Hot Spring Camping: Sileng Waterfall

Credit: Dustin Craft

The hot spring is nice, but the best parts of this adventure were the campsite and hike. Unlike Galahe, the trail on this one is beautiful: no stairs! The second half is almost like a miniature version of Wuliaojian with a few scrambles, jumps and repels. It’s so much fun, but exhausting especially when wearing nothing but a bathing suit in the freezing cold.

We weren’t thinking and left all the water and snacks back at camp before continuing on to the hot spring, so after an hour of mountaineering and an hour soaking in sulfurous hot water, we were beat. Upon getting back, I crawled into my tent to huddle up with water and a protein bar until (finding that I couldn’t blackmail anyone into it) felt human enough to start the stove and make some tea.

Credit: Ryan Hevern

From the trail head at the road to the hot spring is about an hour total, but the campsite is located right in the middle. It’s misleading because the first half of the trail is easy, but the second half to the hot spring is more challenging and a bit longer. There’s also a chance that being cold and dehydrated on the return trip are making it seem worse than it really was.

The hot spring itself is small, making it difficult to spread out and you’ve got to feel around for the best spot. I definitely missed the fire hot water and pools at Galahe, but it was still nice. Everything’s wild, green and beautiful. The warmest place to be is in the little crawlspace behind the waterfall. Someone can sit in there and have a private natural sulphur-infused hot box. It’s awesome, especially on a cold winter day after just crossing a freezing river.

Credit: Dustin Craft

To get to the hot spring, everyone must cross a roaring, leg-numbing river. You’re thigh high in freezing blue water doing its best to push you downstream and it’s so cold you can’t feel your feet. (That was fun.) We watched quite a few people stumble and fall completely in. (No thank you.) In the summer, it would be great though and there is a rope to hold, so no one actually gets carried away.

The campsite is nestled in the middle of the woods with large clear tent spaces and a huge fire pit. A few of us spent the following morning lazing around in hammocks, looking at trees and reading books. Our guide mentioned that this is one of the best wild campsites around and I would agree. Of course, the screaming deer that woke everyone up at 6:30 in the morning were cute, but I’d definitely rather have them than a car alarm.

Getting Around

It’s about two hours outside of Taipei down winding mountain roads. You need wheels, so of course joining up with a group is the best way to go. I went with TAO and I think they take regular trips out there. Honestly, even with my own car, I’d probably still sign up with them. It’s a good group, with good food, people and lots of fun. We cooked steak, veggies and s’mores right on the fire and ate like kings for about four hours straight till bedtime.

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.

River Tracing: Lupi Stream and Jinyue Waterfall

Sold! This short sweet river trace in Nanao was the perfect introduction to our new favorite summer activity. With a rope swing, waterfall slide and 25 meter falls at the end, we can’t wait to go back and will definitely be on the lookout for more river traces around Taipei. Nanao is home to two river traces that are easy day trips from the city: Biden and Lupi Stream. This being our first time tracing, we started with the easier one: Lupi Stream, which actually isn’t that easy and we probably should have worn life jackets.

That said, the trace went really well and wasn’t too difficult as it’s easy to tailor it to your own level/experience. For example, my boyfriend tested out his brain power and leg muscles on a cascade scramble that was pushing out hundreds of gallons of water per second, but the rest of us sane people just went around. (This particular cascade was introduced as a fun puzzle to solve and I guess he just couldn’t resist. He made it over, but not by pushing through. He actually had to level himself up out of the water and balance over the cascade to get around it.)

Lupi Stream takes about two hours each way, but it is possible to speed this up. (We did the return trip in just over half an hour because we were worried about catching the train home.) At the beginning and end of the trace, there’s a large pool for swimming and fun waterfall slide.

Shortly after this, the stream becomes impassible and a trail has been cut into the woods on the right side. It’s short and joins back up with the stream after a few minutes. From here, tracers will have to pick their way through or around the edge of the stream with short rock scrambles and little cascade climbs. It’s also very deep in places and the river bed will suddenly just disappear, so be prepared to swim.

Photo Credit: Dustin Craft, Taiwan Adventure Outings

There are some parts of the trace that only experienced tracers should try, such as the rope swing and three-foot waterfall chute below it (not to be confused with the relatively safe main waterfall slide), which has a very strong vortex that jumpers will have to be able to navigate out of. Most tracers who attempt the rope swing actually climb out and go around rather than contend with the dangerous little chute. This is saying something, because the steep, wet scramble out isn’t easy.

