Cycle Taiwan Day 14 Taitung to Yuli - Beautiful scenery of golden paddy fields.

Good morning! Breakfast is provided at Long Xing Hotel, it was a pre-packed food, simple and we ate it outside the hotel. The weather was slightly cold but nice.

Off we went to Taitung Train Station and was greeted by an astonishing statue at the entrance. Our plan was to get into the inner side of Eastern Taiwan rather than on the coastline facing Pacific ocean.

We were happy to see an escalator in the station and save us from carrying our bikes.

The train fare to Luye Station is NTD21 per person (approximately 25km away from Taitung).

In front of Luye Station, Luye 鹿野 is a tea producing area which is part of the county of Taitung. The train ride has successfully avoided us a hilly climb and were set to cycle again.

The weather and road condition remained good and perfect for cycling.

We passed by many single storey houses by the roadside with interesting and bright painting of mostly depicting the culture of the natives.

And more painting along the way.

Continuing heading towards the north as we were expecting to visit Guanshan and Chishang.

A few stalls selling sugar juice by the road side.

The golden field of Taitung producing the best rice in Taiwan and the scene is truly awesome.

The rice field is everywhere and we hope to get closer or maybe visit one of them.

Arriving at the town of Guanshan, the time was about 12.20pm we might as well take our lunch here. 

Our meaty lunch at a shop known as 香港良記燒臘店 at Heping Road near the train station (GPS :  23.045763, 121.163302) which was serving Hong Kong roasted chicken, roasted duck, siew yok and vegetables with plain rice.

At the Hong Kong BBQ shop we used a road beside it to go into the inner part of Guanshan which we hope to locate the first bicycle trail of Taiwan. Upon getting closer to the field we just could not resist ourselves to get inside the field.

We went round and round the area slowly positioning ourselves towards north.

The inner Guanshan is quiet and serene with village houses and their small gardens beside the vast pady fields.

Meeting one of the folks on his motorised cargo trolley in Guanshan village.

We were glad to find Taiwan first bicycle trail.

Guanshan bicycle trail was the first bicycle path in Taiwan and it is well maintained, we spend some time on the trail. The atmosphere with matured trees, mountains views and paddy field is such a fabulous scene.

This part of route 9 of the cycling trail runs along the Taiwan Railway line as and when you feel like taking train you can just find the nearest station and alight on one.

After crossing Chishang Bridge on Route 9 of the cycling trail we noted several signs indicating places of interest in the paddy field. We saw one written in English "Mr. Brown's Avenue" and that lead us into another golden field for more fabulous time.

Our timing was perfect we came at the right season when the field is gold in colour.

I wish I own this paradise.

With the mountains at the backdrop is such a marvel.

Let's dance to the rhythm of this beautiful place.

This time we were looking for the slanting white picture frames in the paddy field as posted by a friend, so where is it.....

The field is really big, the hunt continued and as if we have conquered the territory.

A cafe in the middle of the padi field known as 21 Life House which can be found at GPS : 23.092128, 121.211879.

We stopped by for a tea at this cosy cafe. Photo credit : Anne Cheong.

There you are! Let's be framed.

Let me introduce you, this is Mr. Brown and his coffee. He and Mr. Takeshi Kaneshiro (金城 武) whom have made this place so popular that everyone wants to come and visit it.

We have spent hours at the paddy field and time was running late, we had to move on. After much consideration we decided to take a train to Yuli for the night.

We read about a popular lunch box related to a railway line and the restaurant could be found in this town. Hence we went asking for it and eventually we found the shop.

 The lunch box at 家鄉池上飯包 shop near Chishang train station selling at NTD80 per box. The box is made of thin plywood and is located at  Zhongzheng Road GPS : 23.125691, 121.219872

Chishang Train Station is newly renovated and is one of the most beautiful stations we visited.

The train fare from Chishang to Yuli is NTD38 per person. The distance apart is about 30km.

The interior of the station is clad with timber finish looking more like an old church. So majestic looking.

We arrived at Yuli Station around 7.30pm and the hotel we were eyeing was less than 100metres away from the station.

We checked into a 瓦拉米客棧 Hotel at Datong Road, Yuli Township GPS : 23.331661, 121.312428. The room rate was NTD1,000.

