Bicycle touring needn’t be “adults only”. This tour in Taiwan can let the entire family get in on the act. Over five days and four nights, you’ll cover 90 km (about 56 mi), with a wide diversity of things to see and do: mountain roads and beaches; hot springs and an aquarium.

For a bigger adventure, there’s the Bicycle Adventures tour of the island. Over eleven days, ride alongside the eastern coast; and test your mettle pedaling through Taroko Gorge. (Or get a boost from an e-bike if necessary!) See rice paddies and aboriginal villages; visit temples and meet some of the local folk. Along the way, enjoy the local cuisine. This tour is well-supported; all you have to do is ride.

When planning a bicycle tour, don’t forget to check its difficulty. You don’t want your longed-for trip to turn into The Bicycle Ride from H*** if it turns out to be too hard for you.

Naturally, choose the right bike. If  I were going on such a tour, and didn’t have the luxury of a support vehicle, I’d probably want a touring bike, complete with rack, panniers, etc. If there were such a SAG wagon to back up the group, I could use my road bike.

Taiwan might not be on everybody’s radar; but that could be a good reason to do a cycling tour there. You know, go now and beat the crowd.