It should also be mentioned that if you commit to doing the rope swing, there’s not backing out. Basically, you can change your mind, but you still HAVE TO do it. This is when having a life jacket as a confidence boost would have been nice. Another event like this is the waterfall slide at the beginning and end of the trace.

Basically, once you’re at the head of the slide, the water IS GOING to push you down. Jumpers only have a few seconds to position themselves as best as possible before being carried down possibly the biggest natural waterfall side in Taiwan. (PSA: When going down the slide, hold your bag tight to your chest and don’t bend forward or it’ll slap you in the face when you hit the water.)

Again, the trace is completely customizable, so less adventurous explorers can skip both the rope swing and the slide or just do the slide, but not the rope jump. If you like the land of the living and prefer to stay in it, just get out of the water and go right through the woods on the return trip. This will take you safely around the more dangerous parts of the trace.

Be warned, things happen: ropes get stuck, people fall, straps break and concussions occur. ALL of these things happened on our trip and there was very little we could do to prepare for them. The best advice is to go in a group. This isn’t something individuals should be going at alone as people do DIE. Taipei Hikers and Taiwan Adventure Outings both take regular trips to Nanao during the summer months. Trips fill up fast, so be vigilant to get a spot.

Equipment

Photo Credit: Dustin Craft, Taiwan Adventure Outings

A helmet, waterproof bag and special shoes are all required. These items can be rented from supply stores in Taipei for around $200 NTD ($6 USD). Of course, it’s recommended that you rent a life vest as well, especially if you’re planning on doing any of the jumps/slides or are not a confident swimmer. Below is a list of rental shops in Taipei. They have funny hours, so plan ahead.

In addition, to the rented items, you’ll need a small towel, water, snacks, a change of clothes and lots of Ziploc bags. Everything you care about should be double and triple bagged, because those waterproof bags WILL LEAK. There might be a small hole or it might not seal completely, but trust water is going to find a way into that bag. Probably hundreds of cell phones have gone to that great mobile cloud in the sky on this trace, and we added one more on our trip. (It was inside a waterproof hard case, inside a waterproof bag, but still found a way to get wet. The owner was not amused.)

Guting: 戶外家
Address: 100, Taipei City, Zhongzheng District, Quanzhou Street, 69號
Phone: 02 2333 1682

Getting Around

Get to Taipei Main Station around 8:30 am and by direct train tickets to Nanao Station. It’s about a two hour train ride each way and tickets cost just under $300 NTD. When purchasing outbound tickets, go ahead and grab return tickets as well. Trains only hit Nanao every three hours and it should be obvious which one you want, just make sure the departure time is after 3pm.

You’ll probably have to buy standing tickets on the way out, but should be able to get seats on the way back. By the way, standing tickets aren’t a huge problem, because there’s always room in the bike car. Basically, the last car on every train is reserved for bikes, but there’re never any bikes, so it’s the perfect place to find a seat and take a nap on a sold out train.

From Nanao Station, you’ll need to have a cab arranged to take you to the Lupi Stream trail head. This 10-minute trip will cost about $300 NTD, but can be split between multiple people. You’ll also need to arrange for the cab to pick you up from the same spot at three o’clock SHARP. Below is the number for the taxi service, but you’ll need to know some Chinese to get things arranged. Stress the TIMES, because you’ll be on a tight schedule to catch the train home.

Nanao Taxi:
0966-657-673
03-9981-298

Day Trip: Wulai Waterfall & Hot Springs

Wulai is home to the largest waterfall in Northern Taiwan. That said, we came, saw and weren’t that impressed. It’s a super convenient trip for getting some fresh air and the food’s amazing, but something just didn’t do it for me. We weren’t able to enjoy the river at all as the public pools have been destroyed and closed off. Similarly, we weren’t able to get near the waterfall. It just served as a pretty backdrop, which is nice, but if that’s what you’re looking for, Shifen Waterfall is the better option.

