Activity Period:April 15–30, 2013
Activity Cost:16,000 RMB
Activity Philosophy:Father and son journey together, safety first, committed to cycling
1. Fulfill the dream of cycling around Taiwan, gain a relatively comprehensive understanding of Taiwan’s culture and geography (Mengmeng’s first cross-cultural long-distance trip)
2. A happy journey = Broadening horizons+Learning and development+Improving fitness+ Tasting delicious food (one of this year’s important family-building activities)
3. Training for the planned Himalayan cycling tour (Chengdu–Lhasa–Everest–Kathmandu) in terms of both mental readiness and gear adjustment
Route Description:Planning a cycling route around Taiwan using Google Maps is very easy, and you can make spontaneous adjustments along the way based on personal cycling preferences.
Trip Summary: Due to excitement and fatigue during the trip, no detailed records were kept. Please understand :)
D-01: Capital Airport – Taoyuan Airport – Taoyuan City – Zhongli City – Yangmei Town – Hukou(55kilometers)
@@ Left home at 6:00 AM, took Air China flight that departed at 8:30 AM and arrived smoothly at Taoyuan Chiang Kai-shek International Airport at 12:00 PM.
@@ Set up our bikes and luggage in the airport lobby until 3:00 PM (with an audience watching), then had lunchboxes and hit the road.
@@ Riding on Taiwan’s roads felt great—relaxed, no sense of being in a foreign place—and we were incredibly excited with a longing for the unknown ahead.
D-02: Hukou – Zhubei City – Hsinchu – Zhunan – Dajia(87kilometers)
@@ Taiwan is a country governed by the rule of law: this is fully reflected
@@ Turn right in Hsinchu to reach a seaside scenic park, ride along the Taiwan Strait, gaze toward the mainland, and pedal southward with the wind in your face.
@@ Taiwan makes me feel very comfortable and relaxed. The pace of life here is slower, people are warm and hospitable, and especially good at conversation.
D-03：Dajia - Wujhi - Taichung City - Lukang（100kilometers）
@@ These past few days of cycling have taken me through Taiwan’s agricultural areas, where the countryside atmosphere is rich, temples are numerous, incense is burning strong, and worshippers are devout.
@@ The rural folks here are of high quality, reflected in their hygiene habits, Mandarin proficiency, politeness, and law-abiding behavior.
@@ I believe that compared to mainland China, Taiwan is a place with 天 (religion), 法 (law), and 规矩 (manners)!
D-04：Lukang - Chiayi City (today we rode about 40 kilometers of happy “detours”)(120kilometers）
@@ Originally, we planned to reach Lukang on Day 2, but we slowed down our pace. We just liked the people here and went with the flow (which turned out to be a good call :)!)
@@ When cycling along Taiwan’s western route, you need to understand that urban and rural road connections are tight, and watch out for the many traffic lights (which affect your overall speed).
@@ Lukang is worth visiting. I deeply felt that Taiwan’s cultural roots all come from the mainland, and some things seem to have been lost to us...
D-05：Chiayi - Shanhua - Tainan City（90kilometers）
@@ Along the way there were many wonderful stories, making the journey truly enjoyable. I really miss Tainan because it feels more human and heartfelt here.
@@ April is the time when fishermen hold their annual Mazu sea worship ceremony, and the atmosphere everywhere is lively and uniquely cultural.
@@ Tainan was the provincial capital during the Japanese occupation, so it is heavily influenced by Japanese culture and is also a stronghold of the “Green Camp.”
D-06：Tainan City - Kaohsiung City - Donggang (109kilometers）
@@ There are lots of fun places in Tainan... Today being the weekend, we unexpectedly ran into a wedding banquet along the way and were treated wonderfully.
@@ In Taiwan, people especially admire those brave enough to cycle around the island. Along the way, we met several middle-aged and elderly cycling teams doing just that.
@@ These past few days have been rainy and overcast, leaving us soaked (online sources said April has good weather, but our luck wasn’t great)
D-07：Donggang - Kenting（83kilometers）
@@ Today the weather was extremely harsh: battling 7–8 level winds and cycling through the rain with great difficulty. (We had originally planned to reach Kenting on Day 6)
@@ Let’s talk about accommodations along the way: we stayed in motels throughout, spending 1100–2100 Taiwanese dollars, and they were extremely comfortable.
@@ Kenting is a small yet vibrant beachside city that never sleeps... We loved the seawater and the seafood here.
D-08：Kenting - Southernmost Point of Taiwan Island - Xuhai(77km)
@@ The vibe of your island loop changes starting from Kenting: because you’ll be riding alongside the vast Pacific Ocean every day.
@@ If you continue north after reaching Taiwan’s “southernmost point,” you’ve chosen the toughest cycling route!
