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Central Taiwan Culture & history

Our most recommended Central Taiwan Culture & history

Best of Taiwan 5-Day Tour

1. Best of Taiwan 5-Day Tour

Explore the natural wonders of Taiwan on a 5-day tour from Taipei. Visit Sun Moon Lake, walk with Buddhist monks at Fo Guang Shan Monastery, drive along the Maopitou Coastal Scenic Area, and more. Enjoy accommodation in 5-star hotels. Day 1: Taipei, Sun Moon Lake, and Natural Hot Spring Following hotel pickup, drive to Sun Moon Lake, located in the lofty mountains of Central Taiwan, 2,500 feet (762 meters) above sea level. Stop at the Wenwu Temple (Literature Warrior Temple), dedicated to Confucius as the Master of Pen and to Kuan Ti as the Master of Sword. Continue your sightseeing tour to the Holy Monk Shrine and Tse-En Pagoda, then proceed to your hotel for check-in. Stay overnight at the Fleur De Chine at Sun Moon Lake (or a similar hotel). Day 2: Sun Moon Lake, Fo Guang Shan Monastery, and Kaohisung After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy a walk around the Xiangshan Visitor Center before driving to Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Monastery, the most famous Buddhist sacred site in southern Taiwan. Learn about Buddhism during a monastery walking tour and taste Buddhist vegetarian lunch (cost not included). Talk with some of the monks and nuns during a visit to the Main Shrine and Great Buddha Land, the site of a huge Buddha statue. Continue to Kaohsiung, the second largest city in Taiwan, and visit Liuhe Tourist Night Market. Stay overnight at Kaohsiung in the Grand Hi Lai Hotel (or similar). Day 3: Kaohsung, Kenting, and Taitung Join a morning tour of Kenting National Park, located at Taiwan’s southern tip. Travel past 37 miles of coral-rimmed shoreline and along 3 sides of the park to see its main attractions. Stop at the Eluanpi Lighthouse and Maopitou Coastal Scenic Area (Maopitou Park). Continue to Taitung via the Southern Link Highway. Stay overnight at the Royal Hotel Chihpen in Taitung (or similar). Day 4: Taitung, East Coast National Scenic Area, and Hualien After breakfast, enjoy an exciting East Coast National Scenic Area tour. The East Coast National Scenic Area, known as Taiwan's last unspoiled land, stretches for approximately 100 miles (170 kilometers) down the east coast of the island. Weathering, erosion, and accumulation have produced a wide range of landforms. Your tour will stop at Xiaoyeliu, Sanxiantai, and the Stone Steps. By late afternoon, head to Hualien for an overnight stay at the Silks Place Taroko (or similar). Day 5: Hualien, Taroko Gorge, Taipei Spend a full day at Taroko National Park. Go to Taroko Gorge, a beautiful, narrow ravine created by the Liwu River, cut deep into the mountains of solid marble. Travel along a road that's been carved into sheer walls of rock, winding its way past forested peaks and cliffs, towering thousands of feet above it. Hundreds of feet below, the river roars past gigantic marble boulders. Stop at Eternal Spring Shrine, Swallow Grotto, Marble Bridge, Tienshiang, and a marble factory before driving back to Taipei via the Su-Hwa Highway. Ride through the 8-mile-long Hsuei-Shan Long Tunnel before arriving back in the city.

Thousand Island Lake and Pinglin Tea Plantation from Taipei

2. Thousand Island Lake and Pinglin Tea Plantation from Taipei

Meet your tour guide and driver, relax and enjoy a scenic drive along the twisty mountain road, we will take you to Shiding, a rural district of New Taipei City. Located in the south of Shiding District, Thousand Island Lake, also known as Qiandao Lake in Chinese literally means a lake with thousands of islands. Shared the same name with the famous attraction in Zhejiang Province of Mainland China, the catchment area of Feitsui Reservoir surrounded by hills creates a similar scenery. The natural terrain and climate make the surrounding area of Feitsui Reservoir ideal farmland for tea-growing, including the well-known Wenshan Pouchong and Dong Fang Mei Ren (literally means “Oriental Beauty Oolong Tea”). The noted tea plantation Bagua Tea Garden is located in this area too, from the top of the hill, the neatly planted rows of tea look just like the symbols of Eight Trigrams. Continue your half-day tour through a 15-min drive to Pinglin District, where the famous Wenshan Pouchong is cultivated. The first stop is Pinglin Tea Museum, a Hokkien-style Siheyuan (quadrangle courtyard house), where you will see the tools and equipment for tea harvesting in the past, and learn about the history and development of the Taiwanese tea industry. Coming up is a local tea shop. Your guide and the tea instructor will give an introduction to Taiwanese tea, and how to properly brew Taiwanese tea during your visit. Here you also have a chance to taste the tea samples. Your tour ends with a return transfer to your chosen drop-off location. Either at Xinyi Shopping District (Taipei 101) or MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station.

