Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HIGHWAY 9 & THE EAST RIFT VALLEY
Highway 9 is the main transport artery through the East Rift Valley (
www.erv-
nsa.gov.tw
), a long alluvial plain that just happens to sit right on the seam of the collision
point between the Philippine and Eurasian plates. The valley has some of Taiwan's best
farming country, to say nothing of rural scenery: bordered by the Central Mountains on
one side and the Coastal Mountain Ranges on the other, there are stunning views in every
direction.
Getting Around
There are good train services all down the Rift Valley, and most small towns have bike
rentals.
BICYCLE
Highway 9 is flatter and straighter than Highway 11, but it has more traffic, especially
trucks. At the time of writing, bike-only lanes had been built from Liyu Lake to around
Fuli, but many cyclists still prefer to take highly scenic back-country routes such as
County Roads 193 and 197, popping back onto Highway 9 for meals and accommoda-
tion. If you are doing a loop of the east coast, it is easy to avoid scruffy Taitung city by
taking the 197 past Luye.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Liyu Lake & Mugua River Gorge
Though the entire Rift Valley was most likely once a giant lake, it drained long ago, leav-
ing 2km long Liyu Lake (Lǐyú Tán) as the largest natural body of fresh water on the east
coast. Shaped somewhat like a carp (Liyu means 'carp' in Chinese), Liyu is tucked into
the green foothills of the Central Mountain Range about 19km southwest of Hualien.
Families with small children who enjoy camping or picnicking will like it here. There
are safe bike trails around the lake,
Chinan Forest Recreation Area
(Chínán Guójiā Sēnlín
Yóulè qū;
www.forest.gov.tw
;
admission NT$50; 8am-5pm)
has old trains and logging dis-
plays, and there are short hikes in nearby hills. In April fireflies are out in force. Just
north of the lake are pleasant B&Bs, such as
Monet Garden
(Mònèi Huāyuán Mínsù; 864
2243;
www.monetgarden.com.tw
;
d/tw incl breakfast from NT$2300/3600)
, which also has an
excellent cafe, and
Liyu Lake Campground
(Lǐyú Tán Lùyíng qū;
03-865 5678; per site
NT$800, A-frame cabins NT$1000)
.
