8-Day Taiwan Itinerary: Exploring The Island’s Hidden Travel Gems

AtriptoTaiwanalwayspromisesplentyoffun,memorableexperiences.Afterall,it’soneofthemostpopulardestinationsinAsia,famousforitsmouthwateringstreetfood,andalluringnaturalscenery.However,ifyou’relookingforplacestovisitinTaiwanotherthanTaipei,thenwe’vegotyoucovered. 

Hereisan8-dayTaiwanitinerarythathelpsyouexploresomeofthemoreunderratedandhiddengemlocationsinTaiwan!Fromoverlookedcitiestohiddenislandsinthesouth,theselocationswillreigniteyourwanderlustforthisbeautifulisland! 

WanttotraveltoTaiwan’slesser-knownattractionsbutwanttoskipthehassleofplanningyourownitinerary?Don’tfret,becausethis8DTaiwanNatureSightseeingTourbyASAHolidayshaseverythingyouneed! ApartfromtakingyoutosomeofthebestunderrateddestinationsinTaiwan,thetouralsooffersyoucomfystaysatfour-starhotelsthroughoutthetrip! What’smore,youcansaveuptoS$1,000percoupleandenjoyanadditionaldiscountofS$100OFFperpax!You’llalsoreceivefreeexclusivemerchfromASAHolidaysandCitibankandstandachancetowinFREEAirTicketstoHainanIslandandMacau*! Sohurry,booknow,andembarkonadifferentkindoftourinTaiwan! Availabledeparturedates:NowtillDec2023. BOOKNOW

An8DTaiwanItinerary

Arrivalandfirststop:Taichung

InsteadofstartingyourTaiwantripinTaipeilikeeveryoneelsedoes,whynotstartbyvisitingTaichung?Afterall,thisunderratedcityisjustashortdrivefromTaoyuan.Plus,alongtheway,youcanstopbyafewhiddengemsinTaiwantoo. 

AsyoutraveltowardsTaichung,makeastopattheambientBeipuOldStreetinHsinchuCounty.Theareaexudesamorelaidbackatmosphere,farremovedfromthebustlingmetropolitanvibesofTaiwan.Hereatthishiddengem,you’llfindtraditionalshophouses,historicBuddhisttemplesandsites,and,mostimportantly,aplethoraofdelectableHakkanesecuisine,fromgroundteatosweetpersimmoncakes. 

Imagecredit:SengHuatSimviaCanvaPro

AfterindulginginaheartyHakkanesemeal,makeyourwaytotheGaoMeiWetlands,anexpansive1,500-hectareestuarinewetlandfeaturingmudflats,saltmarshes,andsanddunes.LocatedoffthewestcoastofTaiwan,just20kmorsonorthofTaichungCity,thispopularecologicalattractionboastsswoon-worthysceneryandarichbiodiversityoflocalfloraandfaunawhichyoucanseewhileexploringtheareaviatheboardwalks. 

Next,visitShenJiNewVillage,locatedclosetotheheartofTaichungCity.Asthenamesuggests,thisareaistheepitomeofalocationthatcombinestraditionandmodernity.Filledwithrenovatedoldhouses,ShenjiNewVillageisavibrantcreativeandculturalhub,whereonecanfindartisanalmarkets,cafes,andplentyofartstudios.Thebackdropofpicturesquebuildingsalsomakesthisanareathatappealstoavidphotographers! 

Finally,beforeretiringforthenight,visitTaichung’smostpopularnightmarket—FengJiaNightMarket,andfeastonadiversearrayofmouthwateringstreetfood!Personally,wefoundtheguabao(porkbellybuns)tobeexceptionallydeliciousandyouhavetotrythem! 

ExploreTaiwan’shiddengemsinthesouth

AfterimmersingintheculturalvibesofTaichung,startthenextdaybytravellingtoKaohsiung,oneofthetopunderratedtraveldestinationsinTaiwan.Alongtheway,makeadetourtovisitsomepopularlocationsinChiayiandTainanaswell! 

Oneofthemust-visitlocationsbetweenTaichungandKaohsiungisthescenicHinokiVillageintheeastofChiayi.ThishistoricculturalattractionfeaturesJapanese-stylehutsthatwerebuiltduringJapaneseruleinTaiwan.Inthepast,theyweremainlyusedasdormitoriesforworkersbuttoday,thankstotheserenesceneryaroundit,theareaisapopulartouristsitewherevisitorscantakeplentyofphotosandlearnaboutTaiwan’shistory. 

