We spent one week in Taiwan in conjunction with a friend’s wedding, the perfect excuse for a vacation! We couldn’t resist the chance to plan a trip to Taiwan to both wish our friends well and travel to a country in Asia that we’ve never been to before.
Our 7-day Taiwan itinerary included some awesome things to do in Taipei like visiting Taipei 101, plenty of amazing food, and a road trip down Taiwan’s East Coast.
Taiwan is definitely worth visiting even if you don’t have a built-in excuse like we did. Read on to discover our full Taiwan 1 week itinerary.
Arriving in Taipei
EVA Airways is a Taiwanese airline that offers direct service from major cities in Europe and the U.S. to Taipei. Famous for their Hello Kitty! themed airplanes, EVA was top of mind as we planned our Taiwan trip. Emirates Airlines is another good option for flight itineraries that are just one hop through Dubai to Taipei.
Consider flying in style in Emirates Business Class or go Emirates First Class to make the long-haul flight more bearable.
We actually flew a short-haul to Taipei on EVA Airways from Komatsu Japan, just a 3-hour flight, as an extension to our springtime trip to Japan. Expect queues at immigration in Taipei but after that it’s smooth sailing:
- Bags, check!
- Cash, check!
Don’t forget to hook yourself up with some data. We bought a SIM Card at the airport. Far EasTone offers a tourist pre-paid card that cost less than 15 USD for 10 days of unlimited 4G data!
Take the Evergreen bus from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei City (125 NTD or about 4 USD at the time of writing). It can take more than an hour to get to Taipei City from Taipei Airport with transit time highly dependent on traffic.
Getting Around Taipei
The Taipei MRT (subway / commuter train) is easy to navigate. Buy an EasyCard, load it up and off you go. Uber is also available in Taipei and you can get to points across Taipei City for very reasonable prices.
If you are visiting more out of the way places in Taipei, consider taking an Uber if you are tight on time. As you’ll see below, a combination of MRT and Uber make it incredibly straightforward to get around Taipei.
Where to Stay in Taiwan
We stayed in two different places during the two split segments of our Taipei itinerary. Sunworld Dynasty Hotel in Taipei is located next to Taipei Arena (the venue of the wedding we were attending).
The hotel has a more local feel and has a great buzz. Rooms ring a multi-story atrium with glass-walled lifts that allow you to take in the view.
The Sunworld Dynasty Hotel was priced at a reasonable $115 USD or so per night. For the second part of the trip (after our return from Hualien), we stayed more centrally at the Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel, a standard international business hotel that cost over $200 USD per night.
We chose the Sheraton for the second half of the trip largely based on location. The Sheraton Grand Taipei is located very close to the Shandao Temple Station making it easy to get around on the MRT to Taipei’s major attractions.
As part of our Taiwan itinerary, we did a 3-day Taiwan East Coast road trip to Hualien. The Meci Hotel in Hualien City cost around $50 USD a night and offered functional, no-frills rooms that were clean and comfortable. As an added bonus, there are free lobby snacks to enjoy; a nice touch.
As you can see, there are a range of options when considering where to stay in Taiwan that cover both budget-minded, mid-range, and luxury options. All the hotels we stayed in had well-functioning air-conditioning. Air conditioning is a must given how hot and humid Taiwan gets.
What to Eat in Taipei on Arrival
We quickly discovered that all the weird and interesting things to eat in Taiwan were going to be the highlight of our Taipei itinerary. When we arrived in Taipei, we found ourselves grazing almost immediately.
Pick up a soybean milk and dragon fruit cake snack at the airport to tide you over before dinner on the bus ride from the airport to Taipei city. We managed to do alright for dinner in Taipei.
Not a lot of restaurants near the Sunworld Dynasty hotel had English or picture menus. We ended up at Flower Restaurant and ordered by pointing. Spicy minced pork with chives and shredded pork with garlic went down well with a large bottle of Taiwan Beer.
Taiwan Itinerary – 7 Days Summarized
You may be wondering, is one week in Taiwan enough? While more time is always nice, you can cover a lot of ground on a one week Taiwan itinerary.
Let me start by sketching out a summary of each day of this Taiwan one week itinerary which includes two 2-day Taipei itineraries sandwiching a 3-day Taiwan East Coast itinerary.
