A Literary Cyclist’s Journey: Hualien’s “Coastal Bicycle Path” Embracing the Pacific

▲Hualien’s Coastal Bicycle Path is close to the city center and also offers close-up views of the Pacific.

Reported and photographed by Cai Wenjun / Hualien

Hop on a bike and set off from the Hualien Cultural and Creative Park. Ride straight along Zhonghua Road, passing through Gongyuan Road and Jinghua Street. The surroundings gradually shift from the densely populated city center, and you’ll soon begin to feel the faintly salty sea breeze, while the view opens up wider and wider... In just about 20 minutes, you’ll reach a section of the Two Lakes Bicycle Path that offers stunning views of the blue Pacific—the “Coastal Bicycle Path.”.

Ride across the Shuguang Bridge, which is only wide enough for two people to pass side by side. The path is lined with greenery on both sides, shielding you from Hualien’s blazing sun. Occasionally glancing to the right, you’ll see layers of waves crashing against the shore—it feels as though you’re embraced by the sea while enjoying the pleasure of cycling.Song Yingcheng, director of Taiwan Hospitality & Tourism College, explained that this section of the path was originally the “Lingang Line,” built by the Taiwan Railways Administration to transport labor and materials for the harbor construction project. Later, when a new railway replaced it, the route was paved and turned into a bicycle path.

▲%Enter from the serene lotus pond plaza (image above) to start your closest-to-the-sea cycling adventure. The path is shaded by greenery, keeping you cool even in summer (image below).

Midway through your ride, you can choose to take a break atthe “Mijia Waiting Station.”This station was once one of the stops on the old Lingang Line—not only used for transporting goods but also where students commuted to school and office workers traveled to jobs in other cities. Though it now serves merely as a rest pavilion, it still carries the legacy of being a hub that once carried dreams and everyday life. However, as venomous snakes may occasionally appear, do stay alert for your safety while resting.

%The former Mijia waiting station, once a transit hub, is now a wooden shelter for passersby to take temporary rest.

“Jiangkou Ryuzaburo Park”is another must-visit spot along the way. Song Yingcheng noted that the area near the Mijia Waiting Station was once a small fishing village called “Niaotashi,” named not only for the abundance of rocks but also for the many birds that liked to perch on them. During the Japanese colonial period, Jiangkou Ryuzaburo, then chief of Hualien Prefecture, believed a harbor should be built here—but his proposal was rejected by the Japanese government for being “too remote.”

Determined to achieve his goal, Jiangkou Ryuzaburo wrote numerous songs in praise of the project and even organized a baseball team to compete in the prestigious Koshien tournament. Finally, five years after his death, the Japanese government agreed to construct Hualien Port here. Although he didn’t live to see the port being built, the world recognized his tireless efforts, and a stone monument along with a large wooden torii gate were erected in his honor.

%The large stone monument and wooden torii gate stand as a solemn tribute to his unwavering dedication.