Day 5 - Artsy Urban Kaohsiung. A one-way ticket will cost NT$440 per person. Alternatively, you can organise a Tripool taxi to take you - its like Uber for long distances and pretty good value. Looking to book your next trip? It looks like a beautiful place. But for local restaurants and night markets, you wont be able to make purchases without cash. Credit cards are widely accepted at most accommodations and even 7Elevens. Hopefully, you now have a pretty good idea of what to pack and how to travel in Taiwan. The Lushui Trail is 14km from the Shakadang Trail and should take about 20 minutes on a motorbike. The Sun Moon Lake Cable Car ascends rapidly and givers riders unparalleled lake views. The drive is quite winding but also very scenic. Fingers crossed it will be one of the most memorable parts of your trip. Let us know how it goes in the comments below! Do:Enjoy traveling by train in Taiwan with awesome scenic views along the way. Taiwan is a great place to hire a car and explore, with very good roads. We loved the balcony with sea view and proximity to the beach. 7 Days in Taipei - Perfect 1 Week Guide. The most convenient way to get to Ningxia Night Market is to get the MTR to Zhonghsan or Shuanglian Station and walk for about 10 minutes. Taiwan takes pride in its modern and affordable public transportation system. Located in Xincheng at the edge of the National Park, Stick-on marries up location and comfort. Book far in advance to guarantee a room, especially if visiting on a weekend or holiday. Alternatively you can book an airport transfer before you fly. Alternatively, many visitors stay in bigger Hualien City, which offers more activities such as night markets, but is a little further from Taroko Gorge. Read next: Sun Moon Lake - Things to do and what to miss. The town is rather quiet, but they have a lovely butterfly farm with free entrance. Nowadays its even possible to check in your luggage there so that you can travel to the airport with free hands. Alternatively you can get a shuttle bus directly from Ximen MRT station to Jiufen. Its usually rather warm outside, but can be quite cool inside restaurants, buses, and trains due to air-conditioning; they simply use it too much. If you are planning to do some hiking trips or travel around Taiwan, I honestly recommend you get a local SIM card. Another great thing to do iskayaking at Fulong beachyou can get all the equipment and guidance you need from the local guide. This is an extremely steep walk for the most part but if you are lucky will give you a clear view to the Jade Mountain, Yushan Peak. Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO. It is also great to have hand sanitizer and wet wipes with you. I can only imagine what this place would look like in the fall with all the autumnal colours and after heavy rainfall. According to my father, Taroko was the best part of our Taiwan itinerary. There traffic is intense, its noisy, and there are people everywhere. from the town centre, but you can also take a taxi (beware they were ludicrously over priced, trying to charge a staggering TWD $200 for the five minute journey). During cherry blossom season (late March to early April), it can be almost impossible to get a room. Also, remember that your passport should be valid for another 6 months. Taiwan Itinerary 4 Days Overview. This is hands-down the best view of Taipei, the place where postcards are shot. By far the best choice in town is Alishan House, but at nearly $200 USD for a place that isnt a five star hotel was hard for us to stomach on a backpackers budget! Look at the weather before you go, but always check Tianxiang as theres plenty to do around there. I would recommend sticking to the cycling paths, especially along the river. The rooms are nicely furnished, quiet and not quite as small as the box rooms we got elsewhere in the city! Riding one of these is a must-do experience in itself! Whether you want the bustle of the city, the peace of the mountains or culture shock, Taiwan will have something for you. Although Taiwan is not exactly a beach destination, you can surely find some decent options. Many dont, even in the mid-range price bracket. Unless you book in advance, you will have to pay the full rate. If you want to have the full experience at the Jiufen Teahouse, then we recommend booking in advance with Klook. After the Teapot Mountain trail, head back into Jiufen. Otherwise, its time to head over to the National Palace Museum, and brave the crowds for the chance to visit one of the best places in the world to see Chinese history. Do:Taroko has a lot of worthwhile stops. It really is worth going early and getting this place to yourself. Enjoy a tasty breakfast in Taipei and then head to Taipei Main Station to catch one of the trains taking you south along the East Coast to Hualien County, enjoying scenery along the way that is definitely a highlight of any Taiwan itinerary. Thank you for subscribing! It should take about 20 minutes on a motorbike. If you go a Friday or Saturday evening (when the museum is open until 9pm), you will experience the bliss of walking around