清瀑大飯店

February 23rd, 2015

While on a day trip to Wulai at the very end of 2013 I was delighted to stumble upon one of the most picturesque abandonments I have had the pleasure of exploring in Taiwan. Mere steps from the southern terminus of the Wulai Sightseeing Tram (烏來觀光台車) one will find a viewing platform across from Wulai Falls (烏來瀑布), one of the most scenic waterfalls in the greater Taipei area. What you might not realize—unless you have a sixth sense for all things abandoned—is that the viewing platform doubles as the rooftop of a derelict hotel with a rather stunning view.

Debris litters the pockmarked floor of what must have once been the hotel lounge.

A delightful surprise at the end of the tram ride.

I knew I would have to take a look the very instant I set eyes on the grimy stairwell descending from the viewing platform to parts unknown. Down I went, completely oblivious to the palimpsestic characters hanging over the boarded-up entrance. Since then I have, with some help, deciphered the name of the hotel: Qīngpù Hotel (清瀑大飯店). Surprisingly, not much seems to be written about this place in the Chinese language web from what I can tell.

The ever-present mist accelerates the process of decay.

Creeping up the stairs. What treasures shall we find?

Without having any idea what I had found I was initially very puzzled about the purpose of the building. Unlike many abandonments in Taiwan this place had been cleared out, leaving me few clues to work with. My first guess was a bar or restaurant—the main room had a great view of the falls and was about the right size for dining. I found a kitchen soon thereafter, adding some support for this hypothesis.

Looking out on the mountain valley surrounding the falls.

What must have once been a kitchen on the north-facing side of the building.

Wulai Falls from the main floor of an abandoned hotel.

It all became clear when I went back outside, turned the corner, and took a closer look at the rooms on the ground floor. These were obviously bedrooms, each with a private entrance and a nice view of the scenery. The rooms also connected with a corridor inside the building that was much too dark for pictures. This corridor was empty but provided access to some of the rooms that had been locked from the outside. In one such room I found the skull of what I believe is a cat—the last guest, evidently.

Downstairs, the private entrance to one of the hotel’s rooms.

Room with a view at Wulai Falls. Nothing much to see down here; the entire place has been cleared out.

Blood red paint on the light switch deep inside the abandoned hotel.

I was left wondering about why such a place would be abandoned. Wouldn’t the retail value of a property fronting onto one of the most famous waterfalls in Taiwan prevent such an eventuality? I have learned in my many months of exploring Taiwan that there are countless reasons for abandoning a place, from prosaic to extraordinary. Someone could have died in one of these rooms, cursing the place, or perhaps the boss embezzled funds until the business was run into the ground. Maybe rent isn’t that high and the owners are waiting for the right offer to sell. It could be anything, really. Sometimes I can figure this stuff out from translating info I find on the web but not this time.

Whatever the case may be, only in Taiwan have I been able to arrive at star attractions with the expectation that I’d surely find something cool like this to explore. Oh, and perhaps I should mention that there’s a half-abandoned amusement park and hotel above the falls too! But that’s the story for another post…

Warning: this location is abandoned, hazardous, or otherwise neglected and may be unsafe and even dangerous! Exercise appropriate precautions when visiting.

警告：此處已廢棄或長期無人管理，可能存在潛在危險。造訪時請務必提高警覺，並做好相關安全防護措施。