Cycling fun in Nantou – enjoy scenic tree-lined bridges

Cycling tourism is becoming increasingly popular. Beyond hotspots like Hualien, Taitung, and Kenting, central Taiwan’s Nantou is also a great place to ride, offering beautiful mountain and water scenery. The key town of Zhongxing New Village was specially planned and built in the style of England’s London “new towns” when the former Taiwan Provincial Government was relocated to Nantou. This pastoral-style administrative community includes office and residential areas, featuring several parks and tree-lined roads throughout, making it a very pleasant place to explore.

Starting from the palm-lined boulevard in front of the provincial government building in Nantou City, you first arrive at the lush-green Zhongxing New Village. The diverse settlement charm here makes it worth exploring even if you just stay within the area. After leaving Zhongxing New Village, you can cycle along country roads to visit the Nantou Winery, take a break, and then head to the Lümei Bridge to enjoy a thrilling ride along the bicycle path along the Nanhua River. Along this route, you’ll mostly find verdant parks or pastoral scenery, as well as flat, easy paths that make for a truly relaxing ride.

Here, you can avoid the busier Guanghua Road and turn into the side alleys lined with quaint, Japanese-style low-rise houses, giving you a feel as if you’ve traveled back to the 1940s. Alternatively, you can enjoy the green tunnel of the ring road, which has no buildings. Other great spots include Guanghua Park with its wide lawns and various children’s play facilities, and the large athletic field dotted with ancient banyan trees—both are perfect for a leisurely stop. Among the most unique is the distinctive Yeshaile Garden, an early work by famed architect Hsiu Tse-lan. Its sleek white quadrangular structure stands out brightly next to Guanghua Road. Meanwhile, the Zhongxing Auditorium is a grand, all-white Baroque-style building facing the athletic field.

Neiluxi Park is located on the outskirts of Zhongxing New Village, near the entrance to the Zhongxing Gymnasium and swimming pool, in the later-added residential area for officials. In addition to lawns and green spaces, the park features art sculptures and trees from the Lansium genus, complemented by the gymnasium’s domed exterior, creating a distinctive atmosphere. It’s a great spot to take a break before continuing your journey.

You’ll know you’ve arrived at the Nantou Winery when you see the giant two-story oak barrel-shaped tasting house. This is the only winery under the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation dedicated exclusively to producing fruit wines, such as grape wine, brandy, lychee wine, plum wine, rum, whiskey, and more. In the tasting house, visitors can learn how to properly enjoy fruit wines and sample a variety of them. The exhibition and sales center not only sells alcoholic products but also offers a range of snacks and local specialties that incorporate wine into their recipes. You can sit down and enjoy a meal while browsing and shopping.

Spanning the Nanhua River, the Lümei Bridge features elegant red steel arches and is reserved exclusively for motorcycles and bicycles, connecting to the Nanhua River bicycle path. Both sides have pedestrian walkways where you can stop and admire the river views. The sandbars on both banks are planted with vast fields of cosmos flowers in shades of pink, white, and red, creating a romantically charming scene. Once on the Nanhua River bicycle path, you can get even closer to the colorful flower fields, and the adjacent embankment is adorned with beautiful painted murals that accompany travelers along the way.

Read more: The Great Valley Bridge at Naruko Gorge in Northeastern Japan (provided by Tripass Scenic Spots)