Starting to brainstorm a Taiwan itinerary? Taiwan is arguably the most underrated destination in East Asia. It’s safe, clean, and the people operate with a level of politeness and helpfulness that makes traveling here a joy, especially if you are traveling Taiwan with kids.
Whether you’re here for a quick hit of the highlights or a deep dive into the mountains and coastal towns, here is how to structure your Taiwan adventure. Read on for our Taiwan itinerary plus options for 7-, 14- or 21-days in Taiwan.
- Travel in Taiwan
- Our Taiwan Itinerary
- Taiwan Itinerary Options
7-Days
14-Days
21-Days - Things To See in Taiwan
Taipei
Hualien & Taroko Gorge
Tainan
Taichung
Kaohsiung
Alishan - Cultural Tips & Safety
- Food in Taiwan
- Accommodation in Taiwan
PART I: Logistics & Culture in Taiwan
Taiwan is the perfect mixture of adventure, challenge, taste and culture. For a (relatively) small island nation Taiwan has a lot to offer and is home to vibrant culture, modern cities, sandy beaches, temples, FOOD and dramatic mountain terrain.
Getting Around in Taiwan
Taiwan has a pretty awesome transportation system.
We used bullet trains (HSR), over-rail, the subway, old forest trains, taxis, Uber, buses and shuttles. But the best time we had travelling Taiwan was the legs we did in our rental car.
Gavin smashed the driving (and loved it) winding so carefully up roads that I hope never to drive again…
But that were so worth it.
- West Coast: Use the High-Speed Rail (HSR). It’s expensive but blazingly fast (Taipei to Kaohsiung in 90 minutes).
- East Coast: Use the TRA (Regular Rail). It’s scenic and much cheaper. Note you need to book tickets in advance for popular routes like Taipei to Hualien.
- Rental Car: We picked up our rental car in the south in Chiayi and dropped in back in Hualein before taking the train back to Taipei.
Taiwan Food Culture
Taiwanese life revolves around food. Which suits us – we love travel and food! The phrase “Have you eaten?” is a common greeting. (Bring it on!).
- Night Markets: This is the heart of the culture. Every city has them. Try Beef Noodle Soup, Stinky Tofu (it tastes better than it smells!), and Gua Bao (pork belly buns).
- Xiao Long Bao: You haven’t lived until you’ve had the soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung.
PART II: Our Taiwan Itinerary
Our Taiwan itinerary took us right around the entire island.
We had an inland detour to visit the beautiful Alishan National Scenic Area up into the mountains of the Chiayi Region. Then we looped all the way south and hired a rental car to drive up the East coast to Taroko Gorge.
- Taipei > [HSR > Taichung]
- Taichung > [HSR > Chiayi]
- Chiayi > [old Forest Railway to Fenchihu]
- Fenchihu > [picked up by Guesthouse]
- Shizhuo > [local bus to Alishan]
- Alishan > [bus down the mountain to Chiayi]
- Chiayi > [rental car > Kaohsiung]
- Kaohsiung [rental car]
- Kenting [rental car]
- Taimali [rental car]
- Hualein [train > Taipei]
PART III: Taiwan Itinerary Options
We had an awesome three (nearly four) week Taiwan itinerary and really took our time. But there are lots of options in different directions of the country with fast connections and unique things to do. Read on for what we recommend for 7-, 14- or 21-days of travel in Taiwan.
7-Day Taiwan Itinerary
- Day 1-3: Taipei & Northern Coast (Jiufen/Shifen)
- Day 4-5: Hualien (Taroko Gorge)
- Day 6-7: Return to Taipei
14-Day Taiwan Itinerary
- Day 1-3: Taipei & Northern Coast (Jiufen/Shifen)
- Day 4-6: Hualien & Taroko Gorge
- Day 7-8: Kaohsiung
- Day 9-10: Tainan
- Day 11-12: Alishan
- Day 13-14: Taichung & Taipei
21-Day Taiwan Itinerary
- Day 1-4: Taipei & Northern Coast (Jiufen/Shifen)
- Day 5-8: Hualien and the East Coast (Taitung)
- Day 9-11: Kaohsiung & Kenting National Park (The southern tip)
- Day 12-14: Tainan (Food capital)
- Day 15-17: Alishan (Sunrise and tea plantations)
- Day 18-20: Taichung & Sun Moon Lake
- Day 21: Final Taipei shopping and departure
PART IV: Things To See & Do in Taiwan
See below for the highlights of each stop on our loop around Taiwan and recommendations for the best things to do in each place.
1. Taipei
Taipei is a bustling metropolis that feels incredibly safe and organized.
- Taipei 101: Take the world’s fastest elevator to the 89th floor for views of the entire basin. Or view from the top of Elephant Mountain!
- Shilin Night Market: There’s street food galore at Taipei’s main market (try as much as you can!).
