Taiwan is obsessed with suspension bridges. There are dozens of them across the country (read about another famous one, Taiping Suspension Bridge). Nantou county alone has eight major ones!
But, in my personal opinion, Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge (also called Shuanglong Rainbow Suspension Bridge) stands out as the most beautiful, not to mention it’s the longest and tallest, of them all.
The magical scene I witnessed there was reminiscent of an upside-down rainbow hanging in a valley, leading from an Indigenous village to two dragon-esque waterfalls.
In this article, I’ll describe my awe-inspiring experience visiting Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge on the way to Sun Moon Lake, with all the key info you’ll need to visit, including a secret parking spot I found.
Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge Fast Facts
- Location: here in Shuanglong Indigenous community (雙龍部落) in Xinyi township (信義鄉, home to Yushan) of Nantou, Taiwan’s only landlocked county.
- Elevation: 800 meters
- Height: 110 meters (30 storeys) at its deepest point. It is the tallest and deepest suspension bridge in Taiwan. If you have vertigo, this may not be for you!
- Length: 340 meters – the longest in Taiwan.
- Colors: purple, dark blue, light blue, green, yellow, orange, red. The colors change roughly every 50 meters.
- Tickets: TWD 100, purchase in advance here on Klook or KKday
- Recommend visit: Half-day trip from Sun Moon Lake or full-day trip from Taichung by bus or car.
- Visiting time: 1.5 to 2 hours, including uphill walking and many stairs
- Opening times: 8 AM to 4 PM, closed Wednesdays
Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge Introduction
Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge also goes by the name “Shuanglong Rainbow Suspension Bridge” (雙龍七彩吊橋).
The Mandarin name literally means “Double Dragon Seven Color Suspension Bridge”, as the bridge is painted in seven colors.
The two waterfalls at the end are said to appear like playful gliding dragons from a distance, especially on foggy days.
The Nantou county government built this bridge at a cost of TWD 60 million.
Opened in 2020, the bridge crosses a deep valley from the Indigenous Bunun Shuanglong community (雙龍部落) to their water source on the other side (note: they already had a separate water pipe bridge).
Read more about Taiwan’s Indigenous people.
You can meet Bunun people and learn about their customs at the Bunun Leisure Farm in Taitung.
The Shuanglong Waterfalls (Double Dragon Waterfalls, 雙龍瀑布, or Isingan in the Bunun language) are formed by a small tributary of the Zhuoshui River (濁水溪).
Zhuoshui River is the longest river in Taiwan. It flows to the west from here and forms the border between Changhua and Yunlin counties.
While the bridge brought an instant influx of visitors, there has been backlash from local residents.
Not only have they gained nothing from the bridge, but it has also led to an increase in traffic and trash. The vast majority of visitors just drive in, see the bridge, then leave.
Shortly after the initial craze died down, COVID hit and visits stopped. Surprisingly, the bridge still doesn’t get tons of visitors today, except on weekends and holidays.
When I visited on a weekday afternoon, I even managed to have the whole bridge to myself.
Getting to Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge
It’s easiest to drive to Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge, but you can also take a bus from Taichung or Sun Moon Lake. I’ve got a separate guide for getting from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake.
Driving
If you plan to drive, I recommend using Klook to rent your car like I did. I explain why here.
There are many ways you could fit Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge into your Taiwan itinerary.
One idea is to visit it as a half-day trip from Sun Moon Lake, perhaps stopping at Checheng Old Street (a former logging village) for lunch on the way back, which is exactly what I did.
Another idea is to visit it as part of a full-day trip from Sun Moon Lake to Sun Link Sea. I suggest visiting Sun Link Sea first then the bridge on the way back, so you can beat the fog at Sun Link Sea.
Yet another idea is to visit it as a detour when driving from Sun Moon Lake to Alishan (or Alishan to Sun Moon Lake). Budget about three hours for this detour (driving + visiting time).
On the drive to the bridge, you’ll pass through some remote Indigenous territory. You’ll then cross a bridge over Zhuoshui River to Shuanglong community.
Getting here by scooter would also be fine, and one reader (see comment at end) even managed to get here by ebike from Sun Moon Lake.
