Yuli

Yuli (玉里, Yùlǐ) is a township in the central East Rift Valley of Hualien County, set in the long corridor of farmland that runs north–south between Hualien and Taitung. Flanked by mountains on both sides — the Central Mountain Range to the west and the Coastal Mountain Range to the east — Yuli is mostly an agricultural area, a quiet country town surrounded by rice paddies, orchards and tea hills. It is also a gateway to the wild backcountry of Yushan National Park, one of Taiwan's nine national parks.

For travellers, Yuli is a base for nature rather than a destination of urban sights. Its headline draw is the historic Walami Trail, a Japanese-era mountain path leading into the forested ranges, and the area around the town holds waterfalls, hot springs, temples and the curious geological marker where the Eurasian and Philippine tectonic plates meet. Yuli rewards those who slow down, rent a bicycle and explore the lanes and farmland that spread out from the railway station.

The climate is humid subtropical and mild, with warm, wet summers and cool, comfortable winters. The best times to visit are spring (March–May) and autumn (October–November) for pleasant walking weather. Summer (June–September) is hot, humid and the typhoon season, when heavy rain can affect trails. Yuli sits in a seismically active zone, so check current trail and road conditions before heading into the mountains.

By Plane

The nearest airport is Hualien Airport (HUN), well to the north near Hualien City; Taitung Airport (TTT) lies to the south. Both involve an onward train or road journey down the rift valley, so most visitors arrive by rail.

By Train

Yuli Station (玉里車站) is one of the main stops on the Hualien–Taitung railway line and the township's principal gateway. Fast trains from Taipei Main Station reach Yuli in about 3 hours; the line also connects easily up the valley to Hualien City and south to Taitung. Sanmin Station (三民車站) is a smaller stop also serving the township. Book seats ahead in peak season.

By Car / Road

Provincial Highway 9 runs through the rift valley and is the main road approach to Yuli, linking it with Ruisui and Hualien City to the north and Taitung to the south. A car or scooter is useful for reaching the outlying sights and trailheads. Rift-valley buses also run along Highway 9.

The best way to explore Yuli is by rented bicycle or scooter, available around the railway station — many of the area's sights lie out of town in the surrounding farmland, so wheels make a real difference. The town centre itself is small and walkable. Consult the tourist map in front of the railway station to plan routes to the waterfalls, hot spring and short hikes. Taxis can be found at the station for trips into the hills. There is no town bus network and no particular scams to watch — just budget for the distances.

• Eurasian and Philippine Tectonic Plate Border — An information area on the bicycle bridge across the large river, marking the boundary between two tectonic plates — a genuine geological curiosity. Free.

Museums

• Taiwan Black Bear Education Center (臺灣黑熊教育館, No. 50 Minquan St) — A volunteer-run centre focused on the wildlife of eastern Taiwan, especially the Formosan black bear; open Thursday–Monday 10:00–17:00. Limited English material.
• PuShi Arts Hall (璞石藝術館, No. 50 Minquan St) — A hall showcasing a distinctive local art form that originally used offcuts from the area's rock quarries; open Tuesday–Sunday 09:30–12:00 and 13:30–16:30.

Temples — Yuli has a notable spread of temples, including Sheng'an Temple (玉里勝安宮, No. 35 Sec. 1 Zhongshan Rd, open roughly 09:00–21:00) dedicated to the Queen Mother of the West; Cihui Temple (慈惠堂), an ornate complex built in 1958; Huashan Temple (華山寺), a large Buddhist complex; Lundun Gufeng Temple (崙敦古鳳宮), a multi-storey Taoist temple in the town centre; Yuquan Temple (玉泉寺, open 08:00–17:00) with pleasant gardens; and the small Chike Fude Temple (赤科山福德祠).

Parks and nature

• Chike Mountain (赤柯山) — A mountain famed for its floral blooms; the access road up is narrow and can be unnerving for some.

• Tiefen Falls (鐵汾瀑布) — A lakeside recreation area known for its waterfall.

• Hike the Walami Trail — Yuli's main attraction: a historic mountain path, once used by the Japanese to monitor indigenous villages, leading into the ranges of Yushan National Park. The first section makes a good day hike; reaching the highest accessible point (with an overnight cabin) requires applying ahead for a permit and registering with the police station.

• Rent a bicycle or scooter and explore — Ride out to the area's waterfalls, hot spring and short hikes — there are at least two waterfalls and several trails nearby; the hot spring lies about 6 km southeast of town from the large bridge.

• Soak at Antong Hot Springs — Unwind in the rift-valley thermal waters near Yuli.

• Visit Chike Mountain in bloom — Time a trip for the mountain's flowering season for hillside colour and valley views.

• Browse the night market — Join locals at the Friday-evening Yuli Night Market.

Yuli's food is country cooking shaped by the surrounding farmland, with one well-known local speciality.

• Yuli noodles (Yuli mian) — The local noodle dish and the township's signature food, though travellers may find them not dramatically different from noodles elsewhere in Taiwan.
• Budget — The Yuli Night Market (玉里夜市) on Zhongzhi Road, open Friday evenings roughly 18:00–22:00, offers a wide range of snack stalls — the easy cheap meal in town.
• Budget–mid — Town-centre noodle shops and small eateries serve Yuli noodles, rice dishes and rift-valley home cooking.

Fresh grapefruit and pomelos make a great snack straight from the station-side shops. Vegetarian eating is manageable in this farming area — look for the "素" sign. Halal and certified gluten-free options are very limited; plan ahead.

The local drink to seek out is Chikeshan honey-scented black tea (赤科山蜜香紅茶), a variety grown on Chike Mountain. Bubble tea, juice and cold-drink stalls operate in the town and night market, and convenience stores stock beer and soft drinks. Tap water in Taiwan is treated and considered safe once boiled; most visitors drink bottled or filtered water.

• Budget — Wisdom Garden Homestay (智嵐雅居民宿, No. 98-1 Suangan), a friendly B&B north of Yuli run by a Buddhist couple who will collect guests from Yuli train station; the list price is around NT$2,500 for a double en suite, sometimes as low as NT$2,200 on a weekday in low season. Simpler guesthouses in town offer cheaper rooms.
• Mid-range — Guesthouses and B&Bs in and around Yuli run roughly NT$2,000–3,500 per night.
• Upscale — For higher-comfort lodging, look to hot-spring hotels near Antong or resorts elsewhere in the rift valley.

Yuli's signature buy is its citrus fruit — shops right outside the railway station sell delicious, mostly sweet grapefruit and pomelos, a refreshing treat in warm weather. Local farm produce, tea (including the area's honey-scented black tea) and Yuli-style snacks round out the shopping. The Yuli Night Market and town-centre shops are the main places to look. Prices are generally fixed; bargaining is not customary in Taiwan.

• Ruisui — A short train ride north; hot springs, dairy ranches and Xiuguluan River rafting.
• Liushidan Mountain — About 30–40 km south; famous for its August–September daylily bloom.
• Antong Hot Springs — Near Yuli; rift-valley hot springs for a relaxing soak.
• Hualien City — About 90 km / 2 hours north; the regional hub and base for Taroko Gorge.
• Taitung — South down the rift valley; a laid-back east-coast city with strong indigenous culture.
• Yushan National Park — West of Yuli via the Walami Trail; rugged mountain wilderness.