Explore the depth of Taiwan by bicycle (9days - From Taipei)

【Meet up time】07:30am 
【Meet up location】Exit 2 , Yuanshan Taipei Metro Station
Google Map : https://maps.app.goo.gl/mYh8eAbUkSfRrjaSA
Take Coach Van Transport to Start Point: Nanliao Fish Harbor
After meet up, fit your bike and tour leader will have a brief safety speech. Our ride divides into 2 sections, in the morning ride along the coast line, mostly flat and comfort well- pavement. Another bus ride to lunch and start our 2nd ride from paddy field to Gaomei wetland.
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Hook on coach Van , jump to Yanshui township, start 58 km ride and visit historical salt field in Tainan, the Guosheng lighthouse is the most remote which located in the sand land. Then we hook on bus bound for hotel in Tainan City.
  
【Guosheng Lighthouse (Taiwan's westernmost Lighthouse)】
If you follow the road west from the Qigu Black Faced Spoonbill Ecology Museum and turn right when you reach the seawall, you will see the Guosheng Lighthouse  standing alone on the coast in the distance. This is the westernmost point of the mainland of Taiwan. Unlike most lighthouses, the Guosheng Lighthouse was built as a steel tower that is approximately 32.7 meters high. The Dintouer Sandbank right next to it creates a gorgeous and vast scene with the colorful clouds at sunset; the view of the lighthouse at night with the galaxy in the background attracts photographers every day to capture the scene. This spot really feels like a foreign land, and has recently become an essential check-in location on Instagram for internet celebrities.

Today, we has the shortest distance of riding, but riding in the lovely small township full of Hakka culture, local cuisine. In the morning, visit famous Badlands view called Moon-like landscape. It’s the only chance that we could walk on the moon !! The ride in the afternoon, let’s deep into one of famous Hakka township “Meinong”, slow our pace and feel real lifestyle of local inhabitant. Car transfer to check in our hotel, enjoy the pool with endless edge view connecting to ocean blue and the magic moment of sunset above the sea level.

  

Today, we have all day riding about 73km in the tropical atmosphere, enjoy the sunshine and breeze from the ocean. Our second lighthouse “Eluanbi” gets in your sight, green grass, blue sky and white lighthouse, the picture will make your day bright.


【Eluanbi Lighthouse (Taiwan's Southernmost Lighthouse)】
Kending's rugged coastline provides some of the area's most outstanding attractions. The most prominent of these must be Eluanbi, also known as "Taiwan's Tail." This is the island's southernmost point.
Eluanbi Park was created in 1982 to provide an appropriate venue for people coming to visit Taiwan's southernmost point and one of the peninsula's most notable landmarks, the Eluanbi Lighthouse, also called "The Light of East Asia." It stands 21.4 meters high and is reputedly the brightest lighthouse in Asia. The park covers an area of 59 hectares. Within the park there are a number of recreational facilities and a wide range of interesting geological, botanical, and ornithological features. The area covered by the park is also one of the sites of Kending's prehistoric cultures.

【The southernmost point】
Located in the vicinity of the famous goose lute nose park, walk about 6 minutes along the trails, and you can see the reef on the south of the most imaginary signs. The location of the southernmost point (120 degrees east longitude 50 minutes; latitude 21 degrees 53 minutes and 59 seconds) is located between the Eluantan Park and the Longkeng ecological sanctuary. In this place, Image signs, so that a tour of the tourists can be based in southern Xinjiang, mind the world, and can observe the beach special plant communities.

Let’s rolling to our the most challenge day, 53km includes 2 hills about 200 meter above the sea level, the major challenge is “Shouka”, this hill will bring us to 450 meter above the sea level. After that we will take a car ride to Taitung city, check in have a hot shower, tonight go explore the night market and food street in Taitung city.
    
【Mudan Bay】
The gentle waves and breezes along the shores of Mudan Bay are like a beautiful painting. Across the deep blue Pacific visitors can see Green Island and Orchid Island in the distance and during the windy season the winds sweeping down the mountains will tease awe-inspiring waves to crash and dance for visitors. Syuhai Coast is an unpolluted pebble beach and is the northern edge of Taiwan’s southern coral reef with rich marine resources.

【Medal of Cyclists Shouka Pass】
Today, we have another mountain pass named “Shouka”, after a long climbs,  you will reach the pass located at 460m height above the sea level. All cyclists have to face this challenge, no matter you head to west or south of Taiwan. It become the unforgettable memory/nightmare of all cyclists. Reach Shouka Pass, we hook on car heading to Hotel .

【Taitung City Night Market】
Ready for another food adventure? Taitung city has night market with food street, local rice noodle with bonito flake on it, gives you the oceanic flavor from the Pacific. The famous fried chicken shop named “BLUE DRAGONFLY” always has long queues. Even KFC still can not beat them during several years. That is a must you have to try.

