Here’s the easiest way to discover Taiwan on a price range, with out scrimping on each iconic and distinctive experiences!
Taiwan has all the time been certainly one of our favorite locations — it’s reasonably priced, the locals are tremendous pleasant and the road meals is actually to die for (pungent tofu anybody?).
But Taiwan isn’t simply an consuming and buying vacation spot, there are different scenic landscapes and outside actions to discover too.
Compared to different East Asia cities like Japan and Korea, the place experiences might be barely dearer, it’s undoubtedly potential to cowl this stunning nation for underneath S$100/day — with out compromising on must-dos, must-eats, and even hidden gems!
On our final journey, we explored the gorgeous nature escapes of Eastern Taiwan. So this time, we wished to go to the lesser-known areas alongside the West Coast ????.
From the world’s once-tallest skyscraper in Taipei to an IG-worthy getaway island in Kaohsiung — right here’s how we uncovered the perfect of the West on this nine-day price range Taiwan itinerary.
Read additionally: 8D Eastern Taiwan Itinerary: The Gateway to Nature’s Best Adventures (Yilan, Hualien, Taitung and Kenting)
Taiwan Itinerary Route through the High-Speed Rail
Photo credit score: Taiwan High-Speed Rail
This Taiwan itinerary begins from Taipei, earlier than working south in the direction of Kaohsiung, stopping by a number of cities like Taichung, Tainan, and Chiayi alongside the best way.
Fun reality: Taiwan’s high-speed rail system is principally primarily based on Japan’s Shinkansen (which explains why the trains are tremendous punctual)!
The high-speed rail (HSR) is without doubt one of the quickest and most handy methods to discover Taiwan’s West Coast ????. There are 12 essential stations on the road, stretching round 350km from Nangang to Zuoying — taking solely lower than 2 hours to journey from Taipei to Kaohsiung.
Plus, the stations are linked to the native metro, which made it simpler for us to journey to sure points of interest. For instance, the HSR Tainan Station is situated subsequent to the Shalun metro station, which is simply 4 stops away from points of interest like Ten Drum Cultural Village.
*Pro-tip: Book your tickets on-line to order your seats because the trains might be fairly packed in the course of the vacation seasons.
Read additionally: Exploring Taiwan by High-Speed Rail — Guide to Maximising your THSR Pass
Budget Breakdown
8N Accommodation: S$244
Transport: S$133.20 (excl. flights)
Activities: S$279.10
Food & Misc: S$210.60
Total: S$866.90 (~S$96.30/day)
(1SGD = 22.68)
(detailed breakdown for one pax right here)
Day 1: Taipei | Day 2: Jiufen, Shifen, Yehliu | Day 3: Keelung | Day 4: Taichung | Day 5: Nantou | Day 6: Tainan | Day 7: Chiayi, Alishan | Day 8 – 9: Kaohsiung | Where to Stay | Tips
Day 1: Taipei 台北
THSR from Taoyuan to Taipei: ~20mins
Tall skyscrapers, quirky museums, and energetic buying streets — Taipei is a one-stop vacation spot for enjoyable. Since we wished extra day trip of the town, we solely spent a day right here however nonetheless managed to take a look at some distinctive locations in Taipei.
Gaki Hip
The first attraction on our Taiwan itinerary is Taiwan’s first IG Museum, Gaki Hip. In the native dialect, the title seems like phrases for: “take a picture by oneself” or “selfie” — and that’s what we did!
The numerous themed rooms are impressed by the native tradition akin to outdated phone cubicles, claw machines with stuffed toys, and even bubble tea.
An fascinating exhibit to notice was one the place you would drop a handwritten notice right into a machine, and obtain a brand new one from a random stranger.
We got a card with the key phrase “Friendship”, so we wrote one thing alongside the traces of treasuring friendships. In return, we obtained a card concerning “Courage” and regardless that our Mandarin isn’t the perfect, we figured it had one thing to do with how selecting our personal path is the hallmark of our technology (however tell us when you’ve got a extra correct translation within the feedback beneath!)
