Dulan sits on Taiwan's east coast, where the mountains drop almost straight into the Pacific. The village, in Taitung County about fifteen kilometres north of Taitung City, lies along Provincial Highway 11, a ribbon of road that runs between the Coastal Mountain Range and the sea, and the combination of mountain, surf and open sky has made it a haven for surfers, artists and refugees from the island's crowded west.
The people who lived here first were the Amis and other Indigenous communities, and their culture is still alive in the villages along the coast, with harvest festivals, songs and a tradition of weaving and wood carving. In Dulan, an old sugar factory has been turned into a creative hub, with galleries, workshops and a café where musicians play on weekends. The hills behind the village hold sacred places for the local communities, and Dulan Mountain, as the ridge is called, rises sharply above the road.
Highway 11 is one of the great coastal rides of Asia. The road follows the shoreline with views of the ocean on one side and green hills on the other, passing fishing harbours, rock formations and small beaches. Surfaces are generally excellent and traffic is light, although in holiday weekends scooters and tourist buses crowd the coast. Typhoons between July and October can close sections of the road with landslides and wave damage, so check the news before you set out. The wind from the sea can be fierce. Taiwan drives on the right, helmets are mandatory, and speed cameras are common, so keep to the limits.
Fuel is easy in Taitung, and there are stations along the coast, although they are spaced widely in places, so fill up before leaving. In Dulan itself you will find cafés, noodle shops and small convenience stores, which are open all hours. Fresh fish, grilled squid and pork rice are standard fare, and the local millet wine is strong.
Time your ride for the early morning, when the Pacific is calm and the sunrise comes up over the water.