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Cycling in Chishang 池上 amidst picturesque rice fields

One of the prettiest places I’ve visited in Taiwan to date is the little town of Chishang 池上 in Taitung County. With its flat green rice fields bordered by the mountains of the Eastern Rift Valley in the distance, it’s a lovely place for a day trip for anyone exploring the eastern coast of Taiwan. I spent a day cycling around this picturesque little town and put together this little guide to Chishang and things to do in Chishang.

Pin it: Cycling through Chishang in Taitung

How to get around Chishang

Taitung Chishang Bicycle Field
My trusty bicycle

Chishang is not a very big place, and a cheap and fun way to explore is by cycling. Traffic isn’t heavy and some roads are even blocked off from vehicular traffic. I rented my bike from a little stand next to Chishang Train Station for 100 NTD (S$4.20).

Taitung Chishang Map
A map of what you can expect to see around Chishang

Things to do in Chishang

I mostly followed the designated bicycle path that you can see in the map above, but I’ve also mapped it out on Google Maps to help you navigate.


Wutao Chishang FanBao Museum 悟饕池上飯包文化故事馆

Chishang is renowned in Taiwan for its high quality of rice that’s extra QQ (springy is my best translation for that) and a little bit sweet. Rice is such a big deal in Chishang that it only rice with proper certification and verification can be marketed as Chishang rice. In addition, the ubiquitous Biandang 便當 or the rice lunchbox that you can find all over Taiwan has evolved into a uniquely Chishang version called Fanbao 飯包, traditionally served in a little box held together by 4 wooden panels.

Taitung Chishang FanBao
They have various versions, but the most typical Chishang Fanbao or正宗池上飯包 includes braised egg, Chinese sausage (lupcheong), dried beancurd (taukee), pork slices, and some cabbage and costs 80 NTD (S$3.30)

Start your exploration right by dropping by browsing through the exhibits of the Museum to learn about the history of this lunch box from its beginning in 1939 on the upper floor, with lots of rice related exhibits and dioramas as well though I honestly didn’t spend that much time reading all the information.

Taitung Chishang Fanbao Sign
These trains are now fun dining cabins

I was more keen to sample a traditional Fanbao for myself. While the Fanbao is meant for takeout, I recommend eating it in one of the converted train carriages that you can find around the compound – it’s a nod to how Fanbao became popular in the first place, as something people could take on the train to eat. The rice was pretty good but I don’t think I’m expert enough to pick it out of a line up.

Taitung Chishang Fanbao Rice
Bring home some authentic Chishang rice

Getting here: 259 Zhongxiao Road 池上鄉忠孝路259 – you can walk here from the Chishang Train Station. Open 8am-8pm.


Dapo Pond 大坡池

After a satisfying Fanbao, my next stop along the cycling route was Dapo Pond. Not much was happening when I passed by, probably because it was midday and blazing hot, but it definitely is a pretty spot. Dapo Pond is an inland freshwater swamp with a nice jogging and bike path around it, and the reason for the town’s name – Chishang 池上 translates directly into ‘Pond Above’.

Taitung Chishang Dapo Lake
Nice lake with mountains in the background
Taitung Chishang Dapo Lake View
It wasn’t the right season for lotuses or water lilies, which cover the lake

Getting here: Cycle along Zhongshan Road Tongshui Lane 中山路通水巷 towards Dapo Lake


Chishang’s Many Rice Fields

All the rice in Chishang is grown locally, so of course there are plenty of farmland and rice fields to admire as you explore. Stop to enjoy the view – I found some cute rest stop spots where I could just sit and quietly enjoy the rustling of the rice stalks in the wind. The way they rippled was pretty mesmerising

Taitung Chishang Rice Fields Rest House
This little rest house has a great view of the rice fields and good for a short break from the relentlessly hot sun

The beauty of the rice fields is that they change colour depending on the season. It was all very green when I visited in May, but the fields will turn a beautiful golden yellow as it approaches harvest season in October. There is usually a harvest festival as well towards the end of October.

Taitung Chishang Rice Fields View
Look at that view! The wind was blowing so there were these beautiful waves created in the rice, it was quite mesmerising
Taitung Chishang Washing Area
A little further down – This is the Jinyuan washing pavillion 錦園洗衣亭

Getting here: About halfway around Dapo Pond you will see Jinxin Road 錦新路 and signs directing you towards Bolang Dadao 伯朗大道 or Mr Brown Avenue


Mr Brown Avenue 伯朗大道

Probably the most famous spot in Chishang, Mr Brown Avenue 伯朗大道 or Mr Brown Boulevard, a 2.2km long straight stretch of road that cuts across Chishang’s rice fields with no barriers and lampposts along it to obstruct the picture perfect view of the lush green fields and surrounding mountains.

Taitung Chishang MrBrown Sign
It’s official name was Jinrin road #3. That’s obviously not as catchy

Officially it’s known as Jinxin #3 Road 锦新三号道路, but it got its Mr Brown moniker because of an advertisement filmed here back in the day by Taiwanese coffee brand Mr Brown. I found a really retro looking clip of the ad on youtube and you can see some scenes of the train passing through and the fields forming a great backdrop for the ad.

Taitung Chishang MrBrown Ice Cream
Stopped for an ice cream break
Taitung Chishang MrBrown Road
It got more crowded later on – I think it was just way too hot when I was there at midday
Taitung Chishang MrBrown Jumpshot
Cars aren’t allowed on the road, only pedestrians and bicycles and scooters, so I managed a pretty cool jumpshot
Taitung Chishang MrBrown Rice Field
Rice fields

But a more famous ad that was filmed in recent years was by Taiwanese airline EVA Air which featured the actor Takeshi Kaneshiro cycling along this road, and stopping under a picturesque tree to have some tea. That tree is now called the Takeshi Kaneshiro Tree 金城武树 and just about everyone who passes by stops to reenact that star moment beneath its branches. Good luck not capturing anyone else in your shot – it can get pretty crowded.

