Part V: The cross island Highway (Highways 8 and 14)
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| Formosa |
Highway 9 goes inland and runs parallel to Highway 11. There are a few roads that link the two highways that are also worth a detour, because they offer amazing vistas (see below under "Special Scenic Roads").
In my opinion, H9 is at least as interesting as H11. True, you don't see the beautiful azure of the pacific, but the mountains are equally mesmerizing.
Stops along the way (listed North-South)
- Walami Trail:
A must! We came here late in the day, and had basically the trail for ourselves. A series of suspension bridges and beautiful falls are the highlights here. You see the raw/lush side of Taiwan. Where Taiwan is the most "Formosa"!
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| Suspension Bridge |
- Antong Hot Springs: Another must! By chance we found
this hot springs/onsen called "Moon Water Bay Hill". We had a fantastic stay: a great room, simple with wooden floors, a great comfy bed, a balcony overlooking the Antong Valley and... a private onsen! The food was also top notch, both our dishes were really delicious. We had a bit of trouble with communicating with them, but in the end, they were so hospitable. An absolute must if you want to relax on the hot springs!
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| View from our room |
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| Dinner at Moon Water Bay Hill |
- Sixty Stone Mountain: ok. We came to see the orange blossoms and got
nice pics, but it was a long drive so make sure you have time. Also, there are a ton of tourists there, so be prepared...
- Loshan Scenic Area: really not worth the detour. There are several attractions here, a
waterfall and a much advertised
mud vulcano. None of these are really note worthy. There are nice rice terraces when approaching the scenic area since this area is called the rice warehouse of Taiwan, but still... Keep driving.
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| Sixty Stone Mountain |
Greatest regret:
- Moon House Restaurant: we saw
this great review of the restaurant and tried to show up without a reservation. Don't. We had to turn back and were really sad as it was incredibly busy hinting at a fantastic food experience. Try making reservations and let me know how you liked it!
Special Scenic Roads:
- Road 64 (up from Shitiping to Ruisui): amazing views up the mountain. Just the change in vegetation is really interesting, but then you have bends on the road that open up to amazing river valleys and green mountains. It's an absolute must if you need to connect from Highway 11 to Highway 9.
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| Road 64 |
Roads To avoid:
- Road 197 (Taitung-Chihshang): The road starts off good, but then quickly turns into a gravel road. Oh boy, that was terrible. We could only go at 10-20 km/h and had no idea how long the gravel road would be. That was a pure waste. So don't do the same mistake we made.
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| Road 197 |
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| Road 197 |
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