Last Updated on 17 January 2026 by Cycloscope
A great and flexible itinerary to explore Taiwan by backpacking or cycling. Hikes, hot springs, and amazing scenery along Taiwan’s north and east coasts. A guide about everything you need to know to plan your trip to Taiwan.
Although not big, there’s a lot to see on this island; a 14-day Taiwan itinerary should be enough to get a good panoramic view.
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Taiwan is an increasingly popular tourist destination; every year, more than 10 million foreigners travel to Taiwan, including backpackers, cyclists, hot-spring addicts, and all kinds of travelers.
Backpacking in Taiwan is a great way to explore this island, where many travelers come seeking a Chinese atmosphere away from the hassle and difficulties of mainland China.
There are certainly some great highlights in Taiwan, but we think the best lies in its roads. That’s why a road trip in Taiwan, using your own independent means of transport, is undoubtedly the way to go.
We actually rode this itinerary by bicycle, and it took us 14 days to cycle about 600 km (we took it really easy). Taiwan is meant to be cycled, and the Taiwanese know it; indeed, you’ll see dozens of locals traveling the east coast of Taiwan by bike.
If cycling isn’t your thing, you can still rent a scooter at a low price. An international driving license is required, though we heard there are rental services that don’t really care about this rule.
Check also
Never been on a bike trip before?
Where to go in Taiwan
Being an oblong island shaped like a seed, Taiwan basically has two coasts: the east and west coasts. The northern coast is very short but worth including in your itinerary. There’s no southern coast, just a cape.
Besides the lush and mountainous interior, there’s no doubt that the best of Taiwan is to be found along the east coast.
Its northern part is made up of steep mountains that drop dramatically into the sea, covered in grass, which looks unlike anything else we saw in Asia, reminding us a bit of western Ireland.
Going south, crossing the Tropic of Cancer, the landscape changes completely, becoming covered in thick tropical jungle. There are still mountains, but they get further away from the coast. The southernmost area is fantastic and really a must.
The west coast is pretty horrible to cycle: one seamless urban area from north to south, not really worth cycling, in our opinion.
However, it could still be interesting to travel around Taiwan by train; although we won’t cover it in this itinerary, there are some interesting Taiwanese cities to visit.
When to go to Taiwan: weather and climate
Taiwan is crossed by the Tropic of Cancer, which roughly divides it in half; the northern part lies in the subtropical climate zone, while the southern part is appropriately tropical.
Winters are warm, and summers are hot and wet, with typhoons and thunderstorms; in any case, there’s a lot of rainfall throughout the year. We got considerably wet during our bike tour of Taiwan.
The best time to travel is from October to April, when temperatures are milder. We went in February and experienced quite cold weather in the north, but it was a peculiar year.
When we reached the southern part, the weather was very warm, and we could even take a couple of swims in the sea and relax on some of Taiwan’s beautiful beaches.
Taiwan’s climate varies: typhoon season runs roughly from May to November, and winter (December–February) is milder. Plan accordingly for weather and rain risk.
Food and Water when Backpacking in Taiwan
Tap water is not drinkable everywhere in Taiwan; in most urban areas (like Taipei and Kaohsiung), tap water is treated and generally safe, but locals use filters. Ask your hostel or guesthouse, or just some locals. Buying bottled water is never a problem, but it’s not super cheap.
Taiwan is another convenience store country (like South Korea and Japan), and 7-Eleven and Family Mart are in every town, by definition. Here you can find the usual selection of junk food, drinks, and canned black coffee.
Some stores have toilets and ATMs; all have microwaves and boiled water, and Wi-Fi is available upon registration. Check here for the best 7-Eleven food in Taiwan.
Taiwan is famous for street food, and the notorious Taiwanese night markets are pretty cool. You can find more than one in each city and sometimes even in small towns; Google Maps knows all of them.
The night market in Hualien is excellent, but the best of the best is in Keelung, where we finally found out why Taiwanese food is so famous.
What you’ll mostly find are noodle soup restaurants, whose quality honestly pales in comparison to Chinese soups — sorry, guys. In the deep south, where Taiwan really gets tropical, and the Aboriginal population is larger, food stalls are more frequent, but the variety is not great.
