Bike Taiwan
Bike tour in Taiwan | 13 days ex Taipei | US$2700
Taipei - Taroko National Park - Dramatic Coastal Scenery - Volcanic Green Island - Hot Springs - Temples and Monastries - Historic Tainan
Coined “La Ilha Formosa” (The Beautiful Island) by the Portuguese, Taiwan offers beautiful beaches, breathtaking gorges, picturesque peaks, serene lakes, tropical forests, aboriginal peoples, stunningly ornate temples, intact Chinese cultural legacy, neon-clad cities, and an unbelievably diverse culinary heritage. Amazingly, this is all contained in an island only 450 miles long and less than 150 miles wide.
Taiwan is ideally suited to cycling and offers a great range of rides from beautiful coastal byways to tough mountain climbs. And at journeys end the island offers yet more surprises: whether marveling at the world’s tallest building, joining in some morning tai ji, soaking away the stresses of life in one of the island’s numerous hot springs or just slurping down a hearty bowl of delicious noodles, Taiwan assaults your senses and leaves you yearning for more!
Itinerary
Days 1-2 | Taipei
On Day 1 people will be arriving throughout the day. We’ll meet in the evening to get to know one another over dinner and have an introduction to the tour. The following day we take in some of the contrasting attractions of this modern city including the world's tallest building, the fabulous Chinese art on display at the National Palace Museum and the culinary curiosities to be found at a traditional nightmarket.
Day 3 | Taroko Gorge
Today we drive via picturesque tea plantations and along the dramatic coastal highway to breathtaking Taroko Gorge which forges its way through the Central Mountain Range. Whether shrouded in mist or glowing in sunlight, this sheer marble gorge is a captivating sight. On arrival we take a gentle hike along a stunning tributary of the main gorge.
Days 4-5 | East Coast Cycling
We make an early start from Taroko to begin our stunning coastal ride south. Huge cliffs drop down to the crashing blue surf of the Pacific and you could be forgiven for thinking you’re in Hawaii. We cross the Tropic of Cancer as we continue further down the coast and on the evening of Day 5 we stop in a small town near to the jumping off point for the ferry to Green Island.
Day 6 | Green Island
Today we’ll take a ferry across to rugged Green Island, a tiny volcanic outcrop set in the deep blue Pacific. We’ll ride around the whole island (all 17km of it …) taking in dramatic coastal vistas, beautiful coral beaches and bathe in seawater hot springs right on the shore – one of only three places in the world you can do so.
Days 7-8 | Southern Cross Island Highway
We’ll make an early start back to the mainland to commence our ride over the Southern Cross Island Highway. The highway is one of the island’s most beautiful rides and traverses the mighty Central Mountain Range, with peaks which rise up to nearly 4000m (12,000ft) all around. We’ll spend the first night at a hot springs resort to soothe our aching limbs. On Day 9 we make the final ascent to the highest pass at 2772m (9000ft) and from there it’s downhill all the way to our overnight stop.
Day 9 | Foguangshan Monastery
Today we make our way down into the plains through the heart of the south’s rice, banana, coconut and pineapple belt to the island’s largest Buddhist Monastery where our epic ride ends. We spend a surprisingly comfortable night learning about monastic life in Taiwan.
Days 10-11 | Tainan
In the morning explore the monastery’s beautiful grounds before transferring to the island's oldest city which showcases Taiwan’s varied culture through its lively temples, traditional cuisine and colonial remnants. The following morning we’ll take a walking tour around the old city, passing lively temples and colonial remnants. The afternoon is free to further explore the city, shop in the bustling markets or enjoy some of the tasty snacks for which Tainan is justly famous.
Days 12-13 | Taipei
After a free morning we take the high speed rail back to Taipei. In the evening we have a final meal to celebrate our two-wheeled journey around “the Other China”. The tour ends after breakfast on day 13.
Facts and Information
Style
fully supported cycling
Grasshopper Leader
This tour will be led by guidebook author Simon Foster. Simon has been based in Taiwan for the past five years and when he’s not leading tours or on writing assignments he spends his days further exploring this tiny but diverse island.
meet Simon
Inclusions
support vehicle, local guides, tour leader, Green Island ferry, high speed rail, most meals, entry fees as per the itinerary
Group Size
minimum 4, maximum 12
Accommodation
13 nights comfortable hotels
Meals Included
13 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners
Days Cycling
6
Kilometres Cycled
approx 450km
Difficulty
moderate-difficult
Cycling Conditions
We ride on well-made roads some of which have designated cycle lanes. The terrain varies from gently undulating along the East Coast to the steep ascent and descent over the incredible Southern Cross Island Highway. Traffic is generally light although there will be stretches on busier roads.
