the starry sky, creating a relaxed and joyful atmosphere. Numerous food stalls were set up on-site, offering a variety of delicious treats to satisfy attendees’ appetites. The township also thoughtfully provided local snacks, meatball soup, and ginger tea, offering warmth in the chilly night. The highlight of the event occurred at midnight, as the countdown to 2025 began, and dazzling fireworks lit up the night sky, welcoming the new year. This event also showcased Dalin’s rich natural ecology and agricultural特色, fostering a rural and leisurely lifestyle atmosphere.
Dalin Nightless Lantern Festival
The Dalin Nightless Lantern Festival is a grand celebration held annually in Dalin Township, Chiayi County, during the Lantern Festival to celebrate the occasion and create a lively and festive atmosphere. During the festival, main streets like Zhongshan Road are closed to traffic and decorated with vibrant and dazzling lanterns and art installations, creating a beautiful, illuminated night scene. The lantern district in the alleys and the nostalgic ambiance form the core concept of Dalin’s Lantern Festival. The event also features various themed market areas offering a wide array of delicious food and unique products for visitors to taste and purchase. The festival’s activities include a street parade, dance and song performances, traditional folk activities like lantern riddles, and live performances by well-known singers, attracting large crowds. Additionally, the township government provides free rental of ancient Tang Dynasty costumes for visitors to experience the fun of time travel. The highlight of the event is the high-altitude fireworks display, where dazzling fireworks light up the night sky, adding a romantic and joyous atmosphere to the festival. The Dalin Nightless Lantern Festival not only showcases the local cultural features but also provides a joyful platform for people to celebrate the Lantern Festival, making it an annual highlight event in Dalin Township.
Chenjingliao Yellow Trumpet Tree Secret Flower Season
The Yellow Trumpet Trees in Chenjingliao, Dalin Township, Chiayi County, begin to bloom every spring, marking the start of an annual flower viewing event. These trees are planted along the embankment, allowing visitors to stand at flower height and enjoy the blossoms up close without needing to look up. This creates a unique viewing experience that is one-of-a-kind in Taiwan. In March each year, the flowers bloom across approximately 1.5 kilometers, forming a brilliant golden sea that resembles a golden waterfall, known as Dalin’s Golden Corridor. Visitors stroll along the corridor, walking side by side with the flowers, immersed in a dreamlike landscape. The stunning photos taken with the flowers in full bloom have become a social media sensation, sparking a wave of flower-chasing tourism.
Wanguo Theater
Originally operated by the local prominent Fan family, Wanguo Theater opened in 1968 and was one of the four theaters in town at the time. With the decline of local industries and the migration of the population, the theater ceased operations in 1989. It was briefly transformed into a karaoke venue before being abandoned. In 2012, cultural historian Jiang Minghe, with the consent of the landowner Fan Fengzheng, began restoring Wanguo Theater, giving it a new lease on life. It is now the only functioning theater in Chiayi County. On July 3, 2018, Wanguo Theater was officially listed as a historical building in Chiayi County, making it the first historical building in Dalin Township. That same year, the theater hosted several cultural events, inviting senior artists to perform and screening nostalgic films, injecting new cultural energy into the local community.
Additionally, Wanguo Theater has been used as a filming location for several films and television works, including the 2016 film The Three Women of Abura, the 2019 film Detention, and the 2020 series Complete Domestication, episode 9, titled Complete Domestication étude, with 98% of the scenes filmed there.
Dalin Sugar Factory
Established in 1913, Dalin Sugar Factory was originally known as the Chiayi factory of the Shinko Sugar Manufacturing Co., Ltd. during the Japanese colonial period. At its peak, the factory processed up to 1,600 tons of sugarcane daily. After World War II, the factory was taken over by the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and renamed Dalin Sugar Factory, continuing its sugar production operations. However, with the decline of the sugar industry in Taiwan, the factory officially ceased sugar production on July 1, 1995.
After its closure, part of the factory site was transformed into the Taiwan Sugar Biotechnology Center, which was completed in October 2004, focusing on research and development of core technologies such as fermentation and biotransformation.
In addition, the factory has also developed its tourism potential, preserving its historic sugar production facilities and setting up a welfare shop selling Taiwan Sugar ice creams and biotechnology products, making it a popular spot for both locals and tourists to relax. The factory area features a sugar-carrying steam locomotive and Taiwan Sugar passenger carriages, allowing visitors to experience the grandeur of the past sugar industry. Surrounding the factory are well-preserved dormitories for Taiwan Sugar employees and a park that is open for public visits.
In recent years, the factory area has become home to the Shicuiyuan Cultural and Creative Art Park, a new highlight in Dalin, Chiayi. The park boasts the tallest 3D painted artwork in Taiwan, created by irregularly stacked four-story shipping containers, and a 9-meter-high statue of King Kong, attracting many visitors for photo opportunities. The park also features AR interactive imagery, such as a visual effect of a mackerel fish tornado in the sea, adding an extra element of fun to the sightseeing experience. The transformation and diverse development of Dalin Sugar Factory have successfully combined industrial heritage with modern tourism, adding new charm to the Chiayi region’s travel scene.
