On the trail in Shuili

Shuili Township (水里鄉) in Nantou County has plenty of history and scenic beauty for visitors to enjoy. A good starting point for both is the village of Checheng.

Checheng

Checheng Village (車埕), situated in northeastern Shuili, Nantou County, is a quiet town flanked by picturesque mountains, including the majestic Mount Wandan (萬丹山). The enclave served as an important rail depot in the Japanese colonial era, with services to Puli (埔里) -- home to major Japanese sugar plantations -- and other points such as Ershui (二水). The Japanese used hand-powered railroad carts to ship sugar cane from Puli to Checheng, where it was packaged. The many carts waiting to be hand-powered to Puli and other stations became a permanent fixture at the depot, inspiring its original Taiwanese name, "Chechang" (車場) or "Parking Lot."

Later in 1923, the Japanese widened the Checheng-Ershui rail line to facilitate construction of the Daguan Electrical Power Plant (大觀發電廠). This route evolved into Jiji Railway (集集線火車), as it is known today. The expansion brought workers and their families to the area, turning Checheng into a bustling village.

However, Checheng quickly reverted to its former sleepy self in 1936, when the power plant came online and the engineers and laborers left town.

In 1960, Sun Hai (孫海) founded the Linye Lumber Company and put Checheng back on the map -- this time as a major logging town. But once again, Checheng returned to placidity when a moratorium on logging spelled the end of Sun's mills. Relics of the town's timber industry are popular attractions for tourists, adding yet another layer to its colorful history.

Checheng's "Prettiest Little Station" (最美的小站), its first historical train depot dating back to the Japanese colonial period, is an excellent starting point for visitors. The depot was originally constructed from cypress, but was heavily damaged in the 921 Earthquake in 1999. The Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration Tourism Bureau (日月潭國家風景區管理處) later restored the structure. The station's surroundings are littered with the rusting remains of a bygone era: lumber mills, steam locomotives, and standpipes. The antique homes that line Checheng's "Old Street" (老街) are testaments to the town's history and the Japanese-style homes that once housed mill workers, although empty and dilapidated, still stand.

Double Dragon Waterfall

The Double Dragon Waterfall (雙龍瀑布) is located on the Double Dragon tribal grounds near the village of Dili (地利村), Hsinyi Township (信義鄉), Nantou County. The waterfall is 30m high; its waters barrel down precipitous peaks, pound boulders, and are tamed by a pool at the falls' base. Its mist and roar haunt the mountain and draw hikers, who sometimes cool themselves in the falls' refreshing spray.

To get to Double Dragon Waterfall, follow Provincial Highway 16 from Shuili in the direction of Hsinyi, and follow the signs for Dili. Once in Dili, a sign pointing in the direction of the Double Dragon community shows the way. Be sure to cross the Double Dragon Bridge (雙龍大橋), after which a further ten minutes' hike will get you to the Double Dragon police station, where you will find the trailhead. About 300m up the trail, you will come to a crossroads marked with a sign to the falls, which will lead you down a narrow cement path that snakes through a stand of plum trees. After 20 minutes of navigating this meandering mountain trail, you will eventually hear the falls' roar.