I don’t think I’ve ever been to a destination where I’ve been so surprised (in a good way!) and where my expectations have been exceeded so much.
We planned a road trip for 1 week in Taiwan and it quickly became apparent that one week in Taiwan was not enough for how much there was to see!
That being said, I do think one week is a great amount of time to go beyond the capital city, Taipei. A week allows you to see the spectacular nature, lush tea terraces, incredible mountains and breathtaking lakes and gorges that I honestly had no idea existed until we visited Taiwan.
Because of the amount of things to do in Taiwan, this is more of a north Taiwan itinerary, while it is possible to easily cover Taipei and other southern cities like Tainan or Kaohsiung in a week, we wanted a mix of city and nature and the winding country roads are not as quick and quick to get around as the motorways on the west coast that connect the major cities.
So I’ve put together this itinerary for Taiwan which mainly focuses on north Taiwan and central Taiwan, in the hope that if you find yourself on a layover in Taipei or if you’d like to travel off the beaten path, you can see how beautiful it is, but also how easy it is to explore beyond Taipei.
Jiufen, Taiwan
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Why Taiwan?
The main reason we wanted to visit Taiwan is because it really isn’t a popular travel destination and for no good reason - I think Taiwan’s popularity as a destination is going to grow massively in the coming years.
It is a haven for nature lovers, despite Taipei being the largest city and so developed, I was blown away by the rest of the island and the sheer size and extent of beautiful mountains, waterfalls, forests, gorges, dramatic coastlines, beautiful beaches and incredible views.
Thanks to its small size, it’s also possible to see a lot in a short space of time. Some of the best day trips from Taipei can be reached in an hour or so and you could drive from one side of the island to the other in a day.
If you’re a fan of off-the-beaten path, underrated travel destinations - don’t skip out on Taiwan.
How long to spend in Taiwan?
If you’re wondering how many days to spend in Taiwan, I honestly thought a week would be enough and it’s definitely not!
However a week is a great amount of time to get a real feel for the capital city and to go beyond Taipei to see more of the island.
Most people only visit Taipei, especially if they have a layover there on the way to somewhere else. If that’s the case then you might be interested in my 3 day Taipei itinerary.
However a Taiwan 7 days itinerary is a great amount of time for a Taiwan holiday itinerary as it allows you time to either hire a car and explore further afield, or if you’re not comfortable driving, there are many day tour and trip options from Taipei available.
When is the best time to visit Taiwan?
The answer to this question depends on what weather you prefer.
We visited in October and had perfect weather for our trip, never too hot or too cold, usually early to mid-20C for the whole trip and chillier in the evenings.
However I’ve heard it gets a lot cooler in the winter.
My partner has also visited Taiwan before during summer and said the humidity was unbearable, he would go back to the hotel once or twice a day to shower and cool off - especially in the city where it was hottest.
So I don’t think there’s a “bad” time to visit, but consider driving conditions and whether you prefer hot or cooler temperatures!
Taipei skyline
Driving in Taiwan
We chose to hire a car and plan a self-drive itinerary in Taiwan, purely because we wanted to visit more rural places that while they are reachable by public transportation, it would take a lot longer and ultimately cut into the short amount of time we had to do everything.
We hired through Hertz car rental from Taipei airport (off-site).
I know not everyone is confident driving abroad but having driven a few times before in Europe, the USA and Japan, it really wasn’t a difficult adjustment and honestly nothing like the driving I expected in Taiwan.
Drivers are polite, patient and considerate, road rules are followed and Google Maps worked well for us throughout the whole of Taiwan.
We chose to hire a car first as it was easier to get straight from the airport, that way we could drive out straight along the highway without having to drive in Taipei, as the airport is located quite far outside of Taipei, in Taoyuan.
We then returned our car to the airport and took the regular airport transit into the city for our last couple of days in Taipei.
Is it necessary to drive for a Taiwan itinerary?
Please know that there are regular buses and high-speed rail throughout Taiwan which is a great alternative if you don’t want to drive, I would just suggest allowing a few days more to complete the same or similar itinerary.
