Wuliaojian: Mountaineering in Taipei

The two main attractions of this hike are a narrow knife ridge and the almost vertical 100 ft. rappel down it. I was terrified and said so… “That’s why we do this,” promptly replied the random hiker next to me. He’s right. This is one of Taipei’s most difficult, thrilling and popular day hikes. Emphasis on difficult as it was a strenuous five hour, full body workout, but it was fun!

The hike starts off with a quick, challenging ascent. It’s a proper climb using ropes, rocks and the occasional tree root. We loved it. It was a proper challenge that used every muscle we had without the monotonous feel of stairs. After about an hour of this, you reach the top of the ridge. On your way up, there’s a good view of Sanxia and possibly a little green snake or two.



Keep climbing. After reaching the top, the path goes up, down and then up again with lots of rope and little 30 ft. rappels. Eventually you’ll reach the first section of the knife ridge, which offers an awesome 360 degree view of Sanxia on one side and a beautiful valley on the other. Don’t stop. You’re almost to the big rappel.

Soon, you’ll reach the #5 trail marker. Here you can head up and over another ridge leading to the big rappel or cut around and go the easy way down. Do the rappel! It’s a terrifying highlight of the hike and more than likely you’ll surprise yourself. Plus, I don’t actually know where that other little side trail goes. I’m just assuming it’s an easy way down because other blogs/books mentioned there was a way to cut around the rappel.

Going into this, I thought the rappel was only 60 ft… not 100, and we’d already been doing smaller rappels, so it felt like the hike had been building up to this “do or die” moment. Luckily, there are two different rappelling options for getting off the ridge. One of which is supposed to be a bit easier than the other. The “easier” one is ever so slightly shorter and broken into three sections, whereas, the difficult one is a little longer with no breaks.  

Our group split up, with two taking the “easy” route and two going down the hard way. Everyone had fun and made it down, but it’s worth mentioning that the “difficult” route ruined the arms on one of our members. He had trouble gripping and couldn’t completely close his hand for the rest of the hike, almost falling. Not something you want to deal with in the middle of the most ropy hike you’ve ever seen.



At the bottom of the rappel, there’s an optional crag hikers can climb. It’s the most difficult rock to scale on this hike, but it’s short and offers a good view at the top. Only one of our members monkeyed his way up it and was very proud of himself. If feeling tired, it’s a good idea to skip it as you need to save energy for getting off the mountain.

After climbing or “not climbing” the crag, get back on the trail and keep descending down the mountain. There are a few more “small” (not 100 ft, but substantial) rappels and climbs, but eventually you’ll make it to the #6 trail marker. Here, hikers can choose to keep monkeying around in the woods with ropes by continuing on to Wuliaojian peak or they can choose to make a break for it and head for the exit.



Running out of water and arm strength, we bolted and followed signs for the trail entrance. We were finally free of the ropes, but ironically this is when everyone started slipping, sliding and falling on the FLAT rocks. I have no idea how we did this nor do I understand why we want to go back, but this is definitely our new favorite day hike in the Taipei area.

Getting Around

The trail head is only an half hour taxi from our apartment door 😃, making this the easiest hiking commute we’ve ever had. For the less fortunate, head to Dingpu MRT Station and from there grab a $300 NTD taxi to the trail head. Be sure to get the taxi’s number and arrange for him or her to pick you up after the hike. Supposedly, there is a bus that goes out that way, but I read that it’s unreliable and inconsistent.

Next to the trail entrance, there’s a little store where you can stock up on water (if doing the whole hike: two liters per person) and gloves (MUST HAVE THESE) if you didn’t remember to bring any. You will also have to contend with mosquitoes, so if you forgot to bring repellent maybe grab a beer as well and chug it real quick to make yourself less appetizing. This should be common sense, but if it’s raining or windy save this hike for a different day. The ridge and big rappels are completely exposed, so too much sun can also be a huge problem.

Waterfall Hunting: Wufenqi and Yuemeikeng

We have a new favorite waterfall hike. This day trip from Taipei consists of two, two-hour hikes and a total of four waterfalls. The first few at Wufenqi are meh, but the last one, Yuemeikeng, is what makes this one of Taipei’s must do day hikes. Overall Wufenqi is quite touristy with nice, neat stairs and crowds at the first two falls. Yuemeikeng is a bit different. Instead of stairs, you have zigzags, trail jumps and cascade climbing. We loved it 😍 The last bit of the trail is a piece of magical fairy land that we’ve been dreaming about since and we had it completely to ourselves.

