We will meet around 18.00 at a restaurant where we will have dinner and a trip briefing. We will also take the time to fit your bicycle.
Kindness Hotel
DinnerWe ride down the west and do a loop of the coast. We pass the most southern point of the island riding up the spectacular east coast with numerous photo ops. We finish the day looping back to the west coast where we spend the night at Bai Sha beach. This is now more commonly known as the “Life of Pi” beach from its feature in the movie.
White HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 60km
+386mFrom our hotel on the west coast we embark on our third crossing of the island. After 20km we get on the scenic No. 199, one of the highlights of the trip. We'll pass through several aborigine villages, the Mudan Reservoir and enjoy country roads with little traffic. Your guide will explain some of the history and symbolism of aborigine culture. After a picnic lunch we descend down to the east coast. We climb over a 1,000m throughout the day but be comforted in knowing that we spend the evening at a hot springs hotel.
Castle HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 122km+1033mWe start the day continuing up the east coast until lunch time. In the afternoon we ascend the coastal mountains to access the Rift Valley - the bread basket of Taiwan - famous for its rice paddies and quiet country roads. We have another night at a hot springs resort, one of the 5 hot springs established during the Japanese colonial period from 1895 – 1945.
An Tong Hotspring ResortBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 115km+1117mAfter a well-deserved rest, we say goodbye to our hot spring hotel and leave for the next destination. We'll continue our ride through Taiwan's Rift Valley. Nestled between the central and coastal mountains this is the most fertile part of the island. As we head north we'll pass Hualien City before finishing the ride at the stunning and famous Taroko Gorge.
Crossing the RainbowBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 120km+750mCycling along ta aqua marine river we head up through the Taroko Gorge, crossing many bridges and passing through many tunnels. The cliffs composed mainly of metamorphic rocks, such as marble, gneiss, "schist", etc. rise steeply above us as we ascend to Xiangde temple. This Buddhist temple has world's highest-elevated statue of Ksitigarbha, a bodhisattva revered by East Asians for protecting those in hell The main hall is also surrounded by the Tianfeng Pagoda and a white-robed Guanyin statue. After a break at the temple it's a downhill cycle back to our hotel.
Crossing the RainbowBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 46km+400mAfter breakfast and our goodbyes, we will drop you off at the Hualien train station for your return to Taipei and onward journey. We can also arrange for a vehicle transfer if you prefer.
BreakfastDisclaimer: 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.
DestinationsTaiwan
Tour MeetsKaohsiung
Fly in toKaohsiung International Airport (KHH)
Group Size4-12 riders
SpiceRoads jerseyWater bottleSupport vehicleGuide(s)Meals (as indicated)AccommodationSnacks and drinksRafting
International flightsDomestic flightsAirport pick upAirport drop offVisa feesAlcoholTips
This tour covers 480 km over 5 days of riding along Taiwan's beautiful southern coasts. We ascend coastal mountains and valleys, ride past charming villages and coastal towns, and pedal along rice paddies and quiet country 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. Fitness will be a huge asset on those long days, steep climbs, and undulating hills. The tour is fully supported, and the bus is always close at hand for those that find the riding too difficult.
Biking Conditions: We ride on good quality tarmac roads between 50 and 140 km a day for a total of 480 km in 5 riding days. That's almost 100 km/day!
We will meet around 18.00 at a restaurant where we will have dinner and a trip briefing. We will also take the time to fit your bicycle.
Kindness HotelDinnerWe ride down the west and do a loop of the coast. We pass the most southern point of the island riding up the spectacular east coast with numerous photo ops. We finish the day looping back to the west coast where we spend the night at Bai Sha beach. This is now more commonly known as the “Life of Pi” beach from its feature in the movie.
White HotelBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 60km+386mFrom our hotel on the west coast we embark on our third crossing of the island. After 20km we get on the scenic No. 199, one of the highlights of the trip. We'll pass through several aborigine villages, the Mudan Reservoir and enjoy country roads with little traffic. Your guide will explain some of the history and symbolism of aborigine culture. After a picnic lunch we descend down to the east coast. We climb over a 1,000m throughout the day but be comforted in knowing that we spend the evening at a hot springs hotel.
Castle HotelBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 122km+1033mWe start the day continuing up the east coast until lunch time. In the afternoon we ascend the coastal mountains to access the Rift Valley - the bread basket of Taiwan - famous for its rice paddies and quiet country roads. We have another night at a hot springs resort, one of the 5 hot springs established during the Japanese colonial period from 1895 – 1945.
An Tong Hotspring ResortBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 115km+1117mAfter a well-deserved rest, we say goodbye to our hot spring hotel and leave for the next destination. We'll continue our ride through Taiwan's Rift Valley. Nestled between the central and coastal mountains this is the most fertile part of the island. As we head north we'll pass Hualien City before finishing the ride at the stunning and famous Taroko Gorge.
Crossing the RainbowBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 120km+750mCycling along ta aqua marine river we head up through the Taroko Gorge, crossing many bridges and passing through many tunnels. The cliffs composed mainly of metamorphic rocks, such as marble, gneiss, "schist", etc. rise steeply above us as we ascend to Xiangde temple. This Buddhist temple has world's highest-elevated statue of Ksitigarbha, a bodhisattva revered by East Asians for protecting those in hell The main hall is also surrounded by the Tianfeng Pagoda and a white-robed Guanyin statue. After a break at the temple it's a downhill cycle back to our hotel.
Crossing the RainbowBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 46km+400mAfter breakfast and our goodbyes, we will drop you off at the Hualien train station for your return to Taipei and onward journey. We can also arrange for a vehicle transfer if you prefer.
BreakfastDisclaimer: 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.
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 want to bring your own peddles (remember to bring your shoes if they clip into your peddles) & saddle (as we know some people are sensitive to the saddle they use) we can fit them for you.
If you bring your own bike, please make sure it is a road bike in good mechanical order.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place:
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.
You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.
There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.
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