Conference shuttle
1. From Banqiao HSR Station to The Great Roots Resort, ~ 50 minutes
2. From Taipei University Station (Sanying Line) to The Great Roots Resort, ~ 25 minutes
Nestled in the foothills south of Taipei, The Great Roots is a protected forest estate with natural hot springs, canopy walks, and quietly elegant Taiwanese hospitality. For two days in November, it will host TAAI 2026 as a retreat-style venue for focused academic exchange.
The resort occupies about 20 hectares of protected forest in the Dabao River valley of Sanxia (figure from the Taiwan Tourism Administration), on the grounds of a century-old tea estate that has long been managed as a research forest. Pines, cypresses, and subtropical broadleaf species thrive here, and their essential oils (phytoncides) give the air a distinctive, restorative edge.
The conference spaces (a 400-seat auditorium, three breakout rooms, and an open courtyard for coffee and posters) are purpose-built but understated, timber-framed, and open to the canopy. The resort has its own hot-spring facilities; whether conference registration includes hot-spring access will be confirmed and announced on this page.
1. From Banqiao HSR Station to The Great Roots Resort, ~ 50 minutes
2. From Taipei University Station (Sanying Line) to The Great Roots Resort, ~ 25 minutes
Take the Bannan Line MRT from Banqiao HSR Station to Taipei University Station (Sanying Line), ~ 35 minutes, then transfer to a 25-minute taxi or rideshare to the resort. Total travel time ~ 60 minutes.
Via Highway 3 to the Sanying interchange, then local roads through Sanxia Old Street. Free on-site parking for attendees. ~ 50 minutes from Taipei city center without traffic.
The Great Roots has 96 forest-facing rooms, ranging from standard doubles to hot-spring suites with private outdoor tubs. A conference rate is held until 15 October 2026; book through the link sent after registration.
Ten minutes from the venue, the historic Sanxia Old Street has a cluster of boutique guesthouses and minsus (B&Bs) in restored brick townhouses. Good for attendees who'd like a taste of old Taiwanese hospitality.
You've travelled this far. A few recommendations from the organizing committee for things to do in the neighborhood, or a weekend add-on in Taipei.
Qing-dynasty red-brick arcade, Qingshui Zushi Temple (a masterwork of wood and stone carving), and the famous hefty "gold-cow" croissants.
Riverside heritage town, old military residence gardens, and reliably excellent tofu lunches. Thirty minutes by car.
For an extended stay: Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum, night markets at Raohe and Shilin, and the hot-spring district of Beitou.