The common ticket contains 5 fundamental exhibitions in complete, however you’ll must buy a VIP ticket to entry the particular exhibitions just like the Sky Lantern room.
*Note: Unfortunately, the museum is barely open until 12 May 2023 however you’ll be able to look out for different everlasting and quirky museums akin to an astronomical and even a raptor museum on Taiwan’s official tourism website!
Cost: ~S$15.90/pax
Opening hours: 11:30AM – 8PM
Address: 13F, No. 66, Section 1, Zhongxiao West Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan 100
Lunch at Hao Ji Dumpling Noodles 豪季水餃專賣店
For lunch, head to Hao Ji Dumpling Noodles retailer for his or her zha jiang mian (NT$50) and sizzling bitter soup (NT$35) close to Taipei Main Station. While it was actually crowded in the course of the lunch interval, the wait was value it.
Both dishes price lower than S$4 and got here with fairly beneficiant parts — we’d say it was a value-for-money meal!
Opening hours: 10:30AM – 8PM (closed on Sun)
Address: No. 1, Lane 29, Section 1, Zhongxiao W Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan 100
Huanshan 1914 Creative Park 华山1914文化创意产业园区
Originally a Japanese sake plant in 1914, Huashan 1914 Creative Park was later refurbished into an arts and tradition house housing numerous exhibitions and performing arts showcases.
While we have been there, we got here throughout a Mickey Exhibition (until 5 Apr 2023) devoted to the historical past of the OG Disney character — which showcases artworks of various types from round 30 worldwide artists.
Opening hours: 24hrs (outlets open from 11AM – 9PM)
Address: No. 1, Section 1, Bade Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan 100
Taipei 101 台北101
You may say Taipei 101 is the pleasure of Taiwan. After all, it was previously the world’s tallest structure in 2004 at 508m tall, earlier than it was taken over by Dubai’s 828m-tall Burj Khalifa in 2010 ????.
That mentioned, the constructing nonetheless holds a report for having one of many world’s quickest elevators — taking you to the highest in simply 37 seconds! Once on the prime, there are numerous remark decks to absorb a panoramic view of the town, together with an out of doors space on the 91st flooring.
Entrance payment: From ~S$26.50/pax
Opening hours: 11AM – 7PM (Weekdays), 10AM – 7PM (Weekends), final entry at 6:15PM
How to get there: Take the practice to Taipei 101 World Trade Center and stroll 5mins
Read additionally: 4D3N Taipei Itinerary incl. Day Trips and Lesser-Known Things To Eat-See-Do
Day 2: Jiufen 九份, Shifen 十分, Yehliu 野柳
Jiufen and Shifen are certainly one of our favorite day journeys from Taipei — roaming alongside their conventional outdated streets and lighting up sky lanterns alongside the railway are simply a number of the iconic experiences on most Taiwan itineraries.
Since these cities might be lined in half a day, we determined to take a brief detour to Yehliu first because it’s within the space and alongside the best way from Taipei too!
Yehliu 野柳
First cease, Yehliu Geopark — a 1.7km lengthy cape that’s house to a number of rock formations shaped by pure erosion. The space is separated into three sections, every housing its personal rock star (heh).
Section one is thought for its various mushroom-shaped and candle rocks. Section two contains well-known rocks like Fairy’s Shoe and the Queen’s Head — which we thought actually resembled the late Queen Elizabeth. Section three is a vital ecological conservation space of the park that includes sea-eroded caves and pearl rock.
Overall, 1 hour was sufficient to cowl the entire park however we’d advocate giving an additional hour to totally soak in nature’s creations at a leisurely tempo.
Entrance payment: ~S$5.50/pax
Opening hours: 8AM – 5PM
Address: No. 167-1, Gangdong Road, Wanli District, New Taipei, Taiwan 207
Jiufen 九份
Jiufen Old Street is like going to your grandma’s home stocked with meals — I do know, bizarre comparability, however there are simply so many alternative meals stalls and tea homes alongside the slender alleyway, it was onerous to not cease and take a look at the whole lot we noticed. If you’re brief on time, listed here are our prime picks:
Tasty braised pork rice (NT$40) from Zhang Ji Traditional Fishballs and A-Zhu Peanut Ice Cream Roll (NT$50) — which gave us two beneficiant scoops of peanut ice cream wrapped in a skinny crepe. Plus a bowl of taro ball soup (NT$40) from Lai Ah Po Taro Balls, which warmed us up on a wet day.
