How to Spend 10 Days in Taiwan: A Complete Itinerary For First-Time Visitors

Planning 10 days in Taiwan? When the Portuguese first laid eyes on Taiwan, they dubbed it Ilha Formosa (Beautiful Island). And after setting off on my own Taiwan itinerary, I’d agree with them.

I’ve yet to find a place on earth with a better size-to-awesomeness ratio than Taiwan. But don’t let the island’s tiny stature fool you: Taiwan is a heavy hitter. It was everything I expected on an epic East Asia trip. From buzzing cities and delicious food to swoon-worthy hikes and pristine beaches, you can enjoy it all in Taiwan. (And with an ease worth bragging about.)

Not sure where to go in Taiwan in 10 days? Follow along with this complete 10-day itinerary, including my recommendations for what to see & do, where to stay, and when to visit!

Our recommendations for where to go in Taiwan in 10 days or less

We’ve geared our plan for what to do in Taiwan in 10 days (or less) toward urban explorers. We’ve also included more than a few surprises for foodies and nature lovers, of course!

Our action-packed 10-day trip itinerary swings around the entire perimeter of the island. It covers plenty of ground, and I hope it’ll help you leave Taiwan with a well-rounded appreciation of the country and its people. Mix and match these ideas as you go to craft the perfect plan for your trip.

Taipei

3 Days

If I pushed you to start your first trip to Taiwan anywhere but Taipei, it would be purely a cry for attention. And while I scurry around clichés as much as possible, this one is unavoidable.

All sensible Taiwan itineraries start in Taipei with good reason: It’s super convenient. (And, in my opinion, also super awesome.)

Perhaps it’s crazy to love a city that so many travelers ignore or are indifferent to. But I’ll put my reputation on the line and give Taipei a (big) thumbs up. (Yes, I’m that confident you’ll like it.)

Sure, I’ll admit that Taipei might lack the dynamism of Tokyo or the cultural treasures of Kyoto. But Taipei captures travelers’ hearts with the secret that grandmothers long figured out: through the stomach.

After visiting most of the continent’s culinary hotspots, I think Taipei is one of the best foodie cities in Asia, maybe even in the world. And all at a deep discount.

See Also: When is the Best Time to Visit Taipei?

If you’re like me, you’ll likely spend much of your journey here chowing down at Taipei’s bustling night markets. But the Taiwanese capital is also the perfect city for wandering around without a plan.

Walk the streets to stumble upon stunning Taiwanese folk temples. Or follow your nose to a hole-in-the-wall food stall serving the most satisfying beef noodle soup you’ve ever tasted.

Either way, I’m sure that you won’t be disappointed with spending time in Taipei.

What to do in Taipei

With only 10 days in Taiwan, try to spend at least two days in Taipei. (Or, even better, three). Here are a few ideas for our favorite things to do in Taipei to get you started…

Gorge yourself at Taipei’s night markets

Visiting Taipei without going to one (or several) night markets would be heresy. Before visiting Taiwan’s capital, I knew little about the city other than its love for food. And I quickly discovered that the best place to test out all the country’s unique flavors is at a Taipei night market.

Spread throughout the city, night markets are buzzing hotbeds of activity. Get your adrenaline rushing as throngs of people skate past while food vendors wisp intriguing smells into your nostrils.

Not sure which one’s right for you? Here are a few of my favorites:

• Shilin Night Market (No. 101, Jihe Rd, Shilin District) is the city’s biggest & busiest night market. When I visited this gem, I stumbled through a throng of stalls offering a massive variety of food that covers the entire gamut of Taiwanese flavors from savory to sweet. Some of my favorites here included the oyster vermicelli, crispy fried chicken, and oyster omelets.
• Raohe Street Night Market (Raohe St, Songshan District) is a more traditional night market, located in Songshan District at the edge of the stunning Ciyou Temple. The pepper buns on Raohe Street are to die for! Look for the crowds congregating near the entrance—and follow your nose.
• Ningxia Night Market (No. 58, Ningxia Rd, Datong District) is a smaller night market closer to the heart of the city. As this one was close to my accommodations, I stumbled through a handful of times and absolutely loved it. (It was the first one I visited, actually!) Ningxia is heavy on traditional Taiwanese snacks. The fried chicken and stinky tofu get my vote here.
• Tonghua Night Market (Linjiang St, Da’an District) is located close to the central business district of Xinyi. Also known as Linjiang Night Market, it’s a quieter night market than others I visited, sitting among a deluge of teppanyaki restaurants. Don’t miss the famous sausage stand run by a perky “ninja” who hunts his own boar.

Eat at Din Tai Fung at Taipei 101

When your stomach is growling from sightseeing (and the night markets aren’t open yet), I can’t think of a better place to tackle your hunger than Din Tai Fung. This restaurant is Taipei’s most famous eating institution—and one of my favorite chain restaurants in the entire world.

Although it’s been awarded a prestigious Michelin star, Din Tai Fung is surprisingly affordable. It’s one of the most value-laden sit-down Taiwanese dining experiences in the country.

Of course, the popularity comes at a price. Expect a long wait to snatch a table at Din Tai Fung. (When I visited, I had to wait around for about 30 minutes until my number was called.)

In the end, I promise it’ll be worth your while. Remain patient, and you’ll be rewarded with silky-smooth xiao long bao dumplings so good they might make your heart skip a beat.

