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tours Designed by cyclists, for cyclists

Quite simply, we’re the experts for bike tours in Taiwan .

We believe that adventure is an art form, and that’s why we create bespoke cycling tours tailored perfectly for you. Let our team of experts take you along the path less travelled and guide you to the undiscovered gems of the island known only to locals.

From showing you the secret restaurants only the locals know about, to fixing your bike in a sticky situation – we’ve got you covered. As a UK-based company, not only do we understand what you expect from a cycling tour abroad, but we also have an exclusive understanding of Taiwan cultivated from our many years of experience.

a passion for cycling. a love of taiwan.

At Pedal Taiwan, we offer you the chance to experience all the adventure, discovery, and challenge Taiwan has to offer. Moments of a lifetime that  you can’t get anywhere else.

Whether you want to ride through pristine marble gorges, along untouched palm tree sands, climb the famous Taiwan KOM Challenge, or simply enjoy a home-made bowl of Lu Rou Fan, our ride leaders are here to give you a bike tour with an authentic taste of our island paradise.

Meet the pedal taiwan family

We think of ourselves as a family. We have all journeyed down different roads, but have come together united in our shared passion – cycling in Taiwan.

Our team of local experts  have spent years fully immersing themselves in the island’s cycling scene and a highly experienced at leading and supporting riders so you can get insider access to our pacific Asian paradise. 

We provide an unparalleled level of service on all our bike tours , designing each and every trip to ensure that all our cyclists fall in love with our favourite island just as much as we have! 

Don’t just take our word for it, our reviews speak for themselves.

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explore road biking's final frontier

We believe in sustainable travel. That’s why we’re focused on delivering sustainable, environmentally friendly tours, to provide long term benefits both to our clients and the local area. 

Although we are based in the UK, we work with local guides to provide unrivalled and authentic knowledge of Taiwan to our cyclists. 

We also recognise the importance of supporting the local communities we ride in. That’s why we only partner with locally-owned businesses in all aspects of our tours and create opportunities for positive interactions between our cyclists and the wider community.

If you’d like to enquire about booking a trip with us, want a bit more information on what we can do for you, or if you just fancy a chat, we’d love to hear from you! 

For more information you can always check out our FAQ section here, or if you’d like to speak to one of our experts, send us a message using the contact form below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

Taiwan Bike Tour

$6,398-6,598, .cls-1{fill:#2c6bb5;} badv_abilitylevel_icons intermediate, daily distance, 50-75 miles (or less), included activities, cycling (bikes included), visits to hot springs, taroko national park, night markets, & the national palace museum, included meals, all except two dinners and two lunches.

Taiwan Bike Tour

Taiwan was an eye opener in terms of variety of scenery, from 10,000 foot mountains to the beaches, tropical valleys, and pine forests.

Red paper lanterns on Taiwan Bike Tour

5 star meals and accommodations where available and the best representing the culture where not available. Educated, well spoken, adaptable guides.

Bikers crossing bridge on Taiwan Bike Tour

Our eleven-day Taiwan bike tour offers incredibly unique and safe cycling experiences. Take the high-speed train (included in trip fee) from Taipei at the north end of the island to Kaohsiung City on the sound end. Savor long rides along the beautiful Eastern coast. Test your legs on a challenging climb through Taroko Gorge (one of Asia’s most iconic cycling roads). Enjoy days of riding through Taiwan’s sparsely populated south and east, filled with national parks, rice paddies, palm trees, aboriginal villages, colorful temples, and incredibly friendly people.

Along the way, stay in fine hotels and feast on amazing local cuisine. Explore night markets. Soak in natural geothermal hot springs. Visit Taiwan’s famous National Palace Museum with its huge collection of Chinese art. With two local drivers and a Taiwanese guide plus your Bicycle Adventures guide, you are in for a first-class, ultra-supported adventure. We guarantee an unparalleled cultural and culinary experience, with cycling suitable for all levels of riders.

PEDAL HAPPY : Computer generated elevation statistics for the routes on this tour are inherently exaggerated due to bridges, tunnels and overhangs. The daily elevation stats shown here have been measured using a GPS device for better accuracy.

Go for a warm-up ride along the Tamsui River's bike path.

– Lunch – Dinner

Grand Victoria Hotel

+407 ft / -407 ft

We will meet you after breakfast to test out your bike on a morning ride along the lovely Tamsui (meaning “freshwater”) River. One of the few rivers that flows north to south on the island, the river curves past temples, parks and cultural sights to the old town of Tamsui on the Taiwan Straits. This evening, ascend to the top of Taipei 101, one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers. Enjoy a fantastic dinner at Michelin-rated Din Tai Fung , known throughout Asia for serving the world’s best dumplings. Stay tonight and tomorrow night at the Grand Victoria Hotel .

Pedal an amazing route through Yangmingshan National Park to the east coast.

– Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

49 miles (or less)

+4133 ft / -4036 ft

Today’s bike ride begins from at our hotel’s front door and cruises 30 miles through lush foothills, over Yamingshan (Yaming Mountain) and alongside the ocean on the other side. Yamingshan National Park is revered for its cherry blossom trees, hot springs and also for being the island’s tallest dormant volcano. After lunch, pedal another 20 miles to finish at Tamsui’s Fisherman’s Wharf. Explore the shops and take time for some people-watching.

Fifty miles isn’t enough for you? You can ride another dozen miles back to the Grand Victoria – mostly on bike paths. Or hop in the van for a shuttle back to the hotel. Enjoy a traditional, elegantly served Chinese meal at our hotel. You can even wear your hotel-provided slippers to dinner!

Jump on the high-speed train from Taipei to Kaohsiung City. Ride to Kenting National Park.

– Breakfast – Lunch

Chateau Beach Resort

21-47 miles

AM: +743 ft / -709 ft (21mi) PM option: +2026 ft / -1991 ft (26mi)

Board the high-speed train this morning for a speedy ride to Kaohsiung. Stop to visit a temple or two while bicycling south through Taiwan’s banana belt into Kenting National Park . Kenting is renowned for its glorious beaches, coral cliffs, and tropical climate. After lunch cycle to the Chateau Beach Resort , tonight’s lodging. Soak up the views from your gorgeous oceanside room. Tonight: feast on whatever you wish from the local night market in a town that is famous for great seafood.

Ride the island's east coast, then inland through rice paddies, past palm trees and into the jungle.

Hoya Hot Springs Resort

79 miles (or less)

+4,298 ft / -4,190 ft (or less)

Today’s ride is hilly, lush and completely memorable. Start off with a cruise along protected bike paths and bike lanes beside the ocean, then head inland through rice fields and past palm trees. Revel in the quiet: you’ll see few cars once we leave the coastline. After lunch at an oceanside park, pedal onward to visit Duoliang Station , once Taiwan’s most beautiful railway station. The site is now a lovely seaside park with blissful views of mountain, jungle and seashore. Back on the bike, ride onward to Chihpen, a popular hot spring area where canyon gives way to lush jungle and beautiful banyan forest. After a restful soak, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant serving aboriginal cuisine… and then maybe another soak. Lodge at Hoya Hot Springs Resort .

Ride the border of the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area from Chiben to Jui-shaing.

– Breakfast – Dinner

Silence Manor

68 miles (or less)

+3,028 ft / -2,631 ft (or less)

Cycle through the wondrous Rift Valley today, pausing to take in views of rice paddies and mountain ranges.  Discover Taiwan   waxes eloquent about the East Rift Valley:  “…it stretches from Mugua River in Hualien to the north to Taitung City and covers a total of 138,386 hectares, encompassing mountains, valleys, and hot springs, together with fields of rice, daylilies, pomelos, tea, and sugar apples in rich abundance.”  It’s also home to four of Taiwan’s indigenous tribes. Finish today’s ride with a soak in the mineral springs of Jui-shaing. Lodge at the luxurious and aptly named Silence Manor .

Visit the Cave of the Eight Immortals before riding back to the coast along the foothills.

Hualien Sugar Factory

75 miles (or less)

+5,023 ft / -5,171 ft (or less)

Start today with a ride to Bashian Cave , the “Cave of the Eight Immortals.” One of Taiwan’s geological wonders, the cave dates to the Stone Age and houses a Buddhist temple carved into the side of a cliff. Explore a bit. Then continue riding up the pristine coast and then a challenging climb up and down back into the green rift valley to the Hualien Sugar Factory in Guangfu Township. This honest-to-goodness sugar factory was built during the days of Taiwan’s occupation by Japan. Tonight, sleep in the Japanese-style sugar factory’s guesthouse. Dinner is a guest favorite, a Japanese-influenced meal offered in a quaint, intimate setting.

Begin one of the world's most epic rides into the mountains and gorge of Taroko National Park.

Silks Place Taroko

62 miles (or less)

+3,796 ft / -2,831 ft (or less)

Ride through pineapple fields and to the ocean for a seaside lunch before heading inland – and upland – into Taroko Gorge National Park . The most stunning of Taiwan’s nine National Parks, Taroko is best known for its marble gorge carved by eons of erosion – and the Taiwan KOM Challenge, part of the Taiwan Cycling Festival held each fall. As you climb, massive stone cliffs rise above, the river rages below. Stop here and there to visit the colorful temples and shrines along the way.

Finish at the magnificent Silks Place Taroko . Spend the next two nights here. Perched inside the gorge, this stunning hotel boasts rooftop firepits and pool with hot tubs, fine dining and even a nighttime mountainside light show.

Explore Taroko National Park. Or enjoy the luxury of Silks Place Taroko's hotel and spa. Or do both.

Cycling in the gorge is just one of today’s options. Or hike, explore or just soak up the scenery. Within strolling distance of the fabulous Silks Place Taroko are pagodas, temples, shrines, tunnels carved through mountains, wooden suspension bridges and amazing views in all directions. Prefer to stay at the hotel and relax? Enjoy the luxurious spa and the hotel’s other amenities – fire pits, ping pong, amazing food and luxury galore. What’s your pleasure?

Try for the summit if you like. Afterward, enjoy the long descent to Lishan.

Swallow Castle Resort & Hotel

50 miles (or less)

+8,062 ft / -3401 ft (or less)

Choose your option for today’s ride. Try your legs at a 17% grade and one of the most beautiful and challenging uphill climbs in the world. Or take it at your own pace, exploring along the way and taking plenty of enviable photos. After lunch at the Sacred Tree Cafe, swoosh (mostly) downhill to Lishan, a mountain town surrounded by farms and fields of tea plants, clouds and sheer rustic beauty. This evening, take part in an optional traditional tea ceremony from a very proud tea farmer. Lodge at Swallow Castle Resort & Hotel .

Ride through the mountains past tribal villages, tea farms and palm trees en route to the coast.

Kapok Hotel & Resorts

+3,602 ft / -10,141 ft (or less)

Spend another amazing day bicycling spectacular roads through palm-fringed farming communities. Finish with a 28-mile downhill-then-flat ride into the bustling town of Luodong. Explore the town’s amazing night market, just one block from the Kapok Hotel , where you’ll stay tonight.

Back to Taipei, with a few stops along the way - including hot-air lanterns in the old town of Shifen. All meals provided.

This last morning, shuttle back to Taipei with some unique stops along the way, including the old town of Shifen for hot-air lanterns. Stroll to visit a couple of the sparkling waterfalls for which this area is famous. Then it’s on to the National Palace Museum with its permanent collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of ancient Chinese imperial artifacts, one of the largest of its type in the world. Afterward, you’ll have time to pack up your bike (if you brought your own). Enjoy a final celebration dinner before we drop you off at the airport for your late-night flight back home.

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bike tour in taiwan

Ultimate Guide to Cycling in Taiwan

bike tour in taiwan

Cycling in Taiwan 

Header for Cycling in Taiwan section

Where do we start? Cycling in Taiwan is a big deal.

The rich and storied past and vibrant present of cycling manufacturing has created a lasting cycling culture in Taiwan. Additionally, with decades of infrastructure investment and culture building, cycling has not only remained a major export industry for Taiwan ( chances are either your bike, or a part of it, is built in Taiwan ), but domestically, cycling has become one of Taiwan’s national recreational pastimes. 

Simultaneously, world-class events, impressive infrastructure, and stunningly scenic cycling routes have helped make Taiwan a premier cycle tourism destination. Not surprisingly, Taiwan has been given the titles of “ Bicycle Kingdom ”, “ Cycling Island ” and even the “ Cycling Capital of Asia ”. Cycling is synonymous with the country of Taiwan.

Furthermore, 2021 was actually the Year of Cycling Tourism (自行車旅遊年) in Taiwan. This article in the Taipei Times discusses the incredible achievements and investments that have been made over the past decade (and more) to get Taiwan’s cycling scene to where it is today. 

Whether you live on the island or are looking to plan your next adventure from overseas, Taiwan is a cyclist’s dream come true (see the image below). 

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This Ultimate Guide to Cycling in Taiwan has been compiled with a detailed overview of everything you need to know to plan your next cycling adventure in Taiwan. Like all of Taiwan Outdoors’ Ultimate Guides, these documents are meant to be living and updated and edited as new information becomes available and old information becomes obsolete. Deeper dives into specific topics will be linked to this Ultimate Guide as we build out additional resources for you.

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Geography for Cycling in Taiwan

Geography and Climate for Cycling in Taiwan

There are no guarantees in life except death, taxes and elevation gain while riding a bicycle in Taiwan. The geography of Taiwan is fascinating, unique, and encompasses a dozen or so sub-climates that are mostly subtropical. This means that summers are long, hot and humid, with warmer weather stretching from April to October. The winters are relatively short with more mild temperatures. It does get ‘cold’ and wet in the north. Snow falls in the mountains occasionally during this time, but mostly at higher elevations. Taiwan’s geography and climates are diverse ranging from tropical rainforests to temperature rainforests to alpine meadows. Taiwan has rugged rivers, mountain lakes, alpine forests, wetlands and is surrounded by the South China Sea to the southwest, the East China Sea to the north, and the Philippine Sea to the east. 

Taiwan – A Eastern Asia Cycling Destination

Officially located in Eastern Asia, Taiwan is located only 120km off the coast of China. The Tropic of Cancer runs right through the island of Taiwan, making it roughly the same latitude as Mexico, Hawaii, and Saudi Arabia.

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While some preconceptions of Taiwan as an industrial island may be true. Much of 23+ million inhabitants live within densely populated urban areas (mostly along the west coast). However, roughly 70% of the island is covered with rugged, densely forested mountains. In fact, there are 286 3,000m+ peaks in Taiwan and close to 30% of the island is 1,000m or more above sea level. In addition to the great cycling opportunities this geography creates, Taiwan is also a dream for hikers . What’s more; the mountains of Taiwan keep growing at about a rate of 5mm each year, so maybe it’ll just keep getting better!

Booking Private Transportation or a Tour ( Coming Soon )

Interested in planning a cycling tour to Taiwan, but need some support? Whether you require a bilingual guide, trip planning and/or transportation services, Taiwan Outdoors has you covered. We just need a bit of extra time.

bike tour in taiwan

While there is certainly more mountains and elevation gains that can fill a lifetime of cycling in Taiwan, there is plenty of beautiful flat riding for those who just want a casual cycling experience. Whatever your fancy, cyclists in Taiwan are always treated to breathtaking vistas, whether its forest valleys, mountain peaks, lush rice paddies or tiered tea plantations.

Best Time to Cycle in Taiwan While you’ll find cyclists out on the road and touring the island 12 months a year, we believe the best time to cycle in Taiwan is between October to April. Between this time, the weather is typically more mild with average temperatures between 19-27°C/ 66-80°F. More importantly, the weather is more consistent and its less likely to rain, unlike the Spring (May-June). The absolute best month to cycle is in November when the whole month is dedicated to their annual Taiwan Cycling Festival. 

Cycling Safety in Taiwan

Cycling Safety and Roads in Taiwan

Is cycling in Taiwan safe? Cyclists should always adhere to the rules of the roads and practice proper equipment safety including wearing a helmet, attaching the appropriate lights and keeping their bicycles properly maintained. With improving cycling infrastructure and a very prominent cycling scene as well as a road culture that recognizes slower moving, two-wheeled vehicles (re: scooters), cycling in Taiwan is actually pretty safe. Here’s a link to a great resource regarding cycling in Taipei by the fine folks over at Foreigners in Taiwan – Taipei Bike Regulations In English! 臺北自行車規則-英文版

Safely Cycling in Taiwan’s Mountains

With the mountainous terrain and heavy rains, Taiwan does experience landslides from time to time. We be the first to tell you riding during or immediately after typhoon or other heavier rainy periods is not suggested. Please ride with a head on your shoulders and if you’re planning a route along any of the county highways or the designated, ‘scenic roads’ in Taiwan, you can check for Real Time Road Updates – Here .

Road and Trail Classification in Taiwan 

As any person who has been on a bike on a shared road knows, choosing the right roads to ride on is the number one priority for an enjoyable and safe ride. There are a few things that anyone planning a two-wheeled cycling adventure in Taiwan should know; one of those is road classification and how that can impact your bike trip. 

Don’t Go Roads: Let’s start here. The truth is, like most jurisdictions, there are roads in Taiwan that cyclists are not permitted on. In Taiwan, these are the National Highways (國道) & Expressways (快速道路). Bicycles are not permitted on these facilities and regardless of the occasional scooter lane you may find, it is strictly forbidden. It’s also very dangerous. National Highways (國道) are designed with a plum flower around the highway number, while the Expressways (快速道路) have a red shield as the designation. See the images below for reference. 

bike tour in taiwan

Ridable Roads in Taiwan: 

In many countries around the world, the term highways is perhaps a bit misleading. You see, the designation doesn’t mean that traffic is restricted to motor vehicles only in Taiwan. In fact, the Provincial Highways do not only offer some very spectacular cycling opportunities, in some cases they are required for short sections to connect to local or country roads. 

Provincial Highways (省道):

The label of a provincial highway is a blue shield with a number in the middle (see image below). In the more open, flat areas, these roads can range from 6 lanes with two additional scooter lanes and paved shoulders to narrow two-lane roadways in remote, mountainous areas. The majority of these roads, however, have paved shoulders and speed limits of 50-70km/h. These roadways typically feature heavy traffic, including tourist buses and car traffic. They are also frequently used by Taiwan’s trucking industry moving freight and other materials around the island. These trucks are large and, in some cases, don’t give a lot of space to cyclists (or pass cyclists at inopportune times). Be cognizant of this while riding. If you are going to ride these roads, enjoy them earlier in the morning or ride with others. Always wear lights and highly visible clothing. 

Cyclists riding in Taiwan

There is no doubt that the conditions on these roads are some of the best for cycling in Taiwan and will always impress cyclists with some of the most scenic views on the island. If you want to explore these roadways online, check out this government website which lists the Provincial Highways (省道) and provides real-time conditions and updated construction status for users (switch languages to find English). 

County/City Highways (縣道/市道)

While the Provincial Highways (省道) feature scenic, direct and typically highly trafficked roadways, the county/city highways (縣道/市道) offer the best balance of relatively well-maintained, scenic and fewer motor vehicles. Most of these roadways are off the major tourism routes, so there are fewer cars and more importantly, coach buses. Speed limits are usually 50km/hr so this means that the larger trucks and buses will bypass these roads and stick to the larger provincial highways. The majority of these county/city (縣道/市道) roads are two-lane roads and some can have narrow scooter or bike lanes (or as North Americans refer to as ‘Paved Shoulders’. In the mountains county road can be reduced to one lane only.

Local Roads (鄉道)

Getting off-the-beaten-path, so to speak, these local roads offer cyclists some of the most scenic and certainly the most remote riding in Taiwan. With low volumes of traffic and stunning scenery, there is a lot to like about exploring Taiwan’s local road network by bike. These roads vary from two-lanes to very, very narrow and one-lane roads in the remote and mountainous areas of Taiwan. They’re fun and surprisingly well-maintained for such remote roads, but cyclists should be careful of the narrowness and broken surfaces. With plenty of blindspots and occasionally fast moving vehicles, cyclists should be sure to ride on their side of the road. 

Understanding Mandarin Chinese in Road Signage

The fourth and final roadway signage here differs from county/city roads (as seen above) where the usage of a Mandarin character sits prior to the road number designation. For local roads, the Chinese Mandarin character represents the county the local road sits within. The quality of the road surface varies significantly across the island. Higher into the mountains these local roadways can get slick with moss and vegetation build up, especially during raining or foggy periods. The other very real obstacle that can get in the way in some of the more remote areas are landslides. Frequent in Taiwan, landslides can (and do!) wash out roads. When you’re heading into and onto remote roads in Taiwan for your next cycling adventure, we always suggest doing thorough research ahead of time or consulting with your local bike shop. 

bike tour in taiwan

Bike Trails in Taiwan

Also known as ‘Bike Paths’ or ‘Bikeways’, when this designation is used, it primarily refers to off-road, mostly paved, or hard-surfaced, multi-use cycling infrastructure. This means that you can find people pushing strollers, running, rollerblading, walking, etc. Also, let’s not kid ourselves either, sometimes you’ll find motorized scooters and other types of e-bikes on these as well. 

