Solo information to Hualien East Rift Valley 花東縱谷: Guangfu, Ruisui, Yuli

Taiwan’s east coast with its beautiful mountain ranges is understood to be extra of a driving vacation spot, however should you’re keen to decelerate a bit of to discover this extra rural countryside area, you’ll discover that alongside some beautiful mountain surroundings, Hualien has some beautiful small cities price trying out. I visited 3 small cities in Hualien by prepare by myself: Guangfu, Ruisui and Yuli, and compiled this spotlight put up of issues to do in Hualien’s East Rift Valley.

Most folks solely consider Taroko Gorge after they consider Hualien, and whereas it’s an incredible sight, Hualien really has many different little spots which can be price trying out as nicely. If you need to escape the vacationer crowds, these small cities within the East Rift Valley provide a quieter different with out the congestion and a few perception into native Taiwanese tradition.

I’ve spent plenty of time lately exploring Taiwan as it’s one in all my favorite nations, however realised that the final time I visited Hualien was really means, means again in 2007 as a younger contemporary grad traipsing across the nation with my associates. This journey to Hualien 15 years later was a very long time coming!

Where is Taiwan’s East Rift Valley positioned?

Taiwan has no lack of lovely mountains, and one in all its jewels is in Hualien often called the East Rift Valley or Huadong Valley 花東縱谷. This stretch of valley is bracketed by the Central Mountain Range and the Coastal Mountain Range between Hualien and Taitung alongside Taiwan’s East Coast which is the way it acquired its title – Hua for Hualien, Dong for Taitung.

This valley is residence to a number of Taiwan’s agriculture and the farms and villages which have sprung up round it. Many aboriginal tribes additionally settled within the valley so that you’ll see indicators of that within the names of locations, meals and tradition within the space. And after all you’ll have lovely mountain views nearly wherever you flip.

If you’re excited about Hualien’s coastal points of interest as a substitute, take a look at among the sights you may see in Fengbin on a day journey with the Hualien East Coast Shuttle Bus.

How to get across the East Rift Valley

By driving

The important highway that cuts by way of Hualien’s East Rift Valley is Highway 9 which is the place most of those cities are positioned. Most guests within the Hualien space self-drive or have a automotive association to discover because the sights are fairly unfold out. Since I used to be by myself and never driving, I’d search for a bicycle/scooter rental close to the prepare station as I exited after which discover the city space from there.

If you need to see extra of Hualien’s Coast, Highway 11 runs parallel to this highway on the opposite facet of the Coastal Mountain Range. I’ll discuss Hualien’s coastal sights in one other put up coming quickly. There are some small roads that reduce throughout the Coastal Mountain Range and join the 2 highways, however usually it’s simpler to spend your day doing both the Valley route or the Coastal route and never cross between them.

By prepare

The East Rift Valley is served by TRA trains. If you’re coming from Taipei, the Puyuma Express Train from Taipei to Hualien City takes about 2 hours. The slower TRA trains take wherever from 3-4 hours as they make extra stops alongside the way in which. 

You should purchase prepare tickets instantly on the station counter or make reservations on-line. I counsel making reservations on-line should you’re trying to journey on weekends/peak intervals because the Puyuma Express trains can promote out throughout these occasions – you may nonetheless get on the prepare however you’ll be caught standing all the way in which or seat hopping should you don’t have a reserved seat.

If you’re simply hopping between cities, I discover it simpler to simply flip up on the station and purchase a ticket on the counter shortly and simply. You will pay with money or bank card.

Whether you intend to drive or take the prepare, I at all times advocate shopping for journey insurance coverage earlier than you go as a safeguard towards sudden occasions like journey delays and accidents attributable to accidents. You can take a look at Income’s Travel Insurance plans to study extra.

Guangfu 光復

Guangfu was as soon as filled with sugarcane plantations and a middle for sugar manufacturing again within the day.

