Famous for its hot-springs and beautiful countryside setting, Wulai District and Wulai Old Town is an easy day trip from Taipei, less than 45 minutes by bus from Xindian Station.
From hillside temples to wonderful Wulai Falls, there is lots of natural beauty and things to do in Wulai.
This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Explore the trails, grab the Wulai Scenic Train and cable car before enjoying some local Atayal aboriginal style food on Wulai Old Street – there are also a couple of museums along the way.
Wulai is perhaps best known for its thermal hot springs and there are several free outdoor hot springs or some more luxurious hotel spas to choose from.
Wulai’s name actually means ‘hot and poisonous’ based on the local Atayal tribes first impressions of the hot springs they discovered.
From local food to Fuge Temple, here is our guide to visiting Wulai near Taipei in Taiwan with photos.
You might like – Things to do in Taipei at night >
Taiwan checklist
We love using agoda.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, KK Day or Klook.
How to get to Wulai
It is easy to get to Wulai by public transport – bus 849 to Wulai goes from Xindian MRT Station (Beixin) Road to Wulai Terminal Station, which is then around a 5 minute walk to Wulai Old Street Old Town.
The journey from Taipei Xindian Station to Wulai Terminal Station on bus 849 is around 40 minutes – Wulai is the last stop so just alight at the end. You can use your EasyCard to pay for the journey.
As you exit Xindian Station, the 849 bus stop to Wulai is located outside the actual station on the main road (Beixin Road)- there are bus stops inside the station but the Wulai bus is outside.
Please note the roads to Wulai are very windy so if you get travel sickness, you may want to take sickness tablets before boarding the bus. There are free toilets at Xindian station too.
If you’d ratchet not take the bus to Wulai, check out this 10 hour daytrip – Wulai Old Street, hot spring and waterfall day tour >
To note we went to Wulai on a weekday morning at around 9.30am – we got to the bus stop 20 minutes early and by the time the bus arrived, there was a big queue behind us and not everyone got a seat.
Bus 849 is quite small (around 20 seats) so you may need to stand or offer your seat to the elderly residents.
You might like – Our guide to Yongkang Street, Taipei’s tastiest neighborhood >
Join our Facebook Taiwan Travel Tips (TTT) Group!
Need help with your Taiwan itinerary or have any questions? Head on over to the fastest growing Taiwan Facebook group with 25k+ members and ask the experts!
Click here to join our group >
Bus 849 Timetable
Buses to Wulai run approximately every 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the time of day.
The first 849 bus to Wulai is at around 5.30am, the last bus back from Wulai is around 9.40pm – Bus times correct as of summer 2024.
Taiwanderers Tip
Grab a Taiwan EasyCard as a convenient way to use buses and public transport in Taipei and across Taiwan. They can be easily topped up at stations and convenience stores.
Read more about how to use a Taiwan EasyCard, including how to top up >
You might like – 30 cute and cool Taiwan EasyCard and iPass designs >
Map of Wulai
This is a photo we took of a map showing all the major Wulai attractions.
The station for Bus 849 is cut off on this map but it is located at the bottom below the tourist bridge icon.
1. Wulai Fude Temple & Wulai Suspension Bridge
The journey from Xindian to Wulai is very beautiful, passing through lots of traditional Taiwanese villages and local settlements along the way.
As you arrive at Wulai Terminal Station, you’ll notice the Wulai Suspension Bridge and Wulai Food Temple across the beautiful blue river.
We’d recommend going across the river and Wulai suspension bridge first (before Wulai Old Street), as the sun shines on the temple in the morning plus you may just want to catch the bus back at the end of the day instead of going across the river.
The Wulai Suspension Bridge is free to cross and accessible via some steps or an elevator – at the end, take the path left to Wulai Fade Temple, a small traditional temple with stunning views and the Guanyin Buddha.
When we visited Wulai Fude Temple, we were the only visitors there and the staff were enjoying tea inside – they asked us not to go upstairs so there isn’t that much to see ( it is worth it for the views alone).
