Hello Everyone,

This past saturday I decided to go explore more of Hsinchu, since I have really only seen very little of it. I also decided to make the trip on bike, which turned out to be really worth it. I choose to go to Nanliao (南寮), which is the coast of Hsinchu. I have been there very few times, but those times I didn’t have the chance to really go around and the see the whole place.

Nanliao is located in the North district of Hsinchu, and it is a harbor, so it really doesn’t function much as a beach. Most people go there to enjoy the scenery, fly a kite, fish or buy fish from the fish market that is located right next to the dock, which makes it one of the freshest fish markets around. Nanliao also has a variety of scenery, ranging from coastline to mangrooves and small field farms.

Kites

Colorful Kite

Fish Market

So, I started my trip from my home and rode on bike all the way out to Nanliao. I first went to the Fish Market, since it is the center of activity. After browsing over all the stands on the bottom floor, which is exclusively for the fresh fish, I went to the second floor to check out the restaurants, which all seemed really yummy, trouble was, their portions (and prices) were all family sized. After that, I went around the place to check out the parks and a tower from which you can see everything. It really does provide a good 360 view of the harbor and the mountains on the other side (that is, towards the downtown area.)

Fish Market

Inside the Fish market

Red grey-spotted fish

Then I went back to the fish market for lunch. I decided to try the Tianbula (甜不辣) from the first floor stand which seemed to be quite popular, it ended up being really tasty. For those who don’t know, Tianbula is a fritter made from fish paste (of course) and sometimes they add shrimp, onions or other seasonings, they then shape the paste into patties or balls or rolls and fry them. It is served just like that or with some sauce. Truly yummy. After that, I had to get some sashimi from one of the stands there. That was also really good.

The real part of the whole trip came after lunch. Nanliao has a very very long bicycle path, which they call the “17km Coastline Scenic Tour” ( I told  you it was long, click on the link for the map). The path extends from the Fish Market all the way down the coast, almost reaching Jhunan (竹南). I decided to travel the whole thing, and although long and tiresome it is incredibly worth it.

Along the way you get to see many an incredible thing.

Near the beginnning, as you get further away from the harbor, you start to see endless flat streches of sea, and at those points everything is just sea and sky and sun and on your other side, you just see hills. Really incredible.

Sea and Sky on the trail

The first place you pass by is the Gangnan Canal, which was reconstructed not long ago. It is mostly a canal with a park like area on one side and on the other the bicycle trail. What make it attractive are the four chinese style arch bridges that connect both sides.

Gangnan Canal and one of the bridges

As you keep going, you start to see less sea, and see how it turns to smaller rivers. More bushes and brushes start to appear, and slowly it all turns to mangrooves. Then you reach the first of the many bridges on the tour. The first one is called “The first Rainbow bridge”.

First Rainbow Bridge

The scenery doesn’t change much for a while, except for the fact the bushes and small streams turn into flat plains of mud and few brushes here and there, and the first glimpses of the freeway start to pop up.

And then you come to the second bridge “the Second Rainbow Bridge” and then the third (no it’s not called the third bridge) “The Big Rainbow Bridge” and last in the family of Rainbow Bridges, “The Small Rainbow Bridge”.

Second Rainbow Bridge

Big Rainbow Bridge

After that, you continue to ride along changing scenery, leaving the sea and mangrooves for a while, turning into rural streets, small houses, fields, fish farms and viewing platforms, tiny temples in the middle of what seems nowhere and the eventual road or highway glimpse here and there.

From far you see their immense white outline, their ever turning arms giving into the wind. And then you get the chance to see them so close.

Giant

They are indeed giants. And the sound they make is like that of a starting airplane engine. But they are also very beautiful… in their own way.

Further on the trail, yet another heavenly bridge, this time “The Sky Blue Bridge”, which is smaller than the Rainbow Bridges and the last of the arch briges in the path.

Sky Blue Bridge and a Giant

Then on to the last bridge “The White Cloud Bridge”, which is more of a trapezium styled bridge.

White Cloud Bridge

Near this bridge, there is another one of the white giants, spinning its arms without rest. At sunset, while on the Cloud Bridge, you can see the shadows of the giant’s arms as they swirl, really interesting.

The White Cloud Bridge and the Giant

After that is a long stretch of trail that spans parallel to the Expressway. And the scenery turns into fields and rural town, as well as a School or two.

Finally at the end, you reach a small almost featureless windmill, which is in fact there only to denote a cooperation between Taiwan, Japan and Korea and the end of the trail.

I had finally made my way through the 17km of ups and downs, flat stretches, bridges and turns. Now all that was left was to breath in the air, enjoy the end… and then go back the entire 17km.

All in all, it was really incredible, an experience worth having, despite the sand, the sunburns and the sour knees.

Sunset on the way back

I made my trip back to my appartment as the sun gave the last lights of the day and the sky turned dark, very happy and very tired.