Miaoli: Forest Park, Railway History and Temple Culture

A natural urban forest park, a disused railway tunnel and a temple of regional significance give Miaoli City very different facets. The landscape, transport history and temple culture appeal to different interests. Consider which focus you want to shape your trip around—this can also help you organize your search for a vacation rental in Miaoli.

Forest Park and Riverside Park: Two Nature Themes

Maoli Mountain Park is considered the “back garden” of Miaoli City and a natural urban forest park. Maoli Mountain is also known as Jiangjun Mountain and Fuxing Mountain. Dense trees and flowering plants characterize the park. If you are especially interested in vegetation and a green urban landscape, this place offers a different focus from a visit centered on architectural history or religious culture.

The Houlong River Riverside Park in Miaoli City adds other features to this picture. Its areas include a cycling path, a scenic viewpoint area and a wetland conservation area. The park serves sports and recreation as well as ecological conservation. Compared with tree-covered Maoli Mountain, cycling, views and wetland conservation come together here. This lets you weigh whether trees and blossoms or the combination of activity, views and ecological protection matters more to you.

If you want to plan a visit to the cycling path or viewpoint, check the latest information about these areas before you go.

Inscription and Preservation at Gongweixu Tunnel

On the north side of Gongweixu Tunnel are the three Chinese characters “功維敘,” written by Kodama Gentarō, the then Governor-General of Taiwan. The tunnel was closed to railway traffic in 1998 after the double-track section of the Mountain Line entered service. The county government later renovated it for preservation. The structure thus brings together a change in railway traffic, a historic inscription and architectural preservation.

Colorful LED lights adorn the tunnel; walking through it is said to be pleasantly cool. If you plan to visit, check the latest visitor information beforehand.

Laojia and Yuqing Temple: Change and Religious Culture

Laojia is a house about 50 years old that has been passed down through three generations. After returning to his hometown, Chen Pengwen renovated the house, which had been unused for more than 20 years, and converted it into a business open to the public. The sequence of transfer, extended disuse and repurposing makes Laojia an example of how a building can change over time. The focus here is not only on its approximate age, but also on the change in how it is used.

Yuqing Temple is considered one of modern Taiwan’s well-known temples and the temple with the most active religious following in the Miaoli region. This gives temple culture a different significance from the tunnel’s transport and architectural history or Laojia’s repurposing.

Which focus suits your trip?

Among the natural sites, you can choose between dense trees and flowering plants on the one hand, and a cycling path, views and wetland conservation on the other. For history and culture, the tunnel and Laojia offer different perspectives on architectural preservation and changes in use, while Yuqing Temple adds a religious dimension. Consider which of these subjects interests you most during your trip. With this in mind, you can tailor your search for a vacation rental in Miaoli to your travel plans.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Zhuolan Township, Gongguan Township, Zhunan Township, Sanyi Township, Shitan Township, Tongxiao Township, Nanjhuang, Touwu Township

Return to the main travel guide: Miaoli.