Opening hours: 8AM – 7PM (Mon – Thu), 8AM – 10PM (Fri – Sun)
Address: Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei, Taiwan 224
Shifen 十分
Before making our final cease of the day at Shifen Old Street, we sidetracked a little bit to the close by Shifen Waterfall. The 40m waterfall is dubbed Taiwan’s personal Niagara Falls, and we may clearly see why.
*Pro-tip: Check the climate forecast earlier than going and also you may even catch a rainbow right here on sunny days!
Setting off sky lanterns at Shifen Old Street is without doubt one of the most iconic experiences in Taiwan. Write your needs on the paper lanterns, gentle them up, and watch them float as much as the skies hoping the heavens reply it — ours was undoubtedly to journey extra ????????
Shifen Waterfall
Entrance payment: Free
Opening hours: 9AM – 6PM
Address: No. 10, Gankeng Road, Nanshan Village, Pingxi District, New Taipei, Taiwan 226
Shifen Old Street
Opening hours: 24hrs
Address: No. 81, Shifen Street, Pingxi District, New Taipei, Taiwan 226
Read additionally: Taipei Day Trip: Shifen & Jiufen Guide To All The Must-Eat-See-Dos
Day 3: Keelung 基隆
Keelung is probably not as effectively often called Jiufen and Shifen, but it surely has its personal pure appeal with stunning historical forts, temples, and vibrant photograph spots.
Heping Island Park 和平島海濱公園
Our day began with a visit to Heping Island Park or Peace Island Park. The small island felt like a weekend getaway with cabin homes, a seaside pool, and even a seashore to chill out at.
Feeling a little bit extra adventurous, we opted for a 30-minute (round-trip) hike on the Huanshan path to Hepingdao Lookout Point. It was a comparatively simple climb and the view overlooking the ocean was simply majestic.
Entrance payment: ~S$5.20/pax
Opening hours: 8AM – 6PM
Address: No. 360, Pingyi Road, Zhongzheng District, Keelung, Taiwan 202
Khoo Tsu-Song Old Mansion 許梓桑基隆古厝
Back on the mainland, an iconic historic website we visited was the Khoo Tsu Old Mansion — a 93-year-old constructing from the Japanese colonial period. The mansion was named after its proprietor, a neighborhood who was a distinguished determine in politics and civic issues up to now.
Although deserted and lined in vines, it didn’t really feel spooky in any respect however gave off a tranquil environment amongst nature.
Entrance payment: Free
Opening hours: 24hrs
Address: No. 15, Lane 2, Aisi Road, Ren’ai District, Keelung, Taiwan 200
Xiandongyan (Fairy Cave) Zuisheng Temple 仙洞巖最勝寺
What makes Xiandongyan Zuisheng Temple temple particular in comparison with different temples is that it’s inbuilt a pure sea cave — one of many greatest in Keelung at over 80m lengthy!
Here’s some background: The caves have been as soon as a pure refuge for native fishermen throughout unhealthy climate however have been transformed to a Buddhist temple in the course of the Japanese colonial interval.
While exploring, we got here throughout a slender path on the left of the doorway resulting in a Buddhist shrine. But be conscious, the trail is barely large sufficient for one particular person and we needed to squeeze by means of to go.
Entrance payment: Free
Opening hours: 8:30AM – 4PM
Address: No. 1, Renan Street, Zhongshan District, Keelung, Taiwan 20343
Zhengbin Port Colour Houses 正滨渔港
Google “Keelung” and one of many first few pictures you’ll see are the 16 vibrantly colored homes at Zhengbin Port!
It was as soon as the biggest fishing port in Taiwan again in 1934 and was later re-developed by the native authorities. After colouring the constructing facades and introducing new cafes and eating places by the ocean, this place is now some of the common points of interest in Keelung.
