Yilan Plain Cycling: A Leisurely Route Through Luodong, Sanxing, and the Dongshan River

Introduction

The moment you emerge from the Hsuehshan Tunnel or descend the Beiyi Highway into Jiaoxi, the vast openness of the Lanyang Plain greets you head-on. The entire plain is crisscrossed by countless farm roads carved out by the Central Mountain Range, the Xueshan Mountain Range, and the Lanyang River. With rice paddies stretching to the horizon and irrigation canals winding through, the tension of city life falls away as you ride. The Yilan Plain is the best place in Taiwan for “slow cycling”—not because there’s a lack of scenery, but because the scenery at every turn deserves you to slow down and take it all in.

Route Overview

Luodong: The Urban Base for Departure

Luodong is Yilan County’s second-largest city and the most convenient starting point for a plain cycling trip. There are several bicycle rental shops right next to Luodong TRA Station, and the city’s Luodong Night Market is one of Taiwan’s most famous. If you stay overnight in Luodong, you can plan an easy evening ride to the night market.

The Luodong Forestry Culture Park was once the timber distribution hub for the old Taiping Mountain logging grounds. It preserves Japanese-era wooden warehouses, a steam locomotive, and the remains of the log yard, and has been transformed into an outdoor cultural space. Strolling through it in the morning to take in a century of forestry history is the perfect warm-up before setting off.

Sanxing: The Source of Taiwan’s Agricultural Aromas

Sanxing Township is the homeland of “Sanxing scallions,” producing the highest-quality scallions and garlic in Taiwan thanks to its unique climate and soil conditions. As you ride along Sanxing’s farm roads, a faint aroma of scallions hangs in the air, and the silhouettes of farm women harvesting in the fields paint the most honest picture of rural life.

The weekend agricultural market in Sanxing’s town center is lively, offering freshly harvested Sanxing scallions, garlic still caked with soil, and scallion pancakes and scallion zongzi made with local scallions. A lunch stop here is highly recommended.

Sanxing is also a stop along the Bike Around Taiwan route, where many cyclists circling the island take a break. The outdoor seating areas of several convenience stores in town often gather riders from all over, sharing stories of their journeys.

Annong River Bikeway: Quiet Pedaling in a Green Corridor

The Annong River is a tributary of the Lanyang River, and a bikeway stretching dozens of kilometers runs along its banks. Tall, dense roadside trees provide ample shade even at midday in summer. With its smooth pavement and no car traffic, it is the most family-friendly cycling route on the Yilan Plain.

In spring, large fields of rapeseed flowers bloom along both banks of the Annong River. The yellow sea of blossoms set against distant snow-capped mountains is the most beautiful seasonal scenery on the Yilan Plain.

Dongshan River Water Park: The Watery Finale

The Dongshan River is the mother river of the Yilan Plain. After river improvement works, its banks have become an ecologically rich waterfront corridor. The Water Park hosts world-class canoe races every year, and with its grassy slopes, boardwalks, and observation decks, it is the perfect place to end a plain cycling trip.

The nearby National Center for Traditional Arts showcases Taiwan’s traditional crafts and performing arts. The park grounds are home to several traditional snack vendors, making it an ideal spot to while away an afternoon.

Practical Tips

Transportation & Accommodation

• Take the TRA to Luodong Station; you can rent a bike and set off right outside the station—very convenient.
• Both Yilan City and Luodong offer abundant accommodation options. It’s advisable to book in advance (rooms are in high demand in Yilan during holidays).

Supply Tips

• Convenience stores are available in Sanxing’s town center and Dongshan’s town center, but supply points are scarce along the farm road sections.
• Carry at least 1 liter of water; hydration needs are higher in summer.

Extended Routes

• You can continue toward the Toucheng ferry terminal for Guishan Island, adding about 20 km to the total.
• Ending the ride with a soak in Jiaoxi’s hot springs is the perfect ritual to conclude a Yilan Plain cycling trip.

Conclusion

Slow cycling on the Yilan Plain heals not just tired legs, but also the restlessness accumulated from city life. The aroma of Sanxing scallions, the sound of the Annong River, the sunset reflections on the Dongshan River—these small but genuine moments of emotion are Yilan-exclusive memories that can only be collected by bicycle.

Related Reading

• Yilan Plain Cycling Guide: Open Views Along the Lanyang River and Guishan Island
• Yilan Yuanshan and Dongshan River Cycling Routes: Easy Rides Through Plains and Riverbanks
• Cycling and Slow Living: The Philosophy of Slow Travel in Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung
• Yilan Coastal and Dongshan River Bikeways: Slow Riding the Waterways of the Lanyang Plain