I’ll have one day to travel around Miaoli in a car. Any suggestions? Thanks
Take provincial 3 and exit for Emei Lake. Nice scenery and bizarre giant Milefo Buddha statue. Then if you can find the back way to Shitoushan take that or get back on Provincial 3 and past Sanwan take the 124 down to Nanzhuang. If you take the back route to Shitoushan you will also end up on the 124.
Explore Nanzhuang or just admire the scenery. Then head up Township 21 after you cross the bridge. Great views and a cool little village at the top. Also there’s a lake off a sideroad with a small museum dedicated to the Saisayat Festival of the Short People.
Then retrace to the 124 and continue all the way down to Provincial 3 again. Keep going till you reach County road 62. Turn and head up the valley to Tai’an Hot Springs. Lots of cool hot springs and aboriginal restaurants to try. Follow road to very end and park. Head up the trails beside the river. Cross suspension bridge and continue up river. You’ll reach some nice swimming holes.
ooh I’ve been there. Good advice - it’s really nice. Take the wife/gf and pay for a couple’s room at the hot springs. 
I’m kicking myself that I missed that. A museum dedicated to short people? And there was me thinking the museum of water and the museum of onions were the best Taiwan had to offer.
Well they have a whole festival dedicated to them that happens every few years, it’s pretty fun.
[quote=“finley”]ooh I’ve been there. Good advice - it’s really nice. Take the wife/gf and pay for a couple’s room at the hot springs.
I’m kicking myself that I missed that. A museum dedicated to short people? And there was me thinking the museum of water and the museum of onions were the best Taiwan had to offer.[/quote]
The Dried Bonito Museum is unparalleled but this one is okay. It highlights a festival that’s only every three years and is meant to compensate for the Saisiyat slaughter of a pigmie race that was molesting its women. I am not making that up btw. 
Thanks guys 
I like the Woodcarving Museum in Sanyi, and the shops selling carvings near it are also worth a look.
I didn’t get much say in where we went (I was with 4 girls), so I didn’t get to take Mucha Man’s suggested route. I did however get to Sanyi, Shengsing, the broken bridge, a beautiful lake area, and topped it off with a trip to the night market in Taichung. The hills around Miaoli are beautiful and relaxing. I was at the night market about 8pm on Saturday night and it was insanely packed. I wish Taipei had one like it, the food was great.
Here’s one of the swimming holes that Muzha Man was talking about near Taian Hot Springs. The walk to here is not that hard but it looks like I needed to bushwhack a little further up the makeshift trail on the north of the river to find the waterfall I was looking for. I will probably be back in a few weeks and I also have plans to go up Hushan which sounds like a pretty difficult hike.
Almost Shuiyun Waterfall, Taian, Taiwan by abacus07, on Flickr
That’s the one. Great spot. The falls are as you say still further up the river. They aren’t on this river though but a side stream. You’ll get to a tricky area with a wide pool and a cliff on the left. You need to cross the river at this point and head up the side stream 200m.
Wow, Abacus, that swimming hole is gorgeous!
MM, I’d like to visit Nanzhuang, but judging by the traffic I’ve seen while passing by on the 3, it gets overrun with people on weekends. When do you think would be the best time to visit?
Even better directions than I’ve found.
Thanks haokaiyang.