Driving in Taiwan
Driving towards Taipei
Facts to know about driving in Taiwan:
To rent a car in Taiwan you will need your driver's licence and an International Driving Permit as well as a credit card in the lead driver’s name
They drive on the right
The national speed limit is 50km/h on most roads and 100km/h on motorways
Roads and signage are clear and well-maintained
Major motorway signs are in English and Mandarin Chinese
Google Maps worked well but I recommend downloading offline but use in rural areas
The perfect 7 day Taiwan itinerary
Day 1: Sun Moon Lake
Where to stay - affordable option: Cherry Feast Resort
Where to stay - luxury option: The Richforest or HotelDay+
As soon as we landed at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, we picked up our rental car and drove south along the west coast highway (Formosa Freeway) to start our Taiwan itinerary, 7 days of road tripping adventures!
As I mentioned above, we chose this because Taipei airport is actually about 1 hour outside the city, in the direction we would be driving anyway, so we decided to do our driving days first and finish in Taipei.
It took 3 hours to drive from the airport to our first destination, Sun Moon Lake.
Sun Moon Lake activities
We had booked a hotel last minute on the lakeshore at Ita Thao which we thought was pretty basic but the hotel turned out to be wonderful, with such lovely, welcoming staff, a great traditional set meal breakfast and the rooms were huge! There are lots of luxury hotel options around the lake but if you’re just looking for a comfortable bed for the night, this was the perfect option.
After settling in, we walked down to the lake to check out the activities and there is so much to do you could honestly spend an entire week at the lake!
Rent canoes, stand up paddle boards or kayaks (summer only)
Rent a pedalo
Take the Sun Moon Lake ropeway up Shuishe Mountain (we found this to be a bit pricey 350TWD (£9/$11.50 USD) and you had to pay for parking too (120 TWD) so there’s another option for free views on Day 2!)
Walk along the lakeside promenade - there’s plenty of beautiful viewpoints
Go down to the Ita Thao Visitors’ Centre, we saw traditional music and dance performances and shows all for free
In the evening, make sure you walk down Ita Thao shopping street, the town is small but this is a lively street with street vendors, food stalls, trinkets and souvenirs. Although it does close early so bear in mind for your dinner, the town seemed to close down by 8-9pm in October when we visited!
Although like much of Asia, convenience stores are everywhere and always a good option - you can always find a hot meal or snack if you’re stuck for other food options!
Ita Thao shopping street
Day 2: Sun Moon Lake
Cien Pagoda, Taiwan
Kick off day two of your Taiwan itinerary with any of the activities around the lake that you didn’t manage yesterday on your arrival!
But also make sure you pay a visit to Cien Pagoda.
This stunning Pagoda is a short 15 minute drive from Ita Thao and is free to visit.
It’s a 10-storey pagoda offering the most stunning views of the lake and surrounding hillsides. Even on a cloudy day when we visited, the atmosphere and views were magical and the best part is that it’s free.
This is a much more affordable option for great views compared with the Sun Moon ropeway.
Views from the top of Cien Pagoda
We also visited the huge Wenwu Temple which is also on the side of the lake and is free to visit. The large temple complex is vibrant red, green and blue with stunning carvings, shrines and views from the stairways and rooftops.
Xiangshan Scenic Outlook offers beautiful views of the lake from the opposite site.
You can also visit Toushe Reservoir Ecology Trail, follow wooden boardwalks and suspension bridges around the reservoir in the lush forest.
Day 3: Sun Link Sea Nature Park
The Songlong Rock Waterfall pool
Sun Link Sea suspension bridge
Day three of our Taiwan 1 week itinerary and set out early for an almost 2 hour drive south into the mountains to visit Sun Link Sea Forest and Nature Park.
This is a huge nature park and if I’d known how beautiful and big it was and if we had time, I’d probably stay overnight at one of the hotels in the park so I could do more of the walking trails.
With just 1 day in the nature park we decided to prioritise two areas covering 3 trails:
Songlong Rock Waterfall
The ancient Red Cyprus
The Baba Suspension Bridge and Chinglong Waterfalls
Entrance into the park is taken per car and per person at the park entrance. Per person cost is $350 TWD and $100 TWD per car.
