Deep Cycling in Taiwan’s Rift Valley: Ten Hidden Scenic Routes in the Huadong Rift Valley

The Huadong Rift Valley is a poem of the earth in eastern Taiwan.

Most people’s impression of the Huadong Rift Valley is: the straight highway of Provincial Highway 9, the golden rice paddies, and the lush green of the distant mountains. These are certainly beautiful, but the secrets hidden in the rift valley go far beyond these.

Rift Valley Geography at a Glance

The Huadong Rift Valley is sandwiched between the Central Mountain Range and the Coastal Mountain Range, stretching approximately 150 kilometers from north to south, making it the largest rift valley landform in Taiwan.

Major Cities (from north to south):
Hualien City → Fenglin → Yuli → Guanshan → Taitung City

Major Highways:

• Provincial Highway 9 (Rift Valley Highway): The main north-south artery
• County Road 193 (west side of the Coastal Mountain Range): More remote, with unique scenery
• County Road 197 (highlands of the Coastal Mountain Range): The least-known secret route

Hidden Route 1: Full Length of County Road 193 (Hualien → Taitung)

Distance: Approximately 150 km (full length)
Difficulty: Low to moderate (occasional rolling hills)

County Road 193 runs south along the western edge of the Coastal Mountain Range, parallel to Provincial Highway 9 but with completely different scenery.

Why choose 193 over Provincial Highway 9:

• Fewer vehicles, safer riding
• Closer to the mountains, more pristine scenery
• Passes through more indigenous tribal villages unaffected by tourism development

Must-see section: The stretch of County Road 193 between Fenglin and Guangfu passes through several Amis tribal villages that are almost completely isolated from the outside world. The indigenous mural walls along the roadside are cultural scenery that cannot be seen on Provincial Highway 9.

Hidden Route 2: County Road 197 Highland Route

Distance: Approximately 75 km (from Fuli, Hualien to the Taitung section)
Difficulty: Moderate to high (multiple climbs)

County Road 197 is the most secret route in the Huadong Rift Valley, running south along the highlands of the Coastal Mountain Range at an elevation of approximately 500–800 meters.

Viewing the rift valley from this elevation:
Looking west from the highlands of the Coastal Mountain Range, you can overlook the entire Huadong Rift Valley in full view—the Central Mountain Range on the left, your position on the right, and the lush green rift valley plain in between. This perspective is something Provincial Highway 9 can never offer.

The most beautiful section of County Road 197: Between Yuli and Fuli, there are several lookout points where you can see the most magnificent panoramic view of the rift valley in Taiwan.

Hidden Route 3: Xiuguluan River Ride

Start: Yuli
End: Changhong Bridge (Chenggong Township)
Distance: Approximately 55 km (river-following route)

The Xiuguluan River is one of the most important rivers in the Huadong Rift Valley, famous for white-water rafting, but the road along the river offers a unique cycling perspective.

Route features:
The river-following route cuts through the Coastal Mountain Range, from the Huadong Rift Valley to the Pacific coast. The canyon terrain along the way, the clear waters of the river, and the indigenous tribal culture offer a different kind of rift valley cycling experience.

Hidden Route 4: Rift Valley Viewing Platforms Around Luye Highlands

Start: Luye
Route: Luye → Gaotai → Longtian → Beinan → Taitung

Gaotai viewpoint:
Luye Highlands is the venue for the annual summer hot air balloon festival, but even outside the festival period, the panoramic view of the rift valley from the highlands is equally spectacular. Looking north from here, the entire rift valley unfolds before you.

The tranquility of Longtian Village:
Longtian is a small village in Luye Township, known for its tranquility and organic farming. Cycling on the farm roads in Longtian is the best way to get away from the tourist crowds.

Hidden Route 5: Organic Farming Roads in Fuli Township

Distance: A network of farm roads spanning approximately 20–30 km
Difficulty: Low

Fuli is Taiwan’s most famous organic farming township and the origin of “Fuli rice.” The network of farm roads here allows cyclists to venture deep into the rice paddies and experience the vitality of the agricultural ecosystem.

Best seasons: May–June during rice transplanting (lush green) or October–November before harvest (golden)

The special feeling of farm roads: Riding on farm roads through the middle of rice paddies, surrounded by golden rice ears, with a gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of rice—this is the most beautiful experience of Taiwan’s agricultural landscape.

Hidden Route 6: Sugar Railway Routes Around Guangfu Sugar Factory

Distance: Approximately 15 km
Difficulty: Low

Some of the abandoned lines of the Taiwan Sugar Railway have been converted into bike paths. The routes around Guangfu Sugar Factory allow cyclists to experience the historical atmosphere of the sugar industry culture from the Japanese colonial era.