There are signaled and non-signaled road crossings and, from time-to-time, questionable infrastructure designs, but all-in-all, Taiwan has done a fantastic job building off-road multi-use bike trails and they criss-cross all over the island. These are fantastic options for bike touring, family-friendly day or overnight bike trips or for those simply wanting to stay off the road while cycling in Taiwan. Portions of Taiwan’s National Cycling Routes incorporate off-road bike trails, however the majority of the national cycling network in Taiwan is on roads. 

Bike Routes of Taiwan

Header for Bike Routes in Taiwan

For the purpose of this Ultimate Guide to Cycling in Taiwan, we’ve included information mostly on Taiwan’s National Cycling Route Network. Are these the best cycling routes in Taiwan? Not always, but they are well-signed and take cyclists through some of the most scenic and unique destinations across the island.

Showcasing cycling in Taiwan

“Round Island” / Huan Dao (環島)

Taiwan’s round-the-island cycling route should be considered one of the best cycling experiences in Asia. A mix of stunning natural scenery, cultural beauty and intrigue, this route typically takes experienced cyclists between 9-12 days depending on how quickly one wishes to complete the loop. This route follows what is referred to simply as, Taiwan Cycle Route No.1 (環島1號線). This route totals 968 km (602 mile) and circles around the island of Taiwan.

The route was created in December 2015 and has been considered one of the best cycling experiences in Taiwan. With km “0” marking located at Songshan Station, many suggest riding this route counter-clockwise for a variety of reasons including building endurance, elevation and wind, and for the scenery. The route itself is very well-signed and incorporates a mixture of dedicated bicycle paths, low traffic country roads, as well as busier roads (mostly with dedicated cycle lanes or other bike infrastructure). 

Cycling routes in Taiwan

Year of Cycling Tourism (自行車旅遊年)

In celebration of 2021 being designated as the Year of Cycling Tourism (自行車旅遊年), the Taiwan Tourism Bureau has put together a fantastic resource to help you plan your next cycling adventure in Taiwan. Check out the new Taiwan On 2 Wheels Website which features an interactive map, segments, event listings and more. If you’re looking for professional bike touring consultation or full-trip planning, send us a message .

If PDF maps are your thing, Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications created a pdf map/brochure to help cyclists who are looking to complete Taiwan’s famous “Round Island” / Huan Dao ( 環島)’ cycling experience. LINK

County Cycling Routes

  • Sun Moon Lake (Nantou County) Bicycle Itineraries  
  • New Taipei City Cycling Routes
  • Taichung Cycling Routes 
  • Tainan Cycling Routes
  • Taitung Cycling Routes

Bike Trails of Taiwan

Bike Trails in Taiwan

Per square kilometer (or square mile) Taiwan features some of the most extensive off-road and paved cycling trail networks on Earth. Cris-crossing the island along rivers, across valleys, through mountains and next to oceans, Taiwan’s bikeway network is second-to-none. Called ‘Rail Trails’ in North America, these off-road, paved paths in Taiwan are called ‘Bikeways’ and are extremely well-maintained and signed. 

Cycling bridge in Taiwan

Note: Like our other Ultimate Guides for Taiwan, we’re just scratching the surface with the total collection of bike trails and pathways here. These guides are aimed at providing you key practical knowledge as well as inspiration to get you out enjoying Taiwan’s outdoors.

Great Cycling Rides

Cycling Taiwan – Great Rides in the Bicycle Kingdom

This guide features 26 bikeways (yes, paved and off-road trails) in 12 national scenic areas across Taiwan. This includes 25 family-friendly routes and one more experienced cycling route located in Alishan. 

While some contact information in this document may need to be updated, the trail networks are the same, as are the road crossings and other cycling-related information. This is a key tool for those planning their cycling adventure in Taiwan with a preference for off-road bike paths or cycling routes with some dedicated cycling infrastructure such as bike lanes or paved shoulders. 

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North-Eastern Taiwan Bike Trails

Cyclists can experience the fascinating geology of the Jinshan Hot Spring area on the North Coast along the Fengzhimen Bikeway and Jinshan-Wanli Bikeway , or follow a former rail line through the Old Caoling Tunnel along the Longmen-Yanliao Bikeway and Old Caoling bikeways in Northeast Taiwan. 

Named one of the world’s most beautiful cycling experiences , this guide also features the Sun Moon Lake Loop, an approximately 29km, stunningly scenic route around Sun Moon Lake in Central Taiwan. The folks at Taiwan Trails and Tales have a nice blog post documenting this experience.

East Coast Taiwan Bike Trails

Cyclists can check out Wushantou Hatta and Baihe Bikeways in Taiwan’s newest scenic area – Siraya National Scenic Area. If you’re interested in learning more about Taiwan’s rich indigenous culture you should check out the attractions and interpretation along the Anpo Tourist Cycle Path, the Shimen-Changbin Bikeway, Sanxiantai Bike Route, and Taiyuan Valley Bikeway on the East Coast. 

Bike Trails in New Taipei City

For many, the capital of Taiwan and the heart of the sprawling metropolis, isn’t the likeliest of places to find amazing cycling experiences. While cycling in the city in many ways can still be intimidating and the implementation of cycling infrastructure leaves many wanting, Taipei has come a long way with their improvements to off-road cycling infrastructure. In particular the development of an extensive network of riverbank bikeways has been a breath of fresh air and provides opportunities for avid cyclists, families and the average recreational cyclist to get out and explore Taipei by bike. 

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Taipei City Bike Path Network

This network continues to grow and Taipei City estimates the city boasts nearly 510km of paved, off-road multi-use paths. In addition to that, New Taipei City, the municipal jurisdiction surrounding Taipei City boasts another 209km of riverside bike paths that take cyclists along four major waterways. 

Check out the Taipei City Tourism – Riverside Bikeway Network website , which includes brief descriptions, downloadable PDFs and links to Google Maps with information on how to get the most out of cycling adventures in Taipei. 

Taipei City Bike Map (Online)

With the bikeway network so interconnected, we also suggest taking a look at the New Taipei City Tourism website (Mandarin Only). Until we can get these resources online ourselves, we suggest using Google Translate to select routes and migrate to Google Maps or one of the other cycling apps to plan your route. The website features riverside bikeways and other cycling routes suitable for families, recreational and avid cyclists. 

Here’s a great resource put together by local bike tour and rental operator, Mathew Bike , which shows some of the key facilities along the extensive Taipei and New Taipei City Riverside Bikeway network, including washrooms and other relevant services for cyclists. 

Bike Trails in Kaohsiung 

Kaohsiung is the 2nd largest city in Taiwan and has been doing a fantastic job updating it’s off-road bike path network. While we know cycling infrastructure can always be improved, the bike paths in Kaohsiung offer great opportunities for recreation, family and commuters to travel and explore this city by bike. Featuring nearly 150km of paved off-road trails that skirt rivers, lakes and forests throughout the city. CLICK HERE

Mountain Biking in Taiwan

Mountain biking is a big part of any cycling scene, however, Taiwan Outdoors feels it should be presented separately from road and other trails. We will be producing a standalone Ultimate Guide to Mountain Biking in Taiwan shortly. We’ll do our best to get this section online as soon as possible. If you are looking for a great mountain bike experience in Taiwan, visit Ye’Topia , Taiwan’s first mountain bike trail center For now, one of the best source for trail information for Mountain Biking in Taiwan can be found on Trailforks Taiwan .

Wayfinding, Cycling APPs & Bikes Maps!

bike tour in taiwan

Bicycle Wayfinding (aka Signs and Road marking!) 

Signs, signs, everywhere are signs! That’s certainly the reality of modern streetscapes and can sometimes make finding bicycle route signage difficult. Taiwan’s National Cycling Route Network has been well-signed for a number of years and the signs (seen below) are highly visible with plenty of decision signs, as well as confirmation signs installed all over the island. 

Cycling Signage in Taiwan

Cycling Infrastructure in Taiwan (Not just for cyclists)

What’s more there are lots of pavement markings to guide bicyclists to their destinations along designated bicycle routes, but cyclists should be aware that, in Taiwan, many times these are shared with scooters ( and the occasional moving motor vehicle, delivery truck and parked Mercedes Benz ). If you’re riding with the expectation that this bicycle infrastructure is sacred and not be encroached on, you may be a bit surprised.

Bike lanes on Taiwan's East Coast

Cycling Websites / Apps 

  • Velodash – A homegrown cycling app and website, Velodash is growing in popularity in Taiwan and is beginning to gain traction elsewhere too. There’s a good reason for that. It has a great interface and offers a ton of great features in it’s freemium services. Explore bike routes, join cycling events, invite some of your cycling buddies out on rides. Lots to play with here. 
  • Strava – Well Strava doesn’t need much of an introduction. It’s a popular platform in Taiwan and the mountainous terrain of Taiwan makes the Segment feature of Strava extra fun. You never forget a leg day cycling in Taiwan.
  • Trailforks – Trailforks Taiwan features just over 110 trail segments. This is steadily increasing as mountain biking is becoming more and more popular, as well as increasingly recognized and accepted by the public and governments. Long way to go yet, but watching the number of mountain bike trails grow in Taiwan is exciting.
  • RidewithGPS – A popular cycling website/app in North America, this platform is gaining ground in Taiwan, thankfully. It offers a lot of great features for tracking and exploring new cycling routes in Taiwan.
  • Bikemap – This website/app comes last in this list, but is certainly not least when it comes to users and routes in Taiwan. There are an estimated 75,000 routes posted on Bikemap and offers users a fantastic mix of filters including flat routes, hilly routes, etc. 

Downloadable Cycling Maps of Taiwan 

  • Great Rides in the Bicycle Kingdom (2013)  – Over a dozen cycling routes are featured along popular bikeways across the island on this PDF. 
  • Taipei Cycling Map (2010) – This cycling map is now over a decade old and much of the infrastructure has likely improved since its publishing, but can be a useful preliminary bike trip planning tool. 
  • Sun Moon Lake Cycling Itineraries – Downloadable pdf featuring four signed cycling routes in this stunningly beautiful area of central Taiwan. This Cycling Map includes parking, washrooms, visitor centres, and details on how to explore the Sun Moon Lake area by bike. 

Bicycle-Friendly Businesses in Taiwan

Bike-friendly businesses in Taiwan

This is the bicycle kingdom and for the most part, businesses across the country are friendly to cyclists. With Taiwanese and foreign residents alike embracing the global cycling trend for the last decade, most businesses are already familiar with guests arriving by bike. Whether this means leaning your bicycle up against a cafe window unlocked or asking for directions, business owners and residents are more than accommodating to the needs of cyclists.

Bicycle-Friendly Police Stations?

Being (bicycle-)friendly is embedded in the Taiwanese culture. What’s more, all police stations along the National Cycling Route #1 in Taiwan has been designated as a bicycle station and offers locations to use washrooms, fill up water bottles, access repair and maintenance tools and even if you’re in a pinch for a place to pitch a tent.

Bike-Friendly Hotel in Taiwan

Like many countries around the world, Taiwan manages and promotes their own extensive, Bicycle-Friendly Accommodation Network for visiting and local cyclists. While the website is in Mandarin, a simple Google Translate can assist in helping you find an accommodation located on or close to one of the 16 multi-day cycling routes they promote on their website.

1000 Certified Bicycle-Friendly Accommodations in Taiwan

There is an estimated eye-popping 1,000 accommodation providers certified as bicycle friendly . If you don’t speak Mandarin, our suggestion is to use this as a reference and call the businesses to see if you are able to communicate with the staff or ownership to book your stay at one of these locations. If you’re looking for a curated list of accommodations that are bicycle friendly, check out this great article by Travel in Taiwan , a fantastic publication on a variety of tourism and travel experiences across the island.

bike tour in taiwan

Bike Tours, Rentals & Taiwan’s Bike Share 

Bike Tours in Taiwan

Bicycle Tour Operators in Taiwan

In addition to a long list of established international tour operators such as Grasshopper , Spiceroads and Bicycle Adventures , there are a lot of fantastic bike tour operators that are owned and operated by Taiwanese or foreign residents in Taiwan. We’re going to take this opportunity to shout out a few local bike tours. 

Giant Cycling World

One of the world’s largest bicycle manufacturers and Taiwanese companies, Giant Cycling World has also developed an impressive and vast catalog of bicycle tour programming across the island. From self-guided to full-guided, Giant Cycling World has become one of Taiwan’s trusted bicycle tour operators. 

Formosa Lohas Cycling Association

This for-profit organization provides a wide range of guided cycling tours across Taiwan and for cyclists of all experience levels. These bike tour packages offer a range of support services including bike rentals, luggage transfers, guides, meals, etc. Great option for those traveling from overseas. Website and services available in English and other languages. 

Taiwan Cycling

This outfit has been hosting fun, professional and unique biking tours across Taiwan since 2016. They have a variety of one-, two-, three- and four-day tours in addition to the Round-Island Tour. They also offer bike rentals for those arriving without their trusty steeds. 

Panagoe Tour

Local tour operator offering custom and fully-supported and guided cycling tours of Taiwan. They feature an epic 13-day ‘Challenge and Adventure’ tour that explores the entire island and then some.

Pedal Taiwan

Even though this operator is actually based out of the UK, they pride themselves on working with local guides and recognize the importance of supporting the local communities they visit. They have a variety of amazing tours, yet only partner with locally-owned businesses in all aspects of their tours. 

Bike Explorer

Local operator with Mandarin-only website, but has a number of foreign partners who promote and utilize their services. 

Taiwan Cycling Tour

Taiwan Cycling Tours is a high quality bike tour operation based in Taiwan. If you have four spare days on your trip, consider signing up for their unique Chiayi Famous Coffee Road .

Taiwan KOM Tours

This professionally run outfit is the only official tour provider of the Taiwan KOM. Run by a ex-pro cyclists and current Tour Director of the Taiwan KOM Challenge, these tours are top-notch and hand-crafted.

Bike Rental Locations in Taiwan

When is bringing your own bicycle to Taiwan not a good idea? We all love riding our own bikes, particularly if you intend to stick around in a destination for a few weeks or more cycling around the country. If you are in a pinch and you must rent a bike, there are plenty of bike shops around the country that can rent you a bicycle. This market has developed a lot over the past few years, with more higher end bikes (that’s you carbon lovers) available from some shops. If you need racks, panniers and other pieces of kit, we suggest calling and arranging all the details ahead of time to not be disappointed

  • Giant Stores – Those without their own bike can rent one from nearly 300 Giant stores throughout the country. Unfortunately, the site doesn’t have an English option yet, so you may need to use auto-translate.
  • Taipei City Riverside Bicycle Rental Stations – Across Taipei visitors and residents can rent bicycles from a number of rental stations that are conveniently located along Taipei’s spectacular riverside bike path network.
  • Mathew Bikes (Taipei) – Rentals, tours, maintenance and a ton of expertise, this outfit does. it all. They also offer a great drop-off service with a number of other bike shops around the island for those looking to ride trunk / linear routes
  • Bi ke Express Taiwan (Taipei) – Drop-bar, flat-bar and e-bikes are available from this popular bike rental operator. They have a ton of information on their site to help decipher which bike might be the best for riding in different areas of Taiwan. There is also a great section on cycling information to help plan your day or overnight trip in Taiwan. 
  • Taipei Bike Works (Taipei ) – A full-service bike shop located adjacent to a park in Taipei’s Dadaocheng neighborhood. Run by two very passionate and knowledgeable bike mechanics and cycling enthusiasts, Alec Gates and Alex Bryant, Taipei Bike Works is a must visit for a velo-fiend coming through or settling in Taipei. They also organize bike camping trips, social rides and more. 

*The list above is not the entire list of possible bike rental or bike tour operators in Taiwan. We’re working on putting together a full list of bike tour operators and rental companies across Taiwan. Thanks for the patience. Did we miss a good bike rental company or bike tour operator in Taiwan? Drop us a message and let us know why you think we should add it!

Taiwan’s YouBike Bike Share Network 

If you live in Taiwan or you plan to be here for more than a few days, you may want to purchase and upload some money onto an Easycard (悠遊卡). Incredibly versatile and accepted in a surprising vast number of businesses and government-associated attractions across Taiwan, this IC card (Integrated Circuit) referred to as the ‘Easycard’ is also your key payment tool to get around on the local and regional bus network as well as on other mass transit systems in Taiwan including the Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung Metros and along the Taiwan rail network. 

YouBike - Bike Share in Taiwan

Easycard – Easy Bikes

In addition to the other locations you can use an Easycard, including convenience stores, parking lots, and the Taipei Zoo, you can also use them to rent bicycles from Taiwan’s Bike Share Network: YouBike. 

YouBike’s Aren’t Performance Bikes

While the bicycles used in Taiwan’s famous YouBike Bike Share Network are by no means high performance bicycles, they are suitable for rides of up to 30 km or more. What’s more, Taiwan’s Bike Share Network is no longer just available in Taipei City and now extends to 10 Major Destinations throughout the country. Wondering what kind of cycling experiences you can have on one of these bikes? Read Will Fly for Food’s great feature blog about renting a bike and cycling around Cijin Island in Kaohsiung.

Taiwan’s YouBike Station Maps By City

Click on the accordion menu below for details on how to rent a YouBike in Taiwan!

There are essentially two ways to pay when renting a YouBike:

  • Paying by Easycard / iPASS Card:
  • Swipe the card on the sensor dock. Once the green light is on, pull the bike out to use.
  • When returning the bike, choose an empty dock with a blue light. Press the bike onto the rail and push it to the front. The blue light will start to blink and make beeping sounds when the bike is securely locked into the dock. Swipe the Easy Card or iPASS Card to pay. When all is done, the light turns back to green.
  • Paying by Credit Card:
  • Choose a payment method at the kiosk and choose a bike. Pull the bike out in 90 seconds to use.
  • When returning the bike, choose an empty dock with a blue light. Press the bike onto the rail and push it to the front. The system will calculate and charge the fees automatically.
  • Most foreign Credit Cards are accepted. 

How to Get an Easycard:

Easy card can be purchased at all MRT stations and convenience stores such as 7/11 or FamilyMart generally for NT$100. To get an Easy Card or iPASS Card, you  apply for an account at any MRT station in Taipei. at a YouBike rental KIOSK, on the YouBike website, with the YouBike app, or simply in a service center. The user’s cell phone are required to apply for an account.

Each municipality and county has different rates for these bike rentals. Check the YouBike YouBike Website for up-to-date information on rental rates, docking station locations and more.

Traveling with your Bicycle

bike tour in taiwan

We know you intend to do a lot of riding here in Taiwan, but there will certainly be a time when you have to get off the saddle and onto some other form of transportation. Sometimes during your stay you may want to jump on a train or one of the bigger city’s metro (aka subway) network with your bike.

Bike-friendly trains in Taiwan

Three ways to travel with your bicycle on a train in Taiwan:

  • Cycling Carrier Bag – This is free of charge to take the train
  • ‘Bicycle Boarding’ – Bicycles & passengers board the same same train without packing the bike into a bag. You’ll need to buy bicycle ticket if you choose this method.
  • Check your Bicycle as luggage.

How to Get Bicycles on Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR)

Here’s the short of it: Any bicycle brought onto Taiwan’s High Speed Rail must first be placed within a carrying bag or case.

For all the details, check out TaiwanBike.tw . The total length, width and height of the carry-on bag/box is limited to 240cm, the height of the item placed in the car must not exceed 120cm, the length is limited to 100cm, the width must not exceed 35 centimeters, and the weight must not exceed 40 kilograms. If you have any questions on whether you and your bicycle can get on the HSR, check out the Taiwan High Speed Rail website.

Bicycles on Taipei Metro

There are also two methods for cyclists to bring their bicycle on to Taipei Metro (or subway) network. There’s no need for us to write out the entire process or details, as you can find a fantastic write on this subject at MathewBike.com .

Cycling Events in Taiwan

bike tour in taiwan

There are hundreds of cycling events that take place every year across Taiwan. Of course, they range from large regional cycling events with national and, in some cases, international appeal to smaller local cycling events and recreational initiatives to encourage more people to get out on a bike in Taiwan. We won’t be listing all the cycling events here, but rather showcasing some of Taiwan’s larger and unique bike events. 

The Taiwan KOM Challenge

This annual event has grown to become one of the most distinguished non-UCI events on Earth. Both amateurs and top professional cyclists circle this event on the international racing calendar.  A true ‘climbing event’, the route runs a total length of only 105km (that’s less than a century ride!). That’s not where the challenge comes in though.

Starting at sea level from Qixingtan Beach in Hualien this route passes through the spectacular Taroko Gorge National Park (太魯閣國家公園), and doesn’t finish until riders reach the 3,275m (or 10,744ft) summit Mt. He Huan (合歡山). This is the highest passable road in Taiwan and makes the Taiwan KOM Challenge truly a once in a lifetime cycling event for all cyclists.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pierre Raoult (@pierre_raoult)

The Sun Moon Lake Come! Bikeday

A famous bicycle festival in Taiwan, this particular event aims to encourage riders to slow down and enjoy a casual cycle around Sun Moon Lake  on two wheels! Organizers create and promote  a variety of cycling routes, throughout the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area.  Fantastic event for family and more experienced riders who are looking to enjoy a great weekend together, enjoying food, fun and fantastic riding! While not associated with the event, this region has been recognized around the world as a fantastic cycling destination from publications such as Skyscannenr and CNN .

