Taitung’s wetlands

Complementary bicycles were available at the place I stayed at in Taitung, so I took full advantage and cycled towards Taitung’s Forest Park. I passed the fifth person in Taiwan I’d seen peeing at the side of the road — two had been women!

Waterfront, Forest Park, Taitung

Located in the north-east section of the east coast city, this park had a multitude of plants spread over its three kilometre length. At the entrance to the park was a sign about Beinan Estuary — a wetland of national importance, but many of the plants and trees that had been planted were not native to Taiwan. However, massive tree planting had taken place in the hope of easing the dust from storms.

An underground stream ran through the park that explained why the park included a number of lakes and why the park was considered a wetland. I cycled over the many bikeways that crisscrossed the flat landscape where wispy pines bent in the wind.

Heron, Lotus Pond

At Lotus Pond a huge heron posed at the water’s edge. Not far off was a common white heron. On the far side of the park was Egret Lake — the most beautiful lake that I was able to cycle around before leaving the wetlands in search of somewhere to eat.