Yuli (玉里) is a township in central Huatung Valley in Hualien County. It is home to the Yushan National Park, one of Taiwan's nine national parks.
Understand
[edit]Yuli is in the valley that runs from north to south between Hualien and Taitung, and as such is flanked by mountains on two sides. It is mostly a farming area.
Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]
- 1 Yuli station (玉里車站). Yuli is one of the main train stops between Hualien and Taitung. The fast trains from Taipei Main Station take about 3 hrs.
- 2 Sanmin station (三民車站).
Get around
[edit]
Map of Yuli
The best thing to do is to rent a bicycle or scooter around the train station, because many sights are out of town and in the surrounding area.
See
[edit]- 1 Eurasian and Philippine Tectonic Plate Border (on the bicycle bridge across the (large) river). This is an information area marking the border of the both tectonic plates.
Museums
[edit]- 2 Taiwan Black Bear Education Center (臺灣黑熊教育館), No. 50, Minquan St, ☏ +886 3 888 6010, [email protected]. Th-M 10:00-17:00. A volunteer-run educational centre focusing on the fauna of Eastern Taiwan, particularly black bears. There is very little material available in English here.
- 3 PuShi Arts Hall (璞石藝術館), No.50, Minquan st, ☏ +886 3 888 3166. Tu–Su 09:30–12:00, 13:30–16:30. A display hall used to showcase a local artform, originally using the offcut materials from the local rock quarries, which was later developed to more fully utilise the variety of materials available in the area.
Temples
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- 4 Chike Fude Temple (赤科山福德祠). A small temple to the Lord of the Soil and the Ground (土地公), a Chinese folk deity.
- 5 Chunrih Wugu Temple (春日五穀宮). A local temple to the god of agriculture.
- 6 Cihui Temple (慈惠堂), No. 9-5, Xinyi Road, ☏ +886 3 888 2967. A larger, ornate temple complex built in 1958.
- 7 Huashan Temple (華山寺), No. 75, Heping Road. A large Buddhist temple complex.
- 8 Lundun Gufeng Temple (崙敦古鳳宮), ☏ +886 3 885 1130. A multi-storey Taoist temple complex in the town centre.
- 9 Sheng'an Temple (玉里勝安宮), No. 35, Section 1, Zhongshan Road, ☏ +886 3 888 2658. 09:00-21:00. A relatively large temple building dedicated to the Queen Mother of the West (西王母)
- 10 Sietian Temple (協天宮), ☏ +886 3 888 2252.
- 11 Yuquan Temple (玉泉寺), No. 70, Xibian Street, ☏ +886 3 888 2635. 08:00-17:00. A Buddhist temple with pleasant gardens.
Do
[edit]- The main attraction here is the Walami trail, a historic hiking trail once used by the Japanese to keep on eye on aboriginal villages in the mountains. Many sections have been wiped out, you can do the first part as a daytrip, or go to the highest accessible point in one day where there is a cabin to spend the night. In the latter case you will need to apply in time for a permit and register with the police station.
- Rent a bicycle or scooter and explore the surrounding area, because many sights are out of town. There are at least two waterfalls, one hot spring and several short hikes nearby. Best consult the tourist map in front of the railway station. The hot spring is 6 km out of town from the large bridge southeast, where you will also find a sign for it.
Parks and nature
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- 1 Tiefen Falls (鐵汾瀑布). A lakeside recreation area known for its waterfall.
- 2 Chike Mountain (赤柯山). A mountain that is famed for its floral blooms. Be aware that the road up the mountain is often narrow and can be unsettling for some.
Hot springs
[edit]- 3 Antong Hot Springs (安通溫泉).
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- Yuli noodles (Yuli mian) are the local specialty, although you might be left wondering how different they are from noodles elsewhere in Taiwan.
- Straight out of the railway station, some shops are selling delicious and mostly not sour/bitter grapefruit and pomelos, which are a great treat during the hot weather.
Night markets
[edit]- 1 Yuli Night Market (玉里夜市), Zhongzhi Road. F 18:00-22:00. A typical Taiwan-style night market offering a wide range of snack stalls.
Drink
[edit]- Chikeshan Black Tea (赤科山蜜香紅茶). A local variety of honey scented black tea.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Wisdom Garden Homestay (智嵐雅居民宿), No. 98-1 Suangan, ☏ +886 921986461, [email protected]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. This is a great B&B a bit to the north of Yuli. The owners are a friendly Buddhist couple who will be happy to pick you up at the Yuli train station. The list price is NT$2,500 for a double, but you may get it for as little as NT$2,200 on a weekday in low season for a double en suite.
Go next
[edit]- Ruisui – Enjoy fresh milk and Hot Springs.
- Hualien – Touristic centre of the Hualien County and base for exploring the nearby Taroko Gorge.
- Taitung(台東 or 臺東) – The youngest city in Taiwan and was developed by Japan as a base for Pacific expansion. Taitung's population is strongly Aboriginal, Hoklo and Hakka. It is by far one of the most laid back, relaxing, and beautiful of Taiwan's cities.
- Yushan National Park.
- Also see the nearby Hualien County and Taitung County attractions.