You might like – Things to do in Keelung, an easy bus / train ride from Taipei >
2. Wulai Visitor Center / Hot Springs
Wulai is perhaps most famous for its hot springs and rejuvenating thermal waters – there are lots of thermal springs all over the area, from luxurious hotel spas to free hot springs by the side of the river (popular with the locals).
As you arrive on the 849 bus, the first thing you see after walking past the carpark is the tourist information center – amazingly, it even has its own free mini hot springs outside!
Alas, on our visit, it was already full just after opening time with local old ladies and they didn’t seem keen to share! They wanted to keep the waters rejuvenating properties to themselves maybe.
The tourist information office wasn’t that great to be honest, there were no free maps and the staff didn’t acknowledge us – perhaps they just wanted to get in the hot tub!
The Wulai Tourist Office hot springs are open from 10am to 4.30pm daily – however, you may want to visit the free riverside hot springs which we’ll mention later.
You might like – Our guide to Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Taipei’s coolest cultural hub >
3. Wulai Bridge & Wulai Atayal Museum
As you walk towards Wulai Old Street from the Visitor Center, go past the FamilyMart on the left and you’ll discover Wulai Bridge.
The views looking out over the bridge are magnificent and you can see all the traditional houses with incredible waterside views and mountain landscapes.
If you look closely, you can also see the remnants of the former public thermal hot springs that were damaged in a previous typhoon – the local river hot springs are now a little further on towards Wulai Falls (more on these new hot springs later).
As an aside, as you cross over Wulai Bridge, the first home / restaurant on the left at the other side has a beautiful balcony and has two cute corgis who stare longingly at the river. Taiwan has so many cute dogs (although we didn’t see any dogs in prams on this trip).
As you cross over the bridge, the Wulai Atayal museum has three floors of exhibits on the local indigenous Atayal people and traditional Taiwanese crafts, plus a small gift shop. Tours take place Monday to Friday at 10am and 2pm.
Try this – Discover Taiwan Atayal Culture in Wulai Aboriginal Experience >
4. Wulai Old Street
Wulai’s most famous attraction (along with Wulai Falls), Wulai Old Street is a small row of shops and traditional Taiwanese restaurants selling everything from local Atayal crafts to standard tourist souvenirs like postcards and magnets.
For something a little more local, try the Millet wine that is produced in the local area.
There are around 30 different stalls and shops, with several sit down restaurants plus takeaway food stalls – we spotted everything from roast sweet corn to fruit stalls, monkey nuts to mochi.
Hot skewers seemed to be the most popular takeaway dish plus some local residents also sold vegetables from their gardens or farms.
Whilst it isn’t on the scale of Dihua Street in Taipei or Jiufen Old Street, it is full of charm and character and the locals often try to entice you over to their stalls – some of the food smells and wafts are wonderful. Just keep an eye out for the occasional moped and food delivery truck.
You might like – Our guide to Simple Kaffa Sola, Taiwan’s highest coffee shop atop Taipei 101 >
5. Wulai street art and Lansheng Bridge
Walking from Wulai Old Street towards the waterfall and the scenic train, there is a nice photo spot at Lansheng Bridge, looking out across the valley with a river running below you – a couple of locals also sell their wares and crops on this bridge.
This area also has lots of nice street art if you take the left from the bridge instead of taking the Scenic Train (it is around a 1.5km uphill walk from Wulai Old Street to Wulai Falls).
On the road leading up to the Wulai Falls, there are some colorful murals depicting local attractions and the local aboriginal tribes / Atayal people.
You might like – Our guide to Pier 2 Art Centre in Kaohsiung >
6. Wulai Scenic Train
All aboard the Wulai Scenic Train, a former logging train-line that takes passengers up the hill through forests to the Wulai waterfall (it saves you a 1.5km hike).
Alas on the day we visited Wulai (in spring 2024), the Scenic Train was out of service for a few weeks due to scheduled maintenance – so if you want to ensure you don’t have to hike, check the official Wulai Scenic Train is running before you go here >
The colorful train is very cute and has modern carriages which now make the journey along the old forest logging trails (it has been in operation since the 1950s – ‘wood’ you believe it)?
