3-Week Taiwan Travel Itinerary – iBeauty Taiwan Travel Guide Blog Itinerary, Taipei Tourist Attractions

▎Day 9-11: Kenting (May-Sep) or Choose one of the 4 islands
Option 1: Pingtung Donggang to Xiaoliuqiu
Option 2: Taitung Fugang to Green Island
Option 3: Taitung Houbihu to Orchid Island . It is not a fixed ferry service. The ferry company will only sail when there are enough passengers who have booked ferry tickets.
Option 4: Taipei to Penghu

▎Day 11-13: Taitung

▎Day 13-15: Hualien (Since most of Taroko Gorge is still closed, you can cut down a day)

▎Day 15-21: Taipei + Day Tour to Yilan

Day 1-3: Arrival and Transfer to Taichung

A quick and easy way to get to Taichung is to take the High Speed Rail (book Discounts or Buy 1 Get 1 ticket here) and then take the Taichung MRT to your hotel.

► Arrival Taoyuan Airport MRT transfer to ► Taoyuan HSR Station ► Taiwan High Speed Rail ► Taichung HSR Station ► Taichung MRT ► Check in or Luggage storage

▎Day 1: Overnight: Taichung

Depending on your flight to Taiwan

●13:00-15:00 Lunch: Top City Taichung Store
▼ 15:30-17:00 Maple Garden
▼ 17:30-18:30 Taichung Park
● 19:00- 20:30 Dinner: Taiwan Night Markets: Yizhong Street Night Market
▼ Walk along the Liuchuan Riverside (You may consider)

It depends on whether you are interested in Taichung’s attractions. If you are not staying in Taichung, you can go directly to Sun Moon Lake from Taichung High Speed Rail Station
Last bus on weekdays: 18:48 Taichung TRA Station → 19:10 Taichung HSR Station → 20:30 Sun Moon Lake
Last bus on weekends: 19:48 Taichung TRA Station → 20:10 Taichung HSR Station → 21:30 Sun Moon Lake

▎Day 2: Overnight: Taichung

Itinerary: Day Tour 10:30-19:20
■ Gaomei Wetland, Rainbow Village and Miyahara Day Tour from Taichung
▼ Miyahara
▼ Park Lane by CMP(nearby Calligraphy Greenway)
▼ National Taichung Theater
▼ Rainbow Village
▼ Wu Chi Culture Police Office
▼ Gaomei Wetlands
● 19:20- 21:00 Dinner: Taiwan Night Markets: Yizhong Street Night Market

Other options
■ Sun Moon Lake Crescent Bay & Gaomei Wetlands One-day Tour
■ Taichung Gaomei Wetland & Qingjing Farm Day Tour
■ Gaomei Wetlands and Rainbow Village Half-Day Tour from Taichung
■ Gaomei Wetland Half Day/One Day Tour

Taichung’s MRT and bus routes are not as dense as Taipei’s. There are many interesting attractions in Taichung. In addition to tourist attractions in Taichung city and surrounding areas, there are also various attractions in the suburbs of Taichung.

If you want to go to the suburbs, you can only rent a scooter or car to get there more conveniently. Since you are not familiar with public transportation, your round trip transportation may take up to 3-4 hours. If time is limited, it is recommended to take a one-day tour, which is simpler, more convenient and safer.

Note: You can choose to stay overnight in Taichung and take a day tour to Sun Moon Lake.

Other options
■ Sun Moon Lake & Cingjing Farm Day Tour
■ Sun Moon Lake & Cingjing Farm One-Day Tour (Taichung City Hotel Pickup)
■ Sun Moon Lake Day Tour from Taichung
■ Sun Moon Lake One-Day Tour from Taichung
■ Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village Day Trip (From Taichung)

Day 3-4: Nantou: Sun Moon Lake

The quickest and easiest way to reach Sun Moon Lake is by taking bus No, 6670.