Other fun and prestigious cycling events take place every year, but we don’t have nearly the space to include them here. We have added a few others for fun and which round out the different cycling opportunities in Taiwan. 

超級八登山車比賽 Super 8 MTB Festival

Hosted annually for over two decades, Super8 is the heartbeat of mountain biking in Taiwan and draws an easy thousand people to the hillsides of western Taichung every December. 2020 saw an awesome rebirth with new events, kids programming, a great expo and amazing weather. Fingers crossed for good weather and more international travel in 2024!

Dirty F ormosa

The first ever Taiwan gravel bike race took place in the middle of a global pandemic and it. was. dirty. The ‘103km and 4,000M of elevation gain’ kind of dirty. To honor the famous “Dirty Kanza” Gravel Bike Race in the United States and in order to promote the beauty of Taiwan’s mountains and forests, Taiwan now also has its first gravel road bike challenge – Dirty Formosa Challenge.  

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Javier Leon (@fjavierleon)

Asia Rainbow Ride

There are all kinds of fun and unique cycling events popping up in Taiwan. Now in its second year, this 3-day cycling event encompasses a 219km route from Yilan to Taipei. Charity rides are big deal around the world and we’re seeing more and more of these in Taiwan. 100% of profits from the Asia Rainbow Ride will be donated to organizations dedicated to LGBT+ services in Asia.

If we missed a cycling event or bike festivals across Taiwan that you think we should include, send us an email at [email protected]

Bike Shops & Maintenance in Taiwan

bike tour in taiwan

We couldn’t even come close to listing all the bike shops across Taiwan. From franchises to small mom & pop shops, there are literally thousands of places to get bikes, bike parts and repairs done on the island. Instead, we’ve curated a list of some of the unique and talented bike shops and repair options on the island. We’ve broken these down by region, so cyclists who are riding around Taiwan can find a location that best suits their needs and budgets. 

Finding a local bike shop that suits your needs

Velohouse Bicycle Workshop (Taoyuan) – Repairs, maintenance and retail are all featured at this location. Definitely a staple for those located in the Taoyuan area. 

Giant Bicycles Zhunan (Miaoli) – Located in Zhunan Township of Miaoli County, Giant runs their retail and repair outlet for Giant and other bicycles. 

119bike (Miaoli) – Also located in the urban areas of Miaoli, hit up the operators at 119bike if you’re looking for knowledgeable and professional service. 

Cycoholic Co. (Hsinchu) – A local shop that comes highly recommended in the western country of Hsinchu. 

Bike Shops in Taichung

  • Taiwan in Cycles (Taichung) – List of Taichung Independent Bike Shops (Note: Some of these may no longer be in business. Always call ahead first.)
  • Famous Bikes (Taichung) – A fantastic bike shop in Taichung, with a reputation that precedes itself. Tom and his mechanics have been given high praise for their service, knowledge and professionalism. 
  • Giant Flagship Store (Taichung) – The home of manufacturing for Giant Bicycles, we’d be remiss to mention bike shops in Taichung without mentioning Giant’s HQ retail shop. 

Bike Shops in Taipei

  • Dirty Bikes (Taipei) – While certainly not the only mountain bike shop in Taiwan, it is one of the biggest and their staff are very knowledgeable. Located in Taipei, it’s worth heading into the shop to chat with other riders and get a feel for the mountain bike scene in Taiwan. Ask about joining any local rides that are happening.
  • Taipei Bike Works (Taipei) – As listed above, this full service bike shop is located adjacent to a park in Taipei’s Dadaocheng neighborhood. This shop rent bikes, as well as organize bike camping trips, social rides and more. 
  • 二輪黨 auranden bikes (Taipei) – This shop primarily focuses on bike maintenance and related service. They offer English-service that is both professional and excellent. Located in Northern Taipei.
  • MathewBike (Taipei) – Talk about a great community builder! MathewBikes is a professional Bike Repair Shop in Taipei and they also offer rentals, tours and the unique Bicycle drop off services where visitors can rent a bike in one shop and return it in another. They charge for packing and delivery, but it is a nice feature. English-speaking. 
  • Faith Gear Fixie (Taipei) – This is a top shop in Taiwan for Fixie bikes. In addition to other cycling options, they focus on building a Fixie culture and specialize in Fixie bikes. 
  • Other Mountain Bike Shops – FormosaFatTire.com put together a resource for mountain bike shops in Taiwan. Some of these are out of date and surely the product has changed in some cases too. 

We’ll do a deeper dive and put together growing list of bike shops and repair options in Taiwan based on our own experience and through recommendations others. Send us an email if you have a bike shop you think others should know about.

Find Your Tribe While Cycling in Taiwan

bike tour in taiwan

There are a number of resources out there to help you find others who are interested in getting out and cycling in Taiwan. As is the case with many cycling communities around the world, getting in with your cycling group can feel intimidating. Truth is, cyclists in Taiwan are very welcoming to others and the comradeship of cycling in Taiwan is as tight as it is anywhere else in the world.   

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ASIA Rainbow Ride 亞洲彩虹騎行 (@asiarainbowride)

Facebook Groups for Cycling in Taiwan

For the expat community, as well as many Taiwanese, Facebook Groups continue to be a big part of community building and an effective way to meet people with shared interest. Here are a few Facebook Groups that are dedicated to cycling in Taiwan. Most are based on geographical boundaries. These are also great places to hit up the local cyclists for tips and tricks of riding in Taiwan.

  • Taichung Cycle
  • Gravel Riding in Taiwan
  • Gravel Bike & Cyclocross Taiwan 碎石路車與越野公路車
  • Taiwan Fat Bike Club (台灣胖車俱樂部)
  • Cycling Life – MTB / 洽公研習社
  • MTB Riders Taiwan
  • South Side Taipei Cycling Club

Meetup Groups

  • Hiking and Riding in Taipei – Leans more towards hiking than riding, but you’ll find a group here that is generally looking to get outdoors with others. Definitely worth connecting to this group if you live and want to ride with others in Northern Taiwan.
  • Taipei Cycling Group – This is a small but pretty active group that organizes scenic, casual, safe bike rides for fun and recreation all over the Taipei area.
  • Let’s Go Outdoors – Perhaps a little less focussed on biking this is an active group that has planned plenty of group cycling events in the past. 

If you don’t see any rides popping up on their schedules, perhaps you could reach out directly to some of the group organizers and ask them if they’d be interested in hosting a cycling event in your area. It’s worth a shot!

Cycling Clubs and Association  

While there are certainly varying degrees of formal cycling clubs in Taiwan, we’ve just listed a few that specifically promote themselves as open to new members and drop in riders. There are hundreds of less formal and more localized cycling groups across Taiwan, many of them based out of local bike shops. Head to your local bike shop and ask around to see if you can join along.

  • Yangmingshan Cycling Club  
  • TaiPei Cycling Club 

Cycling Associations

Taiwan bike.

This site has some good resources on cycling including listing major cycling events and other bicycle organizations in Taiwan. This is developed and run by the Ministry of Transportation and is fairly regularly updated. 

Chinese Taipei Cycling Association

Launched in 1983, this organization is the leading body developing, coordinating and promoting competitive cycling in Taiwan. They also have a mandate to improve cycling culture, programming and advocate for improving cycling policy and infrastructure in Taiwan. They also support competitive cycling events and national cycling leisure activities domestically and organize Taiwan’s delegation to participate in the Olympic and Asian Games and the World and Asian Championships.  If you’re interested, they also host workshops for coaching, bicycle training as well as for professional judges and competitive referees. 

Taiwan Cyclist Federation

This organization helps develop competitive and leisure cycling initiatives across Taiwan. This includes bike tours, events and training programs for a wide range of cyclists. They also help develop safe driving and cycling education programs to improve the cycling environment and culture for all Taiwnese.

Cycling LifeStyle Foundation (CLSF)

A leading organization in Taiwan, improving cycling experiences and promoting cycling as a recreational and tourism experience in Taiwan. They are also the organization that issues a certificate if you complete the ‘round-the-island’ journey. 

Getting Inspired for Cycling in Taiwan!

bike tour in taiwan

There are some amazing blogs, videos, photo galleries and featured articles about the adventures that can be had when cycling in Taiwan. There’s no doubt that this island features some of the most spectacular and world-class cycling on Earth. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Epic Road Rides (@epicroadrides)

If you don’t believe us, and in the nature of our Ultimate Travel Guides, we’ve thrown a list of blogs, videos and other resources to help convince you that cycling in Taiwan should be on your next bucket list. 

Blogs & Other Articles about Cycling in Taiwan

Veronika’s adventure.

Cycling Taiwan: How To Plan The Perfect Trip and What to Pack – A six-step guide to planning a Taiwan cycling tour itinerary. All the tips and tricks you need for cycling in Taiwan.

Taiwan in Cycles

Fantastic resource featuring dozens of preferred cycling routes from a longtime cyclist in Taiwan. Some of the route details may be out of date, so we encourage, as always, to do your own research and make sure the route you choose is safe and suitable. 

Away Wandering – Around Taiwan in 60 Days!

Check out this British couple’s 1,600km adventure cycling around Taiwan. Fantastic overview of the opportunities and types of experiences to have on a bike adventure on Formosa!

Taiwan Everything – 10 Best Bike Paths in Taiwan

The name of this post says it all! Check out the great resources that the folks at Taiwan Everything have put together! If you’re looking for more cycling information, including a great overview of how to use the https://taiwaneverything.cc/2020/09/04/bike-rental-taiwan/

Cycling Around the World

Check out this famous bicycle blogging couple’s 4 week adventure as they rode approximately 1350km around Taiwan. They explored designated bicycle routes in Taiwan and got off the beaten path to explore further. 

Back in 2017, Mark Stratton from CNN spent 12 days cycling around Taiwan and wrote a fantastic feature article. Well worth the read!

Rapha Cycling Club

One of their members joined up with a local group and Toured Taiwan. This is their story!

Sir Cycling: Taipei — Ultimate Optionality

This Hong Kong Cycling Club has put together a nice feature on making the most out of a cycling weekend in Taipei. It also includes links to Strava GPS files so you can pick up and go ride these same amazing bike routes around Taipei.

Modern Black Hand

A local cyclist has put together a number of great cycling routes around the island and has been gracious enough to link to his RidewithGPS account and embedded map. Lots of pictures and good insight into cycling along these routes. Great resource.

For Something More

Wondering how to prepare for cycling around Taiwan? Another, very detailed account of cycling around Taiwan. This is a fantastic resource for both planning, preparation and, eventually, riding around Taiwan on a bicycle.. 

If you know of any other great reads, as well as any other inspirational and practical resources that we haven’t included in this list, please send an email to [email protected] and we’ll add it to this ultimate guide to cycling in Taiwan when we can. 

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4 thoughts on “ Ultimate Guide to Cycling in Taiwan ”

Some of the information is out dated. The shop you reference in Kaohsiung is closed. Please get in touch if you would like a recommendation.

Thanks Mark. This information has been updated.

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bike tour in taiwan

bike tour in taiwan

OPEN YOUR EYES

To a new cycling playground, important notice.

We would like to to announce that Epic Ride Taiwan's cycling tours are running as normal post earthquake!

And more importantly all our guests who were here at the time are safe, well and continuing their adventures

Fully customizable experience.

Whether it's a private, group or self-guided tour, we will create the tour that meets your specific needs.

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SELF-GUIDED TOURS

Have your own adventure, but we’ll still design it and take care of all the logistics, so you can focus on the ride, knowing that we’ve got your back..

Find Out More

HOME BASE TOURS

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Settle in and make yourself at home, in either our East Coast Base, situated in Hualien County or our Central Mountain Base, situated at Sun Moon Lake. Each has a multitude of varied and unique routes to give you a bit of everything that the local areas have to offer. Relax, knowing that you will return to a familiar place, in a wonderful environment at the end of the day to rest and recover, ready for the next day's adventure.

Our Home Bases may be used for self-guided tours too, if the dates are outside of the official tour dates, making the self-guided experience even easier.

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BUY A ROUTE

If you are going to be in an area of taiwan and you simply want to ride without any guide, but don't have time to research all the best roads for yourself, simply buy a route, and off you go., classic tour ideas.

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The Incredible East

The tour of green mountains, plantations and fruit groves with the blue of the sky and the Pacific. This tour is fairly flat and easy on the kilometres.

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Rift Valley & Pacific Coast

A tour sampling the delights of the lush and fertile East Rift Valley and the rolling  Pacific Coastal road.

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East Coast & KOM

A tour rolling along the Pacific Coast, through lush valleys and over rolling hills, plus the legendary Taiwan KOM Challenge route.

The last 2km of the Wuling Assent from the West side. Beautiful, but savage at over 3000m in elevation.

The Central Mountain Line

This is our high mountain classic. A week in the big country, featuring the famous Wuling Pass at 3275m

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East Coast Home Base Tour

Ride along the Pacific coast, past sandy beaches and high cliffs,  through fruit orchards, rice fields, gorges,  jungles, hills and mountains.

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The "Huadao" or Round Island Tour

Take on this legendary local challenge  of riding around the whole island of Taiwan. We'll route you on the best possible  route to truly experience the real  Taiwan.

bike tour in taiwan

We've explored, trained and raced on the fabulous roads of Taiwan. Quite simply, we know the island's road network inside out. For us, the Taiwan cycling passion began  back  in 2010 and has grown stronger year after year. Our team, not only have an intimate knowledge of Taiwan's roads, but also the experience and understanding of the climate, people and culture. We bring to you the opportunity to experience it and be treated as if you are a professional rider at the same time, on our quality cycling tours.

Have a Taste

Take a look at the following videos to give you a little sample of what lies in wait for you in Taiwan.

Take a look at our own short Epic Ride Taiwan promo video.

See what the guys at GCN made of the Taiwan KOM Challenge back in 2017

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Ian Crawshaw, Singapore

"When I first met Ian, I was a leisure cyclist returning to riding after many years out of the sport. His passion for riding and knowledge of  Taiwan cycling were instrumental in transforming me from someone who would avoid riding in the mountains to someone who embraced riding in the mountains, even participating in race events. Without a doubt, if you are planning a cycling trip to Taiwan, you'll be in good hands with Ian and his team."

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Kirk Ko, Taipei

Adam is very professional in his approach, and  he is also someone who genuinely cares about your well-being and experience.    I always remember the climb from ShenKeng to NanGang up the 109 climb.  The coaching I received from Adam and encouragement in the beginning of the climb really helped me pace my way up the climb, with him telling me what was coming up with each turn, whilst riding.   I got a big PR.   Adam can accommodate different level riders in the same group, all of which can benefit from appropriate stimulation.    When organising the routes he had planned for us, I liked how the slower riders go first, and the faster riders go later whilst doing an extra loop to ensure everyone meets at roughly the same time.  This is a great approach meaning the faster riders can push whilst the slower riders don’t feel bad for having everyone wait for too long.    The group ride was well thought out, suitable for all  and great fun. We even practiced doing a Team Time Trial ‘Train’ which was fast and a very helpful skill to learn.    He is a top guy as well.

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Ira Hidayanti Jakarta/Chicago

"For a long time, Ian has been my go to man when I need some inspiration for a new route.
Nobody else can match his knowledge of those “secret vistas”

bike tour in taiwan

Taiwan The Cycling Paradise in Asia

The best cycling tour in taiwan,  explore the colourful west pacific island from the saddle of a bicycle..

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Our 12 days tour will be cycling all along the most beautiful coastlines in Taiwan, combining the introduction of history and culture when in Taipei and Tainan.

From US$2 ,815                                     12 Days

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Taiwan KOM and Splendid Sun Moon Lake

Join us on our cycling trip to challenge the famous Taiwan KOM (King of Mountain). It is the highest mountain road in East Asia (3275m). This tour will also visit the largest lake, Sun Moon Lake, in Taiwan.

F rom US$2,495                                      8  Days

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Scenic East

This tour features the most natural eastern Taiwan, which faces the vast Pacific Ocean on the East and leans against the Central Mountain Ridge on the West. 

From U S$2,095                                      9 Days

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Challenge and Adventure

Our 13 days trip is no doubt the best choice for people who love to take up challenges and passionate for adventures. The 3275 meters highest mountain trek in East Asia is definitely making this tour different and worth challenging.

F rom US$3,145                                     13 Days

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Around the Island

Circling the whole island in less than two weeks is surely an unforgettable experience, and it is definitely one of the must try trip in Panagoe cycling tour.

F rom US$2,855                                     12 Days

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Colourful North

The combination of extinct volcanoes, hot spring and extraordinary rock formations along the coast is a must try for those who wish to explore the Northern Taiwan in a short period of time.

F rom US$975                                       5 Days

Customised & private tours.

We provide private tours tailor-made exclusively for your family and friends.

Cycling Support for self-guided tours

If you'd like to ride on your own but would like to have someone carrying your luggage, providing nutritions and mechanical support along the way, Panagoe's here to help!

Customer Reviews

Best bike tour ever! The back country roads, beautiful scenery, amazing food experiences and impeccable service all made for an unforgettable experience. Stephen and Jimmy are wonderful guides who always anticipated our needs, biking and otherwise. Everything was impeccably planned, with much attention to detail. Cycling with my husband and adult children who are strong riders, I appreciated the option of hopping into the van when needed on the final days of the trip. Both Stephen and Jimmy have decades of experience leading tours, and their professionalism, insights and friendly camaraderie were much appreciated. HIGHLY RECOMMEND for anyone looking for a fun adventure interspersed with comfortable accommodations and cultural exchange. We had so much fun that we are already plotting our next trip with Panagoe!

— Yvonne Wu, US

Our cycling trip - Scenic East Tour - was one of our greatest holidays and we would say our best cycling tour. Stephen and Jimmy were exceptional in every aspect of the trip and very accommodating to all our needs including dietary requirements. Our first day in Taiwan was just perfectly organised using the town bikes to explore the city and also the MRT - ideal way of taking in all the atmosphere of the city. The knowledge of Stephen regarding Taiwan is amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed all the local food - ‘light lunches’ are more of a banquet !!!!! The snack breaks were well appreciated and taking care of our bicycles and shoes at the end of the day was well received especially when we were enjoying a beer whilst Stephen and Jimmy were doing the mechanics. All the accommodation was of a high standard and very comfortable. The scenery is magnificent on this trip and we truly recommend this tour.

— Kim and George Legg, UK

Just finished my third trip with Panagoe. Stephen and his team always do a terrific job. Very patient with me as I struggle to get up Wuling mountain. And Taiwan is such a special place to ride-really unique terrain and sights. And very friendly people! If you have a chance to ride with Stephen I highly recommend it!

— Steve Skinner, US

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The Best Taiwan Bike Tours and E-Bike Tours

Boutique and personalized cycling & e-bike tours in Taiwan for every journey.

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Enchanting East Coast of Taiwan Bike Tour

9 days from $3,695

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Reviews from our friends

Jacob N. from US

Exceeded all expectations

This Taiwan cycling adventure exceeded all expectations! From the breathtaking cliffs of Taroko Gorge to the enchanting coastal routes, every moment was a visual delight. The blend of culture, nature, and well-organized logistics made it a journey of a lifetime.

End of reviews

Let's Start Planning!

Contact us today to book your Taiwan bike tour or inquire about custom options.

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Taiwan cycling guide

Read our complete guide to cycling in Taiwan .

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  • Why Choose Us?

East + South Coasts

9 days / 8 nights

Mountains + Sea

8 days / 7 nights

Weekend Escape

3 days / 2 nights

Foodie, 

Beach + hotspring .

5 days / 4 nights

Family Adventure

     choose your steed . ., why choose taiwan bike tours that's easy . . ., * our tours are private - who you book with is who you’ll travel with. there’s only a 4-person minimum for each tour to run., * you can tour whenever you’d like; we’re not locked into specific dates + all bike hire included., * you'll have a bilingual guide cycling with you & support vehicle/s on every route, with room for all.​, * your tour can be personalised – if you want to do longer or shorter rides than our regular routes, no problem.​, * we’ll go at your pace; there’s no group schedule to follow + professionally shot photos of your tour are included., 4 people minimum - 10 people maximum, single supplements + twin beds available, includes: bike hire + airport / train station transfers + tour + accommodations + breakfasts.

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Magic Island of Taiwan Cycling Tour

About this tour

Referred to by the Portuguese as the “Ilha Formosa” (Beautiful Island), Taiwan has preserved its wild beauty to this day. The east coast is a true cycling paradise with perfect roads and beautiful nature. We take in the highest pass in East Asia (3,275 masl), admire the unique Taroko Gorge, and enjoy the view of the Pacific in Kenting. The modern metropolis of Taipei, along with the 101 Tower, offers diverse cultural and culinary discoveries.

Road bike tour through the Island of the Bicycle.