Map of Taiwan Itinerary
Taiwan itinerary in pills
- 1 or 2 days in Taipei
- 1 day in the Beitou Hot Spring area, climbing the Yangmingshan in the morning, and soaking in hot sulfuric water in the evening
- 1 day on the north coast, visiting Shimen, Jinshan, and Yehliu Geopark
- 1 or 2 days in Keelung
- 1 or 2 days in Jiufeng, exploring the area using the old railway
- 1 day around the northwest area road trip, spending the night in Toucheng Township or Yilan
- 1-day hiking in Taroko, getting back to Hualien to sleep
- 1 day visiting Shitiping, Sanxiantai, and Xiaoyeliu
- 1 day visiting Jiupeng Desert and Nanren Shore
- 1 day getting lost in the Manzhou Aboriginal area
- 2 days in Kenting or Hengchun: Fengchuisha, Longpan Park, Kenting beaches, and White Sand Bay
Planning your Taiwan Backpacking or Cycling itinerary
If you decided to explore Taiwan by bike, congratulations, you made the right choice! We did indeed mention Taiwan as one of the best destinations for beginner cycle tourists.
If you plan to stick to the coast, there’s pretty much one road to follow, with occasional detours. The scenery is stunning almost everywhere along the East Coast.
You’ll only have to make a choice south of Hualien when the road splits into three. Remember that Highway 9 is the main route, with heavier traffic, so we advise choosing Road 193 or sticking to the coast (Highway 11). This is not the most spectacular section of the East Coast, but it’s still nice, and traffic is light enough.
South of Taitung, where those three roads converge, lies the ugliest stretch of road. The scenery is still cool from time to time, but you won’t enjoy much of it — you’ll be busy watching out for the many trucks and tour buses.
Leaving Highway 9 to reach the southernmost province of Taiwan, everything gets nice again — very, very nice. Don’t miss this area: it’s a bit hilly but totally worth it.
Winds mostly blow from north to south, so this is the best direction to take for a bike trip in Taiwan. There’s an official pamphlet about cycling around Taiwan made by the official tourism board, but honestly, it’s pretty useless.
Learn everything you need to know about cycling in Taiwan!
1. Start your Taiwan itinerary in Taipei
Unless you are coming by ferry from China, you’ll probably fly in and out of Taipei. Taipei is a big, crowded city with a population of 7 million in its extended metro area.
Taipei feels a bit more like a Japanese city than a Chinese one, with a 90s atmosphere similar to Tokyo’s. Indeed, Taiwan has a strong relationship with Japan, which may help it resist Chinese influence. Have a look here for a list of things to know for your first visit to Taipei.
Maybe because we’ve seen so many cities in Asia, we didn’t particularly like Taipei; its urban area seems interesting to live in, but not especially exciting for travelers. But if you’ve never been to Japan or China, you might completely disagree with this statement.
The most interesting aspect of central Taipei, besides Taipei 101 (a skyscraper that was once the tallest building in the world), is its vibrant nightlife. The best night market to visit in Taipei is in the Shilin district. Check out these 10 free things to do in Taipei, too.
Where to stay in Taipei
Taipei accommodations often have few vacancies, so booking in advance might be a good idea. We really liked the Rose Boutique Hotel, but we have a strong taste for kitsch.
We advise spending one night in Taipei’s center; make it two if you particularly enjoy nightlife.
2. Beitou Hot Spring Area and Yangmingshan National Park
Feeling like a foothill countryside town despite still being in Taipei City, and with the great advantage of being reachable by subway, Beitou must be included in your Taiwan itinerary.
This is where all the hot springs in the Taipei area are located, mainly inside hotels, but with one public bath really worth visiting (a nice insight into local lifestyle and terrific sulfur-rich water).
Beitou is a great base for hiking in Yangmingshan National Park. From here, you can catch bus S9, which will take you all the way up to the starting point of the main trail to hike the Yangmingshan volcano.
Hiking in Yangmingshan is very scenic and not too hard; it takes around 120–180 minutes to reach the other side, where another public hot spring is located. From there, you can catch buses R5, S15, or S17, which will bring you back to the Taipei subway system.
Check our full article about
Hiking and Hot Springs in Yangmingshan National Park
We advise spending one night in Beitou, climbing Yangmingshan in the morning, and soaking in hot, sulfur-rich water in the evening.
3. Itinerary of Taiwan North Coast: Shimen, Jinshan, Yehliu Geopark
With the Yangmingshan mountains on one side and the sea on the other, this stretch of coast is pretty wild and interesting.