Guess we’ll now be contributing these images to Google, together with a 5-star overview ????.
Entrance payment: Free
Opening hours: 24hrs
Address: No. 391, Zhongzheng Road, Zhongzheng District, Keelung, Taiwan 202
Read additionally: 5D4N Taiwan Itinerary Under S$400 — Scenic Roadtrip Uncovering Hidden Gems in Taipei and Yilan
Day 4: Taichung 台中
THSR from Taipei to Taichung: ~20mins
Did ? Taichung is Taiwan’s second-largest metropolis and is the birthplace of many scrumptious Taiwanese treats like solar truffles and bubble tea! It’s additionally an ideal base to go out for day journeys to different cities like Taian and Nantou.
Sun Cake Museum 太阳饼博物馆
I used to be at the moment years outdated once I learnt that the well-known Taiwanese delicacy tai yang bing (太阳饼) or solar truffles originated from Taichung ????. For those that’re unfamiliar, it’s a buttery and flaky pastry with a maltose filling.
Learn about solar truffles on the Sun Cake Museum however what we’re actually right here for is the solar cake-making workshop! We joined a 1-hour session with an expert chef to create six freshly baked solar truffles.
Not to boast however ours turned out very well, being candy on the within and crispy on the surface.
Entrance payment: Free
Cost of workshop: NT$250/pax
Opening hours: 9AM – 5:30PM
Address: No. 145, Section 1, Taiwan Blvd, Central District, Taichung, Taiwan 400
Desserts at Chun Shui Tang 春水堂 and Miyahara 宮原眼科
Apart from innovating solar truffles, Taichung can also be the place my favorite drink was created. Dating again to the Eighties, a neighborhood tea store named Chun Shui Tang 春水堂 is alleged to be the inventor of bubble tea.
After having been there although, we discovered it to be barely overpriced at NT$90 for a small cup of pearl milk tea. But hey, always remember your roots, so it’s nonetheless value a attempt to style the way it all started.
Miyahara’s ice cream is one other dessert we extremely advocate. There are over 50 flavours, together with 18 several types of chocolate ice cream. Some fascinating flavours we acquired have been the Alishan osmanthus oolong, and caramel apple — which tastes identical to an apple pie.
Chun Shui Tang
Cost: NT$90/cup
Opening hours: 8AM – 10PM
Address: No. 30, Siwei Street, West District, Taichung, Taiwan 403 (Siwei Original Store)
Miyahara
Cost: NT$200 for two scoops and a couple of toppings
Opening hours: 10AM – 9PM (closed on Tue)
Address: No. 20, Zhongshan Road, Central District, Taichung, Taiwan 400
Yizhong Night Market 中夜市
There are loads of night time markets in Taichung however Yizhong Night Market is the one to go to. It’s open every day, fairly unfold out, and never too crowded. Most importantly, we discovered the perfect bubble tea right here (sorry Chun Shui Tang).
The milk tea (NT$40) from Black Tea Bus is actually candy and aromatic, and topped with mini pearls! Other native delicacies listed here are the standard hen cutlet, papaya milk, and fried pancakes with fascinating fillings like pork with curry.
Opening hours: 11AM – 10PM (Weekdays), 11AM – 11PM (Weekends)
Address: Yizhong Street, North District, Taichung, Taiwan 404
Bonus: Day Trip to Taian 泰安
If you might have further time to spare, take a day journey to Taian — a mountain indigenous city situated in Miaoli County.
It’s solely half-hour from Taichung by practice and is known for its Huoyan Shan hike which may take as much as 3 hours (round-trip). The incline is steep and is probably not a simple hike for newbies however we guarantee you, the views on the prime are value it ????.
*Note: Check the practice/bus timings to Huoyan Shan Trailhead often on Google maps as they’re rare.
We have been right here throughout spring (between Feb – Mar) and managed to catch the gorgeous pink blooms! Some locations we advocate are Wele Cherry Blossom Park and out of doors the Taian Police Station — with avenue distributors promoting meals like scallion pancakes and Taiwanese sausages.
