The removal of the trans-river hot spring pipes in Wulai reveals Taiwan’s beautiful scenery once again
Last updated 2026-09-25 — The first Taiwanese aerial documentary film, "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above," released last week, allowed viewers to appreciate Taiwan’s beauty from the height of the clouds and the perspective of birds, as well as to witness the sorrow of this beautiful island. Among the issues highlighted was the overdevelopment of the Wulai hot spring area...
By MOOK Travel & Living Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported
The first Taiwanese aerial documentary film, "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above," released last week, allowed viewers to appreciate Taiwan’s beauty from the height of the clouds and the perspective of birds, as well as to witness the sorrow of this beautiful island. Among the issues highlighted was the overdevelopment of the Wulai hot spring area, which also reminded many of the sight of pipelines crisscrossing the Nanshi River. However, this scene of densely packed pipelines became history last Friday (November 1). The New Taipei City Government removed privately installed trans-river hot spring pipelines around the old street of Wulai on that day. The issue of landscape disruption caused by these pipelines over the past several decades has also been resolved, allowing Wulai’s beautiful scenery to reappear before everyone’s eyes.
The decades-old trans-river hot spring pipes in the Wulai hot spring area were completely removed last Friday, restoring the area’s natural beauty. (Photo provided by New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau)
Wulai is famous for its hot springs. Around the 1950s and 1960s, shops in the old town area installed steel cables fixed to both sides of the Nanshi River to suspend cables and metal water pipes that transported hot spring water from hot spring sources on the opposite bank to their storefronts for business use. However, this method caused serious negative impacts on the local natural landscape—especially since the area serves as the entrance and face of Wulai, directly affecting visitors’ first impressions.
To resolve the landscape conflicts caused by the trans-river pipelines, removing them has been a shared expectation of all parties. However, considering that hot springs are the lifeline of local businesses, the city government conducted stability tests on the public hot spring pipelines before proceeding. Starting early October, the Water Resources Bureau began dismantling work under violations of the Water Resources Act, and by November 1, all 69 trans-river pipelines had been removed.
A fresh and clean view of the Wulai hot spring area. (Photo provided by New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau)
Additionally, to enhance the tourism and recreational services in the Wulai Scenic Area, continuous investments have been made in recent years in both hardware and software developments. These include the renovation of the multi-level parking lot, the Old Street Visitor Center, the outsourcing operation of the Waterfall Visitor Center, promotion of the Fushan Bicycle Tour, the Dulan Tribe Leisure Tour, and collaboration with local businesses and associations to host hot spring food events. It is hoped that through environmental improvements, infrastructure development, and promotional efforts in the Wulai area, more visitors will be attracted to enjoy the beauty of Fushan's mountain forests and riversides, boosting tourism in Wulai.
● Further Reading:
2013 Hot Spring Season – Warm Spring Spots Across Taiwan
http://goo.gl/bxXMhf
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