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Taiwan bike trip
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Has anyone done a bike tour around Taiwan?
S Posts: 2
Hi there! I have come across this clip: and it inspired me to ask this question. :) Has anyone got experience in cycycling around Taiwan? the counntry looks absolutely great in the video so I am just curious how to organize it. I would extremely grateful for ANY tips! Thanks in advance!! :)
[Edited: 13:39 - Mell - Removed URL]
Reply to thisN Posts: 2
Hi Anatol,
I did a cycling trip in Taiwan, from Taipei through Keelung and along the ocean past Taitung, then over the mountain and down to Kenting. I rented a bike from a shop in Taipei, and prebooked all my hotels, because for that trip I wanted to stay in nice hotels. I did this trip in winter (Feb) and had great weather the whole way.
One could do this without prebooking hotels, allowing one flexibility, but you will pay more for the nice hotels, and may find them fully booked, especially on popular weekends or the summer. One can also camp or stay in churches, as others have suggested in this and other forums. There are also a growing number of B&Bs that are in the hotel price range but give you a better local feeling.
One can use the great railway system to move your bike back to the start of the trip; it requires a day or 2 of shipping time.
Speaking Mandarin (or Taiwanese) is a great asset. However, Taiwan people are tolerant of non-Mandarin speakers and are usually generous and helpful.
Let me know if you have any specific questions. Reply to this
I did a cycling trip in Taiwan, from Taipei through Keelung and along the ocean past Taitung, then over the mountain and down to Kenting. I rented a bike from a shop in Taipei, and prebooked all my hotels, because for that trip I wanted to stay in nice hotels. I did this trip in winter (Feb) and had great weather the whole way.
One could do this without prebooking hotels, allowing one flexibility, but you will pay more for the nice hotels, and may find them fully booked, especially on popular weekends or the summer. One can also camp or stay in churches, as others have suggested in this and other forums. There are also a growing number of B&Bs that are in the hotel price range but give you a better local feeling.
One can use the great railway system to move your bike back to the start of the trip; it requires a day or 2 of shipping time.
Speaking Mandarin (or Taiwanese) is a great asset. However, Taiwan people are tolerant of non-Mandarin speakers and are usually generous and helpful.
Let me know if you have any specific questions. Reply to this
N Posts: 1
Caveman - looks like you have done what me and my GF are planning for next month...
Can you expand on your itinerary just a bit? Where did you rent your bike (I was going to use a Giant place :. Did you take bike paniers - or can you rent good ones form the bike hire shop? Any places that were unmissable? Any great hotels? How long did you take? How long in Kenting?
Can you expand on your itinerary just a bit? Where did you rent your bike (I was going to use a Giant place :
[Edited: 15:38 - Mell - Removed URL]
Reply to thisN Posts: 2
Anatol, We left Taipei and headed north to Keelung, then took coast all the way past Taitung, then took 9 over mountain to Fangliao, then put bikes on train back to Taipei while we took bus to Kenting.
Renting bikes was a challenge 4 years, ago, maybe easier now. The owner of Alan's bike shop kindly set us up with 2 well adjusted cross-style bikes that worked perfectly. We are tall. The bikes were fitted with rear racks, which mated with panniers we brought from U.S. (Jandd). Might be able to buy panniers in Taipei, but we wanted to do test packing before we left U.S.
We spent 2 days in Taipei to adjust tiime, then stopped in Keelung, Suao, Hualien (2 days), ChangBin, Chr-Ben (Taitung), then 2 days in Kenting.
Very comfortable hotels in Hualien (Parkview), and Kenting (Chateau, expensive but outstanding).
The stories about nasty conditins between Suao and Huallen are true. The tunnels are very dangerous and you at least must wear reflectors to be seen and flashlights to see through the diesel haze.
A note about the entire route. Huge gravel trucks ply the entire length of the route. They are noisy, fast, and surprisingly nimble. Don't be surprised to see them everywhere. They are courteous, I chatted with one driver at a rest stop, friendly. They will avoid you, but respect their need to move their goods.
The road from Hualien to Taitung is a cyclist dream, smooth, wide shoulders, ocean, mountains and sky!
Have great time, let me know if you have other Qs. Reply to this
Renting bikes was a challenge 4 years, ago, maybe easier now. The owner of Alan's bike shop kindly set us up with 2 well adjusted cross-style bikes that worked perfectly. We are tall. The bikes were fitted with rear racks, which mated with panniers we brought from U.S. (Jandd). Might be able to buy panniers in Taipei, but we wanted to do test packing before we left U.S.
We spent 2 days in Taipei to adjust tiime, then stopped in Keelung, Suao, Hualien (2 days), ChangBin, Chr-Ben (Taitung), then 2 days in Kenting.
Very comfortable hotels in Hualien (Parkview), and Kenting (Chateau, expensive but outstanding).
The stories about nasty conditins between Suao and Huallen are true. The tunnels are very dangerous and you at least must wear reflectors to be seen and flashlights to see through the diesel haze.
A note about the entire route. Huge gravel trucks ply the entire length of the route. They are noisy, fast, and surprisingly nimble. Don't be surprised to see them everywhere. They are courteous, I chatted with one driver at a rest stop, friendly. They will avoid you, but respect their need to move their goods.
The road from Hualien to Taitung is a cyclist dream, smooth, wide shoulders, ocean, mountains and sky!