Old Yang Fang City
Old Yang Fang City is the first tourist factory in Taiwan centered around the theme of square pastries (Fangkuai Su). The park covers an area of approximately 3,500 ping (about 11,550 square meters), combining a shopping mall, production line, and entertainment facilities, offering visitors a chance to explore the process of making square pastries.
The walls within the park are decorated with carefully crafted 3D murals, featuring fun creations like the self-designed “Fangkuai Su aliens” and other figurines, adding an element of playfulness. Additionally, there is an actual production line display area, as well as an attached mall where visitors can purchase various flavors of square pastries.
Carol Brass Musical Instrument Tourist Factory
Carol Brass Musical Instrument Tourist Factory is Taiwan’s first tourist factory themed around brass instruments. Established by the renowned Taiwanese brass instrument brand CarolBrass, the factory aims to offer visitors an in-depth understanding of the craftsmanship and culture behind brass instruments.
The facility features a musical instrument museum showcasing a collection of antique brass instruments, allowing guests to explore the historical development of brass music. Visitors can also tour the production line to observe the instrument-making process and even try playing miniature trumpets and other instruments. The factory offers hands-on DIY activities, such as assembling a bugle, giving guests a chance to experience instrument-making firsthand. A light refreshments area is also available for visitors to relax and enjoy their visit.
“63 Park”
63 Park was created through the collective efforts of a group of community-loving residents. Tucked away in a maze of winding alleys, the park opens up into a vibrant, welcoming space. Its brightly painted walls and lush greenery create a tranquil haven, like a hidden utopia. Wandering through its flower-lined paths, visitors are often delighted by unexpected moments of charm—like “turning a corner and finding love.”
Jordanese Castle
Jordanese Castle is Taiwan’s first castle themed around beauty, blending Baroque architecture from the Renaissance era with modern aesthetic technologies to create a comprehensive experience in the art of beauty.
The park features 11 outdoor Instagram-worthy spots, including the Princess Niss Garden and Brian Garden Plaza, with every corner exuding rich artistic charm.
Inside the castle, visitors can enjoy a café, themed restaurants, and a castle supermarket offering a wide variety of gourmet food and shopping options. More than just a sightseeing destination, Jordanese Castle also hosts regular art performances and themed exhibitions, allowing visitors to appreciate both stunning views and the power of art.
GAIA Manor
GAIA Manor is an aesthetic park and tourism factory created by the CONI Group. The manor features a pure white Greek-style castle that blends nature and technology, offering a picturesque setting perfect for photo opportunities.
The park includes several scenic photo spots such as the Venus Wishing Fountain, Fragrance Memory Garden, Floral Time Corridor, and Fairytale Sunlight Meadow—each filled with artistic ambiance. Visitors can also enjoy a café and restaurant on-site, making it a delightful destination to savor both beauty and cuisine.
Sports Green Corridor
The Dalin Sports Green Corridor is a green miracle—transformed from barren land into a vibrant park—and stands as a model of successful public-private cooperation in park maintenance. The park features lush greenery, serene walking trails, modern fitness facilities, and a well-lit softball field for nighttime use. A vast expanse of green lawn stretches out under the sky, with a single old tree at its center, creating a picturesque landscape that makes it an ideal destination for family outings.
Dalin Bikeway
The Dalin Bikeway, an 8-kilometer loop around the town, begins at the old sugar factory. Cyclists can ride past Japanese-style factory buildings and soak in the nostalgic charm of the area, or stroll along idyllic rural paths and green tunnels, breathing in the fresh, phytoncide-rich air. Along the way, the calls of the Chirixalus frog add a natural melody to the journey. This route offers a rich tapestry of rural scenery, ecological vitality, and the simple beauty of everyday life.
Dalin Cuisine
Food is one of the most important highlights of any journey, and in Dalin, its most famous local delicacies are often hidden in small eateries tucked away in narrow alleys, each carrying years of history and culinary heritage. Stinky tofu, chicken rice, oyster fritters, pork thick soup, tofu pudding, as well as savory rice puddings and sticky rice dumplings in front of the train station, squid soup, fried mackerel soup, and the renowned Dalin pork chop rice king—all offer a taste of local flavor. Drinks made from local fruits and vegetables like those from Zheng Zhong Beverage or sweet treats from Jade Ice Garden are beloved not only by locals, for whom they evoke delicious memories, but also by visitors, who are often pleasantly surprised by the amazing flavors of Dalin.
Dalin Train Station Fried Stinky Tofu
Dalin Train Station Fried Stinky Tofu
Dalin Tofu Pudding, Traditional Tomato Slices
Dalin Train Station Pork Rice Dumpling
Dalin Train Station Rice Cake (Wang Gui)
Dalin Pork Rib Rice King
Stay in Dalin for a Day
Hola Family
Hola Family Homestay, located in the heart of the fields in Sanjiao Village, Dalin Township, is built with four main concepts in mind: culture, art, ecology, and community connection. The homestay blends classical Chinese architectural features with a nostalgic rural atmosphere. For breakfast, guests can DIY by collecting eggs from the homestay’s chickens to make boiled eggs, or pick fresh vegetables from the field, enjoying farm-to-table dining at its finest, truly embodying the slow food spirit. The host also offers a variety of seasonal fruits, making breakfast both healthy and delicious.
