Taiwan Bikeways: Cycling Guide to Beautiful Cruiser Rides on Car-Free Roads

Taiwan is a beloved cycling destination, and it isn’t just for road cyclists or mountain bikers. For cruisers like us, it’s a true paradise offering a huge variation of amazing scenery. The Taiwainese government has created paved bikeways over old railway lines in nearly every city and in many rural tourist destinations. They provide miles and miles of easy to moderate trails that are equally easy to access. And yes, these are for bikes only – there are no cars allowed on these narrow two lane roads! It’s truly a fun and fit way to see a wide range of sites and to experience the different sides of Taiwan. This post covers some of best Taiwan bikeways plus tips and information from our cycling adventures. You can jump ahead in this post with the links below.

• Basic Information for Biking in Taiwan
• Sun Moon Lake Bikeways
• Taichung Bikeways
• Cijin Island Bikeway
• Chishang Bikeways
• Hualien Bikeway
• Taipei Bikeways
• Biking the Whole Island of Taiwan

Basic Information for Biking in Taiwan

Transportation

All of the bikeways in Taiwan are near train, metro, and/or bus routes. So it’s easy to get to the bikeways without a car and without a bike. In fact, most of the public transportation in Taiwan does not allow bicycles. Some trains do, but even then, it isn’t common to see people bring bicycles on board. On one local train to a bikeway, we saw a few young people with bicycles, but that was it. Fortunately, if you’re just touring bikeways, you don’t need to travel with a bike. There are bike rental shops near every bikeway we visited.

Bike Rentals

Bike rentals in Taiwan are far cheaper than rentals in North America. But in some cases, you really get what you pay for. Luckily, you only need a cruiser for the paved bikeways. For most of them, it helps to have a bike with some working gears, but I’ll provide more details on gears with the individual bikeway information below. Overall, they tend to be quite easy, with small or gradual ups and downs, and quite a few flats.

Most shops offer “lady bikes” which are often the only cruiser bikes. After renting a “man” bike, my husband switched back to a cruiser (when the seat would go high enough) because the seats are more comfortable for bikeway riding. We vote for the comfiest seat over the fanciest bike.

Some bike shops will ask for your passport or other ID, while others you just pay and pedal away. The honor system is upheld well in Taiwan. But before your ride off, check the brakes and gears to make sure they are in passable working order.

When to Visit Taiwan Bikeways

They’re always open, and the weather is warm enough to use the Taiwan bikeways year round. But outside of typhoon season (July through October), you’ll typically enjoy cooler, dryer weather that’s ideal for a ride. If you’re heading to tourist bikeways in the city outskirts or in vacation destinations, try to time your bikeway visit with the weekdays or get out early. Many Taiwanese take to the parks and bikeways on their days off, which can lead to a little congestion. We tried to plan city tours on the weekends and nature days (city outskirts and beyond) on the weekdays for the best balance with crowds. That said, even on a “busy” weekend we were able to get some people-free photos, like the one below riding along the Taichung bikeways.

The Top 5 Taiwan Bikeways

There are many bikeways throughout Taiwan, but these five are beautiful destinations in themselves. Together, they give you easy access to a wide array of sightseeing spots.

Sun Moon Lake Bikeway: As Pretty as the Pictures

This was perhaps my favorite bikeway, because it was the most unique. The path transitions back and forth between pavement and fixed wooden docks that “float” over the water, and winds around to reveal a ridiculous amount of photo-worthy spots.

When to Go

Try to time your Sun Moon Lake visit with the weekdays (and not on holidays!). Mid-week, there are still people on the path, but they are relatively sparse and spread out. When you arrive in at Sun Moon Lake, you can see the sheer volume of bike rentals available. On some weekends, most of those bikes are rented, causing literal stop and go traffic on the bikeway.

