Day 1 TAIPEI
Arrive Taipei airport, met and transferred to your hotel by private car (no guide). Rest of the day at leisure. See hotel choices below.
Accommodation options for 2 nights
Gala Hotel, Taipei (3*)
Howard Plaza Hotel or The Landis Taipei (4*)
Regent Taipei or Marriott Taipei or Sheraton Taipei (5*)
Day 2 TAIPEI
Half day Taipei city tour – After breakfast, we will join our group and take a tour of Taipei city includes the impressive Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, the National Palace Museum where 5,000 years of Chinese imperial arts and jade collections are exhibited, the Martyrs’ Shrine of traditional architecture and change of Honor Guards, Xingtian Temple and a photo stop at The Grand Hotel. The remainder of the day will be free on your own. (B)
Day 3 TAIPEI - SUN MOON LAKE
After breakfast you will be picked up at the hotel lobby and transported to Sun Moon Lake, located in the middle of Taiwan, 762 meters above sea level in the lofty mountains. The tour will stop at the famous Wenwu Temple, also known as the Literature-Warrior Temple, dedicated to Confucius as Master of Pen and to Kuan Ti as Master of Sword. Then we will continue on to Ita Thao Indigenous Village, Xuanzhuang Temple and Ci En Pagoda. After touring round Sun Moon Lake, check in to your hotel. Enjoy natural hot springs at the hotel, if you wish. You can also enjoy the walking trails, biking, hiking or boating at the lake.(B)
Accommodation: Fleur De Chine – Mountain View Room (5*) or similar
Day 4 SUN MOON LAKE / FO GUANG SHAN MONASTERY / KAOHSIUNG
After breakfast we will stop by the Xiangshan Visitor Center before driving to Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Monastery, the most famous Buddhist sacred site in southern Taiwan. Here you will learn about Buddhism during the monastery walking tour and communicate with some of the monks or nuns during the visit. Afterwards, continue on to Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s 2nd largest city. The tour will take you to the Love River and Liuhe Night Market. Overnight in Kaohsiung.(B)
Accommodation: Grand Hi-Lai Hotel, Kaohsiung (5*) or similar
Day 5 KAOHSIUNG / KENTING / CHIHPEN HOT SPRINGS, TAITUNG
Morning tour to Kenting National Park, located at Taiwan’s southern tip. The park is famous for it’s 37 miles of coral-rimmed shoreline that lines 3 sides of the park. Stops will be made at Eluanbi lighthouse, Maobitou, Chuanfan (sail) Rock and Longpan Park. Continuing on, we will drive to Taitung via the Southern Link Highway. On arrival at Chihpen, check into the hotel. Balance of the day at leisure. If you wish, enjoy the natural hot springs at the hotel.(B)
Accommodation: Hotel Royal Chihpen, Taitung (5*) or similar
Day 6 TAITUNG / EAST COAST NATIONAL SCENIC AREA / HUALIEN
After breakfast, it will be an exciting East Coast Tour. The East Coast National Scenic Area, known as “Taiwan’s last unspoiled land”, stretches 170 kilometers down the east coast of the island. Weathering, erosion, and accumulation have produced a wide range of landforms here. Our tour will stop at Xiaoyeliu, Sanxiantai and Shitiping (Stone Steps), Fanshuliao marble factory and the exhibition hall. In the late afternoon, we will proceed to Hualien for overnight stay at Taroko National Park.(B)
Accommodation: Silks Place Taroko (5*) or similar
Day 7 HUALIEN / TAROKO GORGE / QINGSHUI CLIFF / TAIPEI
After breakfast, we will visit Taroko National Park. Taroko Gorge is an exceptionally beautiful, narrow ravine created by the Liwu river which has cut deep into the mountains of solid marble. A road is carved into the sheer walls of rock, winding its way past forested peaks and cliffs towering thousands of feet above it, while hundreds of feet below a river roars past gigantic marble boulders. Stops will be made at Taroko Gorge Gateway, Shakadang Trail or Lushui Trail, Swallow Grotto, Cihmu Bridge and Changchun Temple (Eternal Spring Shrine). We will then drive back to Taipei with a stop at Qingshui Cliff en route, drive through the Syue-Shan Long Tunnel (12.9 Kms) and arrive back in the capitol at around 6 PM.(B)
Accomodation Options for 1 night :
A. Regent Taipei or Marriott Taipei or Sheraton Taipei (5*)
B. Howard Plaza Hotel or The Landis Taipei (4*)
C. Gala Hotel, Taipei (3*)
Day 8 DEPARTURE
At the appropriate time, you will be transferred by private car (no guide) to the airport to catch your international onward flight.(B)