Guanyin Caolu Sand Dunes Introduction
Caozao Dunes, a popular scenic spot that has caused a sensation on social media platforms such as IG and FB, features a unique landscape known as the "coastal desert," stretching 8.1 kilometers and is the widest and most intact among Taiwan's coastlines. Whenever the sun sets, rows of wind turbines stand tall, the sandy shore meets the sea in a line, and on the undulating dunes, intertwining sand patterns are marked with footprints, creating a beautiful scene of silence and desolation that attracts many photographers and influencers. The movie "Secret" and the TV drama "Police Story" were both filmed here. Following Expressway 61, you can enjoy a journey from north to south, exploring the four major ecological highlights of Taoyuan: Xucuohar Wetland, Caozao Dunes, Guanyin Algal Reefs, and Xinwu Stone Weirs. Known as the "Taiwanese Sahara Desert," Caozao Dunes formed from sand accumulation caused by strong northeast monsoons and south winds blowing inland. The dune group extends from the mouth of Laojiekeng in Dayuan District in the north to the mouth of Dajue River in Guanyin District in the south, oriented northeast to southwest. The northern section is approximately 400 meters wide, widening to 600 meters in the south, covering an area of 4 square kilometers over thousands of years. The dunes can reach heights of up to 15 meters, and climbing to the ridge's high point in a zigzag manner rewards visitors with an expansive view. The Taiwan Environmental Information Association once selected the Caozao Dunes coastline as one of the "Top Nine Coastlines in Taiwan Worth Protecting" (the other site in Taoyuan being Guanyin Algal Reefs), marking it as a rare coastline in northern Taiwan that has not been damaged by human activities. The Caozao Dunes are home to coral reef ecosystems and rich coastal forest ecology, including salt-resistant and windbreak plants such as Casuarina, neem, dodder, castor, and cosmos, which help prevent sand erosion and provide a green landscape along the dunes.
