Xiao Wulai

Yixing Suspension Bridge (義興吊橋)

As an avid Taiwan travel writer, one of the things I try to keep up on are the popular travel-related trends around the country at any given time. For example, in recent years we’ve seen a resurgence in the popularity, especially among the younger Insta-generation for hiking, attending flower festivals, enjoying beaches, etc. 

Thanks to the power of social media when certain locations go viral, you can be sure that it will explode with day-trippers who are willing to travel from one end of the country to the other just to take a photo of themselves in a certain location or to eat at a specific restaurant. 

It’s actually quite amazing to see it in action. 

Take one of my favourite hikes as an example - Wuliaojian (五寮尖), one of northern Taiwan’s most difficult hikes, has always been loved by hikers for some great weekend exercise. I’ve been hiking the trail for years and have become familiar with quite a few of the older hikers who hike it every weekend. The trail was always relatively quiet and could easily be completed without many people getting your way. 

Some photos on social media from some popular Instagrammers ruined that for all of us.

Today there are long lines of people on the trails with the vast majority of people completely unprepared for what awaits them. But at least they look really good while doing it, right?

It may seem like I’m complaining, but one of the great things about these travel trends is that people constantly have new places to visit and are learning more and more that they’re actually able to appreciate the beauty of their own country. On the other hand, most of the locations that go viral are ever really able to handle the sudden influx of thousands of people looking to get their photos. 

Considering mountain trails have been one of the most popular trends in domestic travel, the government has sought to capitalize on that by improving the infrastructure in these areas as well as adding new attractions and destinations to visit.

One area where this has been most obvious has been with the not-so-insignificant number of suspension bridges being constructed in the mountains over the past few years. 

Honestly, it’s one of those trends that I often find myself scratching my head at, but hey, these bridges are pretty cool and they’re great for attracting people and (more importantly) keeping things viral, so why not? 

Take the recently completed “Shan-Chuan Glass Suspension Bridge” (山川琉璃吊橋) in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County (屏東縣), which is one of the longest and highest pedestrian bridges of its kind in Taiwan. Or how about the Fengbin Skywalk (豐濱天空步道) at Hualien’s Qingshui Cliffs or the Skywalk (天空步道) at Taoyuan’s Xiaowulai Waterfall - all of which have glass floors and were constructed at great cost - but are extremely popular with tourists. 

Link: “Top Ten Most Beautiful Suspension Bridges” 十大絕美吊橋 (健行筆記)

The not-so-open Xikou Suspension Bridge…

Even though I’m not personally too crazy about all these bridges being constructed in the mountains, with all the COVID-19 stuff going on and not much to do, I decided to take a ride into the mountains of Taoyuan earlier this year to check out the newly constructed and highly-acclaimed Xikou Suspension Bridge (新溪口吊橋). 

I figured that if I visited on an early weekday morning that I could avoid most of the insta-crowd and be able to get some nice photos to do a quick write-up about the 303 meter-long bridge that connects Jiaobanshan (角板山) on one side of the Dahan River (大漢溪) to the Xikou Tribe (溪口部落) on the other. 

Unfortunately when I arrived at the bridge there was a notice posted nearby that stated that it was closed from February 3rd, 2020 to June 30th, 2020. 

Unimpressed, I approached the bridge and took a few photos anyway and then decided to make my way back down towards Daxi (大溪) where I’d have to come up with some other plans for the day. 

Fortunately as I made my way back to the Northern Cross-island highway (北橫公路), I remembered that there was another, historic suspension bridge in the area and decided to stop by to get some photos of it. 

So, instead of introducing the Xikou Suspension Bridge, I’ll be introducing what I think is actually a prettier (albeit less popular) bridge, the Yixing Suspension Bridge (義興吊橋) which connects Luofu Village (羅浮村) to the network of hiking trails at Xiaowulai across the river. 

Yixing Suspension Bridge 

Two of the most popular locally made films in recent years were the Seediq Bale (賽德克巴萊) films that told the story of the Wushe Incident (霧社事件) and the valiant struggle of one of Taiwan’s indigenous groups against the Japanese Colonialists. 

The second of the two-part film series was titled “The Rainbow Bridge” (彩虹橋) which alludes to the Seediq (賽德克) peoples legend that when they pass away they cross a “rainbow bridge” into the afterworld.

Since those movies came out, it seems like almost every bridge in the mountains, especially those in areas where indigenous tribes are located have been randomly nicknamed the “Rainbow Bridge” or the “Seediq Bale Bridge” and this one is no different. 

In the government’s own tourist info about Yixing Bridge, they continue this trend by talking about the film and the Rainbow Bridge in their introduction. 

Link: 義興吊橋 (Taoyuan Travel)

Is that necessary? I don’t know. It does give people a point of reference though. 

