Short answer: with 7 days, spend three nights in Taipei with day trips to Jiufen and Beitou, then ride the high-speed rail south via a night at Sun Moon Lake to Tainan and Kaohsiung. With 10 days, add a night in the mountains at Alishan and a night on the beaches of Kenting. With 14 days, keep going around the island: up the east coast to Hualien for Taroko Gorge, and back to Taipei by train. Trains and buses cover all three routes, so you won’t need a car.
This guide turns the sample trips on our Taiwan travel guide into day-by-day plans, with travel times between the stops and the best area to sleep in each night. To choose your dates, read our best time to visit Taiwan guide; for the highlights in a few minutes, see our top places to visit in Taiwan. For a plan built around your dates and interests, use our AI trip planner. Everything here was checked as of October 2026.
The three routes at a glance
| Route | Days | Stops (nights) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taipei and the west coast | 7 | Taipei 3, Sun Moon Lake 1, Tainan 2, Kaohsiung 1 | First trip, food, temples, an easy rail route |
| Cities, mountains and the south | 10 | Taipei 3, Sun Moon Lake 1, Alishan 1, Tainan 2, Kaohsiung 1, Kenting 1 | Adding tea country, forest railway and beaches |
| Round the island | 14 | Taipei 3, Sun Moon Lake 1, Alishan 1, Tainan 2, Kaohsiung 1, Kenting 2, Hualien 2, Taipei 1 | The full loop, with Taroko Gorge and the east coast |
Most flights land at Taoyuan International Airport, about 40 km west of Taipei; the Airport MRT reaches Taipei Main Station in about 35–40 minutes on express trains. Kaohsiung International Airport, on the Kaohsiung MRT, has flights to Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, so flying into Taipei and out of Kaohsiung saves backtracking on the 7- and 10-day routes. Buy an EasyCard on arrival: it works on the metro, buses, local trains and YouBike bicycles, and in convenience stores.
Travel times between the main stops
Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) runs down the west coast from Taipei to Zuoying in Kaohsiung; the conventional Taiwan Railway (TRA) circles the island and is the only rail route to the east. Several high-speed stations (Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan) lie outside the city centers, linked by local trains, metro or shuttle buses.
| Leg | How | Time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taoyuan Airport – Taipei Main Station | Airport MRT express | about 35–40 min | Approximate |
| Taipei – Zuoying (Kaohsiung) | THSR, fastest trains | about 1 h 35 | THSR timetable |
| Taipei – Taichung | THSR | about 50 min–1 h | Approximate (booking sites) |
| Taipei – Chiayi | THSR | about 1 h 20–1 h 45 | Approximate (booking sites) |
| Chiayi – Tainan | THSR | about 20 min | Approximate (booking sites) |
| THSR Tainan station – Tainan city | Shalun line train | about 20–25 min | Approximate |
| Taichung HSR – Sun Moon Lake | Bus | about 1.5–2 h | Approximate |
| Chiayi – Alishan | Alishan Forest Railway, train No. 5 (10:00 → 14:56) | about 5 h | Alishan Forest Railway |
| Alishan – Chiayi | Alishan Forest Railway, train No. 8 (11:50 → 15:45) | about 4 h | Alishan Forest Railway |
| Chiayi – Alishan | Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus | about 2.5 h | Approximate |
| Kaohsiung (Zuoying) – Kenting | Kenting Express bus | about 2–2.5 h | Approximate |
| Taipei – Hualien | TRA express (Tze-Chiang, Puyuma, Taroko) | about 2–2.5 h | Approximate |
| Gushan – Cijin (Kaohsiung) | Ferry | about 5 min | Approximate |
| Sun Moon Lake piers | Lake ferries, 09:00–17:00, every 15–20 min | short hops | Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area |
The Alishan Forest Railway runs one through train a day each way between Chiayi and Alishan; according to the railway office, the main line was in normal operation in October 2026, and tickets (NT$600 full fare) go on sale online about 15 days ahead. They sell out at weekends, so book as soon as you can, and use the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus for the other direction.
7 days: Taipei, Sun Moon Lake, Tainan and Kaohsiung
The classic first trip, all by rail and bus. Fly into Taipei and, if you can, home from Kaohsiung.
