Location: Pingtung
Distance: 85km Elevation Gain: 800m
Pingtung, the most southern county of Taiwan, is one of the less mountainous parts of the country, but despite this, there is no shortage of great rides on undulating terrain that will give the rider a good workout. It should also be mentioned that these rides are primarily within Kenting National Park which is arguably the best beach area in Taiwan. In addition to this you are now entering the heartland of the indigenous Paiwan Tribe.
For our series we have decided to include two rides which will cover what we consider to be the best roads in Pingtung. Part 1, #041 in our series is listed as ‘Kenting Loop 1’, below, is a shorter loop covering 80km in distance. It is also worth noting this was the location of an annual sportive, which would attract hundreds of riders.
By public transport the nearest train station is at Fangliao. From here it’s exactly 35km south on Provincial Highway No. 1 then No. 26 to Checheng. By car this would be the best place to park. At this point, the No. 26 intersects with the No. 199. As is the case with the ‘Kenting Loop 1’ there is the option of riding clockwise up the No.199 or counter-clockwise on the No. 200 from Hengchun which is 7kms south of Checheng on the No. 26. I would advise the former, riding east on the No. 199, as this is the better climb.
This is the 37km marker on the No. 199. Just 5km up the road is the hot spring town of Sichongxi, with lots of accommodation and food options here. At this point, the road ascends gradually to Mudan Reservoir, and bougainvillea line the road. It will be obvious to the rider that this is primarily an indigenous area populated by people from the Paiwan Tribe. Murals and totems along the road are well worth stopping for a photograph. Apart from that there is an excellent restaurant called Nanfangbuluo (Southern Tribe) at the 26km marker on the road.
There is a sharp ascent from here, but only for a couple of km. This is followed by several km of undulating through densely forested roads and farmland. The next stop is at the 12km marker where the rider comes to a small village with a 3-way intersection. (This is the point where ‘Loop 2’ intersects with ‘Loop 1’) A right turn here on the No. 199A takes the rider on a super fast 8km downhill to the hot spring town of Xuhai. Caution is advised on this narrow section with lots of hairpin bends in the road.
You may see signs on the road for the Xuhai Grassland and Alanyi Historic Trail which is off to the left. This hiking trail requires a permit and a guide.
Back on the coast the rider rejoins the north section of the No. 26 and a pleasant flat 8km roll to the start of the No. 200. It’s a sharp ascent up from the coast here followed by several kilometers of rolling. Other than a few small village shops there is not much on the road until you reach the town of Manzhou which has a 7-11 and lots of small restaurants.
From the east coast back to the town of Hengchun it’s a 32km ride until you reach the No. 26 at Hengchun, which is a bustling town with lots of accommodation and food options. At one point in time, this was the first and only ‘city’ in the south of Taiwan.
It has huge historical significance and the following article in the Taipei Times illustrates its importance and good reasons to spend a night here. Turning right on the No. 26 it’s just 7km north back to the start point at Checheng.