Su-ao-Hualien Highway

In addition to the Central Cross-Island Highway, another road that offers considerable attractions for the tourists is the Su-ao-Hualien Highway. First opened to traffic in 1932, this 118-kilometer highway was the first government-built road in the area. However, its origins go back to 1874, when a road was first cut between Su-ao and Hualien under order of the imperial Chinese government.

North along the road from Hualien is the Chungde Control. In the early stages of its development, the road could carry traffic in only one direction at a time, and vehicles had to wait at the control station for convoys going the opposite direction to pass. It rapidly developed into a spot where travelers would stop to enjoy the scenery, have a snack, and buy souvenirs.

At the northern mouth of the Chungde Tunnel, 182.5 kilometers along the Su-ao-Hualien Highway, is the Shiahai Trail. This is a perfect spot to view the Pacific Ocean. A walk of 10 minutes down the trail brings visitors to a shingle beach featuring limestone formations and a variety of rock-growing plants.

The 20-kilometer stretch of highway between Chungde and Heping is the most tortuous and spectacular section of the Su-ao-Hualien Highway. Cliffs of gneiss and marble from sheer drops of more than 1,000 meters, and the road winds its way precariously between the cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other. After this stretch, the road runs through to Heping and Guanyin, finally reaching Nan-au and Dung-au in Yilan County. In the vicinity of Nan-au, the Wushe Promontory protrudes majestically into the Pacific Ocean, dividing the Su-ao-Hualien coastline into the Nan-au and Dung-au bays. Dung-au is a major producer of lilies. Moreover, the Japanese Current brings this coastal area a rich annual harvest of fish.