Luye Highland Webcam – See Taitung’s Hot Air Balloon Field

The Luye Highland Webcam looks out from the grassy top of Luye Highland, about 350 meters (1,150 feet) above sea level in Luye Township, Taitung County, high above the floor of the East Rift Valley in eastern Taiwan. The East Rift Valley National Scenic Area Administration runs the camera, and it moves between several set views. The main one looks across the wide mown lawn where the Taiwan International Balloon Fiesta sends up its balloons each summer, toward a forested peak with higher ridges stacked behind it. Other views turn to the entrance road and its metal deer sculpture, a dark timber viewing pavilion at the edge of the terrace, and the gravel bed of the Beinan River on the valley floor far below.

About Luye Highland

Luye Highland lies in Yong’an Village, just north of Longtian Village. The Taiwan Tourism Administration puts its elevation at around 350 meters (1,150 feet), and from the highest viewing pavilion the whole highland and the Beinan River valley are laid out below. The camera’s valley view shows that drop clearly: a band of trees and tall grass at the terrace edge, then fields, farmhouses and a long bridge over a braided river bed, with steep ridges and bare, eroded cliffs on either side.

The highland built its name in the air. The scenic area administration set up a paragliding training center here, and the operator describes the site as one of eastern Taiwan’s finest natural venues for air sports. The Taiwan International Balloon Fiesta has been held on the highland every year since 2011, and the operator gives July and August as the balloon season, with tethered rides, free-flight shows and light-show concerts. The rest of the year the lawn is an open sweep of grass ringed by a curving footpath and dotted with small marker cones, with a white building and a row of blue kiosks along its far side.

Luye Township is small: 90 square kilometers (35 square miles) and 7,275 residents in early 2023, spread over seven villages. Local government has worked to build it into a major tea district for Taiwan’s east coast, and Luye is credited as the birthplace of red oolong, a tea that pairs the heavy oxidation of black tea with an oolong’s roasting.

Weather and Climate at Luye Highland

The highland has a warm, humid climate with a long wet season. Ten years of Open-Meteo reanalysis data for the camera’s position (2016 to 2025) put January highs near 20 C (68 F) and lows near 14 C (57 F), the coolest the year gets. Spring warms quickly, and April averages about 25 C (77 F) by day and 18 C (64 F) at night. December through April are the driest months in that record.

Summer is hot and wet. July is the warmest month, with highs around 29 C (84 F) and lows near 23 C (73 F), and rainfall climbs steeply from May. The wettest stretch runs from July to October, which also falls within Taiwan’s typhoon season. Autumn cools slowly: October still averages about 26 C (79 F) by day and November about 24 C (75 F). The camera sits high enough to watch low cloud settle on the peaks behind the lawn and drift along the valley below.

Things to Do Near Luye Highland

Longtian Village sits just south of the highland. It began as a Japanese immigrant village during the colonial era, settled by families brought over from Niigata Prefecture, and it still keeps Japanese-era buildings such as the old school principal’s dormitory. The Luye Longtian bike path loops through the village and the farmland around it, and its best-known stretch runs under a green tunnel of Madagascar almond trees.

In summer the Taiwan International Balloon Fiesta adds tethered balloon rides and evening light shows on the highland itself, and the county publishes each year’s dates on the festival website. The tea farms around Luye grow the red oolong the township is known for. Without a car, take the Taitung Line train to Luye Station, about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) from the lawn.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

Three more Taiwan cameras, from a lake at the Hualien end of the same scenic area to the Taitung coast and the hills above Taipei.

• Liyu Lake Webcam
• Sanxiantai Island Webcam
• Yangmingshan National Park Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Luye Highland located?

Luye Highland is in Yong’an Village, Luye Township, Taitung County, in the East Rift Valley of eastern Taiwan. It stands about 350 meters (1,150 feet) above sea level, just north of Longtian Village and about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) from Luye Station on the Taitung Line. The address is No. 46, Gaotai Road.

What can you see on the Luye Highland Webcam?

The camera cycles through set views. The main one crosses the balloon lawn to a forested peak with higher ridges behind it. Others show the entrance road with its deer sculpture, a timber viewing pavilion at the terrace edge, and the Beinan River valley below, with its gravel river bed, farm fields, a long bridge and the ridges beyond.

Can you see hot air balloons on the Luye Highland Webcam?

Yes, in season. The Taiwan International Balloon Fiesta has been held on the highland every summer since 2011, and the operator gives July and August as the balloon season, so balloons can appear on and above the lawn then. For the rest of the year the lawn is empty grass with a few people walking across it.

When is the hot air balloon festival at Luye Highland?

The festival runs during Taiwan’s summer school holidays, and the operator lists July and August as the time for balloon activities. Exact dates change each year, so check the Taitung County festival website before you plan a trip around it.

Is Luye Highland a paragliding site?

Yes. The East Rift Valley National Scenic Area Administration set up a paragliding training center on the highland, and the operator calls it one of eastern Taiwan’s finest natural venues for air sports. The camera is pointed at the lawn and the valley rather than following flights, so gliders appear only when one crosses the shot.

What is the weather like at Luye Highland?

Warm and humid all year. January highs are near 20 C (68 F), and July highs reach about 29 C (84 F) with lows near 23 C (73 F). Rain builds from May, and July to October is the wettest stretch, overlapping Taiwan’s typhoon season.

Why does the view on the Luye Highland Webcam keep changing?

The camera is a remote-controlled pan, tilt and zoom unit that rotates through preset positions, so it moves from the lawn to the road, the pavilion and the river valley in turn. Give it a few minutes and the view you want will come round again. The stream also carries live sound from the highland.

Source: East Rift Valley National Scenic Area