As I mentioned above, there have been quite a few suspension bridges constructed in the mountains around Taiwan in recent years (possibly thanks to the films), but this bridge isn’t one of them. 

Luofu Village’s Yixing Bridge was constructed in 1966 (民國55年) for the purpose of transporting water to the small community living on the mountain across the Dahan River. Originally only able to accommodate about ten people at once, the bridge was renovated and strengthened in 2013 (民國103年) and is now able to accommodate at least a hundred people at once. 

The bridge is about two hundred meters long and about seventy meters above the (sometimes) raging Dahan River (大漢溪), the source of water that ends up in the Shimen Reservoir (石門水庫) which provides much of the water for Northern Taiwan. The water below is emerald green and if you take some time to look down you should be able to see some local birds along the riverbank as well as fish swimming about. 

Taking into consideration that this is a suspension bridge, when you walk on it, it will rock back and forth. If you’re afraid of heights, you’ll find to hold on to the rails on the sides to make sure that you feel comfortable. 

From the highway, the bridge is a short walk down a set of stairs that should take you less than five minutes. Once you cross the bridge, you have the option of continuing along some of the hiking trails on the other side or heading back the way you came to move on to your next destination.

If you visit in April and May, you’ll also be treated to a display of Tung Blossoms (油桐花) on both sides of the river, which is an added bonus. 

Getting There

 

Address: 桃園市復興區羅浮(羅馬公路桃118線起點)

The Yixing Suspension Bridge is located within Luofu Village (羅浮村) in Taoyuan’s Fuxing Township (復興鄉). Situated along the picturesque Northern Cross-Island highway (北橫公路), otherwise known as the #7 highway, the suspension bridge is close to the Xiaowulai Scenic Area and a short distance from the beautiful Luofu Bridge (羅浮橋). 

If you have your own means of transportation, getting to the bridge isn’t all that difficult as it is located along the highway with parking spots nearby. All you’ll have to do is input the address provided above into your GPS and you’ll easily find your way. 

If you’re relying on public transportation however, the situation becomes a little more difficult as the area is remote and bus service isn’t that frequent. Still, its not impossible, so if you want to take a bus to the area, you have the following options: 

From Taoyuan Bus Station: 

From Zhongli Bus Station: 

From Daxi Bus Station: 

A word of warning though, even though there are several bus routes that go up and down the mountain between Taoyuan, Zhongli and Daxi and Upper Baling, they aren’t all that frequent, so you’ll want to play close attention to the time of your bus and make sure that you don’t get stranded if you are taking the public transportation option. 

If you’re looking for a suspension bridge to check out, but you’re a bit of a misanthrope like me, you’ll probably love this one. There’s no admission fee and even on weekends its not likely that you’ll come across very many people checking it out, especially since it is less than a ten minute drive from the much larger and (supposedly) more beautiful Xikou Suspension Bridge. 

If your plan is to check out Xiaowulai, you could easily make a day trip out of the area by checking out the various waterfalls and hiking the trails that will eventually bring you to this bridge. If you’re not really into hiking though and just want to check out the suspension bridge, don’t worry - there is so much to do in this area of Taoyuan that you’ll easily be able to fill your day. 

Further up the highway of course is the beautiful Lala Mountain Nature Reserve (拉拉山), Dongyanshan Forest Recreation Area (東眼山), the historic Jiaobanshan villa (角板山), Tiemu Waterfall (鐵木瀑布), Sanmin Bat Cave (三民蝙蝠洞), TUBA Church (基國派老教堂), Daxi Tea Factory (大溪老茶廠), Cihu Mausoleum and lots more. 

Link: Taoyuan Blogs (桃園)

If anyone has ever told you that there isn’t anything to do in Taoyuan, I’m sorry to say that they’re full of shit - Taoyuan is awesome!  


Xiao Wulai Waterfall (小烏來瀑布)

Xiao Wulai Waterfall from the start of the hiking trail

Xiao Wulai (小烏來) or "Little Wulai" is a scenic waterfall park in the mountains of Taoyuan (桃園) in Taiwan that features several large waterfalls, hiking paths, hot springs, and the opportunity to experience a bit of Taiwan's Indigenous culture. 

The area is often confused with the Wulai District (烏來區) of New Taipei City (新北市). The Wulai area in New Taipei City also has a giant waterfall, but its more well-known for its hot springs resort area where people like to go to enjoy a nice hot volcanic bath during the cold winter months. 

Both areas are inhabited predominately by the Atayal tribe (泰雅族) one of the largest of the Indigenous groups in Taiwan. In the Atayal language, both areas were known as “Ulay” (Kiluh-ulay) which referred to the volcanic hot springs found in each.

Coincidentally “Kiluh-Ulay” translated into English loosely means “Be careful, the water is hot.” (小心水很燙) 

When the Nationalist Government took control of the island, both areas names became known as “Wulai” (烏來) which was transliterated from the Atayal language into Mandarin.