► Check out ► TRA Taichung Station ► Sun Moon Lake ► Check in or Luggage storage

▎Day 3: Overnight: Sun Moon Lake

I recommend you take the bus before 9:00 so you have enough time to ride a bike, take a boat, or walk around Sun Moon Lake after lunch.

Read Taichung to Sun Moon Lake Bus Timetable

▼ Sun Moon Lake

Note: You can choose to stay overnight in Taichung and take a day tour to Alishan but you will miss the sunrise.

Other options
■ Alishan One Day Tour from Taichung
■ Alishan Forest Railway 1-Day & Multi-Day Tour from Taichung

Day 4-5: Chiayi: Alishan

► Check out ► 08:00 Sun Moon Lake ► Bus ► Alishan ► Check in or Luggage storage

▎Day 4: Overnight: Alishan

Read Sun Moon Lake to Alishan Bus Schedule – How to reserve seats?

▼ Alishan Taiwan: Classic Route for First-Timers, Sunset and Stargazing

Read 2 Day Alishan Itinerary

Day 5-6: Chiayi

▎Day 5: Overnight: Chiayi

▼ The Sunrise : 03:00 Wake up early to watch the sunrise. In summer, the first train departs at about 4:00 a.m.; and in winter, it will be rescheduled to 6:00 a.m. The actual departure time of the sunrise watching train on the next day will be posted on the website, railway station, entrance of the forest recreational area, and the visitor center around 16:00pm each day.

Don’t forget to book your tickets in advance
Alishan to Chiayi Bus Schedule: How to reserve seats?

► Check out ► Alishan ► Bus ► Chiayi ► Check in or Luggage storage

I recommend you to catch the bus about 09:00 so you have enough time to visit some of the sights after lunch.

▼ Hinoki Village
▼ Song of the Forest
▼ Alishan Forest Railway Garage Park
● 19:20- 21:00 Dinner: Chicken Rice or Lin Cong Ming Fish Head Casserole
▼ Taiwan Night Markets: Wenhua Road Night Market (Chiayi)

Note: If you are not interested in Chiayi’s attractions, food and night markets, you can also take the high-speed rail to Tainan or Kaohsiung for an overnight stay.

Day 6-9: Kaohsiung

A quick and easy way to get to Taichung is to take the High Speed Rail (book Discounts or Buy 1 Get 1 ticket here) and then take the Taichung MRT to your hotel.

► Check out ► Chiayi HSR Station ► Kaohsiung (Zuoying) HSR Station ► Kaohsiung MRT ► Check in or Luggage storage

I recommend you to catch the Taiwan High Speed Rail about 08:00 so you have enough time to visit some of the sights after lunch.

▎Day 6: Overnight: Kaohsiung

▼ 10:00-12:00 Cijin Shell Gallery
● 12:00-14:00 Lunch(Cijin Old Street), Rest and Transportation
▼ 14:00-17:00 Cijin Island, Relax at Cijin Beach
● 18:00-20:00 Dinner: Siaogangshan Skywalk Park
▼ 20:00-21:00 Central Park

Kaohsiung’s MRT and bus routes are not as dense as Taipei’s. There are many interesting attractions in Kaohsiung. In addition to tourist attractions in Kaohsiung city and surrounding areas, there are also various attractions in the suburbs of Kaohsiung.

▎Day 7: Overnight: Kaohsiung

Itinerary: Day Tour 08:15-18:00
■ Classic Kaohsiung Attractions Day Tour
▼ Tianliao Moon World
▼ Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
▼ Lotus Pond
▼ Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts
▼ Pier-2 Art Center
▼ Love River
▼ Dinner: Taiwan Night Markets: Liuhe Night Market

If you want to go to Tianliao Moon World or Fo Guang Shan Buddha Memorial Hall, a day tour is more convenient. Because these two attractions are in the suburbs, unless you rent a scooter or car. It is inconvenient to take the bus or walk, and waiting for the bus wastes too much time.

If you travel independently, you can only visit Tianliao Moon World or Fo Guang Shan Buddha Memorial Hall in one day. If you like hiking, I recommended you travel independently so that you have your own flexible time. If you have limited time, choose according to your own interests or want to visit more attractions.

