Best of Taiwan 9 Days Tour

Taiwan’s best feature is its variety, and this nine-day island circuit packs in an impressive amount of it: mountain lake, tropical coast, Buddhist monastery, hot springs, sea-carved rocks, old mining villages, and Taipei. You spend most days on the road, but the reward is seeing how sharply Taiwan changes from one region to the next.

I like the comfortable hotel plan, especially the five-star stays in Kaohsiung and Chihpen. I also like the mix of famous sights and less obvious stops such as Fanshuliao, Shitiping, and the National Center for Traditional Arts. The main catch is the pace: eight sightseeing days can feel full, and several days involve long drives.

Key points at a glance

• A full island loop: You visit western, southern, eastern, and northern Taiwan rather than staying only in Taipei.
• Sun Moon Lake by sightseeing bus: See Ci’en Pagoda, Xuanzang Temple, Wenwu Temple, and the Thao community around Ita Thao.
• Kenting’s coastal geology: Maopitou, Chuanfan Rock, Eluanpi Lighthouse, and Longpan Park give you a close look at Taiwan’s southern shore.
• A strong east coast day: Xiaoyeliu, Sanxiantai, Shitiping, and Fanshuliao focus on unusual rock formations and sea erosion.
• Classic northern Taiwan stops: Yehliu, Jiufen, Shifen Waterfall, and Shifen Station arrive in one busy but rewarding day.
• A useful balance of guided and free time: You have a free afternoon on arrival and a full free day in Taipei.

What this Taiwan tour does well

This is a good choice if you want a broad first look at Taiwan without arranging several hotels, regional transfers, and day tours yourself. An air-conditioned vehicle, daily breakfast, and an English-speaking guide or driver-guide take care of the basic machinery of the trip.

The route also gives you more than city sightseeing. You’ll see Taiwan’s indigenous Thao culture at Sun Moon Lake, Buddhist practice at Fo Guang Shan, Japanese and Dutch colonial traces in Tainan, and traditional crafts at the National Center for Traditional Arts. That range gives the trip substance.

The trade-off is that this is not a slow, stay-in-one-place holiday. Most sightseeing days are listed at about eight hours, and the island loop covers substantial ground. You should be comfortable getting in and out of the vehicle, walking around outdoor sights, and keeping to a group schedule. A moderate fitness level is advised.

The advertised price is $2,121.64 per person. For eight nights in four- and five-star hotels, daily breakfast, guided touring, and transport around the island, that can be reasonable, particularly if you value convenience. It is not an inexpensive independent trip, though, and you still pay separately for travel insurance, personal spending, and meals or drinks not listed.

Day 1: A soft landing in Taipei

Your arrival transfer takes you from Taoyuan Airport to your Taipei hotel. The listed meeting point is at Airport Terminal 2337 in Terminal 2, and the tour representative handles the transfer and check-in process.

The planned hotel is Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Taipei Ximen or a similar property. Ximen is a practical base for a first night because you can use the free afternoon to get your bearings, eat nearby, or take a short walk before the road portion begins.

There is no included meal on arrival day. That is useful in one way because you can choose your own food after the flight, but you should budget for it. The afternoon is leisure time rather than a guided introduction to Taipei, so you’ll need to make your own plan.

Day 2: Sun Moon Lake and the Thao homeland

The first major excursion heads into central Taiwan to Sun Moon Lake, the island’s largest freshwater lake. Its name comes from the two sections of water, one shaped like the sun and the other like a crescent moon.

The area is associated with the Thao people, one of Taiwan’s Indigenous communities. The visit to Ita Thao gives the lake day a cultural element rather than making it only a viewpoint stop. You’ll also visit Ci’en Pagoda, Xuanzang Temple, and Wenwu Temple, with commentary from your guide along the way.

A bus tour of the lake after lunch lets you cover several points without arranging local transport yourself. The drawback is that this is an eight-hour day from Taipei, so the amount of time at each place may be limited. If your priority is quiet time beside the water, the schedule may feel brisk. If your priority is seeing the principal sights in one day, it works well.

Day 3: Tainan’s colonial past and Kaohsiung’s Buddhist center

The route continues south to Tainan, Taiwan’s oldest major city and one of its most important historical centers. At Fort Zeelandia, you’ll see a Dutch-built fortress that was later restored by the Japanese. It is a compact but meaningful stop for understanding the outside powers that shaped Taiwan’s past.

