Car travel boom: Taiwanese driving tours take off

In May 2015, a group of 9 people from the Taiwan Self-Drive Tourism Association drove two vehicles onto the China-Orient Star, a direct cross-strait ferry, disembarking in Xiamen, Fujian, marking the first time Taiwanese drove to the mainland for self-drive tourism. This May, an estimated 20 vehicles are expected to make the trip, with destinations expanding from Fujian to Zhejiang. The trend of "Taiwanese cars entering Fujian" is heating up.

Driving to the mainland for a holiday, gripping the steering wheel while traversing the vast land of China, has long been a dream for many Taiwanese. However, driving across requires legal basis.

In 2014, the Maritime and Port Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications launched a trial program for roll-on/roll-off vessel transport and vehicle interchange between the two sides. It began with Taiwan’s Donglian Shipping Company’s cruise ship Lina, which on May 7 of that year carried one trailer (a non-powered trailer frame connected to a tractor) from Taipei Port to Pingtan Port in Fujian. Meanwhile, Xiamen’s Min-Tai Ferry Company’s China-Orient Star ferry transported four trailers from Xiamen Port to Keelung Port on September 5 of the same year. But it wasn’t until 2015 that Taiwanese citizens began driving to the mainland for self-drive tourism.

First test drive: Smooth sailing all the way

"Our first trip was from May 3 to 8, 2015, with two vehicles and nine people," said Lee Hung-liang, chairman of the Taiwan Self-Drive Tourism Association. For that initial exploratory trip, he was anxious—worried about where to refuel, what to do in case of breakdowns or accidents. Fortunately, once the vehicles landed, the people in Xiamen were incredibly warm and welcoming. Not only were the procedures hassle-free, but the local self-drive tourism association also provided full escort support, making the six-day trip go super smoothly.

In the two subsequent trips, Lee Hung-liang and fellow members drove to the mainland for self-drive tours in December 2015 and March of this year. In December 2015, they traveled to Xiamen and Longyan in Fujian as part of a regular independent tour. In March of this year, they made their first entry into Zhejiang by driving off the ferry at Da Maiyu Port.

Driving in China: Warm support all around

Lee Hung-liang already had plenty of experience driving across China. Between 1993 and 2008, he and his family of four rented cars to tour the mainland. Locals were always delighted to see Taiwanese coming to drive and travel there, and they were very helpful. Over those ten-plus years, he drove through North China, Central China, and the southeastern coastal regions, calling the experience “absolutely fantastic!”

“China is just so huge—I really hope I get the chance to drive to even more places,” said Chen Hanyu, a member of the self-drive tourism association. He added that the mainland has made many procedures much more convenient for Taiwanese travelers, and that Taiwan should “step on the gas.”