October 15, 2026 - Nicknamed the “Bicycle Kingdom”, Taiwan is renowned as a global cycling powerhouse for manufacturing bicycles and e-bikes, and it is also rapidly becoming a premier global cycling destination.

Arguably, the country’s most famous cycling adventure is the 960km (about 600 miles) trek along the “Taiwan Cycle Route No. 1,” which takes riders on a 10- to 12-day tour around the relatively small island.

The journey can be tackled as a complete cycling adventure, or you can enjoy the route’s many features at your own pace.

One of the many cultural landmarks to marvel at on the west side of the island (Day 3) is the Xiluo Bridge, a historic 1,939-metre-long red-truss bridge spanning the Zhuoshui River between Yunlin and Changhua counties.

Further south and not to be missed is the 21km Sunset Salt Section Bike Path (Day 4) along the Jingzaijiao Tile-paved Salt Fields, the oldest remaining salt pans in Taiwan. The sun’s reflection on the mosaic- like, tile-paved fields creates a stunning effect.

At the southernmost point of Taiwan’s main island, visit the Eluanbi Lighthouse at Cape Eluanbi (Day 6), known as “The Light of East Asia.”

Heading north, enjoy the scenic 180-km-long East Rift Valley (Huadong Valley) between the Taitung and Hualien districts, where you’ll find the Chishang Cycling route (Day 7) and the 2.4km, car-free Mr. Brown Avenue, often called the “Green Road of Paradise”.

A bit further north is the Yufu Bikeway (Day 8), a scenic 10km paved rail-trail through Hualien and the East Rift Valley, connecting Yuli to Dongli. This path is also car-free and built on an abandoned railway line. The journey will take you past the Antong hot springs, where you can stop for a dip, and over a famous old railway bridge spanning the junction of the Eurasian and Philippine Sea tectonic plates.

On your way back to Taipei, you’ll pass through Yilan, Taiwan’s northernmost county on the east coast, known for its natural hot springs, surfing, and flat, recreational seaside cycling paths.

The final leg of your journey may include the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, an internationally renowned event in New Taipei City during the Lunar New Year. Thousands gather in Shifen to release lanterns bearing wishes for the new year into the night sky, creating a spectacular sight.

Before your final stop in Taipei, enjoy the 3km Wan-Ta Bikeway, which connects Baisha Bay to the iconic black-and- white Fugui Cape Lighthouse at Taiwan’s northernmost point.

Taipei is also a premier cycling city, with over 100km of scenic, car-free riverside bike paths and a convenient, inexpensive YouBike bike-share system.

Taiwan hosts a number of cycling events, including the 105km Taiwan KOM Challenge, widely regarded as one of the world’s toughest hill climbs, and the annual Taiwan Cycling Festival. The main festival event is Sun Moon Lake Cycling, which features Come! Bike Day, where participants can cycle around Sun Moon Lake.There are also numerous Taiwanese cycling tour package companies, including Bicycle Adventure, One Dream Travel, Mango Tour and Giant Adventure (by Giant Bicycles), that offer a wide range of exciting and unique cycling trips and adventures.