Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul

VIEW THIS PAGE A hassle-free train ride through stunning scenery, a spot of leisurely cycling and a soak in a hot spring — just the ingredients for a relaxing long weekend.

All this and more can be found in the East Rift Valley (花東縱谷), one of Taiwan’s most beautiful and unspoiled regions.

The valley — a sliver of land sandwiched between the Central and Coastal mountain ranges stretching 150km from south of Hualien to just north of Taitung — is around a four- to six-hour train journey from Taipei, depending on your destination. Driving takes longer.

There are several interesting small towns to stop off at along the valley.

Heading back to Taipei from Taitung, our first port of call was the sleepy township of Guanshan (關山) in Taitung County.

Getting off the train, the surroundings are slightly underwhelming as Guanshan looks similar to other one-strip farming towns that straddle Provincial Highway No. 9 between Taitung and Hualien.

But Guanshan is different; it has capitalized on the cycle mania that has swept the country in the past few years and turned itself into an east coast cycling mecca of sorts.

The idea is simple: Take a 12km-route circling the township along underused agricultural paths that snake through picturesque farming country, turn it into a cycle path and viola! You have an instant tourist attraction that draws visitors in their thousands.

BESPOKE BIKING

Although we arrived on the Monday following the extended Lunar New Year break — a relatively quiet day — the numerous bicycles lining the road near the trail’s starting point indicated how busy the area can get. It was chockablock with thousands upon thousands of bikes of varying shapes and sizes ready to rent for around NT$100 each per day.

The relatively flat trail can easily be navigated in around an hour by any competent cyclist. But there are numerous attractions along the way, such as the local farmers’ association’s Rice School (米國學校, near the 4km marker), which teaches visitors about the ins and outs of rice farming, the Bamboo Art Workshop (竹軒工藝坊, 5.2km), where you can make various bamboo trinkets, and several pick-your-own strawberry farms. The trip can easily morph into a very enjoyable half or even full day.

And if, like me, you never tire of looking at the reflection of mountains and clouds in paddy fields, then you will not be disappointed.

But don’t forget your wallet, as at around the halfway mark (6km) is the ticket office. Tickets cost NT$100 per person and include entrance to the expansive, but ultimately unexciting Guanshan Water Park (關山親水公園).

A BED FOR THE NIGHT

There are several reasonably priced resorts, hotels and homestays, or minsu (民宿), in town, with most congregated near the cycle path’s starting point.

We stayed at the Shan Shui Shen Holiday Village (山水軒渡假村飯店), which although a little pricey at NT$2,900 for a Taiwanese “double” (my feet poked out the bottom of the bed), did include free bike hire, a one-hour private spa session (a tonic for those cycle-weary legs), and even a free car wash should you choose to travel there on four wheels. They also pick up guests from the train station, although if traveling light it would be quicker to walk.

After a day’s cycling, we hopped on the lunchtime train for the 90-minute ride north to Ruisui (瑞穗) in Hualien County — Taiwan’s dairy country and home to some of the nation’s less-frequented hot springs.