Guangfu Sugar Factory:
Guangfu Sugar Factory is the best-preserved sugar factory site in the Hualien–Taitung region. It has now been converted into a tourist sugar factory, offering ice cream products and indigenous culture exhibitions.

Hidden Route 7: Yuli Township Loop Agricultural Route

Distance: Approximately 35 km loop
Difficulty: Low

Yuli is an important town in the central Huadong Rift Valley, but few tourists venture deep into the surrounding agricultural areas.

Characteristic farm roads:
The farm roads around Yuli connect several remote Amis tribal villages, where you can see the most traditional indigenous agricultural life scenes.

Yuli Bridge:
The old Yuli Bridge (rebuilt) spanning the Xiuguluan River offers one of the best viewpoints for appreciating the river.

Hidden Route 8: Fenglin Tobacco Barn Settlement Route

Distance: Approximately 20 km
Difficulty: Low

Fenglin is an important tobacco-producing area in Hualien County, and the tobacco barns (buildings for drying tobacco leaves) left from the Japanese colonial era remain well preserved to this day.

Tobacco barn route:
Cycling through Fenglin Township to seek out the tobacco barns scattered among the farmlands is one of the best-preserved routes of Taiwan’s agricultural culture. The Hakka culture of Fenglin is also visible everywhere along the way.

Hidden Route 9: Stream Route in Ruisui Hot Spring Township

Start: Ruisui
Route: Ruisui → Hot Spring Road → Hongye Village → Hot Spring Area → Return

Distance: Approximately 25 km
Difficulty: Low to moderate

Ruisui’s hot springs and the Hongye River valley are the most easily overlooked combination of attractions in the rift valley.

The sentiment of Hongye Village:
Hongye Village is one of the birthplaces of Taiwan’s early baseball culture (the “Hongye Little League team”). The baseball field and related exhibitions in the village evoke a special emotional resonance for Taiwanese people.

Hidden Route 10: Guanshan Town Loop Bike Path

Distance: Approximately 12 km (bike path loop)
Difficulty: Low

The Guanshan Bike Path is the most well-developed cycling path in the Huadong Rift Valley, with good pavement throughout. It loops around the edge of Guanshan Township, passing through rice paddies, wetlands, and forests.

Guanshan bento:
After completing the bike path, enjoying a “Guanshan bento” near Guanshan Station is the perfect ending. The Guanshan bento is famous for its fresh rice and pork chops, and is one of Taiwan’s most renowned railway bentos.

Practical Information for Rift Valley Cycling

Transportation Arrangements

There are several ways to arrange transportation for cycling in the Huadong Rift Valley:

Option	Advantages	Disadvantages
Drive yourself (or rent a car) with your bike	Flexible	High cost
Fly to Hualien/Taitung + rent a bike locally	Quick arrival	Rental bike quality needs to be verified
Taiwan Railway with bicycle	Convenient, inexpensive	Advance reservation required, time restrictions

Notes on bringing bicycles on Taiwan Railway:

• A bicycle ticket is required (approximately NT$140–260 per segment)
• Some trains do not accept bicycles (express trains)
• Advance reservation required on holidays

Accommodation Recommendations

Accommodation options in the Huadong Rift Valley are very diverse:

Type	Features	Cost
Homestay (farm-style)	Experience rural life	NT$800–1,500
Indigenous-themed homestay	Cultural experience	NT$1,200–2,000
Backpacker hostel	Simple and affordable	NT$400–700
Resort farm	All-around leisure	NT$2,000–4,000

Conclusion

The Huadong Rift Valley is not a place you can see in a single weekend. It requires multiple visits and in-depth exploration along multiple routes to gradually reveal its true face.

Those farm roads hidden beside Provincial Highway 9, the lookout points on the highlands, the mural walls of indigenous tribal villages—these are the truest soul of the rift valley.

Next time you come to Hualien–Taitung, let your bicycle take you deeper into the heart of the land.

Related Reading

• Huadong Rift Valley Cycling Tour: Taiwan’s Most Magnificent Long-Distance Route
• Provincial Highway 9 Huadong Rift Valley: Between Serenity and Speed, Finding the Purest Meaning of Cycling
• Huadong Rift Valley Bike Path: Taiwan’s Most Beautiful Flat Riding Experience
• Huadong Rift Valley: The Most Beautiful Cycling Sections from Hualien to Taitung