Right next to the homestay is the Dalin Bicycle Trail, offering a safe and comfortable route with scenic views of the countryside. Nearby, visitors can find two-hundred-year-old cotton trees and five-hundred-year-old banyan trees. On summer nights, the cool breeze, the croaking of frogs, and the chirping of insects fill the air. Especially notable is the Juluo tree frog, a native species of Taiwan, affectionately called the “green little fairy” by locals. It is very selective about its environment, but can be found in almost every community in Dalin, a testament to the area’s environmental conservation efforts. When night falls and the peaceful croaking chorus begins, it becomes the perfect lullaby, helping you return to a simpler, purer state. No wonder people say, “Once you come here, you never want to leave the city again.”
Chengdu Hostel
Chengdu Hostel, which began operations in 1966, is located at No. 19 Pinghe Street, Dalin Township. It has witnessed the prosperous past of Dalin and holds significant memories for the older generation of Dalin residents.
After nearly half a century of quietude, the hostel underwent a renovation project in 2019, funded by the “Ministry of Culture’s Private Historic Building Preservation and Regeneration Program.” This project also aligned with the Nanhua University USR plan and the “Dalin Cittaslow Development Association,” which continued to promote Cittaslow tourism in Dalin. The public space on the first floor, along with the second and third floors, which feature distinctive hostel spaces, were made accessible to visitors. The layout also connects to a cultural storytelling tour, enhancing both the story and the overall visitor experience.
With its new appearance, Chengdu Hostel now offers a place for travelers to stay in Dalin, while also connecting the building’s history to local emotional memories. It revives the early cultural heritage of Dalin’s hostel scene.
Local Revitalization
Developing sustainable ecological agriculture, local culture, and community economic industries in Dalin
With Dalin’s rich historical and cultural heritage, ecological agriculture, and the development of a Cittaslow town, we integrate the efforts of the local government and community organizations to promote local agriculture while emphasizing recreational regional characteristics. This aims to achieve diversified industrial innovation, supported by infrastructure for town regeneration, and to develop Dalin’s sustainable ecological agriculture, local culture, and community economic industries.
Green Treasure Project ~ The Fantastic Journey of Bamboo Shoots Farmers
Chiayi County Friendly Zhuluo Tree Frog Fruit and Vegetable Production Cooperative Officially Unveiled
Green Treasure Project ~ The Fantastic Journey of Bamboo Shoots Farmers
Creating a safe and toxin-free green bamboo shoot farm through eco-friendly cultivation practices
The Resounding Daling Harmony Project
Local music creation, musical storytelling, and regional performance culture
The Resounding Daling Harmony Project
Local music creation, musical storytelling, and regional performance culture
Tai Cheng Traditional Chinese Medicine Cultural Museum Five-Senses Interactive Experience Plan
Using AR augmented reality technology, allowing visitors to learn about traditional Chinese medicine while having fun, linking product guides to promote final consumption
Tai Cheng Traditional Chinese Medicine Cultural Museum Five-Senses Interactive Experience Plan
Using AR augmented reality technology, allowing visitors to learn about traditional Chinese medicine while having fun, linking product guides to promote final consumption
Dalin Shang Shang Deng – Pineapple Farming Co-education and Play Plan
Enhance the added value of Dalin pineapple brand and promote export efforts
Dalin Shang Shang Deng – Pineapple Farming Co-education and Play Plan
Enhance the added value of Dalin pineapple brand and promote export efforts
Dalin Agriculture
Dalin Township has fertile soil, a well-developed irrigation system, and abundant agricultural resources. It boasts industries such as the high-exporting butterfly orchid sector, tech-driven lettuce plant factories, and the eco-friendly Wu Ke green bamboo shoots produced with the conservation-focused Zhu Luo tree frog farming method. The region also cultivates non-toxic rice with eagle nesting platforms to foster a friendly environment.
To balance agricultural production with ecology, the government is actively promoting organic farming and green conservation certification, implementing environmentally friendly measures to protect the agricultural environment. This approach develops agriculture in a way that is symbiotic with the land, farming, and ecology. Due to the aging rural workforce, many young people have returned to farming under the government’s encouragement. These young farmers include second-generation inheritors of family farms and entrepreneurial newcomers who bring fresh perspectives to traditional agriculture, leveraging new ideas learned outside the region. The Dalin Youth Farmers’ Association, made up of farmers aged 18 to 45, supports and grows together in their journey to return to farming, demonstrating the vibrant vitality of Dalin agriculture.
Dalin’s butterfly orchid industry generates high export revenue
The high-tech lettuce plant factory
The black-shell green bamboo shoots grown using the conservation-friendly Zhu Luo tree frog farming method
