Taiwan is a combination of Asian culture, Netherlands cycle infrastructure, Switzerland’s mountains & size, with New Zealand’s beaches and sub-tropical climate. With no surprise it is the cycle touring Mecca for Asians and it’s unfortunate that worldwide not many people know about it!

 

What is Taiwan about?

 

• The best infrastructure for cyclists & especially cycle tourists in Asia, if not in the world

• A very friendly, warm hearted, generous and welcoming population

• Safe roads for everybody’s taste: coastlines, plains, mountains, cities with cycle lanes

• An amazing and well conserved Chinese heritage

• Bike tools, pump, water supply at most police stations and convenience stores (in some police stations even free showers)

 

 

What might surprise you:

 

• If you are westerner, how many Asian cycle tourists there are

• Taiwan is great value for all tourists

• The small size of the country makes it easy to visit

• Few Westerners visit the country and therefore usually get treated like kings by the locals

 

 

The pros:

 

• The lobby of the bicycle industry has had a huge and positive impact for cyclists all over the country

• Cycle touring is as easy as it could possibly be

• Abundant choice of side roads with little traffic

• Well behaved motorists

• Most of the year a moderate climate

 

 

The challenges:

 

• If you want to climb mountains, be prepared for high altitude (some over 3000m/10’000ft)

• The language barrier to some extent, but many Taiwanese do speak English