Whereas biking round Taipei, I couldn’t assist however marvel at how wonderful and protected the entire biking infrastructure was. Proper in the course of the busy metropolis, we may pedal for miles and miles alongside riversides flanked by lush greens and mangroves and scenic pure views.
The bike lanes weaved seamlessly via city parks and gardens protected against the principle highways the place motorized autos move and had been set other than bike lanes with correct cement boundaries, timber, or are positioned on elevated cycle lanes and bridges over busy highways. Alongside the routes we took, there have been quite a few relaxation stops with water stations, public bike restore services, merchandising machines, clear restrooms, and bike parking areas.
Whereas I’ve been to Taiwan a number of instances earlier than and loved the comfort of their extremely environment friendly prepare community for sightseeing, going round by bicycles for 3 days put an energetic spin on our trip and allowed us to expertise the town in a different way.
ICYMI, Taiwan has prolonged its visa-free entry for Filipino vacationers till July 2024, so it’s much less of a problem to plan fast journeys right here in contrast another different bike-friendly international locations. It felt very chill going round right here, and the overall vibe didn’t really feel as hectic or quick paced as another cities.
In case you’re excited by biking round Taipei for sightseeing on brief journeys, right here’s an in depth information of the place you possibly can lease bikes, potential biking routes, guided bike excursions, bike-friendly locations to remain and eat, and a few common journey ideas based mostly on our expertise biking there in August 2023.
The place to lease bikes in Taipei
You’ll be able to lease bikes to get round from any of the quite a few YouBike stations docked throughout Taipei. This public bike share system offers locals and vacationers a straightforward option to get round together with the better public transport system.
Nonetheless, utilizing one requires an EasyCard, iPass Card or bank card and a few establishing. You’ll get charged each minute you employ the bikes and must discover a correct dock to park to finish the journey, so that is higher for individuals who need to do brief bike rides in between main hubs from point-to-point and never complete day bike journeys.
It’s also possible to discover conventional bikes for lease in lots of riverside stations alongside the biking routes together with Dadaocheng Pier Plaza close to the Yanping Riverside Park with different-sized bikes for the entire household that are good for informal biking by the riverside.
Since we needed to make use of bikes for a number of days and longer rides, we opted to lease bikes from Taipei Bike Works, a store within the Datong district which is a fast trip away from the riverside biking routes. The store provides bike excursions together with every day, 2-day, 3-day, and weekly bike leases beginning at NTD$400 a day. Their fleet of bikes are well-maintained, and so they provide the whole lot from metropolis to street bikes, together with helmets, instruments, spare tires, and a pump.
We opted for his or her Merida Explorers, enjoyable and cozy rides, which prices $600 a day or $1500 for 3 days. This touring bicycle has a cushty seat, hydraulic disc brakes, and 21 or 27 gears. The store workers and homeowners are very pleasant and useful and may give you recommendation on totally different biking routes.
High sights round Taipei
- Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Corridor
- Longshan Temple
- Nationwide Palace Museum
- Yangmingshan Nationwide Park
- Taipei 101
- Taipei Zoo
- Daan Forest Park
- Huashan 1914 Artistic Park
- Ximending (the instances Sq. of Taipei)
Except for the same old spots round Taipei, standard day journeys embody Yehliu Geopark and Jiufen. Listed below are different issues you are able to do
READ MORE: 10 issues to do in Taipei, Taiwan
Potential biking routes
One of the best factor about going round on bikes is you possibly can plan your individual itinerary or simply bike round with no actual route and nonetheless discover hidden gems. In reality, you possibly can bike across the complete island of Taiwan via protected bike lanes.
Taiwan Cycle Route No.1 is a 968 km bicycle route across the complete island of Taiwan clearly marked with street indicators and street markings. This typically takes 9-12 days to finish, with rides lasting roughly 70-100 kms on a regular basis.
One other instructed full-day bike route across the metropolis is to observe the “Taipei: Biking Circle Journey” which takes you to 12 areas alongside all the riverside bicycle path community, the place you possibly can check-in at key landmarks just like the Crusing boat at Dadaocheng Wharf, Dajia Amusement Park and LOVE Rainbow Bridge. This trip is about 66 kilometers.
Taipei Bike Works additionally provides 4-hour (15 km) and 8-hour (35 km) guided bike excursions to key landmarks across the metropolis if you would like the professional companies of a neighborhood information. Your rides actually depend upon how a lot free time you might have and what locations you actually need to go to alongside the best way.
Our bike itinerary
I’ll write extra about our particular rides in additional detailed travelogue posts however right here’s a fast rundown of among the bike highlights from our latest journey.
Day 1: Dihua space + Shilin Night time Market
It may be tough to bike in Taiwan throughout summer season months as it might get extremely popular in the course of the day and there’s a excessive likelihood of heavy rains in the course of the afternoons, which we skilled proper after securing our rental bikes.
Because it rained all afternoon, we simply chilled out across the Dihua Historic Avenue space. This Nineteenth-century riverside buying and selling hub for herbs, medicines, dried items, materials, teas, and different merchandise has a whole lot of attention-grabbing cafes and eating places.