From Taipei: Taroko Gorge Day Tour by Train

3. From Taipei: Taroko Gorge Day Tour by Train

Meet your host and board the express train bound for Hualien on your own. Sit back and enjoy a 3-hour journey to paradise. Upon arrival in Hualien, your tour guide will greet you at the train station and take to you to the world-famous Taroko National Park. Your one-day tour to Taroko Gorge National Park will start from the Archway of Taroko Gorge. From the archway entry to Tianxiang, this 12.5-mile (20 km) section of Central Cross-Island Highway through the steep marble cliffs and tunnels of the gorge will take your breath away. Walk along the Shakadang Trail, where the river gently flowing through the marble boulders as you meanders along the trail in parallel. The turquoise blue water of the river is crystal clear that you can see the riverbed from above. The next stop is Swallow Grotto. The potholes on the cliff surface were created by the ground water and the rapid stream of the river. In the past, they were the natural nesting location of swallows, hence the name. Walking through the tunnels, you will be amazed by the stunning views of the marble cliffs reaching up to the sky. After lunch, stop by Cihmu Bridge (Motherly Devotion Bridge), a suspension bridge made of marble and named by Late President Chiang Jing-guo after a heart-warming story about a loving mother. Next, head to the Tunnel of Nine Turns, considered to be the most scenic section of Taroko Gorge. As you walk along the trail, you can see the meandering river running through the deep and spectacular canyon from above, and you can also have a closer look at the faults and folds of the sheer marble cliffs, as well as the vegetation on the walls. Visit the Eternal Spring Shrine, which commemorates the 225 military veterans who died during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway. Before you return to the train station for your train back to Taipei, your will visit a local marble factory, where you can get some handcrafts made of marble or souvenirs featuring the local characters, to enrich your travel collection. Then you will visit the most romantic beach in Taiwan. Qixingtan Beach, a crescent-shaped beach covered with sprawling pebbles. Your 14-hour adventure then ends with drop-off at Taipei Main Station.

From Taipei: Private Tour of Taroko

4. From Taipei: Private Tour of Taroko

This private Taroko tour is specifically designed for visitors wanting to optimize their time at Taiwan’s must-see attractions. Enjoy round-trip transfer in a modern, air-conditioned vehicle from Taipei City to Taiwan's most iconic, scenic spots, including the largest marble canyon in the world. Admire the marble walls and the winding river that runs through the deep Taroko Gorge. Your route will take you through a total of 38 tunnels, including the Baiyang Trail, the Shakadang Trail, and the Marble Bridge of Motherly Devotion. Walk in the world of nature and culture along the Swallow Grotto Trail, taking in views of the Indian Chieftain’s Profile Rock and potholes along the cliff face, while watching spring swallows darting in and out of their nests. Walking through a total of 38 tunnels, reach Chimu Bridge, which is famous for its signature marble railings and Chinese lion statues. Benefit from the perks of a private tour by customizing your own itinerary with your private guide.

From Taipei: Beitou Hotsprings and Yangmingshan Volcano Tour

5. From Taipei: Beitou Hotsprings and Yangmingshan Volcano Tour

Meet your tour guide and driver in the morning at MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station and take a 40-minute journey to the Yangmingshan National Park. Along the way, stop by the Taipei Public Library at Beitou. Located in Beitou Park and near Beitou Hot Spring Museum, it is Taiwan's first "green library", and is one of the most beautiful public libraries in the world. It minimizes pollution and harm to the environment by using recycled materials and by being water and energy-efficient. Visit the Beitou Hot Spring Museum which was built during the Japanese colonial era. The Tudor-style building has a brick and wood facade and black tile roofing. The 1st level consists of a small bath and a large bath with a piece of Hokutolite Stone weighing 800 kilograms displayed at a corner. This is the perfect location to learn more about Beitou's rich hot spring culture and history. The next stop is Yangmingshan Flower Clock, the centerpiece of the Yangmingshan National Park. See the flowering plants which change by the seasons, where visitors can enjoy the bloom all year round. Visit Yangming Shu-Wu Mansion, also known as Zhongxing Guesthouse, which was the summer residence of the late president, Chiang Kai-shek. Today the mansion is an important site for Taiwanese culture and history. Afterward, you will visit the most popular spot in the national park, Xiaoyoukeng, which literally means "little oil pit". This is a post-volcanic geological area, where you can see and smell the steam rising from the ground, and feel the heat of a dormant volcano. See Qingtiangang, a lava terrace formed when the lava flowed north after the eruption.  The last stop is Lengshuikeng, which means “cold water pit”. This is a barrier lake formed by the volcanic lava flowing down from the mountain. The hot spring water here is colder than the other areas hence its name. Before the tour comes to the end, enjoy a hot spring foot bath that gives relief to aching feet and helps release tension in the muscles. After the tour, you may choose to disembark at MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station or Shihlin Night Market and enjoy the local street foods.

