10-Day Taiwan Round-Island Reflections: A 1,000-Kilometer Journey of Self-Challenge

Preparation and Nerves Before Departure

The idea of cycling around the island had actually been brewing in my mind for two years. As a weekend rider, my longest single-day ride was usually no more than 120 km. Completing a full loop of Taiwan in 10 days sounded a bit crazy, but not crazy enough to be impossible.

I signed up for a self-organized 10-day island tour group with five riders in total, two of whom had done the loop before, while the other three, including me, were first-timers. Before the trip, we held two video conferences to discuss the route plan, resupply strategy, and emergency response plans. The planned daily riding distance ranged from 80 to 130 km, using Provincial Highway 3 and Provincial Highway 9 as the main arteries, avoiding the heavy traffic on Provincial Highway 1.

The equipment list nearly drove me crazy: the things I needed to bring were far more than expected, from spare tubes, tire repair tools, and rain gear, to change of clothes, medicine, and charging cables. In the end, the luggage bag on my rear rack was packed to the brim. The night before departure, I checked everything three more times.

Days 1 to 3: Getting into the Groove and Finding a Rhythm

Starting from Taipei, heading south along Provincial Highway 3, the first day’s goal was Hsinchu. After riding about 110 km, everyone smiled and said “not bad, not bad” when we arrived at the homestay — though in reality, our legs were already sore, we just didn’t want to admit it.

On the second day, we entered the hilly terrain of Miaoli, which had more elevation changes. Combined with the fatigue accumulated over two consecutive days, our pace noticeably dropped. On one stretch, I rode at the back of the group, silently calculating the distance and the remaining days, feeling a bit uneasy inside. But by the time we reached Taichung, the braised snacks and bubble tea at the night market instantly brought us back to life.

On the third day, we rode into the plains of Changhua and Yunlin, the flattest section of the entire trip. On the straight farm roads, we found a steady rotating pace. No one spoke — there was only the sound of tires rolling and the occasional gust of wind. It was a special kind of silence, as if we had found the essence of cycling.

Days 4 to 6: The Warmth of the South and the Grandeur of Taitung

The road conditions in Tainan and Kaohsiung were complex. Navigating through the urban sections meant weaving through traffic lights, scooters, and taxis, requiring intense concentration. But the warmth of the locals left a deep impression — at a small grocery store in Pingtung where we stopped to resupply, the owner, seeing that we were cycling around the island, voluntarily gave each of us an extra sports drink, saying, “Cycling around the island is tough, keep it up!”

Rounding Eluanbi and turning toward eastern Taiwan marked the most obvious turning point of the entire journey. Provincial Highway 9 alternated between cliff faces and the coastline, opening up the view completely. The roads in Taitung were wide and quiet, with the outlines of distant mountains clearly visible against the blue sky. The scenery made you involuntarily slow down, wanting to take it all in a little longer.

On the sixth day, we stayed two nights in Taitung and scheduled a rest day. Calling it rest, though, it was really just walking along the beach, getting a massage, eating, and catching up on sleep. I spent the entire afternoon lying on the soft bed at the homestay, thinking of nothing, listening to the sound of the sea breeze outside the window. That was probably the most luxurious time of the entire trip.

Days 7 to 9: The Healing of the East Rift Valley and the Test of the Suhua Highway

I call the East Rift Valley section the “Healing Road.” Rice paddies, mountains, clouds — everything was just the right scale. Riding along the valley road, it was hard not to feel happy. Interestingly, our riding condition during these days was actually the best of the entire trip — our bodies had fully adapted to the daily long-distance riding, and the soreness in our legs had become a familiar companion rather than an obstacle.

The Suhua Highway is another story. This road, carved along the edge of cliffs, is about 118 km long, with several sections being one-way controlled tunnels and cliff-side stretches. We chose to depart during the gap between control periods. Along the way, we watched the waves of the Pacific Ocean surge from several hundred meters below — breathtakingly magnificent. But when large gravel trucks roared past from behind, the sense of pressure was very real.

When we arrived in Yilan, everyone had a look on their face that said, “I just did something incredible.”

Day 10: Back to Taipei, Tears Came Uninvited

On the final day, we departed from Yilan and took the Beiyi Highway (Provincial Highway 9) back to Taipei. This stretch is the famous “Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns,” with continuous hairpin turns combined with descents, requiring considerable skill and focus. After descending to Shiding, the road conditions gradually became familiar — the hilly terrain of New Taipei City and the gradually appearing urban skyline reminded us: we were almost back to where we started.

Entering Taipei’s urban area, riding through the bustling streets felt especially surreal. The version of myself who set out from here ten days ago and the version riding back now seemed somehow different, though I couldn’t quite articulate how.

Back at the starting point, the five of us leaned our bikes together, raised our phones, and took a group photo of each other. I don’t know who got teary-eyed first, but then one by one, we all started laughing while crying.

1,000 km, 10 days, one full loop of Taiwan. There is no journey more worthwhile than this.

Related Reading

• A 30-Day Cycling Tour of Taiwan: A Beginner’s Journey Around the Island
• Cycling Around Taiwan: A 9-Day Route Plan and Resupply Stops
• Taiwan Cycling Challenge: A Daily Record of Completing the Island Loop in 9 Days
• Classic 9-Day Taiwan Cycling Route: Daily Mileage Planning and Accommodation Strategy