Taiwan // North Taiwan //   Some 20km south of Daxi, the inland
resort town of JIAOXI (礁溪; jiāoxī) is best known for its hot
springs and the spectacular waterfalls just outside the city.
Buses drop you on Jiaoxi Road, a short walk from the train
station on Wenquan Road. You can pick up taxis at the latter for
the 5km ride to the Wufengqi Falls (五峰旗瀑布; wŭfēngqí pùbù), among
the most impressive in Taiwan. If you have time, you can walk
through town (via Deyang Road) and up Wufeng Road, but only the
last section is pleasant and there’s always a lot of traffic.
The falls consist of three separate cascades, with the upper two
thin threads of water plummeting dramatically over sheer, moss-
smothered bluffs at least 30m high – the first falls are the
highest and most spectacular. A paved pathway leads some 550m to
the top, but it’s a steep climb. Just before the trailhead is a
line of food stalls selling an assortment of snacks and drinks,
usually including the area’s famed crop of kumquats (jīnzǎo).
Make sure you t