this museum with very few others. There are many day trips you can choose from. This helps towards the costs of running our website. However, if you like to stay comfortable on your long haul flight and have a piece of home when sleeping in hostels and hotels, you can bring atravel pillowto sleep more comfortably. The best place to start is the awesome Swallow Grotto, a place where the gorge is at its deepest. Whilst Orange Hotels outside Taipei are much much better, the one in Kaifong is a decent choice. Taiwan is a relatively affordable destination as East Asia is concernedmost travelers can get by with between 3,000-6,000 TWD per day, which is about 100-200 USD per day. The Shakadang Trail is a five minute ride from the entrance to the National Park. Simply click here to buy your ticket and beat the queues. Citizens of most EU countries and North America dont need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Jiufen is a mountaintop former gold mining boomtown transformed into popular market street. Beitou is Taipeis only hot spring, and the only one that is metro-accessible in all of Taiwan. 2023 - Walk My World. From there, its even possible to walk the rest of the way back down (but if its your first time in Taipei, the cable car is the easiest option). The reason everyone is willing to get up so early is for a chance to witness the spectacular phenomenon the sun rising above a sea of clouds in the valley below. Required fields are marked *. If you visit the park with a private driver, you can ask them to leave you at Wenshen Hot Springs for an hour or two. There is parking for motorbikes and cars at the northern end of the tunnel and then walk on a footpath to the start of the track. This way, you will always be able to connect no matter where you go. Just like Taipei offers a staggering number of worthwhile sights and activities, there is also an endless number of day trip possibilities. The tour from Klook leaves from Taipei and visits Taroko Gorge as well as the neighbouring Hualien City. It was truly stunning and one the most picturesque places in Taiwan.Afterwards you can either take the train back or walk the 45 minutes to Alishan. Do:Get yourMaokong gondola tickets onlinehere. Regular buses from various points in Taichung take 90 minutes to reach Sun Moon Lake. It isnt too long and although it is uphill, it isnt too hard either. If you have it in some other language, as I had mine in Czech, you can get around by showing a reservation instead of the actual flight ticket. It can make getting around a lot easier, especially if you plan on going to places like Alishan. At the top, it connects to a second cable car that descends the other side of the mountain to Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, an amusement park meets aboriginal culture center. Day 6: Alishan. You can read more about this topic inthis article by BBC News. With its 3-kilometer golden sand beach, Fulong is the most popular place to go swimming on the Northeast Coast. 12K Likes, 134 Comments - BLACKPINK INDONESIA (@blackpinkblinkindo) on Instagram: "BLACKPINK BORN PINK WORLD TOUR in Kaohsiung, Taiwan - SOUNDCHECK DAY 1 " Day 3: Day trip from Taipei ( this one covers the top spots in one day!) You can purchase an EasyCard at any metro station or convenience store. Unless you are going to travel the island from north to south and back, there wont be too many long bus or train rides. Try to time your visit with sunset, as they tend to be gorgeous here. Day 7 Back to Taipei or directly to Taoyuan International Airport. This site offers discounts and is what we regularly used in Taiwan. Enjoy a day without too much transportation unless you count cycling or kayaking. Is there time to avoid visiting Taiwan? 5. Huge wind turbines add to the atmosphere. Touring from its natural centers to its museums, and night markets to shopping avenues can all be enjoyed in these many days. Days 1 and 2 are spent exploring the mesmerizing capital, Taipei City, while day 3 involves a multi-stop day trip from the city. After arriving at Jiufen, head towards the Gold Museum (you can catch a bus or a taxi from the centre of Jiufen). Sadly the path that leads all the way down to the beach is in disrepair. Its a good idea to bring along-sleeved layer. The bed however is the worst weve slept on since a wooden plank on a boat in Bangladesh. This isnt just a little bit of bamboo here and there, these are patches where the only plants around you are thousands of shoots of bamboo that are nearly 10 metres tall. Like Japan, Taiwan has a network of bullet trains that cover the major cities on the island. There are some rare cases (like large festivals or busy MRT exits) when pickpocketing may occur. Perched on the side of a mountain, the Eternal Spring Shrine was built across a waterfall! Needless to say, 1 week in Taiwan is not a lot. Here is what we recommend: Need more help planning your trip? However, at Fulong, you will be able to enjoy some beach time without having to waste too much traveling. The MRT (metro) system is reliable, affordable, and it connects various parts of the city. It costs