Taomi Paper Church

Liyu Lake/Carp Lake

Liyu Lake-Hutou Mountain
Hiking Trial

Caonan Wetland

Hutou Mountain peak

Carrot/White Radish Farm in
Dapingding

Nuomi Tunnel (or Glutinous Rice
Tunnel)

Ma Lin Ku (Cave)

Red soil on Ma Lin Ku (Cave)

The landscape behind Nuomi
Tunnel

Exploring scenic, sunny Puli

By Niang Chen　Translated by Ann Lee

As most Taiwan residents are aware, Puli is a popular town of pretty scenery and varied attractions located in northern Nantou County. It is also the official geographical center of Taiwan, situated in a flat basin surrounded by mountains. The town not only offers scenic attractions, but also enjoys fair weather and is famed for its great water quality. This strong environmental bent means that Puli is home to various famed products like Shaoxing liquor, water bamboo and sugarcane. Its mild temperatures and climate throughout the year also boost local agriculture and make it ideal for long-term residence.

All this explains why the town has won many votes as the most ideal place to live on the island. Even the gods seem to be fond of this town's serenity--statistics show that there are close to 400 temples of all sizes in Puli, the highest number for any Taiwanese town. Some of the more famous ones include Ling Yen Shan Temple, Shi Fang Fah Hua Monastery Temple, Yuantong Temple and Chungtai Temple, all part of Puli's rich religious culture. Traveling there is simple: Taking the just-opened National Freeway No. 6 means that it's now only 40 to 50 minutes from Taichung to Puli. This shortened journey means that you have even more time to explore the natural resources, scenic treasures and mountainous surroundings.

Taomi Village, located near National Chi Nan University, has gained fame for its abundant natural attractions since 1999's 921 earthquake. A stroll inside the Paper Dome New Homeland Resource Park will lead you into winding hills, valleys and creeks, all wonderful for exploring. At the village entrance is a church built entirely from paper. The long seats inside are constructed from the same material. There is a NT$50 church-tour fee, which can also be spent for purchases inside the village. Walking through Taomi Village, you'll see various distinguished-looking homes, mostly green-colored with red-brick tiles.

Visitors can also enjoy the unique fauna of wetlands scattered around the village, including the Chonglukeng, Caonan and Maopukeng wetlands. Standing on a bamboo bridge above the wetlands gives a good view of insects and plants in the area. While enjoying these serene surroundings, you can hear frogs leaping in and out the water and see fish swimming in the creek.

Heading toward the Liyu Lake (Carp Lake) region, you'll come across the Hutou Mountain hiking trail and a site for para-gliding, an aerial activity offering panoramic views of the lake area. Head across a stone bridge to the other end of the lake, where you'll find the quiet hiking trial (1.3 kilometers long), which goes straight to Houtou Mountain. If you take your time during this walk, it will take about an hour to travel in each direction. The hiking trails are well looked after and, upon arriving at the peak, you'll get the chance to appreciate the entire Puli basin. When the weekend rolls around, you'll often see para-gliding enthusiasts starting their flights from this summit. As you watch them sail into the wind, you'll feel your spirit soar into the sky with them.

Close to the Liyu Lake area visitors will find a beautifully constructed castle called Chateau De Olliere, which took five years and NT$250 million to build, and is worth touring. The admission fee is NT$100, which may also be used to purchase meals inside with.
Several other popular Puli attractions include Dapingding and Ma Lin Ku (Cave), which can both be reached if you take Taiwan National Highway 21 (XiAn Rd) towards Guoxing Township. Once you drive pass Chuntai Temple, you'll arrive at Dapingding. Here you'll find smooth, spacious hills, often covered with various kinds of flowers. Turn left at Bo An Temple and you'll encounter the dark, mysterious Nuomi ("Glutinous Rice") Tunnel, which has been around for hundreds of years. Passing through the tunnel will bring you to a vast farm area, planted with passion fruit, carrots and white radishes. The contrast between the dark tunnel and this bright, invigorating greenery is quite interesting.

Making a left after the tunnel and walking along County Highway 81 will lead you to Ma Lin Ku (Cave), an area known for all sorts of mystical legends. On your way to Ma Lin Ku, you'll see a huge area covered with red soil, where locals grow ginger and white radishes. There is also a lake in the Ma Lin Ku area. Interestingly, although no sources feed into this body of water, its water is crystal clear and abundant year round. The lake is surrounded by small hills and you can stroll around the entire area in about 20 minutes--a truly relaxing experience as you watch wild ducks flying low above the waters and enjoy the random mountain breeze on your face. A trip to this area will certainly help you relieve stress and offer some peaceful moments.

A roundup of Puli's famed local delicacies
Shaoxing Liquor－Puli Brewery creates its own 10-year-old Vintage Shaoxing Liquor (NT$300). This bottle has a unique aroma which, at first, may smell a bit like old marinated radishes, which are very popular among older Taiwanese.

