Nature's Doll House

With the finest day of weather so far this year- not too hot, not too cold, not too dry, not to humid, in a word: perfect- I took off for a day of trekking down to Wulai and Doll Valley. This was to be my second visit to Wulai, so I already knew my surroundings slightly better.

Wulai is located about twenty to thirty minutes south of Xindian Station, at the southernmost tip of Taipei. It's hard to believe that no more than a hundred years ago, this quiet spot was considered wilderness and home to adventurers and aboriginal tribes. A bit on the aboriginies here- still inhabited by the Tai Ya Tribe, Wulai is a termed used by them meaning "hot springs". From this, I am sure you can guess what Wulai is therefore world renowned for. Although Wulai is popular for its first class hot springs, and its vast cultural exhibits and shows on the Tai Ya Tribe, I ventured into this town for other reasons.


Pulling into the bus depot at the entrance to Wulai, the first thing to grab your attention is hundreds of pipes and hoses running down the side of the gorge and dangling precariously over the river below. These pipes are funneling the hot water from the mountain's hot springs into the various hotels and resorts on the other side of the river along the old street.


The old street has many delicious, and overpriced, foods and delicacies awaiting the eager day traveler. Wulai is overrun with tourists and visitors from Taipei during the weekends, but on this Monday afternoon, it was like I had perfection all to myself. I could choose from peppered spices to garlic Taiwanese sausages. Muaji is another delicious concoction served very well in Wulai's Old Street. This Taiwanese snack originates from Haulien, in the central part of Taipei, and is made from blended and pureed sticky rice. You then have the option of putting peanuts, spices, or as I chose, sweet cream on the treat. The result is a very sweet, and very newly flavored item, tapping your taste buds.


I crossed the river via the Old Street and continued my journey upstream. On my way, alone, up lover's path, I came across the old train that carries tourists from the Old Street to the ever popular Wulai Waterfall. A word on pronunciation here- to say "waterfall" in Chinese, one must stress in the fourth tone, with is a very sharp and forceful tone, "Pu Bu." Naturally, when I first told people I saw the "Wulai PuBu" ,I told them I saw the "Wulai Poo Poo". Big difference.


The Wulai PuBu is a magnificent specimen of a waterfall. At 80 meters high, it plummets majestically into the foaming river below like a silver ribbon dangling against the hunter green
conifers lining the gorge side. The waterfall is best viewed from the viewing platform directly in front of the waterfall, or slightly to the right.


Above the waterfall are Alpine Cable Cars, the only pair in Northern Taiwan, that take you to the top of the waterfall. The view is impressive, but more importantly, I was excited by what was behind the waterfall. After climbing up countless flights of stairs, you come across an old amusement part- Cloud Fairy Garden. This place is the epitome of former glory. What was once the location of a Disney-esque park, located in the high mountains of aboriginal territory is now, sadly, falling back to the chaos and disorder of nature. To put it bluntly- the most interesting thing to do at this amusement park was archery.



After the Wulai PuBu, I continued on along the gorge. Until 1994, admittance into the Wulai territory after this point required a permit. This old police checkpoint serves as a reminder of stricter past times. Today, one only requires a car, motorcycles, or in my case- two strong legs and plenty of time.


After passing a small tunnel, the gorge becomes surreal. It's as almost if the tunnel connects two vastly different worlds- a land designed to accommodate tourists, and a land reserved for dreamers with a larger vision. The river cuts deeply into the ground leaving immense hills and towering mountains dwarfing your diminishing sense of self. Birds of prey circle above- a sometimes unwelcome presence for a lone traveler under the hot sun.


Eventually, a pedestrian suspension bridge comes into view, taking away cars and modern conveniences and giving the trekker the sublimity of nature. The path has drastic waterfalls and trickling streams rushing across is at various points. To the right is a concrete wall protecting walkers from falling mercilessly to the rushing valley below. At one point, however, the stone wall opens up and a steep, barely visible pathway opens up taking visitors to the sparking blue bathing pools of the river below.


At the end of the trail, I arrived at a small, secluded village called Hsin Hsian. No larger than a few homes and a small Elementary school, this village is the guardian of the Nei Tung Forest Park. A surprisingly expensive entrance fee of NT$65 provides you with admittance to the park. Once in, you eyes are delighted by some of the more impressive waterfalls one can see in northern Taiwan. The first of which is Wu Hsia Waterfall- but being across the river and crowded by hanging trees, there isn't much eye candy to behold. But, if we learned anything from Jaws, you never show the shark in the first reel.


The greatest waterfall in my opinion came at the end of the hike in Doll Valley. Although it isn't as high or as convenient as Wulai PuBu, I think the crystal blue pools into which the three tiered waterfall cascades into sets one up for one of the most charming and delightful spectacles along the walk. The waterfalls are so magnificent, and the location so charming, it's common to think you're not in Taiwan, but rather, deep exploring the inner jungles as a famed explorer!


With the sun beginning to set, and six kilometers of walking ahead of me, I knew I had to begin to turn back. On my return, I was presented with the walk I had just completed, but this time, from a reversed perspective. New images and scenery were laid before me and spectacles I missed the first time around came into view. The most obvious was this one of the damn. Situated within the forest, this damn delivers water five kilometers underground to a power station back in Wulai. But this modern marvel placed in the middle of rural Taiwan is, of course, photo worthy.


The walk back was calm and peaceful. The train had stopped running. The Alpine Cable Cars suspended their operations for the day. I even half expected somebody to turn the faucet, thus turning off the Wulai PuBu. Back at Wulai, the things were still bustling about. Shops were opening up for dinner, families were meeting for their evening dip in the public hot springs, and I ran into two very sweet and charming girls from Hong Kong that I had met up at Doll Valley. I introduced them to the famous Muaji and they were delighted. We then parted, and I made my way for a quick lunch, bamboo rice, before making my way home.


From your Waterfall/Fecal matter day tripper, Michael.