A Self-Guided Bike Tour of Taiwan’s Coast and East Rift Valley

Ride at your own pace on this self-guided cycling tour of Taiwan’s East Coast. Crafted from years of experience touring Taiwan, our perfect self-guided route is compact but diverse and takes in some of the island’s most impressive scenery on quiet, easy-to-follow roads, along the East Coast and East Rift Valley.
If you crave the perks of independent bike touring without the drawbacks, then this self-guided adventure in Taiwan is the one for you!

Highlights

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Whats include

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DAY TO DAY

  • 1

    This morning, you’ll go to the train station for a lovely trip along the amazing east coast to Xincheng station (Taroko). Your train tickets will be given to your hotel beforehand. When you arrive at Xincheng, one of our friendly tour guides will meet you. Then, you’ll have a local lunch and a detailed briefing about the week ahead.

    After lunch, we’ll take you to your hotel, which is deep in the gorge. On the way, we’ll stop for a short walk at Swallow’s Grotto, a really cool spot. When we reach the hotel, you’ll check in and get fitted for your bike. Then, your tour guide will leave you. You can spend the rest of the afternoon riding around the gorge, visiting a nearby monastery, or just enjoying the views.

  • 2

    Today, we start early for an exciting ride through Taroko Gorge to the sea. You might want to stop for a hike along the Lushui-Heliu or Shakadang trails before reaching the Pacific Coast. Instead of the main highway, we’ll take smaller lanes lined with banana trees and temples. Along the way, we’ll stop at beaches for breaks. Tonight, we’ll stay in a cozy bed and breakfast in the fishing village of Yanliao. There’s a great seafood restaurant nearby for dinner.

  • 3

    Today, we’ll take a break from the coast and explore the beautiful but less-traveled East Rift Valley. It’s a place with green rice fields and small native villages. We’ll head south on a nice road to Fuyuan, where there are walking paths and relaxing hot springs. Dinner will be provided at the hotel tonight.

  • 4

    This morning, you can start your ride by taking a short detour to see the Tropic of Cancer Monument, the Saoba Monoliths (like Taiwan’s Stone Henge), and maybe stop for a cup of tea at the tea farms of Wuhe. Then, your ride continues south through the widening Rift Valley, with mountains on both sides, before turning east across the Coastal Mountain Range. After a steep climb, you’ll enjoy a long downhill ride with amazing views of the coast. Once you’re back on the coastal road, it’s just a short ride to your hotel by the ocean, which has a nice pool.

    For those with the energy in the afternoon there’s the chance to SUP, kayak or just swim at nearby Stone Umbrella Beach, named for the otherworldly coastal rock formations here.

  • 5

    On your last day of riding, you’ll head south along the stunning coastline, with lots of great places to stop along the way. You could hike to the magical Sanxiantai, an island formed by an old volcano. Or you could try some delicious baozi in Donghe, have a coffee in the relaxed surf town of Dulan, or take a swim at beautiful Shanyuan Beach. You could also check out the unique coastal rock formations at Xiao Yeliu. The ride ends in Taitung, where you can explore temples, parks, an arts district, and night markets, or just relax in the hotel pool.

  • 6

    This morning, a MyWay tour leader will meet you. You’ll return your bikes and equipment. Then, you’ll be taken to the train station or airport for your next trip.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click here to see our Taiwan Travel Guide.

Here is some general travel information for Taiwan.

Take a moment to read our blog Is Self-guided for you?

You can also find more answers to your questions on our Self-guided FAQ page.

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We'll help plan your trip based on you like and want to do. We know a lot about the place you're gomg. so we can give you good advice. WIIether you're into history, food, or culture, ue'll make sure your trip is just right for you. With us. your travel will be easy and fun!

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What our clients say about us

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Eriberto P

16 March 2024 ★★★★★

We had an amazing time with Flipside! The easy riders were fantastic and made us feel so safe over the 3 days. The food and home stays were lovely over the trip and there were plenty of stops along the way. The evenings were so much fun with the group and easy riders! Everyone was so accommodating and friendly and made the experience unforgettable. We cannot wait to come again and highly recommend Flipside

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Jeremy

28 April 2024 ★★★★★

Flip side honestly exceeded my expectations! Of course the views of Ha Giang were amazing but the staff were absolutely incredible and the easy riders were amazing! I felt so safe on the back of Truong’s bike the whole time. We had a small group of 6 people, 4 of us with easy riders and my boyfriend and our friend drove themselves. The drivers were steady and kept a good, safe pace for the guys riding (we saw and heard how fast the other tour’s went and how many injuries they have). Every night was super fun and our riders had such a laugh with us. Flip side take you off the beaten track and we saw some amazing views and swam in some gorgeous waterfalls that we hiked down too, it was so special. The main highlight was day 4, where we met Thiên and Truong’s families. We had the best day wild swimming with them, swimming inside a hidden cave, and drinking too much happy water while teaching everyone Scottish country dancing. Special thanks to Duc Anh, Thiên and especially Truong. Amazing people that made the four days so special!!! Flip side really feels like a family and social enterprise and really supports the staff & the villages in the mountains, it was amazing to see and hear about from a tour company! 10/10

