Riding a bicycle around Taiwan (huandao) is a national rite of passage open to visitors: the signed Cycle Route No. 1 runs 968 km around the island, typically ridden counterclockwise from Taipei in 9-12 days. You don’t need to fly a bike in: Giant’s store-to-store rental program supplies road bikes with advance booking. October-November is the season, the west coast is flat and the east coast is the reward, and a support-free solo ride is entirely normal here.
Taiwan mythologizes the round-island ride the way other countries mythologize a pilgrimage, and the infrastructure followed: a numbered national route, bike-priority lanes, police stations that top up water bottles, and 7-Elevens every few kilometers acting as an island-wide aid station. For a fit traveler it’s the best long-form way to see the whole country.
The route and the clock
Cycle Route No. 1 circles the island in signed segments: south from Taipei down the flat, urban west coast, around the southern cape near Kenting, up the east through the rift valley or coast, and back through the northeast’s tunnels and coastline. The official itinerary paces it at nine days; 10-12 lets you actually see things, and two weeks adds rest days and detours. Daily distances run 80-110 km, and the only serious climbs guard the south cape and the northeast; the standard loop does not cross the high mountains (the Wuling/KOM climb is its own separate pilgrimage).
Counterclockwise from Taipei is the orthodox direction: the west’s flat riding warms your legs for the east’s drama, and you ride the coastal lanes on the ocean side. Songshan station’s “Cycling Route No. 1” starting marker handles the ceremony.
Bikes: the Giant program
Giant, the Taiwanese manufacturer, runs the rental system that makes fly-in rides easy: road and touring bikes rented from its stores with panniers and repair kit, booked ahead (two weeks to two months, with exact dates and return store), and returnable one-way between branches by arrangement. Budget in the NT$300-800/day range depending on bike and package, less per day on multi-day deals. Big-city shops also sell used bikes cheaply enough that some riders buy and resell. Bring your own pedals, saddle and shorts if you’re particular; helmets are legally required and included.
Season and logistics
October-November is the consensus window: typhoon season spent, heat broken, northeast monsoon not yet soaking the north coast. March-April is the runner-up. Summer means 35°C west-coast afternoons and typhoon roulette; January-February means cold rain from Keelung to Yilan. Sleep is easy the whole way: the loop passes towns nightly, hotels take bikes indoors, and booking a day ahead suffices outside holidays. When a day breaks you (weather, knees, boredom of the industrial west), the escape valve is built in: TRA local trains carry bikes, and skipping a segment by rail is so common it has its own etiquette. Phone coverage, convenience stores and bike shops remove the expedition factor; what’s left is the riding.
FAQ
How long does it take to cycle around Taiwan?
The route is 968 km; nine days is the official pace, 10-12 the comfortable one, two weeks the sightseeing one. Strong riders have done it in five; there’s no prize.
Can I rent a bike for the round-island ride?
Yes, Giant’s store network rents road and touring bikes with one-way returns, booked weeks ahead with your dates and return branch. Expect a few hundred NT$ per day on multi-day packages.
Which direction should I ride around Taiwan?
Counterclockwise from Taipei: flat west first, ocean-side lanes on the east, and the scenery saved for the second act. It’s the direction the route guides and most riders assume.
Do I need to be an experienced cyclist?
You need fitness, not racing pedigree: 80-100 km days on mostly flat roads with full services. The train bailout for any bad day makes it forgiving, and plenty of first-time tourers finish.
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