Off the Beaten Path: Ershui's Hidden Cycling Routes

“Some ride to sweat. Others ride to remember. In Ershui, you ride to travel back in time.”

Sun Moon Lake has the views, but Ershui (二水) has the soul. Tucked away in Changhua County, this rural township is the unexpected intersection of three things: golden rice paddies, historic irrigation canals, and the romance of the railway. For the gentleman cyclist who prefers culture over cardio, this is Taiwan’s best-kept secret.

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1. The Route: Chasing the Train

The Ershui Bikeway runs parallel to the Jiji Branch Line—Taiwan’s oldest tourist railway.

• The Thrill: There is a childlike joy in racing a diesel train on your bicycle. The path is close enough that you can wave to the passengers and smell the engine oil.
• The Scenery: On one side, the train. On the other, endless fields of rice that turn emerald green in spring and golden yellow in autumn.

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2. The Water: The Babao Canal

Ershui is the source of the Babao Canal (八堡圳), an engineering marvel from the Qing Dynasty (1709).

• The History: This canal turned the arid Changhua plain into Taiwan’s rice bowl. The "Running Water Festival" held every November honors this history, where locals actually race in the canal.
• The Ride: The bike path follows the water. The sound of rushing water provides a constant, cooling soundtrack to your ride.

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3. The Stop: Yuanquan Station & The "Mr. Lim" Tree

• Yuanquan Station: An unmanned, wooden station that feels frozen in 1950. It’s a photographer’s dream.
• The Tree: Nearby, look for the "Mr. Lim" (林先生) temple. Legend has it a mysterious old man taught the villagers how to build the canal dams using bamboo cages, then disappeared.

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4. The Fuel: Authentic Rural Eats

You won’t find Michelin stars here. You will find something better: honest food.

• Ershui Fire Rice Noodles (火燒麵): Wok hei (breath of the wok) so intense it tastes like fire. A smoky, savory masterpiece.
• Pineapple Fields: Stop by a roadside stand. The Bagua Mountain range produces some of Taiwan’s sweetest pineapples.

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5. Getting There

• Train: Take the TRA to Ershui Station. Rental shops are right outside the station.
• Pro Tip: Combine this with a train ride on the Jiji Line to Checheng for a full day of rail-and-ride nostalgia.

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Conclusion

Ershui is quiet. It is unpretentious. It is the Taiwan that existed before high-speed rails and semiconductor foundries. It is a ride worth taking.