To help you navigate the park quicker, there is a shuttle bus which can take you along the main road between trails. You can’t drive your own vehicle here, it’s for the shuttle bus only and tickets are a small additional fee of $40 TWD.
The Songlong Rock Waterfall was absolutely stunning and the cave and waterfall features there are so beautiful. I think it can get very busy in the summer months but we visited in October and it was not busy at all, maybe 20 other people on the walkways at the same time as us.
Songlong Rock waterfall
Once you go beyond the falls onto the Ancient Tree trails we saw almost no one and same again on the trail to Chinglong Falls and the suspension bridge.
You can easily spend a day here exploring the trails, the landmarks, the flower centre and the exhibitions.
A note about visiting outside of the summer months, we were wearing shorts and a t-shirt in Sun Moon Make and Taipei even in October, but Sun Link Sea Park is in the mountains and the temperature dropped dramatically and was also foggy, we were definitely not dressed warmly enough - so bring layers!
Old stone bridge in Sun Link Sea Forest
Sun Link Sea Forest trails
Day 4. Jiufen and Shifen
Where to stay: affordable option - Where to stay: affordable option - Youran B&B
Where to stay: luxury option - Where to stay: luxury option - Daybreak
We started our day early for our drive back north and beyond Taipei to the charming town of Jiufen which is located on the north coast of Taiwan, above Taipei.
NOTE: If you have longer than 7 days in Taiwan, I would suggest going from Sun Moon Lake towards the east coast and seeing Taroko National Park - the most famous and dramatic gorge in Taiwan. I had hoped we could do it but the road infrastructure is not as good on this coast and the driving routes would take us too long to get back to Taipei on time.
Jiufen is a beautiful, historic town which is said to have partially inspired Spirited Away.
Jiufen old Street
Jiufen Old Street is a winding labyrinth of alleyways, street vendors, fresh street food and magical red lanterns.
We arrived late in the afternoon and the lower light and into the evening I think is personally the best time to see Jiufen in the warm glow of the red lanterns that are everywhere.
Enjoy a traditional tea ceremony at one of the historic teahouses. We loved Artist Teahouse for the views and also considered A-MEI Tea House.
After having some street food for dinner, we also went for drinks at Golden Bar which is a taproom. Make sure you sit upstairs for the most stunning views of the coast and mountains.
Jiufen
We stayed at the cutest traditional guesthouse where we communicated only via Google Translate with the lovely lady who owned it! In the morning warm tea and a fresh breakfast roll were brought to our room and the balcony views were stunning for the price and simplicity of the place!
If you choose not to hire a car, it’s also easy to do a day trip from Taipei to Jiufen.
There are several tour options available or it can easily be reached on the local train from Taipei Main Train Station.
Day 5. Shifen Waterfall and Cat Village OR Beitou Hot Springs and return car
Where to stay: Amba Hotel Ximending
If you rented from the airport, then today is the day to head back to return the car. We decided to make a couple more stops on the way.
Firstly, I’m a cat lover and Houtong Cat village is just a short 15 minute drive from Jiufen.
The town is famous for the number of cats which outnumbers residents who began taking in and taking care of strays several years ago. Now the village is cat-themed and there are hundreds of cats roaming around - a must if you’re a cat lover.
It’s free to visit, just a small fee to park at one of the small car parks dotted around the edge of the village.
The station cat at Houtong Cat Village
Then we continued on for another 30 minutes to Shifen Waterfall which is the largest waterfall in Taiwan and it’s a short 40 minute drive from Jiufen
There is a car park here which takes cash and card and the waterfall itself is about 20 minutes walk from the car park, along the river. You’ll pass across a bridge and through some food stalls before you reach the observation deck for the falls.
Again, apart from parking this is free to visit!
Shifen waterfall
Finally we drove back to Taoyuan and returned our car before taking the Airport Express into Taipei City.