2. Hualien & Taroko Gorge
Taroko is the reason many people come to Taiwan. It’s a massive marble canyon carved by the Liwu River. We loved it and stayed several nights to explore the Taroko Gorge with our rental car. Amazing – and quite the contrast to the modern Taiwanese cities on the other coast!
- Shakadang Trail: A flat, family-friendly walk along a turquoise river with stunning rock formations.
- Buluowan Suspension Bridge: Offers a bird’s-eye view of the gorge from 150 meters up.
3. Tainan
Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan and where you go to find the “authentic” soul of the island.
- Anping Tree House: A former warehouse that has been completely reclaimed by giant banyan tree roots—it feels like a tomb raider set.
- Chihkan Tower: Built by the Dutch in 1653, it’s a beautiful spot to learn about Taiwan’s colonial history.
4. Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung city is located in southern Taiwan at the very tip of the island. Although it too can be reached easily by train from Taipei.
- Kaohsiung Central Park: A bit of an oasis of greenery in the middle of a busy urban city! There is an impressive (automated) water show on the scenic lake 5 times a day and nearby water square to play in.
- Dragon and Tiger Pagodas: The Lotus Pond is the most famous of things to see in Kaohsiung and includes the beautiful Dragon and Tiger Pagodas which are said to give you good luck.
5. Taichung
Taichung is modern, spacious, and full of whimsical attractions. Plus, it’s easy to reach Taichung from Taipei by high speed rail which for us, added to the adventure!
- Rainbow Village: A small settlement in Nantun District famous for its brightly painted houses and streets.
- Feng Chia Night Market: One of the biggest and best night markets in Taiwan packed with amazing food and Taiwanese specialties.
6. Alishan
Alishan is famous for its “sea of clouds,” ancient forests, and high-mountain oolong tea. This is the iconic images that you see of the misty mountains in Taiwan.
- The Alishan Forest Railway: Take the historic narrow-gauge train through the misty cedar forests.
- Sunrise at Zhushan: Wake up at 4:00 AM to take the train up the mountain. Watching the sun break over the sea of clouds is a spiritual experience.
PART V: Cultural Tips & Safety
- Safety: Taiwan is one of the safest countries in the world. Solo female travellers and families can walk around at night with zero concern.
- Convenience Stores: 7-Eleven and FamilyMart are the backbone of life here. You can buy train tickets, pay bills, ship luggage, and eat a full meal there.
- Temple Etiquette: You are welcome in almost any temple. Just be quiet, don’t walk through the central door (use the side doors), and ask before taking photos of people praying. Make sure if travelling Taiwan with kids that you keep them quiet at the right times too!
- Language: While English is widely spoken in Taipei, it becomes scarcer in the south. Download Google Lens to translate menus in real-time.
PART VI: Accommodation – Taiwan Itinerary
These are the hotels and guesthouses we stayed in Taiwan and can recommend:
- Taipei: Chair Man Hotel
Central location; 5 min walk from main train station. Taiwanese breakfast. - Taichung: KIWI-Taichung Station Branch 1
Great hotel; close to train station. Coin laundry. - Chiayi: Prince Hotel
Short 5 min walk from train station; walking distance to night markets. - Fenchihu: Qun Feng Hotel
Ok-ish; very basic; tricky to find, but close to train station. A very ‘unique’ breakfast! - Shizhao: Cuiti BnB
Great family AirBnB; picked us up from Fenchihu. Beautiful location though not near any shops.
- Alishan: Dafong Hotel
Big spacious room; great location right in centre of Recreation Area; electric jug. - Kaohsiung: Centre Hotel
Big room; close to markets and metro; dated; basic, big buffet breakfast. - Kenting: Ivan Garden BnB
Basic but fine. Cheap; empty when we were there. Only ok with own car. - Taimali: Amy Walker BnB
Very friendly AirBnb host called Amy! Amazing breakfast. - Hualein: Cullinan Hotel
Great breakfast; easy to find; nice clean and spacious room.
Final Thoughts?
Taiwan is a place that captures your heart slowly. You come for the food and the mountains, but you stay for the people. Whether you have 7-, 14- or 21-days, the island will leave you planning your return trip before you’ve even checked in for your flight home. Thank you, Taiwan!
Read More about Travel in East Asia
- The Ultimate Travel Guide For Japan With Kids.
- Fushimi Inari Shrine: Walking Up Mount Inari, Japan.
- Visiting Taroko Gorge, Taiwan.
- Taiwanese Food: The Real Deal Traveling In Taiwan.
- Visiting Busan’s Jagalchi Market, South Korea.
- Hong Kong: Mount Davis (*Accidentally) & The Monster Building.
Useful Links for Travel in Taiwan and Beyond
These are the companies we use and can recommend for planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. It is easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere online.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. Everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Make sure you have insurance before embarking on your Taiwan itinerary!