Taiwan April 2026

Afternoon

Fly BKK → TPE (~3.5h, +1h time zone). Aim for a morning/midday departure to arrive in the afternoon. Clear immigration, pick up tourist SIM at arrivals.

Evening

Ningxia Night Market — smaller, more local, and arguably better food than Shilin. Famous for braised pork rice, oyster omelette, taro balls.

Walk through Dadaocheng / Dihua Street nearby — Taipei's oldest trading street with restored shophouses, herb shops, and craft stores. Atmospheric at night.

Morning

National Palace Museum. Allow 3+ hours. The Jadeite Cabbage and Meat-Shaped Stone are the star pieces, but the calligraphy and ceramics halls are where the real depth is. Take MRT to Shilin then bus R30. Opens 9am.

Lunch

Lunch near Shilin area before heading south.

Afternoon

Maokong Gondola (MRT to Taipei Zoo station, ~40 min from Shilin). Ride the glass-bottom Crystal Cabin up over tea plantations (~25 min ride). Pick a tea house at the top for local oolong tea, tea noodles, tea-flavored snacks, and mountain views. Spend about 1.5 hours at the top.

Late Afternoon

Gondola down, then MRT to Xiangshan area (~25 min via transfer at Daan). Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) for sunset — get there 30–40 min before sunset for a good spot. One of the best views of Taipei 101.

Evening

Walk down to Raohe Street Night Market (nearby, MRT Songshan) — the pepper buns at the entrance gate are legendary.

Early Morning

Longshan Temple (opens 6am). Go early when locals are doing morning prayers, then walk the surrounding Wanhua neighborhood and Bopiliao Historic Block (preserved Qing-dynasty street, free).

Lunch

Wanhua area has great old-school street food — thick noodle soup (mianxian), herbal soup stalls near the temple.

Luggage Tip

Longshan and Wanhua are flat and walkable with carry-on bags. If needed, use coin lockers at Taipei Main Station while exploring.

Evening

Arrive Hualien around 3:30–4:30pm. Check in, then head to Dongdamen Night Market for indigenous food stalls, mochi, and bamboo rice.

Getting Around

Rent a scooter (NT$400–500/day, international driving permit needed) or join a day tour (NT$800–1,200/person). Driving yourself gives much more flexibility.

Route Through the Gorge

• 1.
  Shakadang Trail — easy, 4km round trip, turquoise river, marble canyon walls
• 2.
  Eternal Spring Shrine — waterfall pouring from a cliffside temple
• 3.
  Swallow Grotto (Yanzikou) — dramatic cliff road carved into marble
• 4.
  Lushui Trail — short, shady walk through forest
• 5.
  Lunch at Tianxiang — small village deep in the gorge, basic restaurants
• 6.
  Baiyang Waterfall Trail — leads to a water-curtain cave; bring a flashlight and expect to get wet

Evening

Back in Hualien. Seafood dinner near Nanbin Beach or Zhongshan Road.

Morning

Relaxed morning in Hualien. Visit Qixingtan Beach and the Pine Garden, then pick up mochi gift boxes from Amei Mochi.

Luggage Tip

Leave bags at the hotel front desk after checkout, explore hands-free, then collect bags before heading to the station.

Evening

Check into a Beitou onsen hotel. First hot spring soak, then stroll Beitou Park and the hot spring creek before dinner near Guangming Road.

Daytime

Work from the onsen hotel or a nearby cafe. Beitou has solid WiFi and easy MRT access to central Taipei (~25 min) if needed.

Evening

After work, take a long soak (private in-room bath or public bath), stroll Beitou Park, and have dinner in the Xinbeitou area.

Daytime

Work from the onsen hotel or cafe.

Evening Heritage Walk

Explore Beitou highlights near Xinbeitou station: Thermal Valley (Hell Valley), Beitou Hot Spring Museum, and Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch. End with a long onsen soak.

Morning

Houtong Cat Village (one stop from Ruifang on the Pingxi Line). Spend 1.5–2 hours — cats everywhere, a cat-shaped pedestrian bridge, and a small coal mining history museum.

Midday

Pingxi Line to Shifen. Release a sky lantern (NT$150–200), then walk 20 min to Shifen Waterfall.

Afternoon

Train back to Ruifang, then bus #788 or #827 to Jiufen Old Street. Tea at A-MEI Tea House, snacks, and lantern views near dusk.

Pingxi Line runs roughly once per hour — check the timetable in advance to avoid long waits.

Evening

Bus #1062 to MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing, then MRT back to Xinbeitou (~2 hours total). Optional late dinner in central Taipei before returning.

Morning

Sleep in, or take one last breakfast in Taipei at Fuhang Soy Milk (shaobing + youtiao). Last-minute shopping before heading to the airport.