ALTERNATIVE: Another option we considered was to visit Beitou Hot Springs on our drive back to the airport. Located in the mountains above Taipei, this is a great easy stop on the way to return your car and they provide day passes to use the hot springs even if you aren’t staying at the hotel
Ultimately we decided that as we were heading to Japan soon and would be visiting Japanese onsens, we would wait on Beitou Hot Springs for another time!
Day 6: Taipei - Ximending district
Ximending
Staying in Ximending is the perfect location for exploring the most lively and well-connected part of Taipei City on your Taiwan one week itinerary.
You can read a more thorough guide to my stay in Ximending and what to do in Ximending here.
Use your first full day in the city to visit the must-see things to do in Taipei:
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and Gardens
The National Concert Hall (it’s next to the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall)
Ximending walking streets and night market
Longshan Temple
Rainbow Road and the lively areas around Ximending
Tianhou Temple
For dinner, I highly recommend getting hot pot or beef noodles - two famous foods in Taiwan.
Or if you’re sticking to the Ximending street food markets, don’t miss Ximending pancakes or hotdogs!
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial hall
Rainbow Road
Ximending Walking Street
Day 7: Taipei - Elephant Mountain
Elephant Mountain View
Today is the day to head east in the city towards the famous Taipei 101 and Elephant Mountain.
Elephant Mountain is the famous viewpoint on the big hill behind Taipei 101 which offers spectacular views of the city and Taipei 101 - Taiwan’s tallest building.
To get here, take the Tamsui-Xinyi red MRT line to Xiangshan (the end of the line) around 10 minutes from Taipei Main Station. From here take exit 2 and walk through Xiangshan Park, following signs for the hiking trail. It’s also marked as “Xiangshan trail” on Google Maps.
Elephant Mountain is only around 500 steps up but it’s steep and if you’re visiting in the summer, I highly recommend getting here as early as possible to avoid the midday heat and humidity.
In total it took us about 30 minutes to get to the top, about 10-15 minutes up there for pictures and resting, then 10 minutes to walk back down.
View of Taipei 101 from Elephant Mountain
Elephant Moutain
Depending on how wobbling your legs are (!!) you can either take a short walk or ride the subway back one stop to get off at Taipei 101.
Here you can see the magnificent building up close and also check out the shopping malls around it: Taipei 101 Shopping Center and Bellavita mall.
If you’re looking for more city views then you can also go to the top of Taipei 101 to the observatory deck. Tickets cost $420 and can be booked here. There is also a skip-the-line option here.
Although I prefer the view with Taipei 101 in it from Elephant Mountain - especially because it’s free! But if you’re unable to walk up Elephant Mountain, this is a great alternative for city views.
In the evening check out Shilin Night Market for food and of course souvenirs to take home with you! This is one of the best night markets in Taipei as well as one of the most famous so be prepared for it to get busy!
Have longer in Taiwan?
If you have longer and are looking to extend your trip to a 10 day Taiwan itinerary (or longer). These are some of the best day trips or the places I wish we had time to visit on this itinerary and I will plan to go back to:
Tainan
Kaohsiung
Taroko Gorge National Park
Yangmingshan National Park (also reachable on a day trip from Taipei)
Mount Keelung Trail and the Teapot Mountain trails (Near Jiufen)
Jiaoban Mountain Park and the waterfalls, trails and Xioawulai Skywalk in this area
Kenting National Park
Paradise of Deer
Taichung City and the Rainbow Village, Taichung
I was almost overwhelmed by our short itinerary, Taiwan has so much more to offer than I anticipated and it’s definitely somewhere I hope to return to!
Summary: your 1 week Taiwan itinerary
Hopefully this 7 day Taiwan itinerary has given you all the information and inspiration to start planning your own Taiwan road trip or vacation!
I highly recommend going beyond Taipei and seeing the stunning Taiwan countryside and nature to really experience how diverse and beautiful Taiwan is!
If you’re planning a Taiwan travel itinerary 7 days is not enough to see the whole island, but it’s definitely long enough to see that this is a destination with so much to offer - I’ll be going back for sure.
Pin for later to plan your future trip!
