Going back in time by rail

Smaller trails will take you along the paths used by the old pulled wooden horse ( 拉木馬), which helped denude the forest. It consisted of a line of greased cedar logs and a wooden sled used to pull loads of cut timber. The hardwood remnants of it can still be seen in several locations in the hills above the town and along sections of the Neiwan Line and are worth searching for -- if not for the wooden trail itself, then for the several centuries-old hardwood trees that were left in place.

Legend has it that after cutting one of the oldest and biggest hardwood trees, several lumberjacks became ill. The timber crews then came to believe that the older trees had a spirit and refused to fell them. These ancient giants are easily spotted given the contrast in size between them and the new trees that have grown since deforestation stopped. One of the biggest of these trees can be seen in the town itself, adjacent the elementary school where a 200-year-old camphor tree rises out of the playground.

Another site of interest in Neiwan village is the town theater built by the Japanese to entertain lumber and mining crews. The inside has been turned into a restaurant and crafts store, with displays of alcohol and cigarettes manufactured by the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly over the decades.

The Hakka Culture Hall is located near the side of the river at the entrance to the Neiwan village and provides insight into the culture and customs of the area's Hakka population.

Most every street in the village contains something of interest and most are identified by life-sized cartoon characters, the creations of the county's most prominent citizen, cartoonist Liu Hsing-ching (劉興欽), whose hugely popular titles include Teacher Ding, Cleverness, Brother No. 3 and Robots. Liu's portraits can also be seen decorating the several cafes, restaurants and crafts shops in town.

If fact, if your idea of a relaxing getaway is a location with plenty of quaint cafes and arts and crafts stores, Neiwan should rank high on your list of destinations. Tourism is now the town's mainstay industry and a stroll along Neiwan's streets makes that very apparent. But do yourself a favor and take a walk out of town before loading yourself down with souvenirs. You'll be glad you did.