Taiwan Explorer by Bike

This tour is 10 days long, with 7 riding days.

This tour covers 478 km over 7 days of riding along a spectacular cross-section of Taiwan's diverse geography. You'll ride past charming villages and coastal towns, pedal along rice paddies and quiet country roads, and traverse mountain passes.

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: The route has been designed with manageable distances and terrain, and can be done by anyone with a reasonable fitness level. The tour is fully supported, and the bus is always close at hand for those that find the riding too difficult.

Biking Conditions: Taiwan has some of the world's most bike-friendly roads. The roads are smooth tarmac in excellent condition but some smaller roads in the mountain areas outside the city may be a bit rough and steep in places.

You are not required to pay a surcharge for traveling alone. The tour operator will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveler of the same gender. If you cannot be matched, they 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 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 a waterproof jacket and pants. As you'll 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.

Drink
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.

Yes, if you're hiring a bike from the operator, a complimentary helmet is provided, although you are welcome to bring your own if you wish.