Hot Springs and Flowers: Eastern Taiwan Cycling Tour
HIGHLIGHTS
- • Cycle along Taiwan’s most scenic roads
- • Soak in the geothermal springs of Ruisui
- • Dine on the finest Taiwanese cuisine
- • Experience Taiwan’s unique nature and wildlife
- • Visit flower-filled Danongdafu forest park
Designed to take advantage of Taiwan’s cooler winter months (which are still pretty warm given our subtropical latitude), this tour starts in southeast Taiwan and passes through the beautiful Rift Valley for four days of astounding cycling, hot springs and botany appreciation. Prepare to be astounded (and in a few cases, mildly challenged) by the cycling, awed by the scenery, and thoroughly pampered by a combination of excellent custom curated meals and visits to one of southern Taiwan’s finest hot springs. While other cycling tours may focus on packing in the miles, this tour is focused on providing an unforgettable experience in which amazing cycling is but one feature among many.
*Please note* This tour requires a reasonable degree of physical fitness. Your guide reserves the right to alter cycling route details based on any unforeseen circumstances conditions.
Related Article: Eight Unforgettable Taiwan Cycling Routes
▴ A ride to enjoy
▴ Cycling through orchards, rice paddies and lush farmland
▴ Day 2, stay at The Silence Manor | Photo Courtesy of The Silence Manor
▴ A beautiful hotel with deep private soaking tubs in each room | Photo Courtesy of The Silence Manor
▴ Day 3 morning, optional pre-ride soak at hotel | Photo Courtesy of The Silence Manor
▴ Cycling through Danongdafu Forest, a uniquely reforested area filled with trees and flowers
▴ Fuyuan Old Railway Bicycle Path
▴ Reach scenic Liyu Lake before dusk
▴ Ride through Taitung County to Hualien County
▴ MyTaiwanTour cycling tours is provided by one of our Hyundai Starex or Mercedes vans
ITINERARY
Day 1 / Cycling under the Big Sky
Southern Taiwan’s Luye County is best known for its annual hot air balloon festival, and today we’ll be cycling through a stretch of countryside to which tens of thousands of visitors come each year (and spend big bucks) to gaze down upon. We’ll ride through orchards and rice paddies, stopping for lunch at one of the area’s farm-to-table restaurants, before ending the day at the luxurious Airuomi Villa, a modern boutique hotel surrounded by some of Taitung County’s most beautiful real estates.
Day 2 / Serious Geology and Hot Springs
Get ready for a truly unique riding experience as we ride between two distinctly different geological plates. To the west lies the Eurasian plate, and to the east the Philippine plate, and we’ll spend the day switching between route 193 and the lovely Yufu Bike Path. Our day's destination (which we’ll reach after a moderate climb) is the town of Ruisui, where we’ll soak in hot springs and have an amazing dinner that we promise will be a feast for all senses.
Day 3 / Continuing Through the Beautiful Valley
On day three we’ll continue north, riding 193 through the Rift Valley and into the lush, green Matai’an Wetland Ecological Park before reaching the Fuyuan Old Railway Bicycle Path. The path, part of an extensive network of exclusive cycling roads built around existing (and in some cases, no longer used) railway routes, offers mile after mile of car-free cycling surrounded by mountains on both sides. After a brief and lovely climb, we’ll reach serene Liyu Lake with enough time to ride around the lake once before having dinner by the shore.
Day 4 / From Clear Lake to Winding Ocean Road
The fourth and final day of our tour starts with an invigorating downhill from Liyu Lake into the rice-growing region of Hualien county. We’ll spend the first part of the day riding quit roads winding through farmland before reaching Hualien Harbor. After a celebratory seafood feast, we’ll have an optional slow ride along the coastal road north past Qixingtan Beach before looping back to end our ride in Hualien City.