From Hualien Station to Guangfu Station by prepare:

• Puyuma Express: 30-40 minutes 
• Local Trains: 40 -60 minutes

Hualien Tourism Sugar Factory 花蓮觀光糖廠

Since sugar was the primary business in Guangfu, one of many important points of interest in the present day is the Hualien Tourism Sugar Factory, often known as the Guangfu Sugar Factory. Officially arrange again in 1913, they produced sugar by way of the Japanese colonial occasions and World War II up till the early 2000s when the manufacturing unit was closed. It has since been restored right into a vacationer attraction by the Taisugar firm 台糖.

The manufacturing unit occupies fairly a big compound however the primary exercise is centred round this pond which is surrounded by outlets promoting meals and souvenirs, together with one of many star merchandise of the realm: ice cream! This ice cream store has over 20 totally different flavours obtainable.

A warning should you plan to take a seat down on this space and eat: there are xiaoheiwen on this explicit space – that’s Taiwan’s model of the sandfly which is able to depart you itching for days – so I counsel protecting up should you’re particularly delicate like I’m!

There is a motorbike rental store on website as nicely if you wish to discover the realm which is what I did. The meals choices additionally make this a fairly fashionable stopover for cyclists who’re passing by way of the realm and wish a break. I rented a motorbike and spent a morning exploring among the close by sights which I’ll discuss extra about beneath.

Another factor you are able to do on the Guangfu Tourism Sugar Factory is keep in a single day within the Japanese fashion wood homes that litter the compound. Originally constructed to deal with increased rating executives who labored on the manufacturing unit through the Japanese colonial period, these homes have since been transformed into guesthouses. 

Along with the quaint wood structure, options just like the cypress wood flooring, tatami mat rooms and even the Japanese-style stone baths have been saved alongside fashionable options like air-conditioning, automated bathroom bowls and netted screens on the home windows to maintain bugs out.

Staying in one in all these homes is kind of enjoyable however they’re meant for two or extra folks – I visited on a media journey and so they assigned us every a lodge and it felt far too massive for simply 1 particular person to sleep in, however the household lodge could be preferrred for a small group/household.

Guests on the Hualien Sugar Factory Hotel additionally get vouchers for lots of the actions on website like driving the normal prepare (closed on the day I used to be there), bicycle rental and ice cream.

Alternative accommodations in Guangfu to contemplate:

• Maple Feeling Vacation Farm [affiliate link] – the situation is a bit of bit farther from the city however the rooms look actually massive
• Kamiyamato B&B [affiliate link] – is an reasonably priced choice a bit of nearer to the city centre

Matai’an Wetlands 馬太鞍溼地生態園區

Did you already know that Matai’an is definitely one of many previous names for the Guangfu space? It comes from the Ami phrase ‘Vataan’ or pigeon pea 樹豆 – the Amis are the aboriginal tribe who name this space residence. 

The Matai’an Wetlands lie on the west facet of the Guangfu River and is a beautiful place to take pleasure in nature and do some birdwatching. This space is especially fashionable in summer time from round May to August when its ponds are lined in blooming water lilies and lotuses. Obviously I used to be there in February so I didn’t see any of that, nevertheless it was very inexperienced and peaceable and there are good little roads and boardwalks that are excellent for a stroll or cycle.

Whether you’re biking, climbing or participating in any adventurous actions, it’s at all times good to have Income’s Travel Insurance offer you further safety.

I used to be there at a bizarre timing, however should you go round lunch time, one factor you need to attempt on this space is conventional Ami delicacies. They are recognized for his or her distinctive stone sizzling pot 石頭火鍋 – take a look at Yoti Life for some pix of meals that features grilled fish, wild boar meat and the native veggies. 

Some eating places within the space you may take a look at embody Cifadahan Traditional Amis Restaurant 紅瓦屋老地方文化美食餐廳 or Shin Liu Farm 欣綠農園 that are all inside the Matai’an Wetlands space.

Danongdafu Forest Park 大農大富平地森林園區

From Guangfu Sugar Factory, one other place I cycled to discover was the Danongdafu Forest Park. Forest parks basically are secondary forests – the unique forest was cleared out due to industrialisation, however these new forests have been cultivated in a while as a inexperienced lung for the realm. This space was sugarcane plantations that belonged to Taisugar Corp, and is called for the two farms: Danong 大農 and Dafu 大富.