12 days | 11 nights | 8 stages from 35 to 154 km | Total *650 – 734 km | *6700 – 9.800 m ascent

*Optional sections of routes can be done by bus

Tour Package: 139,000 THB (129.000 THB bei Buchung bis 30.04.24) Tour Package incl. Single Supplement: 174,000 THB (158.000 THB bei Buchung bis 30.04.24)

A limited number of rental road bikes and e-bikes are available upon request.

STARTS IN Taipei

ARRIVE AT Taiwan Taoyuan Intl Airport (TPE)

ENDS IN Taipei

DEPART FROM Taiwan Taoyuan Intl Airport (TPE)

TOTAL CYCLING DISTANCE 734 KM

DISTANCE PER DAY 35 - 154 KM

Cityview of Taipei, Taiwan at night

Tour Highlights

  • City Bike Tour with Taipei 101 Tower (508 m)
  • North-South crossing of Taiwan
  • Taroko Marble Stone Canyon
  • Hehuan Shan Pass | 3,275 meters above sea level
  • Scenic coastal road
  • Kenting National Park | Sandy beaches and coral reefs
  • High-Speed Train 300 km/h

Not Included

Day 1  |  Arrival in Taipei D included We start the tour with a night at a chic 4-star hotel in the center of Taipei. In the evening, we meet for a tour briefing before enjoying a typical Taiwanese dinner.

Day 2  |  Taipei 101 Tower and City Bike Tour B included We make the most of the awesome “U-Bike” rental system to ride around the capital, before experiencing Taipei from one of the highest buildings in the world. From the Chang Kai Chek Memorial, we then head into the trendy cultural district of Ximending.

Day 3  | 1st stage:  Taipei – Cilan 48 km | 750 m ascent | B/L/D included

bike tour in taiwan

After a 2-hour train ride, we reach the island’s central mountains. Once on the bikes, we ride past the mighty Mount Cilan and continue to enjoy a panoramic view of the mountain from our hotel.

Day 4  | 2nd stage:  Cilan – Lishan 72 km | 2,470 m ascent | B/L/D included

bike tour in taiwan

Today’s ride winds up through bamboo and fern forests to the pass, with orchards growing on steep mountain slopes. We spend the night in the mountain village of Lishan, which sits at 1900 masl.

Day 5  | 3rd stage:  Lishan – Sincheng 122 km | 1,940 m ascent | Optional sections by bus | B/L/D included

bike tour in taiwan

At 3275 masl, Hehuanshan Pass is the highest pass in East Asia. Experience the unique views of hundreds of peaks. After the climb, you can enjoy a 75 km descent through the Taroko gorge.

Day 6  | 4th stage:  Sincheng – An Ton Hot Springs 130 km | 1,320 m ascent | B/L/D included

bike tour in taiwan

We spend the first part of the day riding along a coastal road, giving us stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. We then climb through a tropical forest to bring us to the East Rift Valley. Here, we can relax as we let our bodies sink into the thermal waters of the An Ton Hot Springs.

Day 7  | 5th stage:  An Ton Hot Springs – Chishang 78 km | 670 m | | B/L included

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Today, we cycle through the East Rift Valley, which lies between the Central Mountains and the Coastal Mountains. This valley runs parallel to the coast and is known for its green rice fields, waterfalls, and tea plantations.

Day 8  | 6th stage:  Chishang – Taitung 95 km | 880 m ascent | B/L/D included

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We ride back to the “Sunshine Coast” and back to the ocean. This area is home to the Formosan macaque monkey. We spend the night in the port city of Taitung, which was the first part of Taiwan to be inhabited by the natives.

Day 9  | 7th stage:  Taitung – Kenting 154 km | 1,480 m ascent | B/L/D included

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We glide through wild flora and tropical forests whilst enjoying the descent through the jungle-covered mountains to reach the east side of the Hengchung Peninsula. Here, the wind has created bizarre sand dunes.

Day 10  | 8th stage:  Kenting loop – Short ride or rest day 35 km | 300 m ascent | B included

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Kenting is the southernmost point of Taiwan. After a relaxing day on the sandy beach, with an optional shorter ride, we get to experience the vibrant night market and celebrate our journey at the beach bar.

Day 11  |  Kenting – Kaohsiung – Taipei B/D included Sat in business class, we ride back to Taipei at 300 kph on the high-speed railway. In the evening, we enjoy a world-class dinner in our extravagant 5-star hotel.

Day 12  |  Departure Day from Taipei City B included With unforgettable memories, we leave the “Ilha Formosa” (Beautiful Island), as named by the first Portuguese explorers.

Magic Island of Taiwan Tour

All of our cycling tours will be arranged into small groups and guided by an experienced tour guide.  Our bike tours are suitable for any enthusiastic cyclist in reasonable shape.

The group will determine the riding speed on any stage; faster riders may go ahead together, regrouping at selected refreshment stops with the others. During our tours it is mandatory to wear a helmet.

The Thai currency is the baht. ATM’s, which are abundant, are the easiest ways to get Thai baht. Have a supply of US dollars in cash on hand, just in case your card doesn’t work. Banks or the rarer private money changers offer the best foreign-exchange rates. Credit cards are accepted in big cities and resort hotels but you’ll need baht for family-run guesthouses or restaurants.

We recommend that you visit a travel medical doctor and ask about the following vaccinations: typhoid, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required when arriving from an infected area within six days.

Thailand generally has a tropical climate with fairly high humidity. The North and Central region have a tropical climate with fairly high humidity. Northeast Thailand has a humid hot and dry weather alternatively with medium rain while the coastal areas of the east are humid and hot with intermittent rain. The South of Thailand has a tropical climate with fairly high humidity. There are three seasons: from March to June it is hot and dry, with temperatures between 27˚C/80 F and 40˚C/104 F, with night temperatures in the 20s. The rainy season is from July to October, but temperatures are slightly lower, because of the effect of the rain. During this time it will not rain continuously, but in sharp bursts, and the sun can come out quickly. The cooler season is from October to February, with average temperatures between 20˚C/68 F and 30˚C/86 F

  • 90 days before starting the tour: Admin expenses (Bank fees, any costs caused by cancellation)
  • 60 to 89 days before starting the tour: Deposit paid
  • 45 to 59 days before starting the tour: 50% of tour price
  • 15 to 44 days before starting the tour: 70% of tour price
  • 0 to 14 days before starting the tour: 100% of tour price
  • 59 to 45 days before departure: THB 10,000
  • 15 to 44 days before departure: THB 15,000

Select Tour Dates  * Select Tour Date

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Epic Road Rides

Taiwan’s Cycling Route 1: what you need to know

Taiwan Tourism Board logo

Taiwan’s Cycling Route 1 is the country’s most famous cycling route. It circumnavigates the island in a massive 960km loop.

Cycling route 1 runs along the island’s coastline, taking riders through bustling cities, rural villages, and stunning natural landscapes. It’s been named one of the best bike routes in the world, attracting thousands of cyclists each year.

In this article, we speak to Frank Hou from GIANT Taiwan. We explore the reasons why you should consider cycling Taiwan’s Cycling Route 1 and what you can expect along the way.

All metrics in this article are approximate.

As ever, check current travel information and advice. For visitors from the UK, the UK government travel information pages are here.

You should also read and follow Taiwan’s highway code (more information below).

1. Overview of Taiwan’s Cycling Route 1

Cycling Route 1 is a 960.8-kilometre route that circles the entire island of Taiwan. Depending on the weather and season, the route can be done clockwise or anticlockwise (there’s more on that below).

The most popular starting and ending point of the route is Taipei Songshan Station. Songshan Station is very well-connected to everywhere in Taipei (and to most parts of Taiwan) by train.

Taiwan’s Cycling Route 1 was launched on 30 December 2015 with the aim of increasing recreational cycling in Taiwan.  The route is made up of a mixture of dedicated bicycle paths, quiet country roads, and busier roads with cycle lanes.

Taiwan boasts diverse scenery, from major cities to countryside villages, coastal views and mountain terrain. Cycling Route 1 is one of the most popular and famous routes in Taiwan. It makes a great formula for a Taiwan cycling holiday because it showcases the country’s beauty and unique scenery along the way, allowing cyclists to explore the vibrant cities, ancient temples, night markets, hot springs, aboriginal tribes, beaches, and a lot more attractions in Taiwan.

Here’s a map of Taiwan’s route 1:

bike tour in taiwan

2. Highlights of Taiwan Cycle Route 1

To give you an idea of some of what makes Cycling Route 1 so special, here are a few highlights:

Huadong Valley (East Rift Valley)

Huadong Valley is a long and narrow valley that stretches along the eastern coast of Taiwan for around 180 kilometres. It is a remarkable natural wonder, and one of Taiwan’s most scenic spots. The valley is home to several protected national parks.

In addition to its natural beauty, the Huadong Valley is also renowned for its cultural significance. The valley is home to several indigenous tribes, such as the Amis and Bunun people, who have a rich history and cultural heritage. Visitors to the valley can experience traditional tribal customs, such as dance performances, weaving, and handicrafts. Moreover, the valley is dotted with charming old towns, each with its unique character and charm. These towns offer visitors a glimpse of traditional Taiwanese life, with their narrow alleys, bustling markets, and ancient temples.

If you don’t have time to ride the whole of Route 1, this is certainly one of the most spectacular stretches of it. In general, it’s worth bearing in mind that the eastern side of Taiwan is much quieter than the west (which is where all the main cities are).

Tainan City

Cycling Route 1 runs across Tainan City, which is one of my favourite parts of the route.

Tainan City is the old capital of Taiwan and so it has an abundance of historical sites, such as Confucius Temple, Fort Provintia which was built by the Dutch, and the National Museum of Taiwan history.

Tainan also has the name of “Taiwan’s food capital”, as it offers a range of mouth-watering Taiwanese cuisines from seafood congee, beef noodle soup, to Taiwanese shaved ice.

Riding within Tainan City is relaxing, giving the cyclists a chance to rest and get to know about Taiwan and its history and culture.

Shouka mountain pass

Situated between Pingtung County and Taitung County, the 21 kilometre climb to the top of the Shouka pass is also one of the most challenging parts of the entire route. It’s a true test of endurance and perseverance.

Shouka has an altitude of 436 metres and is the highest area of the southern part of Route 1. However, the stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the sense of accomplishment that comes with reaching the summit make it all worth it.

The climb is especially popular among experienced cyclists who are seeking a challenge and wanting to push their limits.

Aerial photo of east coast highway Taiwan

3. How many days does it take to cycle Route 1?

There are various ways to cycle around Route 1, depending on personal preference, interests, and the cyclist’s level and experience.

The most common and beginner-friendly schedule is to complete the route in 9 to 14 days, which provides cyclists ample opportunities to explore and ride for a day while allowing enough time to rest and recover for the following day’s journey.

If you want to take in extra sights, then you can add on some extra days. There are 25 extra officially-planned branches extending from Route 1, which lead you to destinations like Taipei Fugui Cape Lighthouse (Branch-1), Sun Moon Lake (Branch-3), Guandu Nature Park (Branch-13), Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum (Branch-16), and many other places to visit.

4. What are Route 1’s surfaces like?

The good news for anyone wanting to road bike Taiwan is that the road surfaces of Route 1 are very well-maintained and in good condition, as it is a major highway that connects many cities and tourist attractions.

Much of the road is made of concrete and is smooth and safe to ride on. Some parts of the road, especially in the mountain areas, are at its natural state with pebbles and mud, which can be a bit bumpy and slippery.

5. Is Route 1 sign posted?

Route 1’s signpost is very easy to recognise, with a brown background and a Taiwan logo at the top (as below).

Road signs in Taiwan

Route 1 is well-marked; the signposts are usually placed at main intersections, cross roads wider than 15 metre, fork roads, and the beginning and ending of bridges. Every 2 kilometres there should be a signpost (every 500 metres in the city).

However, it is possible to accidentally get off the cycling route at times, particularly in urban areas. As such, it’s definitely a good idea to download a GPX file before you start you go cycle touring in Taiwan.

6. Can you provide an example Route 1 cycling itinerary?

Cycling Route No.1 is also known as the Round-Island Route. The route circles around the entire island of Taiwan for about 960 kilometres. It is a challenging but rewarding journey that showcases Taiwan’s natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and friendly hospitality.

Route 1 passes through several big cities and towns including Taipei – the capital of Taiwan, Yilan, Hualien, Taitung, Kenting, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Lukang, and Taoyuan. It also passes through many smaller towns and villages.

There is no set way to ride Cycling Route 1. The Tourist Board have produced this itinerary – my example anticlockwise itinerary below is based riding Route 1 in nine days.

However, this can easily be broken up to create a Taiwan itinerary for 10+ days; bear in mind that the nine day route requires you to cover considerable distance each day. With that in mind, consider allowing extra days if you don’t think you’re fit enough – or bear in mind that you might need to pack your bike on the train and skip ahead.

Alternatively, acknowledge from the start that you don’t want to ride the whole thing and just pick a section (remember my comments above in the highlights section).

GPX Download Terms of use reminder

Day 1 – Taipei to Hsinchu (91 km)

Starting from Taipei Songshan Station, the route goes southwest to New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, and arrives at Hsinchu City. On the way, you will pass through Pingxi District, which is known for its sky lantern festival, and along the Jiji Railway Line.

Ximen area of Taiwan

Day 2 – Hsinchu to Changhua (102 km)

Riding along Taiwan Highway No.1 and No.61, you go all the way from Hsinchu City to Changhua City. This part is relatively flat and has the Taiwan Strait ocean view on the right hand side.

Day 3 – Changhua to Chiayi (83.2 km)

Day three rides from Changhua to Chiayi and passes through a few southern townships, including Yuanlin, Xiluo, and Dounan, giving you a chance to explore traditional Taiwanese fishing and farming towns.

Taiwan Cycling Route 1 near Sun Moon Lake

Day 4 – Chiayi to Kaohsiung (103.5 km)

From Chiayi to Kaohsiung is a smooth ride with more downhills and concrete roads. Sicao Green tunnel (pictured below) is located in Tainan, which is roughly midway between Chiayi and Kaohsiung.

Water and tunnel in Tainan

Day 5 – Kaohsiung to Pingtung (95.4 km)

The way from Kaohsiung to Pingtung is relatively flat. However, because of the geolocation, there can be strong wind coming down from the mountains throughout the way.

Train near the south coast of Taiwan

Day 6 – Pingtung to Taitung (115.5 km)

This might be the hardest part of Route 1, as it involves a 450m ascent to Shouka, followed by a long downhill. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the route is incredibly challenging but ultimately rewarding upon completion.

Cyclists in Yuli, Taiwan

Day 7 – Taitung to Hualien (86.4 km)

One of the most scenic parts of Route 1 is from Taitung to Hualien where you will be surrounded by amazing mountain and rice field sceneries.

Train between Yuli and Hualien

Day 8 – Hualien to Yilan (train alternative) (96.8 km or 111 km if you ride the Suhua Highway)

From Hualien to Yilan, you pass through Suhua Highway, which is infamous for its continuous heavy traffic and large trucks. The road is narrow and on one side is the ocean and the other a sheer cliff face (the East Coast Highway is the first photo in this article – it forms part of the Suhua Highway). There are also occasional falling rocks…

You’re allowed to ride your bike on the highway but many people will take the train from Xincheng Station to Su’Ao Station to avoid the highway.

Day 9 – Yilan back to Taipei (115.4 km)

The last day of the journey takes cyclists from Yilan back to the start at Taipei Songshan station. Though it’s the last day, there are still many hills and climbs to be tackled. So don’t use up all your energy beforehand!

7. Is it best to ride Route 1 clockwise or anticlockwise?

In general, if you’re going to ride the whole of Route 1 and you aren’t an experienced or overly fit cyclist, it’s best to ride anti-clockwise. That’s because on this side of the island, the terrain is easier and there are more bike shops and rest points. The first big test is then the Shouka climb.  After that, it’s onto the rolling hills and headwind of the East Rift Valley. Bear in mind the “if you’re going to ride the whole of Route 1” caveat… the coastal roads on the west are also very urban; so if you’re considering skipping part of the route, this may be the part to skip…)

I recommend riding Route 1 at the end of October, or in November, March, or April. The weather during these times of the year is most pleasant, with less rain, making for a more enjoyable experience.

In the summer months of June, July and August, it can get very hot and humid in Taiwan.

In the winter months of December to March, it can be quite rainy in Taiwan, especially in the northern part. At these times of year, cycling in the anticlockwise direction would be a better choice. This is because you will be riding downwind of the northeast Monsoon, making the cycling experience more comfortable.

There’s more on the weather in Taiwan below.

8. What are the best places for cyclists to stay on Route 1?

If you’re looking for a place to stay on Taiwan’s Cycling Route 1, this registered accommodation website has a variety of options, including hotels, Airbnbs, and hostels. You can easily search for the perfect spot by using the filters on the left-hand side.  

Even if you’re not staying at an official Taiwan bike hotel as such, most accommodation is cyclist-friendly and offers early check-out and breakfast services. Just keep in mind that many places don’t have bike parking or maintenance services, so it’s best to check with the accommodation before booking.

9. Is it possible to hire a bike to ride Route 1?

It’s easier to find bike hire and bike rental in big cities but, even there, shops usually require pre-booking.

If you are considering riding the whole of Route 1, make sure to plan ahead and get in touch with bike shops to organise the trip.

You should also bear in mind that if you’re planning a long Taiwan cycling tour, it is important to have a bike customised to your height and physique. Bikes for hire in Taiwan tend to be smaller than European bikes. Taiwan road bikes might also be more difficult to source.

In light of this, you might want to consider bringing your own bike to Taiwan.

10. Practicalities for planning a Route 1 cycling tour in Taiwan

What kind of bike is suitable for riding route 1.

Assuming you have a support vehicle or luggage transfer, a road bike is a good option for Route 1.   

Alternatively, a gravel or touring bike with slick tyres would work well.

Is mechanical assistance available?

Bike repair and maintenance can usually be found in/near bike shops. Scooter shops should also be able to help you patch your tube if you get a puncture you’re struggling to repair. Police stations can even be a good port of call if you are really in need with help with your bike issues.

Be aware, there won’t be much mechanical assistance in the countryside or rural areas.

There are regular signs for bicycle service and facilities along the route; here you will also find bike aid stations if you need them.

You can find bicycle supply stations such as police stations and convenience stores, where they provide drinking water and simple bicycle repair tools, offering the most convenient and thoughtful services for cyclists

Are luggage transfer services available?

You can hire a local bike tour operator or bike shop to arrange the luggage and also bike transfer for you. This will need to be booked 2-4 weeks in advance.

What kit/food do you suggest cyclists bring?

Your general bike kit should suffice for a bike tour of Taiwan, but make sure you include bike lights and a rain jacket in your kit, as it might get a bit dark in the countryside during the night and there is the possibility for rain throughout the island. Other good ideas include some thinner jackets for when it gets colder in the morning and at night, as well as swimsuits if you want a dip in the hotel.

Also remember your sunglasses, sunscreen and gloves.

Worst case, if you forget your jacket, you can pick up a rain poncho in a convenience store very cheaply!

When biking around Taiwan you should find that there are convenience stores, such as 7-11, Family Mart, or Hi-Life, everywhere. Here you can pick up fresh fruit, snacks, microwave food (microwaves are in the store as well).

Regarding water, technically it’s drinkable but most people drink bottled or filtered water; it’s probably best to stick to that if you’re here on a short-ish bike trip.

There’s more information on food in Taiwan below.

How do you get to the start of Route 1?

Getting to the start of Route 1 is easy. Every international flight coming to Taiwan will land at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. There is Airport Metro which will take you from the airport to Taipei Train Station. From there, you can easily get to the starting point of Route 1 – Songshan Train Station.

Can you take your bikes on public transport?

Bikes are allowed in and out of some stations of the city metros (the MRT). You can find the stations that allow bikes at the sign in every station. Bikes are also allowed on all the metro trains in the first and last carriages.

For people who are taking the train, you can visit the Taiwan Railways website , where you can find information about trains that allow bicycles at the Bicycle Train Schedule section. Be warned though, it is not straightforward… certain trains allow bikes on them but not all.

The rule of thumb is that you can take your bike on the standard rail system (the TRA) but not the high speed rail network.

Buses usually do not allow bikes you’ve taken the bike apart and put it in a bag, although the driver does have some discretion on this.

How much does it cost to cycle in Taiwan?

Taiwan is a fairly affordable travel destination. Hotels are usually around £50 pounds to £100 per night. There are also plenty of cheaper hostels to choose from.

Food and transportation are very affordable and will cost you less than £30 per day.

More information on Taiwan bike tours on Route 1

Taiwan Tourism Administration have created the Tour Taiwan app to help those cycling around Taiwan. It includes a National Cycle Route 1 map, information about food, where to stay, things to do and local businesses. You can download it here for Android and here for iOS. (Note that it is in Chinese.)

Taiwan's Route 1 in the north of Taiwean

11. What are the tourist highlights of Route 1

Cities and towns.

One of the most interesting and special aspects of cycling through Route 1 is that you are riding through cities and towns throughout the whole way.

By way of example, cycling Route 1 will take cyclists through all the big cities and towns in Taiwan, passing many major destinations, such as Tamsui, Sun Moon Lake, and Guan Mountain.

