Taiwan Solo Travel: My Route and Itinerary
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Ni Hao! Last March I ventured out in the beautiful island “Formosa” – Taiwan. It was a 10 day solo trip that I took for the first time. If you have read my travel guide and budget summary, I’m sure you already have an idea of how this trip started. Since then, I have worked on and organized all the information I had, hence the start of this blog.
Therefore, let your desires endure, let your passions persist, and be bold with your aspirations. Life is not a problem to be solved, it is an adventure to be lived, and I can’t wait to drink deeply from that fountain of which I’ve only had a sip. - Alex Wagman
You can check these sites for more information about cherry blossoms in Taiwan:
• Taiwan Cherry Blossom Season
MY TRAVEL ROUTE
I always start my trip in the mid or farthest location and then wander through the nearest destinations on my way back. Through this, I’ll be able to save more for transportation, it’s a lot safer and I also get to enjoy the nature first before going to the bustling city. Cingjing was originally not on the plan, but the grasslands and sheep’s are so tempting that I wasn’t able to resist it. So, I spent a night in Cingjing on the first day, headed to Sun moon Lake for two days, gone to Alishan for another two days and then ride a bullet train back to Taipei for the last 5 days. As much as I wanted to stay in rural areas I have to go back to the city to reduce my expenses. Once you get to Taipei, getting around will be easy; you don’t actually need to plan. Just load your Easycard and hop on trains and buses and viola!
Actual travel date: March 6 to March 15,2016
To give you a visual of how I planned my 10 days trip, I created an illustration below.
Actual travel date: March 6 to March 15,2016
To give you a visual of how I planned my 10 days trip, I created an illustration below.
 |
| My Taiwan travel route for 10 days. Click the image for larger version. |
WHERE TO GO IN TAIWAN
Most people started their trip in Taipei, the capital, and the largest city. But for me, whenever I travel, I always try to find some places that aren't too familiar and especially not too crowded #socialissues. I like getting lost in places that people haven’t gone before and wander to paths that most people don’t usually venture out because, in that way, I’ll be able to discover more and learn if not everything but most firsthand. So, let’s get started! Below you will see a detailed post of my itinerary, some pictures, and tips that you can use for your next travel. PS: All details were effective last March 2016; it may subject to change anytime.Day 1: Taoyuan Airport to Cingjing
The Sheep Sheering Show at Cingjing Farm Green Green Grassland
| TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 0010 | ETA Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 | - - - |
| 0100 | Rest~ | - - - |
| 0500 | Breakfast | Food stalls and restaurants are closed during this time but there's a convenience store in B1. |
| 0530 | Purchase Ubus #705 Ticket | Fare: NT$30. Trip Length: 15 to 25 Minutes. Hours of operation: 6:15 AM - 10:45 PM. Location: Taoyuan Airport - Ubus service counters at Arrivals Lobby of Terminals 1 and 2 – B1 |
| 0615 | Ride Ubus #705 from TPE to Taoyuan HSR | - - - |
| 0640 | ETA Taoyuan HSR and head to ticketing counters | Fare: NT$540 – Trip Length: 45 minutes. Hours of operation: 06:20 AM – 11:45 PM. Location: Lobby Area |
| 0650 | ETD Taoyuan HSR | Location: B2 – Platform 1 – South Bound – THSR toward Zuoying (Hsinchu). *Catch the first train at 6:51 AM – 07:34 AM *Next Train at 07:21 – 08:04 AM |
| 0735 | ETA Taichung HSR | - - - |
| 0800 | Buy Tickets: One-way bus to Cingjing (Nantou Bus) | Fare: NT$256 - Trip Length: 2 hours to 2.30 hours. Location: Taichung HSR Station Area – 1F – Exit 5 |
| 0845 | Board Cingjing Bus | *Catch the first trip at 8:45 AM to 10:45 AM. * Next trip at 09:45 to 11:45 |
| 1045 | Check-in: Julies Garden - Skyhill Guesthouse | Location: Get off at 松崗站 Bus Stop. Turn right into the entrance of BoWang Village. Continue to walk for about 3 minutes and you will see the building on your right (beige rolling door) |
| 1100 | Rest~ | - - - |
| 1230 | Lunch | - - - |
| 1330 | Explore Green Green Grassland / 499-Step Trail / Little Swiss Garden | Fare: NT$160 on Weekdays, NT$200 Weekends. Hours of operation: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Sheep Show at 2:30 PM. *Don’t forget the entrance stamp |
| 1800 | Dinner at Carton King | *Get a FREE Admission Ticket to Small Swiss Garden after spending NT$300/person. * Postcard at NT$50 |
| 1900 | Head back to guesthouse | Head to Starbucks parking lot for a Free Shuttle ride back to Guesthouse |
| 1930 | Rest~ | - - - |
Day 2: Cingjing to Sun moon Lake
Foggy morning in Sunmoon Lake.
| TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 0500 | Wake up and wait for the sunrise | - - - |
| 0600 | Preparation and breakfast | - - - |
| 0700 | Check-out | - - - |
| 0715 | Head to nearest bus stop station heading to Puli Station | Cingjing Farm – Puli Fare – NT$115. *Catch the first Nantou Bus Trip from Cingjing Farm (07:25 AM) - Wushe (08:20 AM) – Puli Station (09:10 AM) |
| 0910 | Puli Bus Station – Buy Tickets – Sun Moon Lake | Fare: NT$59 – One Way. Trip Length: 30 Minutes. *Catch 9:45 AM – 10:15 AM trip. *Next Trip: 10:05 AM – 10:45 AM |
| 0945 | Board Bus 6668 or 6670 Puli Station to Sun Moon Lake | - - - |
| 1015 | ETA Sun Moon Lake | - - - |
| 1030 | Check-in: Yue Lake Backpackers | *Inquire for promotions (Boat Rides, FAVC Tickets, Tickets to Alishan) |
| 1100 | Lunch | - - - |
| 1200 | Explore Sun Moon Lake | Boat Voucher: NT$100/Pier. Route: Shuishe -> Ita Thao (Night Market) -> Shuishe |
| 1830 | Head back to guesthouse | - - - |
| 1900 | Free time | - - - |
| 2100 | Rest~ | - - - |
Day 3: Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village
I will never ever get tired of walking under these cherry blossom trees in Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village.
| TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 0600 | Wake Up! | - - - |
| 0700 | Breakfast | - - - |
| 0800 | Buy Ticket - Round the lake bus | Round-the-lake Voucher: NT$80 One Day Pass |
| 0830 | Wenwu Temple | Use Round-the-lake Voucher |
| 1000 | Head to Sun Moon Lake Ropeway Station and buy ticket | Use Round-the-lake Voucher |
| 1030 | ETD Sun Moon Lake Ropeway | Ropeway ride is already included in FACV admission ticket. Hours of operation: Weekdays: 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM, Holidays and Weekend: 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM |
| 1100 | ETA Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village | Hours of operation: Weekdays 09:30 AM – 5:00 PM, Holidays 09:00 AM – 05:30 AM Shuttle Bus: FAVC to Sun Moon Lake: Last Trip: 05:30 PM |
| 1630 | ETD Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village | - - - |
| 1700 | ETA Sun Moon Lake Ropeway | - - - |
| 1720 | Ita Thao Market / Dinner | Use Round-the-lake Voucher |
| 1830 | Shuishe Pier | Use Round-the-lake Voucher |
| 1900 | Back to the guesthouse. Free time | - - - |
| 2100 | Rest~ | - - - |
Day 4: Sun Moon Lake to Alishan
Beautiful Alishan National Scenic Area.
| TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 0600 | Wake Up! | - - - |
| 0700 | Check-out | - - - |
| 0800 | ETD Shuishe Pier. Board Yuanlin Bus Route 6739 | Location: Beside Delight Mall. Fare: NT$328 – Trip Length: 4 Hours. Hours of operation: 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM. Route: Departs Sun Moon Lake 8:00 → Shinyi Farmer Association 9:00 → Tongfu 9:20 → Tataka 10:30~11:00 → Alishan 12:00. I suggest you buy your tickets the day before your trip since they only offer limited seats. |
| 1130 | ETA Alishan National Scenic Area - Buy ticket | Fare: NT$150. *Leave your luggage for FREE at Visitor Center and take it back before 4:30 PM. |
| 1200 | Lunch | *Alishan Town Square houses the Original Mochi |
| 1600 | Head back to Alishan Visitor Center to pick up the luggage | - - - |
| 1630 | Bus station going to Xiding (near 7Eleven) | Buy your tickets at 7 Eleven. Fare: NT$172 - Trip Length: 70 Minutes. |
| 1640 | ETD Alishan National Scenic Area | - - - |
| 1750 | ETA Xiding, Alishan | *Tell the driver you want to get off at Anding (it’s a very small stop just before Xiding, directly across the street from the Anding, at marker 53.1 KM) |
| 1800 | Check-in: 53.1 Backpackers / Dinner | No convenience store but there's a nearby restaurant. *Ask the owner the way to Eryanping Trail and if you can find companions. |
| 2000 | Rest~ | - - - |
Day 5: Eryanping Trail, Fenqihu, Alishan to Taipei
1 hour up. 13 degrees. Alone but worth it. A glimpse of heaven in Xiding - Eryanping Trail.
| TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 0530 | Wake Up! Too Early -_- | - - - |
| 0600 | ETD 53.1 Backpackers | *Eryanping Trail – 1 Hour Up |
| 0700 | ETA Eryanping Trail | - - - |
| 0800 | ETD Eryanping Trail | *30 - 45 minutes Down |
| 0900 | Breakfast, rest and prepare for leaving | - - - |
| 1000 | Check-out | - - - |
| 1030 | ETD Xiding to Shizhuo | Fare: NT$30 - Trip Length: 20 Minutes. *Catch 10:30 AM ride from Xiding to Shizhuo |
| 1120 | ETA Shizhuo | Bus stop going to Fenqihu is beside Hi Cafe |
| 1145 | ETA Fenqihu / Lunch | Try their famous Fenqihu Lunch Box – NT$100 near 7 Eleven |
| 1400 | ETD Fenqihu | - - - |
| 1530 | Back at 53.1 Backpackers to claim luggage. Wait for shuttle bus going Chiayi HSR | - - - |
| 1710 | ETA Chiayi HSR | - - - |
| 1855 | ETD Chiayi HSR | Original Fare: NT$1080 – Trip Length: 1 hour 45 minutes. *Catch the 06:55 PM – 08:12 PM Trip |
| 2015 | ETA Taipei HSR | *Get an Easycard or Taipei Pass at Visitor Center |
| 2100 | Check-in at Taipei Family Hostel | Enjoy more discounts when you directly book in their official site. |
| 2200 | Rest~ | - - - |
Day 6: Huashan 1914 Creative Park and Tamsui
Beautiful church in Tamsui.
| TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 0700 | Wake Up! | - - - |
| 0730 | ETD Guesthouse | - - - |
| 0800 | Breakfast | - - - |
| 0930 | Huashan 1914 Creative Park | *By subway, get off at ZhongXiao Xing Sheng MRT station. Take Exit 1 and walk straight for about a block until you see an underpass and a giant red diamond. The Huashan Creative Park is just across the street. There are signs to the park soon as you exit the MRT station so you can’t miss it. |
| 1200 | Aranzi Café | Hours of operation: 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM. Address: No. 12, Nanjing West Road, Zhongshan District Taipei City, Taiwan 104 (inside Shin Kong Mitsukoshi ). Expect: NT$350 |
| 1420 | Tamsui Explore Old Street, Temples, Fort San Domingo, Aletheia University, Oxford College, Tamsui Art Gallery | - - - |
| 1730 | Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf (Lover's Bridge) | - - - |
| 1830 | ETD Tamsui Station | - - - |
| 1930 | Back to Hostel | - - - |
| 2100 | Rest~ | - - - |
Day 7: Yangmingshan National Park, BeiTou, Ximending, Shilin Night Market
Enchanting stream in Beitou.
| TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 0600 | Wake Up! | - - - |
| 0700 | Breakfast | - - - |
| 0830 | Yangmingshan National Park | From MRT 2 Jiantan station, leave Exit 1 (Shilin Night Market), and walk to the left-side bus station, buses heading north. Take either city bus R5 or small bus (PREFERRED) S15 or S17 to Yangmingshan station. |
| 1215 | Lunch / Explore Bei Tou: The Beitou Public Library, Hot Spring Museum, Puji Temple, Thermal Valley | Bus #230. Yangmingshan Bus Station (5:30 - 22:45) . Every 30 - 45 minutes |
| 1630 | Ximending, Street Arts, Red House | Red House: Take the Blue Line 5 or Green Line 3 to Ximen, Exit 1. |
| 1915 | Shilin Night Market | Take the Red Line 2 to Jiantan Station not Shilin Station. After leaving Exit 1, diagonally cross the street to the left to enter the night market. |
| 2130 | Back to Hostel | - - - |
| 2200 | Rest~ | - - - |
Day 8: Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, Taipei 101, Raohe Night Market
The iconic Taipei 101. Wait till you see what's inside.
| TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 0600 | Wake Up! | - - - |
| 0715 | Breakfast | - - - |
| 0815 | Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall (Changing of the guards at 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM) | By subway, get off at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall MRT station, exit 5. |
| 1000 | Lunch at Din Tai Fung Xinyi Store | MRT Dongmen Station Exit 5 |
| 1230 | Taipei 101 | By subway, get off at Taipei 101 World Trade Center MRT station, exit 4. |
| 1430 | Elephant Mountain Trail | To get to the trail, take the red line [2] to the Xiangshan MRT stop.Head out exit 2 and follow the signs through Zhongqiang Park.You will make a left at the end of the park, head up the hill and then to the right, with the trail entrance on your left just past the temple. |
| 1700 | Raohe Night Market, Rainbow Bridge, Wufenfu | Just take the MRT Metro to Shongshan Station, and follow the signs for Raohe Street. |
| 2030 | Back to hostel | - - - |
| 2100 | Rest~ | - - - |
Day 9: Golden Fulong Route, Jiufen
Spirited away comes to life in Jiufen Old Street.
| TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 0500 | Wake Up! Early -_- | - - - |
| 0630 | Taipei Railway Station. Buy Ticket | Go to Taipei Main Station and go to the TRA (Taiwan Railway Association). You can just use your Easycard to get on the train. Scan it, and ask the person there where and when the next train to Fulong is. Then go there and wait and get on. Same thing coming back. |
| 0830 | Fulong Station | Bus interval on weekdays:60 minutes. [Departure from Fulong Visitor Center]10:15-17:15. [Departure from Ruifang Railway Station]09:00-16:00 |
| 0900 | Breakfast | - - - |
| 0930 | Fulong Visitor Center (Golden Fulong Bus Stop) and buy One Day Pass Ticket. Explore Bitou Cape Geological Park (1 hour, 30 mins) > Nanya Rocks (1 hour) > Golden Waterfall (1 hour) > Jiufen Old Street | Bus stop (across the road from 7 Eleven convenience store) at the road bend. The bus goes downhill. Fare: NT$21 Travel time: About 15-20 mins. |
| 2130 | Back to Taipei Family Hostel | - - - |
| 2200 | Rest~ | - - - |
Day 10: National Palace Museum, Taipei Expo Park, Departure
Me strolling around Ximending Youth Shopping District.
| TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 0600 | Wake Up! | - - - |
| 0700 | Breakfast | - - - |
| 0830 | National Palace Museum and Garden | From MRT Red Line 2 Shilin station , walk outside the station and board Bus R30 , fare NT$15, payable by cash or Easycard. |
| 1130 | Lunch - Taipei Expo Park / Taipei Botanical Park | - - - |
| 1830 | Back at the hostel. Get the luggage | - - - |
| 1930 | Taipei West Bus Station | The most convenient bus to take is the airport bus at the Kuo-Kuang West Bus Terminal (Livery: white, blue, purple), located just outside of Taipei Main Station, Exit Z3. Buses leave frequently and cost NT$125 per ticket. |
| 1930 | ETA Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 Departure | - - - |
That’s it for my itinerary. It was 10 long days, but it wasn’t enough. The first 5 days was perfect, everything goes smoothly, but when I arrived in Taipei, that's when it got messy. It rained a lot for 5 days and I have to go back and stay in the hostel earlier than planned or else I'll freeze outside, just kidding. Some locations are also canceled and mixed up due to bad weather but don't worry, roaming around in Taipei is easy and there are lots of available destinations to back up your plan. During the planning stage, I also have to give up some destinations due to time and budget constraints. So, the next time I go to Taiwan I’ll make sure to visit Taroko Gorge, the Thousand Island Lake in Shiding, celebrate lantern festival in Pingxi, ride the fastest elevator in Taipei 101 when the weather is better, go back to Jiufen, take the Golden Fulong Route and eat varieties of food, lots of them and try Couchsurfing for better local experience. Now I'm starting to miss Taiwan again.
I hope you find this post useful. I’m not an expert on Taiwan and just speak through the experiences I learned from the trip. If you find yourself traveling through Taiwan and stumble upon this blog, please drop me a line on the comment section below or just say hello. I can't wait to hear stories from you.
Thank you for stopping by. Have fun and memorable trip in Taiwan! – Samm ♥
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