Su'ao is the end of the flat land. North of the town the Lanyang plain of Yilan spreads out in rice fields and fish ponds; south of it the Central Mountain Range plunges straight into the Pacific, and the road to Hualien has to cling to the cliffs. Su'ao itself is a port town with a deep natural harbour, a naval base, a cement works and a famous cold spring, and its fishing district of Nanfang'ao, just over the hill, is one of the busiest fishing harbours on Taiwan's east coast.
The cold spring is a local curiosity. Water bubbles up naturally carbonated and cool, and the town has built public pools around it where people soak in the fizzy water on hot summer days, and where a local soda and sweets are made from it. Nanfang'ao is the place to eat: the harbour market sells mackerel, swordfish, squid and many fish you will not recognise, and restaurants will cook what you buy. The harbour also has a large temple to Mazu, the goddess of the sea, with statues made of gold and jade, a measure of what the sea means to the people here.
This is where the Suhua Highway begins, Provincial Highway 9, running south along the coast. It was once notorious, a narrow road carved into the cliffs with landslides, rockfalls and heavy trucks, and it is still a dramatic ride. Since 2020, a series of long new tunnels and bridges has made the route much safer and faster, bypassing some of the worst sections, though the old road survives in places for those who want the views. Trucks carrying cement and gravel are still a major presence, so ride defensively.
Before setting off, fill up in Su'ao or Yilan, about twenty kilometres back, because services along the coast are sparse until Hualien. The weather here is wetter than in western Taiwan, with the north-east monsoon bringing rain and wind in autumn and winter, and typhoons can close the highway entirely. Check the forecast and road conditions, and leave early. The light on the Pacific in the morning is worth the early start.