Grand Taiwan I My Way Travel USA - Absolute Asia Tours

On arrival in Taiwan, you'll be met by your private guide, who will accompany you to your Taipei hotel. The rest of your day will be at leisure to begin exploring the city.

On Taipei’s doorstep sits the rugged landscape of Yangmingshan National Park. A picturesque escape from the city rush, your day will be spent exploring the mountains and forests on foot, enjoying the impressive array of flora including rhododendrons, azaleas and cherry trees. See volcanic fumaroles belch out sulphur, and sample local, organic fare at one of the farm restaurants in the fertile Bamboo Lake. Stroll through the aptly named Hell Valley, a geothermal river which disappears and re-emerges from beneath an eerie blanket of steamy mist! Drive back towards Taipei, stopping en-route for a well-earned hot spring in the soothing mineral waters at Beitou.

Swap the bustle of Taiwan’s major metropolis for the serene tea hills of Pinglin, famous nationwide for Bao Chung tea. Stop to sample a cup of the local speciality in one of the many teahouses and, if you happen to be there during the Spring harvest, enjoy the freshest brew you’ll ever taste. Make a stop at the tea museum to discover more about this vital crop, then head south to the coast, following the Su-Hua Highway, for wonderful views over the Pacific Ocean, culminating in the breath-taking Qingshui Cliffs that drop almost vertically into the ocean. From Qingshui, drive to your hotel, surrounded by nature in the heart of Taroko National Park, where the rest of your day will be at leisure.

Spend a full day exploring Taroko Gorge’s many highlights. As well as visiting Swallow Grotto and the Eternal Spring Shrine, escape the crowds and appreciate the area’s natural beauty with a walk along one of the National Park’s numerous trails. The Lushui Trail offers fantastic views over the gorge and Liwu River from its elevated cliff-cut sections, whilst the Shakadang Trail runs along the bottom of the gorge, following an old indigenous hunting track. The Swallow Grotto Trail follows an old section of road, and presents a particularly photogenic perspective of this narrow valley carved through seemingly endless sheer cliff-faces.

Head south past Hualien – eastern Taiwan’s largest city – before delving into the East Rift Valley: a land rich with rice fields, tropical fruit orchards, and small indigenous villages hidden between the coastal mountains and the vast Central Mountain Range. Pause for lunch at an indigenous community organic restaurant, then swap four wheels for two and take a cycling tour along a little-used road through the scenic countryside. Continue by car to the small town of Ruisui, well known for its therapeutic hot springs, to settle into your hotel and spend the afternoon relaxing in the warm waters.

Fill up on a hearty breakfast in preparation for a serious morning of walking! Head to the start of the Walami Trail, a historic route that was constructed during the Japanese era, which is now part of the cross-island Batongguan Trail. Beginning high above the Nanan River, begin an easy, slightly uphill trek following the wild Lakulaku River through forest, past high waterfalls, and over suspension bridges. Keep your eyes peeled for butterflies, monkeys, eagles and all manner of weird and wonderful plant and insect life along the way, until you reach the magnificent Shanfeng waterfall, where you can rest over a picnic lunch before continuing the trail. From Walami, drive across the mountains to Chenggong – a lovely little resort right on the ocean - where the remainder of your afternoon will be at leisure.

Travel further south along the increasingly dramatic coast, the vast Pacific stretching towards the horizon on the left, the verdant mountains to the right. Break the long journey and stretch your legs with a bracing walk in the Chihpen Forest Recreation Area, known for its diverse wildlife and huge, ancient banyan trees. Choose from a variety of trails to match individual fitness levels and how far you wish to walk. From Chihpen, continue your journey to Kenting National Park at the very southern tip of the country, where the rest of your day will be at leisure to enjoy your breathtaking surroundings.

We can tailor your day in Kenting to suit you, choosing from a wide variety of activities, hiking through the hilltop national park with lofty ocean vistas, taking trails through an enchanted land of uplifted coral platforms, narrow caves and dense tropical jungle. Cycle a range of loop routes, try your hand at surfing or ocean kayaking and, if this all sounds a little too energetic, lay back on one of the lovely stretches of sand within walking distance of your hotel for a day at the beach with a book.

Start out early on the long drive north to the Alishan National Scenic Area, stopping along the way at Chuhuo’s Eternal Flame, where natural gas catches fire as it seeps up from the ground. Continue north to Chiayi, make another brief stop to sample some of the region’s acclaimed tea, then ascend further to Alishan where the rest of your day will be at leisure to acclimatize and stroll around the village.

Rise early to catch the sun rise over the Central Mountains, then take the famous narrow-gauge Forest Train to Zhushan to enjoy some delicious traditional snacks before climbing to the viewing platforms to witness Alishan’s famed sea of clouds sunrise. Soak up the tranquillity of the mountains as you hike back down to your hotel in time for breakfast. Spend the day exploring the extensive network of walking trails and scenic surrounds on foot, and at your preferred pace, enjoying the mountain vistas, visiting remote temples and wondering at the majestic giant cypresses.

Board the high speed train from Chiayi to Taipei Airport to connect with your onward flight.