Anping Old Street adds a more local, food-focused side to the visit. It is described as Taiwan’s first officially named street, and you can look for specialties such as tofu pudding and shrimp rolls. These small food stops are valuable because they break up a day otherwise centered on formal sights.

After lunch, you continue to Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan’s largest city, and visit Fo Guang Shan Monastery. The complex includes a 36-meter golden Buddha and 480 smaller statues. You also have the opportunity to learn about Buddhism from a local monk.

The planned accommodation is Grand Hilai Kaohsiung, a five-star hotel, or a similar property. That is a welcome comfort after a full sightseeing day. Breakfast is included, but lunch and dinner are not, so make sure you understand which meals are covered before setting out.

Day 4: Kenting’s rocks, sea, and hot springs

Kenting National Park changes the mood of the tour. The southern tip is known here for coastal geology and marine biodiversity, and the route focuses on open scenery and distinctive rock formations.

At Maopitou, Chuanfan Rock, and Eluanpi Lighthouse, you’ll see different forms of the coast shaped by weather and the sea. Longpan Park adds another broad coastal viewpoint. These stops are less about entering a museum or historic building and more about observing how the shoreline has been formed.

The journey then continues toward Taitung by way of the scenic South Link Highway. The final reward is a stay at Hotel Royal Chihpen or an equivalent five-star resort. Chihpen is known for carbonate hot spring water, and the resort is intended as a chance to rest after the long day.

This is one of the tour’s better pairings: outdoor sightseeing followed by a hotel with hot spring facilities. You should still expect a substantial amount of driving. Kenting is spread out, and the route to Taitung makes this a travel day as much as a sightseeing day.

Day 5: Taiwan’s east coast in one long day

The east coast is the tour’s strongest day for natural scenery. It is less developed than many of the western stops, and the points of interest focus on rock, water, cliffs, and offshore formations.

Xiaoyeliu features weathered rocks shaped by wind and sea erosion. The formations resemble those at Yehliu Geopark, which you’ll visit later in the trip, so this stop gives you a useful comparison between two famous coastal areas.

Sanxiantai is known for its offshore island and the cross-sea bridge linking it to the mainland. The bridge is one of the most recognizable structures on the east coast, though the walk may be a consideration for anyone who finds uneven outdoor routes tiring.

At Shitiping, you’ll see a sea erosion terrace marked by cliffs, grooves, and potholes formed over a very long period. Fanshuliao adds another geological stop before the route continues to Yilan.

The wording of this day’s schedule suggests a long transfer with several outdoor visits. Bring practical walking shoes, water, and protection from the sun. The tour data does not specify the exact length of each walk, so you should not assume every site is a quick roadside photo stop.

Day 6: Whisky, traditional arts, and a return to Taipei

The morning visit to King Car Kavalan Whisky Distillery offers a change from temples and coastlines. The distillery uses water from the Central Mountain and Xueshan Mountain ranges, and you’ll see the whisky-making process as well as barrels used for aging.

For anyone interested in food and drink, this is one of the more distinctive stops on the route. It also shows how the tour tries to include modern Taiwanese industry alongside natural and historic sights. Tastings are not specifically promised in the supplied details, so you should not book this day assuming that a tasting is included.

Next comes the National Center for Traditional Arts, a large park devoted to Taiwanese cultural heritage. You can expect preserved traditional architecture, exhibitions, live performances, and hands-on workshops. This is a useful place to see crafts and performance traditions presented in one setting.

The day ends with the journey back to Taipei. After several nights on the road, returning to the same Taipei hotel, or a similar property, makes the final part of the trip easier. It also puts you in position for the northern coast excursion and the free day that follows.

Day 7: Yehliu, Jiufen, and Shifen

This is the most recognizable sightseeing day for many first-time visitors to Taiwan. Yehliu Geopark is famous for rock formations shaped by wind and sea erosion, including the Queen’s Head. The formations are unusual, but the site can feel exposed, so outdoor conditions may affect how comfortable your visit is.

