Cycle through Yilan’s winter breeze – enjoy the stunning route along the Dongshan River

In the cold winter months, besides eating, getting your body moving can also help keep you warm. Yilan’s Dongshan River Water Park is a great place for visitors to unleash their energy. Rent a bicycle and set off from the park, cycling through Pearl Community, Lizejian Bridge, and Lizejian Old Street, all while enjoying the gentle breezes of Lan Yang. Then head to the National Center for Traditional Arts to explore a variety of traditional art forms. A bike ride in Yilan is far more than just stopping and going—it’s an experience to remember.

Dongshan River Water Park is one of the hottest tourist spots in Yilan. During the bustling water activities each summer, a variety of games and exhibitions are held, allowing visitors to enjoy the coolness of summer with music, lights, waterbeds, and refreshing water jets. In winter, the park exudes a serene vibe amid rippling waters and green lawns. The Pearl Community, located on both banks of the middle reaches of the Dongshan River, focuses on promoting bamboo-walled homestays, straw crafts, kite events, and cycling paths—among which straw crafts and kite promotion are the most famous. Visitors to the Pearl Community can now purchase finished products or book DIY experiences, with prices starting at NT$100 per person.

Spanning the Dongshan River, the bright red steel arch of Lizejian Bridge is not only a key route connecting Lize Village in Wujie Township to Luodong Town but also a local landmark. From a distance, it commands a grand and imposing presence, and cycling across it allows you to feel its historical charm. Lizejian Old Street in Wujie Township retains a quaint, nostalgic simplicity. Starting from the hospital at the crossroads, the first sight is a dental clinic that has stood here since the Japanese colonial period, featuring elegant and graceful architecture. Next is the “Lize Theater,” which resembles a military cap, and further along, you’ll see rows of low-rise houses that evoke a strong sense of the past.

The National Center for Traditional Arts, blending tradition with modernity, faces the Dongshan River Water Park across the river. Spread across a 24-hectare site, the park includes areas for traditional art performances, learning, architectural experiences, craft promotions, ecological landscape exploration, and accommodation, all radiating a deep sense of nostalgia. It encompasses a wide range of traditional performances, music, crafts, magic, and folk toys—truly an all-encompassing cultural destination.

For a winter cycling trip, just follow the Dongshan River. Whether you’re wandering through riverside parks surrounded by green hills and clear waters or tracing the steps of historic old streets and discovering the beauty of art within traditional culture, it’s an immensely refreshing experience.

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