THE INCREDIBLE EAST
TOUR OF THE LUSH, SPECTACULAR EAST SIDE OF TAIWAN
THE FULL ROUTE MAP
ESSENTIAL STATS YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Total Days:
5
Total Nights:
4
Total Distance:
435km (270miles)
Total Elevation Gain:
4580m (15026ft)
Difficulty Level:
★★★☆☆
*(SELF-GUIDED starting from US$599)
THE PACKAGE
*US$1779
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All accommodation will be based on two riders sharing a twin room. If you prefer to have a room to yourself, then we can arrange it for a supplementary cost.
Bike rental: US$200
Single Room Option: US$364
Deposit: US$360
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Difficulty Level explained: CLICK HERE
*Above prices based on groups of 4 or more riders.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Ride along the high coastal cliffs, hundreds of metres above the Pacific.
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Get a taste of the Taiwan KOM Challenge route through the majestic Taroko Gorge.
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Ride through the East Rift Valley itself. A vibrant and fertile area flanked by mountains.
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Take a side trip up to Liushishi Mountain and it's unique daylily covered fields.
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Enjoy the fabulous road number 23, winding its way across the gorgeous coastal hills.
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Soak in the surf vibe of the Pacific coast.
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See the fantastic Sanxiantai bridge in Chenggong, linking the mainland to a small island.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
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4 Nights accommodation.
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Breakfast, lunch and riding snacks but not Dinner which, from experience, is best left to personal choice.
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All your hydration requirements, including water, sports drinks, sodas, tea and coffee.
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Rider/Guide ratio of 6/1.
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Full vehicle support.
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Bike and kit wash service.
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Epic Ride Taiwan jerseys, socks and cap.
ITINERARY
A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF EACH DAY OF THE TOUR
Day 1 - Yilan to Hualien
Distance - 68km. Elevation Gain 1316m. Estimated Riding Time - 3-4hrs
The first day of the tour will have us starting to the south of Yilan. We'll leave Taipei in the morning and drive down to Suao, and start our ride from there.
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We'll ride along the famous Suhua Highway, which climbs around huge mountains, and often runs virtually on a ledge hundreds of metres above the crashing waves. Surely one of the World's most dramatic coastal roads?
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Enjoy the light traffic for much of it, as the government recently finished a tunnel, taking the heavier traffic off this winding road.
We'll follow it all the way to Xincheng, where you'll finally reach the Hualien plain, and a simple, flat ride to the accommodation.
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Day 2 - Taroko Gorge
Distance - 73km. Elevation Gain 742m. Estimated Riding Time - 3-4hrs
Today we will experience Taroko Gorge, which is one of, if not, the most incredible sights that you can experience on the island and one of the true natural wonders of Taiwan. It's a 19km long canyon, that has been formed by erosion, typhoons and earthquakes over millions of years, leaving huge marble gorges, bright blue rivers and and patches of pristine forest.
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We'll ride through, taking our time to stop and enjoy the splendour of the cliffs, that are thousands of feet high, and in places extremely narrow. A great way to spin the legs and get ready for the longer rides to come.
Day 3 - Hualien to Fuli
Distance - 116km. Elevation Gain 1026m. Estimated Riding Time - 5-6hrs
Day 3 will have us heading south out of Hualien.
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We'll say goodbye to the Pacific Ocean immediately and move inland slightly and take the wonderful winding, undulating backroads and byways which are a lot of fun to ride on.
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We will continue to head along the eastern edge of the Rift valley, where we'll pass picturesque rice paddy fields and fruit plantations, before we roll out into the middle of the valley around Guanfu.
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Continuing south we'll pass by the delightful Liushishi mountain, featured in the middle photo below, before we make our way to Fuli, itself famous for it's rice and mushroom farms, where we'll spend the night.
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Day 4 - Fuli to Changbin
Distance - 86km. Elevation Gain 806m. Estimated Riding Time - 4-5hrs
Day 4 will be our transition day from the East Rift Valley, over to the Pacific coast.
We begin the day with the gentle climb out of Fuli, which is around 15km at a friendly average gradient of 2.5%. Enjoy the views from the pass, and then we'll descend very gradually all the way to the coast. Savour this stretch as it's well known as being one of the finest roads in the east of Taiwan, safe, well maintained with beautiful surroundings.
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Once we reach the ocean, we'll head north along the coast, which will take us past the lovely Sanxiantai bridge (featured below) before heading up to our home for the night at Changbin.
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Take your time and soak in the surf vibe along this stretch, as we pass sandy beaches on one side, and mountains soaring skywards on the other.
Day 5 - Changbin to Hualien
Distance - 92km. Elevation Gain 690m. Estimated Riding Time - 4-5hrs
Day 5 is just a nice spin up the coast back to Hualien.
We'll start off with the sea breeze at our back, and before long we will reach the monument that marks the Tropic of Cancer line.
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As we continue we will pass numerous beach towns, the pick of which is Jiqi, where we will take the time to stop to watch the waves crashing against the sand.
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Immediately after, is the only climb of the day, which is modest, with the steepest section just 3km at 4.5%.
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Finally, we'll arrive back at Hualien, where we'll end out tour passing by the delightful Liyu lake, surrounded by the steep sided, jungle clad hills that rise up into the Central Mountain Range.
