Abu Mahendra

Having toured in South Korea and Taiwan within the last few months, I am in a good position to provide a comparison of the two places as CC-touring destinations.

Getting There
Coming from the Americas, Europe or Ocenia, both South Korea and Taiwan are going to be long, not inexpensive hauls. From Southeast Asia, Taiwan is closer, and flights are less expensive than to Korea.

Folding Bikes in Public Transport
In Taiwan, I only put the bike on trains, once on a local train where one can simply roll the bike aboard, and another time on an express train where the bike had to be folded and in a bag. In Korea, I took the bike folded and in a bag in the express train from Incheon airport, on the bullet train from Busan to Taipei, and on the shuttle bus from downtown Seoul to the airport. No problems.

Costs
Hotel prices are comparable in Taiwan and Korea. In both places one will pay more in Taipei and in Seoul. Korea has Love Motels everywhere which can be quite plush, and a great value in travelling as a couple. I never paid more than $55/nite outside of Seoul. Taiwan hotel prices are similar, but it has the advantage that it is well served by Agoda so searching hotels is easier. Hotels in Taiwan will provide breakfast, while most hotels where I stayed in Korea did not. For this reason, hotels in Taiwan are marginally less expensive
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Food costs is where the two countries differ. Food in Korea is more expensive than in Taiwan. In the former, you will be hard pressed to get a bowl of noodles or rice, both in and out of Seoul, for less than $5-7. Meat is particularly expensive in Korea. Another striking difference is the prevalence and quality of 7/11 convenience stores. In Taiwan they are everywhere, they are well-stocked with food, and have nice tables to sit at. By comparison, Korean convenience stores lag.

Public Security and Safety
Both Taiwan and South Korea are very safe. At no time did I feel even remotely unsafe or vulnerable. Public criminality is generally very low. When on roads, there are either shoulders or dedicated bike lanes in both countries, and vehicular traffic is quite respectful of cyclists. People leave you alone, and there are no hassles or hustles of any kind in both places. Leaving bikes unattended outside is generally safe, and bikes are often just locked so the wheel cannot turn, rather than affixed to a stationary object. No tips or gratuities of any kind are requested or expected anywhere. People are generally friendly, though reserved, and helpul in both places.

Riding and Roads
I came away very impressed with the amount and quality of public infrastructure in both places. It is obvious that Taiwan and Korea have invested significantly in transportation, rail and roads. In the case of Korea, the investment in water-works is evident everywhere. Taiwan has some impressive long-span bridges and elevated roadways. Korea blasted through mountains to provide tunnels for its bike paths, and Taiwan has built pedestrian and bike only bridges. Road surfaces in both places is good.

In Korea the bike trails are brilliant. Imagine, you can cross the entire country, essentially on one continuous bike path. Trails around Seoul and Taipei are quite substantial. Once out of the capital cities, the bike paths in Korea don't have a lot of climbs, but the one that there are tend to be 10-13% gradient. Short and steep. Climbs in Taiwan are more gradual and a lot longer and more prevalent. In Taiwan you'll do more total elevation while in Korea you'll do more total distance.

One interesting aspect of the Korean bike path is that once you get down to Busan, you can hop on a ferry to Japan, and continue there.

In summary, both places are well set up, and rewarding for CC-touring. Taiwan and Korea have long, fascinating histories, culture and cuisine too. Highly recommended.