The Qingshui Cliffs are the climax of the Suhua coast. For several kilometres the mountains fall almost vertically into the Pacific, rising roughly a thousand metres from the waterline, their faces made of the same pale marble and gneiss that form Taroko Gorge just inland. The sea at their base turns from turquoise to deep blue within a few metres, and on a sunny day the colours look almost unreal. The road clings to the cliff high above the water, passing through short tunnels and galleries.
Geologically, this is a young and violent landscape. The mountains here are being pushed up by the collision of tectonic plates, and they are being torn down just as fast by rain, rivers and earthquakes. The cliffs are one of the places where you can see this most dramatically, and the viewpoints along the road look out over wave-washed boulders and fans of gravel where streams come down. At the mouth of the Liwu river, just south, the gorge meets the sea, and the coast flattens towards Hualien.
The riding is spectacular but demands attention. The old road along the cliffs is narrow and winding, and tunnels are sometimes rough, with drips and potholes. New tunnels have taken much of the traffic away from the most exposed sections, but the viewpoints are on the old road, and it is worth taking the detour to see them. There are several pull-outs with space to park, and in the early morning, before the tour buses, they are quiet. Rockfall is a real risk, especially after rain or earthquakes, and the 2024 Hualien quake caused damage in this area.
For services, Hualien City, about thirty kilometres south, is the place to go: a lively town with fuel, hotels, night markets and a famous local snack, the small dumplings called bianshi, served in soup. The area around the cliffs has few facilities, so carry water and snacks, and make sure your tank is full before you leave Su'ao in the north or Hualien in the south.