Taipei to Wulai and Xiao Wulai Waterfall: Private day trip

Wulai Falls are beside an Atayal village known for hot springs and a historic logging trolley. What to do:

• Ride the Wulai Scenic Train, a narrow-gauge trolley built by the Japanese in the 1920s to haul timber and now carrying visitors to the falls
• Soak in Wulai's hot springs, whose clear, odorless sodium bicarbonate water has been prized since Atayal hunters first found it
• Walk Wulai Old Street for indigenous snacks, then cross the river footbridge for the classic falls view

What to see:

• Wulai Falls plunging down a cliff face into the Nanshi River, at its fullest after rain
• The Atayal village that gives the area its name, from the Atayal word for hot and poisonous, a reference to the steaming spring water
• The Wulai Atayal Museum, covering weaving, facial tattoo traditions and the group's history in these mountains
• The Yun Hsien gondola climbing above the falls to a hilltop resort with valley panoramas
• Maple, camphor and broadleaf trees turning color across the gorge from late November

Take note:

• The falls and Old Street are free to visit, while the trolley and gondola charge separate fares
• Public hot spring facilities range from free riverside pools to private bathhouses charging entry
• Weekends draw significant crowds from Taipei, so a weekday visit is considerably calmer

Xiao Wulai drops 165 feet (50 m) through the forest, with a glass skywalk directly over the edge.

What to do:

• Step onto the Xiao Wulai Skywalk, a glass-floored platform jutting out over the gorge and above the stream
• Walk the forest trails linking the skywalk, viewing platforms and the base of the falls
• Visit the nearby Wind Moving Stone, a large boulder that visibly rocks in strong wind and has become a local curiosity
• Admire the maple and broadleaf forest coloring the slopes through late autumn

Take note:

• The skywalk charges a small entry fee and limits how many are on the platform at once
• Trails include steps and can be slippery after rain, so sturdy shoes are recommended