Huandao

With some luck the wind will be at your back on the West Coast Expressway (Expressway 61) and you’ll ride with ease. Along the coastal road there are wind turbines that dot the landscape, but don’t waste your energy being excited about this because you’ll need it for the climb over Dadu Mountain. Although the route here tops out at only 200 meters above sea level, the final section of the climb is tiring because it comes at the end of a long day. As a reward for your hard, work you’ll be repaid with a great view of sunny Taichung City.

Today’s route is very flat and there are lots of sightseeing spots along the way, including Taichung’s Rainbow Military 200 Housing, Tianwei Highway Garden, Xiluo Bridge and Chiayi Park. The whole distance can be completed in five hours, leaving lots of time 0ff. The only thing you need to remember is that when you near city centre the traffic becomes a heavier so it is best to exercise caution. 

Provincial Highway 1 connects northern Taiwan to southern Taiwan. It passes through the ancient, historical city of Tainan and the biggest city in southern Taiwan, Kaohsiung. As you head farther south, you feel more passion from the people who live there. Provincial highway 1 has heavy traffic, so it’s important that you are aware of what’s going on at all times. As a reward for your tired mind and body, you can eat some snacks in the Tainan and Kaohsiung night markets.

Kaoshiung is known as ‘passionate Harbour City, ranked by CNN as one of the best cities in Asia for bike riding. The ride starts out flat and with a little luck, after Fangliao there will be a tail wind to help push you along the coastal highway. On the left of this gently undulating route you’ll see mountains and on the right you’ll see the ocean. The combination of mountains and sea makes for an enjoyable ride with beautiful scenery.

The most difficult climb you’ll face when riding around Taiwan is called Shouka. The day begins by taking County Highway 199 inland from the coast of southern Taiwan, heading toward the mountains. The climb is long, making it both a physical and mental challenge; but if you keep a positive attitude and believe you can do it, then you’ll soon be at the top. You need to keep calm and use your low gear to climb the slope; but there is lots of beautiful scenery along 50 the way, so it makes it worth the hard work.

The East Rift Valley has beautiful scenery throughout the year. When you ride past the rice fields you’ll feel refreshed. This is an awesome days ride.

This is the easiest day of your trip around Taiwan. You will take the train for a hundred kilometers then ride for 29km to the hot spring town of Jiaoxi. You might be wondering why this bike trips involves a train ride. The Suhua Provincial Highway is the most scenic highway in Taiwan but it is also the most dangerous. It is built along a cliff, on the coastline. Heavy rains, typhoons and earthquakes frequently cause landslides. In addition, the road is very narrow and filled with buses and gravel trucks that drive quickly, so it is better to avoid it for safety reasons.

This is the easiest day of your trip around Taiwan. You will take the train for a hundred kilometers then ride for 29km to the hot spring town of Jiaoxi. You might be wondering why this bike trips involves a train ride. The Suhua Provincial Highway is the most scenic highway in Taiwan but it is also the most dangerous. It is built along a cliff, on the coastline. Heavy rains, typhoons and earthquakes frequently cause landslides. In addition, the road is very narrow and filled with buses and gravel trucks that drive quickly, so it is better to avoid it for safety reasons.

Beiyi Provincial Highway is a heavenly route for all cyclists, with one climb having “nine turns
and eighteen curves.” If you are heading up the highway, the challenge might seem unending. The maximum elevation on on the day’s route is 500 meters above sea level. On hot days you’ll be sweating buckets, but the view of the mountains on the way up and the view of the sea from the top is a great motivator. You need to be alert to the traffic on this road, as it is often heavy. If you get tired of the traffic then it’s a great stop at the Pinglin Tea Museum, where you can take in the fragrant smells of tea being made. Enjoy final ride to Taipei and a night back in Taiwan’s capital!