The Parking Situation
In the past, when the bridge was more popular, visitors had to park in a large lot at the entrance of the community and take a shuttle up. I saw that parking lot when I visited, but it’s now closed and there’s no shuttle anymore.
The road got progressively narrower and steeper as I drove up into the Indigenous community. There’s now a free public lot here, but I read that if I parked there, it would be a steep uphill 30-minute walk to the bridge.
In my research of Mandarin sources online, I found that this B&B very close to the suspension bridge offers parking for TWD 100. I simply entered the B&B’s address into GoogleMaps and it got me there.
This is the closest possible parking lot to the suspension bridge, so I definitely recommend it.
As I approached the B&B, the road became especially narrow, and then I saw a sign pointing into the large parking lot (see photo above). The lot overlooks the whole village and a church.
After I parked, a man emerged and collected the fee. There were also toilets in the lot.
By Bus
You can also take a bus from Taichung (3 hours) or Sun Moon Lake (1 hr 15 min) to Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge. Either way will require 1-2 transfers.
From Taichung, there are several possible ways. One is bus 6333A from Gancheng station (just north of Taichung station) to Shuili then Taiwan Tourism shuttle 6288 from Shuili to Shuanglong.
For the 6288 link, if the page reverts to Mandarin, change it to English at the top, then from the home page choose Nantou county on the map, and then “Shuanglong Route”.
Other ways involve two transfers but take a similar amount of time. My suggestion is to use GoogleMaps directions for this trip. Input your desired time and just follow it.
From Sun Moon Lake bus station (here), take bus 6289 to Shuili. Then transfer to the same Taiwan Tourism shuttle 6288 to Shuanglong. There are other options that take up to two hours. Again, just use GoogleMaps directions and choose the best one for your time.
Buses will arrive at this bus stop in Shuanglong. From there, you’ll need to walk about 30 minutes uphill to the suspension bridge. Going back, the bus stop will be here, across the street from where you got off.
You can swipe EasyCard for all these buses.
Also read my guides to booking the bus from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake and Sun Moon Lake to Alishan.
My Experience at Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge
The day before my visit to Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge, I had hiked up Yushan, the tallest mountain in Taiwan.
The next morning, I woke up at 2:00 AM to hike up and watch sunrise from the peak of Yushan. I then hiked down the mountain and drove my rental car from there to Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge.
I got there just in time before closing, then drove to my hotel at Sun Moon Lake.
After I parked in the lot (see transportation section above), I only had to walk a couple minutes up the same narrow car road to reach the turnoff for Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge (here).
Along the way, there are some nice Indigenous paintings along the side of the road.
From the turnoff, I followed the paved, uphill, 600-meter path to the bridge. Some cute signs along the way encouraged me to press on:
“Toxin-expelling trail is good for your body. Do not give up!”
“Take a break and starting again. Do not give up!”
“Look at the beautiful view and tell yourself, “I am going to the top!”
When I finally reached the official entrance (here), I still couldn’t actually see the bridge. I showed my Klook voucher to enter.
There were a few food stalls selling items like millet donuts (小米甜甜圈), aiyu lemon jelly (愛玉檸檬), passion fruit kumquat juice (百香金桔檸檬), and sour plum drink (酸梅汁).
From there, I went around a corner, descended a long staircase, and finally the Rainbow Suspension Bridge came into view through the trees. It was truly breathtaking!
When I arrived at the entrance to the bridge, I was surprised to find there were only a few people on the whole bridge, and most of them were on their way out.
I only had to wait a few minutes for them to be gone, so I got to photograph the bridge with no one on it.
This opportunity had proved impossible when I had visited Taiping Suspension Bridge in Chiayi a few days earlier.
Crossing the bridge, I found that much of it actually consist of stairs, because it descends and then ascends so steeply.
Looking to the end of the bridge, I could see the two waterfalls pouring down from the cliff. From there, they plunge another 100 meters down to the stream bed far below.
To the left, I also saw a second bridge, which carried water from the stream back to the village, with more waterfalls far below it.
