According to Taiwan’s United Daily News, Hong Kong natives Cai Wanting and Zhao Ya’en had planned their island-wide cycling trip in Taiwan three months ago. Upon arriving on Monday, they were struck not only by the hot weather but also by how “incredibly warm” the people are.
Cai Wanting, 22, and Zhao Ya’en, 20, both sport short hair and have bronzed skin, often being mistaken for teenagers around 15 years old. Cai Wanting said she had visited Taiwan before, which sparked the idea of cycling around the island. She invited her cycling enthusiast friend Zhao Ya’en to join her on this journey.
Cai Wanting said Taiwan’s vast pastoral landscapes moved and impressed them deeply — something rarely seen in Hong Kong, where skyscrapers dominate the skyline and rice fields are nowhere to be found.
The duo set off from Guandu in New Taipei City and cycled along the coast. Originally planning to stay in Hsinchu, they took a wrong turn and ended up lodging in Guanyin Township. The hotel owner, learning that they were from Hong Kong and planning to cycle the island, not only gave them a discount but also served them breakfast and even gifted them three steamed buns to take along for energy on the road. This gesture made them feel that “Taiwanese people are truly kind.”
Cai Wanting said her family was initially worried about their safety before the trip. To ease their minds, Zhao Ya’en filmed short videos at each stop and uploaded them to Facebook as a record, reassuring her loved ones while also promoting Taiwan.