After visiting a night market at Yuli we decided to eat in a shop instead of at the roadside and we found the famous Yuli noodles at 玉里麵馬蓋先美食Guangfu Road GPS : 23.331433, 121.314514

Day 14 where we took a train to Luye and cycled to Chishang for a distance of 47km

Cycle Taiwan Day 13 - Kenting to Taitung - The beginning of the Eastern Coastline Adventures

Good morning Kenting! Day 13 will be the day we start riding on the eastern coastline of Taiwan. many said it's beautiful and we shall see then. By the way this is the minsu we stayed "海晴天旅店" GPS : 21.945981, 120.795306

Breakfast at Kenting town centre itself and found this delicious local pork burger.

This is second time in a 9 seater Volkswagen T5 van (commonly used by the Taiwanese) to Fangliao instead of taking a bus. It costs us NTD300 per person. The distance was about 60km on the same route we took when we came to Kenting.

Next to Fangliao Railway Station is Fangliao Railway Arts Village located at Chunyun Road GPS : 22.366346, 120.596177.

The street along Chunyun Road is interesting and full of art works to see.

We spent a fair bit of time taking pictures and enjoying the exhibits by the local artists. These old buildings were once left idle and were dormitories of Taiwan Railway Administrator. It has been converted into a Art Village sometime in 2002.

One for the album at F3 Fangliao Art Village.

Once again we were back to this station but this time we were heading to Dawu, the opposite direction.

The train fare from Fangliao to Dawu Station is NTD96 per person.

A banner directing visitors to a nearby bus station to Kenting or Hengchun at the train station.

It's drama time, a competition on who will pose like as a lonely traveller waiting for a train to no where.

Dawu Train Station was in the midst of upgrading and the condition was rather not conducive but I am sure it will be converted into another attractive station soon.

This train ride has actually helped us to cut across the southern tip of Taiwan at Pintung County where we shall begin our journey on the eastern side of Taiwan coastline.

Dawu Rainbow Village 大武彩虹村 was one of our intended places to visit and we have finally found it.

A severe flooding caused by Typhoon Morakot had damaged the village of Fushan Tribe and it could not be restored to its original state. The tribe was forced to move into a permanently prefabs houses along Dawu Street where you could see their houses with wooden doorplate written in the tribe's language. The tribe has painted their houses with bright paints sponsored by paint company. It has become a  place to visit especially for a pit stop.

Dawu Rainbow Town is located at Dawu Street, Taitung County GPS : 22.358614, 120.906500

We stopped by Dawu 7-11 (GPS : 22.362030, 120.907147)  for a break before heading northwards on Route 9 Nanhui Road.

The road condition along this trail is still not perfect, certain stretch was still narrow and some under severe construction work but the experience to ride along this ocean view was gorgeous.

Stretches like this was nice and safe with beautiful sky and the vast Pacific Ocean on our right. Not forgetting the headwind and a couple of uphills.

A sign on the highway as we passed by.

One has to be careful with the traffic whenever there is construction work going on by the road.

Looking new and so nice to cycle through.

Another stretch of tricky trail with massive road work.

After another severe climb it's time for a banana break.

We had enough of the eastern coastline experience and it was time to look for the nearest train station so that we could get to Taitung before it gets dark.

Taimali 太麻里鄉 here we come. This is a rural town with mostly aborigine peoples and it was once known as the Village of  Sunrise where the sun rises from the eastern sea.

Taimali Train Station 太麻里站 is sited on an elevated ground and were glad to see it standing majestically waiting for us. GPS : 22.618593, 121.005200

The climb to the station and the last one for the day with a final view of the vast Pacific Ocean at the horizon.

The train fare to Taitung from Taimali is NTD51 each.

A bicycle track at the staircase to assist one to get to the respective platform.

By the time we reached Taitung it was already dark and we just wanted to get to the nearest hotel. We found this one Xing Long 龍星花園渡假木屋 at Xingxing Road GPS : 22.793479, 121.126285. NTD 1,100 per room.

We were recommended by the hotel staff to try 九格浪 原住民風味餐 at Wenchan Road GPS : 22.790881, 121.125565 serving aboriginal dishes. It was crowded and noisy that night with loud talking customers with their drinks. We persevered and enjoyed our dinner.

The dishes we had it was delicious and pricing was reasonable for NTD1,320.00 Photo credit Anne Cheong.

On Day 13 after a train ride from Fengliao to Dawu we commenced our cycling to Taimali then train again to Taitung.