Asia · October 2025
Our trip round Taiwan
Twenty-two days clockwise round the island: Taipei, Hualien, Taitung, Green Island, Kenting, Tainan, Alishan and Taichung. Rain kept us out of Taroko Gorge.
- 22days on
the island - 15diary
entries - 8stops round
the island - 7films on
YouTube
Day by day
Every day of the trip in order. Click any day to read the full diary: where we went, how we got there and where we stayed.
Days 1 & 2: Arrival in Taipei and Ximending
Arriving in Taipei on the MRT Airport Express, checking into the Midtown Richardson, then the Red House and street food stalls of Ximending.
Day 3: Taipei’s Cultural Treasures
Day 3 in Taipei: Longshan Temple, the Changing of the Guard at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and coffee at Simple Kaffa on floor 88 of Taipei 101.
Day 4: The Mountain Town of Jiufen
A day trip to the Golden Waterfall and the hillside town of Jiufen, with red lanterns in the alleys at dusk and tea at the A-Mei Tea House.
Day 5: A Relaxing Day in Hualien
Taking the Puyuma Express to Hualien, a quiet day at the cycling-themed Kadda Hotel when the weather ruled out the gorge, and Dongdamen Night Market.
Day 6: Island Hopping to Green Island
Taking the ferry from Fugang Harbour to Green Island, a small volcanic island off Taiwan's east coast, and checking into the quirky Tube 18 Resort.
Day 7: Returning to Taitung
Leaving Green Island for Taitung, checking into the Formosan Naruwan Hotel and an afternoon on foot that ended with dinner at a local restaurant.
Days 8 & 9: Sun and Fun in Kenting
Two days in Kenting at the Moroccan-style Amanda Hotel, split between the national park beaches and the Kenting Night Market.
Days 10 & 11: History and Culture in Tainan
Two days in Tainan, Taiwan's oldest city: Chihkan Tower, its many temples and the Anping Tree House, an old warehouse taken over by banyan roots.
Days 12 & 13: The Beauty of Sun Moon Lake
Cycling the 30 km loop around Sun Moon Lake clockwise, past the Ci'en Pagoda and Wenwu Temple, with wild monkeys sharing the path.
Days 14 & 15: Misty Mountains in Alishan
Staying at the Dafong Hotel in Alishan, a 5am Alishan Forest Railway ride to Zhushan for sunrise, the giant trees and the Sister Ponds.
Day 16: A Scenic Railway Journey
Riding the narrow-gauge Alishan Forest Railway down through the forest to Chiayi, then on to the busy, modern city of Taichung.
Days 17 & 18: Taichung’s Colourful Charm
Two days in Taichung: the murals of Rainbow Village, the castle-like Miyahara shop, the Calligraphy Greenway and Yizhong Street Night Market.
Day 19: Returning to Taipei
Taking Taiwan's high-speed train back to Taipei for our final few days, revisiting favourite districts and looking back on the trip round the island.
Days 20 & 21: Final Explorations in Taipei
A rainy hike up Elephant Mountain for misty views of Taipei 101, the Jadeite Cabbage at the National Palace Museum and the Songshan Cultural Park.
Day 22: Farewell, Taiwan
Our last day in Taiwan: heading to the airport after 22 days travelling clockwise round the island, from Taipei's neon streets to Alishan's forests.
Planning your own?
Everything we wish we'd known before we went, written from this trip.
Before you go
Things to Know
Money, transport, eSIMs and the arrival card, from our trip.
Taipei weather this week
Watch the trip
Seven films from the island, from Taipei's night markets to the Alishan sunrise train.