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Steven

23 April 2024 ★★★★★

I had a good time and I am Glad, that I decided me to book this tour I can recommed it, it was nice and uncomplicated to book We had a really good time

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Naad

16 April 2024 ★★★★★

We just returned from a 14 day trip to Vietnam with FLIPSIDE. The trip was perfect, thanks to Mr. Kevin and his team, who took care of every detail of the organization and were attentive throughout, ensuring that our experience was excellent. They even provided us with tips on some great hotels in Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City. During our trip, we visited Hanoi, Halong Bay (two night by boat, highly recommended for a full experience), did the Ha Giang Loop for 4 days, explored Hoi An and went on a 3-day bike tour in the Mekong Delta. The guides spoke good English and took excellent care of us in each city: Tony in Hanoi and Halong Bay, Nghia in Ha Giang and Tom in the Mekong Delta, all of whom helped us enjoy the journey more. Vietnam is a wonderful country with delicious food and the people are charming. I absolutely recommend it. Many thanks to Mr. Kevin and Flipside Adventure Travel for their excellent work.

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Sures M

3 April 2024 ★★★★★

The flipside Ha Giang loop tour was a absolutely incredible experience which left us both completely speechless until now! Diving into the heart of the loop and being given a real experience of the life in which the local people live here was truly amazing. The company puts real emphasis into helping local communities within the loop. You are able to make donations, if you wish, to local families in need and the experience visiting the family really does change your perspective on things. Furthermore, you are taken off the main tracks and see parts of the loop no one else does. However, you still see the incredible scenery and pass through the loops most popular tracks so don’t miss out in incredible views. The easy riders ensure you make plenty of stops for delicious coffee/drinks and have the chance to take plenty of photos and videos to capture the moment! Me & my girlfriend had Ǎn and Dukang (I hope I’ve spelt that correctly) as our easy riders and they were genuinely amazing people. You connect with them over the three/four days and make a real friendship with them! They’re fantastic drivers and go above & beyond to make sure you have a brilliant time. Food was delicious and we never felt hungry as there was so much! The homestays were great too, couples on our tour were given private rooms when possible (which was both nights for us). The flipside team do an amazing job and deserve the most recognition possible! I hope one day to return & do the loop again. It was truly amazing. Thank you to everyone at Flipside, with particular thanks to Ǎn & Dukang! Legends!!

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Stolecki G

10 April 2024 ★★★★★

We just completed a 26 day tour of Vietnam: Hanoi, Ha Giang Loop Tour by motorbike, Halong Bay cruise, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh, Cu Chi tunnels, Mekong cycle tour. We arrived by boat in the Cambodian capital and from there, we went to Siem Reap to visit the temples of Angkor. Finally, we traveled to Bangkok, visiting the city's temples, floating markets and parks. We were met for all the transfers, including 4 internal flights, a boat transfer and the cruise. Everything was perfectly organized by Kevin. All tour guides were excellent and very attentive, and the drivers and vehicles were also great. Despite choosing budget hotels, they were good quality. We felt safe and secure throughout the trip. The only accommodation that felt a bit out of place was the one in Bangkok. Flipside Adventure Travel is an agency we highly recommend as they organize tailored tours with half board, diverse activities and at a reasonable price. This experience was particularly special as it was our first trip to Asia.

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Armer S

12 June 2024 ★★★★★

Flipside Adventure Travel organized a fabulous 3-week trip for us to Vietnam and Cambodia. We visited Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh, traveled by boat on the Mekong River with a bike tour and explored Saigon, Hoi An, Halong Bay and the Ha Giang Loop. A choice was perfectly offered in different hotels and accommodations, allowing everyone to manage their desires and budget. Our travel consultant, Stephen was always ready to answer us on WhatsApp when we needed it. We were really taken care of! Also, when bad weather made us cancel our scuba diving, Stephen quickly found us another plan. The guides were nice and spoke English well; the drivers were good and we loved our trip. Highly recommend Flipside Adventure Travel!

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Vernola S

18 January 2024 ★★★★★

Our trip to Vietnam was fantastic, one of the best I've ever had. Flipside Adventure Travel was very well organized throughout. We were fortunate to have a wonderful guide, Tony, who was incredibly helpful, kind and patient. The group of fellow travelers were also great. They ranged in age from about 30 to 50 years old and were easy to get along with and friendly. We always made stops at clean restrooms, dined at wonderful restaurants, and stayed in excellent hotels. The itinerary struck a good balance between sightseeing, shopping, downtime, group activities, communal meals, and individual dining choices. I particularly enjoyed visiting Halong Bay, Ha Giang Loop, Saigon, Mekong Delta, Hoi An, trying Vietnamese cuisine, watching water puppetry and more. I would definitely travel with them again and highly recommend this company.


Discover Asia with our multi-day cycling adventures, suitable for riders of any skill level. Count on our quality bikes, knowledgeable guides, and excellent support for an incredible experience.

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Feel free to call one of our experts or schedule a video appointment for personalized ideas and advice.

    • James
    • Asia Specialist
    • Linh
    • Thailand and Asia Specialist
    • Loc
    • Vietnam Specialist

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