▎Day 8: Overnight: Kaohsiung

There is no MRT in Tainan, so it is not recommended to stay overnight in Tainan, unless you rent a scooter or car to visit a few attractions. It is inconvenient to take the bus or walk, and waiting for the bus wastes too much time.

Itinerary: Day Tour 08:15-19:10
■ Tainan Classic Attractions Day Tour from Kaohsiung
▼ Chimei Museum
▼ Fort Zeelandia
▼ Anping Old Street
▼ Anping Tree House
▼ Sicao Green Tunnel
▼ Luermenma Temple
▼ Blueprint Culture & Creative Park

Itinerary: Day Tour 12:20-22:30
■ Tainan Classic Attractions Ten Drum Cultural… from Kaohsiung
▼ Tainan Shigu Cultural and Creative Park
▼ Qigu Salt Mountain
▼ Jingzaijiao Tile-paved Salt Fields
▼ Dadong Night Market

Other options
■ Classic Day Tour of Kaohsiung City
■ Private Custom Kaohsiung Day Tour
■ Private Day Tour of Tainan’s Ancient Capital from Kaohsiung
■ Classic Kenting Day Tour from Kaohsiung
■ Pingtung: Xiaoliuqiu One Day Tour

Note: You can choose to stay overnight in Kaohsiung and take a day tour to Kenting. Kaohsiung Kenting Itinerary

Day 9-11: Kenting(May-Sep)

OR Choose one of the 4 islands
Option 1: Pingtung Donggang to Xiaoliuqiu
Option 2: Taitung Fugang to Green Island
Option 3: Taitung Houbihu to Orchid Island . It is not a fixed ferry service. The ferry company will only sail when there are enough passengers who have booked ferry tickets.
Option 4: Taipei to Penghu

The best way to get to Kenting is to take the MRT or High Speed Rail(book Discounts or Buy 1 Get 1 ticket here) to Kaohsiung Zuoying Station and then take the Kenting Express Bus to Kenting (book Discounts ticket here).

► Check out ► Zuoying HSR Station ► Kenting Express Bus ► Kenting ► Check in or Luggage storage

I recommend you to catch the bus before 09:00 so you have enough time to visit some of the sights after lunch.

▎Day 9: Overnight: Kenting

Read Kaohsiung to Kenting Express Bus Schedule

Buy Discounted Tickets in Advance: There are many people taking this bus on holidays, so it is recommended to buy tickets in advance. It is very fast and convenient to get from Kaohsiung to Kenting. The Kenting Express ticket booth is just outside the Gate 2 of Zuoying HSR station, it’s very convenient and easy to find and redeem your tickets. The bus station is just below the ticket booth. The bus also provides a bottle of water and tissues on board.

Kaohsiung to Kenting Bus

Since the Kenting Streetcar started operating, the passenger capacity has never been fixed, so the frequency is also irregular. If you choose to take the Kenting Streetcar, it is recommended that you confirm with the Hengchun Transfer Station (08-8891464) in advance. Otherwise, some areas only have one bus each in the morning, afternoon and evening, and you may have to wait a long time for the bus.

Basically, the bus schedule is more regular during the peak summer season. The Orange Line has more frequent service (every half hour), while the Green and Blue Lines have less frequent service (hourly). If you miss the time, you will need to wait for an hour. When taking the bus, be sure to wait early or contact the transfer station first, otherwise you will have to wait a long time. For more detailed information, please visit the Pingtung Bus website.

Day Tour
■ Kenting Private Sightseeing Car Rental with Driver(departing from Kenting)

Rent a scooter
■ Pingtung Scooter Rental – Kenting Main Street Pick Up

▎Day 10: Overnight: Kenting

▼ Kenting is Pingtung in southern Taiwan. It is famous for its beaches, natural scenery and water activities, including Kenting National Park. Kenting National Park is only a 10-minute drive from Kenting Boulevard and is the second national forest recreation area in Taiwan.