Jiufen was once a gold-mining center and is now a hillside village filled with narrow streets, views, snacks, and old buildings. The route specifically points you toward taro balls, a traditional dessert worth trying. Jiufen is atmospheric, but its steep streets and crowded lanes can make the visit demanding for anyone who prefers flat, open paths.

The final stops are Shifen Waterfall and Shifen Station. The waterfall is often called Taiwan’s Little Niagara Falls, though it is best to treat that as a nickname rather than expect a copy of Niagara. Shifen Station gives the day a railway connection and offers time for food and souvenirs.

The overview also highlights flying a sky lantern in Shifen. The detailed daily schedule mentions participating in the activity but does not spell out every arrangement, so confirm exactly what is included before booking if the lantern is a main reason for choosing this tour.

This is another full eight-hour day, and it combines several popular places. You’ll see a lot, but you will not have unlimited time in any one village or park.

Day 8: Your free day in Taipei

A full free day is an important feature of this tour. After the structured island circuit, you can choose how much city time you want and set your own pace.

You might use the day for museums, shopping, food, or a return to a neighborhood that caught your attention on arrival. The tour does not prescribe activities, so admission fees, food, and local transport for this day are your responsibility.

I like this pause because the earlier schedule is busy. It also gives you a safety valve if you prefer not to join every optional activity during the road portion. Keep in mind that the tour does not provide a Taipei sightseeing plan for Day 8, so you’ll need to organize your own day.

Day 9: An early airport transfer

After breakfast, pickup from the hotel lobby is scheduled four hours before your flight departure. That is a generous airport buffer and may be reassuring for an international flight.

The experience ends with the airport transfer. Since the exact pickup time depends on your flight, check the instructions you receive after booking and be ready in the hotel lobby at the required time.

Hotels, transport, and group size

The accommodation plan is one of the strongest practical features. You receive eight nights in local four- and five-star hotels, including the Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Taipei Ximen or a similar Taipei property, Grand Hilai Kaohsiung or similar, and Hotel Royal Chihpen or equivalent.

The air-conditioned vehicle matters in Taiwan’s warmer months, especially on the southern and east coast days. A group maximum of 20 people is small enough to keep the tour more manageable than a large coach trip, though it is still a group experience rather than a private tour.

The guide may be a professional English-speaking tour guide or driver-guide. No individual guide names are provided. One useful service detail is the operator’s direct help when a hotel problem arose, with Melissa specifically praised for responding quickly and assisting with the issue. That suggests it is worth saving the operator’s contact details before departure.

The tour has a 3.3 rating from three published reviews, so I would keep expectations measured. The clearest positive point is the prompt assistance with a hotel problem, while the booking process from Europe was described as troublesome. If you book from overseas, allow time for confirmation and keep every hotel and transfer detail in writing.

What is not included

Daily breakfast is included, but other meals and drinks are not unless specifically stated. You should budget for lunches, dinners, snacks, and personal purchases throughout the circuit.

Travel insurance is also excluded. Because the booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason, insurance is especially worth considering before you pay. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours, subject to availability.

Who should book this island circuit?

I would recommend it to a first-time visitor who wants to see much of Taiwan in a single trip and prefers organized transport over planning a complicated island route. It suits you best if you enjoy scenery, cultural sites, short visits to several places, and comfortable hotels.

I would be more cautious if you want long stays in Taipei, slow mornings, or independent food exploration. The tour makes a strong introduction, but it is not designed for lingering in Jiufen, Sun Moon Lake, or the east coast.

At $2,121.64, the value rests on the included hotel level, transport, breakfasts, guide service, and the sheer number of regions covered. Book it if convenience and variety matter more to you than flexibility. If you do book, confirm the final hotel list, meal details, sky lantern arrangements, and airport transfer information before departure.

FAQ

How long is the Best of Taiwan tour?

The tour lasts approximately nine days and includes eight nights of accommodation.

What meals are included?

Daily breakfast is included on the listed days. Other meals and beverages are not included unless specifically stated.

What type of accommodation is provided?

The tour includes eight nights in local four- and five-star hotels. Listed examples include Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Taipei Ximen, Grand Hilai Kaohsiung, and Hotel Royal Chihpen, or similar properties.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 20 people.

Is airport transportation included?

Yes. You receive an arrival transfer from the airport to the hotel and a departure pickup from the hotel to the airport.

Can I cancel or change the booking?

No. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason.