An east coast bamboo raft tournament was held recently at the headquarters of the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration near Chengkung (成功) Town, Taitung (台東) County.

The 2008 Turtle Island Whale Trip (TIWT) was launched last Sunday at Wushih Harbor of Yilan County.

In this, the second of four installments following the adventures of nine brave cyclists riding 800km from Taipei to Kending over eight days, we look at stages three and four which took us from Yilan (宜蘭), up and across the mighty Central Cordillera, and down to the glistening Sun Moon Lake.

There's no better way to explore a stunning valley than by bicycle--and Guanshan (關山), a township of just over 10,000 people in Taidong County (台東縣), makes life very easy for tourists who want to get out of their cars and enjoy some fresh air and two-wheel exercise.

When heading east to spend a little leisure time in Hualien County (or anywhere in Eastern Taiwan, for that matter), most of us instinctively turn towards Taroko Gorge.

The small town of Jhihben (知本) in Taitung County (台東縣) boasts one of the nation's best-known and most popular hot spring resorts. First developed by Japanese colonial forces more than a century ago, it was designed as a rest and relaxation point for the army's officers.

Take the coastal road north of Taitung (台東) City for just a kilometer or two, and it is carried aloft over the wide, silted estuary of the Beinan River, while the impressive southernmost peaks of the East Coast Mountain Range looming impressively above.

In line with summer vacation, a series of activities are being held in Hualien (花蓮) and Taitung(台東) counties during July and August, many of which are related to aboriginal culture.

The newly completed Yuchang (玉長) Highway in eastern Taiwan has not only benefited the region's transportation system, but also brought a great help to the tourism industry in Hualien (花蓮) and Taitung (台東).

For anyone who comes to Taiwan to learn about local traditional folk arts, the National Center for Traditional Arts (NCTA,國立傳統藝術中心) is a must-see. Almost all of Taiwan's traditional folk arts can be found at the center.