Arts and culture

There are also various museums and art galleries on the island, such as the National Palace Museum in Taipei and Fo Guang Shan Buddha Temple in Kaohsiung. If you are interested in history and culture, you can plan a visit to Tainan Confucius Temple, Chaotian Palace, and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

For nature lovers, you will get to see different kinds of natural scenery, including beaches, mountains, forests and wetlands throughout the route.

The best way to enjoy your time in Taiwan while finishing the route is to plan 1 or 2 extra days in the towns or destinations you wish to visit and explore on the way. (Plus, you can do city tours on the bikes!)

For all the foodies, Taiwan is the perfect place to try mouth-watering cuisines. Taiwanese food is a combination of multiple eras and cultures, such as Chinese, Japanese, Southeast Asian, and aboriginal cultures, creating a wide variety of dishes with rich flavours.

Staples of Taiwanese people’s dining table include rice, noodles, dumplings, and Bings (similar to flatbread). You can find dishes with them everywhere along Route 1 – on the street, in restaurants, and in night markets. Some popular dishes are Taiwanese beef noodles, scallion pancakes, and braised pork bao. Dessert and tea are also a huge part of Taiwanese culture. Bubble tea was invented in Taiwan; as it can get quite hot and sunny in Taiwan, people cool themselves down with a big cup of icy bubble tea or a bowl of shaved-ice with fresh mangoes.

It is very easy to find a place for food in Taiwan. There are plenty of restaurants, street stands, and night markets in the cities and bigger towns. Only when riding in the rural areas or in the mountain ranges will you need to pack food supplies. However, there are quite a lot of convenience stores where you can grab something quick and easy to go with you.

12. What’s the best time to cycle in Taiwan on Route 1?

Taiwan can get very hot in the summer (June to August), reaching temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius. Additionally, typhoons may occur during this time of year. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid cycling during this period.

Spring (March to April) and autumn (end of September to November) are ideal seasons for biking. The weather is still warm but not as scorching, and there is less rainfall. My personal favourite within this is the end of October to the end of November.

Mid May to June and winter time (December to February) is usually quite rainy, especially in the northern part of the island because of the East Asia Monsoon. The weather and road conditions can be a bit wet for cycling.

In general, if you are cycling in Taiwan, packing some sunscreen and a rain jacket with you will always be a good idea.

13. Tips for getting the most from your trip to Taiwan

Do you need cash.

Yes. Many shops and stands in Taiwan still only take cash. Make sure to change some cash at the airport or at local banks before you start the trip.

Bike etiquette in Taiwan

Always wear a cycling helmet.

There are designated bike lanes across big cities such as Taipei and Kaohsiung. Signs for cyclists are also to be seen on major roads and urban expressways. Please make sure you follow the signs.

There are many motorbikes in Taiwan. It is common courtesy that cyclists ride furthest to the right side on the road (it is also safer).

Traffic in the cities, especially the big ones such as Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung can be quite hectic. If you are riding in the cities on weekdays, it is better to avoid peak hours.

Do you need a tour?

I would recommend people who haven’t been to Taiwan to hire a local tour or guide. It can be a lot of work and research to plan a trip for Route 1 on your own, especially if you don’t speak Mandarin.

There are many experienced bike tour operators that have packaged tours for Cycling Route 1. They arrange everything from providing the bikes, bike and luggage transfer, bike maintenance, accommodation and meals to medical support.

Luggage transfer options?

There are many delivery companies that provide luggage transfer services from the airport to your accommodation. However, moving your luggage on between stops on Route 1 can be quite challenging to organise, hence the suggestion of an organised tour.

Are there any films to watch before I go?

2004 film Island Étude about a musician riding his bike around Taiwan helped inspire the Taiwanese government to build its $36 million trail system.

Riding the Breeze is another option about a Taiwanese teenager that gives a great insight into the Taiwanese landscape.

Taiwan lifted Covid restrictions in October 2022 and so international cyclists are welcome to come and cycle around Taiwan and experience its beauty for themselves. Face masks are not required while cycling or doing sports, though they are currently required in other settings; check before you travel.

Highway code

The green plum flower sign is for highways and a shield shape sign with red background colour and a white number is for express highways. In Taiwan, cycling is not allowed on either of these. This resource sets out information on bike regulations in Taiwan.

14. Things to be aware of when considering a trip to Taiwan to ride Route 1

Do you need to be able to speak taiwanese.

The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin/Chinese, but in the larger cities most people speak English and most signs should be marked in English and Mandarin. People in smaller towns or in the countryside will most likely talk to you in Chinese or Taiwanese. Some practice of Chinese greetings and simple conversations will definitely come in handy but Taiwanese people are very friendly and will always try their best to help.

Traffic/cycling rules

In Taiwan, people drive on the right, so make sure you always ride on the right side of the roads. Bikes are allowed on most roads beside highways, and will need to stay on the bicycle lanes on the expressways.

There are public toilets at every train station, metro station and most scenic sites. You can also find toilets in some convenience stores.

Public transport along Route 1

There is a round-island railway system in Taiwan, which is very useful when you are doing Route 1. You can hop onto the train to the next town if you are feeling tired. Taxis (yellow ones on the street) are also very easy to find.

Safety tips

Taiwan is a very safe country where you can travel at ease – there’s a low crime rate, it’s clean and there’s internet everywhere. But paying attention to motorbikes, buses, trucks, and tractor-trailers while cycling is very important for road safety. When riding in the mountains and rural areas, be careful of muddy and slippery roads.

15. How to get to Taiwan?

There are many airlines that have flights to Taiwan.

If you want to fly directly to Taiwan, you can take the China Airlines from Heathrow to Taipei, which takes about 13 hours. Or you can always go with the ones that have a stopover on the way, such as EVA Airs, Emirates, KLM, and Singapore Airlines. They also fly from other cities in the UK like Manchester and Edinburgh.

This website shares flight routes to Taiwan from around the world.

Final thoughts on Cycle Route 1

Taiwan’s route 1 really is an incredible thing. Even if you don’t ride the whole loop, it provides an easy to understand way of accessing this amazing country’s cycling opportunities and getting beneath its skin.

Have you ridden Taiwan’s Cycling Route No 1? If so, share your comments and thoughts below.

Want more Taiwan cycling routes and information to help plan cycling trip in Taiwan? Don’t miss our overview guide to Taiwan.

Looking for info on Taiwan’s KOM route? Read this. 

Got a question for Frank?

Fill out this form and we will send it to Frank. We aim to get you an answer within 24 hours wherever possible!

We will use this info to send the enquiry to Frank and/or their team. Our privacy policy explains more and here’s a reminder of our disclosure policy and terms and conditions.

Frank Hou

Frank Hou works for Giant Adventure in Taiwan and has been Product Manager there for more than 15 years. He is specialised in route planning, foreign bike tour guide, and bike tour development. Giant Bicycles was founded in 1972 in Taiwan and is now one of the biggest bicycle manufacturers in the world.

Frank says “I graduated from the Department of Tourism at University. Because of loving cycling, I join Giant Adventure. I have been a store manager at Giant store and a regional sales director. Now I work for Giant Adventure. Having worked in the industry for over 15 years, I’m experienced in organising cycling trips and holidays in Taiwan. Being a long-time cyclist myself, I’d say Taiwan is my top place to cycle, and I’d love to share all my knowledge and experience in cycling in my beloved hometown.”

Photo credit: Frank Hou

The contents of this website are provided for general information purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on it. You should carry out your own due diligence and take professional advice. We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content on our website is accurate, complete or up to date. If you use any information or content on this website, download from, or otherwise obtain content or services through our website, it is entirely at your own discretion and risk. Epic Road Rides Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the information and content on this website. Find out more here .

5 Responses to “Taiwan’s Cycling Route 1: what you need to know”

Thanks for this – it’s a really good rundown! We did the route in February and it was an amazing experience (Wrote it up on my linked blog). Personally, I think it provides perfect infrastructure for a first timer to explore Taiwan. I wish we’d had another couple weeks to take it more slowly, explore more of the cities, and ride both the Rift Valley and coastal alternate on the East side of the country. My one hangup with the 1 is that it’s a bit of a grind through the West Coast cities. A thing I don’t see mentioned that often is how much stoplights and traffic slow you down on the West Coast. It made it hard trying to both make miles and get some appreciation for the cities. Personally, I loved the cities, but often felt we had to keep moving through because it was so slow going. My advice would be to plan to spend a day or two as you go through each one so it seems like less of a grind and you get more of a feel for the culture. I’d plan at very least two weeks for the route, and 3 – 4 if you really want to get the full Taiwan experience. It’s an amazing, friendly place. Thanks again!

Hi Tim, thanks for the personal insights and the valuable points you raise!

Such valuable info! Thank you! I’m thinking of doing this to celebrate my 50th birthday next March. Can’t make up my mind if I should do the whole thing in 2 weeks or just spend longer around the East coast and skip the cities. What do you recommend? 😊. I’ll be exploring Taipei anyway this Dec as my son is moving there then for a year to study Mandarin. He will join my husband and I for a week of the cycle during his semester break 🙂

We just did the circumnavigation. You don’t need to worry about following a route or itinerary or pre book hotels or having a guide. Just hire your bike for 2 weeks, open up your google maps ‘directions’ and pick town 4 to 6 hours bike ride away and off you go. When you get t here type ‘hotel’ in the search of your google maps and all the options with prices and reviews come up. Super easy. Everywhere is mapped. Toilets in 99% of 7-Elevens which are on every block. Protip – take a 10kmAh+ powerbank and a phone holder for your bike handle bars so you can keep google maps directions running in front of you the whole day showing you exactly where to go turn by turn. Its super easy. If yo usee somewhere that looks nice – turn off the route and google maps replans your journey instantly for your custom tour of Taiwan. Your welcome. Enjoy.

Hi Simon, thanks so much for sharing your experience, it sounds like you had an amazing time!

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Home > Taiwan

East taiwan self-guided cycle tour.

6 Days | 5 Nights

  • BOOK THIS TOUR

14 People are considering this Tour

A Self-Guided Bike Tour of Taiwan’s Coast and East Rift Valley

Ride at your own pace on this self-guided cycling tour of Taiwan’s East Coast. Crafted from years of experience touring Taiwan, our perfect self-guided route is compact but diverse and takes in some of the island’s most impressive scenery on quiet, easy-to-follow roads, along the East Coast and East Rift Valley. If you crave the perks of independent bike touring without the drawbacks, then this self-guided adventure in Taiwan is the one for you!

Learn more about the Self-guided style of touring

Quality Bikes Cannondale Quick Disc 4 or Rikulau E-bike

Your Guide Self-guided

Group Size 1 to 14

Accommodation Stylish and Comfortable Hotels

Activities Ride/walk

Minimum Age -

This self-guided independent cycling adventure features a carefully crafted and easy to follow route through Taroko Gorge to the verdant East Rift Valley and on to the dazzling East Coast. 

With our audio guide, suggestions for must-see stops and best eateries, and a few helpful words in the local language, you’ll seek out your own adventure, stop at places you otherwise wouldn’t find, and make connections with the local people. 

After a train transfer from Taipei, the riding begins in Taroko, the world’s deepest marble gorge, and then snakes its way south, with sections on the rugged Pacific Coastline, and on quiet country roads through the idyllic East Rift Valley, a lush landscape of rice paddies, tropical fruit orchards, indigenous villages, and hot springs! You'll emerge from the valley at the southern end of your unforgettable adventure for a final cruise along the coast, before rolling into the laidback surf village of Taitung.

Pedal assist E-bikes are an available option on this tour for $240.

254 km / 157.8 mi riding . You'll ride on well-made roads some of which have designated cycle lanes. The terrain varies from gently undulating along parts of the East Coast to the short but steep ascent and long descent over the Coastal Mountain Range. Traffic is generally light although there will be occasional stretches on busier roads.   Deposit payment: $500 USD Single room option: $700 USD Solo rider option: $1200 USD

  • Walk along Swallow Grotto in the dramatic Taroko Gorge before heading to your luxurious accommodation nestled within it.
  • Pedal through the bright green rice paddies and small indigenous communities of the East Rift Valley.
  • Park your bike to explore the rocky volcano-formed Sanxiantai Islet.
  • Paddle a SUP on the emerald green waters of Donghe River Gorge.
  • Self-guided app and navigation equipment
  • All breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
  • 5 nights in comfortable hotels, resorts and B&B’s
  • Quality well-maintained bikes
  • Luggage transfers and on-call support
  • Memento cycling jersey and water bottle
  • Tips for non-Grasshopper service staff

TAIPEI ACTIVE EXPLORER TOUR EXTENSION

Optional 3-day/2-night bike & hike tour extension of taipei's highlights, what our guests say.

  • What’s Included
  • Accommodations

Day 1: Train Journey & Warm Up Ride

This morning you’ll make your way to the train station for the beautiful journey along the spectacular east coast to Xincheng station (Taroko). Train tickets will be delivered to your chosen hotel in advance. You’ll be met on arrival at Xincheng train station by one of our friendly tour leaders and head for a local lunch and a full briefing to the week ahead.

After lunch you’ll transfer to your overnight lodgings, deep in the gorge, stopping en route for a short walk along Swallow’s Grotto, one of the most dramatic sections. On arrival at the hotel you’ll check in and then have a bike fitting, after which your tour leader will depart. The rest of the afternoon can be spent riding further west into gorge (part of the famous King of the Mountain route), wandering to a nearby monastery, or just soaking up the views.

Day 2: Cycle to Yanliao, East Coast

Today you get an early start to make the exhilarating ride down through Taroko Gorge and to the sea, maybe stopping for a hike along the Lushui-Heliu, or Shakadang trails before emerging onto the Pacific Coast. Avoiding the main highway you ride narrow lanes lined with banana palms and temples, taking beachside rest stops on the way south along the coast. Tonight you stay in a small boutique bed and breakfast overlooking the sea in the fishing village of Yanliao. There is an excellent seafood restaurant just a short walk from the hotel.

Day 3: Cycle to Fuyuan

For a break from the coast, today you’ll venture into the picturesque but little visited East Rift Valley, a land of lush green rice paddies and small indigenous communities, heading south on a lovely little road to Fuyuan, where walking trails and soothing hot springs await! Dinner tonight is included at the hotel.

Day 4: Cycle to Danman & SUP or Kayak Stone Umbrella

This morning you can begin your ride with a short diversion to visit the Tropic of Cancer Monument, the Saoba Monoliths (Taiwan’s version of Stone Henge), and for a cuppa amidst the tea farms of Wuhe. From here today’s ride continues south through the ever-widening Rift Valley, mountains on either side, before bearing east across the Coastal Mountain Range. After a short, steep climb there’s a wonderful long descent offering spectacular views down the coast. Once back on the coastal road it’s just a short ride to your ocean side hotel which has a lovely pool.

For those with the energy in the afternoon there’s the chance to SUP, kayak or just swim at nearby Stone Umbrella Beach, named for the otherworldly coastal rock formations here.

Day 5: Cycle to Taitung

Your final day’s ride takes you south along the ever more impressive coastline, and throws up a host of possible stops including a hike to magical Sanxiantai, a rugged and rocky island formed by a long extinct volcano, delicious baozi (filled steamed bun) in Donghe, a coffee in the laid-back surf mecca of Dulan (also famous as an indigenous arts centre), a swim at beautiful Shanyuan Beach, or exploring the otherworldly coastal rock formations at Xiao Yeliu. The ride ends in Taitung, where there are temples, parks, an arts district and night markets to explore, or you could just take relax in the hotel pool.

Day 6: Tour Concludes in Taitung

This morning you’ll be met by a Grasshopper tour leader, return your bikes and equipment, and then be transferred to the train station or airport for your onward journey.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Smooth Ride

Cycling CPU

Self-Reliance

Bag Transfer

Wahoo ELEMNT

E-bike Option

Tour Extension

Bike Upgrade

Our dedicated Grasshopper Self-guided Adventures app combines navigating technology with visual and audio descriptions of points of interest along your routes, and can be hosted on all Android and iOS devices. The app contains your detailed tour route, podcasts with background information on the regions you will pass through, plus an audio commentary describing points of interest along the way. It also provides dining suggestions along your routes as well as in destination locations with translated menu recommendations. Furthermore, it will provide voiced glossaries of common phrases and words which you can use to make connections with locals. On request we can provide iPads if you don’t wish to use your own mobile device.

Quality, well maintained Cannondale Quick Disc 4's in a full range of sizes are included in the price of your tour. These bikes are fitted-out to suit the conditions with hybrid tires for smooth touring performance, a wide gear range to help you on any climbs and removable mudguards in case we encounter wet conditions.

In the larger cities and established tourist centers, we use stylish and comfortable hotels and resorts. In the smaller destinations we use simple hotels with air-conditioning and private bathrooms, and some with private hot springs and swimming pool.

Exclusive to self-guided tours, our bikes come fitted with top of the range GPS navigation units. These biking computers have remarkable customization capabilities and can easily be ported with all major biking software, such as Strava, RidewithGPS or Kamoot, for all fans of cycling data. Never fear if you are not technically minded, as we've made them accessible to all riders. The device will be customised for you and we will upload the most accurate maps and routes. Furthermore, you will be well briefed on putting it to good use. You can download a free companion app and play around with its setup, download results of a day’s ride, or set yourself daily workout goals.

Before you ride out on your Self-guided adventure, you will be given a set of essential tools to handle all possible minor repairs, or you can turn to local mechanics for help. However, in the unlikely event of a breakdown, you just need to reach out to our representative who will either talk you through basic repairs or organize support in your location or will help you handle transfer to your destination. On request, and for an additional fee, we provide a premium transfer service, to pick you up anywhere on the road if you feel you can’t make it to your ride’s destination.

We provide the technology, travel planning and attention to detail so that you can just focus on enjoying the ride. You'll have your pick of great places to eat plus endless opportunities for local interaction as you cycle through regional communities. This is true independent touring without the hassle. It will take you to places you'd never reach any other way and allow you to explore new locations at your own pace.

We provide secure luggage transfers between each of your hotels. This way you can enjoy the ride knowing that when you arrive, your bags will already be waiting at reception. We will also call ahead to ensure that everything is ready for your arrival.

A beautiful souvenir Grasshopper cycling jersey is yours to wear and take home. We also provide a Grasshopper drink bottle as an extra memento.

On this tour we provide Wahoo ELEMNT bike computers for navigational support. These are the latest in user-friendly navigation tech from Wahoo Fitness. With Wahoo devices you will be able to track your progress and monitor your route. Beyond their basic setup, the geek-cyclists will find Wahoo ELEMNTs to be excellent data mining devices allowing to measure almost any aspect of the ride.

E-bikes are available as an optional extra on this tour for a surcharge. You can choose between a regular or step-through frame depending on availability.

In Taiwan we offer the Rikulau E-ILI ILI Gravel Bike, a superior example of Rikulau's commitment to quality and enhanced power. Crafted from premium grade chromoly, the Hercules frame is purposefully designed for touring, offering unparalleled comfort and durability. Its exceptional design ensures enjoyable, controlled rides on diverse terrains, including unpaved trails and pothole-filled city streets. Tailored for riders ranging from 150 cm to 190 cm (size XXS to XL), the bike also incorporates a handy pannier rack. Ideal for island exploration, multi-day journeys, or city touring and is a fine choice as your companion on the road in Taiwan. Find out more about our E-Bikes here .

Our itineraries are carefully crafted to make the best of your time while touring and to balance out cycling and off-the-saddle activities. However, on this tour, there are locations which are ideal to spend an additional day, enjoy the hotel facilities, try your hand at surfing or just to relax while taking in the sights. Reach out to our expert team to learn more about extending your adventure in Taiwan.

We are proud of the skills of our mechanics and put our full trust in the quality of our bikes, but we are always ready to act if something goes wrong. Self-guided touring requires that you can perform minor repairs yourself, but for any tough repairs you can count on our staff to provide assistance.

Your safety on a self-guided tour is our top concern as you ride without a local guide to offer immediate help. For this reason we provide means of contacting our Representative anytime, so if an urgent situation arises they can assist with translation, arranging transportation to medical facilities, or obtaining documentation required by your insurer.

For those who want a little more zip in their ride the Rikalau Audaz 325 Titanium road bike is available as an upgrade option on all tours in Taiwan. The titanium frame offers a sublime blend of comfort, responsiveness, and lightweight agility, that will have you cruising along the coast and through the valleys of Taiwan with a grin from ear to ear. It's very likely you'll wish to purchase a titanium bike yourself by the end of the tour. The Ti frame is complemented by Shimano gearing, DT swiss wheels, and all the hardware to boost your riding experience to the next level - it's the true road warrior to best explore Taiwan by bike. Now all that's needed is you!

This bike is available as an upgrade option on this tour for $ 240 pp

ACCOMMODATIONS

Butterfly valley resort.

Butterfly Valley Resort is nestled at the base of verdant mountains, offering private hot springs, and a stunning outdoor refreshing swimming pool with gorgeous garden views. From the garden, you can breathe fresh mountain air as you admire the picturesque and peaceful surroundings.