ContinuingyourTaiwanitinerary,embarkonanhour-longdrivethroughforestedroadstoTainanZengwenReservoir,thelargestreservoirinTaiwan.Here,youcanhoponayachttourandadmirethemajesticsceneryaroundyou,punctuatedbyenigmaticmountainfacesandflowingrivers.AsyousailclosertoDapu,you’llpassbyWildBoarIslandandFlyingEagleCanyonwhere,ifyou’relucky,you’llspotsomeadorableboarsandgianteaglesintheair! 

AfterfinallyarrivinginKaohsiung,yousimplymustvisitoneofthecity’svibrantnightmarkets.Ourpick?ThepopularLiuHeNightMarketwhichfeaturesover130stallssellingstreetfoodthatwillsurelymakeyourtummyrumble! 

DiscoverTaiwan’shiddenislandparadise—XiaoLiuQiu

Imagecredit:LeungChoPanviaCanvaPro

WhileinKaohsiung,oneofthebestthingstodoisactuallytotakeamini2D1Ntriptothelittle-knownislandofXiaoLiuQiu.AlsoknownasLambaiIsland,XiaoLiuQiuisabreathtakingcoralisland(theonlyoneofitskindinTaiwan)offthesouthwesterncoastofTaiwan.Ittakesa30-minuteferryridefromDongganginPingtungCountytogettothesecludedisland. 

Oncethere,you’llimmediatelynoticeXiaoLiuQiu’spristinebeaches,rockycliffs,colourfulcoralreefs,andenigmaticgeologicalformations,allofwhicharesightsthatmaketheislandapopulargetawayspotforthelocals. 

Oneofthemust-visitspotsinXiaoLiuQiuisVaseRock,oneofthemosticoniclandmarksontheisland.Locatedintheintertidalzone,therockformationisaresultofrisingcoralreefsinthearea,whileseaerosionovertimegaveititsvase-likeshape. 

Othermust-seelocationsincludeBeautyCave,anaturallimestonecavecoveredinfossilisedshellsandcorals,BlackGhostCave,anenigmaticcavesteepedinlegendthatleadsintoalushjungle,andtheWildBoarTrenchTrail,ascenictrekkingtrailflankedbytoweringtropicaltreesandcoveredbyathickjunglecanopy.Alongtheway,you’llseeupliftedcoralreefrocksandplentyandlovelycoastalviews. 

Don’tmissthechancetoalsovisitthetidalzone,whereyoucanobservetheisland’srichmarinebiodiversity.Oncethesunsets,youcanexplorethenightsceneryofXiaoLiuQiubeforeheadingtooneofthehomestaysontheislandtorestforthenight. 

DelveintothecultureofTaiwanatKaohsiung

Beforecallingitadayonthe2D1NXiaoLiuQiuislandexcursion,treatyourselftoanunforgettableunderwaterviewbyhoppingononeoftheglassbottomboatsontheisland.Onceyou’vetakenintheaquaticscenery,it’stimetoheadbacktoKaohsiung. 

WhilethereareplentyofpopularattractionsinKaohsiung,suchasFoGuangShanandtheTiger-DragonPagoda,let’staketheopportunitytocheckoutoneofthecity’smoreunderratedlocations—HongmaogangCulturalPark. 

Hereatthisexpansivepark,knownforitshistoricalsignificance,youcandiveintoKaohsiung’s(andTaiwan’s)fascinatingmaritimehistorybyvisitingthethemeddisplayzonesandmuseuminthearea.What’smore,thankstothepark’swaterfrontlocation,you’llbeabletotakeinplentyofscenicviewsthroughouttheparkbyheadingtotheviewingplatformsorbybravingtheskywalk. 

AfterbiddingfarewelltoKaohsiung,makeyourwaynorthtoChiayi,oneofthemostunderratedtravelgemsinTaiwan,despitebeingthegatewaytooneoftheisland’stopattractions(moreonthatlater).OurfirststopinChiayithough,isthecity’sfamousnightmarket,whereyoucantreatyourselftosomeofthedeliciouslocaldelicacies,suchasturkeyriceandfishheadstew. 