- Day 1, Taipei: Arrive and take the Airport MRT into town. Longshan Temple, the old Dihua Street, and dinner at a night market such as Raohe or Ningxia. Sleep: near Taipei Main Station, Ximending or Zhongshan.
- Day 2, Taipei: The National Palace Museum in the morning (open Tuesday to Sunday, closed most Mondays), then Taipei 101 and its 89th-floor observatory, or the Elephant Mountain trail for the classic view at sunset. Sleep: same.
- Day 3, Jiufen and Beitou: A bus of about an hour to Jiufen, the hillside former gold-mining town, and the Gold Museum at Jinguashi; or the Pingxi line to Shifen’s waterfall and sky lanterns. Back in town, soak at a Beitou hot spring. Sleep: same.
- Day 4, to Sun Moon Lake: High-speed rail to Taichung (about an hour), then the bus to the lake (about 1.5–2 hours). Cross the lake by ferry between the Shuishe, Xuanguang Temple and Ita Thau piers, or ride the cycle path along the shore. Sleep: Shuishe or Ita Thau.
- Day 5, to Tainan: Morning ropeway ride (about 7 minutes; closed the first Wednesday of each month) or Wenwu Temple, then the bus back to Taichung and the high-speed rail south, with the Shalun line into Tainan. Evening at a night market. Sleep: Tainan’s West Central District.
- Day 6, Tainan: Taiwan’s oldest city: Chihkan Tower, the Confucius Temple, the Hayashi Department Store, then Anping for Fort Zeelandia and the Anping Tree House. Eat as you go: beef soup, milkfish and dan zai noodles. Sleep: same.
- Day 7, Kaohsiung and home: Train or high-speed rail to Kaohsiung (about 15 minutes from THSR Tainan to Zuoying). The Lotus Pond pagodas, the Pier-2 Art Center, and the five-minute ferry to Cijin for seafood. Fly home from Kaohsiung, or sleep there and ride the high-speed rail back to Taipei the next morning (about 1 hour 35 minutes).
Swap it: if you’d rather see mountains than cities, swap Kaohsiung for a night at Alishan as in the 10-day plan, and fly home from Taipei. More on each stop: Taipei, Sun Moon Lake, Tainan and Kaohsiung.
10 days: cities, mountains and the south
This route adds the forest railway and tea hills of Alishan and the beaches at Taiwan’s southern tip. It works best from October to April, the dry season in the south.
- Days 1–3, Taipei: As in the 7-day plan, with day 3 in Jiufen or at Yangmingshan’s volcanic hot springs. Sleep: near Taipei Main Station (3 nights).
- Day 4, Sun Moon Lake: High-speed rail to Taichung and the bus to the lake; ferries and the lakeside cycle path. Sleep: Shuishe or Ita Thau (1 night).
- Day 5, up to Alishan: Bus back to Taichung, high-speed rail to Chiayi, then the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus up the mountain (about 2.5 hours). Afternoon walk among the giant cypresses. Sleep: Alishan Forest Recreation Area (1 night).
- Day 6, sunrise and the railway down: The early Zhushan line for sunrise over the sea of clouds, then train No. 8 down the mountain at 11:50, reaching Chiayi at 15:45. Continue by high-speed rail to Tainan (about 20 minutes). Sleep: Tainan (2 nights).
- Day 7, Tainan: Old forts, temples and food, as in the 7-day plan.
- Day 8, Kaohsiung: The Lotus Pond, Pier-2 and Cijin, or the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum outside the city. Sleep: near Formosa Boulevard or Pier-2 (1 night).
- Day 9, Kenting: Kenting Express bus (about 2–2.5 hours) to Kenting National Park, Taiwan’s first national park: the Eluanbi lighthouse, the grasslands of Longpan Park at sunset and a swim off the west coast. Sleep: Kenting or Hengchun (1 night).
- Day 10, home: Morning beach or Sheding Nature Park (free), then the bus back to Kaohsiung for a flight home, or the high-speed rail to Taoyuan for an evening flight.