Danongdafu is 1 of the three main forest parks in Taiwan (the opposite two are in Pingtung and Chiayi and is fairly massive – 1250 hectares which is about 48x the dimensions of Da’an Forest Park in Taipei! There are a number of biking trails resulting in and contained in the forest park – I additionally encountered folks strolling alongside the paths.

February as you may see on the tail finish of winter is gorgeous climate for outside exercise and biking, however inevitably a bit dreary due to perpetual rain and overcast skies. In spring and summer time, this space is tremendous vibrant with blooming flowers and March and April is firefly season too. Autumn is one other fashionable time to come back with fall colors, although I believe the naked boughs of winter are fairly cool as nicely.

There are some sculptures in elements of the park, however sadly I acquired rained out so I didn’t spend as a lot time right here as I’d have favored. I positively want to come back again when the flowers are in bloom to see their ‘flower sea’! There can be a viewing tower which I missed as nicely.

I cycled to Danongdafu Forest Park from the Hualien Tourism Sugar Factory. It’s a pleasant biking path passing by way of a number of countryside and paddy fields. Just maintain an eye fixed out for the biking path indicators!

What I missed

Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area 富源國家森林遊樂區 – it’s a 15 minute drive by automotive from Guangfu Train Station however virtually an hour on bicycle (You may take the prepare to Fuyuan Station which is nearer). This nationwide park has a beautiful suspension bridge and can be well-known for butterflies in spring and summer time (March to August)

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Ruisui 瑞穗

Ruisui is most well-known as the one carbonate water sizzling springs in Taiwan. The water right here can be wealthy in iron which provides the water its yellowish tinge and is meant to have beautifying and therapeutic properties.

From Hualien Station to Guangfu Station by prepare:

• Puyuma Express: 30-40 minutes 
• Local Trains: 40 -60 minutes

I first visited Ruisui as a clueless 20-something yr previous simply following my good friend round on the itinerary that she deliberate. That explicit journey was made up just about on the fly – we discovered a guesthouse close to the prepare station after we arrived and the proprietor organized our actions together with going to a sizzling spring bathtub home and white water rafting.

This time round, I largely took taxi to get round. The native girl who picked me up from the prepare station gave me her title card and each time I wanted a experience I simply gave her a name. Definitely go along with a neighborhood cab – on my means again from dinner I made a decision to hop into one other taxi, however that man had fetched somebody down from Taipei and had no thought the way to get round so it took us 2x as lengthy to get again to the lodge >_<

Ruisui Hot Springs: Yen Hotspring Hotel 元湯溫泉居

The important level of visiting Ruisui was to totally benefit from the sizzling springs right here after a busy week on a media journey, so I made a decision to splash out on a pleasant sizzling spring lodge! Yen Hotspring Hotel is among the newer accommodations in Ruisui and has a pleasant clear aesthetic vs the extra typical decor of older sizzling spring accommodations caught within the early 90s or so.

I used to be in a western-style room with a big King sized mattress, leather-based sofa and hooked up balcony – the Japanese fashion rooms have mattresses on a platform and there are bigger suites as nicely.

The bathtub may be very clear and people faucets fill the tub up in a short time. The lodge offers fairly detailed directions on the way to use the tub in addition to the truth that the water is hotter and totally different occasions of the day. I stayed there for one night time and bathed 2x to make full use of this bathtub. What I favored was that the tub was additionally indoors (no mozzies at night time!) but additionally ventilated sufficient that the room itself doesn’t really feel steamy.

The lodge really has a swimming pool and outside sizzling springs as nicely, although the general public are right here to benefit from the baths of their rooms, it is likely to be helpful should you’re right here as a really massive group. The breakfast offered was additionally very stellar – very contemporary and distinctive native Hualien meals!

Yen Hotspring Hotel is a bit of above my common funds at 4,280 NTD/night time (about S$186), however contemplating the amenities it’s nicely well worth the splurge and should you’re a pair, I believe it’s very price what you pay for. The service was glorious as nicely, with the receptionist girl serving to me to name my taxi after I wanted it.