▼ Kenting National Forest Recreation Area including Fairy Cave, Silver Dragon Cave and Sea Viewing Tower.
▼ Cape Eluanbi: the southernmost point of Taiwan.
▼ Beaches: Nanwan Beach, Xiaowan Beach.
▼ Longpan Park
▼ Fongchueisha

■ National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium Ticket
■ Penguin Encounter at National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium

■ Paradise of Deer Ticket in Kenting Pingtung
■ Tickets for Kenting Luyu Island Capybara Ecological Park
■ A-Shin Choco Farm Ticket in Pingtung
■ Pingtung Kenting Kencao Fun Parent-child Park Ticket
■ Entrance ticket to Kenting Big Wolf Ecological Education Park

If you Choose Option 1: Pingtung Donggang to Xiaoliuqiu
■ Xiaoliuqiu – Donggang Ferry Ticket
■ Xiaoliuqiu Round Trip Boat (Pingtung Departure)

You can take bus No. 9117 or 9117B to Donggang, Pingtung or take a shared bus to Donggang. Carpooling is indeed a good way to save time and effort without having to stop and go all the time. Time will feel like it’s passing really quickly and you may even be able to take a nap.

■ Shared bus transfer from Zuoying High Speed Rail Station/Kaohsiung Railway Station to Donggang
■ Private Intercity Transfer between Downtown Kaohsiung for Kenting/ Donggang

We locals always rent a scooter when we come to Xiaoliuqiu. Since public transportation is limited on the island, you may also consider renting a scooter.

■ Xiaoliuqiu｜Rent motorcycles and electric motorcycles｜Pick up at the pier

Day 11-13: Taitung

► Check out ► Kenting Express Bus ► Fangliao Station ► Taitung Station ► Check in or Luggage storage

I recommend you to catch the bus before 09:00 so you have enough time to visit some of the sights after lunch.

▎Day 11: Overnight: Taitung

You need to take a train from Fangliao to Taitung.

Fangliao Station to Taitung Station Train Schedule:
South Link Line (Xinzuoying→Fangliao→Taitung)
South Link Line (Taitung→Fangliao→Xinzuoying)

■ Pingtung-Lampi Jieyou Sightseeing Train | Fangliao-Taitung: If you can understand the Chinese tour guide, you can consider joining this tour. This is a trip worth adding to your trip to Taiwan. The guide only spoke Chinese, but they may provide a translation booklet for foreigners so you can get some background info about the train and the station. This trip uses old Taiwanese trains, and you can experience every old air-conditioned train. You can open the windows, feel the sea breeze outside, and enjoy the beautiful sea views along the way. You can get off at some stations during the trip to take photos.

▎Day 12: Overnight: Taitung

Day 13-15: Hualien

► Check out ► Taitung Station ► Hualien Station ► Check in or Luggage storage

I recommend you to catch the bus before 09:00 so you have enough time to visit some of the sights after lunch.

▎Day 13: Overnight: Hualien

Hualien (Since most of Taroko Gorge is still closed, you can cut down a day)

▎Day 14: Overnight: Hualien

Day 15-21: Taipei

► Check out ► Hualien Station ► Taipei Main Station ► Taipei MRT ► Check in or Luggage storage

I recommend you to catch the bus before 09:00 so you have enough time to visit some of the sights after lunch.

▎Day 15: Overnight: Taipei

● Lunch or Dinner: Addiction Aquatic Development
● Lunch or Dinner: Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand Restaurants

▼ Taiwan Nightlife or MAJI Square: Enjoy your nightlife everyday, but please remember Taipei MRT service hours: 06:00-24:00

▎Day 16: Overnight: Taipei

▼ 08:30-10:00 Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
▼ 10:20-12:00 Daan Forest Park
● 12:00-14:30 Lunch, Rest and Transportation
▼ 14:30-16:30 Elephant Mountain Hiking Trail
▼ 17:00-18:10 Taipei 101 Observatory
● 18:30- 19:40 Dinner: Din Tai Fung Taipei 101 Branch, A4 Branch or A13 Branch
▼ 20:00-21:30 Xinyi Shopping District

