Nanheng Highway 1-Day Tour: Yakou Sea of Clouds, Tianchi Lake, and Zhongzhiguan Trail (Departure from Tainan & Kaohsiung)

Mr. Feng Ji, our driver and guide for this trip, was very enthusiastic and provided detailed explanations. Although we couldn't see the sea of clouds at the highest point, the Daguanshan Tunnel entrance, due to bad weather, we did get to enjoy taro shaved ice in Jiaxian. Looking forward to the next trip...

This was my first time traveling the Southern Cross-Island Highway since it reopened, and the journey was truly long. However, I was very grateful for the beautiful weather; I saw a small patch of sea of clouds at the mountain pass and was able to leisurely stroll around Tianchi Lake and the trails. My driver, Mr. Wu, not only provided safe driving and incredibly attentive service over such a long distance and time, but also offered comprehensive guided tours along the way, making it a pleasant and worthwhile trip before the New Year.

Many thanks to Brother Wu (Xiao Le) for waiting for us at the Zuoying High Speed Rail Station before dawn on February 15th. The Southern Cross-Island Highway is truly an incredibly beautiful and magnificent paradise, though far away. Besides driving tirelessly all day, Brother Wu also explained the history of the Southern Cross-Island Highway's development and the lives of the indigenous people along the way. Three of the "Eight Scenic Spots of the Southern Cross-Island Highway" are mentioned: Tianchi Lake, Cypress Valley, and the sea of clouds at the mountain pass (Daguanshan Tunnel). The itinerary included all three. After being severely damaged by Typhoon Morakot in 2009, the Southern Cross-Island Highway underwent 13 years of repair before fully reopening in 2022. In 2024, it was severely damaged again by Typhoon Kemi and torrential rains, causing the section from the mountain pass to Xiangyang to be closed. After four months of emergency repairs, the Southern Cross-Island Highway reopened to traffic on December 1, 2025. We were very fortunate to be able to participate in a one-day tour of the Southern Cross-Island Highway when it was open and the weather was excellent! The moment I saw the sea of clouds and magnificent mountain mists at the mountain pass, it was truly breathtaking! On the way to Tianchi Lake, I spotted the rare and precious yellow-throated marten. Finally, I visited the Meishan Visitor Center and experienced the Bunun tribe's eight-group harmony performance – it was definitely worth the trip! A heartfelt thank you to "Customer Service - Xing" for coordinating the group size over the past two months, and to "Brother Xiao Le" for driving and guiding us from dawn till dusk. I'll definitely recommend this to my relatives and friends; they absolutely must come and experience the "Most Beautiful Highway in Taiwan" – the Southern Cross-Island Highway – for a day trip!

The driver enthusiastically introduced the stories of Qishan, Meinong, and the aborigines along the way. I am very grateful to the driver Mr. Fengji for not only introducing but also helping to take photos. It's a pity that the weather was not good and the photos were all in the clouds.

Mr. Afeng provided excellent service on this trip. The explanation was very detailed and made our trip worthwhile. We were lucky to see the sea of clouds and the beauty of Taiwan...

It is a good choice to get away from the hustle and bustle, breathe fresh air, take a day trip to Nanheng and visit the natural beauty. We also enjoyed a delicious lunch in the forest, which tasted pretty good. Before the trip, the tour guide kept in touch with us, gave us travel tips, helped arrange lunch, and introduced attractions during the trip.

The passengers were well taken care of throughout the whole process, and the explanations were detailed and full of homophonic jokes. However, the mountain road is prone to motion sickness due to the lack of ventilation on the bus. It is recommended that even those who have not experienced motion sickness before bring motion sickness medicine.

This was the first time we participated in this kind of one-day trip. Originally, my husband and I were worried about stepping on thunder, but it turned out not to be the case. Although the road is mountainous, the driver drove very smoothly and the speed made people feel at ease. When we arrived at the scenic spot, he even took photos for us, which was very considerate. I will look at itineraries like this when I have time in the future, but I found that there are very few departures from Kaohsiung. I hope to develop more domestic itineraries from Kaohsiung.

Because I don’t have a car at home, I signed up as soon as I knew there was a Nanheng tour. However, I almost couldn’t go on the tour, which made me very nervous. Thank you for letting us go. Nanheng is really beautiful. My mother was very happy. The driver Mingfeng was also very considerate. Attentive and let us enjoy a great day trip, thank you so much

The driver in charge of the team has rich experience as a tour guide and explains clearly along the way, so that tourists can not only enjoy the scenery, but also learn more about protecting the natural environment! It is the first time to experience eating bento next to the highway, it is very fresh and fun! What a new travel experience!🤗🤗The weather was nice, and we saw the sea of clouds! It was really unforgettable! The driver took the initiative to take photos for us, and he did a good job! It left us with wonderful memories, and the driver’s service was really considerate! Worth praising!