Taitung Forest Park

  BY XANDRA LEE MARCH 22 , 2018

The Ironman 70.3 Taiwan took place in Taitung last weekend. 
This is the second time Taitung has hosted this international triathlon, which was held from March 16 to March 18.

Athletes competing in the Ironman swim 1.9 km in the Flowing Lake, followed by a 90 km bike ride, and a 21.1 km run along Highway 11 and through the Forest Park.

“The setting for the triathlon is truly stunning,” said Beck, a local student who volunteered in the race this weekend. “The route runs all the way through the beautiful East Taiwan coastline and the shade of the Forest Park, so competitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery and the game at the same time.”

Peter, an athlete from Hong Kong noted how much he appreciated that organizers closed the whole road for the cycling race, as this made it safer for riders.

The Taitung Forest Park, the venue for last weekend’s activities, is open to the public year round, so visitors who missed the triathlon can still enjoy the scenery. The park is located under the Chinese Bridge in Taitung County, and is also known as the "Schwarz Wald".

This area was originally a woodland and windbreak. After careful planning of the county government, it became the first coastal Forest Park in Taiwan. The park has a skating rink, water sports venues, bicycle lanes and a bird-watching place.

The entire of Taitung Forest Park covers nearly three hundred hectares. At the entrance, there is a bicycle rental point. Otherwise, to walk around the entire park would take close to half a day.  The cost to rent a single bicycle is about $100~$150/day.

In addition to the butterfly ecological area and the Casuarina equisetifolia forest road in the park, Pipa Lake, Egret Lake, and the Flowing lake are also attractions. The long-shaped artificial lake is a venue for large water activities such as dragon boat races and this weekend’s international triathlon.

You can get there by bus:  From Taitung old train station take the "Ding Dong the passenger" or "Hualian passenger transport" Cheng Kung line, get off at the Veterans’ Hospital Station, then walk to the end of Zhongshan Road.



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