▎Day 17: Overnight: Taipei

● 06:00-08:00 Breakfast: Fuhang Soy Milk (Taipei): Wake up early and have breakfast at Fuhang Soy Milk, which opens at 5:30 am. Long queue as always, even on a weekday morning. It is recommended to come on weekdays and take the Taipei MRT at 6 am.
▼ 09:00-12:00 National Palace Museum
● 12:00-14:00 Lunch, Rest and Transportation
▼ 14:00-14:30 Longshan Temple
▼ 14:40-15:10 Bopiliao Old Street
▼ 15:30-17:00 Dihua Street
▼ Xia-Hai City God Temple
▼ 17:30- 19:00 Dinner? Dadaocheng Wharf Container Market
● 19:30-21:00 Dinner: Taiwan Night Markets: Ningxia Night Market

▎Day 18: Overnight: Taipei

■ Beitou and Yangmingshan (From Taipei) (English or Japanese Guide)
■ Beitou and Yangmingshan (From Taipei) (English Guide)

● Breakfast: Ay-Chung Flour Rice Noodle (Ximending)
▼ 08:0-18:00 Day Tour Yangmingshan National Park
● 18:30- 20:30 Dinner: Taiwan Night Markets: Raohe Street Night Market

▎Day 19: Overnight: Taipei

■ Shifen Sky Lantern Experience (Colorful Sky Lantern Voucher) Shifen old street
■ Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen, Shifen, and Golden Waterfall (From Taipei)
■ Yehliu, Jiufen and Shifen (From Taipei)
■ Yehliu, Jiufen and Shifen with Taiwanese Pastry Making (From Taipei)
■ Houtong Cat Village, Jiufen and Shifen (From Taipei)
■ Yehliu, Jiufen and Shifen (From Taipei)
■ Heping Island, Shifen and Jiufen (From Taipei)

● Breakfast: Rice Ball Shop 飯糰霸: 06:00–19:30 (Closed Sundays)
▼ 09:00-19:00 Day Tour
▼ Jiufen Old Street
▼ Shifen Old Street and Sky Lantern Experience
▼ Yehliu Geopark
● 19:00- 21:30 Dinner: Ximending + The Red House

▎Day 20: Overnight: Taipei

● Breakfast: Yong He Soy Milk Ximending or Congee
▼ 09:00-11:30 Maokong Gondola
● 11:30-13:30 Lunch, Rest and Transportation.
▼ 13:30-15:30 Huashan 1914 Creative Park or Songshan Cultural and Creative Park
▼ 16:00-18:00 Tamsui Old Street
● 18:30- 20:30 Dinner: MAJI Square

▎Day 21: Flying back from Taiwan

🔥ChiaTe Pineapple Cake / Delivery or Airport Pickup

■ ChiaTe Bakery Pineapple Pastry-Delivery(Home / Hotel) / Airport Pickup (klook)

Prepare your trip to Taiwan?✈️Buy discounted tickets in advance (Klook)

■ EasyCard and SIM Card Package
■ Taipei 101 Observatory Ticket
■ Taipei Double Decker Sightseeing Bus
■ National Palace Museum Ticket
■ Taipei Fun Pass (Taipei 101, National Palace Museum, Taipei MRT, city buses, and 6 Taiwan Tourist Shuttle)
■ Taipei Transport Fun Pass (Taipei MRT, city buses, 6 Taiwan Tourist Shuttle routes, and Maokong Gondol)
■ Taipei Metro (MRT) Day Pass
■ (Taiwan Pass) HSR + MRT + Taiwan Tourist Shuttle
■ Taiwan High Speed Rail Day Pass
■ Taiwan High Speed Rail Ticket for non-Taiwanese Discounts or Buy 1 Get 1
■ Taiwan High Speed Rail Joint Ticket
■ (Taiwan Pass) Taiwan Railways + MRT + Taiwan Tourist Shuttle