Getting There

Rent your bikes in Shuise, which is the main resort and entrance town to Sun Moon Lake, just past Yochi. There are no trains in the area, but relatively frequent buses connect Taichung to Puli, Yochi, and Shuise at Sun Moon Lake. If you’re traveling around Taiwan, it’s quicker to take the tourist bus from the high speed rail station than in Taichung city. The route starts in the city, then heads west to the high speed station, and then jumps on the highway heading east to Sun Moon Lake. Once in Shuishe, the bike shop owner can point you the right way to get onto the path, which is almost always within a hundred meters or so of where you are.

What to Rent

A cruiser bike with some working gears is best. We had 6-gear bikes, but only 4 of mine worked. That was enough. They do rent e-bikes at Sun Moon Lake, but the terrain isn’t difficult. For most of the way, it’s flat with just a few mild ups and downs. And there’s no shame in walking your bike, if needed. This is a tourist spot. In fact, you are required to walk your bike across a small section. I recommend that you head this warning. Some teens road over it rather than walking and one did end up toppling over and hurting themselves.

The Route

Distance: 3.5 km one way on Xiangshan section; 5 km one way on Shuishe & Songbolun sections; 30 km around Sun Moon Lake

Heading west from Shuise, Xiangshan is the most popular route, and for good reason. It’s scenic, relatively easy, and has the “floating” bikeway that goes over the water in many spots. The unofficial end is the Visitor’s Center, which is rather impressive and boasts good bathrooms. The bikeway does continue for a little ways after that, and is called the Yuetan section. It gets quieter, but also more hilly. It eventually transitions to the road.

Heading east from Shuise is a little quieter, and still quite scenic. It starts out as the Shuise section, turns into the Songbolun section, and leads you to the Wenwu Temple. Unfortunately, when we went, a good section of the bikeway had been knocked out and was being worked on. We were able to get a few kilometers before this, which was still worthwhile. You can continue on, but it’s on the road for a few kilometers.

Ita Thao on the other side doesn’t have as much to offer in the way of dedicated bikeways. You’ll discover it if you decide to bike the whole way around Sun Moon Lake, but I don’t recommend taking a bike across on the ferry. It isn’t worth it. They list one “bikeway,” but it’s very short, and everyone walks it. It’s newer and more of a strolling boulevard along and over the water.

If you are ambitious, you can bike the whole way around Sun Moon Lake. I don’t recommend it for beginners, but it’s relatively easy for intermediate street bikers. It does require riding on the narrow (two-lane) road in some sections.

Other Touring Tips

Since we aren’t fans of road cycling, we didn’t bike all the way around Sun Moon Lake. Instead, we enjoyed the bikeway routes mentioned above, returned our bikes, and bought the basic three-way, round trip ferry tickets. The ferry is inexpensive, runs consistently, and allows you to enjoy a boat ride across to Xuanguang , then to Ita Thao, and back to Shuishe. If you’re still energetic, take the trail up to Xuan Zang Temple at Xuanguang. The trail starts just past the Xuanguang temple, which is where most tourists stop. The path is steep at times, and has many stairs, but it’s peaceful, rewarding, and the temple is beautiful. After you hike back down, take the short ferry ride to Ita Thao, and enjoy the “night market” (it’s only open in the daytime). After some snacks, take a walk on the newish path over the water to the gondola.

Taichung Bikeways: A Full Road Trip without Cars

The connected HouFeng and DongFeng bikeways were built over an old railway line, and take you on a journey from the outskirts of Taichung toward the inner forests and hills. It travels through the longest bike-only tunnel on the planet – seriously, it’s long and very cool – over stunning bridges and through small towns and villages. This ride alone is worth a stop in Taichung.

When to Go

If possible, enjoy these bikeways blissfully on the weekdays (but not on holidays!), or head out early on the weekend. Our timing corresponded with a Saturday, which was doable, but not preferred. We started out around 10am, which wasn’t too busy. But by 1pm, it was getting a little congested in spots.

Getting There

Don’t follow Google’s directions to these bikeways. It will take you longer, and you won’t end up in the best spot. To get to the HouFeng and DongFeng bikeways, simply take the train to Houli Station. That’s it! When you exit this small station, you’ll see bike rentals right out front.

