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Updated Thursday, November 22, 2007 0:00 am TWN, By Richard Saunders, Special to The China Post



	The terrace at Lubi Café and Homestay, perched 1,500 meters atop the pass at Yulao, gives fantastic views over the gorge below. More Photos (2)

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Take the high road to Maliguang Waterfall

Shortly after, the path is raised up on a wooden boardwalk and zigzags down to the level of the stream, joining it just as Maliguang Waterfall comes into view ahead. Forming a bold plume of 50 meters, the fall is unusual in that it plunges at right angles to the stream below and is seen from side on. Certainly after heavy rain in the high mountains above (a common enough event) the waterfall becomes a breathtaking spectacle.

On my last visit recently, parts of the wooden path to the falls and the wooden viewing platform at their foot had been damaged by typhoons, but no doubt repairs will follow soon, since the trail has been declared part of the National Trail system presently being developed in Taiwan.

There’s plenty more for intrepid explorers to discover in this area. Locals say further upstream lie another two waterfalls, one of which is apparently twice the height of this one, though the route there is quite different and has yet to be opened up to the public.

Drive back to the mapboard at the fork and follow route 60 further up the valley, finally descending to cross the river at Yufeng Bridge (玉峰橋). The gorge is at its deepest and its walls at their most craggy in this area.

After crossing the bridge, the road begins the long climb up to the pass at Yulao (宇老), a nick in the mountains just visible on the horizon far above. It’s a major ascent (Yulao lies at about 1,500 meters, and it sometimes snows here in winter), yet it’s common to see cyclists tackling the steep incline on weekends–the route is part of a popular challenge route.

The road finally levels out for a short distance at the top before diving down the other side, but before starting the long descent towards Hsinchu and civilization, take a while to absorb the wild surroundings.

The best places to enjoy the panorama is either at the viewing platform beside the tiny police station or at Yulao’s only other building, the nearby Lubi Café and Homestay, which offers coffee and simple snacks on a terrace. It’s a humble little place, but the stunning view from here is surely the most inspiring of this whole marvelous trip.

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