Alternative Ruisui sizzling spring accommodations to contemplate:

• Ruixiong Hotspring Hotel [affiliate link] – this lodge was cheaper and extra inside my common funds, nevertheless it’s additionally farther from Ruisui Train Station in Hongye Village
• 蜜滋賀溫泉飯店 [affiliate link] – that is one other newish lodge that I used to be contemplating, however I believed Yen was prettier
• Ruisui Sunshine Hot Spring B&B [affiliate link] – this one was a bit on the costly facet as nicely nevertheless it’s a really fairly lodge additionally positioned in Hongye Village. The hotspring bathtub is positioned on the balcony which is sweet however I fear about mozzies!

Milk Hotpot: Green Genie / Lü Jing Ling 綠精靈瑞穗鮮奶鍋

Ruisui’s pastures have made this city well-known for its dairy merchandise – the Rareseed Ranch or Ruisui Ranch 瑞穗牧場 is a fairly fashionable vacationer attraction within the space, however I didn’t trouble as a result of it appears to largely be a petting zoo for cows and the place you should purchase milk merchandise.

Instead, I made a decision to eat one of many extra distinctive meals within the space: a hotpot that makes use of contemporary milk as its base at a restaurant referred to as Lü Jing Ling. It’s very near the prepare station so should you drop by within the afternoon, you may simply stroll there. 

I used to be fairly hungry so I went down early (about 530pm?) and simply acquired a seat because it was a weekday and I used to be early. There are a number of milk hotpot choices on the menu with totally different flavours like curry, vanilla, spicy Mongolian and seafood, however I made a decision to simply eat the conventional milk hotpot. They produce other non-milk hotpots and rice/noodle dishes as nicely. 

The milk style is definitely fairly gentle, and I like that the hotpot doesn’t really feel too wealthy so you may simply eat every little thing.The customary milk hotpot set prices 250 NTD (~S$10) and is fairly worthwhile for my part since you get free circulation rice, condiments in addition to dessert that features fruit, contemporary milk pudding and a pomelo tea! I used to be positively fairly stuffed after this.

There have been queues exterior after I left at about 645pm, so positively go early should you can or make a reservation! It’s not a really massive place.

Another factor that’s fashionable to eat in Ruisui that I used to be actually too full for at this level is the Matcha Meatballs. Green tea meatballs? Yes, that’s precisely what it’s. This stall is even nearer to the Ruisui Train Station – take a look at Fairy Lolita for extra pix of this unusual meatball stuffed with pork and bamboo shoots.

White Water Rafting

An previous title for Ruisui is Shuiwei, which interprets to ‘end of the water’ as a result of this city is positioned on the finish of the Xiuguluan River which is the longest river in Taiwan at about 104km and the one one which cuts by way of the Central Mountain Range! One extremely popular exercise in Ruisui throughout summer time is whitewater rafting alongside the Xiuguluan River.

Timing is essential in terms of whitewater rafting in Ruisui: the height season is often round August when the river is full and the rapids are at their strongest. Long time in the past I attempted it out in May which was nonetheless a tad too dry and we spent extra time getting towed by the speedboat than really shifting – learn extra right here. February after I was there not too long ago was a tad too chilly for me to need to be within the water.

The place to begin for the rafting expertise is the place the Xiuguluan River Centre is positioned east of Ruisui Train Station [Google Maps]. The ending level is usually in Fengbin alongside Hualien coast the place the pink Changhong Bridge is positioned [Google Maps]. This journey down the river takes about 3-4 hours in whole and often begins within the morning as there’s a curfew for boats at 3pm.

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Yuli 玉里

This small city close to the southern tip of Hualien County consists largely of paddy fields, however is a beautiful place to wind down and the place an necessary geological marker might be discovered. August to September is a busy time as most individuals head to Chike Mountain to see the orange daylilies on the mountainside.