What to Rent

If you are planning to do the whole Dongfeng bikeway, definitely rent a bike with gears. Most of the cruisers have 6 gears. Check to make sure the gears and brakes work before you ride off. You can certainly rent an e-bike, but why not just rent a scooter and ride around town? You’re in a little pocket of nature in the city – enjoy it without technology! Many locals rent e-bikes. Honestly, most of them looked bored, leading them to speed and pass unsafely, or they would stop and loiter in the bikeway.

The Route

Distance: 27 km total on Dongfeng (out and back ride; 13.6 km each way); 9 km total on HouFeng (out and back ride; 4.5 km each way)

The rental shop owner should point you in the right direction, but the road right in front of the station takes you straight to the bikeway. That portion is a car road, but it’s pretty quiet and not many cars take it – presumably because there are often bikes on it!

Just a little way down the bikeway, you’ll come to a fork. It’s actually the HongFeng in both directions. To the left is the first few kilometers. That’s a purely out and back portion, and not quite as clear as the other way. Stay straight, and you are on the HongFeng Bikeway heading toward the insanely long tunnel (1.2 kilometers) – yes, for bikes only!

The HongFeng eventually turns into the DongFeng. They simply run together. The Dongfeng is a blissful bikeway for bikes only (scooters are not allowed, but that doesn’t stop a few locals) that goes over bridges, through tunnels, and has some interesting stops and vendors along the way. It’s a bit of a workout to get all the way to the end, but worth it. It’s gradually uphill for the last 7km or so, but that makes coming back very easy.

Other Touring Tips

When you take the train back to Taichung, stretch your legs with a stroll down the Taiwan Connection 1908. Head toward the old station, where you can see some of the old cars, and head southwest along the greenway. It’s a “sky garden” that runs along the old railway line, and offers an interesting escape in the middle of the city. Just south along the connection is the Cultural Heritage Park, which has interesting mini museums, a few shops, and artist enclaves, most free of charge. From the Cultural Heritage Park, you can meander back north, across the tracks, onto the Green River Waterfront Landscape Trail. We thought it was a far prettier little urban walk than the overhyped (and overcrowded) Calligraphy Greenway. The Landscape path also gets decorated seasonally and comes alive with lights in the evening.

Cijin Island Bikeway: The Secret Seascape

This was one of my favorite bikeways, because it has a hidden segment, which travels for miles, right along the ocean. It’s a peaceful experience in Kaohsiung that’s hard to find anywhere else in the world.

When to Go

As mentioned, it’s always warm enough to bike in Taiwan, but avoiding the peak of typhoon season (July through October) gives you the best odds for clear weather. In the winter, Kaohsiung does get some relatively heavy air pollution. It didn’t seem bad on Cijin island, but that’s still something to keep in mind. Also, I recommend visiting Cijin Island on the non-holiday weekdays, if possible. It’s a popular area, and can become quite busy when the local Taiwanese are enjoying days off, too.

Getting There

There is a bridge to Cijin Island, but the best way to get there is by ferry. Not only does the ferry dock right in the heart of the tourist zone, it also is a pretty little ride across the channel. The ferries run continuously, and the trip across from the Gushan district takes just 10 minutes. You can take the remarkably nice and clean metro to within walking distance of the ferry (which is far more worn out). These ferries are for pedestrians, bikes, and scooters. They do have car ferries less frequently.

What to Rent

Any cruiser will do. Just look for a comfy seat. Most options don’t have gears. Ours looked like they did, but the shop owner had locked them into a single gear. That’s fine. This is quite a flat bikeway with just some bumps along the way that you can’t even call hills.

When you get off the ferry, there will be at least one bike rental shop. Many people online recommended Pink Piggy, but their bikes all looked rusted and had horrible (taped) seats. We kept going down some of the old town streets and stumbled across a bike rental shop with bikes that looked a little better than Piggy’s (we’re still not talking nice) and were half the price. We rented each bike for just $100 NTD for the day (about $3.50 USD). If you want to rent a better bike, there are some bike rentals near the ferry terminal in the Gushan District you have to pay a little extra to bring a bike on. Again, you really don’t need anything special for this bikeway. It’s somewhat long, if you go the whole distance, but very easy.