Start your day with the Wufenqi waterfalls and get those pesky stairs out of the way. Also, the third fall will still look impressive before being dwarfed by Yuemeikeng. The first falls is a bit of a joke. The second is at least a real waterfall, but still just ok. The third is actually quite nice with a massive freefall. We were impressed. They’ve got the trail for it gated with warning signs, but both of those things are easily ignored. If anything, the experience is actually nicer because you’ll have it to yourself. When the sun is out, walk to the edge of the waterfall to see rainbow effects in the mist.

The path for Wufenqi falls is clearly marked, with signs everywhere. However, Yuemeikeng isn’t so easy. We had a hard time finding trail head and asked around only to learn that local vendors had never heard of it. The book we were using (Yes, I said BOOK.) was dated. The only thing the book and blogs agreed on was that we needed to cross a makeshift bridge at the bottom of some stairs and to all of them I say this: A barrel bridge covered in gravel and large enough to support vehicles is NOT a makeshift bridge.

This bridge marks the beginning of the trail; you’ll see it on your way to the Wufenqi Falls. It’s at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the food stalls, after the little dams. Just after crossing the bridge, go right and follow the little footpath along the river for about twenty minutes until you come to a little shrine and fork in the path: go right again. Soon, you’ll cross two bridges. After the second bridge, the trail zigzags up and away from the river.

At the top of the zigzags, there’s another fork: go left, back down toward the river. Soon, you’ll cross the stream for the first time where it’s a good idea to put on river tracing shoes. (Yes, the stream is easy to navigate, but things are about to get slippery.) You’re almost there and soon the path will spit you out into a river gorge where you’ll be able to glimpse the waterfall for the first time.

It’s a slippery, muddy, wet adventure and many of the assistance ropes are so loose that they’re more of a safety hazard than a help. The trail has also given away in a few places, requiring hikers to take really big steps or jump across. At the waterfall, you’ll need to scale a small cascade, but it’s manageable and fun. Although, getting back down is a bit of a brain game. Long legs help.

Again, we were the only ones on the trail, so we ditched our bags and tucked them safely away before wading into the gorge. That said, it’s not necessary to ditch and you don’t need any special waterproof equipment. The deepest water is about thigh height and my shorts never got wet. The biggest danger is falling, but river tracing shoes will fix that. Reading other people’s stories, I completely overreacted and packed a towel, change of clothes and triple zip-locked everything... All of which was completely UNECCESARY. That said, if I’d fallen or slipped on the cascade with my bag, I’d have a different story to tell.

Getting Around:

From Taipei City Hall Bus Station (located right next to the MRT), catch the bus to Jiaoxi. The ride takes about an hour or two in bad traffic. From Jiaoxi Transfer Station, line up for the little tourist shuttle that’ll take you to the Wufenqi bus stop. If confused or worried, just keep repeating “Wufenqi” at the attendants and they’ll literally walk you to the queue. Both buses run consistently throughout the day, at 15 to 20 minute intervals. You’ll have no problem getting around and can pay for everything using an EASYCARD. About $300 NTD will cover it. If you want to skip the shuttle bus and taxi from Jiaoxi Transfer Station to Wufenqi, you can. It’s only about ten minutes away.

Five Things Learned in Hong Kong

While on the ground, we learned quite a bit about Hong Kong itself. Contrary to our independent habits, on this trip we were closely connected with our host and the locals we met. The result is that we gained more insight than on previous trips about local beliefs and customs. In return for our new found knowledge, we’ve promised to take a pilot river tracing and may have talked a college student into transferring to the states for a year.

1. Feng Shui is an Architectural Term

Hong Kong architecture is weird and intricate for two reasons. The first being that some buildings are designed with “dragon gates” or giant holes in the middle so that the dragons of Hong Kong island can travel freely through them to reach the sea. The second reason comes from the old British sensibility that fresh air is important. In fact, it’s law in Hong Kong that every “inhabited” room has at least one window and apparently bathrooms count. Of course, the result is some very impressive feng shui engineering work. I’m not kidding: Hong Kong architects take feng shui courses and probably invented the mainstream use of the term.

2. Pimping is the Problem

We were also briefed on Hong Kong’s controversial history as a city of drug addicts that the British took from China, so that they’d have a place to sell their opium. Some relics of this shady past still exist. For example, prostitution is legal, but pimping isn’t. Apparently, sex sells and isn’t that bad a business as long as the pimps stay out of it. You’ll see prostitutes in heels at the tourist spots in Kowloon, scanning for someone to make eye contact.

