The Taiwan Discovery trip starts and ends in Taipei. It is an active and outdoor tour that takes 10 days taking you through Yilan, Hualien City, Sun Moon Lake and 3 other destinations in Taiwan.
Ample appetites and eager explorers come together on this 10-day tour through Taiwan. Just off Asia’s typical tourist trail, Taiwan’s vibrant culture shows through its bustling metropolises, awe-inspiring natural landscapes, and of course, those mouthwatering night markets.
Day 01: Arrive Taipei
Arrive at any time. Meet-assist at airport & transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 02: Taipei
Enjoy a scenic excursion to the northern coast stopping at Yehliu Geo Park before arriving at Jiufen, a former gold-mining centre. Take a walking tour in this quaint mountain town adorned with traditional teahouses and street food stalls. Continue on with stops at the Golden Waterfall and the Bay of Two Colours to Shifen Village, where we explore the winding laneways and walk to the waterfall. Return to Taipei this evening.
Yehliu GeoPark is often referenced to having outer-space geology, and is considered the most “Mars-like” environment on Earth. The rock formations are fascinating, including the world famous “Queen’s Head” and the wonders of marine erosion including “Ice Cream Rock”, ”Bee Hive Rock”,” Ginger Rock” and “Candle Stick Rock”.
During World War II, Jiufen Village housed a Japanese prisoner of war camp where captured Allied Force soldiers (mostly British) were forced to work in the gold mines.
Day 03: Taipei/Tainan
Catch the high speed train to Tainan. Enjoy a walk in the old city and visit Chikan Tower, Confucius Temple, and Anping Fort. In the evening, visit the famous night market.
Taiwan High Speed Rail (also known as HSR) is a high-speed rail line of approximately 345KM in length running along the west coast from Taipei Main Station in the north to Kaohsiung in the south. The line opened in 2007, using trains with a top speed of 300KM/H covering the journey in as short as 96 minutes. The HSR is commonly referred to as Gaotie, and is the preferred method of transit to cross the island due to its simplicity and speed.
Tainan is the oldest city on the island established in 1661, when the Ming loyalist Cheng Cheng Kung (known as Koxinga) drove the Dutch from Taiwan. After many mainland Chinese immigrants arrived, helping the young city to grow.
Day 04: Tainan/Sun Moon Lake
Continue exploring Tainan the first capital city of Taiwan with a walking tour through the Anping historic district. Wander the crooked lanes of the old town past traditional houses and stop at the Tree House and Anping Fort. Later, head to the Sun Moon Lake area and visit Wen Wu Temple.
Day 05: Sun Moon Lake
Explore Sun Moon Lake, visit the Xuan Zhang Shrine and Tse En Pagoda. Afterwards, hop on a bicycle and ride around the lake to take in stunning views, then enjoy a hike on the Mt. Maolan trail. Later visit the Shueishe Wharf area.
Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan’s largest lake, located in the mountains of Nantou. Its name is inspired by the stunning natural beauty of the area and the shapes of the lake where on the east side the lake is round like the sun, while the west side is long and narrow, like a crescent moon.
The aboriginal Thao tribe lives around the lake, and are the proprietors of many local businesses. At the centre of the lake is Lalu Island, which is reserved for aboriginal religious practices, and closed to the public.
Day 06: Sun Moon Lake / Taroko (Hualien)
Set out on a scenic drive with sweeping views of “Taiwan Alps”. Arrive in Hualien, gateway to Taroko national park.
Enjoy a scenic drive, traveling from Sun Moon Lake (middle Taiwan) to Taroko (Hualien) via the central cross Island highway. It’s considered the most beautiful highway in Taiwan. Along the way you’ll see the“Taiwan Alpine” soaring cliffs, and gorges.
Day 07: Hualien/Taroko National Park
Spend the day exploring Taroko National Park. Visit the Swallow Grotto, Eternal Spring Shrine, and Taroko Gorge Gateway.
Day 08: Hualien/Yilan
Enjoy a stunning drive along Qingshui Cliff then visit Qixing lake and the Hualien railway cultural park. Later, catch the local train to the lively metropolis of Yilan. Famed for its black sand beach, waterfalls, and mountains, take free time to explore the beautiful scenery, excellent nightlife, and delicious food.
Day 09: Yilan/Taipei
Morning visit to the Wufenchi Waterfall and a tea farm. After, stop at the National Center for Traditional Arts for lunch and some free time. Later back to Taipei. On arrival transfer to hotel.
Day 10: Depart Taipei.
Depart any time. Transfer to airport for flight back to home.
| City | Night (s) | Hotel |
| Taipei | 02 | The Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei |
| Tainan | 01 | Queena Plaza |
| Sun Moon Lake Area | 02 | The Crystal Resort Sun Moon Lake |
| Hualien | 02 | Ramada Encore By Wyndham Hualien |
| Yilan | 01 | Yi Lan Boutique Hotel |
| Taipei | 01 | The Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei |
– Meeting and assistance by our representative.
– Welcome with fresh flower garlands.
– 09 Nights accommodation
– Daily Breakfast, Lunch and Dinners.
– Monuments entrance fees as per program
– Local English-speaking guide
– All transfers, sightseeing, excursions as per the program by private vehicle.
– Transport, Parking, Gasoline & Toll ways.
– All present government taxes.
– International Airfare.
– Tips, gratuities, Portage, laundry, telephone calls, table drinks, camera/ video camera charges, or any other expenses of a personal nature.
– Visa fees, personal insurance.
– Any item not specified under cost includes.
– Accommodation in good hotels.
– Check-in / out time is 12 noon at most of the hotels.
– Extension to other places is also possible with a minimal extra cost.
– Additional nights are available at each place with minimal supplement.
– A visa is required and must be obtained prior to your departure from your Country.
– If quoted hotel is not available, we will provide one of a similar category and standard.
– Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.
– In case the government changes presently applicable taxes, increase in airlines prices, fuel surcharge our rates will need to be adjusted accordingly.
– Sometimes, there is no relevance between the distance and time of travelling, as it depends upon the condition of the roads and congestion of the traffic.
– While every effort will be made to maintain the itinerary, in view of local strikes etc that are beyond our control all schedule and itineraries are subject to last moment changes.
– Clients must be fully insured, as the company cannot accept liability for loss or damage to client’s property, medical emergencies or any other loss suffered by them whilst on tour.
– In Case of issuing Domestic or International air tickets, SGV is not responsible for any refund if the flight is delayed or cancelled, as it is the responsibility of airline.