Xiao Wulai Waterfall (小烏來瀑布) [Taiwan Day 1057: Falls Assumption]

“Nature tripping tomorrow (July 23) at Xiao Wulai Scenic Area. Who wants to join?” I posted this invitation with a photo of the falls on my personal Facebook page. Many liked that post but was it that really beautiful? I was not really sure and I all I knew was that the waterfalls was like a paradise that was kept hidden for very long time. Exploring a waterfall scenic area would be a great adventure so I made an intelligent guess that Xiao Wulai was a perfect destination for my “Summer Special”.

Two Travel Buddies joined me in this trip in Taoyuan and they were Leo and George. The former was a Filipino and he had already joined one of my unforgettable trips. It was a snow adventure in Taiwan Day 876 (Center of Attraction Part 2) and I would never forget his participation. The latter was a rookie Travel Buddy. He came from Tanzania and was a PhD student like me. 

Zhongli Bus Station

How to go to Xiao Wulai Scenic Area? If you are fan of the Taiwan Tour Bus then that would make your life easier. Just board Bus 502 at Taoyuan Bus Station and after 1.5 hours you would arrive at the area. The Taoyuan Bus Station can be easily reach after getting out of the Rear Exit of the Taoyuan train station. Another way to reach Xiao Wulai was to go to Zhongli Station and board Bus 501 at Zhongli Bus Station. The One-Day Pass for the Xiao Wulai would cost you NTD 200. It doesn't matter whether you start at Zhongli Bus Station nor Taoyuan Bus Station. The only problem with the Zhongli route was that you have to alight at Cihu and then transfer for Bus 502 so better board the bus at Taoyuan Bus Station because you would have a high chance of getting a seat.

It was my first time to visit Fuxing District and all our efforts of going to Xiao Wulai were rewarded with a beautiful view of the waterfalls. The bus ran along the side of the cliff and all the passengers were in awe at the view from the window. It was really majestic! A Filipino once told me that the waterfalls in Taiwan were not as tall as those in the Philippines so I was not really expecting that Xiao Wulai would have the height. It was not also its height that made it captivating. Its surrounding areas made it to be declared as a scenic area of Taiwan.

People might be confused with the Wulai waterfall of New Taipei City with the Xiao Wulai of Taoyuan County. These two are different! Wulai waterfall has a height of 80 meters while Xiao Wulai was 50 meters tall hence the name “xiao” for Xiao Wulai meaning small Wulai. Check my Taiwan Day 519 (Wow Wulai!) post if you have already forgotten what the Wulai waterfall looks like. 

the ticket booth for the Xiao Wulai Skywalk

the entrance to the skywalk

The Xiao Wulai Skywalk

The Xiao Wulai Skywalk was the main reason people go here aside from the hiking trails and natural swimming pool that kids can enjoy. Imagine walking on a transparent glass walkway that spans to the mouth of the waterfall. What if the glass got broken? Then people would die and fall into the waterfall. But don't worry! The glass has enough thickness to handle the weight of 50 people and it overhangs the waterfall of up to 11 meters. The skywalk was opened in 2011 and it was a big hit among the visitors in the scenic area. For only NTD 50, you could experience the thrilling walk of your life. Just remember that the ticket booth opens at 8 am to 5 pm with a one hour break from 12 noon to 1pm. 

We first went to the skywalk and then we presented our tickets again to walk on this hanging bridge.

going down to the Falls Base

We encountered a group of people in a river trekking activity.

Hiking the trails in the scenic area would give you the opportunity to discover its other waterfalls. The Dragon Phoenix Waterfall and the Shen-Mi waterfall were lovely to look at. There was also a hanging bridge in which visitors where asked to show their entrance tickets from the Xiao Wulai Skywalk. George, Leo and I didn't let the opportunity passed. The bridge was sturdy and I took a video to document our experience. We also followed the Woods Trail where it led us to the Falls Base in which the water coming from the Xiao Wulai waterfall strikes down to Earth. The sound from the gushing water was like music to our ears. It was not raining but its splash pushed its water droplets into the air creating an illusion of rain. It was a magical place and how I wished I could stay there forever. 

at the observation deck

me (left/center), George (middle) and Leo (right)

We followed the trail upwards where some sort of a Visitor Center was located. We refilled our tumblers there and continued the walk until we have discovered that we were already on the cliff road. The viewing deck was just a few meters and the amazing view of the Xiao Wulai waterfall was a feast to our eyes. It was really tall and the observation area was perfect for taking a selfie. Yi.. Er..San.. I got a memorable photo that proved that my inference about Xiao Wulai was correct. A big thanks to the Lord for this wonderful day! I was right in following my falls assumption.