Taiwan Traverse by Road Bike

Welcome to Taipei City, Taiwan’s vibrant capital! Try to arrive as early as possible, or even a day before, and check out some of Taipei's main highlights by utilising its ultra-fast MRT subway system. Stand atop Taipei 101, one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, stroll the grounds of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, observe the city’s spiritual side at Longshan Temple, and indulge in legendary local cuisine at the Raohe Night Market. For a more relaxed pace, there are plenty of cafés, bistros, and bubble tea shops to dip into. We meet at our tour hotel in the late afternoon for a trip briefing and welcome dinner. Please let us know if you require assistance with airport transfers and pre-tour hotel bookings.

Time to hit the road! We begin with a one-hour transfer from Taipei to Sanxia, a historic trading town at the base of the Xueshan Mountain Range. Starting near sea level, we gradually ascend to 600 metres in the foothills, warming up our legs with a sequence of steady, rolling climbs on the smooth asphalt of the Northern Cross-Island Highway (Provincial Highway 7). In just a little over 52 km, the scenery transitions from the final frontier of Taipei’s urban sprawl to wild forests and the colossal cliffs of the Dahan River Canyon. Our inaugural ride ends shortly after crossing the iconic pink bridge over the river, where we spend the night in the small town of Baling.

Get ready to dial it up today! Right out of the gates, we tackle an 11 km / 5% average gradient ascent along the forest-lined, narrow switchbacks of the North-Cross Island Highway to the top of the first pass at around 1,200 metres ASL. The road then undulates until, at around 25 km, we have a long and twisty descent (13 km in total) down into the valley of the Lanyang River. We then follow the course of this wide, braided waterway south for around 30 km, cycling on a gently uphill-trending road through a sea of cabbage patches. Leaving the valley at around 68 km, the gradients pick up as the road coils its way up for around 10 km to reach the highlands of Heping at nearly 2,000 metres ASL. The final 10 km even out for a gentle finish to our guesthouse nestled in one of Taiwan’s most scenic mountainous areas. Enjoy the fresh air.

Our streak of climbing through Taiwan’s Central Mountains continues. To start, a steady 5 km brings us high above the Qijiawan River, snaking its way through the high-altitude valley. A subsequent 9 km descent brings us right to the river banks before we lock in for one of the tour’s biggest feats – a 50 km ascent to Wuling Pass, Taiwan’s highest paved road at 3,275 metres ASL. Don’t be fooled by the 3–5% average gradient, as the legendary 10-km-long sting in the tail up to the pass tests even the most seasoned of riders! This summit marks the iconic finish of the annual Taiwan KOM Challenge, making this monumental climb a real badge of honour for anyone cycling in the country. From the top, it is a 31-km, wrist-clenching downhill into the lower-lying, rugged highlands of Ren’ai (around 1,200 metres ASL) where we spend the night. Enjoy views over the beautiful Wanda Reservoir below.

Today features our unique spin on Taiwan's iconic King of the Mountain (KOM) Challenge. While the official race begins at sea level and snakes its way up through Taroko Gorge to finish at Wuling Pass (3,275 metres ASL), we’re doing it in reverse. Starting from Ren’ai, we first tackle a 28 km climb with a 6–7% average gradient through the highlands to reach Wuling Pass, following the same road we descended the day before. This is a Hors Catégorie (HC) climb, which you are free to shorten with the aid of our vehicle support. Either way, we regroup at the top before veering east and downhill through Taroko National Park. Here, over a whopping 90 km, the road twists and turns through high-altitude forests and past the sheer rock walls of the world’s deepest marble gorge, eventually flattening out at sea level on the Pacific coast. We call it a day in the small town of Xincheng at the base of the gorge.

