Taiwan is a superb destination for cycling vacations. And if one region is better than all the others, it is almost certainly the inland valley connecting the easygoing cities of Hualien and Taitung. 

Some call this pristine paradise the East Rift Valley, but a more accurate name is the East Longitudinal Valley, because it exists between two parallel chains of geologically young mountains that are not diverging (as is the case with true rift valleys) but rather colliding in slow motion.

The western side of the valley, the Central Mountain Range, and the greater part of the island of Taiwan are located on the Eurasian Plate. The eastern side, which includes the Coastal Mountain Range, is on the Philippine Sea Plate. Tectonic forces are gradually pushing the Eurasian Plate under the Philippine Sea Plate, lifting the coastal mountains ever higher. The most elevated point on the coastal range is now 1,682 meters above sea level. Within the Central Mountain Range, however, the loftiest peaks are more than twice that height.

Via the East Rift Valley, the distance from Hualien City to Taitung City is 167 km, ideal for a leisurely three-day/two-night ride. Between these two population centers (both of which have around 100,000 inhabitants), there is a great deal to see and enjoy. In addition to villages inhabited by members of Taiwan’s Austronesian indigenous minority, there are farmsteads, forests, and sites of historic interest.

Thanks to the valley’s ethnic mix – which includes enclaves of Hakka people, descendants of mainland Chinese who arrived in Taiwan after World War II, and a growing number of non-Asian residents – a variety of excellent foods can be enjoyed at streetside food stalls and sit-down eateries.

This year, foodies should keep the weekend of August 24/25 clear so they can join the 2024 East Rift Valley Festival’s Tribal Food Paradise. Attendees can gain an understanding of indigenous hunting skills and mountain lore, learn cooking techniques and ultra-local foodways, experience the age-old dyeing and weaving crafts that underpin tribal aesthetics, and enjoy delicacies, including meat smoked in the traditional manner. There will also be performances of indigenous dance and music, and a market at which vendors from the region will offer enticing edibles and appealing handicrafts.

As of 2023, the festival will be held at Luoshan Visitor Center in Hualien’s Fuli Township. Tourists getting around by train can catch a shuttle bus at Chishang Station. The center is located just east of Provincial Highway 9, the East Rift Valley’s main road.

One of the East Longitudinal Valley’s most popular cycling destinations is the region’s largest natural body of freshwater. Liyu Lake (often translated as “Carp Lake”) is just under 20 km from Hualien’s downtown, but visitors unwilling to ride all the way there can simply hire a bicycle or e-bike from close to the main road on the western side of the lake.

The round-the-lake bike trail is about 5 km in length and wide enough for faster cyclists to comfortably pass slower riders. There are no significant gradients, and at every turn the views of water and verdant hills are glorious. 

Further south, the sprawling Danong Dafu Forest Recreation Area offers a delightful environment for cyclists. Since the turn of the century, afforestation has transformed more than 1,000 hectares of former sugar plantations into a biodiverse woodland that attracts birdwatchers as well as outdoors-loving families. With nearly 20 km of bike trails and on-site rentals, it is ideal for those who love to ride but prefer to do it away from cars and motorcycles.

Road 193 is an alternative route to Danong Dafu Forest Recreation Area. Those who start at its northern end, just outside Hualien City, must contend with 20 km or so of twists, turns, and gradients before this little-used back road becomes flatter and straighter. South of the forest recreation area, the road continues onto the hot springs resort of Ruisui before merging with Provincial Highway 30 in Yuli Township.

The little town of Guanshan in Taitung County was one of the first places in Taiwan to realize the potential of bicycle tourism. Much of the 12 km-long bike path that encircles this mainly Hakka community is shaded by trees. A gradual climb is followed by an exhilarating downhill stretch, during which cyclists pass orange orchards and fields of millet, rapeseed, and sugarcane.

Guanshan is on the Hualien-Taitung railway line, and within walking distance of the station there are shops that rent out a range of bicycles and golf-cart-type four-seaters. Time-pressed tourists traveling with their own bikes may want to skip Hualien City and ship themselves and their two-wheeler straight to Guanshan or to Guangfu for Danong Dafu Forest Recreation Area.

To better integrate the region’s tourism resources, Taiwan’s Tourism Administration recently played midwife in the birth of the Taitung Longitudinal Valley Tourism Union. This destination marketing organization is working to promote the area by simplifying planning for tourists and itinerary designers alike. Like the country’s other tourism unions, it brings together stakeholders committed to developing sustainable tourism for the benefit of visitors and locals alike.

Among the attractions highlighted on the union’s website are Guanshan Water Park and Chishang’s Mr. Brown Avenue. At the former, travelers can cool off after a bike ride. The latter, a stretch of road famous for its breathtaking rice-field scenery, is best appreciated from the saddle of a bicycle ridden slowly.

Chishang, like much of the east, is very well set up for sightseers who want to take things at a leisurely pace. For those who want to savor every delicious morsel, every scenic viewpoint, and every breath of fresh air, touring Hualien and Taitung by bike presents enthralling opportunities.  

Travelers planning to explore the East Longitudinal Valley in-depth can gather additional information from the following websites:

– East Longitudinal Valley National Scenic Area (multilingual)
– Taitung Longitudinal Valley Tourism Union (multilingual)
– Hualien Tourism Service Network (Hualien County Government) (bilingual)
– Taitung Travel (Taitung County Government) (multilingual)
– Tourism Administration (Ministry of Transportation and Communication) (multilingual)