We also tested out the Lover’s Walk, which was a joke (Don’t waste your time.) and a hot spring hotel. The hotel was nice: clean, peaceful and with windows overlooking the mountains. It would have been perfect if the water had actually had sulfur in it, which it didn’t. It just felt like piped in hot water. So, for enjoying natural hot springs, I’d recommend somewhere else, like XinBeitou.



Maybe we just didn’t do it right and missed something that would have made it more memorable. Again, don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad and we had a good day. The highlight was probably relaxing our tired city legs at the hotel. It was nice, but there are better waterfalls and hot springs to be had in Northern Taiwan. The one thing the area does get right is the food. It was some of the best street food we’ve had on the island, so eat up 😊

On a parting note, beware of taxi drivers. Cars aren’t actually allowed back to the waterfall, but that doesn’t stop drivers from claiming that they can get you there. Just know that “take you to the waterfall” actually translates to driving two minutes around the corner to a road block. Upon seeing this, we were not amused and felt superior in our decision to hoof it. There are similar scams at Shifen.

Wulai vs. Shifen

My boyfriend completely disagrees with me on this one, saying that the easy transport and excellent food makes Wulai a better choice. I disagree: Wulai is the tallest; Shifen is the prettiest. While Wulai may be easier to get to, it’s not near any other fun attractions. Shifen is more difficult to access, but it’s located on the Pingxi Line, making it an easy jump off point for other great activities, such as the Sandiaoling Waterfall Hike or Lingjiao Cliff Jump. You also won’t find any hot springs, but there will be lots of locals making and releasing lanterns. Broken down, the score is:

	Wulai	Shifen
Location		⭐
Transport	⭐
Food	⭐
Lanterns		⭐
Hot Spring	⭐
Scenery		⭐
Taxi Scams	⭐	⭐

Getting Around

This is an easy and inexpensive little day trip. We were playing tour guide and to maximize time, we did this and the gondola all in day. Just catch the 849 bus from Xindian Station and ride it to Wulai. Wulai is popular with both locals and tourists, so start early unless you’re all right with standing, which isn’t a huge issue as it’s less than an hour.  At Wulai station, follow your nose into town, down the old street and then either catch the tram or walk to the waterfall. There are more food stalls and souvenir shops at the base of the waterfall, so you could bypass the town and head straight there.

Shifen Falls: Taipei’s Little Niagara

Shifen Waterfall, fondly known as Little Niagara, is Taiwan’s most popular waterfall. Despite the high foot traffic and touristy town, it’s still worth a visit. In the afternoon, tiny rainbows of light float over the dense falls or you may see a big round semi-circle of color. The water is a beautiful teal blue and some say that’s more beautiful than Niagara Falls.

The town is nice to. There’s a variety of food stalls with fresh fruit, meat kebabs and other delicious treats. As with other touristy areas, there are plenty of places to buy souvenirs and post cards. One thing special about Shifen, is the ability to make paper lanterns. Between trains, locals and visitors step out onto the empty tracks and paint them. (They’re much bigger up close.)

The lanterns are released into the sky and it makes for a glorious display around sunset. Of course, hiking groups have fun picking up the clutter afterward, but that’s none of my business. Another focal point of Shifen is the old suspension bridge. It looks cool and I encourage you to cross it, but there’s really nothing to see on the other side. We looked.

Getting Around

To get to Shifen Falls, start at Taipei Main Station. From here, get a north bound train to Ruifang. These trains are abundant, convenient and there is absolutely no reason to book tickets in advance. From Ruifang station, board the Pingxi Line going toward (you guessed it) Pingxi. You will have to buy these tickets at Ruifang station or use an EasyCard. Get off the Pingxi Line at Shifen station. After disembarking, walk through the town of Shifen to get to the falls. Follow the signs and enjoy!

Cliff Jumping: Lingjiao Waterfall

Stand around for an hour contemplating life with a strange mix of fear and philosophy, then JUMP! This is what a friend experienced before leaping 40 feet from the top of a waterfall into the pool below. (I didn’t do it. Apparently, old age has dampened my desire to die.) Another said that he would wait for his brain to become slightly confused and then run off the cliff before clarity and sanity could catch up with him. (I date that one 😢) He did this 4 times. According to both, the first time is easiest, since after that the brain has figured out what you’re doing and doesn’t approve.