AdmirethenaturalbeautyofAlishan

NotriptoTaiwanisevercompletewithoutavisittotheAlishanNationalScenicArea,oneofTaiwan’smostpopularnaturalattractions.AndChiayijustsohappenstobetheeasiestcityfromwhichtoheadtoAlishan.Whilemanychoosetohikealongthewell-maintainedtrailstoreachthetopofAlishan,werecommendhoppingaboardascenictrainridefromAlishanStationtoChaopingStation. 

Onceyoualightfromthetrain,you’llbesweptawaybythenaturalscenerythroughoutthearea,especiallyifyou’revisitingduringautumnorspring!Whileyou’reinAlishan,don’tmisssomeofthearea’stopattractions,liketheSisterLakes,theTreeSpiritPagoda,andShouzhenTemple.Beforeheadingbackdown,werecommendstoppingbythegiftshopstobuysomeofAlishan’sfamoustealeaves,knownforhavinganincrediblearomaandpristinetaste. 

AfterspendingplentyoftimetakinginthenaturalallureofAlishan,headbacktowardsTaichung,whereyour8-dayTaiwanitineraryfirstbegan.HeadtoYizhongStreet,whereyou’llfindoneofthemostfamousnightmarketsinTaichung.Naturally,wehopeyoubroughtabigappetite! 

EnjoyunderratedexperiencesinTaipei

BeforeheadingbackhometoSingapore,werecommendmakingastopinTaipei.However,insteadofvisitingmainstreamattractionslikeTaipei101,discovernewexperiencesinTaiwan’spulsatingcapitalinstead. 

WerecommendfirstheadingtotheVigorKoboPineappleCakeMuseumwhereyoucannotonlyseehowTaiwan’sfamouspastriesaremadebutalsogethands-onwithaDIYPineappleCakeMakingclass!Andyes,youcanbringyourcakeshomeasasouvenir! 

Next,headtotheTianLuArtCentretolearnalittlebitaboutthefascinatingartofgeomanticbeforeshoppingfortraditionalgoods(thinkboltsofcloth,localcrafts,andherbs)atDadaocheng,whichisfamousforitstraditionalshophouses.YoucanevenrentaQipao(traditionalChinesedress)foraquickphotographysession! 

Atnight,werecommendskippingShilinNightMarketandinsteadheadingforthemoreunderratedNingxiaNightMarket.Whiletheformerismorefamousamongtourists,thelatterisamorelocalisednightmarket,wheretherearemorelocalsthantourists.Plus,havingbeenthereourselves,wecansaythatthefoodthereismuchmoretastyandslightlymoreaffordable! 

Homesweethome

Imagecredit:LeungChoPanviaCanvaPro

Ifyouhavesometimebeforeyourflighthome,youcancertainlymakethemostofitbyvisitingsomeofTaipei’stoplocationswhileyou’rethere.However,ourpersonalpreferenceissimplytoheadtoXimendingandtreatourselvestoafinalflurryofTaiwanesefoodfortheroad.YoucouldalsoheadtotheGongguanShoppingDistrictforsomelast-minuteshoppingbeforemakingyourwaytoTaiwanTaoyuanInternationalAirport. 

Andthereyouhaveit:an8-dayTaiwanItinerarythatletsyoudiscoverthehiddengemsofTaiwanwhilstalsofillingyourtimewithsomeofthebestexperiences.AlreadyitchingtobookthoseflightstoTaiwan?Thenwehavegoodnews! 

WanttotraveltoTaiwan’slesser-knownattractionsbutwanttoskipthehassleofplanningyourownitinerary?Don’tfret,becausethis8DTaiwanNatureSightseeingTourbyASAHolidayshaseverythingyouneed! ApartfromtakingyoutosomeofthebestunderrateddestinationsinTaiwan,thetouralsooffersyoucomfystaysatfour-starhotelsthroughoutthetrip! What’smore,youcansaveuptoS$1,000percoupleandenjoyanadditionaldiscountofS$100OFFperpax!You’llalsoreceivefreeexclusivemerchfromASAHolidaysandCitibankandstandachancetowinFREEAirTicketstoHainanIslandandMacau*! Sohurry,booknow,andembarkonadifferentkindoftourinTaiwan! Availabledeparturedates:NowtillDec2023. BOOKNOW

 

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BroughttoyoubyASAHolidaysandTaiwanTourismBureau