- Day 1: Taipei Sightseeing including popular parks, temples, and Taiwanese bubble tea and dumplings
- Day 2: Walk and shop Taipei including the Ximen Pedestrian District
- Day 3: Taipei to Hualien with cultural and scenic stops on Taiwan’s East Coast
- Day 4: Marvel at Taroko Gorge including Swallow Grotto and Eternal Spring Shrine
- Day 5: Return from Hualien to Taipei via Yilan
- Day 6: Central Taipei including Taipei 101 and Fuhang Soy Milk
- Day 7: Taipei further afield including Tamsui, Guandu Nature Park, and the National Palace Museum
Taiwan Travel Itinerary In Detail
Now let’s delve into the details of this Taiwan itinerary.
One Week in Taiwan Itinerary: Day 1 Sightseeing
We used the first day of our trip to Taipei to get our bearings and do a little sightseeing.
Liquid “Milk” Breakfast
Taiwan is famous for all sorts of plant-based milks. Start the day in Taipei with some peanut rice milk.
What’s the verdict? The peanut rice milk tasted like liquid peanut butter to me. It was also a bargain breakfast at about $0.80 USD per carton.
Taipei Confucius Temple
We intended to go to Bao’an Temple in Taipei but made a wrong turn and ended up at the Taipei Confucius Temple across the street instead. We discovered some very cool interactive exhibits including a chariot driving game and souvenir ink stamps (chops) to collect in each room.
There is a small gift shop on site that sells souvenirs and light snacks. We tried a delicious passionfruit popsicle at Taipei Confucius Temple which was incredibly refreshing on a hot April day.
Bao’an Temple
After our detour to Taipei Confucius Temple, we walked across the street to Bao’an Temple. Bao’an Temple in Taipei was pretty darn spectacular. I loved the architectural details and the amazing flowers left by worshippers.
Lunch at Taipei Expo Park
There is a really cool and well-priced hawker market at Taipei Expo Park which is about a 10-minute walk from Taipei Confucius Temple.
The food market at Taipei Expo Park is a great place to stop for lunch. We enjoyed chicken and rice and noodle soup with fish cakes. The soup cost less than the equivalent of $2.00 USD.
2/28 Peace Park
We took the metro from Taipei Expo Park to 2/28 Peace Park. 2/28 Peace Park acknowledges a difficult period in Taiwan’s history.
In 1947, there was an anti-government uprising in Taiwan that was actively suppressed leading to thousands of deaths. It was only in the 1990s that the massacre was officially acknowledged and open discussion invited.
In 1998, the park was re-dedicated as 228 Peace Memorial Park. Today, 228 Peace Memorial Park features a twisted metallic memorial resembling a radio antenna (the original uprising occurred at the site of a radio station in the park).
2/28 Peace Park in Taipei also features some fab birdwatching. We spotted a Malayan Night Heron on our walk through this lush urban park. You’ll also find a pagoda with a musical fountain that is delightful to watch.
Taiwanese Bubble Tea
Stop for traditional Taiwanese bubble tea at the upscale cafe in the National Concert Hall facing Chiang Kai-shek Garden. Warning: portions are huge.
Customize your level of pearls or boba and amount of sweetness when you order. In both cases 100% is the “normal” amount and your specification should be relative to this.
“Normal” is both very sweet and a *lot* of pearls. Stopping for bubble tea was a definite highlight of our Taipei itinerary.
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and Garden
Stately Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (CKS Memorial Hall for short) and surrounding garden is worth a walk. If it rains, there are covered paths around the perimeter of the garden.
The Hall opened in 1980 and quickly became a preferred location for gatherings that eventually paved the way to democracy in Taiwan. It was only in 1996 that a popular election of national leaders was held in Taiwan for the first time.
Chiang Kai-Shek, appears innocuously enough in Western history books but this former President of the Republic of China remains a controversial figure even today.
Dumplings at Kao Chi
For dinner, head to Dongmen Station and walk to Kao Chi. Try the Shanghai soup dumplings and other delicious Chinese dishes served family style.
Craft Beer Nightcap at Zhang Men Brewery
We finished the first day of our one week in Taiwan itinerary with some creative craft beer choices from Zhang Men Brewery. Smokey Dunkelweisen, kumquat fruit beer, and coconut stout were memorable.
One Week in Taiwan Itinerary: Day 2
Prepare to do a lot of walking on the second day of this Taiwan itinerary. In the morning, perhaps after another soybean milk breakfast at the hotel, head to Ximen District.
Shopping at the Red House
We started our morning shopping at the Red House, an old market that has been turned into a series of craft stalls. Keep an eye out for fun souvenirs ranging from trendy t-shirts to upcycled wallets.
We found some really unique and awesome postcards to send to our friends and family here including postcards featuring a cool film negative.
Lunch in Ximen Pedestrian District
Wander around Ximen’s pedestrianized core. We spotted a long line at Ay-Chung Rice-Flour Noodle and learned that they sell a famous soup.