Taitung Chishang MrBrown Tree
The Takeshi Kaneshiro Tree got ripped up by a typhoon so it’s a little fragile, doesn’t deter the tourists though as it really is such a picturesque tree. I love how they just didn’t bother removing it or building the road away from it
Taitung Chishang MrBrown EVA Iseeyou
There’s a plaque on the floor so you know why all the tourists are here

Road to Heaven 天堂之路

Bisecting Mr Brown Avenue is another road originally known as Wanxin Road 萬新道路, but better known by its nickname Tiantang Road 天堂之路, which translates as the Road to Heaven. Unlike Mr Brown Road which is straight, this one has some pleasing curves to it and is said to resemble a dragon’s tail.

Taitung Chishang Heaven Road Tree
It has its own less popular but still kinda pretty tree
Taitung Chishang Heaven Road Curve
See that undulation
Taitung Chishang Heaven Road Sign
Ok this is a crappy picture of the signboard explaining the bit about the dragon’s tail but it never really explains exactly how this place became known as heaven’s road

At the end of this road is a lookout point of sorts built out of wood. I climbed up to the top, a longish raised boardwalk of sorts for an elevated view of the surrounding rice fields.

Taitung Chishang Daguanting
At the junction of Heaven’s Road with Wanxing Road 2 is Daguanting, or big viewing pavillion
Taitung Chishang Rice Fields
I’ve run out of words to describe the vastness and beauty of green paddy fields
Taitung Chishang Big Wheel
You will also pass this big but sadly broken water wheel at the end of Wanxing Road #2

Chishang Pastoral Farm Resort 池上牧野渡假村

On the way back, instead of taking the main road, I decided to cycle along some of the smaller parallel back roads instead. I found myself entering the Chishang Pastoral Farm Resort 池上牧野渡假村. Maybe it was the time of day or the wrong season, but it seemed a bit quiet and empty when I visited.

Taitung Chishang Pastoral Farm Entrance
Welcome!

Given that it called itself a Pastoral Farm, I was expecting perhaps some sort of a farm animal petting zoo with your typical livestock, but I definitely wasn’t expecting to see the ostrich, nor the cassowary birds. According to the Taitung Tourism website, I apparently missed out on seeing the pygmy hippos!

Taitung Chishang Pastoral Farm Ostrich
Yes, an ostrich. There was also cassowaries and other

This apparently used to be the site of the old Taitang 台糖 or Taiwan Sugar factory that was converted into a resort in 1994. In keeping with the whole pastoral farm theme, they have a whole Mongolian theme going with lots of little yurts and artwork. It’s a bit bizarre when you’re cycling through this place without any context whatsoever. Read more about it here.

Taitung Chishang Pastoral Farm Yurt
Why yurts? You can actually rent these rooms, they’re not just for show
Taitung Chishang Pastoral Farm Statue
I do believe that might be Guanyin in the background. At this point I was wondering if I’d had too much sun, but this was all a little odd and surreal to stumble upon

Getting here: 110 Xinxing Village 池上乡新兴村110号. See website here. Open 8am-5pm.


Hakka Cultural Park 客家文化园区

I needed a bit of a breather at this point, and ended up stopping at the Hakka Cultural Park 客家文化园区. There is an information centre and a small but new museum all about the Hakka culture in Taiwan. I wandered in for a quick walk around and to escape the afternoon heat.

Taitung Chishang Hakka Museum
It’s surprisingly new looking, but I like that they didn’t make it too fancy looking so it fits in with the overall countryside feel of Chishang

What I thought was more interesting were the gardens opposite the museum which they call the Flower Sea or Huahai 花海. Again I saw down here and enjoyed the flowers before I continued on my cycling journey.

Taitung Chishang Flower Sea
Just some of the flowers in the flower sea. It’s a more manicured landscape as compared to the rice paddies.

Getting here: 1 Xinguan Road 池上乡新兴村新光路1号. Open Wed-Sun 830am-615pm


How to get to Chishang

I stayed in Taitung City in a hostel called I’m Here [booking.com affiliate link] really close to the main Taitung train station, so it was easy to just hop on a train to Chishang. It takes about 45 minutes to get from Taitung City Station to Chishang Station via the Taitung Line, and cost me just 61 NTD (S$2.50) for a one way ticket on the slower train, and 74 NTD (S$3.10) on the faster return train.

Taitung Chishang Train Ticket
cheap and frequent trains

Planning a trip to Taiwan? Escape the busy city of Taipei and check out the East Coast. See my posts covering Yilan, Hualien and Taitung.

Vanessa Lee

Sunday 2nd of September 2018

Your trip looks great! How many hours did you spend cycling to all those places you mentioned and back to Chishang station? Also, when did you go there? I'm going in September and was wondering if it is the right season.

Jaclynn Seah

Monday 3rd of September 2018

Hm I took about 6 hours in total? That's including breaks for lunch and all. I was there in May when it was starting to get hot in June-August, I think September is when things starting getting a bit cooler so I hope that's good for you!

Velysia Zhang

Tuesday 10th of October 2017

Loving the lush area around, especially the rice field! I'll be traveling to Taiwan next November and I'd probably try cycling around Taitung and Chishang. Thanks for the information!

Jaclynn Seah

Tuesday 10th of October 2017

If you're a cycling fan, that whole eastern stretch of Taitung is apparently quite popular for cyclists :) Have fun!