Ocean Villa Taitung

A new addition to our Self-Guided itinerary, Ocean Villa has attractively styled modern rooms, a lovely pool, and great ocean views from its top floor dining room.

Sheraton Taitung

Sheraton is an international 5-star hotel with 5-star facilities, including an impressive swimming pool, sauna, gym, and rooftop bar. Located in the heart of central Taitung by the night market, you don't have to travel far to soak up some local atmosphere.

Silks Place Taroko

Silks offers the height of luxury in the heart of the world’s deepest marble gorge. As well as great rooms and breathtaking views down the gorge the hotel also has a lovely outdoor pool and first-rate food.

Trip Extensions

Privacy policy, guest reviews.

Overall an excellent experience. This was my first organized bicycle trip and first "self-guided" trip and I found it to be an excellent way to see the land.

Self-guided tours are a great way to go. With GPS and all the back up, it's hard to go wrong, and it's just such a great adventure to do with 1 or 2 mates, even for a comparatively inexperienced cyclist like me. Grasshopper has a really good selection of routes, and great soft infrastructure in terms of people, accommodation choices, etc. We never had a mechanical or navigational problem, but if we had I am confident we could have got hold of some help from Grasshopper pretty quickly even though we were in remote areas

-Michael Openshaw

Amazing.We started from Taroko and cycled down to Kenting. The route was preplanned and saved in GPS cycling computer by Grasshopper. This was very comfortable to follow the road. We never get lost from the road. The route was very beautiful. The roads are very good quality, safe and quiet. The accommodation, booked by Grasshopper was also very good. I certainly recommend this kind of trip and I certainly recommend cycling in (Eastern) Taiwan.

Amazing trip overall - brilliantly organized, great routes and support. I would thoroughly recommend it. Everything was incredibly well taken care of from pre-trip communication to bike set up to safety briefings to some idyllic stays along the way. Tot, Mandy and Kenji make a super team and were always there if we needed anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. what is travel in taiwan like.

Click here to see our Taiwan Travel Guide .

Here is some general travel information for Taiwan.

2. What is a self-guided tour like?

Take a moment to read our blog Is Self-guided for you?

You can also find more answers to your questions on our Self-guided FAQ page.

WHAT MAKES US STAND OUT

Grasshopper style.

This self-guided cycling adventure allows you to discover the natural wonders of Taiwan at your own pace and with your own choice of stops, meals, and activities while incorporating our knowledge of the must-see destinations as well as the hidden gems. We’ve taken care of the details, specially crafting an easy-to-follow and beautiful route in this cycling-friendly country as well as taking care of your accommodations and luggage transfer. Take our expertise and pursue your own adventure as you explore the rugged Pacific coast of Taiwan by bike!

Grasshopper Self-guided Adventures - How it Works?

Similar tours, bike taiwan, stunning shikoku bike tour of japan, cycle kyoto to the coast - self-guided, taiwan bike, walk & dumplings.

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Latin america, taiwan traverse by road bike, about this cycle tour.

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Known for its hyper-modern coastal cities, the interior of the island of Taiwan is an assemblage of peaks. Two mountain ranges predominantly cover most of the island’s geography, the Central and Eastern Mountain Range, and you’ll traverse both of them on this challenging road cycling tour of Taiwan.

Beginning outside of Taipei, gear up for the real ride, with 4 of the tour’s most demanding days coming in quick succession. You’ll tackle peaks and passes, and test your legs on nearly 8,000 meters in this stage as you climb through the Central Mountain Range. The environment is raw and pristine, mostly populated by Taiwan’s aborigines, and we’ll make the most of the humble accommodations available in this remote region. But the best is yet to come. Day 4 culminates in a 60 kilometer descent through Taroko Gorge in the East Rift, a highlight of any trip to Taiwan and special experience to ride through it on two wheels.

A rest day exploring Taroko National Park gives the legs a chance to recover, before heading southbound along the coast and through the foothills, on a route lined with natural hot spring resorts- sure to become an integral part of your evening routine! Over the course of five days, you’ll make your way down the east coast of the island to the Kenting Peninsula and the southernmost point of Taiwan, now having navigated almost the entire length of the island. A final ride into the mountains again, into the aboriginal settlement of Wutai, bids the mountains goodbye as you head for Taiwan’s second city of Kaohsiung for departure.

Incredible and diverse scenery, welcoming local culture, and unparalleled cycling on fabulous roads with minimal traffic set the stage for one of the most challenging rides your legs are sure to remember for a long time to come!

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Elevation Profiles

Day 2 - Taipei - Fusing Ride 50km. +514m / -185m.

Taiwan is a great cycling destination. The mountain stages were particularly challenging but Mark, our guide, always gave us options to shorten the rides if we wished. The food and snacks were excellent. Overall, a fabulous trip and a great way to see the country.

A great way to experience the country by visiting places not normally seen by tourists.

Very challenging but beautiful country to bicycle and hike in. The Taiwanese people are quite friendly!

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On this mountainous, and in places steep , ride, you and your legs will be put to the test as you head up and over the challenging passes of Taiwan's mountain ranges. You will ride just under 915 km in 9 days of riding on smooth tarmac roads.

The trip is fully supported, and your guide’s expert knowledge of the area and terrain means that you always know what is coming up in terms of distance and difficulty. This makes a tremendous difference, as does the constant supply of cold drinks, ice, and fresh fruit.

Suitability: This is a tour for cyclists possessing a high level of physical fitness. Riders should be capable of making sustained climbs, and riding over 100 kilometers per day through mountainous terrain. Fitness will be a huge asset on those long days, steep climbs, and undulating hills, as will cycling skill to handle long descents. The tour is fully supported, and the bus is always close at hand for those that find the riding too difficult.

Biking Conditions: This is a climber's dream tour. A total of over 10,000 m climbing in 10 cycling days, the true test is within the first four days of the route, which are the most climbing intensive days and total over 8,000 meters elevation gained in less than 400 kilometers. Despite the climbs, the route is on good quality tarmac roads through the mountains and along the coast.

Day 1 Arrival in Taipei

Meet in the hotel to do a bike fitting or help with assembling bikes. After we will have a trip briefing before having dinner.

Day 2 Taipei - Fusing

We pick you up from your Taipei hotel in the morning and drive outside the busy city to start our ride to Fusing. We will just have a short ride, but it will start at sea level and end at about 450 m. It will be a gentle start through undulating hills to get the legs warmed up before we start the serious climbing. You'll be riding through thick forest, and the thick moss and huge ferns that line the narrow road give the whole place a Jurassic aura.

bike tour in taiwan

Day 3 Fusing - Wuling Farm

The second day, and first big climbing day begins from the hotel. 35 undulating kilometers warm up to one of the first steep sections and the first peak of the day at 60 kilometers. You’ll make a sharp descent down to the base of the plateau before the long climb begins to the top of Shih Yin Pass, nearly 2,000 meters above sea level. Admire the dense forest, changing from cedar to bamboo along the way, and breathe in the fresh air- you’re going to need it!

bike tour in taiwan

Day 4 Wuling Farm - Lu Shan Hot Spring

We start the day by continuing up the north cross island highway to Li Shan, a town famous for its mountain fruit. After 25 km, the long climb begins as we make our way to the day’s peak, at over 3,000 meters in one of the most remote areas of the island. Following our climb, we have a long descent through the remote farms in the high mountains.

bike tour in taiwan

Day 5 Lu Shan - Taroko Gorge

One of the highlights of the trip, the climb starts immediately, and you’ll make an early start to ride the 32 kilometers and 2,175 meters up to Hehuanshan Pass, the highest road in East Asia at 3,275 m. A car transport and options to start at different points along the way on the way up are available. Once at the top, the rewards come one after the other: cold drinks and snacks, fabulous scenery for memorable photos, and an exhilarating ride down into Taroko National Park and the world-famous Taroko Gorge. This will be one ride you will never forget as we drop some 3,270 m, riding through endless tunnels and a multitude of eco zones. The last 20 km of Taroko Gorge is a mind-blowing ride through marbled walled passageways that twist and turn as the gorge rises some 500-1,100 m above!

bike tour in taiwan

Day 6 Taroko National Park Rest Day

We take a break from the bikes and spend the day hiking in Taroko Gorge. We will visit Siangde Temple that has a giant statue of Guanyin and a pagoda that provides views of the valley from the top and walk the Zhui Lu Ancient Trail, which takes you several hundred metres above the gorge for a breathtaking cliff-wak and spectacular views of the gorge below. There are many other hikes to choose from, and we'll decide which ones are best to do based on the group's interests.

Day 7 Taroko Gorge - An Tong Hot Spring

From Taroko Gorge, we ride out onto the east coast and into the superb East Rift Valley. We cycle on an undulating route that hugs the foothills and takes us through numerous aboriginal villages. After cycling through this fer-tile valley, we overnight at yet another wonderful hot spring resort!

bike tour in taiwan

Day 8 Yu Li - Jhihben Hot Springs

We ride from our hotel south and then up into the Badlands area and enjoy splendid views from our deserted mountain road. We eventually connect with the Luye backroads and enjoy a wonderful ride through the outskirts of the port town of Taitung and down to the lush Jhihben River Valley, where the hot springs are between 75-96 degrees Celsius.

bike tour in taiwan

Day 9 Jhihben Hot Springs - Kenting National Park

Today's ride takes us over the top of Capricorn Pass and down to the white sand beaches of Kenting. Starting with a 50-km ride down the south-east coast, we make our first crossing of the island from east to west. This is the route taken by most riders travelling around the island. As we ride over the southern mountains, we descend down to the west coast and around the Kenting peninsula and overnight at Bai Sha Wan beach, famous for being a setting in the movie "Life of Pi."

bike tour in taiwan

Day 10 Kenting - Wutai Aborigine Village

Starting early in the morning from our guest house, we explore the southern part of Taiwan, which has the most dramatic coast line. We'll be hugging the coast and seeing the island’s best beaches. Then it's a 2 hour transfer from the coast to the mountain area, to navigate around busy roads. After lunch, we start climbing into the mountains to the village of Wu Tai, famous for its stone house architecture. On the road up to the village, we cross the highest bridge in Taiwan, approximately 100 m above the river. We finish the day with a 17-kilomtre climb to our destination

bike tour in taiwan

Day 11 Wutai Aborigine Village - Kaohsiung

On the last ride of the tour, we leave behind our mountain village and head towards the vibrant southern city of Kaohsiung. We’ll lose elevation, cruising downward out of the peaks that have defined our journey through Taiwan. Fertile farmland lines the mountainous slopes along our ride, and we’ll stop for lunch in on one of the many indigenous villages for some traditional aborigine food. Only a few small climbs remain, until we reach the Kaoping River on the very outer limits of Kaohsiung city. The day doesn’t end here however, we have one more surprise in store, the fantastic Fo Guang Shan Monastery. Multi-level pagodas and endless gilded Buddha statues line the pathways of this incredible Buddhist establishment. Following a wide-eyed wander through the monastery, we’ll transfer to our hotel in the city for the evening, with plenty of time to disassemble bikes, pack, and rest up for the next day of onward travel.

bike tour in taiwan

Day 12 Departure

We'll have one group transfer to Kaohsiung where you can catch a flight or the high-speed train (highly recommended!) to Taipei or to your Kaoshiung hotel if you wish to spend the night in this port city.

Disclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.

Nuts & Bolts

Because some people can't imagine going on a trip without their own beloved bicycle, we do not provide them as part of this tour. However, you can hire bikes locally for the price listed in the tour pricing section.

If you bring your own bike, please make sure it is a road bike in good mechanical order.

Bike Repairs

Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.

Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.

You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.

The Nitty Gritty

Passports and visas.

We recommend that you visit a travel medical doctor and ask about the following vaccinations: typhoid, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A. A certificate for yellow fever is required when arriving from an infected area within six days.

The Tropic of Cancer runs straight through the middle of Taiwan resulting in a subtropical climate. Summers can be hot, humid and wet, although rainfall is often limited to short showers. Typhoon season hits in late summer to mid-autumn and tends to strike the east coast particularly hard. Winter temperatures are mild and the only snowfall is on mountain peaks.

The annual average temperature of the northern part is around 21.7C (71F) while it is around 24.1C (75F) in the southern part. The coldest months are from January to March with the lowest temperature to about 10C (50F). The average temperature of the rest of the year is around 25C (77F).

Rain is always a possibility in Taiwan so please come prepared with waterproof jacket and pants. As we also cycle to high altitudes where the weather can be cooler and change quickly it is best to have layers available.

Taiwan is also prone to earthquakes as it sits on the colliding Eurasian and Philippine plates. These grinding plates are also responsible for the beautiful mountains and amazing hot springs that make the trip to Taiwan truly worthwhile. Most of these quakes are small earth tremors.

Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Most meals are local and feature noodles, rice, and soups. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.

Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring drinks while you are riding are included in the tour price. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. Beer is freely available everywhere but is NOT included in the price.

Solo Travelers

SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for traveling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveler of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.

Extra Expenses

We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars, perhaps US$20 a day, for incidentals.

Taiwan’s currency is the New Taiwanese Dollar (NT). ATMs, which are abundant, are the easiest way to get NT. With more than 4,000 7-Elevens across the country, there are ATMs on the international Plus or Cirrus network and have English-language options. Have a supply of US dollars in cash on hand, just in case your card doesn’t work. Credit cards are accepted in big cities and resort hotels but you’ll need cash for family-run guesthouses or restaurants.

General booking info

Flexible booking conditions, confirming your booking.

Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.

TRIP STATUS

Booking online.

From the tour page, click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).

If you are having any problems please send us an email , or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.

BOOKING OFFLINE

Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.

DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS

We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.

The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.

In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.

In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.

The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.

FULL FLEXIBILITY FOR TOUR CANCELATIONS

If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).

If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).

Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.

Loyalty Riders Club

International flights.

The information in this document is given in good faith, and covers the average range of conditions likely to be found on this trip. Please note that the itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, however, we will always do our best to adhere to this original itinerary

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Home > Taiwan > A Guide To Cycling Taiwan’s East Coast: Hualien To Taitung

A Guide To Cycling Taiwan’s East Coast: Hualien To Taitung

by Brian Barry | Last updated Mar 16, 2022 | Published on Aug 31, 2016 | 52 comments

While Taiwan isn’t hugely known internationally as a cycle destination,  that’s beginning to change and with good reason. Hugging the coast of Taiwan from Hualien to Taitung is Highway 11; one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the entire country. We had heard about the option of cycling Taiwan’s east coast a few years ago and had long wanted to do it independently and it looked like this was our chance. We had researched about the trip while we were checking out Taipei  and we were all geared up to hop on some bikes!

cycling Taiwan's east coast

Taiwan’s beautiful eastern coastline

Table Of Contents

A Guide To Cycling Taiwan’s East Coast

What’s so special about cycling in taiwan.

Taiwan, the heart of Asia is known as “Bicycle Kingdom” and is home to the world’s largest bike manufacturer Giant Bicycles . The country is extremely cyclist friendly with a massive cycling culture, with the whole month of November dedicated to the Cycling Taiwan Festival . There are tonnes of dedicated cycles lanes and cyclist rest stops roughly every ten kilometres. In fact, you can even circumnavigate the whole country by bike which takes 10-15 days depending on the route you choose and takes in a whopping 866kms! As we only had two weeks in total in Taiwan so we opted for the short version, cycling the east coast from Hualien to Taitung and known to be the most beautiful stretch of Taiwan’s Pacific coast. The east coast is renowned for incredible mountainous landscapes, while still being quite untouched and remote feeling, yet is also very well set up for a cycle tour with bike lanes the whole way.

Do You Need Cycling Experience?

Noelle cycling in Taiwan on Highway 11, cycling Taiwan's east coast

Noelle cycling on Highway 11

Let’s get one thing straight from the start; we are not cyclists, although we do enjoy spinning classes to keep fit. Yes, we can ride a bike, but we don’t ride bikes regularly and no we didn’t have a clue what we were getting ourselves in for. But sometimes that’s the best way, just jump in and give it a go! We committed to doing it and that was that, once we were on our bikes there was going to be no turning back. This was our first multi-day cycle trip and what a place to pop our cherry!

When Is The Best Time To Cycle In Taiwan?

cycling Taiwan routes, cycling Taiwan east coast, cycling in Taiwan, best time to visit taiwan

Hoping for good weather looking out at a moody evening sky

The weather will obviously have a huge effect when you are planning your cycling trip in Taiwan. Between June and September, there are high temperatures, from 30°C-33°C and upwards, high humidity, increased chance of rain, and a greater risk of typhoons. We cycled the east coast of Taiwan in early September which wasn’t the wisest choice but with that being said, although it was quite hot and sticky, we had good weather otherwise.

The best time to cycle in Taiwan weather wise is from October – February. During these months the weather is milder, not as stifling or humid, making it easier to cycle with the average daily temperatures between 18°C-27°C. It’s also less likely to rain during these months. The absolute best month to cycle weather-wise is in November and as a bonus, the Cycling Taiwan Festival will be in full swing. Be prepared for lower temperatures on the mountains during the autumn and winter months and always be prepared for rain as it’s not uncommon for it to rain where the mountains meet the sea in any season.

Which Route To Take Cycling Taiwan’s East Coast

cycling Taiwan routes, Highway 11, cycling Taiwan, east coast of Taiwan

We chose Highway 11 as we wanted to see as much of the east coast of Taiwan as we could

Which route you take when cycling Taiwan’s east coast will be your own choice of course but we chose to stick to Highway 11 or the Hualien-Taitung Coastal Highway as we wanted to hug Taiwan’s east coast for the duration of our journey. You can also head inland on Highway 9 to take in the East Rift Valley but beware that this route is more mountainous, therefore tougher on the legs. We went from Hualien, just outside the Taroko National Park and finished in Taitung and followed Highway 11 passing through Fengbin, Shitiping, Chenggong, Donghae and Dulan.

Bike Rentals On Taiwan’s East Coast

Taking a break from cycling on Taiwan's east coast

Taking a break from cycling on Taiwan’s east coast

We rented our bikes from Giant Bicycles , right next to the train station in Hualien who offer point to point rentals around the country. Their English is limited but is more than enough to get you set up with what you need . For TWD$1,500 you can rent a bike for three days and it costs TWD$200 per day after that. Included are small rear panniers, a pump, multi-tool, a lock and front and rear lights. If you want to use a helmet consider bringing or buying your own as one was not provided. Our plan was to cycle to Taitung and drop the bikes back to their other shop there, which conveniently is also at the train station .

Transferring Your Luggage

cycling in Taiwan East coast, Kavalan people indigenous Taiwanese tribe traditional dress

Kavalan people from an indigenous Taiwanese tribe in traditional dress

We were worried about what we were going to do with our big bags, as we knew we would be crippled trying to cycle for 170km with them on our backs! It was all very easy in the end. At the train station in Hualien, you can send your bag forward to Taitung for a small fee where they will hold it for three days for free, there is a TWD$50 charge per day, per bag thereafter. With our bags posted on ahead and us up on our bikes, we made a quick stop for breakfast and we were off.

What To Expect When Cycling Taiwan’s East Coast

Local vendors taking their lunch break while we cycle on Taiwan's east coast

Local vendors taking their lunch break on Taiwan’s east coast

The scenery all the way down the coast was incredible, it really was. It was a proper tropical paradise. The only issue was that every little village we passed through seemed to be deserted, there was nothing open. The first stretch, in particular, was very quiet. The trip ended up turning into a sort of 7-11 tour of the east coast for us, which was amazing as they made great pitstops for snacks and coffee to refuel, to take a toilet break and get a welcomed air-con hit!

Day 1 Cycling Taiwan’s East Coast: Hualien To Fengbin

cycling in Taiwan, cycle trip on Taiwan's east coast, Hualien to Taitung

Ready, set, go! All geared up for our cycle trip on Taiwan’s east coast

As far as the cycle itself went, it was manageable. The first day saw a long flat section out of Hualien. Then we started gradually climbing and it continued like that for most of the rest of the day. Some of the hills were long and steep but the views from the top were spectacular. What was even better than the views was the buzz of flying down the hill on the other side; we picked up serious speed going downhill- like being a kid again!

You still get beautiful evening skies cycling Taiwan's east coast

You still get beautiful evening skies on Taiwan’s east coast

Most people stop at Shitiping on the first night and at Dulan on the second night. On the first night, we fell short of Shitiping and instead stayed at Fengbin  in a small guesthouse right next to the 7-11 in the middle of town. It was probably the nicest room we had anywhere in Taiwan and was TWD$1,200 for a double room. The local restaurant across the way cooked us up a good feed and we were fit for bed.

Day 2 Cycling Taiwan’s East Coast: Fengbin To Dulan

The Tropic of Cancer monument Taiwan, outside Fengbin on Taiwan's east coast cycle trip

The Tropic of Cancer monument Taiwan, outside Fengbin on Taiwan’s east coast

The next morning we set off and not far outside of Fengbin, you pass over the Tropic of Cancer. There is a monument to mark this geographical point and having been to the equatorial line before, we joined the Chinese tour group buses and stopped for the photo op.  On the second day, we made it as far as Dulan covering almost 100km. We stopped in Donghae, a big town before Dulan in the hope of staying there but could not find a hotel or guesthouse so we decided to push on to Dulan, a small ‘hippy village’ according to our guidebook. When we got there, there was just one hostel open , across from, you guessed it, the 7-11. It was becoming difficult to imagine what Taiwan must have been like before 7-11 arrived, locals seem to gather here to eat, have coffee and just hang out and with everything else closed they were probably out of options.