When the climate cleared up, we took the riverside route to go to Shilin Night time Market, the biggest and most well-known evening market in Taipei, the place you possibly can get pleasure from well-known avenue meals.
Day 2: Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf
The principle spotlight of our trip was our 50+ km trip from our resort to Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf and again.
The scenic riverside routes passes via some little cafes, bridges over the Keelung River and different iconic spots for bikers. Simply biking there’s already a deal with and you’ll get pleasure from eating by the seaside in lots of areas. There’s a Starbucks by the Riverside that’s standard with bikers.
We discovered a seafood restaurant available in the market space, that served nice oysters, scallops, shirmp, grilled salmon and mackerel rice meals and chilly drinks at inexpensive costs.
On the best way again, we crossed the Guandu Bridge to take a look at the opposite facet of the riverside, and handed a protracted elevated bike bridge proper over the expressway. We crossed again through the Taipei Bridge to get to Yanping Riverside Park. We took a break again on the resort earlier than returning to the bike-friendly space for dinner and drinks later that evening.
Day 3: Treasure Hill Artist Village + metropolis landmarks
On our third day of biking round Taipei, we headed South from the riverside to take a look at Treasure Hill Artist Village, an artists enclave with an historic temple and a few mountainside cafes and ateliers.
We discovered this cozy cafe referred to as 3 Cats Membership that served scrumptious Beef Shank Noodle Soup and Taiwanese Egg Rolls.
We additionally stopped by the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Corridor for the requisite photograph ops with some stops on the Guting Bike Observatory and Hakka Cultural Park alongside the best way.
On the best way to Longshan Temple, we additionally noticed the Bopiliao Historic District, a row of previous retailers and galleries. Then it was again to the riverside and sundown drinks once more at Dadaocheng Pier earlier than returning the bikes to the store earlier than they closed.
The place to remain
Whereas in Taipei, we stayed in Queen Resort II, a brand new resort on the 4th flooring of an previous constructing within the Datong district. We picked this resort primarily as a result of it’s only a 5-minute stroll from the bike rental store and about an 8-minute stroll from the Taipei Principal station which matches on to the airport.
From the skin, you wouldn’t suppose the constructing would have a resort as a result of the bottom flooring is filled with previous shophouse stalls for antiques and toys (harking back to Greenhills retailers), however the rooms are very trendy and clear and AC was nice. Bikes can match within the elevator. The resort workers had been all very pleasant and useful. Since we borrowed bikes for a number of days, they allow us to park bikes within the hallway the place they saved laundry and cleansing provides at evening. We simply locked up bikes within the floor flooring in the course of the day.
The resort additionally provides free water, espresso, milk tea, an outside solar terrace, has good WiFi, provides baggage storage and has a clear restroom the place you possibly can clean up earlier than or after try. Rooms don’t include breakfast, however you possibly can simply purchase meals from Household Mart or 7-11 throughout the road. There’s additionally a grocery proper beside the resort.
Charges differ relying the dates of your keep and once you guide, however rooms begin about P2,500 an evening.
Ebook rooms through Agoda right here.
Listed below are another accommodations round Taiwan identified for being bike-friendly as advisable by TravelinTaiwan.internet :
What to deliver
It could get extremely popular and humid and wet biking throughout summer season months. Convey breathable biking put on and arm sleeves for biking in addition to ponchos or windbreakers in case it rains. Water tumblers are a should. You’ll be able to refill water in lots of free consuming stations.
Helmets are offered (however more often than not not required for the safe riverside areas). Convey bike lights and blinkers for biking at evening. Most locations are well-lit although so it’s probably not wanted. Convey a powerbank since taking pictures/movies and navigation can drain telephones shortly.
Journey ideas and helpful data
- We realized that the evening markets aren’t as bike-friendly as another areas as a result of they get crowded and it’s arduous to seek out parking close by if you wish to eat. Apparently, new guidelines set in place in 2017 prohibit bicycles from being parked in scooter areas as we came upon after we had been turned away from the Shilin evening market.
- If you happen to plan to go to Ximending or Shilin at evening, I like to recommend you’re taking the prepare as an alternative and stroll.
- If you happen to’re renting bikes from Taipei Bike Works, get the bikes the day earlier than you intend to bike. Their store opens at 1:00 pm, so you will get bikes the evening earlier than round 7:00 -8:00 pm to maximise biking within the mornings when it’s not too sizzling.
- One of the best time to bike in Taipei is early morning to round 10 am and afternoons from 3:00 pm onwards to nighttime.
- You’ll want to test the climate forecast earlier than your journey and put together accordingly.
- Be ready to bike within the rain with ponchos and waterproof luggage to your devices and passport.
- Most retailers settle for credit score and debit playing cards extensively and it’s very straightforward to withdraw cash from ATMs from comfort shops in case you run out of money. Nevertheless it’s good to have small payments and cash for the road meals and merchandising machines.
- Bicycle theft isn’t widespread in Taiwan. Most cyclists don’t even trouble locking up their bikes throughout brief breaks.
I’ll be sharing extra articles about our Taiwan journey quickly. Try my different social media accounts for updates.