Swap it: if Alishan train seats are sold out, ride the bus both ways, or spend the night at Fenqihu, the old railway village halfway up. Details for each stop: Alishan, Kenting National Park.
14 days: round the island
With two weeks you can circle Taiwan: the high-speed west, the tropical south and the wild east coast, returning to Taipei on the east-coast railway. The best months are October to early December and March to May; avoid July to October if you can, the main typhoon season.
- Days 1–3, Taipei: City sights, the National Palace Museum, Jiufen and Beitou. Sleep: near Taipei Main Station (3 nights).
- Day 4, Sun Moon Lake: Sleep: Shuishe or Ita Thau (1 night).
- Day 5, Alishan: Via Chiayi; up by bus or on the 10:00 train (arriving 14:56), if you can get to Chiayi in time. Sleep: Alishan (1 night).
- Days 6–7, Tainan: Down on the railway, then two days of history and street food. Sleep: Tainan (2 nights).
- Day 8, Kaohsiung: Pier-2, the Lotus Pond and Cijin. Sleep: Kaohsiung (1 night).
- Days 9–10, Kenting: Beaches, Eluanbi, Longpan and a snorkel or dive on the coral. Sleep: Kenting or Hengchun (2 nights).
- Day 11, up the east coast: Bus back toward Kaohsiung or Fangliao and a TRA express along the South-Link Line and up the east coast via Taitung to Hualien. It takes most of the day, with the Pacific on one side and mountains on the other. Sleep: Hualien, near the station (2 nights).
- Day 12, Taroko Gorge: The marble gorge reopened in stages after the April 2024 earthquake. In 2026 the visitor center, the Taroko Terrace, Tianxiang and trails such as Dacingshui, Chongde and Liwushan were open, while Shakadang, Swallow Grotto and Baiyang stayed closed; Highway 8 runs at set release times. Add the Qingshui Cliffs viewpoint on the way back.
- Day 13, back to Taipei: Morning at Qixingtan beach, then a TRA express to Taipei (about 2–2.5 hours). A final night market. Sleep: Taipei (1 night).
- Day 14, home: Airport MRT to Taoyuan.
East-coast express seats sell out at weekends and on holidays; book on the TRA website or app as soon as booking opens, usually 28 days ahead. Check the park’s announcements before your Taroko day, and see our Taroko National Park guide for what is open.
Where to sleep, by stop
| Stop | Best area for a short stay | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Taipei | Around Taipei Main Station, Ximending or Zhongshan | Airport MRT, high-speed rail and TRA all at Main Station; good metro links |
| Sun Moon Lake | Shuishe village or Ita Thau | Ferry piers, buses and restaurants; Ita Thau is next to the ropeway |
| Alishan | Inside the Forest Recreation Area | Walk to the trails and the sunrise train; book early |
| Tainan | West Central District | Temples, old streets and food stalls on foot |
| Kaohsiung | Near Formosa Boulevard station, Yancheng or Pier-2 | MRT, light rail and the Cijin ferry close by |
| Kenting | Kenting Street, or Hengchun for a quieter old town | Beaches and the night market; Hengchun has the old city gates |
| Hualien | Near the train station or downtown | Trains, buses to Taroko and tour pickups |
Rooms are hardest to find at Sun Moon Lake, Alishan and Kenting on weekends and during the Lunar New Year holiday (4–10 February 2027), when much of Taiwan travels. Weekday stays are usually cheaper and quieter.
Alternatives by interest
Food lovers
Give Tainan three nights instead of two: its breakfast beef soup, milkfish porridge and dan zai noodles are the reason many Taiwanese visit. In Taipei, plan an evening each at different night markets, and take a cooking class or a tea tasting. Around Sun Moon Lake and Alishan, the high-mountain oolong and black teas are grown on the slopes you drive through.
Hikers
Add a second night at Alishan for the forest trails and the Zhushan sunrise, two days at Taroko on the reopened trails, and a day on Yangmingshan above Taipei, where Qixing Mountain is the city’s highest peak. Climbing Yushan, at 3,952 m the highest mountain in Taiwan, needs permits applied for well ahead. Spring and fall are the best hiking seasons. See our hiking guide.
