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Explore Taiwan

11 Days | Tantalising food, lush views, tranquil temples and sweet black tea

4.4 out of 5 based on 8 reviews submitted.
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GBP £2,129
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Discover a glittering coastline, lush green landscapes and tranquil temples on this 11-day adventure through tantalising Taiwan. Squeeze between food stalls and medicine pedlars in narrow alleyways, get behind-the-scenes glimpses (and a hands-on experience) in local industries and taste some of the most innovative dishes in Asia, from oyster omelettes to taro balls. Then, travel to the misty mountains and rugged coastal forests that have captured the attention of so many international powers throughout history and learn why Taiwan earned the nickname ‘the beautiful island’.

Trip overview

Map of Explore Taiwan including Taiwan, Republic Of China
Start
Taipei, Taiwan
Finish
Taipei, Taiwan
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
Taiwan
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Original
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
CJSA
We’re in the process of figuring out how much CO2-e this trip generates. In the meantime, find out more about our climate commitments and carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Discover Taiwan’s food culture by collecting oysters in Wangong, sipping black tea at a plantation, cooking farm-fresh spring onion pancakes in Yilan and wandering through the bustling street food night markets in Hualien.
  • Hike through lush mountain foothills to a 12-tiered pagoda that overlooks Sun Moon Lake, and take a ride around the emerald green waters on a cycling adventure.
  • Take in the scenic beauty of Taroko Gorge, then follow the aquamarine river along the Shakadang Trail on a hike past marbled cliffs and immense boulders.
  • Explore stalls pilled with dried fruits, herbs and medicines housed in a mixture of modern and historic buildings on Dihua Street – considered one of the oldest streets in Taiwan.
  • Enjoy a special visit to the Indigenous Atayal tribe and spend some time with their community to learn about their forest survival techniques and costumes, then enjoy a hearty home-cooked meal that showcases tradition and Indigenous flavours.
  • By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries.

Is this trip right for you?
  • We use mainly private transport between destinations on this trip to enable us to pack as many highlights as we can into each day. When in Taipei you can expect plenty of walking and to make use of the efficient metro system.
  • There are a number of opportunities for hiking and cycling on this trip. While these are not strenuous, they do require a good overall level of fitness.

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2023 - 31 December 2023

Map of Explore Taiwan including Taiwan, Republic Of China

Inclusions

Meals

10 breakfasts, 1 lunch

Transport

Private Bus, Metro, Public Bus, Bike

Accommodation

Hotel (8 nights), Guesthouse (2 nights)

Activities
  • Taipei - Dihua Street walk
  • Taipei - Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall
  • Hualien - Night Market Street Food Crawl
  • Taipei - National Palace Museum
  • Hualien - Qixingtan
  • Hualien - Qingshui Cliff
  • Taroko Gorge - scenic hike
  • Yilan - Indigenous Atayal tribe half day visit
  • Yilan - Spring onion farm & cooking demostration
  • Puli - Chung Tai Chan Monastery
  • Puli - Hugosum Tea Farm
  • Sun Moon Lake - Ci'en Pagoda Trail walk
  • Sun Moon Lake - Bike Ride
  • Lukang - Longshan Temple
  • Fangyuan - Oyster picking
  • Taichung - Rainbow Village

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip, except Day 7&8, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 based on 8 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Matthew · Traveled October 2023
Excellent introduction to a fascinating country. Taiwan is easy to get around, has great food, and friendly people. I highly recommend a visit!
Review submitted 26 Oct 2023

Suzanne · Traveled September 2023
Taiwan is an amazing location with great street food, remarkable geography, amazing culture, a mixed history with many influ6... French (superb pastries) Japanese, Chinese and indigenous tribes. The people are friendly, proud and always willing to help.
Review submitted 08 Oct 2023

Andrew · Traveled May 2023
Interesting country and itinerary but unacceptable breakfasts for four nights and guide made an error and left us behind in the Gorges.
Review submitted 28 Jul 2023

Zhiyi · Traveled May 2023
I totally enjoyed the Taiwan trip, We had a super cool tour guide Logan, and met lovely people in the tour. Great food, fabulous experience.
Review submitted 26 Jul 2023

Fiona · Traveled May 2023
Fascinating trip covering many areas within Taiwan - great food experiences, night markets, temples, hiking in the gorge, making spring onion pancakes, seeing dolphins and Turtle Island - hot springs and Sun Moon Lake Logan was our guide and he brought so much fun to the group - so much to learn about Taiwanese food and culture and Taoism This trip ticked all the boxes
Review submitted 20 May 2023
Explore Taiwan
From
GBP £2,129