Resting at twelve meters, Lingjiao Waterfall might be the highest cliff jump in Taiwan, and, of course, (as stated above) we’re slightly disturbed, so this is the one we started with. It’s higher and maybe even more beautiful than Hong Kong’s most famous cliff jump, Sheung Luk, which we are hoping to visit in the not too distant future. Unlike Sheung Luk, Lingjiao has managed to stay off the radar for most tourists and even locals. Except for a group of regulars, who looked like they’d been there a thousand times, we basically had the beautiful spot to ourselves… on a weekend… in July.

We brought water, wine, bread, cheese, and spread our towels out to enjoy a lazy afternoon swimming and jumping. The locals brought the music and, unwittingly, showed us where to stand and what spot to aim for when making the jump. If they hadn’t been there to demonstrate, I can’t say for sure that our group would have tried it. Twelve meters definitely looks like 20 from the top and you can’t see what’s waiting for you at the bottom.

The top of the waterfall is calm, peaceful, pretty and the perfect place to spend an hour in reflection before giving in to the chaos of an adrenaline rush. Overall though, the whole area needs a little TLC. There’s some debris piled up on the side that makes for a rough first impression and the trail to the top is completely overgrown. I seriously doubt that it’s maintained by anyone except the regular jumpers. They did spend a little time clearing it while we were there, mostly just smashing everything down and (probably) praying not to step on a snake.



If more people visited, it would probably be better maintained, but then it would also be more crowded, so pick your poison. Actually, someone did try to turn it into a tourist attraction, but rumor has it that the endeavor was shut down after a boy jumped and died. This would have obviously created a lot of bad press and scared visitors away, especially locals who believe in the Chinese superstition that water is haunted by soul-stealing ghosts. Anyway, you can still see the hollowed out ruins that were never completed, which give the place an eerie vibe.

To us, the jump seemed intimidating, but safe. Someone could land poorly in the water and end up with a few bruises, but the whole pool itself is very deep and no one in our group touched the bottom. As long as you can swim, go for it. When not jumping, it’s also nice to swim under the cliff and scramble up onto the steps. This is a cool, wet place to hide from the sun and it gives you the high ground for a surprise attack when friends come and try to pull you off… Big Mistake.

Getting Around

It’s on the Pingxi Line, exactly one stop from Pingxi Village actually, so you could also squeeze in a visit there or to Shifen Waterfall on this trip. We considered exploring Wanggu Waterfall, since it is also only one stop away, but ditched this plan when some unexpected new friends, who had just come from there, dropped in and told us how the waterfall is much smaller and that no one at all was there swimming, much less jumping.

I digress, take the bus there, but come home on the train. It’s bus number 795 and it departs every half hour from Muzha Station on the brown line. To get to the bus stop, exit the station and cross the street to the OK Mart. Fun fact, this bus stops at every major attraction on the Pingxi Line, including Lingjiao, which is where you want to get off. From there, follow signs for the Lingjiao train station, which is about 500 meters away (other blogs lie about this distance for some reason) down a small side road.

From the station, follow signs for the waterfall, which is only an additional 300 meters away. The trail for the waterfall starts at the Lingjiao Visiter Center (or at least an abandoned, nonfunctional cement building that says it’s a visitor center) and then follows the train tracks until ending at some stairs that lead down to the base of the falls.

To get home, jump on the train (no matter which way it’s going, because there’s only one ping-ponging back and forth along the Pingxi Line) and get off at Houtong Station, where you can transfer to a local train bound for Taipei. The bus ride’s under an hour, whereas the train takes two hours, but I still recommend the train because traffic gets bad on the weekends and you’ll have a better chance of finding a seat.

Hiking Favorite: Sandiaoling Waterfall Trail

You’ll get wet, muddy and land on your butt a few times, but it’s an incredible hike. Located on the Pingxi Rail Line, this trail starts at Sandiaoling Station and terminates at Dahua Station. In total, there are four waterfalls on the trail and it’s possible to add a fifth by continuing on to Shifen once you finish the hike. Along with swimming under the waterfalls, you’ll get to play on braided rope bridges, climb log ladders and walk through fairy portals.

The first waterfall, Hegu Falls, is a medium-sized-double falls that’s very pretty and easy to get to. Continuing on from Hegu Falls, the trail really comes alive with moss covered rocks, over-hanging trees and the sound of water in the background. After swinging across the rope bridges and maybe even stopping for a swim, you’ll come to the main attraction: Sandiaoling Waterfall. This 30-meters-high waterfall shoots out over a massive overhang, so there’s plenty of room for exploring behind the fall’s curtain.