The Route

Distance: 16km total (out and back ride; 8km each way)

The bikeway runs the entire length of the island, but fortunately, many people don’t realize it. Just head toward the ocean (not the bay) and you’ll find it. You’ll see several people riding the four person “adult power wheels” as I call them. Don’t worry, they’re speed capped. You’ll breeze past them. If you head toward the hill, you’ll get some nice little bikeways that wind around and lead you through the tunnel of stars (basically lights in a tunnel, but still fun) to the base for the lighthouse and ruins.

When you head south, the first half of the bikeway goes through various parks with random sculptures and intriguing selfie spots. You’ll come across other riders and four wheelers, but it’s not what I would call busy.

After a couple kilometers, you’ll think you’ve hit the end of the bikeway. You’re still in the coastal park at this point. Head toward the road, and you’ll see a parking lot on the other side of the hedge on your right. Go through it and the parking lot and you’ll see the bikeway pick back up. The other bikes and power wheels will start to thin out at this spot.

As you embark on the second half of the Cijin bikeway, the scenery turns into greenery and occasional interesting sites on the left, and pure ocean on the right. It’s a gorgeous, peaceful, fully paved, and remarkably flat path that goes on for several kilometers. The biggest challenge is the headwinds one way (for us, it was on the way back). It’s not often that you can enjoy such a beautiful stretch of ocean, so easily, and with barely any other people around. We were able to take photos straight down very long sections of the path without another soul in site. You’ll know when you’ve hit the official end. Turn around and enjoy the peacefulness on the way back.

Other Touring Tips

You have to park your bike to go up a trail of stairs to the lighthouse and ruins, but they’re worth the trek. They’re both located on the hill at the far north end of Cijin island, just outside of the old town tourist streets. Unlike Japanese “ruins,” which are often just a sign saying “this castle was here,” these ruins have large, intact portions that you can walk up and around on. It’s one of the few ruins sites I’ve seen with virtually no restrictions on where you could walk. A short path leads from the ruins to the lighthouse. You can’t climb up the lighthouse, but they still make it a nice visit with manicured grounds, views, and a decent bathroom. Don’t use the toilet at the ruins. The ones at the lighthouse are much better!

On the Gushan side of the channel, The British Consulate at Takow is an interesting diversion. It has an inexpensive entry fee, isn’t overly touristed, and goes up the hillside for beautiful views and some interesting history. When you come down from the consulate hilltop, head west toward the water and enjoy the old Xiongzhen North Gate with cannons on display. If you have another day, I recommend exploring the hills of the Gushan district. It offers some great city hiking and scenery.

Chishang Bikeway: A Picturesque Rural Ride

This rice-growing district is just north of Taitung and is famed for its rural scenery. The vast rice paddies stretch out beneath the mountains, and have become a familiar site in Taiwan for advertisements and general photography. The Taiwanese government has created scenic bike paths that crisscross the working fields and offer numerous selfie stops.

When to Go

On the weekdays, the Chishang bikeway is more work than play, which makes it more fun for tourists. The bikeway itself is quieter, while the fields are calmly bustling with farm workers. It’s peaceful, but picturesque. The weekends are heavier on the tourist side, with some congestion at the selfie spots, but relatively smooth riding due to the wide path and long straightaways.

Getting There

Chishang is a district just north of Taitung city. It’s on the main passenger train line that runs along the east coast of Taiwan. But make sure you grab the right train, as some don’t stop in Chishang. Once you arrive, there are bike rentals near the station. If you opt to spend the night in this little town, many of the B&Bs have bikes available for free or for rent. Aside from the bikeway, it’s a pretty sleepy little town, and not all of the local farmers love the tourism. So I recommend staying at a very inclusive B&B, if possible. You can alternatively store your bags at the train station and just visit this town as a midday stopover. It takes just a few hours to ride the main bikeways and get lunch.