They really dish the soup out fast at Ay-Chung which means that even though the queue was long, it was moving fast. Little did I know what I was in for with this impromptu lunch.
I asked a helpful local who spoke some English what the chewy bits were in the soup. Clams? He paused as if wondering whether to tell me while I was still eating. Then told me… intestines. The soup was actually pretty tasty so it’s all good.
We continued to eat our way through Ximen, stopping for a waffle filled with pearl cream followed by coffee grown in Taiwan served with a slice of layer cake at Fong Da.
Bopiliao Old Street Historic Block
Continue this Taipei itinerary by checking out the well-preserved 18th-century architecture in Bopiliao Historic Block in Taipei’s Wanhua District. Discover traditional shop houses and other exhibits about the history of this area.
Ironically, the most memorable thing for me about historic Bopiliao street was the hip-hop dance party that we stumbled upon that was taking place behind one of the historic facades.
Lungshan Temple
Walk to nearby Lungshan Temple (sometimes spelled Longshan Temple) and steep in the atmosphere of the ornate and colorful buildings while hundreds of worshippers light incense and pray. Lungshan is a Chinese folk religious temple with some Buddhist elements.
Taipei Botanical Garden
It takes about 15 minutes to walk from Lungshan Temple to Taipei Botanical Garden. En route, we passed through what I can only describe as a bird-sellers district.
Stall after stall had birds caged or sitting chained to perches on display for passersby. Taipei Botanical Garden is a wee bit rustic but still has its charms including the Lotus Pond. You may spot some cool birds in the wild if you’re lucky.
Dinner at Hot Pot Lab
We ate a hot pot dinner at Delectable Hot Pot Lab in the Breeze Mall near Taipei Arena where we were staying. I love that they served drinks and sauces in Erlenmeyer flasks.
The Breeze Mall has an extensive food court so there are plenty of choices if you don’t want to cook your own dish hot pot-style!
Taiwanese Craft Beer at Way Home Beer House
Surprisingly, Taiwan’s craft beer turned out to be a highlight of our Taipei itinerary. We toasted the end of Day 2 of our 7 days in Taiwan with a sneaky craft beer from Taiwan Head Brewers at Way Home Beer House.
Way Home Beer House was very different from Zhang Men Brewery. A wall of refrigerators lined the bar with cans and bottles of beer from both Taiwan and the world. Comfy couches made for a relaxed atmosphere.
One Week in Taiwan Itinerary: Day 3 – Taiwan’s East Coast
While the bulk of this one week Taiwan itinerary focuses on Taipei (and there are plenty of things to do in Taipei alone to fill a week), we wanted to see another part of the country.
Our friends whose wedding we attended, organized a private east coast Taiwan tour for about 12 guests to Hualien and world-famous Taroko Gorge.
From Taipei to Hualien
It takes over 3 hours to travel the 170 km from Taipei to Hualien. The roads along Taiwan’s east coast can be quite curvy so bring along motion-sickness medicine if you worry that you’ll have issues.
The route between Taipei and Hualien includes the longest tunnel in Taiwan. The tunnel is also the 2nd longest in Asia and 5th longest in the world.
Xueshan Tunnel clocks in at 13 km long. You’ll also discover twin towers of a crayon factory and places to stop and buy Taiwanese snacks en route.
Chungte Recreational Area
The northeast and Yilan Coast is designated a National Scenic Area of Taiwan. In particular, Chungte Recreational Area is a good spot to stop and stretch your legs on a road trip between Taipei and Hualien.
Enjoy the jaw-dropping views of the mountains tumbling into the clear blue sea. I would rate Chungte Recreational Area as one of the most Instagrammable places in Taiwan.
Chisingtan Scenic Area
Moody mountains, ocean-smoothed pebbles, crashing waves, and (maybe) a lazy dog will greet you at Chisingtan Scenic Area. This is another great spot to stretch your legs on the journey between Taipei and Hualien.
Cidal Hunting School with the Amis Aboriginal People of Taiwan
Our private group tour included a stop for lunch at Cidal Hunting School. Cidal is run by the Amis Aboriginal people of Taiwan.
The feast was served on picnic tables with each dish placed on palm leaves. In some ways it felt a little like a luau in Hawaii which is not surprising because the Amis people are more closely related to the various Polynesian peoples of the region rather than to the Han Chinese (95+% of the population of Taiwan).
After lunch, we learned how to make rope at Cidal Hunting School. I also made myself a bad-ass water holder out of a taro leaf as instructed by the Amis.
Many in our group attempted to make fire with just friction but none of us were strong enough or had the stamina to get anything other than a wisp of smoke.