*Pro-tip: Check Google opinions often to see if flowers are nonetheless in bloom in these areas.
Read additionally: The Ultimate THSR Taiwan Food Guide: 25 Must-eats in Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung
Day 5: Nantou 南投
Fun reality: Nantou is Taiwan’s solely non-coastal county however mockingly, one of many nation’s most stunning lakes is discovered right here!
Sun Moon Lake 日月潭
Photo credit score: @grave_before_shave_ through Instagram
Surrounded by beautiful mountains, Sun Moon Lake is without doubt one of the most scenic landscapes in Taiwan. It’s a preferred day journey from Taichung, being solely 2 hours away by bus.
To totally experience its magnificence, we went for a 1-hour Stand Up Paddling expertise. Even with out an teacher, it was surprisingly beginner-friendly and nobody ended up falling within the water ???? .
Something else we learnt is that it’s simpler to face up when your board is transferring — most likely as a result of calm lake waters! If you’re not too assured, it’s additionally good to only sit and paddle whereas taking within the views.
Other points of interest to discover within the space (if there’s time), embrace Wenwu Temple, Yidashao Lakeside Trail, Riyuetanlan Station and Ci’en Pagoda.
Cost: ~S$30.50/pax for 1hr
Timing slots: 9AM – 4PM (hourly session)
How to get there: Various buses accessible from THSR Taichung Station to Sun Moon Lake
Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village 九族文化村
As the Stand Up Paddling expertise was close to the Sun Moon Lake ropeway, we hopped on it to get to Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village.
The village has a piece devoted to replicas of aboriginal villages which you’ll be able to enter and discover, however we undoubtedly didn’t count on a full-on amusement park there too!
We took the Gold Mine Adventure — a water journey with two first rate drops, and Maya Adventure — a rollercoaster that drops from a peak of 11 tales.
If you might be up for the problem (in contrast to us), the hardest one right here is the UFO Gyro Drop — hailed as the very best free-fall drop tower in Taiwan at 85m ????.
Entrance payment: From ~S$34/pax (incl. Sun Moon Lake Ropeway ticket)
Opening hours: 9:30AM – 5PM
How to get there: Take the ropeway from Sun Moon Lake to Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village
*Note: The final bus from the village departs at 5:45PM however do go away earlier as drivers could depart early.
Day 6: Tainan 台南
THSR from Taichung to Tainan: ~55mins
Established in 1661, Tainan is the oldest metropolis in Taiwan with many historic temples, artsy streets, and distinctive villages.
We additionally selected to arrange base right here for the previous few days of our Taiwan itinerary because it’s lower than 30mins away by practice to cities like Chiayi and Kaoshiung!
Chihkan Tower 赤嵌樓
With greater than 300 years of historical past, Chihkan Tower is the oldest constructing within the West Central District and certainly one of Tainan’s most well-known landmarks.
It was previously inbuilt 1653 as a fort by the Dutch, and now it’s a nationwide historic website comprising Haisheng Temple (海神廟), Wengchang Pavilion (文昌閣) and Penghu College (蓬壺書院).
Besides the gorgeous conventional structure, what caught our eye have been the 9 imperial steles carried by stone bixi — a legendary half-dragon, half-tortoise creature.
Entrance payment: ~S$2/pax
Opening hours: 8:30AM – 9:30PM
How to get there: Walk 10 minutes from Tainan Station
*Note: Wenchang Pavilion and Penghu Academy are presently underneath renovation till finish 2023.
Hai’an Road Art Street 海安路藝術街 and Snail Alley 蜗牛巷
At first look, Hai’an Road may appear a little bit run-down and lined in graffiti. But as we walked round, we realised it was simply an enormous public artwork exhibition.
Some of our favorite artworks have been the 3D pedestrian crossing — the place we couldn’t resist recreating that iconic Beatle photograph, and the rainbow blocks sculpture — which symbolises the range of gender and household ????️????.
Another lesser-known artwork avenue is Snail Alley, only a 10-minute stroll away. Its title was primarily based on a fictional alley in a novel by Ye Shitao, a literary author in Taiwan who used to dwell within the space.
