Having toured around Taiwan by bike early last year, and most recently as part of a 5-day mountain tour, I believe Taiwan is one of the most bike-loving countries in the world.

Having toured around Taiwan by bike early last year, and most recently as part of a 5-day Giant Adventure mountain tour, I believe Taiwan is the most bike-loving country in the world. Sure, the French have the Tour de France and North America has the Tour Divide, but both grab the attention of a nation and the world for a few weeks. Taiwan lives and breathes cycling. All. The. Time.

Upon my first trip to Taiwan early last year, I met countless people who by all accounts would be hard-pressed to be called cyclists back home, but who would casually mention that they’d ridden around the whole of Taiwan. I even met two high school boys, peddling old bikes in flip flops, who were on a personal quest to ride around the country with their parent’s blessing. Imagine sending your 16-year-old son off with his 15-year-old school friend to ride 1200 kilometres unchaperoned!

As part of the Giant Adventure itinerary, we took part in the government-organised ‘Come! Bike Day!’ at the Sun Moon Lake. Imagine thousands of smiling Taiwanese, in an array of cycling apparel, on an even wider range of bikes all stretching together in front of a podium before pedalling the 30 kilometres around the lake. The event was promoted as a race but when a few of us did exactly that, race, there was less fanfare for our efforts than the kids on balance bikes riding a short course nearby.

So, if you are looking for a truly charming, cycling-friendly destination then I cannot recommend Taiwan highly enough. And if you’re looking for a true challenge, head to the mountains for a taste of lactic acid amongst an ancient and beautiful landscape.

The author, Tina Thorburn, was a guest of the Taiwan Tourism Information Centre in Sydney.

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