The Formosa 900 follows Taiwan’s coastal highways in a counterclockwise 900-kilometer loop. From the bustling sprawl of Taipei, the route advances along the breathtaking east coast cliffs before returning to the capital. Taiwan’s geography ensures the journey is anything but monotonous. The western coast offers flat, industrial landscapes perfect for building confidence before the mountainous east coast separates the cyclists from the masochists.
The island’s weather adds another dimension of challenge. Taiwan’s subtropical climate means cyclists might experience all four seasons in a single day, as I recently endured: thunderstorms, fog, tropical heat and mountain chill.
Cultural phenomenon
This cycling craze evolved from cinematic inspiration to cultural phenomenon. The 2006 film Etude popularised the island-rounding journey - known locally as “Huan dao” - into a mainstream quest. Today, the Formosa 900 represents this cultural pilgrimage, which Taiwanese of all stripes - from army captains to grandmothers - aim to complete. The proliferation of e-bikes has democratised this mission. During my pedals, we encountered other cyclists, but also people circling the island on moped and on foot. Many wear signs that publicise their pilgrimage.
Cyclists have different motives for completing this challenge. Some do it for the athleticism. For others, the inspiration is more personal. My motive in completing the Formosa 900 was to rediscover Taiwan, which provided my initial introduction to Asia many decades ago.
One of my fellow cyclists travelled from southern California to pedal around Taiwan’s perimeter. Anson Hui, an American-born Chinese whose extended family emigrated from Taiwan, explained to me that his generation would be his family’s last to feel a direct connection to Taiwan. “What might look like an old doorway next to a parking lot to most was the place where my grandparents’ house once stood,” he told me. “All the memories of that place will eventually disappear.”
Contrasts
The first half of the Formosa 900 traverses the near continuous urban sprawl of Taiwan Inc. In Taichung we visited the headquarters of Giant Group, the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer and the adjacent Cycling Culture Museum. We also passed monster gigafab facilities operated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest chip foundry. The massive scale of these giga factories became apparent as we pedaled past them for blocks and blocks.
Once you “turn the corner” in the island’s south, views of the pacific - in different turquoise hues - come into focus. Eventually the sea gives way to verdant mountains and rice fields in the Rift Valley. The East and West coasts couldn’t be more different, but they share one commonality: the shores of both coasts are extensively fortified, a visible reminder of the Taiwan’s pervasive security concerns.
What makes this circumnavigation truly special is Taiwan’s legendary hospitality. Locals often cheer cyclists on their pilgrimage, with occasionally bewildered stares that clearly communicate: “You know there are cars, right?” Small-town Taiwan reveals itself in ways impossible to enjoy from a motor vehicle.
The Formosa 900 may not be the world’s most famous cycling challenge, but it offers something unique: a 360-degree perspective of an island nation. From industrial powerhouse to natural paradise, modern metropolis to traditional village, flat coastal plains to mountain passes - it’s all Taiwan.
When asked how it felt to complete the Formosa 900, Anson Hui quickly confessed, “a little sore!” But he returned home to California with a strong sense of accomplishment and much gratitude.
How I travelled
I joined Giant Adventure’s Tour de Taiwan, which completes the Formosa 900 in nine continuous cycling days. Giant has run this trip for 16 years, and averages 10,000 riders a year. There are multiple departures every month, with a maximum group size of 40 people. Although this is a large size for any cycling tour, the support staff make it work. On my tour the staff were hardworking and capable. The bigger group size also gives Giant scale economies. The tour represents good value considering the quality of accommodation, meals and support.
As a connoisseur of cycle tours, there are some adorable quirks in Giant’s methods. My favourite is the daily group warm up and cool down rituals, as the leader counted to ten in Mandarin for each of many stretches. On rainy days Giant passed out shower caps to put over helmets, a novel - and to my surprise, effective - strategy.
Nearly half of my group of 40 rode e-bikes. While e-bikes make the Formosa 900 accessible, it also means a range of cycling experience levels. That can be dangerous. There were many accidents on my tour, with at least one a day on average. On Day 6 - perhaps the most challenging day - there were three known accidents, one involving the police. I am aware of two cyclists who went to the hospital after mishaps and I had a close call with another cyclist which put me on high defensive alert for the rest of the tour.
Adventurer Todd Miller has explored more than 115 countries. He authored the best-seller ENRICH: Create Wealth in Time, Money, and Meaning. www.ToddMiller.asia