CYCLE YANGMINGSHAN / INCREDIBLE ROADS NEAR TAIPEI

WHY YANGMINGSHAN?

It’s understandable that most people coming from abroad to Taiwan for the first (and possibly only) time head straight for Hualien to either take part in the world-renowned Taiwan KOM Challenge, or in any case to ride up the route on another day.

It’s very forgivable. The KOM route, snaking its way up through the breathtaking Taroko Gorge and higher to the upper slopes that are almost Alpine in nature, is one of the most beautiful and challenging roads that you can ride in the whole world, never mind just in Asia.

Featured now in two GCN films and graced by the like of Marianne Vos, Vincenzo Nibali, Cadel Evans and Nicole Cooke, its iconic status is not only assured but also well-earned.

Yet if the KOM is the jewel in the crown of cycling here in Taiwan, then the area in which Yangmingshan National Park sits, just north of Taipei City, is the diamond-studded tiara that many a two-wheeled visitor to Taiwan misses out on visiting. Of the nine national parks areas in Taiwan, Yangmingshan National Park has a lower elevation of 1120 meters, yet is full of beautiful landscapes such as ridges, valleys, lakes and waterfalls.

Such is the uniqueness of this area that Yangmingshan was the first ever national park in the world to be selected as an Urban Quiet Park, as featured in Conde Nast Traveler.

The view of the sunset from the top of Yangmingshan.

On the bike is without doubt the best way to take in all this.

For the cyclist, there are some great mid-length climbs (which would be big ones in most of Europe, Australia and the USA), a great coastal road that connects the eastern area to the west, and a plethora of smaller climbs that can reach up to 20% that are scattered all about, between ridge line and coast.

Despite being so close to Taipei many of the roads are quite even on weekends – and when we say close to Taipei, the area truly is super accessible from just about anywhere in the city. Cycle on the road from Taipei Main Station and it’s 19km to the the famous Feng Gui Zui Climb, or take the cycle path, with zero traffic, and it’s a 15km ride.

This is the truly great thing about Yangmingshan, the ease of access. If there is another capital city in the world where you can access a national park so easily and speedily from a central station, we don’t know of it. If you’re in the city for a very short time, you can still get a great ride in and feel miles from any major urban center.

The best way to see it? Well, join our short YMS tours, of course – we have 1,2 & 3 day tours available - and if you are with non-cycling companions, we can take care of them too, with hiking and time at the beach on offer.

ROUTE OPTIONS

Local weekend rides will often head up Feng Gui Zui (FGZ) and then down to the coastal road to get a mix of climbing and flat riding in, with the rides starting at the 7-11 just across from the National Palace Museum (see map above).

FGZ is 6.21km at 6.5%, but it pitches quite often making it a testing climb. From the top it is possible to head down back to the city for a short ride, to Neihu, or to head down to Jinshan, on the eastern coast of Yangmingshan. The ride up the back of FGZ from Jinshan is our favourite long climb in the area, it’s beautiful and quiet all week.

Here is the full route:

There are a couple of ‘detours’ here on the western side, taking you off the main road and in the first instance along a beautiful wooden boardwalk near Sanzhi, and then later just before Tamsui (great place to grab a coffee along the boardwalk BTW!), which takes you along a lovely beach. To save time, you can simply skip these and stick on the main road, Route 2.

Linshan Beach near Sanzhi

Baishawan Beach, separated from Linshan by a rocky outcrop

SATELLITES / INLAND / BALAKA ROUTE

Satellites is accessed from the same starting point (the 7-11) as the FGZ climb – simply turn left a little earlier, and get ready to suffer. At 14km this is a longer climb, and quite different given that it has small towns and villages dotted along it, as well as the huge satellite dishes that give it its name.

The climb is again around 6% but there is a steep hard section at the start, and then a double whammy at the top, where it rears up to over 14%, which is preceded by a 3.5km section at 9.5% average.

From the top, you can descend to the left and then take a right and go down Balaka to Tamsui, or go left and straight to come out around Beitou, very close to the city. If you have more time, turn right to the east at the summit and you’ll head down towards Jinshan, where you can if you like follow the coastal road once again.

If you want more climbing though, try this route below. It takes you up into the hills, down to Laomei at the north of the island, then back up some great winding roads to Balaka, from where you will summit Yangmingshan once again. From there, you can ride back down Satellites if you wish or turn right to come out at Beitou. See Strava link here.

From just these two routes you can have a great few days of cycling, simply by doing them clockwise and then counter-clockwise, but also, as you can see, there are several ways to join up the myriad roads in the area and create your own route.

And you can just go out with the aim of getting lost too! In YMS you always know where the ocean is, and you are never far from a convenience store…

If you’d like more information on cycling up in Yangmingshan or to join a tour, please feel free to contact us.

Bon chance!