Beach and island lovers
From June to September, fly from Kaohsiung to Penghu, an island group in the Taiwan Strait known for basalt landscapes, beaches and the Twin Hearts Stone Weir on Qimei. Kenting has the warmest water on the main island; in winter, swim on the west side, sheltered from the strong seasonal winds. Small Xiaoliuqiu island, with its turtles, is a short ferry ride from the coast south of Kaohsiung.
Families
Use fewer bases: Taipei for four nights, with the zoo and the Maokong gondola, then Sun Moon Lake (the ropeway and the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village) and Kaohsiung, whose light rail and harbor parks are easy with children. The high-speed rail is fast and comfortable, and non-reserved cars sell tickets on the day.
Cyclists
Taiwan is one of Asia’s best cycling countries. Ride the lakeside path at Sun Moon Lake, use YouBike bicycles in the cities, or join a supported tour along the east coast between Hualien and Taitung, the most scenic stretch of the round-island route.
Tips for planning your route
- Book the trains that sell out. High-speed rail reserved seats can be booked up to four weeks ahead, with early-bird discounts on some trains; Alishan Forest Railway tickets about 15 days ahead; east-coast TRA expresses usually 28 days ahead.
- Consider a THSR Pass. The high-speed rail sells passes for foreign visitors: three consecutive days, or two flexible days, of unlimited travel.
- Pick the season. According to the Central Weather Administration’s normals, Taipei is wettest from May to September and the south is driest from October to April. The plum rains fall in May and June, and typhoons mainly from July to October; leave a spare day in summer.
- Check Taroko before you go. Reopened areas and Highway 8 release times change month to month.
- Mind the Monday closures. The National Palace Museum is closed on most Mondays; the Sun Moon Lake ropeway closes on the first Wednesday of each month for maintenance.
- Driving is optional. You can drive with an International Driving Permit, but mountain roads are narrow and winding; a car or scooter is only really useful around Kenting and the east coast.
Taiwan itinerary FAQ
Is 7 days enough for Taiwan?
Yes for Taipei and the west coast: Taipei, Sun Moon Lake, Tainan and Kaohsiung, all linked by high-speed rail. To add Alishan, Kenting and Taroko Gorge without rushing, plan 10 to 14 days.
Should I go clockwise or counterclockwise around Taiwan?
Either works. Going south first on the high-speed rail gets the fast legs done early and saves the scenic east-coast train for the end; if your flight home leaves from Kaohsiung, start with Hualien and Taroko instead.
How long is the high-speed train from Taipei to Kaohsiung?
About 1 hour 35 minutes on the fastest trains between Taipei and Zuoying, according to THSR’s timetable; trains that stop at every station take longer.
Do I need a car in Taiwan?
No. Trains, the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle buses and city metros reach every stop on these routes. A car helps only for the east coast’s side roads and the Kenting peninsula.
Is Taroko Gorge worth visiting in 2026?
Yes, if you plan around the closures. The visitor center, the Taroko Terrace, Tianxiang and several trails have reopened, but Shakadang, Swallow Grotto and Baiyang remained closed in 2026, and Highway 8 opens at set times.
Can I visit Alishan and Sun Moon Lake on the same trip?
Yes. The simplest link is back through Taichung by bus, then the high-speed rail to Chiayi and the bus or forest railway up to Alishan. Allow a full day for the move.
What is the best month for a Taiwan itinerary?
October to early December, and March to May. Both seasons are mild and relatively dry; spring adds cherry blossoms at Alishan, from late February into April.
Sources
Researched and last reviewed by TravelerCenter on 8 October 2026. The Taipei–Zuoying time, THSR passes and booking rules come from Taiwan High Speed Rail; the Alishan train times, fares and booking window from the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office; Sun Moon Lake ferries from the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area and the ropeway from its operator; Highway 8 and Taroko openings from the National Park Service and press reports of park statements; Kenting from the park headquarters; museum hours from the National Palace Museum; climate from the Central Weather Administration’s 1991–2020 normals; and the 2027 holiday from the government’s office calendar. Other high-speed and TRA times, bus times and transfers come from booking sites and general references and are approximate. Timetables and openings change, so check with the operator before you travel.
Data: Wikidata (CC0)