Ilha Formosa

January 5, 2024 – Anshu – Donggang – 75 kms – Taipeng Bay Tourist Hotel

January 6, 2024 – Donggang – Liuchiu Island – 5kms – Coral Island 

January 7, 2024 – Liuchiu – 8kms – Coral Island. 

Taiwan was originally named  Ilha Formosa (Beautiful Island) by Portuguese sailors in 1582, and the name stuck for centuries. I can’t even begin to imagine how beautiful it would have been at that time. What has stuck us both is how varied the natural landscapes are. In the last few days we have cycled down the East coast with its rugged wild beauty, crossed  the southern mountains covered in wild jungle and returned to the coral island of Liuchiu.

A remarkable feature of this heavily populated island is how much wild natural terrain remains.

Tomorrow, however, we return to the better known and much more populated areas of the country.  We will be cycling to Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s second largest city, and its former centre of heavy industry.