For the ambitious climbing enthusiast who’s ready to take on some of the best cycling terrain in the world, SpiceRoads presents: Taiwan Traverse. Over 900 kilometers of spectacular winding roads, extreme grades, 10,000 meters of climbing, and exciting descents make this a dream trip for cyclists up for the challenge.
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!
Bicycle tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Taipei, Kaohsiung, Fusing, Baola
Taipei, Kaohsiung, Fusing, Baolai, Wuling Farm, Li Shan, Taroko Gorge, Yu Li Hot Spring, Jhinben Hot Spring, Kenting National Park
This road biking tour is your ultimate chance to discover the gorgeous southern coasts of Taiwan, which boasts an incredible mixture of scenery. The cities and towns are steeped in a compelling history as they are home to some of the oldest Chinese settlements intertwined with a more contemporary Taiwanese culture.
The journey begins on the west coast as we ride through country roads and along beautiful beaches. We continue on towards the east coast while passing through the most southern tip of Taiwan. There will be challenging climbs of over 1500m along the way but you will be rewarded with marvelous views and hotels with hot springs for you to relax in.
You will certainly experience Taiwan in a unique and exciting way.
Bicycle tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Taipei, Kaohsiung, Hualien City
Taipei, Kaohsiung, Hualien City, Bai Sha Beach, Jhinben Hot Spring, Taroko Gorge, Xiangde Temple
Taiwan is a cycling paradise. Between coast-hugging highways that offer breathtaking vistas of the Pacific Ocean, undulating country roads dissecting lush valleys, and extreme ascents/thrilling descents winding around majestic mountain ranges, Taiwan has something for riders at all levels. If you are looking for casual riding combined with a diverse and immersive experience on this fascinating island nation, then this is the right adventure for you. This tour has been specifically designed to strike the perfect balance between leisurely riding along scenic roads and intimately exploring the landscapes, cultures, and cuisines that span the south and east coasts of Taiwan.
The journey begins in the city of Kaohsiung, where we will zip down the so-called “tail of Taiwan” to reach the scenic coastline and white sand beaches of Kenting. We then traverse across the southern mountains and through Indigenous villages before rolling down to the east coast to be greeted by sweeping views over the Pacific Ocean. The next couple of days will be filled with epic stretches along the coast, stopping in maritime towns and villages steeped in history, filling our bellies with local delicacies, exploring forested areas, and lounging in hot springs! Once we reach the town of Chenggong, we’ll trade the blue ocean vistas for visuals of emerald green as we enter the Rift Valley, a simply stunning area of meandering rivers, rice paddies, quiet country roads and quaint local villages. The Rift Valley will be our cycling playground for the final days of riding before we cap off the adventure with an off-saddle exploration of Taroko Gorge, the world’s deepest marble gorge and probably Taiwan’s most impressive geological formation. This is the perfect way to end our adventure on a truly high note (literally!) before we say our goodbyes the following morning and you head up to Taipei by train.
This tour is sure to leave you with lasting impressions of Taiwan, still an underappreciated and much less visited destination compared with other East Asian countries! Let us show you what makes this cycling paradise such a gem to explore.
Bicycle tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Kaohsiung, Hualien City, Taipei
Kaohsiung, Hualien City, Taipei, Kenting National Park, Zhiben, Taitung, Taroko National Park, Taroko Gorge