What to Rent

This is cruiser territory. We did appreciate having bikes with a few gears, but you can get by without gears on the open field parts of the bikeway. With or without gears, I do recommend renting a cruiser with comfy seats.

The Route

Distance: Includes about 34 km of crisscrossing trails through the fields and around the town

Much of the route is bike only, but you’ll occasionally find yourself sharing the pavement with farm equipment and scooters. It starts on the edge of the little town core, and runs in somewhat of a large grid over the farm fields. There are frequent maps along the bikeway, which are helpful, but definitely not to scale. The sites are quite “cute” and a neat viewing fort and pond area add some interest to an otherwise pleasant midday ride.

If you head further inland, just west and south of town, the bikeway continues on in a large loop around the area. It isn’t as well marked and is less maintained, but is consequently even quieter. It’s still relatively flat, but you’ll stumble across some little hills, interesting spots, and old tourist sites that have passed their heyday.  It’s worth doing the whole loop for a longer ride. Much of it is still on bike-only paved paths, but it does turn into a bike lane along roads that aren’t very high traffic.

Other Touring Tips

It’s the most touristy spot in Chishang, but the Train restaurant is still a fun diversion and a good spot for a quick, tasty, and inexpensive lunch. They have prepared bento boxes that are easy to order by pointing. The lunches don’t look big, but are actually quite hefty to keep you fueled on your ride. This quick serve spot offers seating inside, outside on a large covered deck, or even in one of the old train cars. They also have a shop on-site with many gift-worthy local food items.

Hualien Bikeways: Taking the Water Ways

Most people come to Hualien purely for Taroko Gorge, but this city has so much more to offer nature lovers. We did spend a day hiking and visiting sites in the Gorge. But by the time we reached Hualien, we were addicted to the Taiwan bikeways. Fortunately, the one in Hualien didn’t disappoint. It runs down the river, toward the ocean, winding through nature, a working port, and all along the seawall.

When to Go

As mentioned, it’s good to avoid the hot and humid typhoon season in summer, but winter can get somewhat cool and rainy. The east coast tends to be rainier than the west coast of Taiwan. Pack a light rain coat and enjoy the sea air.

The Hualien bikeways can be enjoyed any day of the week, but as usual, weekdays will be quieter. We road it on the weekend and most of the bikeway was smooth sailing with light traffic of other bikers and families. But the ocean side park areas do get a bit busy with families on the weekend. For a peaceful ride, head out on a non-holiday weekday.

Getting There

Hualien is a mid-size city, just southeast of Taipei. You can reach it by train or bus, and can even visit it as a day trip. But I do recommend staying a couple nights (or longer) to enjoy Taroko, other local hiking, and of course, the bikeways.

No matter where you are in town, use a guide or google maps to head toward the river. The bikeway runs along the river, and will take you straight to the ocean bikeway if you head east. You might have to ride the streets a little to get to the bikeway, but streets sometimes have available bike lanes (when no one is parked in it). And you can walk your bike on the sidewalks if the traffic is intimidating. We did a few times. The streets are primarily grid style with stoplights at each intersection, and the river is usually close by.

What to Rent

There are bike rental shops within walking distance from the train and bus stations, which are next to each other. This time, we chose a real bike shop to rent from. They spoke some English, and were able to map out the best path for us (shown below). This was helpful, especially since a little navigation is needed to get to the bikeways, and there are some forks in the road.

You definitely want a bike with gears for this bikeway. It’s flat in parts, but does have some frequent ups and downs and a few bigger hills. I had 6 working gears on a decent cruiser, and that was just enough. Tony had more gears, and he did use them.

The Route

Distance: Runs 35 km from Qixingtan to Carp / Liyu Lake

We used the river mainly for transportation, but it’s a lovely segment in itself. Though it runs right through the city, the riverside bikeway was masterfully designed as a quiet path that feels far removed from the hustle and bustle.

The river eventually hits a seaside park where you can choose to go north or south. We headed north, which started by taking a little bike and pedestrian bridge over the river. This bikeway winds around much more than you would expect, making it that much more interesting. The first part runs through a manicured park-like pathway, which eventually opens up more to the harbor.