@@ This road offers breathtaking scenery that drives us wild. Along the way, we met fellow adventurers hiking around the island, and we encouraged each other!!
D-09: Hsuehhai – Shouka – Taitung(103km: Today is my 53rd birthday)
@@ After passing Kenting, the population thins out noticeably, and there are fewer supply points. Few places along the way offer Wi-Fi.
@@ There is a homestay in Hsuehhai that caters specifically to cyclists and has Wi-Fi. We stayed there.
@@ The Shouka Iron Horse Station is a must-stop on the island loop and gathers many cyclists. The Beijing father and son duo received a warm welcome!
D-10: Taichung City – Hualien City(170km)
@@ P.S.: Taiwan is full of delicious food along the way—enjoy it to the fullest. Especially all kinds of fruit... bananas are a must every day!
@@ The ice tangyuan at Taitung Old Street is especially delicious. I ate two big bowls and felt all my fatigue and summer heat melt away.
@@ Today was intense, and we also climbed three mountains. The hotel owner in Hualien City, who once cycled the island on a road bike, called us “fierce riders”!
D-11: Hualien – Taroko – Central Cross-Island Highway – Taroko(63km)
@@ Taroko is an absolute must-visit when cycling around Taiwan: no one mentioned this place in any online cycling loop blogs!
@@ The Taroko round trip is 50 km, and the scenery along the way is boundless, with absolutely stunning landforms. Unfortunately, it rained heavily the whole time... landslides and falling rocks were common!
@@ We also met a stray dog that ran with us for over 30 km. When parting, it was hard to say goodbye, so I bought it a box of braised pork rice...
@@ One more thing: during the ride, I noticed three things Taiwan has a lot of: motorbikes, convenience stores, and betel nut stands (with betel nut beauties everywhere).
@@ Taiwan places great emphasis on elementary education. We visited a school in a remote mountainous area and felt that Mainland China is far behind in youth education!!
@@ From the media, Taiwan’s party struggles seem chaotic, but the overall feeling here really is that “if the top is upright, the bottom won’t be crooked.”
D-12: Taroko – Su-Hua Highway – Su’ao – Yilan(117km)
@@ In Taiwan, the Su-Hua Highway is also known as the “Highway of Death.” It’s built along steep coastal cliffs, with treacherous road conditions, frequent landslides and falling rocks, and
@@ Due to consecutive days of rain, vehicle traffic was restricted (locals advised us to take the train). We heard that bicycles could pass before 6 a.m., so we decided to give it a try!
@@ Experiencing the Su-Hua Highway was one of the goals of this trip. Later, Mengmeng remarked: “You’ll regret it if you don’t ride today, but you’ll be scared afterward if you do!”
D-13: Yilan – Keelung – Jinshan(113km)
@@ Cycling along the stunningly beautiful Pacific coastline, I called it an intoxicating, peak experience—beyond words!
@@ After passing Yilan, the area became bustling again, but the coastal scenery remained beautiful and pleasant. The night view of Keelung Harbor was unforgettable.
@@ From Yilan to Jinshan is Taiwan’s geothermal tourist zone. The scenery is picturesque and poetic—you must fully enjoy the hot spring baths here!
D-14: Jinshan – Crossing Yangmingshan – Taipei City(67km)
@@ Last night I swam in the hot springs... then wandered the night market, drank beer, looked at photos, and surfed the internet. I felt a bit tired.
@@ At noon, we visited Yehliu, a must-see Taiwanese attraction for mainland tourists: overcrowded, noisy, and full of spitting...
@@ In the afternoon, we visited Teresa Teng’s grave, then climbed the final 2 km of high mountain on this journey: a continuous 22 km uphill!
D-15: Sightseeing in Taipei City; riding to Taoyuan City in the evening(55km)
@@ Revisiting Taipei after 12 years—it was just as I remembered: Ketagalan Boulevard, the Presidential Office, Liberty Square...
@@ Visiting Taipei 101 filled me with emotion: “Taipei, I’m back, this time with my son. I’ve gotten old!”
@@ Once again, I enjoyed Taipei’s cafes and its “Carving Time”—continuing to reflect on how fast time flies, and how much has changed!!
D-16: Packing the bicycle, sipping champagne, daydreaming—heading back to Beijing!
@@ A small regret of this trip was packing the bike in Taoyuan (actually, packing in Taipei + taking a taxi would have saved us 1,000 NT$ for two people!)
@@ We arrived at Taoyuan Airport at 4 p.m., took Air China back to Beijing at 6:30 p.m., and got home by 11 p.m.—washed up and fell back asleep.
Actually, this trip itself felt like a dream: because we were cycling at a fast pace, there was a huge amount of information, many insights, but little reflection, so there are many gaps in memory. Only time will slowly help digest and savor it all... Total cycling distance =1,411km.
O(∩_∩)O Thanks for watching!
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