Sandiaoling Waterfall is mesmerizing; we could have easily spent an hour watching the water curtain fall and then dissipate on the rocks below. Unfortunately, we were also trying to outpace a loud group of women who had paid for a guided hike. Hearing squeaky voices gain on us, we stuffed our faces with a little bit of lunch and moved along to the head of the falls.

Imagine our surprise when we found another waterfall waiting at the top. Turns out, the head of Sandiaoling Waterfall doubles as the base of Pipa Cave Falls. Pipa Cave and Sandiaoling Waterfalls are very similar. Both shoot out over massive overhangs and Pipa Cave is only a little smaller than Sandiaoling, resting at 25 meters. The base of Pipa Cave Falls is more fun to explore, getting your feet wet and climbing around. Just don’t fall off the edge; the rope is there for a reason.



From here, make your way to the head of Pipa Cave Falls, you’ll be rewarded with the ability to hang out and walk around under the overhand. Again, just don’t fall. This is the last main waterfall, so enjoy. When you’re ready, keep moving up; you’re almost at the fun rope/log ladder or what’s left of it. When a hiker was badly injured, the ladder was deemed a safety hazard and has since been replaced with some gaudy metal stairs. They did leave a small section of the ladder in place though, so you can imagine what the whole thing would have been like previously. Honestly, they were probably right about the safety hazard, but that doesn’t make the metal stairs any less boring.

Soon the trail spits you out onto an actual path. (From this point onward, everything becomes less scenic and more dangerous. I wouldn’t be surprised if most people turn back instead of continuing on to Dahua Station.) There are two options. To exit the trail, follow signs for Dahua Station. To check out the actual head of Pipa Cave Falls, go the other direction. It’s a good spot for another swim and not too far out of the way. Still being chased by the sound of female voices, we continued on to Dahua Station.



The path soon turns into a road, but you don’t stay on this very long. After five minutes, you’ll see a trail that takes you back into the woods. Take it and stay on it until you come to Xinliao Village. Here, the path turns back into a road and you want to go left at the fork. Soon, you’ll arrive at a large, ornate gate that’s guarding the entrance to an abandoned car park. Next to the gate, there are some stairs. Take them. This five minute detour leads down to a small abandoned shrine, overlooking the fourth and final waterfall of the trail. It’s small, but pretty.



Make your way back up the stairs and into the carpark. There’s an abandoned ticket office with a set of stairs next to it. The stairs are the entrance to the last and most dangerous part of the trail, which mostly consists of overgrown, loose steps that are incredibly slippery and just want to kill people. When possible, walk on the mud, leaves, anything but the actual steps and you might make it out alive.

Assuming you don’t die, the trail is almost over. Cross the red pedestrian bridge straddling the Keelung River and soon you’ll find yourself back on the train tracks. Follow these to Dahua Station. From here, catch a train to Shifen or begin the journey back to Taipei.



Total, the trail takes almost four hours to complete (not including swimming time). Bring food, small towels and a camera. There are no restrooms on this hike, so use them at Sandiaoling Station. An upside, though, is that most of this hike is in the woods, so you don’t have to worry about turning into a piece of bacon as you would on other more exposed hikes.

Getting Around

From Taipei Main Station, hop a train bound for Sandiaoling Station. As soon as you disembark, you’ll see signs for the trail. Follow them. As you exit the station, there are some overgrown, forgotten buildings next to the path that you can explore. Further down, the trail follows the railroad tracks to the town of Sandiaoling. These are active tracks, so keep your ears open and camera ready.



Follow the tracks until you pass an old white-washed school. Here, cross the tracks and follow the steps up. This is the trail head and there is a sign/map posted next to the tracks. On weekends, locals will be set up with food and drink stands. They may or may not be there on weekdays.



To get home, catch a train at either Dahua or Shifen to Ruifang. At Ruifang Station, get off and transfer to a train bound for Taipei. On weekends, you’ll probably have to make this trip standing up, so it’s best to wait for an express train. This way you’ll only be on your feet for thirty minutes versus an hour on the local train.