3. The Right to Own Property is NOT a Universal Privilege

Another interesting fact to note is that no one in Hong Kong actually owns property; the government owns it all and allows it to be leased for a maximum of ninety-nine years at a time. Coming from a family farm that’s been handed down for generations, I found this a bit disgusting. The government has no incentive to keep property prices down, so the cost of living is outrageous. Apparently, most two bedroom apartments sleep six and no one wants to work from home, because having an office allows for additional living space. 

4. Land Reclamation Works

Since the government owns everything, land reclamation is a top priority. Despite rising seas levels, over the last twenty years the surface area of Hong Kong has increased, because it’s literally being pulled out of the ocean. I imagine it’s a constant battle, but the Hong Kong government appears to be a vigilant force to be reckoned with and apartment buildings, shopping malls and temples now cover areas of reclaimed shoreline.

5. Visit While You Can

Hong Kong has basically acknowledged itself as an extension of China and locals are not very nice to the mainlanders who come to visit. The MTR and railway systems are littered with advertisements from the mainland and China’s new bullet train even connects to Hong Kong. Apparently, the government pretends not to notice the elephant in the room, but everyone knows it’s an act. At least the notorious firewall and restrictive visa policies aren’t in place yet. A good piece of advice would be to visit while you can though. O! And it’s common knowledge that if someone makes too much noise about China, they will be either kidnapped or deported. Imagine growing up with that in the back of your head.

How to Spend Four Days in Hong Kong

We needed more time. Hong Kong is made up of over 200 islands and lots of things escaped us, like hiking Lantau Peak, exploring Lamma Island, cliff jumping at Sheung Luk, swimming at Tai O infinity pool and eating butter cookies. We even missed out on the Ladies Market. Obviously, we’ll just have to go back.

However, four days was just enough time to get a taste and fall in love with Hong Kong. Emphasis on taste, because we ate everything: traditional dim sum, Thai, Portuguese and even some legitimate British fish and chips. Pretty sure this is how our money disappeared so fast. Hong Kong’s the most international city I’ve been in and it was delicious.

Day One: Arrival, Wan Chai, Central & Victoria Peak

We hit the ground running and after dropping off bags, immediately caught the MTR to Star Street in Wan Chai. It was cute, but expensive and we didn’t hang around long before catching the “ding-ding” (a double-decked tram that goes all around the city and is lovingly named after the sound it makes: “ding-ding”) to Central for some food, drinks and shopping. After successfully conquering Central, we caught a cheap taxi up to Victoria Peak for our first proper view of the city. Below are some places of note:

Luk Yu – Awesome local Chinese food. The restaurant is very old and famous in Hong Kong. It even has its own murder story and the food’s amazing. This was a perfect first meal to have in town. Highly recommend.

G.O.D. (Goods of Desire) – Eclectic, expensive souvenir shop, but everything’s high quality and I’d definitely purchase any T-shirts here. They’re soooo soft.

Lan Kwai Fong – Hong Kong’s infamous bar street. It’s kind of creepy and dirty, but there are some treasures to be found. A good rule of thumb is to avoid any establishment that has to hire a door man to talk people inside. Good places don’t need such extravagances. (Side Note: This place would be amazing on Halloween.)

Stormies –Fantastic British pub on Lan Kwai Fong street. Highly recommend the drinks and food.

Day Two: Dragon’s Back, Poho, Temple Street and Ozone

We were supposed to do Lantau Peak and the Tian Tan Buddha, but having twisted my ankle the night before, adjustments needed to be made. (I’m a special panda.) We switched our outdoor adventure to Dragon’s Back, a short little hike with a view located right next to the city. After getting a taste of the hiking life, we retreated to shower, rest, and get ready for Poho.

Everyone knows about Soho (South Hollywood Street) but Hong Kong takes it a step farther with Poho (south, South Hollywood Street). We learned about this area the previous night during a friendly conversation at Stormies, where it was recommended as a paradise made for lovers of tea, craft beer, art and cute shops.  We were not disappointed and if we lived in Hong Kong, this is where we’d be every weekend. See below for a list of recommended hot spots.

After dinner, we caught a cab to the Star Ferry Terminal in Victoria Harbor and took the short boat ride across the harbor for another nightscape of the city. Do it! I know locals probably won’t mention it and may even talk it down, but don’t listen. (It’s ok to be a tourist.) Once on the Kowloon side, we caught a bus to Temple Street Market for some souvenir shopping. (I have an oil painting now.)



Feeling tired, we skipped the Ladies Market and caught the MTR to Ozone for a night cap before heading home. Ozone is the highest bar in the world and the perfect spot for drinks above the city. It even has a semi-open balcony where guests can feel the wind coming up off the harbor. Get the cocktails. I love a good beer as much as the next person, but the cocktails here are a step above.