From Hualien Station to Yuli Station by prepare:

• Puyuma Express: 50-60 minutes 
• Local Trains: 1-1.5hrs

Yufu Bikeway 玉富自行車道

For these excited about extra critical biking in Taiwan, the Yufu Bikeway that straddles Yuli and Fuli down south is meant to be one of many prettiest locations to cycle in Taiwan. This 10km bikeway completely for bicycles was constructed on the previous prepare tracks that hyperlink Yuli to the previous prepare stations at Antong and Dongli.

Those who’ve learn earlier blogs know that I’ve carried out the lengthy biking journeys (recollections of the Shinamani Kaido) nevertheless it’s not my common factor. Even that day in Yuli I used to be feeling a bit drained from biking at Guangfu the day earlier than so I completely whimped out and rented an e-bike as a substitute (300NTD vs 100NTD however was having the ability to put my ft up and transfer at >2x the pace of a standard bike price it? Hell sure)

Yuli itself is a pleasant quiet small city with a number of paddy fields and small paths, excellent for some uneventful biking with out the specter of excessive visitors and delightful views. I largely caught to the primary city space, going as far north in the direction of one thing referred to as Yuli Wetlands, after which southwards so far as the Kecheng bridge that seems in plenty of postcards.

If you’ve got extra time and power, you might cycle right down to neighbouring village Antong 安通 (about 10 minutes drive or 30 minutes by bicycle) which is a well-liked sizzling spring city. Or maintain following the Yufu Bikeway and Highway 30 to succeed in the previous Dongliyi Station 東里驛站 (it’s not removed from the present Dongli Station should you slightly take the prepare) which is now a biking relaxation cease amidst the paddy fields.

Philippine-Eurasian Plate Marker 歐亞板塊及菲律賓海板塊交界紀念碑

The important sight to see on the Yufu Bikeway is that this explicit bridge that doesn’t simply cross the river, but additionally crosses the purpose the place the Philippine and Eurasian tectonic plates meet! It’s additionally the rationale why there’s plenty of tectonic exercise there and so they finally shifted the railway line as a result of they needed to maintain adjusting it when the plates moved.

Unfortunately, that part of the Yufu Bikeway was closed after I went due to the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Yuli in Sep 2022 and broken numerous the city. This part of the bridge is closed, although you might use the primary highway on Yuli Bridge that runs parallel to the bikeway to hook up with the remainder of the route on the opposite facet. 

There is often a marker on the bridge the place the plates are supposed to fulfill, which is the place most individuals take their proof pictures with, so I made a decision to simply relax close by and benefit from the view. The river was fairly dry with barely any water flowing, and there was a lone digger working to clear some rocks. It is likely to be awhile earlier than they reopen this bridge once more!

Yuli Noodles: Ma Gai Xian 馬蓋先美食玉里麵

Another factor that’s significantly well-known right here is one thing referred to as Yuli Noodles. Because of all of the paddy fields, rice and noodles are after all staples right here and imagined to be further tasty, although I can’t determine what makes Yuli Noodles particular. Regardless, I do the vacationer factor and head to Ma Gai Xian 馬蓋先, one in all a number of well-known Yuli noodle outlets within the city. 

In essence, Yuli Noodle is a bowl of springy handmade noodles which have been air-dried, topped with slices of pork, lard, bean sprouts and greens. I had the dry model which had some sauce and oil, however you may have a soup model as nicely. It was a stable, tasty bowl of noodles for positive however there’s nothing significantly fascinating or bizarre about it.

Where to remain in Yuli

I daytripped down from Ruisui to Yuli and headed as much as Hualien City within the night so I didn’t keep in a single day in Yuli, however the lodging right here is certainly cheaper in comparison with Hualien City and price consideration if you’re on a funds or simply need someplace quiet.. 

There are lockers on the prepare station with English directions to go surfing that foreigners can use, although getting them to work was truthfully not the best for me. If you hire bicycles close by you might ask should you may depart your baggage there. 

Yuli guesthouses to contemplate:

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Have you been to Hualien? What are your favorite small cities within the East Rift Valley? Tell me what I missed. Meanwhile take a look at extra of my Taiwan posts right here: