![[ Taipei’s Back Garden ] 2017 Bike Fun YiLan (Event) 拜訪蘭陽平原](http://modernblackhand.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/bike-fun-yilan-2017.jpg "[ Taipei’s Back Garden ] 2017 Bike Fun YiLan (Event) 拜訪蘭陽平原")
2017 Bike Fun YiLan Summary:
- Event by: TWBike
- Starting Location: TouCheng “Chiang Gu” event place, YiLan 頭城搶孤民俗教育園區
- Length: 108 km. Elevation gain: ~ 350 m.
- Hill profile: Flat.
- Good for: Easy base training.
- Route Highlights:
- JiaoXi hot spring (礁溪溫泉)
- Turtle Island (GuiShan 龜山島).
- LanYang plain (蘭陽平原) view.
- Big LanYang River scenery.
Taiwan’s YiLan (宜蘭) is a county located at Taiwan’s northeast, on LanYang Plain, a river delta plain. Since 2006 with the 13 km HsueShan Tunnel (part of National Highway #5 國道五號) connecting YiLan to Taipei, YiLan has become “Taipei’s Back Garden”, gaining prosperity yet losing some rural feels.
YiLan plain from a hot spring hotel view.
Before the Ride: JiaoXi Hot Spring
The night before the ride we stayed at JiaoXi (礁溪), YiLan’s famous hot spring area with abundant public hot spring facilities.
One of the two major public hot spring areas: TanWeiGou Park (湯圍溝公園)
There were some heavy-duty Dr. fish foot therapy (溫泉魚) places here, like the one below. Warning: some fishes were very aggressive at doing their jobs!
All kinds of Dr. fish.
Public foot hot spring spa.
Very hot hot spring well.
JiaoXi main street night view.
The main park sign.
A local famous scallion pancake (蔥油餅) store (here on Google Maps). YiLan is also famous for its green onion cultivation (三星蔥).
The Ride: Along the Shore Highway
The next day our ride started at TouCheng (頭城), a near-shore town famous for its annual “Chiang Gu” 搶孤 traditional event. We began by riding the highway State #2 along the shore.
DaFu Police Station (大福派出所)
Foggy wet weather in the morning, less the view but also less the heat.
West Toward the Plain & LanYang River
The route turned east at the great LanYang River estuary and into the great plain area. We rode along the river bank.
Ready-to-plant rice fields.
YiLan’s water recycling facility.
It seemed that YiLan is also famous for its hami melon (哈密瓜) cultivation.
Passing National Highway #5 that went from southern YiLan all the way to Taipei.
Taiwan’s special force (海軍陸戰隊) veteran YiLan Association.
The entire LanYang plain was surrounded by mountains.
Green onion fields.
The castle tower was part of Jim & Dad’s Brewery, a local craft brewery famous for its Kumquat 金桔 ale. (Unfortunately the pretty brewery entrance was on the other side! )
Misty YiLan’s hills.
State #7 & Back
Here we went back and forth on State #7 that went along the river valley and could reach all the way to west Taiwan. Beautiful super-wide river valley scenery here.
While less traffic, there were some big sand and cement trucks on this route, transporting sands from the river bed.
DaTong 大同 aboriginal village.
There were also some tea fields along State #7’s hillsides.
Crossing the great river here!
Dragon fruit fields.
Crossing one of LanYang’s river’s extension.
The only little hill along the way.
Peeking the great plain.
Back to the Plain towards the Shore
After leaving the river valley, we crossed the southern part of LanYang plain and headed toward the shore.
As the rich Taipei people flooded into YiLan, many used the law’s loophole to buy farmlands and build luxury villas for weekend getaway.
Temple at SanXing (三星), YiLan’s famous green onion production area.
The famous SanXing green onions.
Another great villa.
Crossing the famous DongShan River (冬山河). At downstream there was a popular water park, holding annual children folklore festival (宜蘭國際童玩節).
DongShan Township Admin Center.
DongShan train station with train.
Back on State #2 along the Shore
YiLan’s traditional arts center entrance.
Some sort of Japanese garden themed hotel.
Crossing the great LanYang River estuary.
Last 5 km.
The island far away was the famous landmark Turtle Island ( GuiShan 龜山島 )
Also Recommended:
[Taipei’s Back Garden]: PingXi Classics 平溪經典