Shaoxing Liquor and Sweet Rice Cake Popsicles (NT$15/each)－Featuring a mesmerizing taste combination of liquor and rice, the fragrance of these alone will make you intoxicated with each bite!

Puli's Alianthus Prickly Ash Cookies (NT$200/box)－Puli's famed cookies are made from various wild vegetables and green onions, with a tangy flavor much shaper than most cookies you find elsewhere. Another unique Puli treat is a box of Sweet Alianthus Prickly Ash Cakes (NT$150/box), or try the Liquor Cookies (NT$200/box), made from pure Shaoxing liquor.

Water Bamboo－Puli is famed for its great water quality and doesn't get many windy days during the year. As you explore the town's beautiful water bamboo farms, you can imagine just how sweet and tender the bamboo will be when harvested!

Water Bamboo

Puli Rice Flour Noodles (mi fen)－Although most people recognize these translucent noodles as a famous Hsinchu delicacy, Puli also has a great reputation for producing tasty rice flour noodles. When comparing the two, Puli rice noodles are thicker and don't get sticky, whether you decide to fry or boil them, and have a chewy texture that noodle fans love.

Zhuo's Taiwanese Meatballs

Da Bao Xiao Bao Bun shop

Hu's Noodle Shop

A Puli Gourmet Food Adventure
Zhuo's Taiwanese Meatballs are made fresh and sold for NT$30 apiece on the spot daily. The owner starts selling them at 2 p.m. and closes the shop when there are no more. During serving, a sweet meatball sauce is mixed with the entire meatball, so that it's best to first taste the outer dough, and savor some minced-pork stuffing with the dried bonito fish soup. The pork is also mixed with crunchy bamboo shoots for a delicious texture.

Chateau De Olliere offers quality set meals which include English-style breakfast, European-style lunch sets, classy afternoon tea set choices, and a romantic royal-style candlelit dinner, with prices ranging from NT$280 to NT$1,120.

Ya-Zhou Hakka Restaurant serves a range of authentic Hakka-style dishes including Braised Winter Melon (NT$150), Sweet and Sour Shrimp (NT$280), Hakka-Style Tender Pig Knuckles (NT$280), and Stir-Fried Puli Rice Noodles (NT$80). There are also snack-sized appetizers available for smaller groups, and dining here averages about NT$300 per person.

Da Bao Xiao Bao Bun Shop offers fresh meat buns (Da Bao, NT$12), filled with sweet, refreshing minced pork stuffing. The smaller buns (Xiao Bao, NT$50) are a fancier, juicier soup bun served with scallops. Another popular dish here is the Oily Tofu served with Green Bean Noodles in Fish Broth (NT$35), exuding a rich Shanghainese flair.

Hu's Noodle Shop is especially popular with Puli locals, who recommend the shop's old-style noodles made with a tasty broth cooked with pork bones. The noodles are not served with minced pork but seasoned with pork lard, which gives the NT$30 dish its ultra-greasy texture and aromatic smell. Other well-known appetizers include Oily Tofu (NT$15), Chopped Pork Intestines (NT$50), Seasoned Vegetable Fern (NT$30), and Spiced Goose Liver (NT$30).

Chateau De Olliere

Zhuo's Taiwanese Meatballs

Ya-Zhou Hakka Restaurant

Paper Dome New Homeland
Resource Park

Shops & Services in Puli:
Hong Zhun's Para-Gliding Club
Mr. Liu Jun-siou (049) 299-6110, 0916-834-707
18, Lane 60, JiouCheng St, Puli Township
One para-gliding ride is NT$1,500, including insurance.

Chateau De Olliere
(049) 299-3636
27, LiYu 1st Lane, Puli Township
10% service charge. Credit cards accepted. Weekday room rates for standard double room start from NT$4,680.

Zhuo's Taiwanese Meatballs
219, ZhongShan Rd, Sec 2, Puli Township (close to Puli Township Office); (049) 290-4182
Hours: 2 pm-until sold out

Ya-Zhou Hakka Restaurant
412-1, ZhongShan Rd, Sec 3, Puli Township (next to Puli Brewery); (049) 291-8218
Hours: 11 am-2 pm, 5-8:30 pm

Paper Dome New Homeland Resource Park
(049) 291-4922
52-12, TaoMi Lane, Taomili, Puli Township
Hours: 9 am-8 pm (closed Tuesdays)

Shaoxingxiang Cake Shop
(049) 299-9290
25, RenAi Rd, Puli Township
Hours: 8 am-6 pm

Da Bao Xiao Bao Bun Shop
(049) 29-91414
50, BeiHuan Rd, Puli Township
Hours: 6 am-12:30 pm
(closed on every other Monday)

Hu's Noodle Shop
10, CingSin Li, Puli Township, SinSheng Rd
(049) 299-4225
Hours: 3-10:30 pm

Left: Da Bao Xiao Bao Bun Shop
Right: Hu's Noodle Shop