Taiwan: Huandao 

Huandao

In the last two years I've travelled to Taiwan with my partner twice - because once is not enough and I would argue two isn't either. We spent nearly seven weeks cycling around the island nation, trying to complete the quest of circumnavigating along its shores. A "huan-dao", as it's called in Mandarin, "travelling around the island". 

How easy is it to bike in Taiwan, you ask? Very easy. The country is very optimized for cycling and there is a lot of cycling infrastructure. Some of it was better decades ago when the government invested in this cheap form of transportation, while other cycling routes are much better today - well paved, maintained, sleek.

It's about 1,100km if you bike around the coast and take no detours. But a minimal itinerary like that would be boring wouldn't it? If you are going all the way there, bike in the sharp Taroko gorge, climb up little mountain villages and visit tea shops, stumble around the hot springs scattered around the country, visit a butterfly sanctuary, some beaches, the volcano, and such sights along the way. That will quickly add up distances. 

Coffee in Taiwan? Yes! Cycling the Dongshan Rd 175

Guanziling Mud Hot Springs

The Southernmost Tip

From the West to the East: Steepest climb ever!

Excursions to Hot Springs

Taroko Gorge

Tainan

Jiufen

Yanmingshan

Taipei

Maolin Butterfly Sanctuary

Taking Your Bike on a Train

Night Markets and Food

What have we saved for a future trip

The East Coast

The Rainy East