From Taipei: Pingxi Sky Lantern and Shifen Waterfall Tour

6. From Taipei: Pingxi Sky Lantern and Shifen Waterfall Tour

Meet your tour guide at MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station, then enjoy a ride to the suburban area and start a nostalgic tour of Taipei. There are three branch railway lines still operating in Taiwan: Pingxi Line in Taipei, Neiwan Line in Hsinchu, and Jiji Line in Nantou. As time goes by, these three branch lines have turned into tourist railway lines. Pingxi is one of these small towns that were once prosperous due to the coal mining industry in the 1960s. The last coal mine closed in 1997, many of the residents moved out, and these towns became silent and desolated. Even though the golden age may be long gone, Pingxi becomes well-known for being the film location of some movies and TV commercials. Sky Lantern launch in Taiwan originates from Shifen in Pingxi District. Nowadays, the lanterns are used as symbols of peace and good fortune, the world-renowned Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is a big yearly event that draws hundreds of thousands of people every year. Today you have an opportunity to experience this on the train track: write a message, light the lantern and watch it fly to the sky. There are lots of shops that sell Sky Lanterns, souvenirs, and traditional snacks along the train track, you may enjoy a little shopping before we head off to the next stop – Shifen Waterfall. Also known as Taiwan’s "Niagara Falls", Shifen Waterfalls are the biggest cascading falls in Taiwan. It is also a popular scenic attraction and easily accessible by foot from Shifen Train Station. If the weather is good, it creates a rainbow as it splashes into the lake. Your tour ends with a return transfer to your chosen drop-off location. Either at Xinyi Shopping District (Taipei 101) or MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station.

From Taipei: Taroko Gorge Full-Day Tour

7. From Taipei: Taroko Gorge Full-Day Tour

Explore some of Taiwan's most stunning scenery on this full-day tour to Taroko National Park departing from Taipei. Ramble through the trails in the gorge and enjoy the stunning view of the soaring marble cliffs. Meet your guide in the early morning, and enjoy a cozy ride to Hualien. Take a break at TCC DAKA Park, an ecological recycling factory and photo hotspot. Through the exhibition and installations in the factory, visitors can have a good understanding about recycling and upcycling. Your epic journey to Taroko National Park starts from the Archway of Taroko Gorge. From the entry to Tianxiang, this 20km section of Central Cross-Island Highway winding through the steep marble cliffs and tunnels of the gorge will blow you away. Walk along Shakadang Trail, with the rivers gently flowing through the marble boulders as you meander along the trail in parallel. The turquoise blue water of the river is crystal clear that you can see the riverbed from above. Head through the tunnels of Swallow Grotto, where the potholes on the cliff surface were created by the ground water and the rapid stream of the river. In the past, they were the natural nesting location of swallows, hence the name. Walking through the tunnels, you will be amazed by the stunning views of the marble cliffs reaching up to the sky. Stop by Cihmu Bridge (Motherly Devotion Bridge), an H-shape hanging bridge built of marble and named by Late President Chiang Jing-guo. Take a short break at a recreational area and have lunch at one of the restaurants in the park. Head to Tunnel of Nine Turns, considered the most scenic section of Taroko Gorge. See the meander running through the deep and spectacular canyons from high above. Get a closer look at the faults and folds of the sheer marble cliffs, as well as the vegetation on the walls. Visit Eternal Spring Shrine, which commemorates the 225 military veterans who died during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway. End with a visual feast of the amazing Qingshui Cliff, one of the island's "Eight Wonders". Enjoy a sweeping view of a 21 kilometer stretch from the viewing platform before traveling back to Taipei Main Station.

