Wulai District

Over its large 321 square kilometer area, Wulai District, located at the southernmost point of New Taipei City, Taiwan, has a population density of about 20 people per square kilometer. Former Wulai Township, this mountainous region of northern aboriginal administrative district found only in New Taipei City and the only one in Taiwan. Being the northernmost tribe among the Austronesian language family, it also serves as a singular topographical and cultural site.

Tucked in the northwest of the Xueshan Mountains, the mountainous Wulai District covers all around. This topographical feature has immensely influenced the history, culture, and economic development of the district. The main ethnic groups residing in Wulai are Han Chinese and others, among the Atayal people, the indigenous people of the area. This mixed population helps to create the rich cultural tapestry defining Wulai’s character.

Wulai’s economy is mostly based on tourism; the region is renowned for its natural hot springs and spectacular mountain cherry blossoms. Seeking relaxation and amazing views, these natural beauties have long drawn both close-by and far-off tourists. Especially the attraction of Wulai’s hot springs has a legendary background spanning early years of Japanese rule in Taiwan.

The hot springs of Wulai were first found in 1903 when Shan Ye Yingqing, the deep pit chief, came upon them in the Nanshi River Valley. This discovery immediately led to the opening of the Wulai Foreign Affairs Officer Residence Bathhouse, so beginning Wulai’s path into a hot spring location. Wulai’s reputation as a top hot spring destination was further enhanced by the military support group known as the “Patriotic Women’s Association Taiwan Branch,” who also operated hot springs during the Japanese colonial era.

The increase in hot spring travel has fundamentally changed Wulai’s economy and scenery. The district today is full of hot spring hotels and businesses offering bathing facilities; even some mountain product stores are expanding into this profitable business. Particularly from neighboring Taipei City, the flood of tourists has spurred notable local development—often at the expense of the surrounds.

The Wulai Waterfall, sometimes known as Yunxian Waterfall, is the most well-known natural attraction of Wulai. Visitors of New Taipei City center on this highest waterfall, which also serves as the focal point. Reaching from the Wulai Skyway, a cable car system giving guests breathtaking views of the surroundings, the neighboring Yunxian Park balances the grandeur of the waterfall.

Yunxian Park itself is proof of the way Wulai blends modern conveniences with natural beauty. Constructed in the valley above the waterfall, this forest recreation area offers swimming pools, archery ranges, lodging, paths lined with trees, and paintball fields. The park’s unique location, cut off from the main community by the river, demands the use of the cable car as the only means of mobility, so improving its appeal as a private refuge.

Wulai has ecological worth apart from its obvious beauty. Many species find migration and habitat in a vital ecological corridor created by the Wulai River and its tributaries. The interaction among the gurgling streams, deep forests, and manmade wetlands within Yunxian Park has created a paradise of diversity. Realizing the importance of this natural abundance, the park obtained an environmental education venue license in 2013 in order to use immersive events and educational programs to increase awareness of environmental preservation and appreciation.

Stretching between Wulai and the waterfall, the Nanshi Valley is another natural beauty that has delighted visitors from the Japanese colonial era. Often referred to as the Youxian Gorge, its steep cliffs and deep valleys offer an amazing backdrop for the already amazing scene of the area.

Wulai boasts as great cultural legacy alongside natural beauty. The aboriginal residents, the Atayal people, have permanently changed the district’s identity. Especially evident on Wulai Old Street, the hub of district activity, is this cultural influence. The consistent style of the shop signs here reflects the unique nature of the surroundings. Along with the intricate designs of handcrafted goods to offer visitors a sensory trip across Atayal culture, the street comes alive with the smells and tastes of mountain cuisine.

During peak seasons, Wulai Old Street turns into a bustling road especially for cherry blossom viewing and hot spring bathing. The air and appeal abound in the local delicacies including hot spring corn, wild boar meat, millet sausage, hot spring eggs, bamboo tube rice, and moon peach rice. These gastronomic pleasures not only satisfy the taste receptors but also expose information about the regional cooking methods and traditional diet.

Wulai as an administrative unit has undergone several changes in past times. Under Japanese rule, Taihoku Prefecture labeled it as a “Aboriginal area.” After Taiwan was hand-over from Japan to the Republic of China in 1945, Wulai was reorganised as a rural township of Taipei County. President Chen Shui-bian visited a nearby school on June 22, 2001, supervising a graduation ceremony, so highlighting the importance of the district in the national context.

Wulai changed administratively once more on December 25, 2010 when Taipei County was renamed the special municipality of New Taipei City. Reflecting its growing significance inside New Taipei City’s larger urban framework, Wulai’s status was raised from a township to a district.

Wulai suffers greatly even with its natural beauty and ethnic variety. Natural disasters have not spared the area; Typhoon Soudelor in August 2015 caused devastation. Great damage was done by the typhoon destroying many hotels and hot springs in the area. The Nanshi River turned around, and rising waves seriously eroded the riverbed. The major landslides during this event were ascribed to the overdevelopment of mountain areas around the river, which had degraded the soil integrity and watershed along the slope land.

The episode underlined in Wulai the careful balance between development and environmental preservation. The flood of tourists and consequent development has put pressure on the district’s natural resources and way of life. Since hot spring operators vary greatly in quality, more rigorous management systems are becoming increasingly crucial to preserve the historical old springs in their integrity.