Today is another full-day ride, our route along with East Coast line, it’s  one of the most popular riding area in Taiwan. The Pacific has wide and deep blue, the sound of wave is totally different from the Taiwan Strait. Once you feel the magic of the Pacific deep blue, you won’t forget in your life-time.

【Dulan Sugar refinery】
The historical refinery building still stand up there, although we are not allow to go visit inside, but there have several hand art souvenir shop we could visit. Dulan is a small village   known for his Bohemian lifestyle, many wave suffers comes to stay for 2-3 month, chase the wave in the early morning during winter season. Living with simple lifestyle and enjoy relax atmosphere.

【Donghe Historical Bridge】
The small river valley comes with huge marble stone in the river bed. The original bridge build in 1930, one of bridge pier just stand on a huge rock in the middle of river bed. One arm across river becomes an arch, another arm use suspension bridge to connect the ground. The unique structure was a symbol of engineer’s wisdom in early 19century.

The view changes today, we climb 7km to across the Coastline Mountain from ocean side to the rift valley, you will see the paddy field accompany with the Central Mountain. Today, we spend a night in the hot spring hotel in Ruisui township.
   
【YuChan highway: Mountain pass from the Pacific to the Rift Valley】
Just 7km climbs brings you totally different view of landscape, the height of pass will around 400m above the sea level, then ride through 2.6km tunnel soon you will meet 7km gentle descend to the Rift Valley. During descending, ride slowly gives you more safety.

    
【County Highway No.193 the most beautiful paddy route】
In Taiwan, we have 158 County Highways, The No.193 is the longest one which has 110km, known for endless paddy field alone the way. We select the section with less climbs, less traffics meet the local habitant in indigenous village.

  
【Masadi Forest Park】
“Masadi” is a word from Amis Tribe, 1 of 16 indigenous tribe in Taiwan. This word means “Rich of Land ”in Amis language. Back to Taiwan under Japan colonial rule period, this land  was a sugarcane field, provided the sugar refinery nearby. After sugar refinery closed, this land was encouraged to plant trees become human made forest park.

【Annong River Bike Lane】
Yilan County has many bike lanes along the river, the Annonng river bike lane is not the longest one, but it’s one of the most beautiful in our selects. The township office plant those Bald cypress protects the river ban. The two roll of Bald Cypress stands with bike lane. Riding in four seasons has four different views!

The last day gets two lighthouses in a day, one is before the lunch and another is after. North East and North coastline is our final destination of this trip. The landscape becomes sea erosion terrain view. Sometimes the bike lane along with the car road. Beware of safety gap when trucks surpass you. Our ride ends up around 5pm in Fugui Cape Lighthouse. Car transfer to Dansui Taipei Metro Station.
  
【Fulong Old Caoling Tunnel】
The 2,167-meter Old Caoling Tunnel linked up Fulong and Shicheng in the past. It was built during the Japanese occupation as part of a railway project to ease traffic difficulties between Yilan and the greater Taipei area. This is the first railway tunnel-turned-biking path in northern Taiwan. Because this old tunnel is just beside the new one, whenever a train passes through the New Caoling Tunnel, the humming sounds of the train can be heard inside its old counterpart. A lot of train fans have come to visit the old tunnel just to experience this. The tunnel also serves as an open-air railway museum. Not only the biking path looks like a railway track, the tunnel lights with oil lampshades are also of a retro-style. Riding through the Old Caoling Tunnel is like riding on an early-day railway. The ride is fun and nostalgic!
  
【Sandiao Cape Lighthouse (Taiwan’s Easternmost lighthouse)】
Constructed in 1931, Sandiao Cape Lighthouse sits at the easternmost tip of Taiwan. Called the "Eye of Taiwan," the lighthouse is a popular destination for visitors seeking to catch the earliest dawn rays to shine on Taiwan. "Sandiao" is a Taiwanese translation of "Santiago," the name given to this area by the Spanish when they discovered the cape. An exhibit area introduces the lighthouse equipment and information. This is the only lighthouse open to the public in northern Taiwan. It is also a favorite location for shooting TV dramas and wedding photos.
  
【Fugui Cape Lighthouse (Taiwan's northernmost lighthouse)】
The lighthouse at Fugui Cape was built by the Japanese in 1897, painted black and white to be more visible in fogs. It was also equipped with a fog horn for warnings in thick fogs.
The lighthouse marks the northernmost point of land of the island of Taiwan, and has been an important landmark. It has been renovated, but its function of guiding ships remains. Standing firmly on the cape, it lights up the northern coast.
Unlike the common light houses, the Fuguei Cape Lighthouse is painted in black and white to make it easily identified by fishermen sailing on the sea. A fog horn is also equipped to guide sailors and avoid ships from clashing against one another.