The first half of the day was spent exploring around Wufongci waterfall. As usual, we met a lot of really fun groups of Taiwanese tourists. I was able to get several excellent jump shots. The waterfall itself is very peaceful and serene. It is a perfect place to spend a day hiking around and taking in the natural beauty. On the way back down the hill we stopped at a popular swimming spot in the river. This is where we met the most professional group of jumpers I have met thus far. They all just recently graduated college in Taipei and were enjoying their freedom from school. They were all standing around when I approached them and they were instantly enthused to join me.
The problem we faced was getting back to the city. The bus wasn’t going to come for a few hours so I proposed finding a resort. The nice thing about resorts is that they usually have shuttle buses to train/bus stations every half hour. I confidently walked up to the front desk (looking worse for wear and a bit dingy) and inquired about the next shuttle to the train station. The woman asked for my room number and I said 26. Don’t worry, I made sure that the shuttle was free and that I wasn’t sticking someone with the bill. We boarded the shuttle along with several nicely dressed guests and the driver whisked us all down to town. Once we got off, Tim looked at me and asked, “You gave them a room number didn’t you?” Ha! Yep.
We decided to hunt for lunch before heading to the National Center for Traditional Arts (NCTA). Our options were fish, pork, pork, beef, and some more pork. As a vegetarian these options really made me miss the ease of eating in Taipei (aka vegetarian heaven). Then a small Buddha statue caught my eye. YESSSS, I had found a glorious Buddhist restaurant. Come to find out the restaurant is actually ran by the same organization that led the retreat I attended. The waitress handed us Chinese menus and we all just stared at her. Luckily, a very outgoing Buddhist venerable was sitting behind us. She came over and offered us help. She actually spent 5 years in the US completing her doctorate in philosophy and religious studies and her sister lives in Portland, Oregon. What a small world. She was so funny and excited to hear that I was from Portland. Apparently, she thinks it is one of the most beautiful places in the world (I can’t comment, since I am biased).
Once on the train heading towards the NCTA, I met two mainland Chinese tourists who were also heading there. We teamed up to figure out transit. The taxi drivers wanted way too much money, so we went in search of a bus. After getting a taste of hitchhiking I really wanted us to find someone to drive us instead of waiting 30 minutes for the bus. I met several drivers who were very friendly, but were heading towards Taipei and not the NCTA. I won’t bore you with too many details about the NCTA. Check out their website for more information.
http://www.ncfta.gov.tw/ncfta_eh/main/index.aspx
I will say it is worth the visit. Currently, they have a display of traditional Taiwanese handicrafts and an entire floor of silver sculptures. Tim’s hosts picked us up and provided us a lovely dinner. The conversation was very enjoyable and made us wish we had another day to spend with them.
Recommendations for Yilan:
- The National Center for Traditional Arts gives an excellent introduction to traditional Taiwanese culture. It costs 150 for adult entry and 100 for students. They provide free English audio guides and have a replica of an old street in Taiwan. The building styles range from traditional Southern Fujian to Baroque and give a clear snapshot of what life would have been like in Taiwan long ago. Make sure to check out the show times and catch a traditional aboriginal dance troupe.
- Eat seafood by the beach in the evening.
- Hike around the Wufongci Waterfall. Continue to walk up the hill past the water fall and check out the Notre Dame Villa hike. I was told it takes about 4 hours.
- Lanyang Museum has a very unique architectural design, but isn’t that convenient to get to. Inside you can learn about several of the aboriginal tribes of Taiwan.
- There are also hot springs and lakes in the area worth exploring. If only coming for a day trip, stick to the top three suggestions.
The problem we faced was getting back to the city. The bus wasn’t going to come for a few hours so I proposed finding a resort. The nice thing about resorts is that they usually have shuttle buses to train/bus stations every half hour. I confidently walked up to the front desk (looking worse for wear and a bit dingy) and inquired about the next shuttle to the train station. The woman asked for my room number and I said 26. Don’t worry, I made sure that the shuttle was free and that I wasn’t sticking someone with the bill. We boarded the shuttle along with several nicely dressed guests and the driver whisked us all down to town. Once we got off, Tim looked at me and asked, “You gave them a room number didn’t you?” Ha! Yep.
We decided to hunt for lunch before heading to the National Center for Traditional Arts (NCTA). Our options were fish, pork, pork, beef, and some more pork. As a vegetarian these options really made me miss the ease of eating in Taipei (aka vegetarian heaven). Then a small Buddha statue caught my eye. YESSSS, I had found a glorious Buddhist restaurant. Come to find out the restaurant is actually ran by the same organization that led the retreat I attended. The waitress handed us Chinese menus and we all just stared at her. Luckily, a very outgoing Buddhist venerable was sitting behind us. She came over and offered us help. She actually spent 5 years in the US completing her doctorate in philosophy and religious studies and her sister lives in Portland, Oregon. What a small world. She was so funny and excited to hear that I was from Portland. Apparently, she thinks it is one of the most beautiful places in the world (I can’t comment, since I am biased).
Once on the train heading towards the NCTA, I met two mainland Chinese tourists who were also heading there. We teamed up to figure out transit. The taxi drivers wanted way too much money, so we went in search of a bus. After getting a taste of hitchhiking I really wanted us to find someone to drive us instead of waiting 30 minutes for the bus. I met several drivers who were very friendly, but were heading towards Taipei and not the NCTA. I won’t bore you with too many details about the NCTA. Check out their website for more information.
http://www.ncfta.gov.tw/ncfta_eh/main/index.aspx
I will say it is worth the visit. Currently, they have a display of traditional Taiwanese handicrafts and an entire floor of silver sculptures. Tim’s hosts picked us up and provided us a lovely dinner. The conversation was very enjoyable and made us wish we had another day to spend with them.
Recommendations for Yilan:
- The National Center for Traditional Arts gives an excellent introduction to traditional Taiwanese culture. It costs 150 for adult entry and 100 for students. They provide free English audio guides and have a replica of an old street in Taiwan. The building styles range from traditional Southern Fujian to Baroque and give a clear snapshot of what life would have been like in Taiwan long ago. Make sure to check out the show times and catch a traditional aboriginal dance troupe.
- Eat seafood by the beach in the evening.
- Hike around the Wufongci Waterfall. Continue to walk up the hill past the water fall and check out the Notre Dame Villa hike. I was told it takes about 4 hours.
- Lanyang Museum has a very unique architectural design, but isn’t that convenient to get to. Inside you can learn about several of the aboriginal tribes of Taiwan.
- There are also hot springs and lakes in the area worth exploring. If only coming for a day trip, stick to the top three suggestions.