just US$9.30, and you can pick it up at the airport upon arrival. Jiufen Old Street is famous for its food with hundreds of choices from street food to sit down meals. Its one of our favourite things to see in Taipei. Wed only seen this kind of landscape in photos of Kyoto and it doesnt look anywhere near as wild as Taiwan. Start at the Former Tait and Co. To give you an idea, you should expect to travel to Taiwan with an average daily cost of about USD $35~ per person on a budget, or at least $95~ if you want to experience more comfort in activities, tours, hotels, and more. Day 7:Time to say goodbye. Simply head to the redemption kiosks and enter your voucher number and wait for your physical tickets to be printed out! Click on the save button and pin it for later! Stories Itineraries. This was a highlight of our visit to Taiwan. We stayed in Xincheng, a small town just 1,5 kilometers from the entrance to Taroko Gorge. Set your alarm extra early to ride the Alishan Forest Railway up to the sunrise lookout point. Some people organise a taxi to take them from Fenchihu to Ruelli and do the walk in reverse to make sure it is a one way hike. The first one goes along the west coast and the second one goes all the way around the island. In case lying on the beach gets boring, you can rent a bicycle and enjoy cycling along the ocean-side paths (a Giant shop near the train station hires out bikes for NT$100 for the day). It is a beautiful introduction to Taroko Gorge. Climb up into the depths of the temple until you reach the best lookout point at the top; you wont be disappointed. Thanks for reading! Comfortable rooms, a large breakfast, and spa to relax your muscles. I initially planned to stay in Fulong, but opted for nearby Toucheng instead after I found a fantastic Airbnb with a sea view and beach just 2 minutes away. This crystal clear, bright blue river cuts through the mountains to make one of the most picturesque valleys in Taroko. Do your check-in and drop your luggage at the hostel. While this is a more interesting place to stay than Shuishe, youll probably want to stick to the latter so you can catch your early bus to Alishan tomorrow. A day pass for the bus is quite affordable at NT$250 (US$8). Unfortunately due to the weather you will often find one or two trails are closed but there are enough here that you wont leave disappointed. Itinerary: Taiwan In 7 Days. Pause for an afternoon cocktail at one of many patio bars beside Red House, a Japanese-era theater-cum-craft & design market. From there, walk a few blocks to Dihua Street in historical Dadaocheng neighborhood. Where is on your must-do list? Hello, Visiting Taiwan in April with our 8 yo child and need help on our itinerary: We have 7 days including days of our flights and we plan to do Taipei (approx 4-5 days) + one more destination (2-3 days).. We arrive into Taipei at 2 pm and considering heading straight to the other destination we choose by HSR/ train. It is a great place to head at sunset and one of the few places in Taroko Gorge that will have next to no one there at any time of day (the steepness of the climb puts a lot of people off). This way, you can skip the queue, which tends to be quite long. Since youve only got a week in Taiwan be prepared for a hectic pace, we promise it will be worth it! The track goes to Ruelli and finishes away from any kind of civilisation. We actually stayed in Top Home 9 but we wouldnt recommend it. My personal favorite is autumn, from mid-September to mid-November, when summer in Europe is already over, but Taiwan still offers pleasant temperatures above 20 degrees. You may have had a glimpse of it from the train, but the best place to get a good look is from the Chongde Rest Area. Tainan is a small town on the southern west coast of Taiwan and is a town that must be included on a 14-day Taiwan road trip itinerary. If you love walking then head to Fenchihu for a hike that left us speechless. The fastest is the Puyama Express that runs three times a day (10:25, 14:25 and 20:43) and takes just under two hours to get to Xincheng. If youve been doing a bit of Taiwan research already then youll probably be surprised to see that Sun Moon Lake is missing from this itinerary. If you are located in Europe use Booking.com and if you are anywhere else use TripAdvisor. The north, however, has more pronounced seasons. