Best of Taiwan (11 days)

Taipei – Taroko National Park – Sun Moon Lake – Tainan – Taipei

Famed for centuries as Ihla Formosa (beautiful island), Taiwan is a land blessed with sandy beaches, marble-walled gorges, tropical forests, and alpine mountain ranges. Taiwan is known for its rich and diverse culture, spectacular natural beauty, and fantastic food. This fully guided luxury tour of Taiwan brings you the best the island has to offer in those aspects and much more.

Important Features

• Expert guides
• Luxury accommodations
• Gourmet food featuring both local and Western cuisines
• All applicable taxes and surcharges
• No forced shopping stops

Meal Code: B = breakfast / L = lunch / D = dinner

Day 1: Departing for Taipei
Fly to Taipei from a city of your choice. International air is not included. You’ll lose a day upon crossing the International Date Line. Contact us for a competitive airfare quote if needed. 

Day 2: Arrival in Taipei
Upon arrival transfer to the hotel on your own by airport limousine shuttle bus or a combination of airport express train and taxi. More info on transfer is included in finalized itinerary.

Day 3: Taipei (B/L/D)
Taipei is the capital of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan. ROC should not be confused with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party. With a population around 2.7 million, Taipei is also the economic, educational and cultural center of Taiwan and one of the major hubs of air transportation in East Asia.

Our walking tour this morning begins at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, which is followed by the Presidential Palace, National 228 Memorial Park, and Taipei Botanical Garden. Be prepared to walk for 3-4 kilometres this morning.

We spend the afternoon exploring the National Palace Museum which houses a huge collection of national treasures removed from the Forbidden City in Beijing when the national government under the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT) fled to Taiwan in 1949.

The visit to the 508-metre-tall Taipei 101, a new symbol of the city, takes place after dinner.

Day 4: Taipei (B)
We begin the day with a tour of Dalongdong Bao’an Temple, an old house of worship that embraces Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism all at the same time. We then proceed to National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.

We retreat to the hotel to rest up for a couple of hours before heading out to a popular night market where the main draw is the mouth-watering street food. The market is crowded but very safe. Everyone should be able to find something to their liking due to the abundance of choices available.

Day 5: Taipei – Taroko National Park (B/L/D)
This morning we drive 160km (3 hours) to Taroko National Park located on the northeast coast of Taiwan. Taroko is famous not only for its deep marble gorges but also for the aboriginal tribal culture.

After a delicious lunch at a popular restaurant staffed by local Austronesian aboriginals, we spend the whole afternoon exploring the spectacular national park on foot.

Overnight at a resort in the park.

Day 6: Taroko National Park (B/L/D)
Our exploration of Taroko National Park this morning features a 2-hour hike over mountainous terrain.

Free afternoon to relax or explore on your own.

Day 7: Taroko – Sun Moon Lake (B/L)
The morning drive to Sun Moon Lake on mountainous Central Cross-Island Highway takes about 4 hours even though the distance is only 145 kilometres.

Surrounded by forested peaks and crisscrossed by foot trails, the 7.93-square-kilometre Sun Moon Lake is a popular resort destination all year round due to mild climate (elevation 748 metres). The area around the lake is home to the Thao tribe, one of the aboriginal tribes of Taiwan. East of the lake, the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village is a theme park with a section devoted to re-created indigenous villages. Displays here include centuries-old carved lintel pieces, handicrafts and weapons.

Afternoon schedule includes a cruise on Sun Moon Lake and visit to the township nearby called Yuchi (Fish Pond).

Day 8: Sun Moon Lake (B)
We begin today with a visit to the aboriginal cultural village. This is followed by a hike on a scenic route around the lake.

We spend the rest of the day exploring on our own.

Day 9: Sun Moon Lake – Tainan (B/L)
After breakfast we drive two and half hours (170km) to Tainan, a historical city that once served as Taiwan’s capital between 1683 and 1887. Sightseeing in Tainan takes in An Ping Old Street, Fort Zeelandia and Grand Matsu temple.

Fort Zeelandia was a fortress built by the Dutch East India Company between 1624 and 1634 in the town of Anping, present-day Anping District in the City of Tainan. The fort is gone and part of the wall surrounding the fort is still standing. The small museum onsite is fairly informative giving the visitor a clear idea of what happened during Dutch colonization days. The terrace inside the compound was rebuilt by the Japanese during their occupation of Taiwan between 1895 and 1945.

Day 10: Tainan – Taipei (B/L/D)
This morning we visit Chih Kan Tower and Confucius Temple. The architectural style of Chih Kan Tower looks unmistakenly Chinese but it was built on the site of the original Dutch outpost known as Fort Provintia or Providentia; part of the foundation of Fort Provintia remains and is protected by the government.

Later today we ride the high-speed train back to Taipei.

Day 11: Returning Home (B)
Your Taiwan tour comes to an end this morning. Transfer to the airport by airport express train or limousine shuttle bus. Further details on airport transfer can be found in the final update sent to you two weeks prior to commencement of your trip.

Dates and Prices

• Land Only price does not include international airfare.
• The price is subject to a minimum of two adult participants.

Tourist Visa
Westerners do not need  visa to visit Taiwan if the stay is less than 90 days.

Best Time to Visit Taiwan
Winter (December-February) is ideal for those who like it cool and enjoy bathing in hot springs. Taiwan’s climate is mostly subtropical and the southern tip of the island including Kenting National Park is tropical.

March to early May is high season for tourism but it can get very hot in late May.

In the summer (June-August) anywhere you go except in the mountains you’ll experience intense heat and humidity. This is the season you should avoid if you can.

Autumn (late September – November) is pleasant when sky turns blue and the weather becomes dry and cool.

Typhoon Season
Technically typhoon can hit Taiwan any time between June and September. However, it is in August and early September when the intensity of typhoon reaches its peak. Consider staying away from Taiwan in August and the first half of September.

Public Holidays to Avoid
The single biggest public holiday is the Chinese spring festival. Also called Chinese New Year holiday, this is a traditional festival based on Chinese lunar calendar. Consequently, the date changes every year. Generally, it can fall on any day between mid-January and late February. This is the time of year when everybody is going home for family reunion. For most people, the holiday lasts for days. For some, it may mean weeks off work. If you are in Taiwan during this time, you’ll notice that most businesses stay closed for days; highways, airports and train stations also experience significant overcrowding.