Reaching the end of the bridge, I found a platform with a view of both waterfalls and some lounging chairs. A trail leads to another platform right in front of the lower waterfall.
I also saw a sign for a trail called Tianshi Boardwalk (天時棧道), which leads through the Black Forest (黑森林) to a closer view of the Upper Falls, but unfortunately, I found that the trail is closed.
After spending some time relaxing in the chairs and admiring the falls, I made my way back across the suspension bridge and left just as they were closing the gates.
I then made it to my hotel at Sun Moon Lake just in time for sunset and dinner.
To read about what I did after Sun Link Sea, see my guides to Sun Link Sea, Checheng, and Hohocha Tea Center. Also read about how to plan your Sun Moon Lake itinerary.
can I hire a taxi from sun moon to this bridge and back?
There aren’t usually any taxis at Sun Moon Lake. It would be better to ask your hotel to arrange a driver for you, or arrange one online in advance, such as Tripool.
This is awesome!
It’s civil engineering at its best. The landscape is breathtaking; it’s crazy how human beings are able to tame their hostile environment and make it look amazing. I wonder if visitors don’t feel dizzy.
Maybe one day, I will visit this place myself. I feel invited.
Hey nick, i was wondering if its possible to rent a scooter in sun moon lake somewhere and visit both sunlink sea and this bridge before returning to SM as a day trip? Or would you need to rent a vehicle from taichung.
Yes, you can rent a regular scooter from a few shops at Sun Moon Lake. Like anywhere in Taiwan, you will need an IDP (bare minimum), and will most likely need to have a stamp in the A box of it (which means you are licensed to ride motorcycles in your home country). And yes, you could ride up to SLS and the bridge, but heads up that the ride up to SLS would be very winding, and it could be chillier up there compared to SML’s temperature, so dress warmer if needed. You’d want to leave early because doing both, with driving times, would be a big day.
Its definitely possible to ride an ebike from sunmoon lake to this bridge, I would highly recommend it as a day trip.
From the start of the 63 road in Ita Dao to the base of Shuanglong road took just over an hour. The ride back would have also been just over an hour if i hadn’t encountered some self inflicted problems.
If you have a full day in SM and are reasonably fit you can rent an ebike and add this detour to your ride around the lake; the bridge, the valley, the waterfall are all worth it and the ride itself is quite enjoyable. I encountered more cats and dogs than vehicles on the 63 road.
To describe the ride, I would say it has 3 sections. The first an uphill from the start to about 1/4 of the way along the 63 road. If you can make it up this hill without issue you should be fine for the way back as well.
Then a long downhill for the rest of the 63 road. You can pick up some serious speed going down just be careful on the many corners. At the end of the 63 road you go underneath and loop onto the highway. You will have to ride along the highway a short distance until the turn off in xinyi.
There was a local basket ball tournament going on when i rode past. Then you will cross a a more practical bridge over a wide river, this is a really great view and the last point before the final uphill section.
After you have crossed the bridge it is all uphill until the finish, but you have come all this way you should have the motivation to close it out. There are some views of the valley as you are riding up towards the town, there was some construction going on the road as well. This road was pretty quiet but there will be some cars overtaking you.
In the town area before the path to the bridge is the steepest part of the whole journey, I had to stand up and pedal.
When you reach the turn off with the mural on the wall I was told to leave the bike and walk the rest of the way. This path is relatively steep as well, it suprised me how hard it felt to walk up, but it is only 600m and there are signs along updating you on the distance along the way. Then you are there! It is definitely worth the effort IMO.
On the way back you have 2 downhill sections to enjoy, and with an ebike the long uphill isnt too bad either. Im no cyclist and had the motor on the bike set to 2/3 (out of 5) for the hills.
Just make sure you know how to turn on the ebike on. I had a small panic when i arrived to the bike after the bridge and couldn’t remember how to turn the motor back on. I pressed every button before asking a local for help. Maybe practice at the rental store (i wish i had done this).
After you make it back i really also recommend stopping at the Ita Thao shopping district, its a nightmarket style of stalls with good food and some local drinks before continuing.
Thank you for the detail report about visiting by ebike! I’ve added a note about it in the article.