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Taipei to Taitung via plane -
Cycling through Luye County
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Lunch: Farm-to-table meal or equivalent -
Continue cycling through orchards, rice paddies and farmland
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Dinner (Guide’s recommendation)
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Reach evening’s accommodation, the Airuomi Villa
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Breakfast at the Airuomi Villa
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Ride through rice paddies, passing the Nan-an Waterfall
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Lunch (Guide’s recommendation)
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Continue cycling along rift valley, including route 193 and the beautiful Yufu Bike Path
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Visit the Tropic of Cancer landmark
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Reach the geothermal town of Ruisui with time for a pre-meal soak
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European Dinner prepared by a French Chef at The Silence Manor
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Accommodation: The Silence Manor, a beautiful hotel with deep private soaking tubs in each room
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Breakfast in the hotel
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Optional pre-ride soak at hotel
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Ride along the car-free Fuyuan Old Railway Bicycle Path
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Continue cycling through Danongdafu Forest, a uniquely reforested area filled with trees, flowers and unique works of art
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Lunch (Guide’s recommendation)
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Afternoon ride through the Rift Valley and Matai’an Wetland Ecological Park
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Reach scenic Liyu Lake before dusk
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Tribal meal for dinner or equivalent
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Accommodation: Beautiful guesthouse on shores of Liyu Lake
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Breakfast at guesthouse
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Beautiful downhill cruise from Liyu Lake
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Quiet farm roads & coastal bike paths
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Ride along the coast to Hualien Harbor
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Celebratory lunch in Hualien City
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Light afternoon ride along coast (Optional)
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Head back to Taipei city by train
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Meal :
Breakfast : 3| Lunch : 4 | Dinner : 3 -
Duration :
4 Days 3 Night -
Pick-up :
Meet your guide at Taitung Train Station
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Drop-Off :
Hualien Train Station -
Group Size :
4-12 people -
Language :
English
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DETAILS
Inclusions
- •A knowledgeable, licensed and fun-loving English-speaking guide
- •Excellent Rikulau touring bikes with Sun Up electricity generating dynamos
- •Support van with a knowledgeable driver
- •Transportation listed in itinerary
- •Admission to all activities on itinerary
- •Meals mentioned in itinerary
- •Accommodation listed in itinerary
- •Travel insurance
Exclusions
- •Any meals not listed specifically in itinerary
- •Any optional activities
- •Gratuity
Cancellation Policy
Guests canceling at any point up to 31 days prior to this tour’s starting date will receive a full refund.
Cancellations made between 30 and 15 days prior to departure will receive a 90% refund.
Cancellations made between 14 and 7 days prior to departure will receive a 70% refund;
Cancellations made less than 7 days prior to departure are non-refundable.
REVIEWS
Everyday we met great people and great thing to eat
Our favorite thing about cycling in Taiwan is the “加油” (Jiā yóu, which means “Keep Going” or “Go!Go!Go”) along the way. Everyday we met great people and great thing to eat. There are many small cycling path, just amazing to cycle.- 1
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Customized Cycling Tour of Our Dreams
My boyfriend and I travelled to Taipei in March for a wedding and wanted to take advantage of the great local cycling infrastructure to see the east coast of Taiwan by bike. We decided to arrange a customized bike tour with MyTaiwanTour after a positive review from the Los Angeles Times and it was the best experience EVER. I've done cycling trips with REI in France and various bike tours across the country and nothing comes close to the experience we had with this company. From the get-go, our coordinator was responsive (even though we planned this trip toward the onset of the Lunar New Year) and adjusted the trip as needed per our requests. They picked us up from our hotel in Taroko Gorge and scheduled visits to see our desired highlights (monkeys, hot springs and food anyone?). Our tour guide, Josh, was unimaginably overqualified for the tour guide role. Having written for the Lonely Planet Taiwan Guidebook and living in Taiwan for I-don't-know-how-many years, Josh not only interfaced with the local population in fluent Chinese but was also able to elucidate in terms that engaged and connected us Yankees to the history and culture of the area. On top of our own private guide on two wheels, my boyfriend and I also had a private tour driver, Lion, who was the kindest and most accommodating human being ever. One day when my bf took a fall, Lion was right behind us, picked us up and drove us to a local clinic. He was also there for us when we got tired of riding through the rain and drove us the last 10 miles to our next hotel. In my mind, for just two people to have both a tour guide and a driver (and both top-shelf at that) for an affordable price is unbelievable. Absolutely perfect bike tour, cannot rave enough about it. Highly, highly recommend if you are looking for a customizable cycling tour in Taiwan. It will top all your Taiwan highlights by far.