Have great time, let me know if you have other Qs. Reply to this
S Posts: 3
Hi Yodude,
you can cycling the essential road section only, Hualian to Taitung, (or Taitung to Hualian),
allow you renting bike at Hualian, (or Taitung),
and no necessary to move your bike back to the start of the trip,
you are allow renting bike at Hualian (or Taitung), recycle bike at Taitung (or Hualian),
the trip take 3 days (or more days) from Hualian to Taitung, (or Taitung to Hualian), Reply to this
you can cycling the essential road section only, Hualian to Taitung, (or Taitung to Hualian),
allow you renting bike at Hualian, (or Taitung),
and no necessary to move your bike back to the start of the trip,
you are allow renting bike at Hualian (or Taitung), recycle bike at Taitung (or Hualian),
the trip take 3 days (or more days) from Hualian to Taitung, (or Taitung to Hualian), Reply to this
N Posts: 2
Hello Flourite! Thanks for your post. Could you please give me some more information???
I am interested in this bike trip from Hualian to Taitung, or reverse.
1. In January, which way does the wind blow?
2. Where can I rent a bike in Hualien? What quality is the bike?
3. Where can I drop the bike in Taichung?
4. Is it possible to ride and drop the bike in Kaohsiung?
5. Why does it take 3 days form Hualien to Taitung? On the map, it looks flat and is about 80mi...seems like a 1 day bike ride.
6. How much does the bike hire cost? Reply to this
I am interested in this bike trip from Hualian to Taitung, or reverse.
1. In January, which way does the wind blow?
2. Where can I rent a bike in Hualien? What quality is the bike?
3. Where can I drop the bike in Taichung?
4. Is it possible to ride and drop the bike in Kaohsiung?
5. Why does it take 3 days form Hualien to Taitung? On the map, it looks flat and is about 80mi...seems like a 1 day bike ride.
6. How much does the bike hire cost? Reply to this
N Posts: 1
In response to: Msg #148407
Hi Michael, welcome to Taiwan ^^
I plan to ride there during Chinese New Year vacation, so I happen to see your message. ^^
1. In January, the wind blows from northeast to southwest, so it helps save effort to ride from Hualien to Taitung.
2. If you trust Giant, the top bike brand in the world, browse Giant rental web pages. There are more than 300 rental sites. We can rent a bike at place A and return it at place B.
Please use Google translate to view Chinese webpages.
http://www.giantcyclingworld.com/web/index.php
3. There are Giant rental locations in Taichung.
4. Kaohsiung city government provides the visitors with public bikes. Here is ENGLISH pages:
http://www.c-bike.com.tw/eng/knowing.html
5. After you ride back from the east Taiwan, you'll know the answer
Here are two tourist schedules brought by Giant. For English, please use google translate.
http://www.giantcyclingworld.com/web/travel_view.php?id=b8c91315-52e4-49e9-adb4-a28ad12dc66d&
Deep tour to visit TAROKO
http://www.giantcyclingworld.com/web/travel_view.php?id=e4be6acb-3e30-4abc-85c5-ca0fa8d2d0a7&
6. Here's the website of "cycling around the island certification". For a Giant bike, it costs NT$1000 - $1200 per day (for the first three days).
http://www.cycling-lifestyle.org.tw/Certify/article_content.php?articleid=114
By the way, if you are in Taiwan on Dec 31, 2011, the government welcomes you join One Bike One to greet the new year by cycling around Taiwan.
Here's the activity webpages in English
http://www.onebikeone.tw/english/
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year ^^
Hi Michael, welcome to Taiwan ^^
I plan to ride there during Chinese New Year vacation, so I happen to see your message. ^^
1. In January, the wind blows from northeast to southwest, so it helps save effort to ride from Hualien to Taitung.
2. If you trust Giant, the top bike brand in the world, browse Giant rental web pages. There are more than 300 rental sites. We can rent a bike at place A and return it at place B.
Please use Google translate to view Chinese webpages.
http://www.giantcyclingworld.com/web/index.php
3. There are Giant rental locations in Taichung.
4. Kaohsiung city government provides the visitors with public bikes. Here is ENGLISH pages:
http://www.c-bike.com.tw/eng/knowing.html
5. After you ride back from the east Taiwan, you'll know the answer
Here are two tourist schedules brought by Giant. For English, please use google translate.
http://www.giantcyclingworld.com/web/travel_view.php?id=b8c91315-52e4-49e9-adb4-a28ad12dc66d&
Deep tour to visit TAROKO
http://www.giantcyclingworld.com/web/travel_view.php?id=e4be6acb-3e30-4abc-85c5-ca0fa8d2d0a7&
6. Here's the website of "cycling around the island certification". For a Giant bike, it costs NT$1000 - $1200 per day (for the first three days).
http://www.cycling-lifestyle.org.tw/Certify/article_content.php?articleid=114
By the way, if you are in Taiwan on Dec 31, 2011, the government welcomes you join One Bike One to greet the new year by cycling around Taiwan.
Here's the activity webpages in English
http://www.onebikeone.tw/english/
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year ^^
[Edited: 2011 Dec 06 19:58 - tricia tricia:223677 ]
Reply to thisN Posts: 2
Wow Tricia! This is the most pointed and informative reply I've ever gotten in a forum; thanks!! When will you be biking in Taiwan??
I think I may rent a Giant through the dealership. If I'm reading the Chinese correctly, they have locations in both Hualian and Kaohsiung according to the spreadsheet. I should be able to take a few days and ride down the coast to Taitong, then down to Kenting, across hwy 199, and over to Kaohsiung. FUN!
-Mike Reply to this
I think I may rent a Giant through the dealership. If I'm reading the Chinese correctly, they have locations in both Hualian and Kaohsiung according to the spreadsheet. I should be able to take a few days and ride down the coast to Taitong, then down to Kenting, across hwy 199, and over to Kaohsiung. FUN!
-Mike Reply to this
