By MOOK Travel Life Network, Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported
The first aerial documentary film in Taiwan, "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above," released last week, allowed viewers to appreciate the island’s beauty from the height of the clouds and the perspective of birds, as well as to witness the sorrow of the precious island. Among other things, the overdevelopment of the Wulai hot spring area also reminded many of the image of pipelines crisscrossing the Nanshi River. However, this scene of densely packed pipelines became history last Friday (November 1). The New Taipei City Government demolished privately installed cross-river hot spring pipelines around the old street of Wulai on that day. The issue of landscape impact caused by these pipelines for decades has also been resolved, allowing Wulai’s beautiful scenery to reappear before everyone’s eyes.
The decades-old cross-river hot spring pipes in the Wulai hot spring area were completely removed last Friday, restoring the area’s beautiful appearance. (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 used steel cables fixed on both sides of the Nanshi River to hang cables and metal water pipes for transporting hot spring water extracted from hot spring sources on the opposite bank to their stores for business use. However, this practice had a serious negative impact on the local natural landscape, especially since the area serves as the entrance and face of Wulai, directly affecting tourists’ first impression of the place.
To address the landscape conflict caused by the cross-river pipelines, removing them was a shared expectation across various sectors. However, considering that hot springs are vital to local businesses, the city government conducted stability tests on the public hot spring pipeline system before proceeding. Starting early October, the Water Resources Bureau began dismantling work in accordance with violations of the Water Resources Act, and on November 1, all 69 cross-river pipelines were removed.
A refreshing view of the Wulai hot spring area. (Photo provided by New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau)
In addition, to enhance the tourism and recreational service functions of Wulai Scenic Area, continuous investments have been made in hardware and software development in recent years. These include the renovation of multi-level parking lots, the old street visitor center, the outsourced operation of the waterfall visitor center, promotion of the Fushan cycling tour route, the Dralan tribal leisure tour, and collaborative events such as hot spring and gourmet festivals with local businesses and associations. It is hoped that through environmental improvements, infrastructure development, and promotional efforts in the Wulai area, more visitors will be attracted to admire the beauty of Fushan’s mountains, forests, and rivers, thereby boosting Wulai’s tourism industry.
● Read More:
2013 Hot Spring Season – Warm Spring Spots Across Taiwan
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