Taiwan

In the 1980’s bike manufacturer GIANT set up its facilities in Taiwan and kicked off a cycling revolution in the country. Perhaps not your conventional go-to destination for cycling, Taiwan is slowly starting to embed itself onto the cycling map, with huge investments into its infrastructure and image. Cycle Route No.1 is a circumnavigation around the whole island, a route that was first pioneered by Taiwanese director, Chen Huai-en, which he documented in his cult film Island Etude. Since 2015 the route has now been formally signposted and it takes around 10–12 days to complete. Taipei’s Songshan Station officially marks kilometer 0.

Luckily the western coast eases you into the challenge, preparing you for the more undulating east coast. Speckled with 286 mountain summits, with some clocking in at over 3,000 m, the east coast tests your mettle. But fear not, this route takes in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Taroko Gorge, with jaw-droppingly beautiful mountains and turquoise rivers.

If you don’t have two weeks spare to devote to this venture, then you could sign up to the Taiwan KOM Challenge – a monster of a day in the saddle but a welcome break from the dwindling temperatures here in the Northern Hemisphere. This race involves cycling up a 105 km climb. Yeah you read that right! Taking place in October as well as in the spring, the road takes you from sea to almost 3,300 m in elevation in one fell swoop.

Taiwan’s climate pleasantly averages between 19 – 27 degrees during the day but be prepared for extreme weather when heading into the mountains. Anything above 2,000 m can result in a sudden drop in temperature so pack a jacket.