Mozaidun Story Island Introduction
In the Taiping Mountain District of Taichung, there is a "small island" that has been uniquely shaped by the diversion of the Toubyankeng River, forming a rare bull's eye lake topography found only in Taiwan, known locally as "Mochi Dune" due to its resemblance to a stone mill. Thanks to the protection of the landowner, the original terrain has been preserved. A few years ago, a man named "Mago" came to the island with a vision of creating a natural paradise. He rolled up his sleeves and began to construct his blueprint for the island with his own hands, making outdoor tables and chairs from dead wood, building trails from stones by the stream, using discarded materials for guardrails, and laying down expansive green grass where weeds used to be. He preserved the original earthen house and, with creative ideas, transformed it into a two-story earthen restaurant, adding many pieces of furniture he crafted for visitors to relax. More uniquely, Mago created a playground for children, stating that while the island was abundant with butterflies dancing and birds singing in the trees, it lacked the most significant element—children’s laughter. The wooden playground is equipped with slides, swings, a balance bridge, sandpits, and rocking chairs, allowing children to enjoy and love the place. Thanks to Mago's dedication, Mochi Dune has been revitalized into a lively and joyful island. The Mochi Dune Story Island, covering over one acre, offers a perfect space for group gatherings and family outings, complete with unique garden landscapes, beautiful riverside views, exciting activities, rich ecological experiences, hot meal packages, a relaxed ambiance, and many children’s dream features—including physical activity zones, slides, swings, sandpits, rocking chairs, goats, and large grassy areas. Adults can accompany younger children, creating a joyful interactive playground where parents can relax with a cup of tea and enjoy conversation while appreciating the beautiful scenery of the island. Mochi Dune embodies the philosophy of "Nature, Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Education," all designed and created by Mago himself. Every plant and structure is infused with aesthetic appeal, harmoniously integrated into the natural environment, promoting a sense of closeness to nature and a natural relief from stress. By utilizing natural construction methods, it provides animals with the best natural habitats, completely avoiding pesticide use and maintaining a complete biological chain of natural ecology. Construction on the island is primarily sourced from local materials and emphasizes recycling; for instance, fresh leaves from cinnamon trees can be harvested or dried for tea, and longan trees are available for visitors to pick ripe, fresh longan fruit during harvest season, with any leftovers made into dried longan. The trimmed dead branches serve as natural fuel for barbecues and earth ovens, all reflecting a commitment to nature, ecology, and environmental protection. Consequently, the "Toubyankeng Natural Conservation Education Center" has been established at Mochi Dune, recognized by the agricultural association. Activities on the island include traditional earth oven DIY, stone grilling, guided tours, ecological film screenings, learning about plants and animals, ecological environment tours, playing in the Toubyankeng Stream, storytelling about the earthen houses, searching for antlion traces, team-building games on the large lawn, physical challenges in the play area, feeding Taiwanese black goats, and doing ceramic painting and stone painting. Groups of ten or more can reserve for earth oven cooking or stone grilling. Mochi Dune offers a unique stone grilling experience where the stone is placed atop an earth oven, using branches as fuel. The grilling process produces minimal ash, heats quickly, and makes it hard to burn the food. Delicious grilled meat can be enjoyed shortly after cooking, featuring over ten varieties of fresh, specially-prepared meats while also providing family bonding enjoyment during the grilling experience. Experience the joy of building an earth oven with your family, wrapping red eggs, grilling sweet potatoes, preparing medicinal whole chicken dishes, and cooking earth oven chicken—aromatic and flavorful, along with piping hot sweet potatoes and red-shelled chicken eggs, making for a fun and lively experience. Homemade pizza can also be crafted, and during spring, the lychee flowers bloom, with orchid species living on the lychee trees in full blossom. From March to May, you can witness butterfly and moth larvae all around. From May to September, the clear waters of Toubyankeng Stream offer fun. In June and July, you can observe the invasion of rhinoceros beetles, while butterflies and dragonflies flutter in the air. In June and July, visitors can enjoy the sight of the bright red lychees, while August offers fresh organic longan for tasting.
