Budget
I had no pre-determined budget, as my priority was getting through the trip rather than looking for cheap options. There were extra costs as I had mechanical issues which necessitated buying supplies at a bike store. Plus I bungled up the airfare at the end when I was too tired to care and paid for an earlier flight, as well as overweight baggage so I could dump my wet, sandy bags and clothes into my bike box.
I did note some prices that will help you to plan your own budget. Prices with asterisks (*) are estimates as I forgot to record every single purchase. The rest are actual prices in New Taiwan Dollars (NTD). Details and photos on accommodation are on the Accommodation page.
Day 1 = NTD 2,080
Local mobile prepaid card = NTD 500 (see Logistics page for details)
Lunch at airport = NTD 130*
Dinner (duck rice) = NTD 70
Wind Coast Hotel, Hsinchu = NTD 1380
Duck rice dinner on an obscure street in Hsinchiu
Day 2 = NTD 2,440
Lunch (Bean paste bun and tea below) = NTD 80
Snacks (2 bananas, 2 bottles water, 1 Nigri) = NTD 150*
Dinner (dumplings and rice) = NTD 130*
Spring Wind Hotel, Changhua = NTD 2080
Bean paste bun and milk tea in Taichung. The owner was friendly and pulled out a Taiwan map to help me navigate my route.
Hand made dumplings, recommended by a local lady. They taste yummier than they look!
Day 3 = NTD 5,920
Breakfast (coffee and pineapple tart) = NTD 70
Lunch (beef noodles) = NTD 125
Bike supplies (new tyre, tubes, canisters, pump)= NTD 4,565
Asia Emperor Hotel, Tainan = NTD 1,160
My first coffee, only on Day 3 when I was able to relax a little. Taiwanese pineapple tarts are my favourite type – soft, flaky and melt in your mouth.
Chanced upon a restaurant selling Taiwanese beef noodles – my only “must eat” of the trip. Day 3 was my lucky day in terms of food!
Day 4 = NTD 2,580
Lunch (typical 7-11) = NTD 130*
Dinner = NTD 250
Uni Hotel, Eluanbi = NTD 2,200
My celebration beer with fried rice, for reaching the southernmost point of Taiwan
Day 5 = NTD 1,425
Lunch (7-11) = NTD 150*
Dinner (chicken rice) = NTD 75
Two Flowers B&B, Taidong = NTD 1,200
Bananas were my staple energy food on this trip. Available at all 7-11 stores at NTD 23 each
Nigri is a Japanese rice snack also available at 7-11. NTD 38 each
Tea eggs were my favourite sustenance, at all 7-11 stores for only NTD 8 each
Day 6 = NTD 2, 658
Lunch (7-11) = NTD 148
Train tickets = NTD 215
Dinner (beef noodles) = NTD 95
Yoai Hotel, Yilan = NTD 2,200
My typical lunch at 7-11. Coffee costs NTD 45-55, and water NTD 28-45
I took the train from Hualien to Yilan to bypass the dangerous Suhua highway on which bicycles are not allowed. Just tell the counter you have a bike and they give you a ticket for the bike too!
Day 7 = NTD 4, 125
Lunch (7-11) = NTD 150*
Bike box deposit (NTD 300 per day) = NTD 2,100
Taxi (airport to hotel) = NTD 195
Motel near airport = NTD 1,680
Pen from the “chi che lu dian” or car motel near the airport. That’s the motel name.
Car motels provide a simple packed breakfast of sandwiches or in this case fried egg and flour cakes. Includes a drink.
Day 8 = NTD 1,880
Lunch (fried noodles) = NTD 70
Room extension (NTD 200 per hour) = NTD 1,200
Taxi to airport = NTD 220
Dinner (at airport) = NTD 390
Fried beef noodles for lunch near the motel near the airport. Tea was complimentary
Beef noodles at the airport just before departure. My last meal in Taiwan.
Total cost (Days 1 – 8) = NTD 23,108
Airfare (Singapore Dollars) = SGD 722
Jetstar return = SGD 562
Flight change = SGD 51
Overweight baggage = SGD 109
Total trip cost = SGD 1,772
Days 1 to 8 in Taiwan = NTD 23,108 = SGD 1,050
Total airfare = SGD 722