A well-earned rest day is in order. Today is designed to be easy-going; relax at the hotel or join your guide on an excursion by vehicle to check out some of the nearby sites. While Taroko National Park is best known for its scenic hiking trails, these are currently closed due to ongoing repairs after an earthquake in 2024. But we can still go and see other iconic sites, such as the beautiful Buddhist temples and shrines nestled in the gorge and the dramatic Qingshui Cliff — Taiwan’s highest coastal cliff, featuring a sheer rock face that plunges straight into the Pacific.

We’re back on the road and transitioning into Taiwan’s incredible East Rift Valley, which will be our cycling paradise for the next two days. Starting from Xincheng, the first 30 km are a little busier as we manoeuvre our way through Hualien City, but we are then greeted by a lush landscape of meandering rivers, rice paddies, quiet country roads and Indigenous villages. Nestled between the Central and Coastal mountains, this is the most fertile part of the island – in fact, the Rift Valley is referred to as Taiwan’s “rice basket”, epitomised by a seemingly endless sea of rice paddy fields along the valley floor. We cycle along an undulating route that hugs the foothills towards Antong, a historic hot spring destination highly prized since the Japanese colonial period. It remains a popular wellness retreat to this day and you can enjoy a therapeutic soak right at the hotel where we spend the night.

We start the day with a crossing of the Coastal Range, climbing around 7 km with a 7–8% average gradient and a sting in the tail before going through the Yuchang Tunnel. Emerging from the other side, we descend gloriously to the coast with sweeping views over the Pacific Ocean. The rest of the route takes us south along the coast, picking up the pace as we stick to flat, smooth tarmac, whizzing past a string of fishing villages and bustling coastal towns. By the 95 km mark, we enter the Zhiben River Valley, another historic hot spring area in Taiwan, where we spend the night at a hotel with the opportunity for a soothing soak.

Starting from Zhiben, we merge onto Route 9 and ride parallel to the Pacific for around 50 km to Dawu Township. Though we're on the coast, Taiwan's Central Mountain Range often presses right up to the shoreline, so expect some climbs and descents along the way. But the real action begins after crossing the river near Daren, where a 12 km climb with a 4–5% average gradient into the southern highlands awaits. Once we reach the top, it is a gradual descent across the southern tail of the peninsula, passing lush forests and Indigenous villages, to reach the west coast. The ride concludes with a flat 20 km stretch to Kenting, one of Taiwan’s most beautiful beach areas — but don’t take our word for it; Life of Pi filmed many of its beach scenes here. After checking in and some free time, we regroup for dinner and a stroll through Kenting’s buzzing night market.

Based out of Kenting, we embark on a shake-out loop along the coasts and forested hills of southern Taiwan. Starting from the hotel, we zip 10 km down “Taiwan’s Tail”, reaching the island’s southernmost point where we take a short walk to a viewpoint overlooking the Pacific. Back on the bikes, we tackle a 3 km climb, followed by a swift descent and a flat stretch before veering inland through farmland and forests. A final short climb brings us to the top of a hill before we cruise back south, retracing our route past Kenting National Park to our hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax by the pool or head down to the beach. For those who want to spend more time on the bike, you can ride a longer loop of around 100 km.

Having reached the southernmost point of the island, our Taiwan traverse by road bike is officially complete. But the adventure isn’t over yet! By car, we make our way to Kaohsiung, the country's second-biggest city and nicknamed the “Harbour Capital” due to its pivotal role as a hub for maritime trade. From Kenting, it is about a two-hour drive, but we will make an essential detour to visit the Fo Guang Shan Monastery, the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. Replete with soaring pagodas, an avenue of monumental shrines, and a towering 108-metre bronze Buddha that dominates the valley, this remarkable religious site deserves to be explored at a leisurely pace. We take our time, have lunch, and then drive the short distance to Kaohsiung for our celebratory farewell dinner and final night of the tour.

Our tour has ended, but feel free to extend your stay in Kaohsiung and feast at the world-class food markets, or discover more of what Taiwan has to offer, such as Sun Moon Lake, a beautiful setting for post-tour recovery. Please let us know if you require assistance with post-tour hotel bookings or airport transfers.