Touring by bike kicked into high gear in Taiwan following the 2007 release of the film “Island Etude,” which portrayed a college student making a round-island cycling trip. The movie inspired many viewers to follow his example.
The same year, King Liu, founder of Taiwan’s leading bicycle producer Giant Manufacturing Co., performed the same feat at the age of 73, further stoking interest among the public.
To meet the growing demand, Giant established Giant Adventure Co.—Taiwan’s first travel agency that focuses solely on bike tours—the following year. At the same time, Taiwan Railways Administration under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications began offering dedicated bike spaces on select routes.
The round-island Cycling Route No.1 starts at Taipei City’s Songshan Station. (Staff photo / Chin Hung-hao)
Improving infrastructure for cyclists is high on the agenda for the MOTC’s Tourism Bureau as a key plank in its strategy to advance the form of eco-friendly tourism. To this end, it opened the 961-kilometer round-island Cycling Route No.1 at the end of 2015, with 25 branch paths completed over the next three years.
The TB additionally built 16 bike trails in national scenic areas across the country in 2021, which was officially designated as the Year of Bicycle Tourism.
“Cycling is a carbon-free activity and part of sustainable tourism options promoted by government,” said Wu Chieh-ping, director of TB’s planning division. “It takes too long to tour a place on foot and you’re likely to miss out on interesting places in a car. So, two wheels are the perfect way for tourists to get that personal feel for the country.”
Tour organizers have also begun creating new itineraries utilizing electric bikes in recent years, allowing tourists to travel routes too strenuous for the average person on a traditional bicycle. In 2019 Giant Adventure launched its first all-ebike tour covering a 236-kilometer route from Taipei to Nantou County in the central mountainous area.
Through dedicated efforts by the public and private sectors, cycle tourism continues to gain momentum in Taiwan. The popularity of the mode of travel is clear from the booming business of agencies like Giant Adventure, which estimated it had approximately 10,000 customers in 2021, up from about 1,000 in 2009.
“It’s a great way to experience Taiwan and get closer to nature with low environmental impact,” Wu said. “Supporting this type of tourism is a success on TB’s agenda that will see further development.” (E) (By Oscar Chung)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
Cyclists take a break during Giant Adventure Co.’s first all-ebike tour from Taipei to central Taiwan’s Nantou County in 2019. (Courtesy of Giant Adventure Co.)
(This article is adapted from “Spin Off” in the November/December issue of Taiwan Review. The Taiwan Review archives dating to 1951 are available online.)