Taipei: Full-Day Pinglin and Elephant Mountain Tour

8. Taipei: Full-Day Pinglin and Elephant Mountain Tour

After meeting with your tour guide and driver in the morning, you can relax and enjoy a scenic drive along the mountain road. You'll soon be taken to Pinglin, a rural district that is famous for growing Wanshan Pouchong Tea. Once there, you tour will begin with a visit to the local tea factory where you will learn about the cultivation and making of Taiwanese tea. The tea farmer will also teach you how to properly brew Taiwanese tea and the tips of tea appreciation. Following that you'll take a short ride to the Shiding District to visit the famous Thousand Island Lake. The catchment area of the Feitsui Reservoir surrounded by hills creates this unique scenery, which consists of a lake with thousands of islands. The natural terrain and climate make the surrounding area of the Feitsui Reservoir an ideal farmland for tea-growing; the noted tea plantation Bagua Tea Garden is located in this area, and from the top of the hill, the neatly planted rows of tea look just like the symbols of Eight Trigrams. You will then move to the Shenkeng District where you will visit the famous Tofu Street: Shenkeng Old Street. It’s one of the locals’ favorites for a weekend break, and is also well-known for the smelly and delicious “stinky tofu”. If you are afraid to give it a bite, you can also opt to try some tofu ice-cream. Finally, you will head back to Taipei City to enjoy a relaxing hike along the Elephant Mountain hiking trail. This mountain looks like an elephant’s head from a distance, and is a popular photo stop for panoramic views of Taipei city. Following your tour, you may choose to disembark at either Xinyi Shopping District (Taipei 101) or MRT Zhongxiao XInsheng Station.

Taipei: Private Day Tour by Car

9. Taipei: Private Day Tour by Car

Benefit with pick-up from your preferred meeting point in Taipei and journey through the city aboard a comfortable and clean car. It is also very suitable for travelers on a short layover with only a few hours to spare with the option of drop off at the airport or cruise terminal at Keelung Harbor if needed. Suggested sights include the Martyr's Shrine, Lin An Tai Historical House and Taipei 101, the 101-floor landmark skyscraper that claimed the title of the world's tallest building when it opened in 2004. Here you can have a photo and view this building with tips and hints from your local tour guide. Visit Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and the Dalongdong Baoan Temple, originally built by clan members in Tong'an, Xiamen, who immigrated to Taipei in the early 19th century.  The tour is flexible and can be customized, create your own itinerary of the city and see the attractions that interest you most, once your reservation has been received, your itinerary will be built with you, according to your preference.

From Taipei: Yehliu Geopark and Keelung Harbor Guided Tour

10. From Taipei: Yehliu Geopark and Keelung Harbor Guided Tour

Meet your tour guide and driver in the morning for your North Coast Tour. First stop at Chung Cheng Park, the ubiquitous tourism symbol of Keelung. The park is situated on the hill at the east side of Keelung Harbor, consisting of three levels. The 3rd level is where the giant statue of Goddess of Mercy stands, the landmark of Chung Cheng Park, and also the biggest goddess statue in Southeast Asia. Next, stop at northern Taiwan’s largest harbor, one of the most-visited tourist attractions. Explore Keelung Maritime Plaza with its beautiful views of Keelung Inner Harbor. On sunny days, take a relaxing tour to soak up the maritime ambiance, admire the beautiful public artworks on display, sit in the coffee shop, and enjoy the refreshing sea air. Next, visit Guihou Fishing Port, a scenic fishing village on the north coast. Every autumn, the Fishermen's Market near Guihou draws crowds for its delicious Wanli Crab. Even if you are not here for the seafood, you can get a glimpse of the rural life of Taiwan in this idyllic fishing village. Make your way to Yehliu Geopark, famous for its natural rock formations which are an amazing array of artistic shapes created by erosion and other natural forces. The most famous rock formation is the iconic “Queen’s Head”, a mushroom rock that resembles the profile of England’s Queen Elizabeth. Besides the Queen’s Head, other remarkable formations such as the Sea Candles, the Fairy Shoe, the Ginger Rocks, the Elephant Rock, the Ice Cream Rock, the Kissing Rock, and the Princess’ Head, are worth taking a look at. Then, it’s time to go back to the city and enjoy a quick and memorable trip to the iconic Taipei 101 shopping center. Your tour ends with return transport to your chosen drop-off location, either at Taipei 101 Mall or MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station.

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What people are saying about Central Taiwan

Our tour guide was amazing and educated on the lakes and tea process. The views are stunning. The bluish green water is magical. It’s worth the trip. Book it!

The trip was very well organised leaving the passengers free to enjoy the experience free of the stress of searching for details of how to visit the sites.

We enjoyed getting out of Taipei into the warmth of the South. The hotels we stayed in were great. Enjoyed meeting indigenous people

Great tour! Beautiful views and walk. We saw waterfalls, rapids and marble rock formations. Lunch was perfect with local foods.

The tour guide is good, patience and experienced. However, the driver should drive safe.