Yuli: Our New Base in the East Rift Valley

One of the highlights of our 2012 Taiwan trip was bicycling in the East Rift Valley. This time we tried out a new base, Yuli, north of Guanshan. We both found Yuli very likable. It is a very laid back small town with plenty of services for travelers. Exactly the kind of small town we like, full of local life, not tourists.

The first day we rode on the Yufu Bike Way, a rail trail. With no hills or powered vehicles there to worry about, we could look around and see much evidence of spring planting in this center of Taiwan's rice country. The bridge right outside town has markings of the tectonic plates that gave rise to the East Rift Valley.

On the way back, John had to squeeze the breaks really hard in order to avoid being crushed by a right-turning bus while in a roundabout. The front brake handle broke. We picked our guesthouse partly because of the free bikes. While the guesthouse was perfectly nice, the bikes were not; only maintained when something breaks. We are just grateful a) John was not hurt b) it happened only two blocks from home after a wonderful tour around town.

John adds: The local night market was very authentic; that is, friendly, foody, and not for solely for tourists. And we found a veg resto run by a Vietnamese lady and ate there all 5 nights, tweaking the noodle soup each evening so that the 5th bowl was perfect.;-)

The sun finally came out over Taroko Gorge the morning we walked to the train station to head to Yuli.


As soon as we were settled in our accommodation in Yuli, Little Town Guesthouse, we headed out to a nearby vegetarian restaurant for some famous Yuli noodles.


Then happened to walk by a place that was making said noodles by the pile.


Yuli has a branch of he Tzu Chi Foundation.


Our base for 5 nights was the Little Time Guesthouse - the white building on the corner - on a quiet street where dogs can safely lie in the sun.


The Yufu Bike Way (Yuli to Fuli - get it?) starts near the train station and follows the now-not-in-use-tracks to the former Dongli Station now relocated to the new tracks.




So soon after we settled in at our guesthouse we borrowed their bikes and headed to Dongli Station on a beautiful afternoon.


Crossing the old railroad bridge where there is a big plaque marking the point where the Philippine Sea and Eurasian tectonic plates meets.








One of the old station platforms.


It's rice planting season.




The very cool Dongli Cycling Station as it's now called.




Click on this pano to get the full size.


And video.


Link here.

The first bowl of wide noodles.


Some of the many red lanterns put up for Chinese New Year.


The night market.




The former Japanese shrine above Yuli.


The GPS track of the route.