Things get especially gorgeous from Shimen towards the east. In Shimen, there’s a nice short hike among lava reefs, a beautiful wild beach, and the northernmost lighthouse in Taiwan.
Jinshan is another hot spring town, with no open-air public baths, though, so you’ll have to book a hot spring hotel or enter the small, rundown public bath, where rooms with just a bathtub are charged a small hourly fee.
If you have time, take a walk to the so-called “Mysterious Coast”, which is pretty mysterious indeed.
Yehliu Geopark is one of Taiwan’s most famous attractions and should be included in your backpacking itinerary. Dreamlike rock formations dot the coast. The area seems small, but you should plan at least one hour for the visit, two if you enjoy taking pictures.
We advise spending one night in the area, staying near Yehliu or in Jinshan.
4. Keelung City
Keelung is truly the food capital of Taiwan. We overlooked it at first, but then decided to stay two nights. The city is very cozy, with the harbor at its center and surrounded by mountains, but the real attraction is its night market, where you can try dishes hard to find elsewhere.
The night market in Keelung is especially bustling on weekends, with hordes of Taiwanese coming from Taipei. In the middle of the market, there’s an interesting Taoist temple, where we were lucky enough to see a traditional puppet performance.
We advise spending one night in Keelung, two or more if you are a real foodie.
5. Jiufen Riufang and cozy local trains
Jiufen (also spelled Jiufeng, Jioufen, Chiufen…) is a magical town of stairs, narrow alleys, and red lanterns — so magical that it inspired Hayao Miyazaki, whose famous movie Spirited Away is set in what we could call “a parallel-universe version” of Jiufen.
Jiufen is situated on a hill, about 30 km east of Keelung. From here, you can catch a charming mountain train along an old railway that will take you through a handful of cozy mountain villages, including Ruifang and Houtong Cat Village.
Nearby, you’ll also find the scenic Shifen Waterfall, certainly worth a visit.
We advise spending at least one night exploring Jiufen, two if you want to explore the surroundings using the old railway
6. Northwest area road trip
There isn’t a single highlight worth mentioning in this area — it’s a whole highlight in itself. Steep, spectacular cliffs drop into the sea, waves smash on the reefs, winding roads, fishermen’s harbors, and more.
To properly visit this area, you’ll need your own means of transport, whether a bicycle (recommended), a motorbike, or a car. We don’t know if buses run regularly here, but a bus ride wouldn’t do justice to this mesmerizing landscape.
We advise spending one day on the road in this area, sleeping in Toucheng Township or Yilan
7. Taroko Gorge and Hualien
Taroko Gorge should be included in any Taiwan itinerary, no matter what. When we first researched this famous point of interest online, we weren’t impressed by the pictures and almost decided to skip it — we couldn’t have been more wrong.
The truth is, it’s challenging to capture the magnificence of Taroko Gorge in a picture; the cliffs are so tall that they won’t fit even in the widest lens.
There are several hiking opportunities in Taroko, some short and a couple of very spectacular long trails that require a special permit in advance — be warned.
Exploring Taroko entirely by bus, stopping only at the so-called highlights, is possible but not a great idea. If you have your own means of transport, that would be best.
What we did was take the bus from Hualien to the last stop, then walk back down, following a few hiking paths and mostly the main road. The scenery was constantly astounding, and we’re glad we didn’t miss a single inch of it.
Hualien is an incredible city and a great stopover for backpackers in Taiwan. It has the cheapest accommodations in the whole country (yes, we’ll call it a country) and one of the best night markets.
Hualien has a large Aboriginal population, and you’ll have the chance to taste some of their traditional food at this market, along with opulent fusion cuisine.
The farther south you go along the east coast, the more Aboriginal people you’ll meet. It’s exciting to learn about the island’s original inhabitants.
We advise spending one day hiking in Taroko and returning to Hualien to sleep. If you want to do the longer hikes, add one more day.
8. Shitiping, Sanxiantai, and Xiaoyeliu
Shitiping is a small coastal area about halfway between Hualien and Taitung. It’s not essential to include in a backpacking itinerary, but it’s certainly an excellent stopover if you’re cycling in Taiwan.
There’s an official campsite and a few gazebos where you can pitch your tent, offering spectacular views if you prefer to be on your own.
