Puli is suited to tourism for three reasons: its specialties, its scenic spots, and its arts. The area is famous for its fruit and flower industries, which produce an abundance of agricultural products and specialties. Several well-known tourist sights in and around the town are well worth visiting. For tourists interested in Taiwanese culture, the town is home to a number of artists, and a great place to see Taiwanese artisans at work.
Visitors to Puli can try locally-made
Shaohsing wine.
Puli's Specialties
The Home of Wine
Visitors to Puli can take a 'wet' tour of the local winery and wine museum and try a selection of locally produced wines, which taste especially good on account of the area's clean, sweet water. Visitors can also enjoy ices and boiled eggs flavored with Shaohsing wine, and other specialties. The museum is located at 219 Chungshan Road, Section 3, and is open daily, including public holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tel: (049) 984-006 ext. 456.
A Floral Feast
Puli is also making a name for itself with its flower cuisine, which uses local blossoms to create a wide variety of delicious, nutritious dishes. Visitors can try fragrant osmanthus flowers stewed with shrimps, ham and white gourd, rose petal salads, deep-fried wild ginger flowers tempura-style, and other sumptuous delicacies. The best places to try these gourmet treats are at the Kingdom Restaurant at 236 Hsinyi Road, tel: (049) 995-096, and the Chin Shan Yuan Restaurant at 308 Chungshan Road, Section 1, tel: (049) 985-708.
visit a plant nursery
Flowers Galore
Nantou county is Taiwan's biggest flower and plant producer, and no visit to Puli would be complete without a trip to a local nursery. Tourists are welcome to browse at the Taiyi Garden Center, located at 176 Chungshan Road, Section 1, tel: (049) 901-346, and the Mei-hsi Shrub Park at 20-1 Chungshan Road, Section 1, tel: (049) 992-020. The centers have a wide selection of shrubs and flowers, including miniature Chinese roses, miniature cyclamen, and fuchsias.
Mei-hsi Shrub Park
Scenic Spots
The Geographical Heart of Taiwan
Tourists can commemorate their visit to Puli with a photograph taken at the Taiwan Center Marker. This commemorative plaque marking the exact center of the island of Taiwan can be found among the old pine trees at the top of Hutzu Mountain, just northeast of Puli.
Carp Lake
A short forest walk from the Taiwan Center Marker brings you to Carp Lake. Visitors can stroll among the willow trees growing beside the lake and observe the various waterfowl and fish that live there. The lake is divided by two bridges, from which visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. There is an area for camping on the lake's shore.
maker paper
A Cultural and Artistic Haven
Hand-made Paper
The traditional craft of paper-making has been preserved in Puli at the Kuanghsing Paper Factory. This humble yet necessary daily commodity is manufactured in Puli using methods passed down over the centuries. The excellent quality of paper produced by the Kuanghsing Paper Factory is treasured by calligraphers and painters, and people looking for special wrappings. Tourists are welcome to try their own hand at making paper at the factory, which is located at 310 Tiehshan Road, tel: (049) 913-037.
Rows of butterfly samples at Puli's insect
museum
Beautiful Butterflies
Puli's mild climate makes it an ideal place for butterfly and insect watching. At the Arboreal Insect Museum, nature lovers can see samples of the many species of butterflies and tree insects that flock to Puli. Of the 400 or so kinds of butterflies found in Taiwan, over 350 can be seen in Puli, including a special hermaphrodite butterfly found only on this island. The museum is located at 6-2 Nantsun Road and is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. Tel: (049) 913-311
some of the strange stone sculptures
The New Era Sculpture Park
Puli is also home to a spacious park filled with hundreds of impressive sculptures in wood, metal, and especially stone. The New Era Sculpture Park is mainly a collection of the work of the late Lin Yuan, a farmer from Puli who taught himself sculpting after his retirement, with works also by the world-famous Yo-yo Yang and Ju Ming. The park has beautifully manicured lawns, a fabulous lotus pond, and displays of camphor-making and honey-collecting. The park is located at 1-1 Chungshan Road, Section 4 and is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tel: (049) 912-248.
tools used in traditional lacquerware
manufacture
The Ancient Art of Lacquerware
Puli was once best known for its lacquerware industry. Although the
art of lacquerware has a long tradition within Chinese culture, the
industry is gradually dying out in Taiwan. Visitors to Puli can make a
special trip to the Lungnan Natural Lacquerware Museum at 211 Peiping
Street, where they can admire the beautiful work of Pulis's last
lacquerware artists. Demonstrations of the ancient craft can be
arranged. Tel:(049)982-076
Copyright 1995 Vision International Publishing Co.