Snails have been his metaphor for taking life gradual and regular, so take your time whereas strolling across the residential space on the lookout for snail-themed decors akin to murals, art work and even signposts ????.
Hai’an Road Art Street
Opening hours: 24hrs
Address: No. 5, Section 2, Hai’an Road, West Central District, Tainan, Taiwan 700
Snail Alley
Opening hours: 24hrs
Address: Lane 97, Section 2, Yongfu Road, West Central District, Tainan, Taiwan 700
Ten Drum Cultural Village 十鼓仁糖文創園區
After roaming the streets for photo-ops, we visited Ten Drum Cultural Village — a former sugar refinery in the course of the Japanese colonial interval, now transformed into Asia’s first drumming-themed worldwide artwork village ????.
Photo credit score: Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government
Our essential spotlight right here was the 45-minute music efficiency by Ten Drum, an internationally acclaimed Taiwanese percussion group. Besides drums, the group additionally used different devices like flute and cymbals to create an incredible medley.
*Note: There are solely two musical performances within the day, at 11AM and 3PM.
But the village isn’t nearly drums, it’s additionally house to varied thrilling actions and distinctive cafes. We have been shocked to search out enjoyable points of interest right here like a seven-storey free-fall drop, zipline, sky swing, and even a 360 VR expertise.
As somebody laidback although, I most popular chilling within the Magical Space Cafe — which appeared straight out of a Harry Potter film with spellbooks floating within the air and “magic potions” on the market.
Entrance payment: S$19/pax
Opening hours: 10AM – 8:20PM (Weekdays), 9:30AM – 8:20PM (Weekends)
How to get there: Take practice to Bao’an Station and stroll 15mins
Read additionally: 7 Underrated Things To Do in Tainan
Day 7: Chiayi 嘉義, Alishan 阿里山
THSR from Tainan to Chiayi: ~20mins
Compared to the bigger Taichung and Tainan cities, Chiayi is commonly ignored. But we are saying it’s value a day journey out for its star attraction — the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area — plus different hidden gems too.
Alishan Forest Recreation Area 阿里山國家森林遊樂區
Contrary to common perception, Alishan is just not a mountain. Rather, it’s a complete mountainous space protecting greater than 1,400 hectares! To us, it seems to be straight out of a fairy story with stunning lakes surrounded by a misty forest.
It can take as much as 3 – 4 hours (round-trip) to hike from Alishan Railway Station, however for people who find themselves unhealthy at hikes (like me), right here’s our cheat code to chop that point by half — with out lacking out on iconic landmarks.
Take the practice from Alishan Railway Station to Zhaoping Station and go on a leisurely stroll in the direction of Shenmu Station earlier than taking the practice again all the way down to Alishan Station.
Overall, we managed to cowl points of interest just like the Sisters Pond, Magnolia Garden, and Shouzhen Temple (presently underneath renovation) in a span of two hours, taking our time snapping images. We have been even handled to a couple pink blooms in the course of the hike — which actually made all of the strolling value it.
*Pro-tip: Travelling out of the town into the mountainous area generally is a little bit of a problem, so we advocate becoming a member of a day tour as a substitute! Plus, lunch is offered too.
Cost of tour: ~S$88.20/pax (1 day tour)
Tour timing: 8:15AM – 6:30PM
Meeting level: THSR Chiayi Station
Hinoki Village 檜意森活村
After returning to Chiayi from Alishan, our information additionally introduced us to Hinoki Village — a cultural village comprising of 28 Japanese-style buildings.
Being a self-proclaimed Japan otaku (nerd), I used to be actually excited to see a reproduction of the standard homes and zen gardens in Japan right here. There have been even numerous outlets promoting Japanese souvenirs and meals like gold-leaf ice cream!
Mochiron (after all), I needed to lease a yukata (NT$550 for two hours) to actually immerse within the Japanese tradition however principally take fairly images whereas exploring the village.
*Pro-tip: Head to Hinoki Village early as most outlets shut by 6PM.
