Guides · Cycling in Taiwan
Eating After a Taichung Ride, From 18 km of Rail Trail Into a Night Market
The easiest ride to start with in Taichung is a pair of rail trails. The Dongfeng Green Bikeway is built on the abandoned Dongshi branch line and runs about 12 kilometres. The Houfeng Bikeway is roughly 5.8 kilometres and connects Houli and Fengyuan. Joined together they run about 18 kilometres, entirely flat and entirely on dedicated path. One end sits in Fengyuan, so you can step off the trail straight into Miaodong food street. This guide covers the opening hours and closing days of three long-standing shops there. Their closing days do not overlap, so whichever day you turn up, at least two are open. Data checked on Google Maps, 8 August 2026.
Eighteen kilometres, finishing at a night market
The Dongfeng Green Bikeway was originally the Dongshi branch of the Taiwan Railway. Services stopped in 1991, the line was converted, and the trail opened on 15 November 2000 as the first dedicated cycle path in Taiwan built on an abandoned railway. It runs about 12 kilometres through Fengyuan, Shigang and Dongshi, past preserved station platforms and along the Dajia River. It was also the first cycle path in the country to be lit along its entire length.
The Houfeng Bikeway sits between Houli and Fengyuan, about 5.8 kilometres, crossing the Dajia River and passing through several rail bridges and tunnels. Linked to the Dongfeng trail, the pair total roughly 18 kilometres and connect the Houli, Fengyuan and Dongshi districts.
The trails are flat and easy, and from the Fengyuan end Miaodong is a short walk away. Miaodong is a food street that has been running for decades.
Three shops in Miaodong, with closing days that never overlap
The Miaodong Fuxing shopping street sits beside Cih-Ji Temple in Fengyuan, at Lane 167, Zhongzheng Road, Fengyuan District, Taichung. The street as a whole runs roughly 10:00 to 23:00, though individual shops vary. Ratings and review counts are a Google Maps snapshot from 8 August 2026.
- Miaodong Qingshui Pork Rib Noodles, open 11:30-23:00, closed Wednesdays. Rating 4.1 from 4,099 reviews. Trading for over thirty years, it serves ribs in noodle soup, a good way to get hot broth and carbohydrate back into you after a ride.
- Zheng Lao Pai Fengyuan Meatballs, open 10:00-22:00, closed Tuesdays. Rating 4.3 from 1,627 reviews. The earliest opener of the three, so a morning ride still works. The dish is a steamed rice-flour dumpling with pork filling, served with a sweet-savoury sauce.
- Jinshu Ice Shop, open 11:00-23:00, closed Thursdays. Rating 4.3 from 1,619 reviews. Known for old-style pineapple ice, a good way to cool down after a summer ride.
How to plan around the closing days
The three close on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively, so at least two are open whatever day you arrive.
Come on Tuesday and you get the rib noodles and the ice shop; Wednesday, the meatballs and the ice shop; Thursday, the noodles and the meatballs. Any other day, all three are open.
If you only have one day and want all three, simply avoid Tuesday to Thursday. For groups, shift the meal away from the dinner peak. The lanes in Miaodong are narrow, and a group arriving together tends to block the walkway.
What a support vehicle does on this route
Both trails are dedicated paths with simple conditions, so you will hardly need support while riding. A support vehicle helps at the two ends.
The two trails total 18 kilometres. If you would rather not retrace them, the vehicle can wait at the far end, so you ride one way and are driven the other.
Getting from central Taichung or the airport out to the trailheads in Houli or Fengyuan on public transport with a bike and bags is awkward. The vehicle can take you straight to the start, which saves a fair amount of time.
By the time you have eaten in Miaodong it is usually evening. Riders, bikes and bags can go back to the city or on to the next stop together, with no need to arrange separate transport.
A restaurant stop is not a standard inclusion but can be requested while planning.
Vegetarian, halal and other dietary limits
Miaodong is traditional street food, which leaves little room to alter ingredients or cooking methods.
For vegetarians, Jinshu Ice Shop serves ices and juices and is the easiest of the three for a vegetarian to sit down in. The rib noodles and the meatballs are both pork-based, and Google Maps does not record any vegetarian provision. Fengyuan has vegetarian restaurants elsewhere in the town, worth arranging separately.
On halal food, none of the three holds halal certification, and both the meatballs and the rib noodles contain pork. Travellers who need halal food can buy packaged food in central Taichung beforehand, or look for a certified restaurant there.
On allergens, shared woks and shared oil are standard at street-food stalls, so cross-contamination is hard to avoid. If your allergy is severe, treat this as high risk.
FAQ
How long are the Dongfeng and Houfeng bikeways?
The Dongfeng Green Bikeway is about 12 km, built on the abandoned Dongshi railway branch and opened on 15 November 2000. The Houfeng Bikeway is about 5.8 km, connecting Houli and Fengyuan. Joined, they run roughly 18 km.
Can I go straight from the trail to Miaodong?
Yes. One end of the route is in Fengyuan, and the Miaodong Fuxing shopping street is at Lane 167, Zhongzheng Road, next to Cih-Ji Temple, a short walk from where you get off.
Which day will I find things closed?
Never all of them. The rib noodles close Wednesdays, the meatballs close Tuesdays and the ice shop closes Thursdays, so at least two are open any day. To get all three, avoid Tuesday to Thursday.
Is this route suitable for beginners or families?
Yes. Both are dedicated cycle paths and flat throughout, and the Dongfeng trail was the first in Taiwan to be lit along its entire length.
How do I get back if I only ride one way?
The two trails total 18 km, so retracing makes 36 km, which is long for most visitors. Arranging a support vehicle at the far end lets you ride one way and keep the time for Miaodong.
Sources
Rules and road conditions change, so always check the official announcements before you travel.
Related guides
- Riding Between Company Branches, and How the Support Vehicle Is Arranged
- When to Ride Wuling Month by Month, and What 3,275 m Means Where You Come From
- Cycling Central Taiwan from Taichung｜Sun Moon Lake and Wuling Day Rides
Elsewhere in the ecosystem
- siokiu · Group RidesTaiwanese for "let's go together", where local riders post routes and gather for weekend rides
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