Tainan to Hualien on a scooter.....How is my plan?

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1

Hey all,

I am planning on driving from Tainan to Hualien on scooter next weekend. I have a 125 cc Kymco scooter in pretty good condition that I will get completely checked out before I leave for the trip. The scooter is around 12 years old… This is my plan

Day 1: Tainan to Puli

Leave sometime early in the morning for Puli.

I will start on highway 1 and go north. I will eventually switch to highway 3, followed by highway 16, and finally highway 21 to take me into Puli. Google maps estimates this part of the trip at around 4 hours. I will be going at a leisurely pace and plan to drive very safely. I hope that I will arrive in Puli sometime in the afternoon. I will spend the night in Puli

Day 2: Puli to Hualien

Star out on highway 15 and ride until it hits highway 8. highway 8 will eventually turn into highway 9, which should take me into Hualien. This part of the trip is estimated at 5+ hours. I will try to start quite early in the morning so I can arrive in Hualien before it gets dark.

So, how do you all think my plan sounds? Is there anything that I am not thinking of/missing out on? Are the roads I am planning on taking particularly dangerous in any way? Are the times estimates from google relatively accurate? Also, I believe my scooter will be fine on this trip, but is it possible that my scooter is too old for such an ambitious ride?

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

2

Highway 1 as far as I know is the Freeway. Scooters aren’t allowed on Highway 1 and Highway 3.

There is is typhoon on its way. Road conditions could drastically change this coming week. You can get weather updates here: [button]weather,http://cwb.gov.tw/V7e/prevent/fifows/index.htm?[/button]

3

Sorry, I believe I meant to say provincial highway 1 (and 3). As far as I know, scooters are still allowed on these roads. Thanks for the heads up about the Typhoon…I really had no idea another one was coming. I will keep an eye on the weather this week!

4

Sun Moon Lake isn’t far from Puli but nicer to stay I guess. The only way over the mountains from Puli is the No. 14 and 14 jia till it meets the 8 again after the pass as the 8 behind Heping is destroyed and won’t get repaired anymore.