Dinner in Hualien
We ate a Chinese feast that evening in Hualien with multiple dishes served family-style. We sampled a few “must-try” Taiwanese dishes that take many western visitors out of their comfort zone. I give a thumbs-up to the vinegar-soaked pig intestines with ginger but thumbs-down to stinky tofu served boiled in a soup.
One Week in Taiwan Itinerary: Day 4 – Day Trip to Taroko Gorge
On Day 4 of this 7-day Taiwan itinerary, we took a day tour to one of Taiwan’s most famous attractions: Taroko Gorge.
Taiwanese Breakfast Bagels
Hualien City actually has a bagel shop. Head to Mouse Bagels for a Taiwanese take on an American classic. We enjoyed a red bean-filled matcha bagel to start our day.
Hiking Shakadang Trail
We started our visit to Taroko Gorge by hiking Shakadang Trail. It turns out that we were fine and enjoyed a leisurely walk along the gorge cut into the marble. In some cases, the trail was carved into the rock itself with low-clearance stone above our heads.
Lunch at Leader Aboriginal Village
Next up, we enjoyed lunch at Leader Aboriginal Village in Taroko National Park. Our small bus climbed a tortuous winding road up what felt like a mountain to get there.
Swallow Grotto
Taroko Gorge sees a lot of rockfall and landslides especially in certain areas so hard hats are provided to all visitors as a precaution. Walk along the gorge at Swallow Grotto and admire the colorful marbled stones while listening as fast-moving water moves over the rocks.
Eternal Spring Shrine
We stopped at Eternal Spring Shrine near the entrance to Taroko National Park on our way back to Hualien City. Large tour buses dropped off loads of tourists for the short hike to the shrine.
Dinner at Dongdamen Night Market in Hualien
We finished our day of exploration in Taroko Gorge back in Hualien City with a trip to the Dongdamen night market. I sampled a freshly fried scallion pancake with a fried egg on top and deep-fried king oyster mushrooms.
One Week in Taiwan Itinerary: Day 5 – Hualien to Taipei
Our Day 5 itinerary involved the return trip from Hualien to Taipei with a few interesting pitstops en route.
National Center of Traditional Art
On our return from Hualien to Taipei, we stopped for a brief educational visit to the National Center of Traditional Arts (aka Yilan Park). We visited historic Scholar Huang’s Residence as we circled around the perimeter of the park.
Tangwei Brook Park
We finished up the day at a public hot spring smack in the middle of an urban square. Tangwei Brook Park was a pleasant quick diversion and best of all, free.
One Week in Taiwan Itinerary: Day 6 – Central Taipei
Back in Taipei, we spent Day 6 mostly on foot exploring the city.
Breakfast at Fuhang Soy Milk
The Sheraton Grand Taipei is within easy walking distance of an extremely popular food hall. We queued up for breakfast at Fuhang Soymilk for an egg sandwich on fresh-baked bread and a bowl of soymilk.
Dihua Street
We continued our Taipei itinerary with a stroll on Dihua Street. Dihua Street dates back to the 1850s and features densely packed historic shopfronts.
One Week in Taiwan Itinerary: Day 7 – Taipei Further Afield
We spent our last full day in Taipei a little further afield, availing of the metro to get around.
Tamsui Promenade
Start the day by taking the Taipei metro to the end of the red line in Tamsui. One of the top things to see in Tamsui is the former British Consular Residence, a lovely Victorian-style mansion.
Shilin Night Market
Our final stop of the day was Shilin Night Market, Taipei’s largest and most famous. We sampled a charcoal baked pork bun and deep-fried stinky tofu which was much tastier than the boiled version!
One Week in Taiwan Itinerary: Heading Home
Our flight wasn’t scheduled to leave until late in the day so we had some bonus time at the end of our Taiwan itinerary to explore bits of Taipei that we’d missed before heading for home.
Huashan 1914 Creative Park
Huashan 1914 Creative Park is situated on the site of a historic winery in Taipei and features cool architecture and art exhibits. When we visited, there were art exhibits dedicated to different regions and cultures of Taiwan.
One of the interactive exhibits at Huashan 1914 Creative Park featured eclectic numbered items from all across Taiwan. You could cross reference each number with a photo explanation on the wall.
Taipei MRT to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
Sadly, our one week in Taiwan itinerary was coming to a close. The Taipei MRT runs a service to the airport.
You can even check-in for your flight and drop off your bags at the Taipei Main Station before boarding the train if you arrive early enough.
I definitely recommend checking bags at the train station since it can get quite crowded and there is a chance you won’t get a seat for the one hour journey.
Where to Next?
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