Wulai is only a 40-minute ride from Taipei, with convenient transportation and eye-catching scenery; it is also one of the 10 best bird-watching areas in Taiwan. The bird-watching route follows the Tonghou River upstream from beside the bus station for seven or eight kilometers. Even mid-elevation birds can sometimes be seen here in the winter months, making this the perfect choice for bird watchers with limited time. Birds are most abundant from November through February.

Wulai is also the home of Atayal tribespeople, and here you can observe their traditional dances and rituals. If you're interested, you can join in the dancing yourself. You can also enjoy the sight of a gushing waterfall amidst the lush green landscape, or take an exciting cable-car ride across the gorge.

Other major scenic spots in the Wulai area include Bitan (Green Lake), Yanzi (Swallow) Lake, Honghe (Red River) Valley, Wulai Waterfall, Wawa (Doll) Valley, and the Neidong Forest Recreation Area. The forest recreation area contains a rich diversity of forests and other plant life together with large numbers of bird and butterfly species, making it a good place for bird- and butterfly-watching. The area also offers attractive scenery along the Nanshi River; and its upper tributary, Neidong Stream, descends in successive drops that form a waterfall in three layers, its clear waters producing a misty spray and the sound of gushing torrents that never cease all year round.