The rental shop owner guided us slightly off the main path and down onto the harbor, which we appreciated. You can go over the red metal bridge and down, where you can bike the wide open road of a working harbor. There’s actually a nice art and gift shop down there, and it’s neat to see that side of Hualien. That portion is relatively short, before you’re guided back onto the bikeway. On the way back, we bypassed it and took the straight bike path up.

The bikeway eventually hits the shore, where you can ride along next to the rocky beaches and enjoy watching the waves all the way to Qixingtan. You’ll eventually hit the ship bathrooms. Yes, that really is a standalone bathroom building made to look like a ship with a viewing spot on top. This whole area is pretty crazy looking and amusing. You can keep going on the other side of the ship for a little bit.

When you hit the viewing platform with the little cement whales on it, turn around. Behind you is a strange little pathway that’s kind of fun to ride. This is a fully paved sidewalk type path that does drop off a little (a few inches) on each side. So I’d pass if you don’t feel stable on a bike or have kids who tend to wobble a lot back and forth on their bike. It is almost like a little bike roller coaster through a forest of mini ups and downs and turns. It was just entertaining and something most people don’t notice (we didn’t come across a soul on that path.)

This is the north end of the bikeway, so it’s time to turn back. Once you hit the river again, you can cross and head south on the bikeway. This takes you past Hualien beach, which is a family-friendly area that’s busier, particularly on weekends. As you ride by the ocean, you can enjoy spotting the unique and sometimes bizarre collection of sculptures and statues.

The bikeway is supposed to continue on to Carp / Liyu Lake. But at the time we visited, the bikeway abruptly ended and appeared knocked out. It was blocked and under heavy construction for as far as we could see. I’m not sure where it picked back up, or if and when the bikeway heading from the ocean to Liyu like would be back.

We occasionally found ourselves unsure of which way to go on the Hualien bikeway, but just look for the bicycle. There is usually one painted on the road, wall, or sign to help guide you. Also keep in mind that this bikeway does have occasional pedestrians and families with children biking. It was only what I would call busy at Hualien Beach, but still stay alert when you get to the windy trail spots and closer to the beach areas in general.

Other Touring Tips

Even though it’s a magnet for tourists, Taroko National Park Gorge is worth a day trip. We went later in the day, and actually found most spots had down times when they weren’t very busy. In fact, I was able to take may people-free photos in the Tunnel of Nine Turns, arguably the most popular site in the park. You can take the bus through the Gorge, and it does stop at most major trails and sites. However, it only runs every 1 to 2 hours. This can mean long wait times at relatively quick stops like the Tunnel of Nine Turns. If you want more control of your day, but want to avoid tour buses, I would rent a car or higher a driver.

Another alternative is to simply bus to the Taroko Gorge Visitor’s Center and enjoy the trails you can get to on foot from there. The Xiaozhuilu Trail is a fun short trail that will take you to the very scenic Shakadang Trail. Both trails are relatively easy and are on the less crowded side.

Taipei Bikeways

Taipei is an incredible city for biking. Nice bikeways have been built along both sides of the rivers, which run through the city, from north to south and east to west. The river alone can transport you to various districts and tourist spots, so it pays to rent a place by the river if you plan on biking. They also have very wide sidewalks on the main roads in Taipei, which are divided in half for pedestrians and bikers. This makes a nice safe cruising space that’s completely off the road.

The catch in Taipei is there are very few bike rental shops. Instead they have ride share bikes throughout the city. Those bikes can be tricky to rent if you don’t have a local phone number. Ideally, stay at a hotel or Airbnb that offers bikes for use or rental.

Biking the Whole Island of Taiwan

It’s true, you can bike around the whole island. It’s called Cycling Route 1, and is a well laid out, scenic route that takes one to two weeks. Much of the journey is basically a bike / shoulder lane on busy roads, which is a bit more stressful than the Taiwan bikeways covered above. For more information, see the guide from Epic Road Rides.