Teakha – My new love. Excellent tea shop with hippie food, like avocado toast and yogurt bowls. Their signature tea is the masala chai, but I really enjoyed the rose and honey.

Craftissimo – Craft Beer! Everything is delicious. They had all kinds of tasty things on tap and we sat around drinking and chatting with locals for a good two hours before dinner.

In-Between – Cute, little shop with local art and old knickknacks.

Frantzen’s Kitchen – We were told to grab dinner here, but it was closed. Looks amazing though. Apparently, you’re supposed to dress up.

Cha Cha Wan – Ended up eating here instead and it was amazing. It’s the good stuff that comes spicy and gets your hands dirty.

Day Three: Day Trip!

We headed to Macau, but honestly one of Hong Kong’s many island adventures (aka Lamma Island) might have been more fun.  Do some research and decide what’s best for you. If you’re trying to add another country to your list, see some old architecture with skeletons, eat delicious Portuguese food, and try gambling for the first time, go for Macau. For seafood and swimming hit up one of Hong Kong’s islands.

Day Four: Departure 

I should have gotten up early to hunt down some of Hong Kong’s fabled butter cookies, but the desire to sleep in was STRONG. We had breakfast, checked in early with Hong Kong’s fancy system and took our time getting to the airport…. where we promptly bought butter cookies 😃

Getting Around

Hong Kong is incredibly easy to navigate. Get an Octopus Card at the airport and go! It works on everything except taxis. That means you can jump on and off subways, ding dings, ferries and buses at your leisure. Getting around is fairly cheap. Octopus Cards come stocked with $100 HKD ($13 USD) and we only had to refill a little on the last day. Taxis weren’t bad either; just be smart and choose wisely.

Where to Stay

We stayed in Tin Hau on Hong Kong Island and loved it. The area is super cute with lots of good food and character. Upon arriving at the station every night, we would indulge in local street food, like nitrogen ice cream and egg waffles before bed. It was perfect. Tin Hau station is also conveniently located right on the Island Line only a few stops from Central.

Moon Festival: Chang'e and the White Rabbit

Many people have forgotten this holiday’s origin story, which is a shame because there’s a goddess, a drug-making white rabbit and CAKE! In fact, every person I asked had to Google it. Just so you’re aware, there are two stories: one with a hero and one with a villain. I’m going to stick to the “bad guy” version; because that’s the one I was told.

Once upon a time, there were ten suns. Of course, this was disastrous and everyone was in a foul mood all the time; then, everyone started to die because the crops wouldn’t grow. A hero named Houyi decided to fix the problem and shot down nine of the ten suns with his bow and arrow. The people were so happy and thankful that they made him king and everyone lived happily ever after….. I don’t think that ever actually happens.

As it usually does, the power of kingship turned Houyi into a greedy, tyrannical ruler who was having so much fun killing people that he decided it would be a good idea to live forever. He sought out the Queen Mother of the West for medicine that would make him immortal and SHE GAVE IT TO HIM; not her brightest moment as the immortal deity of prosperity, longevity and eternal bliss.

Houyi didn’t take the medicine immediately. Apparently, it would only work if taken on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, so he had to wait. This gave his wife, Chang'e, a chance to steal it and, not wanting her husband to go on torturing people forever, she did. After taking the medicine, Chang'e became a goddess (reigning over the moon, menstruation and rebirth) and flew up to her lunar palace where a white rabbit was waiting for her.

Of course, Houyi was pissed and tried to shoot her down, but apparently kingship had destroyed his aim as well as his soul. Legend has it that he died soon after (probably from a rage induced heart attack) and everyone decided to honor Chang'e’s excellent thieving skills with the tradition of Moon Festival... (which has since been added to the UNESCO Intangible Heritage list or should be. I was told that it had been added, but then couldn't find any evidence of it online.)

So currently, there’s a rabbit and a goddess on the Moon. The immortal little fluff ball is spending eternity on the Moon so that Chang'e has someone to talk to and as punishment for giving out too many happy pills. The little one is the god’s apothecary and, under duress, he gave the Queen Mother of the West too many immortality pills, an action that makes him (slightly) responsible for Chang'e’s fate. Even today, people still “see” rabbits making moon shapes around the holiday in honor of their friend.

In addition to having a cool backstory, moon cakes and barbeques make this one of the most delicious holidays in Taiwanese culture. Traditional cakes are “moon” shaped and filled with a sweet, dense filling that has a salted egg yolk in the center. Historically, the treats were sometimes used to smuggle secret messages across enemy lines. In recent years, they have gone more main-stream and many large chains, such as Godiva and Starbucks sell seasonal mooncakes. Chocolate and lotus flower flavors are best!