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111 Hours: 11AM-9:30PM Phone: +886 2 8101 7780 Getting there: MRT Taipei 101 World Trade Center, Exit 1 It takes 9 minutes, every 10 minutes has a trip, cost $1 Shilin Night Market The best place to take this in is the Qingshui Cliffs. :-). You can buy your tickets to the National Palace Museum in advance with Klook. Taipei itinerary for 3-5 days Wander Ximending, Taipei's coolest hood Take a walking tour with TourMeAway (Saturdays, 2pm) Visit National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Longshan Temple Huaxi Night Market Head up Taipei 101 or see it from the Xiangshan Trail Day 2 Taipei itinerary - Yangmingshan National Park and Beitou Welcome to Taiwan! From there, youll venture to stunning Sun Moon Lake on day 5. The trail is just under 9km in total, but the majority of tour groups only go until the 1.5km mark before turning back. Sorry, but youll need to start early for day three! I recommend getting off near lively Ximending district and enjoying a short walk among the dazzling lights at night. After your night market feast and a stroll by the harbor, its an easy 40-minute train ride back to Taipei. Qingshui Cliffs is a 15 minute ride from Xincheng town along the main road. However as the track is flat there will still be quite a few people who continue on. It is incredibly popular (so dont expect to have much space), but theres nowhere better to be at sunset than here. Youll need to get up a little early to catch the bus from Sun Moon Lake to Alishan. I took special care to design our itinerary to include a wide range of attractions and landscapes. Hop on a High Speed Train to Taipei. Its a combo with an evening double-decker ride. Although Maokong is a ways from the city center, you can still reach the gondola comfortably by MRT. The route is two kilometers long, and you can enjoy some amazing views. So no more excuses my fellow friends, happy holiday in Taiwanand well, you're . The main reason for this is because the Shakadang Trail runs along side an azure blue river - the likes of which weve only ever seen in New Zealand. It is our favourite viewpoint in Taroko National Park and one we spent a long time taking in. Theres a sharp turn with stairs heading up hill. You should definitely pack light and breathable clothes that dry quickly and are easy to layer. The only way to see the Old Street is on foot. We loved this section as the forest is magical and suddenly the mist rolled in and created such an atmospheric area to explore. Its not the same as in Europe; after 2 minutes of this kind of rain, you will be soaking wet. Secondly it sells out fast, especially on weekends. Note that this 7 day Taiwan itinerary also writes off your arrival on Saturday and departure on Sunday (assuming you used 5 vacation days + 2 full weekends). Also read: 4 Days Taiwan Itinerary: Unconventional Things to Do for Your Next Weekend Getaway. Taiwan Round Island 8 Days 7 Nights Compare to similar trips See all similar trips Explore Taiwan By Intrepid Travel Preferred 4,088 Reviews 4.6/5 Excellent Small group tour 11 days $ 2,850 + Compare Best of Botswana Safari By Ker & Downey Africa Premier 79 Reviews 4.9/5 Excellent Group tour 10 days $ 8,579 + Compare Sicilian Secrets The wake up call is nasty but it should be well rewarded. Let us know in the comments below! We spent $70 US on a relatively good hotel we booked a few weeks in advance and the same amount on a pretty awful love hotel when we booked just two days earlier. Do:Save time and visitTaipei 101 with a priority ticket. This will enable you to stay for up to 90 days so long as you passport is valid for at least 6 months. 7 Day Taiwan Tours & Trips Filter for departure dates and price to find the right 7 day Taiwan tour with TourRadar. Prepare yourself as this is a bit of a journey. If youre looking for an authentic aboriginal experience, give it a miss. The only drawback is that theres a little road noise at night as it is very close to Highway 9, we also found it pretty expensive but still preferred this option to travelling a longer distance from Hualien each day. Either way, youre in for a treat. Its an unofficial place, but bathing there is an unforgettable experience. Anping Wander the streets of the historic Anping District. Ride the MRT two stops from Longshan Temple to Beimen (North Gate) station. There are regular buses going to the Gold Museum. Although many long-distance buses are available, the train is generally the best option for traveling around the island. Breakfast was super yummy, with a selection of local fruits, rooms feature stunning views, and there is a lovely Zen garden. To finish up your trip to Taiwan, head to Alishan - our favourite place in the whole country. There is also a cafe that serves (pricey) coffee and food for lunch, one of the few that do in the national park. You can spend some more time on the beach; if your time is short, at least take a short seaside walk before heading back to Taipei. The best advice we can give is to book as early as you possibly can. You can stay in the park itself too but the accommodation is extremely expensive and in our opinion not worth the money. The trail entrance is a short walk from Xiangshan MRT Station, and it only takes about 20 minutes to reach the top. Once at Chaiyi you can get a bus (but youll need to be at Chaiyi before midday - 1200). Most recently, I brought my dad there to show him around. You can find out about the savings for each destination by clicking here. It was his first time in Taiwan, or even in Asia. Leads all the autumnal colours and after heavy rainfall Jiufen is a mountaintop former gold mining boomtown transformed taiwan itinerary 7 days. Week Guide mist rolled in and created such an atmospheric area to explore in Xincheng at the top night feast. 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