There are also a few overpriced hotels; the best choice is the “secret” one just before the north entrance to the scenic area — ask at the shop; they have rooms upstairs.
The peculiarity of Shitiping, once again, is its weird rock formations. It’s really worth spending an hour taking pictures and admiring the alien landscape.
Sanxiantai is an islet connected to the mainland by a beautiful pedestrian bridge, a series of arches that resemble a dragon. The islet’s landscape is pretty cool, too. Nearby, a few kilometers north, is a small Aboriginal village famous for goat breeding — a fun place to spend a night.
Xiaoyeliu is another rock formation area, surrounded by a kind of botanical garden full of rare and beautiful plants. There’s also an official campground here.
You can visit Shitiping on your way south to Sanxiantai and Xiaoyeliu. All of these places make a pleasant and relaxing one-night stopover if you have time, especially if you’re traveling by bicycle.
9. Jiupeng desert and Nanren shore
Jiupeng Desert is a unique landscape in this part of Asia. It’s basically a big beach, about 2 km long, surrounded by very tall dunes. It feels like being teleported to another planet — a desert cut out of a lush green landscape.
It’s possible to join quad-bike or 4WD guided tours at relatively high prices; do so only if you don’t care about damaging a beautiful, unique place. Otherwise, take a walk and admire it respectfully. If the weather is good, it’s also a great place for a swim.
Nanren Shore is a short stretch of underdeveloped coastal road featuring spectacular beaches, perfect for surfing, special vegetation, and — once again — a campground. Remote and beautiful, keep in mind that you’ll have to backtrack.
Although Google shows a small road along the coast after Nanren Fishing Harbor, it doesn’t exist.
We advise spending one day exploring the area, or half a day if you’re short on time.
10. Manzhou Township and the Aboriginal villages area
The cute little town of Manzhou sits at the center of a hilly area where many Aboriginal villages are located. It’s a forested area really worth exploring, with plenty of excellent narrow roads where you can ride your bike or scooter while getting in touch with native Taiwanese culture.
We advise spending one day getting lost in this beautiful area.
11. Fengchuisha and Longpan Park
There are many reasons to make it all the way down to the southernmost province of Taiwan during your itinerary, but the biggest one is Longpan Park.
This section of coast feels truly alien, with soft grasslands abruptly interrupted by spectacular cliffs leading down to a shore where twisted trees and strange potholes create an unbelievable sight.
Fengchuisha is basically a viewpoint overlooking a large dune, with a wide beach below. Absolutely worth a stop and a few pictures. Avoid wasting time going to the southernmost tip — only an ugly concrete monument awaits you there.
You don’t need to sleep here; you’re just a stone’s throw from Kenting and Hengchun.
12. Kenting, Hengchun, and White Sand Bay
Kenting is Taiwan’s backpacking mecca. You’ll see plenty of foreigners here, so local businesses have adapted to the average backpacker market.
There’s accommodation everywhere, pancake restaurants, and more. If you like the backpacker vibe, this is definitely the place to stay. There are three very nice beaches near central Kenting, with clear water and some noisy watersport activities.
Hengchun is the main town nearby, and we personally liked it more than Kenting. It has a more local atmosphere, with a pleasant town center that is closed to vehicular traffic in the evenings.
Southwest of Hengchun lies a small peninsula — a rural area worth exploring by bike or scooter. On its western shores is the beautiful White Sand Bay, featured as a filming location in Ang Lee’s Life of Pi.
Check also
Everything you need to know about cycling in Taiwan
Hiking and hot springs in Yangmingshan National Park
How to rent a bicycle in Taiwan
Never been on a bike trip before?
Have a look at our beginner’s guide to bike touring
Is Taiwan cheap?
Taiwan is a relatively cheap country. It’s more expensive than most Southeast Asian countries (e.g., Thailand or Cambodia), but more affordable than Japan or South Korea. You can travel around Taiwan with a budget of 10 to 50 USD per Day. Food can be very cheap, a nice meal could cost you 3/4USD at the night market.
Is Taiwan safe?
Taiwan is a very safe country. Criminal rates are very low, and Taiwan ranks 6th among the safest countries in Asia. Beware of car traffic, though, cause it can get heavy.
Is Taiwan boring?
Not at all! Who told you that?! Taiwan is a very modern country with loads of things to do, bustling city nightlife, and many outdoor activities. The food is excellent and very diverse. It is hard to get bored in Taiwan.
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