Three-day cycling on Taiwan's mountain trails

Day two dawned with yet another clear blue sky and after breakfast and a coffee or two we made our way up to Wuling (武嶺 3275m) at the top of the Central Cross Island Link. From here we enjoyed a spectacular 110km ride through the high mountains that eventually took us to Cilan (棲蘭) on the lower reaches of the Lanyang (蘭陽) River. Quite possibly one of the best mountain road sections in Taiwan as you get a true sense of just how rugged and untamed Taiwan really is.

With silhouette after silhouette of high mountain peaks radiating away in the distance to the crisp high altitude fruit orchids of Lishan (梨山) to the wild rivers churning in the gullies deep below, this is Taiwan at its best!

What was perhaps the most delightful of all was the friendliness of the local people who would eagerly encourage us on with the familiar call of 'Jia-you' and would inquisitively enquire whenever we stopped. The children in particular were keen to make friends and learn all about the 'funny and strange' looking contraptions we were riding.

Day three and an assault on the mountains behind Jiaoxi provided an abundance of hard-packed dirt trails and plenty of sweat as the group made their way up to the peak at 800m. After a quick rest we pushed on down the other side and navigated our way across a series of slippery rocks before emerging onto a wonderful maze of forest trails that paralleled the gorge and invited squeals of excitement from the group.

The tight turning and fast downwards trail provided maximum entertainment before we emerged onto the mountain road that took us into the Wulai (烏來) Scenic Area and a series of natural outdoor hot springs. With a cold beer in hand and memories of a fantastic weekend fresh in our minds the group excitedly starting planning for the next trip.

Taiwan truly is an adventurer's paradise and with the right equipment and proper planning you can quickly discover the many secrets and endless fun that this island holds!

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