Xiao Wulai likely became known as "Little Wulai" at the time because the waterfall in New Taipei City is much higher (but not nearly as beautiful as Xiao Wulai)  

I’ve usually visit the park at least once a year and have explored the area many times. Its not a short drive from where I live, but its a beautiful drive that takes you away from the noise, commotion and pollution of the city through the Daxi river valley and up into the Indigenous village of Fuxing (復興鄉) where the air is clean, the water is fresh and the pace of life is much slower. (And during the summer months, you can find peaches everywhere.) 

If you continue driving past the Xiao Wulai park the road eventually takes you across the Fuxing bridge up into Baling (巴陵) and across the famous Northern Cross Highway (北部橫貫公路) which is well known for its mountain views and ultimately brings to you back down into Yilan county (宜蘭縣) on the eastern coast of Taiwan. 

- The walking path to Xiao Wulai Waterfall's base.

Each time I’ve visited the park there have been constant noticeable changes. The county government has been investing a lot in the area over the years trying to make “Xiao Wulai” a popular tourist destination. I have to admit that my first few visits were the best when the area wasn’t developed very well. There was a simple hiking path that would take you to the base of the falls and other paths that would take you around the falls and behind it to the Dragon-Phoenix Waterfall (龍鳳瀑布).

During these earlier visits there was easy access to the the base of the falls, but for obvious safety reasons there are now barricades stopping people from getting too close (as it would be too dangerous to have a bunch of tourists trying to navigate around a bunch of wet rocks and a giant waterfall.) 

The good news for the majority of tourists is that the government has recently invested almost $8 million New Taiwan Dollars ($250,000 USD) into the construction of a skywalk that allows tourists to walk on a transparent glass floor that is very close to the top of the falls and 70 meters above the base. This was a major tourist attraction when it first opened and the lines were huge. I hadn't actually tried walking across the skywalk until my most recent visit and even then I wasn't particularly interested (which is why there are no pictures of it.)  

As an avid hiker and nature photographer, I’m not particularly interested in that kind of tourist trap and I’d much prefer to take the short and very easy one hour hike from the falls observatory down to the base and enjoy the mountain air and scenery away from the crowds. 

- Under the viewing bridge at the base of Xiao Wulai

Since the completion of the skywalk and due to its popularity, the majority of people visiting the park will make their way in that direction. The well-developed pathway to the base of the waterfalls is relatively empty - So once you arrive at the falls, if you are so inclined, it is easy to climb under the bridge and get a bit of a closer view of the falls.

You do need to exercise caution though. The river running from the base of the falls can flow quite quickly, especially during the rainy season and rocks are often wet from the rain and the constant mist, so its very easy to slip. You’re no where near a hospital and should anything serious happen, you’d be out of luck. 

The Xiao Wulai Waterfall is one of the biggest and said to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in northern Taiwan. It is considered special because you can see it from close up and from a distance due its location in a clearing in the mountain.

There is a constant heavy flow of water from the waterfall during both the rainy season and the summer months so any time you visit you’ll have no problem enjoying the natural beauty of the area. 

From the base of the falls you can make your way back up to the trailhead or go back to take another path which will lead you around the mountain and ultimately behind the falls to where they are currently constructing a new pathway and observatory for the Dragon-Phoenix Waterfalls. (Often incorrectly named the Double-Dragon waterfalls) It wasn’t possible during this visit for me to get to see both layers of the Dragon and the Phoenix waterfalls because the top layer was closed due to construction.

- Xiao Wulai Waterfall from the base (小烏來瀑布)

The area around Wulai has developed quite a lot over the years and there are now restaurants, coffee shops and vendors selling food as well. There are new hotels opening in the village near the falls and you can also enjoy some swimming areas during the summer months.

If you do visit Xiao Wulai, you need to make sure to sample some Indigenous food which if you ask me, is probably one of the best styles of food found in Taiwan. The area is well known for its mushrooms, so be sure to try some deep-fried mushrooms, some wild boar, rice baked in a bamboo shoot and any of the awesome mountain vegetables that you won’t find on tables anywhere else in the country!

- Dragon Pheonix Waterfall (龍鳳瀑布)


Getting There

 

No. 3 National Highway (國道三號) -> Dasi Interchange (大溪交流道) -> Dasi (大溪) -> Fuxing (復興) -> No. 7 Provincial Highway (台7線) -> Xiayun Bridge (霞雲橋) -> Xiao Wulai Scenic Area (小烏來風景區)

By Scooter/Motorcycle

From Taoyuan (桃園) or Zhongli (中壢)make your way to Dasi (大溪) -> Fuxing (復興) -> No. 7 Provincial Highway (台7線) -> Xiayun Bridge (霞雲橋) -> Xiao Wulai Scenic Area (小烏來風景區)

Gallery / Flickr (High Res Shots)