Taitung is a quiet, easy-going city on Taiwan's south-eastern coast, with about a hundred and ten thousand people, a long Pacific shoreline, and a pace of life noticeably slower than the busy west coast. Behind it, the Coastal Range runs north to south on one side and the Central Mountain Range on the other, with the long East Rift Valley in between, a flat strip of farmland that follows the line where two tectonic plates meet. For a rider who has spent the day on the road, it is an easy and friendly place to end.
The valley is the main attraction. It is full of rice paddies, tea gardens and orchards, with farm villages dotted among them, and the land is so flat that the mountains on either side seem to rise from a table. Chishang, a little north of here, is famous for its rice, and cyclists ride along dead-straight lanes between the green fields. In summer, the hot air balloon festival at Luye draws visitors. The road along the valley is straight and fast, with only gentle bends, and you can ride it relaxed, with a view of mountains on both sides.
The region is also home to Indigenous communities, including the Amis, Puyuma and Paiwan, whose culture and crafts are part of daily life in the area. You can see this in the festivals, the music and the food, and in the carved wooden pillars and colourful patterns found in villages and public buildings. The Taitung area has a long prehistory, and the city's museum of prehistory holds artefacts from a major Neolithic site found near the city.
Fuel, food and cash are no problem, and the night market offers a wide range of local dishes. Hot springs at Zhiben, a short way from town, are a good place to relax after a long ride. Typhoons often strike this coast between July and October, so check the forecast, and remember that the road south and along the coast can be affected by landslides. The best riding months are from October to April, when the air is dry and the sky is clear.