Wulai
Bathe in nature. Then bathe in a bath
Posted by: Josh, 16 January 2026
A short journey from the capital city, only an hour from Taipei Main Station via metro and bus, is Wulai, a gem of a town in the hills to the north.
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Wulai hot springs
Most people come to Wulai for the hot springs. There are a lot of places along the main road running through the town that will offer you the chance to rent a room with a thermal bath for an hour or more.
We instead opted to book an hour at the Volando Urai Spring Spa & Resort, which I promise we're not being paid to advertise, a short distance up from the bus stop back up the road that takes you towards Taipei. A deluxe scenic view room – which comes with an additional cold bath and a bed, compared to the standard view room, costs 1,980NT$ (£47) on weekdays during peak season in October to March or 2,200NT$ (a little over £52) on weekends. It’s around 400NT$ (£9.50 – come on, Lazybones, I can’t do all of these for you) less per room in the off-season, from April to September.
If you’re looking to splash out a little bit on a room, we thought it was well worth it. Liz got to luxuriate in a warm bath overlooking the river, as the egrets settled in for the night in the trees across from us, while I… well, I might be a bit of an oddball, but I enjoyed the same view from the cold bath next to her.
There are plenty of other options available depending on if you have a bit more or less to spend. It’s worth checking Klook to see if you can get a discount at the resort that appeals most to you by booking in advance.
Other things to do
Visit Wulai Falls, either by walking up from the town or taking the Wulai Scenic Train. We visited after heavy rainfall brought about by the edge of Tropical Storm Fengshen, meaning the train service wasn’t running. It took around 45 minutes to walk from the bus stop to the waterfalls, with stops to take some pictures on the way.
The walk takes you along the same road though, so you’re not missing out if you want to stretch your legs for a bit. In good weather, there’s an option to pay 220NT$ (£2.23) for a trip on the cable car that goes across the river near the falls.
We were glad to have been able to experience the falls after the rains. It meant a tremendous volume of water cascading down the rockface, kicking up a huge amount of spray reaching across to the far bank where we were, and making a spectacular backdrop to watch the small birds catching insects around the falls.
Wulai also has the dubious honour of being the first place we encountered Taiwan’s Giant Wood Spider, or (you will see a giant spider if you click the next link) Giant Orb Weaver, an unacceptably large arachnid which tends to hang out a few feet above head height in many wooded parts of the country.
Better for bug fans were the vast number of caterpillars, true bugs, millipedes… what’s that, Liz? I’m putting off the readers by going on about insects? Fine, moving on.
Wulai Atayal Museum is a free museum dedicated to preserving the culture of the indigenous Atayal people. Filming is prohibited inside, so you’ll just have to take my word for it that this museum is well worth an hour of your time. You can learn about the importance of weaving and what knowledge is still held about different patterns' meanings, as well as seeing some of the tools, clothes, jewellery and other items traditionally used by this community.
Getting there
Read more about public transport in Taiwan on our What to Know Before you Go post
From Taipei, take the 849 bus from outside Xindian Station, which is on the Green MRT line. Some other bloggers warn that this bus can get busy, but on a damp weekday morning we found it easy to get a seat.
Where to eat and drink
Read our tips on food and drink in Taiwan on our What to Know Before you Go post
Wulai has a good number of restaurants to choose from, with some places serving traditional foods eaten by the local indigenous population - expect these establishments to be less able to accommodate vegetarians and vegans. There are options in the town close to the bus stop, and others nearer to the falls.
We chose Emerald Valley Restaurant (search 翡翠谷餐廳(寵物友善)우라이비취골식당 in Google), only partly influenced by the cute cat resting on the till at the entrance. We spent 900NT$ (close to £21.50) for a good-sized serving of food, including a bamboo rice dish that Liz loved and a nice river view.
If you've got a stronger recommendation for other readers, we'd be grateful for any tips in the comments.
Final thoughts on Wulai
Liz's final thoughts
Although it was small and very rainy when we visited, Wulai was still one of my favourite places in Taiwan. It looked crazy atmospheric in the rain and fog, and the amount of water coming down Wulai waterfall after the storm... I’ve never seen anything like it.
Add in a nice hot onsen bath with a view of the river at sunset and I was more or less smitten. On a rainy day it was quiet there and the journey from Taipei was very straightforward, but from what we read online, it may be much busier during the summer months.
Josh's final thoughts
Wulai is one of the rare places that's better in the rain, or immediately after it. Wulai Falls isn't the most beautiful waterfall in Taiwan - head to Qinglong Falls in Sun Link Sea, if that's what you're looking for - but the volume of water cascading down the cliff face was unlike any other waterfall we saw.
Hot baths are more a Liz thing than a me thing, so I came to Wulai with low expectations. After a nice walk, a lovely museum visit, and a decent meal, I went back to Taiwan very happily surprised by my day.
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