Suhua Highway

※ The coastal section of Provincial Highway No. 9D from 64K+262 to 69K+119 (Heren ~ Dashuikeng Section of Provincial Highway No. 9D) has been decommissioned. Besides the Central Cross-Island Highway section, the old coastal route of Suhua Highway, which runs alongside the magnificent scenery of Qingshui Cliff, is another scenic trail highly favored by tourists. Opened in 1932, the Suhua Highway, with a total length of 118 kilometers, was the earliest road officially constructed in this region. As early as 1874, Luo Dachun was commissioned to Taiwan to open up land transportation between Su'ao and Hualien, which was then called the Northern Road. Heading north from Hualien, the first stop is Chongde Checkpoint. In earlier years, when the road surface had not yet been widened, one-way traffic control was implemented. Therefore, all vehicles traveling on the Suhua Highway had to queue and gather here, waiting for the opening time. This led to the area becoming a temporary market where tourists could get off to enjoy the scenery, chat, eat, and buy souvenirs. Next to the northern entrance of Chongde Tunnel, located at the 182.5-kilometer mark, there is a 320-meter-long Chongde Coastal Trail. The trail features two viewing platforms and a public restroom. From the viewing platforms, one can clearly admire the Pacific Ocean and Qingshui Cliff. Following the stone steps down the trail for approximately 10 minutes, one will reach a pebble beach, where limestone geological features and rock-dwelling plants can be observed. The approximately 20-kilometer section between Chongde and Heping is the most thrilling and spectacular part of the Suhua Highway: Qingshui Cliff. The geology primarily consists of gneiss and marble. Cliffs over a thousand meters high rise almost vertically alongside the Pacific coast. The highway, built halfway up the mountain, resembles a sky corridor suspended between heaven and earth. Looking up at the sheer cliffs and down at the vast ocean is breathtaking. After passing through several tunnels, the highway becomes flatter. Passing through Heping and Guanyin, one arrives at Nanao and Dong'ao. Wuishibi (Black Stone Nose), which is close to Nanao Village and extends into the Pacific Ocean, looks like a handsome nose from a distance, dividing the Suhua coast into Nanao Bay and Dong'ao Bay. Dong'ao is the first stop when traveling south on the Suhua Highway. It is abundant in lilies. Every summer, the northbound Kuroshio Current flows past the waters off Dong'ao, bringing a rich supply of fish. Therefore, fishing is very popular here.