Pinglin was once the main stop on Route 9 from Taipei to Yilan. Since the opening of the Hsuehshan Tunnel (雪山隧道) there is now an exit to the town on the Bei-Yi freeway (北宜高速公路). This small town is famous for its tea. It has a tea museum and many shops in the main street selling tea. The location in the mountains provides an ideal climate for growing tea which can be seen on the hillsides surrounding the town. The air is fresh and clean and a few degrees cooler than Taipei.

The Pinglin Tea Industry Museum (坪林茶葉博物館) is worth a visit. It details the history of tea in Taiwan and China and shows the many varieties of tea and the picking and processing of the leaves. Next to the museum is a traditional style tea house, Pinglin Tea Arts (坪林茶藝), set in a beautiful garden.

Jingualiao Bicycle Paradise 金瓜寮鐵馬新樂園

There is a network of bike paths along the Jingualiao Stream, a few kilometres outside Pinglin. The water in the stream here is amazingly clean. Bikes are available for hire or you can bring your own. It is only about 30 kms from Taipei, so if you are a keen cyclist you can ride there. For more information about cycling to Pinglin see Taipei - Pinglin - Shiding circuit at Taiwanderful.

To get to Pinglin by car take the Pinglin exit of the Bei-Yi Freeway. You can also catch a bus from the Xindian MRT Station to Pinglin which travels by route 9.

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