Day 3  Cycling Taiwan’s East Coast : Dulan To Taitung

Incredible scenery cycling the east coast of Taiwan - so rewarding

Incredible scenery all the way makes cycling the east coast of Taiwan so rewarding

The following morning was a short spin into Taitung to mark the end of our journey. We passed the 160km marker on the highway and a few more after. The train station was inconveniently positioned outside of the city centre adding a few extra kilometres onto our trip but once we arrived at the station everything was easy. Giant Bicycles was easy to find right next to the station and we picked up our bags from the baggage room right next door and just like that we were done.

cycling Taiwan's east coast - complete!

We did it! 160 km cycle of Taiwan’s east coast – complete!

Learn From Our Mistakes

Brian taking a selfie while cycling Taiwan’s East Coast

Brian taking a selfie while cycling Taiwan’s east coast

Underestimating the heat was probably our biggest mistake. Cycling that kind of distance in 35°C heat coupled with uncomfortable humidity levels made things that bit more difficult. Be sure to keep an eye on the weather  when planning your cycle trip in Taiwan!

The other mistake we made was not getting started early enough, we underestimated the distances and ended up cycling after dark each night. It was much cooler than during the day but in the pitch dark on roads with substandard lights, it was a bit sketchy at times. Also, cycling shorts – as silly as they look they do serve an important function!

Packing List For Cycling Taiwan’s East Coast

What you pack will, of course, depend on the season and whether you’re renting gear or bringing your own. As a bare minimum you’ll need to pack the following:

  • A bicycle (duh!) You can bring your own bike with you, or rent a bike in Taiwan like we did.
  • A good bike helmet  – safety first!
  • Bicycle panniers .
  • Comfortable active clothes or a cycling jersey .
  • Cycling shorts (Yes, they are less than attractive but you won’t care if you can sit down without pain after 8 hours cycling!) or you could always get a bike saddle cushion if you can’t bring yourself to don the shorts!
  • A good rain jacket  (especially as you’ll be cycling in the mountains).
  • A map of Taiwan  or a bike GPS .
  • A refillable water bottle, we love the Nalgene brand with the narrow mouth  – gots to stay hydrated as you’ll no doubt be sweating. A  camel pack or water bladder will be even easier to manage while cycling.
  • Sunglasses .
  • Sunscreen, especially a high factor facial sports sunscreen , we love the Zinka face stick  as it doesn’t sweat off.
  • A bicycle toolkit .
  • A bike tyre patch kit .

Optional extras but a good idea would be to also bring:

  • Bike accessories to pimp your bike and ride in style. “ They see me rollin’, They hatin ‘!” Haha!
  • A  mobile phone  in case you need to make an emergency call or just want to get some shots for the ‘Gram !
  • A Camera  – the scenery will be epic so you will be snap happy!
  • A  GoPro , you’ll definitely want one for the epic on the go footage and cycling selfies!
  • A good travel insurance policy, we love  World Nomads .
  • A sense of adventure!

Over To You

cycling Taiwan's east coast guide, cycling Taiwan

Such an awesome experience cycling Taiwan’s east coast!

Three days, 170 kilometres, a numb backside and a great sense of accomplishment. Cycling down the breathtaking coastline, taking in the views, and all under our own steam; this was the highlight of our two week Taiwan trip, no question. It got us thinking, where would our next cycle trip be ?!

Have you cycled Taiwan’s east coast? Did you enjoy it? Is there anything we forgot? Let us know in the comments below!

Cycling in Taiwan: A guide to cycling Taiwan's east coast

Brian is a travel writer, photographer, blogger, travel addict and adventure-junkie. Being outdoors, getting off the beaten track and outside his comfort zone is what makes him tick. Brian’s the dreamer in the relationship; when he’s not travelling, he’s dreaming about it! Keeping fit, cooking, music and red wine take up the rest of his time.

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52 Comments

Ellen P

It was great fun to read this as I go through pictures and journals from my own 5-day solo trip down the east coast from Taipei to Kenting in 1988. It was definitely not a bike-friendly trip back then — I even carried my bike over a landslide and walked through a pitch-dark tunnel on the Suao-Hualien portion of the route. It makes me want to try again!

Andy Lee

Thanks Brian and Noelle! Really appreciate your tips and sharing. I brought two kids from Hualien to Taitung last Oct.

My first multi-day cycling trip, what an experience! We love the freedom and option to “Detour-explore”.

TW bike culture and infrastructure really top-notch and bike friendly. The scenic views (coastal and valleys) are so instagram worthy. And thank God for 7-11 and FamilyMarts.

We did highway 9,30 before 11. We took 4D3N to soak in the sights 🙂 Enrolled in a surf class at Dulan too 🙂

Thank you! Cheers, Andy

Noelle Kelly

Hi Andy, You’re very welcome. We’re so glad that you and the kids enjoyed the trip. Taiwan is incredibly well set up for cycling and it was also our first multi-day cycling trip there too! Yes, the 7-11s and Family Marts are lifesavers along the way! Hope you caught a few good waves in Dulan. 🙂

Greg

I’m about to go to Taiwan and cycle the east coast and trying to decide in the best route. Another website https://hualien-adventures.com/ said the opposite what you said about the Hwy 11 route compared to Hwy 9. They state Hwy 9 is much flatter. This will be my first major cycle. Do you know anyone who has done the #9 route. Thanks.

We don’t know anyone who has done the #9 route, unfortunately! We really wanted to be beside the sea so I think that ultimately made the choice for us. I do remember things being a little quiet and far apart at times and there was one particularly hard uphill stretch one day. We had been doing a lot of spinning classes in the lead up to this trip, but other than that we are not cyclists and found it fine. This blog compares the two roads and also says #11 is tougher! : http://meetyouatthebridge.nl/taiwans-best-roads-highway-11-9-and-14/ Hope this helps!

Alex

Thanks for a nice write up! Do you remember what size bikes did you get? How tall are you? I ride 57cm road bike/22.5″ hybrid and was told that ML is the max size bike available from giant. Worried a bit about the fit…

We can’t remember the bike sizes, unfortunately! Brian is 6″1 or 185cm and I’m 5″1 or 155cm. Our bikes were fine for the few days of cycling anyway, though I’m sure Brans was probably a touch small. Hope you can get the size you need! 🙂

Frank Toni

Hi Brian, when I came to Taiwan for biz for the first time the idea to cycle a little bit next time was in my head right away. Last month I had the opportunity doing so and with the inspiration and information of your blog plus a little help from my Taiwanese customers (all bikers) I did a three days trip from Taitung to Hualien. Renting a bike online from the Giant store was just a great experience although I have to admit that their English in the written communication was a bit limited. In the store everything was totally different and easy. I did not only bring my own helmet but also my own shoes and pedals. Highway 11 is pretty nice at the beginning but lateron, let’s say after 40 km north of Hualien , I tried to find a smaller and less busy road closer to the water front. There are some options but doing so means that you add quite some km plus some short but challenging climbs. Before the your I could hardly find information how challenging crossing the mountains from HW 11 to HW 9 would be. I took the wonderful road 30 which meant a 5 km climb up to the 2.6 km long flat tunnel. For someone who never bikes uphill maybe nothing to recommend but for those who like it a bit for sure a great experience. When I left the hot springs area I took road 163 but it was a bit boring. Much nicer was leaving the road and go zig zag through the rice fields. No problem even with a race bike. I was totally alone and riding on top of the flood protection dam meant to be able to see the river in the left and the rice fields on the right. Day 3 I kept on going on road 163 all the way to my final destination and this was for sure the best part at all. No traffic, great landscape, excellent small roads, many Butlerfinish not to long or steep climbs made it a perfect day – incl. a little swim in the sea. My recommendations: 1) Make sure that your phone never runs out power – I found my first hotel only with the help of some wonderful Taiwanese people who luckily spoke a little bit of English. Standing on HW 11 in the dark without any idea where to go is for sure not the best you can experience! Better you have a print ou of your accommodation in Taiwanese and English. 2) Download a translation app. 3) Really don’t underestimate the distances, the heat and the many little climbs. 4) If one of the countless dogs really follow you – just stop. At least that’s why the people in the bike store told me 😉 Again, thanks to all who made so many valuable comments!

Brian Barry

Thanks so much for sharing your experience Frank – great advice for anybody else planning to tackle this route. 🙂

Kane

Hi, I’m looking into doing this solo trip myself this Sunday. I’ve cycled before but never distances like this. I’m a bit apprehensive so will probably take route 9 and not route 11 as it appears to be busier and therefore more places to stop, refresh etc… Do you know if one route is easier (flater) than the other? Great post btw, like others have mentioned, very inspiring

Hi Kane, So sorry for the late reply. You have probably already completed the cycle. How was it? I think route 9 may be steeper but cannot remember off the top of my head. Maybe you can let us know about your experience? Thanks!

Michel Divine

Thank you for your expérience. I am doing it right now on the second day. Yesterday was awful… sun and tunnels. Check your saddle otherwise you will feel it ! I was in a very nice b&b in fengdin yesterday : sea princess. You can find it on booking. Beware, the sign is only in chinese.

We’re so happy you found this guide useful. Hope you enjoyed the experience and thanks for the B&B tip! 🙂

That’s it… it is over. The next B&B was not so good. I finally did it and my buttocks are very happy. The end to Taitung was very beautiful.

Well done Michel! And sorry to hear that the next B&B wasn’t so good. We’re so glad you enjoyed this cycle trip! 🙂

Stephane

Next time rent a road bike at least, lol.. It will make your life easier

Thanks for the tip Stephane.

Stella

Hello Noelle and Brian, thank you so much for your post. Husband and I are going to Taiwan next week for 12 days and we plan to do a 3-day cycling similar to your route. Thanks so much for such a detailed and informative post.

Would like to ask, since you said “if you would like a helmet” I assume wearing helmet is not compulsory for us on the road? Does GIANT rent out helmets or do we definitely have to get our owns?

Hi Stella! You’re very welcome – we’re glad you found the post useful and we hope you have an awesome time in Taiwan! 🙂

Regarding helmets – as far as we are aware, it is legal to cycle in Taiwan without a helmet. It’s your choice whether you choose to wear one or not. GIANT definitely sell helmets – we would assume that they rent helmets too but we couldn’t be 100% sure of this! Please let us know how you get on with helmet rentals!

Have a great time in Taiwan – it’ an awesome country! 🙂

Sol

I was just at giant store hualien yesterday… and what they offered me is to lend me a helmet but paying 100 ntd for them bringing the helmet back from taitong to hualien. However i finally rented the bile in another place. Btw i almost die in the longest never ending way up from hualien . And thanks a lot for the post i was looking for some info for the trip i your blog was very useful! I am staying at a very nice airbnb (cheap) at km 73 from hualien in case someone needs the info. Thanks again!

* When i said i almost die… there were several lol faces after the sentence that didn’t show up! Don’t want to scare anybody! 🙂

Haha! Thanks for your update Sol! We’re so glad that our post helped you out and hope your legs aren’t too sore from the trip. 🙂

kashmirbikers

Thanks for the information about guide cycling taiwan coast hualien taitung,

You’re very welcome! 🙂

Velysia Zhang

I was in Taiwan and met so many cyclist in the hostel. I just knew that it’s popular to cycle around the country. Should have done that while I was in Taiwan. Would come back again probably doing cycling trip this time. Thanks for your tips!

No problem Velysia! It was a great place for our first cycle trip as it was very well set up for it. Hope you get to go back on two wheels!

NSP

Hi, i’m inspired to do this bike trip no! Can you please advise which months would be best weather-wise? Thanks!

Hi, I believe that the best time to visit Taiwan for good weather is from October to March. Enjoy the trip! 🙂

Joan

Hello! I’m really inspired by your post and is considering to plan a solo trip for this. Would you recommend this for an inexperience female cyclist? It would be a virgin experience for me and my cycling experience is pretty much limited to spinning classes. I’m even prepared to push my bike for the more strenuous climb but would like to gauge if it will be manageable for me. And lastly, will there be many vehicles on the road along the way?

Ben

If your cycling experience is mainly cycling classes you will push your bike at least in the larger hill. I had plenty of cycling experience but no lot much experience with hills. I’m not sure if I’d have managed cycling the large hill if I started there instead of cycling 80-90 km to get there. Since you’re following the main highway on the (less populated) east coast there is traffic. You’re on a scooter bike lane so there is no conflict but you’ll be able to get help if needed. Maybe you should save some Chinese sentences on your phone in advance. Im not good at guessing how far you get. On a trip with colleagues an untrained female colleague cycled 20km (with an uphill section) and took the train back. 60 km a day for a 3 day trip on this route may be possible. Maybe you can try taking a 60 km round-trip before you leave (maybe longer to compensate for luggage, climate and hills).

If your not sure: consider the guided tours with luggage transfer I linked above.

Thanks for your advice! Will reconsider my options again. Cheers

Hi Ben! Thank you for your advice! 🙂

Hi Joan! Great to hear our post inspired you and you are considering tackling the route – it really is a beautiful trip. This was our first’reasonable-distance’ cycle trip so it was a virgin experience for us too! 🙂 Funny that you mentioned spinning classes as being your only cycling experience, as that was the same situation for us. The trail is definitely challenging in parts, but we managed ok and didn’t have to resort to pushing our bikes up any hills thankfully. So yes, we think it would definitely be possible for an inexperienced cyclist – you may have to grit your teeth and push yourself at parts (we certainly did!), but you can do it!! 🙂 In relation to traffic on the roads, there is some traffic but not a huge amount – we never felt nervous or unsafe on the road because of traffic.

Best of luck with your trip – we hope you have an EPIC time! If you need any additional info, please let us know 🙂

Ahmad

An inspiration for me to do the same ASAP.

It’s a great experience, Ahmad – highly recommended! 🙂

Anna Vanderhoof

Where did you stay at night during your bike ride?

We stayed in hotels/guesthouses along the route Anna – you’ll find them listed above under the description of each day of the trip.

Hi, I’m planning to do a similar trip in the other direction (Taitung to Hualin). A friend of mine who is living in Taiwan was surprised that you can ship bags at the train station. Do you do this at the ticket counter or is it a seperate company? How is their english (I’m fortunate enough that I can call someone who spaks Mandarin or let him prepare some notes). My friend is sceptical that it’s possible to get a room on the way without booking in advance – on my last bike trip I learned that the flexibility you get by booking a room on the evening is very usefull. Do you still recommend not booking a room in advance?

Thanks for this beautifull guide.

Hi Ben. We had no problems posting our luggage ahead at the train station. It was at a different area of the station than the main ticket counter but was part of the main train station, not a separate company – they ship all sorts of stuff from backpacks to motorbikes so you should have no worries. English levels were non-existent but we managed to get our message across with gestures. We don’t speak Mandarin – if you have a friend that can help you that would, of course, make things easier. 🙂

With booking rooms, we had no problems finding rooms as we went – in fact, we had choice and never came across anywhere completely booked out. With that said, there are no guarantees – you’ll have to decide whether you want to take the risk or not.

We hope that’s helpful – best of luck on your trip – enjoy every minute! 🙂

I just wanted to give a short summary of my trip.

I arrived in Taitung and because of the construction going on at the train station I couldn’t find the luggage counter right away. But at the information counter someone spoke a little english – she led me to the luggage counter and helped me post my luggage.

At the giant store was immediatly approached by some tour guides for guided tour departing the same day – if anyone doesn’t feel comfortable self-organizing the trip you can book them at http://www.giantcyclingworld.com/travel/ .

Aftrer I clarified that i wasn’t with the group I rented my bike. When they prepared the bike they put my clipless pedals on it. Since it was noon when I started I planned on going just 20 km that day – I endet up going 60 kms to Chenggong. I got a hotel room with a fantastic view of the sun dawning over the pacific. The guided tour stayed in the same hotel. I originally had planned to do a detour inland and arrive in Hualien after 3 days of travel. Because someone told me I really had to visit the tarokko national park I changed my plan and decided to go the 120 km to Hualien on the second day. I realized it before it may not be wise because thats about the longest distance I cycled on one day and when I did it before I did it on flat terrain without luggage and with less heat and humidity.

After 60 kms I started getting cramps at every stop. At 90 km I got to the only serious climb on the route. The highway can’t follow the coastline here and goes up to 200 m. I managed longer climbs but none of them after cycling 90 km. So I had to push my bike up there and already asked a Taiwanese friend to send me a Text to show a taxi-driver telling him to get me and my bike the rest of the way. Rolling downhill was great – I got up to 60 kph. After that I somehow found the strength for the last 30 km and arrived in Hualien right when the giant shop was about to close.

What I’d recommend:

Do the trip in 3 days. If you want to do it in 2 start in hualien because you’ll be fresher at the only serious climb on the route. Take notice that the giant-store in Hualien is closed on Thursdays (got warned in taitung about this). Don’t do this in May – I got lucky and it never rained even if the weather report predicted it both days – but it’s really humid and about 30 °C. Since you are in the northern tropic there isn’t much shade the whole day. If you start in Taitung you’ll go downhill in most of the tunnels (i’m not sure about one – it felt downhill but when I left it I was higher up than I expected). Both train stations are currently under construction. It looks as if Hualien is getting a complete new station building north of the old one.

Hi Ben – thank you so much for the detailed update on your trip – other people tackling this route will find this very helpful! Great to see you had a successful trip – the downhill sections were some of our favourite sections – incredible views and so fast!!! 😀

Amy

I’m inspired to do this now! How soon would you suggest I start my day to not end up cycling after dark?

So glad that this post inspired you to do this trip – you won’t regret it! 🙂 I would suggest starting no later than 9am to avoid cycling after dark. Possible even 8am depending on how long you want to spend cycling each day or how fast/slowly you cycle. Keep in mind that the sun sets in Taiwan (at the moment) at around 5pm. So just check the sunset time and aim to be at your planned destination for the day by that time! Hope this helps! 🙂

Naama

Hi guys, thank you for sharing a very detailed description. It sounds amazing!

Due a lack of time, I have only one day for the cyceling from Taitung to Dulan. Is it possible to send the luggage to Dulan?

I don’t think there’s a train station in Dulan so I’m not sure. Sorry we can’t be more helpful. Enjoy the cycle trip!

Vinay

Hi!! I just wanted to say a big thanks for the blog above. I read this in August, and it inspired me to do the same trip. I completed last week and loved it. Lots of fun and a massive adventure. I now plan to do more Cycling holidays :-). Taking your lead above, I have written a blog as well to inspire others -Taiwan is a beautiful country and others should take the opportunity to go and see it. Thanks again!

You’re so welcome! We’re so glad you enjoyed the cycle trip and it’s so great to hear that this post inspired you to do it! 🙂 Taiwan is so beautiful!

Happy travels!

Sam

Amazing! Haha I’ve never been to Taiwan so had no idea what the conversion rate was. I read that as $1,500 USD and was like….what?!? Then I went and did the conversion and had the same reaction but because that’s so cheap! Looks great. I’ve been cycling a lot recently and was thinking about doing some kind of longer overnight trip. It’s such a great way to see an area really up close and immerse yourself literally in the area! I’m not the most experienced biker (cycler? is that a word? Lol) though, so I’m a little apprehensive. But good to hear that it’s manageable even if I’m not wearing sponsored spandex shorts from Livestrong. 😉

Hi Sam, Haha! US$1,500 would be a very expensive bike rental alright! It was so affordable. Yeah, it’s quite doable if you’re relatively fit. The bum does get a bit sore though, so we learned the hard way that those silly padded shorts cyclists wear actually do serve a purpose! 😉 I saw some people with a little cushion thing for the saddle and thought it was a great idea as then you don’t look like a child that needs their nappy changed when you get off your bike! 😀 Yeah, we agree, cycle trips are a great way to see an area close up and at a slow pace. You actually have time to take in more of the scenery than travelling by car, bus or train. Happy cycling!

Kelly

Thanks for the really helpful write up! I’m getting ready to do parts of this trip in January with some friends. I see that most of the official materials about Taiwan’s Cycle Route 1 suggest taking Route 9 along the east side of the island instead of Route 11, which I see you took. It was helpful that you mentioned Route 11 is flatter and along the coast. Did you feel safe on Route 11? Is there a good bike path or shoulder in the part you traveled? I’m curious as to why Route 9 would be officially considered part of the cycle trail over Route 11, which seems more appealing when looking at the map. Any advice or info you have about your experience on Route 11 would be really helpful!

Hi Kelly, Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Did you go on the trip in January? There was a good shoulder on Route 11 and the roads were very quiet when we did it too so we felt very safe. We’re not sure why Route 9 is officially more part of the national cycle trail as it links up with Taipei too so I imagine it would be busier traffic-wise towards the north. Maybe overall as an entire route, it is potentially flatter than Route 11 as it is part of the East Rift Valley but we’re not sure. Anyway, we absolutely loved Route 11. There were one or two tough climbs but nothing hectic and we just loved having the sea views and small villages as we went.