It is a fun trip to the waterfall and very inexpensive too – the train tickets cost just 50 TWD one way (the equivalent of £1.10 or $1.50 USD).
The train runs from 9am to 6pm in July and August and 9am to 5pm the rest of the year – please note the Wulai Scenic Train usually closes for maintenance the first Tuesday of every month.
Book your Wulai Scenic Train ticket in advance here with Klook >
7. Private Hot Springs
Wulai is synonymous with hot springs so lots of local establishments have spa and hot spring set-ups, meaning you can make a day of exploring before unwinding in a hot tub.
Try one of these wonderful Wulai hot spring experiences:
- Wulai Pause Landis Resort hot spring experience ticket >
- Sunglyu Hot Spring Resort in Wulai >
- Wulai Hot Spring Town House >
- Wulai Shui An Hot Spring House >
Check out more Wulai hotel hot springs with Klook here >
You might like – Our guide to the ‘free’ Taiwan Receipt Lottery that travelers can enter >
8. Wulai Falls
80 meters high and known as the ‘waterfall in the clouds’, Wulai Falls has to be seen to be believed – our photos really don’t do it justice and it is one of the top things to do in Wulai.
There are lots of viewing spots to admire the falls plus numerous benches including a cute fish shaped seat, popular with romantic couples. The turquoise water trickles down the mountain and on cloudy days, the upper area is enveloped in mist.
Around the viewing area, there are lots of rainbow traditional dream catchers hanging from the trees.
If you fancy a brew with a view, another nice Wulai waterfalls seating area can be found at Wulai 3 waterfall cafe, with a terrace looking out over the falls – minimum spend fees are in place.
The area is also home to Valiant / Warrior Square, which offers panoramic views of the waterfall – nearby, you can visit Wulai Forestry Life Museum.
Check out our themed 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan guide >
Plus all our individual themed store guides:
• Coca-Cola
• Hello Kitty
• Mofusand
• Snoopy / Peanuts
• Pokémon
• Ultraman
• STARLUX
• Sumikko Gurashi
You might also like our guide to why 7-Elevens in Taiwan are the best in the world!
9. Gondola / Yun Hsien Resort cable car & gardens
For the best aerial views of Wulai’s mountains and Wulai Falls, take the Yun Hsien resort cable car up the mountain and enjoy the Yun Hsien Garden and Lake at the top.
There used to be a theme-park at the top but a lot of the facilities have been damaged over the years by typhoons and storms and it now best known as a hotel resort with nice lawns plus a few activities like paint-balling.
Built in the 1960s, the Wulai Gondola can be accessed near the lower falls viewing area and is a short walk from the Scenic Train upper station. Go for the awesome views and grab a coffee at the top.
Book your Wulai Yun Hsien resort cable car ticket in advance with Klook >
Our final thing to do in Wulai, Taiwan
10. Wulai Natural Hot Springs
We’ve already talked about the Wulai Visitor Centre mini hot springs and all the spas you can visit in hotels in resorts.
There is also thermal hot spring area (“ 熱力溫泉區” on Google Maps) in the river that is accessible from the Wenquan road between Wulai Old Town and Wulai Falls.
We discovered it on our walk as there were lots of cars and mopeds parked up so we were curious – we strolled down the embankment and saw lots of locals in thermal pools that had been dug out of the river.
However, we aren’t sure if this is an official or ‘locals’ only thermal hot spring as it says closed on Google Maps (it isn’t) so maybe the locals just want it for themselves.
If you continue down the waterside path towards the main hot springs on the river, there is a make-shift camp where bathers leave their clothes and cook food over fires, whilst they bathe. Nice!
You might like – Top 10 Hello Kitty activities and things to do in Taiwan >
Found this article helpful?
Did you enjoy our blog post? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.
You can follow Taiwanderers on:
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
YouTube
Pinterest
