Tianwei Highway Garden in Changhua to Lukang: A Cultural Cycling Route Through the Central Plains

Introduction

Changhua County is a major agricultural county in central Taiwan. This vast plain has nurtured a rich agricultural culture and preserves Taiwan’s most complete Qing Dynasty city—Lukang. Starting from Tianwei Highway Garden, following country lanes northwest toward Lukang, the roughly 30-kilometer route links flower farming, traditional temples, and Qing Dynasty port culture, making it a cycling route well worth savoring for culture enthusiasts.

Route Planning

The entire route crosses the Changhua Plain with almost no significant elevation changes, making it one of the easiest long-distance cycling routes in central Taiwan.

Tianwei Highway Garden: Taiwan’s Flower Kingdom

Tianwei is Taiwan’s most famous flower-producing area, and the entire township is almost one giant garden:

• Highway Garden: Hundreds of flower farms line both sides of the Tianwei section of Provincial Highway 1. From roses, balloon flowers, and sunflowers to a variety of foliage plants, different flowers bloom year-round. Cycling through feels like passing through a rainbow corridor.
• Colorful Calla Lily Season (Feb–Apr): Tianwei’s calla lily fields are known for their multicolored varieties. White, pink, orange, and purple calla lilies bloom under the spring sun, creating the most distinctive spring landscape on the central plain.
• Direct Flower Sales: Most flower farms in Tianwei offer retail services, allowing you to buy fresh cut flowers or potted plants—a sweet souvenir after your ride.

The Historical Imprint of Xihu Sugar Factory

Xihu Sugar Factory is one of the best-preserved Taiwan Sugar Corporation plants in the Changhua area and is currently open for tourism:

• Wufenche Sightseeing Train: Xihu Sugar Factory regularly runs vintage wufenche (small trains), letting visitors experience the sugar transport methods of a century ago through the sugarcane fields—a popular attraction for family trips.
• Sugar Factory Ice Cream: The Taiwan Sugar Corporation’s direct-sale milk popsicles and brown sugar ice cream bars are the most popular refreshments along the ride, with generous portions and friendly prices.
• Japanese-Era Factory Buildings: The factory buildings preserved from the Japanese colonial period exude an industrial-era historical texture, making it a photographer’s paradise.

Lukang: Taiwan’s Most Complete Qing Dynasty Town

Lukang is the cultural highlight of the entire route. This important Qing Dynasty port city still preserves a wealth of historic buildings and traditional crafts:

• Tianhou Temple: One of the largest Mazu temples in Taiwan, featuring exquisite Qing Dynasty architecture. The plaza in front of the temple bustles with incense and worshippers, making it a major sacred site for Mazu worship in Taiwan.
• Moca Lane (Nine-Turn Lane): The Qing Dynasty streets were designed narrow as a thread for wind protection, allowing only one person to pass sideways at a time. It is one of Lukang’s most famous landmarks.
• Traditional Craft Workshops: Lukang is renowned for its “seven trades and eight industries” of traditional crafts, including seal carving, lantern making, religious sculpture, and oyster omelets. The craft workshops on the old streets are still operating today.
• Lukang Snacks: Phoenix-eye cakes, ox tongue pastries, oyster omelets, and rice dumplings—each is an unmissable piece of Taiwan’s traditional cuisine.

Supply Stop Overview

• Tianwei Garden: Flower farms have rest areas with water; some offer light meals
• Xihu Sugar Factory: Taiwan Sugar ice cream counter, vendors, convenience store (outside the factory grounds)
• Lukang Old Street: Restaurants, snack stalls, and convenience stores are all available—an excellent final stop for dining and supplies

Practical Tips

Summer temperatures on the Changhua Plain can exceed 35°C, so it is recommended to ride in autumn, winter, or spring for the most comfortable experience. Before setting out, check which flowers are in season at Tianwei’s farms and plan your departure around a specific bloom for the richest visual experience.

Conclusion

From Tianwei to Lukang, this ride is an in-depth journey through Taiwan’s agriculture and history. The scent of flowers, the sweetness of sugar, the incense of temples, and the deep history of Lukang’s stone-paved streets together form the most captivating character of this route. Hop on your bike, ride from the world of flowers to a century-old town, and let the central plain give you a culturally rich Taiwanese journey.

Related Reading

• Changhua to Lukang: Riding the Plains Section of Taiwan’s Bicycle Route System
• Flat Riding on Taiwan’s West Coast: Field Scenery in Changhua, Yunlin, and Chiayi
• Central Taiwan Plains Cycling: Rural Scenery Route from Tianzhong, Changhua to Puli
• Central West Coast: Flat Supply Route from Changhua to Taichung