Taiwan

An island in East Asia with diverse mountain and ocean scenery, night market snacks, hot springs and historic sites, and convenient transport that suits independent travel.

Taiwan lies off the southeastern coast of the East Asian mainland and consists of the main island plus Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, Green Island, Orchid Island and others. The Central Mountain Range runs the length of the main island, giving it a rich variety of high mountains, gorges and coastlines. Popular destinations include the National Palace Museum and Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taroko Gorge in Hualien, Sun Moon Lake, the Alishan Forest Railway and its sea of clouds, the old city of Tainan and the seaside of Kenting, while night market snacks and hot springs are enjoyed across the island. Spring and autumn have the most pleasant weather, and you should watch for typhoons in summer and autumn. The main gateway is Taoyuan International Airport, and high-speed rail and the conventional railway link the west and the round-island route.

Destinations

• Taipei
• Kaohsiung
• Taichung
• Alishan & Chiayi
• Tainan
• Hsinchu
• Jiufen & Jinguashi
• Yilan
• Penghu
• Hualien & Taroko
• Orchid Island (Lanyu)
• Taitung & Green Island
• Kenting
• Xiaoliuqiu (Lambai Island)
• Cingjing & Hehuanshan
• Ruisui & East Rift Valley
• Sun Moon Lake

Itineraries

• In-Depth Taiwan Island Self-Drive Loop – Drive clockwise around the island, connecting the North Coast, Suhua, East Rift Valley, Hengchun Peninsula, and Alishan.
• Classic Taiwan Rail Loop – Connect Taipei, Jiufen, Hualien, Taitung, Kaohsiung, Tainan, and Sun Moon Lake using TRA and THSR trains.
• Tainan, Kaohsiung, Xiaoliuqiu and Kenting – Heading south: Tainan's old-city sites, Kaohsiung's harbor-city creative scene, a turtle-watching island and the Kentin…
• Cingjing, Hehuanshan, Sun Moon Lake & Alishan – Charter a car to connect the central highlands: Cingjing Farm, Wuling, Sun Moon Lake, the New Central Cross-Island High…
• East Rift Valley and Coastal Highway Loop – Travel from Hualien to Taitung, heading south along the Coastal Highway, exploring Rift Valley rice fields, and crossin…
• Lanyu and Green Island Hopping – Set sail from Taitung, staying on Lanyu to see Tao settlements, then transferring to Green Island for snorkeling and sa…
• Pingxi, Jiufen & Jiaoxi Weekend Getaway – A short public transit route from Taipei, featuring Shifen Waterfall, the mountain town of Jiufen, Jinguashi, and Jiaox…
• Penghu Main Island and Island Hopping – Based in Magong, explore the northern loop of the main island, plus two island-hopping trips to Qimei, Wang'an, and Jib…