Opening hours: 10AM – 6PM
Address: No. 1, Linsen East Road, East District, Chiayi, Taiwan 600
Dinner at San He 三禾
Tired and hungry after an extended day of strolling, we requested our information for dinner suggestions and he was form sufficient to drive us to a neighborhood restaurant known as San He.
We ordered the braised pork rice (NT$35) and turkey hen rice (NT$35) to strive, and the previous was presumably the most effective I’ve had — actually melt-in-your-mouth mushy ????. Other add-on facet dishes have been accessible, akin to braised egg, seaweed soup, miso soup, and greens.
Opening hours: 10AM – 7PM (Closed on Thu)
Address: No. 97, Minquan Road, East District, Chiayi, Taiwan 600
Day 8 – 9: Kaohsiung 高雄
THSR from Tainan to Kaohsiung (Zuoying): ~15mins
On the final leg of our journey, we headed to Kaohsiung — house to a number of points of interest such because the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, in addition to The Pier2 Art Center.
But since we visited these on our earlier journey there, we wished to discover new locations and take a look at new experiences.
Cijin Island 旗津島
Our first cease in Kaohsiung was out of the town and on a quaint little island named Cijin. It’s identified for a number of iconic photograph spots just like the Kaohsiung Lighthouse, Starlight Tunnel, Cijin Shell House, and Rainbow Church.
After searching by means of many IG-worthy photos on the Internet, we have been actually wanting ahead to visiting Cijin Island and it didn’t disappoint — I imply simply take a look at this ????
My private favorite was this hidden spot alongside the seashore that resembled a mini Santorini!
*Pro-tip: Rent an electrical bike (~NT$600/hr for a 4-seater bike) to save lots of time and canopy these spots across the island underneath 2 hours!
How to get there: Hop on a 5-minute ferry journey to Cijin Island from Gushan Ferry Pier
Glory Pier 光榮碼頭
Photo credit score: Kaohsiung Travel
Previously often called Pier 13, Glory Pier is situated on the river mouth of Love River in Kaohsiung.
It was once an vital transport hub to the island areas of Kinmen and Matsu however now it’s a tourism and leisure attraction with a music centre — full with three live performance halls, an artwork gallery, and even a library!
Most individuals may additionally recognise an enormous yellow ducky on the pier however sorry to ruffle your feathers, it’s now not there :’)
Opening hours: 24hrs
How to get there: Take the Kaohsiung Light Rail to Glory Pier Station and stroll 3mins
Liuhe Night Market 六合夜市
In true native style, we ended our final night time in Taiwan by visiting an evening market!
Since Ruifeng Night Market was closed on the day we have been in Kaohsiung, we went to Liuhe Night Market as a substitute. It could also be smaller but it surely’s nonetheless full of plenty of scrumptious native meals.
We tried the Taiwanese sizzling canine (NT$50) — a sausage stuffed into a bigger sausage fabricated from pork gut casing crammed with sticky rice, topped with peanuts and shallots. Wow, that was a mouthful, actually.
Of course, we additionally had the Taiwanese enormous fried hen which was so good that somebody mentioned and I quote: “I could make love to it”. Disclaimer: I swear it’s not me.
Opening hours: 6PM until late
How to get there: Walk 8mins from Formosa Boulevard Station
Breakfast at Good Morning 早安美芝城
Serving up contemporary toast, croissants, and burgers, Good Morning breakfast place was an unintended gem whereas strolling round Kaohsiung metropolis.
Some of the flavours have been fascinating, together with a signature toast with a pork patty (NT$40) and a beef burger with peanut sauce (NT$55) — the burger truly tasted fairly good, with out the peanut style being too overpowering.
Opening hours: 6AM – 11:30AM
Address: No. 56, Zhengqin Road, Qianzhen District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 80674
i-Ride Kaohsiung (5D Visual Flying Theater)
Before heading off to the airport, we squeezed in a single final exercise to discover all of Taiwan (in simply 5 minutes) — i-Ride Kaohsiung!
It’s a 360° visible flying theatre the place we “soared” over mountains, valleys, and cities in Taiwan. The 5D components additionally took us without warning with sprays of water and blasts of wind when diving into the ocean or flying into the sky.
