Asia · Taiwan · Itinerary
Bangkok → Taipei → Taichung → Shizhuo → Alishan → Taitung → Chishang → Tainan → Kaohsiung → Bangkok
Taiwan kept surprising us. Every time we thought we had it figured out — the scale of the night markets, the quietness of the tea mountain villages, the warmth of everyone we met — it revealed another layer. We arrived expecting a quick stopover and ended up extending our stay.
This wasn't the standard tourist circuit. We took the HSR south, got off at stations most people pass through, spent a night in a misty tea village at 1,100m, and cycled through paddy fields in the Rift Valley. This is the complete route, exactly as we did it.
Taipei — Arrival
Land at Taoyuan and head straight into the city. Afternoon walkabout through Rongjin and Da'an district for café-hopping. Summer Savage Café for coffee and aesthetics. Yongkang Street for street food. Taipei 101 for evening views, then CHRISTMASLAND at Xinyi — the city's enormous December light festival.
Taipei → Taichung
Quick HSR hop south to Taichung — Taiwan's most liveable and creative city. Green River park for a riverside morning. Miyahara is the old ophthalmology clinic turned into a spectacular ice cream emporium — one of the most beautiful shops in Taiwan. Dawn Cake for pineapple cake (the best). JYT Café and BUBU Art Café for the city's thriving café culture. End at PARK2, an outdoor space built around upcycled shipping containers.
Taichung → Shizhuo Tea Village
Leave luggage in Chiayi and take the mountain bus up to Shizhuo — a tiny tea village perched in the Alishan range at 1,100m elevation. Walk the Mist Trail in the clouds and the Sunset Trail as the mountains turn orange and pink. This is the Taiwan most tourists never see: small guesthouses, tea terraces draped in mist, absolute silence.
Shizhuo → Alishan → Chiayi
Wake before dawn and bus up for the famous Alishan sunrise over a sea of clouds — one of Taiwan's iconic images. Ride the narrow-gauge Alishan Forest Railway through towering cypress groves. Walk to Sisters Pond, photograph the Giant Trees, Sacred Tree, Three-Generations Tree, and the Elephant Trunk Tree — some of Taiwan's oldest living things. Vegetarian lunch in the park.
Chiayi → Taitung
The Puyuma express shoots across to Taiwan's dramatic east coast. Taitung is the gateway to a completely different Taiwan — indigenous Paiwan and Amis cultures, the Pacific to one side and mountains to the other. Evening at Tiehua Music Village, an outdoor live music and artisan market in repurposed military warehouses.
Taitung → Chishang
Short train north to Chishang — a small farming town famous for its organic rice and the breathtaking Brown Boulevard, a poplar-lined road cutting through golden paddy fields. Walk Brown Boulevard in the afternoon light with mountains on both sides, the fields gold and green, almost no tourists. Visit the Chishang Barn Art Gallery — a beautiful converted rice warehouse with contemporary art.
Chishang → Yuli → Taitung
Morning ride on the Yufu Bikeway — a 10km flat cycling path through rice fields with mountain panoramas on both sides. Store luggage at a station locker, cycle out and back at your own pace. Collect bags and take the local train down to Taitung for an overnight before heading south.
Tainan — Day Trip from Kaohsiung
Day trip to Tainan — Taiwan's oldest city and food capital. Anping old fort and the surreal Anping Tree House (a warehouse swallowed by banyan trees). Shennong Street, Tainan's most atmospheric lane, lined with old apothecaries and indie cafés. Confucius Temple in the late afternoon. Blueprint Cultural & Creative Park for design and art. Return to Kaohsiung for dinner.
Kaohsiung
Explore Taiwan's second city. Cijin Island by ferry for seafood and a lighthouse stroll. Pier-2 Art Centre in the old port warehouses — one of Taiwan's best creative districts. Lotus Pond with its extraordinary dragon and tiger pagodas you walk through the mouths of. Christmas Market in the evening. End the night at Liuhe Night Market — Kaohsiung's excellent street food strip.
EasyCard
Buy an EasyCard (悠遊卡) at Taoyuan Airport. It covers all MRT, buses, some TRA trains, and YouBike bicycle hire. Top up at any 7-Eleven or FamilyMart.
HSR vs TRA
The HSR (high-speed rail) is fast but only serves the west coast. The TRA (regular rail) is essential for Taitung, Chishang and Tainan. Book TRA reserved seats online in advance.
Mountain Buses
Bus 7322 to Shizhuo from Chiayi runs infrequently — check the schedule and book if possible. Missing it means a very expensive taxi up the mountain.
Cash
Night markets and small vendors are cash-only. 7-Eleven and FamilyMart ATMs accept foreign cards. Taiwan is extremely affordable — budget TWD 500–800 per person per day for food.
YouBike
Taiwan's public bike share scheme is excellent and cheap. Available in Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung — rent with your EasyCard. The first 30 minutes are often free.
Dec Weather
Taipei and north are cool (15–22°C). South and east are pleasant (22–27°C). Alishan can be cold and misty — bring warm layers. Typhoon season ends by October.
