Hills & day rides
Green hills right from the city centre, and longer rides further out.
The city is encircled by lush green hills with amazing hiking and cycling routes. What makes them so nice is the accessibility: the hill roads and paths start right from the city centre. The intense green gives away that this area is quite wet, and if the sun is out on one side of a hill, it might be pouring on the other.
Fudekeng
A personal favourite is the hills of Fudekeng 福德坑, with endless graves and some temples. Maybe it's a bit eerie to go when it's getting dark, but during the day we loved hiking and cycling here, with beautiful peeks of the Xinyi area and Taipei 101.
Maokong
Go for an easy spin up Maokong 貓空 in the south-east of the city, and stop for a drink at one of the many teahouses along the way and at the top. Locals like doing this ride at night (夜騎 yèqí). An iconic temple to visit is Zhinan Temple 指南宮; however, don't go with your loved one, as a local myth says that whoever visits this temple with their partner will ultimately break up.
Elephant Hill
Just south of the Xinyi district you'll find the touristy but nice hiking trails on Elephant Hill 象山 Xiàngshān. Quite busy at weekends, but definitely worth doing while you're in Taipei. There are multiple variations for beginners and more seasoned hikers. With loads of sights along the paths, the views of Taipei 101 and its surrounding skyscrapers are breathtaking.
South flank of Yangmingshan
North of the city, on the south flank of Yangmingshan 陽明山, there's an amazing number of winding roads that make for great loops with views of the city. Famous local loops, for both cycling and hiking, include the climbs to Lengshuikeng 冷水坑, Fengguizui 風櫃嘴, Wuzhishan 五指山 and Xiaoyoukeng 小油坑. For a 70–80 km ride of just climbing and descending, start with Balaka 巴拉卡, head on to Lengshuikeng and descend back into the city via Wuzhishan.
Further out: day tours
If you have more days in Taipei, it's worth visiting some of its surroundings. If you cycle there, the destinations further out are even worth staying overnight, so you can circle back to Taipei the next day by another route. Some places are typical daytime destinations for the crowds, and remain (awkwardly) quiet at night.
Jiufen & Buyan Pavilion
A great day trip of about 100 km leads you east through the lush hills via Pingxi and Shifen, on to the famous climb to Buyan Pavilion 不厭亭. After this, descend a few kilometres to the frenetic mountain town of Jiufen 九份, where small pedestrian-only paths lead to hundreds of restaurants, tea houses and tourist shops. Descend further to the Miaokou night market 廟口夜市 in central Keelung 基隆, and cycle back to Taipei via the riverside path.
Shifen & Pingxi
Go for a nice 111 km loop through the lush hills east of Taipei, passing the Pingxi 平溪 and Shifen 十分 old streets. In Shifen, trains ride right through the town's little centre every hour or so, forcing the market that happens on and around the track to move aside for the train to pass.
Tamsui
Fancy a zero-altitude ride by now? Cycle along the riverside paths to Tamsui 淡水 in the north-west, just under 20 km out. Tamsui has a boulevard with lots of local snacks. The Guandu Temple 關渡宮 halfway is a nice stop. In 2026, a humongous bridge has opened to connect Tamsui to the west bank of the river; a bike ride across it will surely give you spectacular views.
Wulai & Fushan
A famous up-and-down ride south of Taipei goes to Wulai 烏來, and optionally further on to Fushan 福山. Wulai is famous for its waterfalls, which you can see from the village centre. Get lunch here or in Fushan before you take the (exact same) road back.
Buddha's Hand
Seeing this route's shape makes you understand its name: a staggering 2,990 m up in a 134 km loop from Taipei makes this one of the harder and more iconic rides for well-trained riders: Buddha's Hand 如來神掌. The route takes you on six climbs up literally every side of Yangmingshan. The first and last are the hardest, from 0 to 800 m altitude in one go; the middle ones are 300–400 m up each.