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The best way to experience taiwan

Cycle road trip 

9-Day bicycle Tour of Taiwan

From coastlines with great surf to cloud forests and a 2500 meter decent. This trip offers some of the worlds most epic and unexpected cycling. The trip has been designed to cater for a mixed range of cycling abilities.

Variety of outdoor activities

Camp by the beach with a bonfire or a natural hot spring nearby. Alternate between hotels and campsites for comfort. Experience Taiwan's best rivers and surf breaks.

Shuttle bus to the sweet spots !

This trip is not just about the cycling, the shuttle bus is there to support you and make sure you are getting the best Taiwan experience possible. If you get tired, no problem, hop in the bus and enjoy the ride.

Formosan Macaque

Huandao (環島) is the Chinese word meaning ‘around the Island’ . In Taiwan this is a legendary bicycle journey and almost a rite of passage for bicycle touring enthusiasts. Although it’s nice to have the accomplishment of cycling around the Island, this Huandao is all about covering a variety of Taiwan’s finest scenery while enjoying other activities along the way. The route chosen on this trip explores rural areas where Taiwan’s amazing aboriginal culture can be found.       

Itinerary Details

Orientation in Kaosiung

On the first day of the trip you’ll meet with the rest of the group in Kaohsiung, which is a 2 hour ride on the high speed rail (HSR) from Taipei. If you have rented or purchased bicycles, they will be waiting there for you to take for a test ride! Accommodation is in the centre of town and there will be a dinner and orientation session before setting off early the next morning.   

  • Dinner at a local restauraunt
  • Sight seeing

Kaosiung Confucious temple

Ride to Hengchun

Say goodbye to big city life because you won’t be seeing it for a while. The first day of cycling is a 100km ride out of the city with a dramatic change of scenery along the south west coastline. There will be plenty of time to take breaks and at the end of they day, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy a well deserved rest. If you have a little more energy to spare, Hengchun’s night markets are well worth exploring.

  • Sight seeing / relaxing

Cycle roadtrip in taiwan

Dropping in on the East Coast

The ride over to the east coast is a very relaxed 20k with great views and a series of dragon fruit farms (one of Taiwan’s strange geological quirks to discover along the way).  The afternoon offers the option of going for a surf, hanging out at the beach or the stone garden bar/cafe. In the evening we’ll have a bonfire on the beach, should you have the energy to join us!

  • Camping / Fixed forest tent available
  • Party on the beach
  • Surfing / relaxing

Jiale shui

Between Green & Blue

Before we head off, you’ll have the opportunity for a last surf before setting out on a spectacular coastal road that weaves between forest and seaside, hopefully passing a heard of Taiwanese water buffalo (水牛) along the way. These roads are as challenging as they are beautiful with a few big inclines and descents, you can always hitch a ride with the support van if you’d like to sit back and enjoy the scenery. En-route there is the option of pausing for a soak in a natural hot spring. 

With the wind on your back, the afternoon is a wonderful ride along the Eastern Coast. Before sunset the support van will pick you up and take you to Dulan in time for another surf (if you’ve still got the energy!).

20190814 140007

The rift Valley

What a day to be alive! The day begins with a stand up paddle or surfing session (or a longer snooze, should you need it). Taiwan’s East Coast is like a mountain range on a beach. From the ocean, you’ll be able to see our day’s starting line. With a quick lift up to the top of the mountain range by the support vehicle, we will descend into Taiwan’s rift valley. We’ve chosen a spectacular route through the mountains where you can expect to see a few Formosan Macaques, rice paddy fields and fantastic cycle paths. This is road biking at its best.

In the afternoon you’ll have the opportunity to stop by an Aboriginal village where you can learn about some local traditions, or, if you fancy it, pick some of the naturally sweet ‘eastern beauty’ oolong tea Taiwan is so famous for.    

  • Camping / Hot spring hotel
  • Local restauraunt
  • Surfing in the morning, Aboriginal village cultural insights

20190816 141752

Rift Valley day 2

Continuing north through the rift valley, today’s cycle is nice and flat with beautiful roads leading towards Hualien. After arriving at the end of the valley, the support van will pick you up, pass through the city life of Hualien briefly, and head  straight to Taroko Gorge. Here you will be able to chill out in one of the hammocks provided or, if you’ve chosen the hotel, enjoy the rooftop pool. All in the spectacular Taroko Gorge setting. 

  • Camping/Fancy hotel
  • Free time to relax

Screenshot 2019 08 24 at 12.39.17

Taroko Gorge

It’s worth a ponder why this place isn’t an official wonder of the world. Taroko Gorge is an epic setting peppered with shrines, bridges, waterfalls and natural hot springs. Today is a mellow day where you’ll have time to explore this marvel or relax in the swimming pool set in the middle of the gorge, if you chose the fancier option. In the afternoon the support van will carry you 2000m up to the cloud forest. From here you’ll be surrounded by vast views and ancient trees, one of which is a gigantic, 3000 year old Lunta Fir tree.

  • Mountain Lodge
  • Hikes and trails in the gorge or free time

Exploring taroko gorge with Imagine Taiwan.

2500 Meter descent

Today’s objective is to descend 2500m through the valley to return near sea level. The ride passes through high alpine communities with many peach, cabbage and watermelon farms. Enjoy weaving round the corners for this otherworldly scenery. The roads are in great condition and there are surprises at every turn.   

At the end of this epic ride we will be staying at a campsite near an Aboriginal village where you’ll be able to take a well deserved soak in a hot spring river. The bicycle tour concludes with a bonfire celebration at the campsite.  

  • Natural hot springs, bonfire & celebrations

Outdoor adventures in taiwan

Return to Taipei

On the final day of the journey you’ll see some of Taiwan’s finest scenery before reaching Taipei. Depending on the preferences of the group the morning could begin with a bath in a river hot spring or a surf on the east coast before packing up camp and jumping in the support vehicle to skip the hustle and bustle of Yilan town. Today’s ride will start with a view of turtle island before entering into the 3km long bicycle tunnel originally built during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan. 

After lunch in the famous historical town of Pingxi the road weaves its way between picturesque lily ponds and rice paddy fields for a couple of hours before reaching Taipei. You’ll be back in time for an evening flight should you have one booked, otherwise join the group for a ride in a glass bottomed gondola to Maokong where we will have a final farewell dinner with stunning views overlooking Taipei. 

  • Lunch in Pingxi, final dinner on Maokong mountain (Taipei)
  • Hot spring river, gondola ride.

20190819 080427

Trip Summary

Price per head

NT$ 30,000* Booking Deposit NT$8,000

*Price for 15 Pax  *Additional hotel booking / upgrade options available after sign up. 

2021 Trip Dates

*Available as a custom tour for groups on demand – updated cost pp based on group size and desires.

Ready to cycle taiwan?

Additional Information

During the trip you will have the option of upgrading your accommodation options (such as hotels and campsites). B ike rentals are included, a dditionally we can help suggest and make bike purchases ready for the journey. The trip will include van support to carry baggage and as a place to rest should you require it.

NT$5000 dep osit must be made two months prior to the trip to confirm your place, numbers on each tour are limited 25 participants. Discounts for group sign ups available, please enquire.   

  • Support Van 
  • Accommodation
  • Bicycle rental (Discount available if bringing own bicycle) 
  • Transport to Kaohsiung

Deposit When you have filed out the form below you will be sent a confirmation email with a request for  NT$ 8,000 deposit. Once payment has been made your place on the tour is confirmed. The final instalment should be made one month in advance of the trip.  Cancellation Policy In the rare case that Imagine-Taiwan must cancel a trip due to low enrolment, we will do so at least 40 days prior to departure. If we cancel fewer than 40 days prior to departure, we will issue you a full refund plus a  NT$ 4,000  credit toward any of our other tours within a calendar year.

Exceptions to our cancellation policy can not be made for any reason, including weather, civil unrest, natural disasters or personal, family and medical emergencies. In all cases, we will not be responsible for any personal expenses incurred such as airline tickets, hotels or car rentals. Imagine-Taiwan reserves the right to make route and lodging modifications as needed.

No refunds will be made for meals, services or lodging paid for but not used.

Book Your Tour

Select your tour dates and make your booking here. If you have any questions  contact us  any time and we’ll be in touch.

We are currently only running group tours and may not be accepting individual sign ups. Feel free to fill out the form and If we have sufficient interest we will contact you about an upcoming public tour date.

Taiwan Bike Tour: 6 Steps to Plan Your Taiwan Cycling Tour Cost

Taiwan Bike Tour: how to select a bike

The first topic is bike tour cost for a beginner, you must first list the six topics for Taiwan cycling tour around the island, including “food”, “accommodations”, “itinerary”, “equipment” and other items:

An in-depth journey into the lives of the locals.

If you are happy to search for local food or hotels to pay for cheap, we prefer to interact with local residents, exchange information with backpackers, and even find some CouchSurfing hosters to stay for one night, so that we save a lot of money!

"Don’t call it a dream. Call it a plan" make good use of budget to make the journey smoother!

To be both economic and romantic, you have to make good use of the Taiwan bike tour cost. Therefore, we plan for each other to set a maximum limit of 2,000 NTD for a day of “meals + a hotel” budget for Taiwan cycling tour cost. If the flowers are not full on the day, the next day can be more. If you spend over, you will save some the next day.

Share my personal travel planning steps, planning methods, and some tips that I find useful:

Taiwan Bike Tour: Bike Equipment Rental

Plan for Taiwan bike tour cost 6 steps

Step 1. how many days is the taiwan cycling tour.

Taiwan Cycling Tour Route 1 Map

Small round island or big round island? The number of days determines the budget!

Tips for Taiwan bike tour: Decide on the comfort of the riding distance: The best average speed for Taiwan cycling tour is 20 km/hr , 900 km on the small roundabout, and 1,200 km on the big roundabout.  It is recommended to ride for 6-8 hours per day as the best distance.  Taiwan bike tour can be end of 9 to 15 days.

The highest expense in your Taiwan bike tour cost of cycling is accommodations, so the number of days will directly decide your budget, and accommodation planning can be based on comfort and equipment: ◆ “Luxurious”: 1,000-1,500 NTD / per day ◆ “Economic”: 500-1,000 NTD / per day ◆ “A budget travel”: 0-500 NTD / per day

1. Challenge Taiwan bike tour for 10 days: It is more bitter to ride every day, and it takes less time to enjoy the scenery along the way. 2. Leisurely Taiwan bike tour for 15 days: Usually 2 weeks is the best riding time in Taiwan. Ride slowly and without time pressure. You can add 1-2 more scenic spots to choose a one-day relaxing guided tour (Sun Moon Lake, Kenting or Taroko).

Read More: Guide to cycling days around Taiwan!

▲ Back to list

Step 2. Select A Good Bicycle / Bike Rental Recommendation

Ride a well-maintained bicycle, and Taiwan cycling tour can be smoothed or it is possible to no need to repair. We recommend that you rent a bicycle at the store. In addition to saving the maintenance on your Taiwan  bike tour cost , it will be prepared together with the equipment, saving time and trouble!

Read More: All Bike Introduce and Recommedation

How to select a touring bike for Taiwan bike tour?

Each size of the bicycle has a fixed and suitable height range. If you ride a bicycle that is not suitable for you, and the posture of the mount is incorrect, it is likely to cause discomfort such as butt pain, thigh and calf cramps, and even wrist pain during your Taiwan bike tour. 

Therefore, choosing a bicycle, you must choose the right type and size of the bicycle according to your height and needs, so that you can ride it easily. “Choose the right type of bicycle to give full play to the effectiveness of the bicycle.”

The bicycle rentals provided by MathewBike are mainly “Road Bike”, “Touring Bike” and “Gravel Bike”. Although the mountain bike has shock absorber, it is very comfortable to ride and has excellent load-bearing capacity. 

But because the weight of the bicycle consumes too much power, I don’t recommend riding a mountain bike around the island  during your Taiwan bike tour .

Taiwan cycling tour

1. The lightest frame choice, high sports performance / fast riding speed. 2. The drop-bar reduces wind resistance, but it is not suitable for beginners to ride. 3. The small tire pattern can reduce the rolling resistance and ride quickly, that is suitable for flat asphalt roads. 4. Suitable for racing guy who have fewer days to ride. 5. Large gear ratio + light frame = easy climbing. 6. When the road is wet and slippery, should avoid to ride on the ground traffic lines and circular reflective settings.

Taiwan bike tour: touring bike rental

Touring Bike

1.The frame geometry is specially designed for long-distance travel for the ride feels comfortable. 2. Lightweight steel tubing material, with high ductility and resistance to hit 3. The flat-bar design increases riding comfort and is super suitable for beginners. 4. The tires are wider to increase wet grip. 5. Suitable for heavy gears bikepacking -15-20 kg load capacity. 6. When the road is wet and slippery, should avoid to ride on the ground traffic lines and circular reflective settings.

Is it easy to break a tire/inner tube when riding a road bike?

Riding a road bike during your Taiwan bike tour is not easy to break a tire/inner tube! Not at all!

Many people said that road bike tires are so thin that it is easy to puncture on your way, I have to say: Because we always use a tire with puncture proof, it is not really that easy to break. In fact, you should first understand what the cause of the tire is and what the common problems are. Causes of broken tires:

  • Pierced by a sharp object on the road
  • Not enough tire pressure

Before surrounding the island, change into a better puncture-proof tyre to provide protection. In addition to reducing the chance of tyre breakage, the tyre also has enough thickness to complete cycling around Taiwan.

How to choose/pump bike tires?

  • Punctureproof tires: Maxxis , Kenda , made in Taiwan.
  • Pump 100 psi every 100-150 km

Road bike tires actually require higher tire pressures, and on average, they need to check every 100-150 km in order to confirm that the tire pressure is enough during your trip. However, if we don’t pay attention to the tire pressure, we will easily break the tire when the luggage overloading we bring. This is a problem that every bicycle will encounter. It is not that road bikes are more likely to break tires. It should be that road bikes need to be more frequent to check the tire pressure. To maintain your bike, please come by our store to listen to our experience and share with customers!

Read More: How To Select A Bike For Cycling Around Taiwan?

Step 3. Taiwan Bike Tour: Bicycle Equipment List

In addition to renting touring bikes with MathewBike , if you bring your own bicycles and rent equipment from us , it is a way to save your bike tour cost!

After having a bicycle, we divided the equipment into three simple categories:

1. Bicycle Equipment

  • Bottle holders X2
  • Handlebar ends
  • Safety Locks
  • Bungee ropes
  • Speedometer
  • Mobile phone holder
  • A top-tubing bag

saddle bag

2. Repair Kits

  • A mini pump
  • spare 2 inner-tubes
  • Tire patches
  • Multi-function wrench

basic bike repair tools: inner tubes

3. Personal Daily Necessities

  • Cycling clothing (clothes & pants)
  • Bicycle shoes
  • Wind-proof coat or Raincoat
  • Sporty sunglasses
  • Change of clothes
  • Personal medicine
  • ID card and health insurance card
  • Mobile phone
  • ATM card/credit card

Read More: What Is The Best Cycling Equipment? Need and Needless

Step 4. Taiwan Bike Tour: Plan Accommodation

Tools:booking.com, airbnb, google map.

According to the 3 ways of accommodation budget in bike tour cost, we mentioned: ◆  “Luxurious”: 1,000-1,500 NTD / per day ◆  “Economic”: 500-1,000 NTD / per day ◆  “A budget travel”: 0-500 NTD / per day

Usually, when we search for accommodation, first I will use Booking.com to filter out the accommodation location, by price, and decide to use Google Map to see how it is evaluated, in order to reduce some bad accommodation experience.

We don’t need objects; we need adventures.

To fully enjoy the wandering life and join yourself into the local or nature, you can choose to bring your own tent to a legal camping area, park, or temple to stay, and exchange accommodation with things (skills). 

There are also the choice of CouchSurfing or Warmshowers . But you must contact the owner first, which will save bike tour cost about 1,000-1,500 NTD in the accommodation fees per day.

Read More: Guide To Planning Your Accommodations & Recommends!

Step 5. Cost Of Your Taiwan Cycling Tour

The following estimate is the Taiwan cycling tour cost before our departure. The actual bike tour cost is much lower than the estimate before we go, which does not include personal expenses, such as sunscreen, souvenirs, etc. For your reference:

Low Budget Taiwan Cycling tour

Step 6. taiwan cycling tour of suggestion for parent-child / the old man, cycling vehicle support makes travel easier.

More and more cyclists are teenagers or the elderly. The safety of cycling travel has become more and more important. Therefore, a van driver shoulders a heavy responsibility. Although this is the largest cost of a cycling tour, it can ensure that everyone’s travel is carefully protected for everyone’s safety.

The Cost Of Cycling Vehicle Support

Plan for cycling vehicle support: 9 days & 8 nights.

9,000 X 9 days,Not Incl. meals and hotels

1. Supplies once every 20-30 km.

2. Basic bicycle repair, free inner tube change.

3. Sport professional photography to capture good memories of travel.

4. Customized itinerary, ride the private attractions in Taiwan.

5. Qualified business license, insured for 5 million passengers.

6. Professional emergency rescue training to protect your safety at any time.

When you’re tired from riding, take a break if you want to. Customized tourism, go wherever you want. A tiny group of families and friends will not be embarrassed without knowing. Taking care of safety comes first!

Taiwan Cycling Tour: Cycling vehicle support

Read More: Cycling vehicle support makes travel easier!

Finally. Cycling Training Plans: For Beginners

Ready to go, you are just one step forward.

After completing the Taiwan bike tour cost in low budget, you should reserve The Touring Bike (2021 new offer!) First of all, to make sure that the plan will not be regrettable because of not being able to rent a bicycle! Next, start the training package before cycling, the following is our recommendation 2021 Taipei Cycling Route :

Read More: Where Is The Climb Hills Recommedation To Bicycle Trainning You Must To Know In Taipei.

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Sunday, April 14, 2024 4:24 pm (Paris)

How Taiwan became a leader of the bicycle industry

While TSMC's semiconductor factories dominate, the cycling giants Giant and Merida, along with their subcontractors, serve as the island's second economic powerhouse.

By  Sophie Fay   (Taichung, Taiwan, special correspondent)

Time to 6 min.

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Taiwanese track cyclist Po-Hung Wu shows off the fourth-generation Merida 'Reacto' bike on August 14, 2020 in Taipei.

"Did you see that? The Giant tower is the same shape as Taiwan." At the foot of the world's number one bicycle manufacturer's headquarters in Taichung, Sherry Tsou, who works for the Cycling Culture Museum, pointed to the top of the building. She praised the work of star architect Joshua Jih Pan and the symbolism of its form. The island not only gave rise to TSMC, the global semiconductor industry giant, creating those chips that are crucial for our cell phones, computers and cars, it is also home to the world's number one and two bicycle manufacturers, Giant and Merida (known in Europe under the Centurion brand). What's more, behind them are a myriad of suppliers, also leaders in their specialties, producing the likes of chains, saddles, lighting, brakes, derailleurs and batteries.

Over the past half-century, Taiwan has quietly established itself as the island of the bicycle, adapting to overcome competition from countries with lower costs over the years – unlike Europe or the United States, which have let their cycle industries slip away. In all, 900 companies, many of them family-run SMEs, share the sector's value chain, employing over 32,000 people and exporting parts worldwide. They are clustered around Taichung, the country's second-largest city with over 2.8 million inhabitants, in the central-western part of the island.

Half of the suppliers are concentrated south of the metropolis, in Changhua, around Merida. The other half is to the north, near Giant's historic factory. In 1992, French sporting company Decathlon established itself equidistant between these two hubs, at the heart of the ecosystem, to become a heavyweight and a center of excellence in cycling in its own right. Decathlon is now one of the largest clients of Taiwanese manufacturers, but not only that: Jean-François Guislain, who heads Decathlon in Taichung, oversees 19 stores, in addition to the production office.

Yet the bicycle is not a Taiwanese invention, nor even a tradition. The Cycling Culture Museum created by Yang Liu – also known as King Liu, the founder of Giant – gives credit where credit is due: The oldest two-wheelers on display there are European. For instance, the "draisienne" – a bicycle without pedals – was designed in 1817 by the German baron Karl Drais von Sauerbronn. The tour continued with a postal bike from Japan. "In the 1960s, bicycles were still imported from Japan," explained Tsou.

After the 1973 oil crisis

The industry expanded over the next decade and soon turned its attention to exports. In 1972, Liu founded the Giant group, and his rival Ike Tseng created Merida. Their timing was perfect. After the 1973 oil crisis, the market took off. "It peaked in 1986-1987, with over 10 million bicycles produced per year in Taiwan," said Yucheng Cheng, production manager at Decathlon. It was also during this period that the northern French retailer designed its first model and entered the market.

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    For instance, the "draisienne" - a bicycle without pedals - was designed in 1817 by the German baron Karl Drais von Sauerbronn. The tour continued with a postal bike from Japan.