Taiwan Gourmet Culinary Vacation 8 Days
Day 1: Arrival Taipei (D)
Arrive at Taipei Taoyuan airport where you’ll be greeted by your local guide. Then proceed to explore Dadaocheng and the most popular traditional industry in the past: Chinese herbal medicine, fabric market, and family-run tea factory are common sights in this area.
Later make your way to dinner at Din Tai Fung Restaurant. There are almost too many Taiwanese dishes to count, but the one you simply can’t go past is Xiao Long Bao. Yes, they taste as good as they look, so be prepared to eat at least a handful of these stuffed steamed buns (or dumplings) loaded with different fillings. And if that wasn’t quite enough, under the helpful eye of your trusty guide, dive into the feast of tasty street food and snacks at the perennially popular Ningxia Night Market
Day 2: TAIPEI -BEIPU-ALISHAN ( B L D )
In the morning, drive to the small Hakka town in Beipu, a rural town in Hsinchu County that has many claims to fame. Apart from the architecture reflected in the traditional houses and streets, Beipu is renowned for its history and tea. You’ll be hosted at a local favorite Beipu Shitang – also known as Beipu Canteen – where you’ll have the opportunity to savor local specialties.
Drive from Beipu to Alishan, an area famed for its forest mountain environment. Your guide will lead you on a forest walk following a trail densely populated with ancient cypresses that rise up around you like a green ‘cloak’, pointing out sights like Sisters’ Pond and Plum Garden. Reflect on Alishan’s natural beauty as you relax for the evening at your hotel, enjoying either a hotel meal or venturing out to try some of the local specialties.
Day 3: Alishan –Tainan (B L D)
Get up early for what is arguably Taiwan’s best view*, visible only by taking the old Alishan train to Chushan (and if weather permits) to catch a glimpse of the area's famed "sea of clouds" that appear in the hours around dawn. Afterward, head to Tainan to embark on a Tainan Cultural Heritage tour: include the Warrior Temple, Koxinga’s Shrine, Confucius Shrine, the Fort of Anping (Zeelandia), and old Shenong Street
Famous Tainan snack food such as coffin bread, Tantze noodles, milkfish congee, rice pudding ,just to mention a few,which will be included for your dinner
Day 4: Tainan –Kaohsiung (B L D)
Head south to the port of city Kaohsiung where you’ll admire at Dragon and Tiger Tower and the Spring & Autumn pavillion before paying a visit to Taiwan’s largest monestry--Foguangshan. Lunch here will be a vegetarian feast
Later head back to Kaohsiung to visit Renai River, also referred to by locals as Love River, then head on to the Pier-2 Art Center. Savor a dinner of local specialties, then visit the Liuhe Night Market or Kaohsiung Metro’s Formosa Boulevard Station (or both). When you see the design and glasswork at the station, you’ll understand why it is ranked as one of the most beautiful in the world. Your guide will ensure you are safely checked in to your hotel in Kaohsiung where you can finally relax and rest for the next day’s adventure, but not before enjoying one of Kaohsiung’s traditional street food specialties; a healing, herbal mutton soup of finely sliced lamb, tofu, mushrooms, and flavorsome broth made by a local street food vendor.
Day 5: Kaohsiung – Sun Moon Lake (B L D)
This morning depart Kaohsiung for Sun Moon Lake. We will enjoy the best of local specialties by eating lunch at a local Sun Moon Lake restaurant, then climb aboard a private motorboat for an hour of cruising on the lake itself. Shift gears and get back on the road for a drive around the lake with stops at Wenwu Temple, Ida Thao Indigenous Village, and Cien Pagoda, each offering a unique panoramic view of the lake and the opportunity to capture beautiful photographic memories. Your guide will check you in at the hotel for an evening of relaxation and reflection.
Day 6: Taichung –Yilan (B L D)
Today enjoy Taiwan's beautiful, natural scenery during the drive from Taichung to Yilan,will make stop at Fenniaolin Fishing Port on the way,which is remarkable and perfect spots to capture beautiful travel memories that showcase the very best of Taiwan’s ocean and mountain landscapes. Tonight try the famous Yilan Cherry duck.
Day 7: Luodong -Jingfen – Yehliu ( B L D)
After breakfast, make your way to Sanxing where you’ll find a well-known scallion farm with an eco-friendly philosophy to agriculture. Join the farm’s guide who will offer a full farm-to-table experience, instructing on the local traditional method for preparing scallion pancakes, starting your experience by harvesting the scallions yourself.
Afterwards, the tour takes you north to Jiufen. Take a walking tour back in time as you explore Jiufen Old Street, once a bustling gold mining town and now a village that retains much of its historical old-world charm. Enjoy a faithful recreation of the traditional mine worker’s lunch, similar to that eaten by miners from the last century.
Following lunch, the sightseeing continues with the drive to Yehliu Geopark. Marvel at the remarkable natural rock formations created by erosion and other natural forces. Let your imagination carry you away with what you ‘see’; mushrooms, animals, heads, and more.
Day 8: Departure (B)
Today you will be met by Kuching guide and transferred to Taoyuan International Airport for your departure flight, concluding your tour of Taiwan.
**Exclusive itinerary specially designed for gourmets