The 2017 Sun Moon Lake Cycling Carnival attracted cyclists from 11 countries, with 3,000 riders coming together for two consecutive days at Sun Moon Lake. They first took on the challenge of the New Central Cross-Island Highway beneath Yushan Mountain, then cruised along the Sun Moon Lake cycling route, ranked among the world’s top 10 most beautiful bike paths, bringing another highlight to Taiwan’s cycling festival.
The “Sun Moon Lake–Taroko” challenge route, launched on the 11th, spanned a total of 80 kilometers. Originally, 900 riders had signed up, but due to heavy rains in June that caused landslides on parts of the New Central Cross-Island Highway between Caotou and Taroko, the Nantou Forest District Office, prioritizing rider safety, rerouted the course from its planned start at the Sun Moon Lake Xiangshan Visitor Center to the endpoint at the Taroko Visitor Center. The new route now finishes with a turnaround at Caotou, situated at an altitude of 1,105 meters — still offering a considerable challenge.
Nantou Forest District Office Director Hong Weixin stated that the main event on the 12th will take place on the Sun Moon Lake Loop, recognized as one of the world’s top 10 most beautiful cycling routes. The day will feature a “Loop Challenge Ride,” a “Casual Bike Ride” allowing participants to enjoy the morning breeze and light exercise, as well as a children’s balance bike fun race, with a total of 2,138 participants of all ages signing up.
The Loop Challenge Ride drew participants from the United States, the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China. Among them, the Shimanami Kaido cycling route in Japan, which has been twinned with Sun Moon Lake as a sister bike path, participated for the sixth consecutive year by crossing the sea to join the event.
On the 11th, Guoxing Township hosted the opening of its “Atayal Hot Spring Festival Carnival” water-splashing event, alongside the “Guoxing Seizing Success” series — one of the top 12 Hakka festivals in the region. The Atayal Dudo Resort offered free admission for all visitors arriving before 11 a.m., drawing crowds from across the township and causing heavy traffic along the roads. Nantou County Magistrate Lin Ming-chen expressed hope that this event could evolve into a “Nantou Seizing Success,” allowing Hakka communities from other townships to join in as well.