Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Eating & Drinking
Beipu is almost 90% Hakka and in almost every restaurant you'll find Hakka staples ex-
plained with picture menus. Try mountain chicken ( tǔ jī ), fried tofu and kejia xiaochao
(stir-fried strips of pork, squid, veggies and tofu).
Smaller shops sell a variety of dried goods (as a mobile people the Hakka relied on
dried foods), in particular persimmons. Around town you will also find vendors selling
tasty lei cha ( léi chá; pounded tea, Click here ) flavoured ice cream.
People don't linger in Beipu, so expect most shops to close by early evening.
Well TEAHOUSE
(Shuǐjǐng Chátáng; 10am-6pm) One of the best places to try lei cha ( léi chá; pounded
tea) is in this rustic Hakka house. You can sit inside at tables or on wooden floors, or
even outside on a deck under the plum trees. A set of lei cha ingredients costs NT$300
plus NT$100 for each person.
Getting There & Away
From the Hsinchu High Speed Rail (Exit 4) catch a Tourism Shuttle Bus
( www.taiwantrip.com.tw ) heading to Lion's Head Mountain. Buses run from 8.22am
hourly on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends. The last bus from Beipu leaves
at 5.25pm on weekdays and 6.25pm on weekends.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Shitoushan
ELEV 492M
Shitoushan (Shītóushān) is a foothill on the border of Miaoli and Hsinchu Counties.
Beautiful dense forests and rugged rock faces define the topography, but if you ask any-
one it is the temples tucked into sandstone caves and hugging the slopes that have given
the place its fame. Shitoushan is sacred ground for the island's Buddhists and draws big
weekend crowds, with people coming to worship or simply enjoy the beauty and tran-
quillity of the mountain.
There are several ways to start your explorations. The easiest is from the Quanhua
Temple bus stop (in a large car park). Head up the stone stairs and through the arch to
Futian Temple (Fǔtiān Gōng), dedicated to the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, one of the most
 
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