To commemorate our journey, we even snagged a photograph memento for NT$100.
Cost: ~S$17/pax
Opening hours: 9:30AM – 5PM (Wed – Sun), closed on Mon and Tue
How to get there: Take the Kaohsiung Light Rail to Software Technology Park Station and stroll 5mins
Read additionally: Top 7 issues to do in and round Kaohsiung — Gateway to Taiwan’s laid again South
Where to Stay in Taiwan
As we have been travelling down from Taipei to Kaohsiung, we primarily based ourselves in three essential areas — Taipei (Day 1 – 3), Taichung (Day 4 – 5) and Tainan (Day 6 – 9). So it was simpler for us to take day journeys to close by areas with out the trouble of regularly transferring round.
Day 1 – 3: Finders Hotel (from ~S$36.50/night time)
Our crib in Taipei was Finders Hotel — whereas the rooms weren’t as huge as we thought, it was nonetheless fairly cosy and cozy.
Photo credit score: Klook
We additionally liked hanging out within the foyer to play darts and foosball, in addition to seize free meals like cup noodles, tea and biscuits at any time when we acquired hungry ????.
The resort is conveniently situated close to points of interest like Taipei 228 Memorial Park and National Taiwan Museum too!
Cost: From ~S$36.50/night time (for 1 pax)
Address: No. 86, Section 1, Chongqing S Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan 100
Day 4 – 5: Green Hotel – Midori (from ~S$38/night time)
Not gonna lie, Green Hotel – Midori was most likely the perfect lodging we stayed at on this journey. It’s clear and spacious, and right here’s the perfect function — the bogs are fitted with a bidet!
What’s extra, it’s located in a mall known as ASEAN Square with numerous meals choices like Vietnamese and even Indonesian delicacies. It’s additionally a 5-minute stroll from Taichung station and close by locations just like the Sun Cake Museum, Miyahara restaurant, and Taroko mall.
Cost: From ~S$38/night time (for 1 pax)
Address: 12F, No. 123, Luchuan W. Street, Central District, Taichung, Taiwan 400
Day 6 – 9: House Inn House (from ~S$19.50/night time)
House Inn House is probably not a elaborate five-star resort, however every room is actually cosy with its personal distinctive design — ours was retro-themed with a comfortable sofa and had prop gadgets like a movie gentle stand and even a standing karaoke mic.
It’s additionally only a 10-minute stroll to Tainan station, which labored nice for us since we deliberate to go out from Tainan and discover close by cities like Chiayi and Kaohsiung!
Plus, there are additionally loads of native clothes outlets and quick meals choices close by akin to KFC and McDonald’s for a fast chew ????
Cost: From ~S$19.50/night time (for 1 pax)
Address: No. 33, Lane 108, Weimin Street, West Central District, Tainan, Taiwan 700
Tips for Planning Your Taiwan Itinerary
Having principally been to Taipei and its surrounds, it was refreshing to discover different areas and hidden gems in Taiwan!
I’ve fallen in love with newly found cities alongside the West Coast like Tainan and Kaohsiung for his or her picture-worthy spots, and was even fortunate to catch some pink blossoms in areas like Alishan throughout spring!
Before you go, listed here are some suggestions to your future Taiwan itinerary:
1) Bring adequate money: not all outlets settle for playing cards, particularly at native night time markets.
2) Download helpful apps like:
Taiwan Railways Administration — to test the practice schedule
Uber — there’s no Grab
Google Translate — to ask locals for instructions ????
3) Pre-book journey necessities: journey insurance coverage, SIM card and StraightforwardCard (reloadable transport card) for a hassle-free journey!
4) Pack loads of face masks: present guidelines state that it’s required on public transport. But you’re free to take it off when outside.
Bonus: Check out our cherry blossom information and go to throughout spring (Feb – Mar) to catch fairly pink flowers.
Read additionally: 25 Unique Things To Do In Taiwan Besides Visiting Night Markets
Did we miss another fascinating locations on this Taiwan itinerary? Share with us within the feedback beneath!