Some of my favorite varieties here included the crab meat and pork, shrimp and pork, and chicken.

Scoot up to the Taipei 101 observatory

Done grabbing lunch at Din Tai Fung? Let’s head upstairs to Taipei 101, one of the world’s tallest buildings. Shoot up the world’s fastest elevator for some huge views of Taipei City.

The elevator at Taipei 101 will zip us up to the 89th floor to take in the 360-degree panorama. On the way, check out the massive damper. It’s a marvel of engineering brilliance that keeps Taipei 101 from toppling in typhoon-prone Taiwan. Alternatively, I’d also recommend slinking up to the 91st floor to breathe in Taipei at the outdoor observatory.

If you decide to skip Din Tai Fung, the Taipei 101 food court is another great place for a bite to eat. I found plenty of Taiwanese flavors along with popular international choices like shabu shabu, tonkotsu, and Korean BBQ.

Hike the tea trails around Maokong Gondola

At first glance, Taipei seemed like little more than a sprawling urban jungle to me. Once I took a trip to the fringes of the city, though, it’s became a different story.

I quickly discovered that it’s not hard to feel worlds away from Taipei’s hustle. Add some bliss to your trip with some fresh air and exercise in the shadeless tea fields of Maokong.

The gateway to this chilled-out tea-growing area is the Maokong Gondola. This lofty cable car is located outside of the Taipei Zoo and easily accessible via MRT.

If you can only fit it one activity outside the city center, I’d recommend hopping on the Maokong Gondola to scoot up to the area’s tea fields and meandering hiking trails. Along the way, breathe in the incredible vistas of Taipei’s skyline off in the distance.

Take a brilliant day trip to Jiufen and Jinguashi

Got time to toss one extra day into your Taipei itinerary? That’s great because it’ll afford you the time to visit the old mining towns of Jiufen and Jinguashi.

These twin towns are the perfect place to suck in fresh mountain air and enjoy epic views of the northern coast. They’re among my favorite day trips from Taipei and, in my opinion, are well worth the small effort to explore.

Start the morning in Jinguashi. Once a prosperous gold mining town, Jinguashi has a storied history. It took a sharp turn for the worst under Japanese rule when it became a WWII POW camp.

Give yourself a couple of hours to explore all the interesting sites in Jinguashi. Check out the Gold Ecological Park and its claustrophobia-inducing Benshan Fifth Tunnel. Around town, I was also able to spot several former Japanese residences and Shinto shrine ruins.

Much like Jinguashi, the town of Jiufen got its start as a gold mining town. Long since decommissioned as a mining center, the town is now one of Northern Taiwan’s most famous tourist attractions. Jiufen’s tourism got a huge boost from the popular Japanese anime film Spirited Away.

While the crowds in Jiufen may leave you jaded, I promise you that the food won’t. Walk along Jiufen Old Street to discover the town’s famous street food concoctions. If you’ve got a sweet tooth like I do, you’ll love Jiufen’s taro balls and peanut ice cream rolls. Yum!

The most convenient route I found to get to the towns is to head to Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station in Taipei. Take Exit 1 and find the stand for bus 1062 (Keelung). This bus will take you all the way to Jinguashi direct.

Where to stay in Taipei

In my opinion, the most convenient place to base yourself while visiting Taipei is Zhongzheng District. Alternatively, book yourself into one of the many cool places to stay in Ximending. Both of these districts are super central, close to Taipei Main Station, and offer quick access to superb food and fun things to do.

Here are some of our favorite hotels in Taipei:

Getting to Taipei

Several major international airlines offer flights to Taipei from North America and Europe. Airlines flying into Taipei include Cathay Pacific, All Nippon Airways, and EVA Air. I’ve flown all these airlines to Asia, and I would recommend any of them—especially Cathay Pacific. (A random last-minute complimentary upgrade to first class on a long-haul flight to Asia kinda locked me in as a fan for life.)

Looking for awesome flight deals to Taipei? I’d recommend starting your search at Cheapoair!

Taichung

2 Days

Zipping two and a half hours south of Taipei, we’ll reach Taichung, Taiwan’s third biggest city. Taichung doesn’t get a whole lotta love from travelers, which, to be honest, we totally get. Still, we think it’s worth popping in for at least a quick visit.

For us, what’s more intriguing in visiting Taichung is less the city itself but what lies beyond. The industrial city cozies up to the island’s rugged interior. Here, we’ve found some of the top nature spots in Taiwan, including spectacular Sun Moon Lake.

When you’ve only got 10 days in Taiwan, we’d squeeze in at least one day in Taichung. Leave at least one extra day to explore some of its beautiful natural surroundings.

What to do in Taichung

Compared to the likes of Taipei or Tainan, we won’t find a massive list of things to do in Taichung itself. Instead, we like to use the city as a launch pad for day trips into the central highlands. Here’s a quick list of our favorite places to check out while visiting Taichung:

Admire nature at Sun Moon Lake

If you can only fit in one activity in the Taichung area, make it a day trip to Sun Moon Lake. This dazzling lake lies amidst Nantou Country’s Central Mountains. It’s surrounded by verdant rolling mountains that took our breath away.

On our visit, we discovered a whole slew of fun things to do in Sun Moon Lake.

If we traveled here again, we’d start by enjoying the scenery on one of the sightseeing boat tours. Or, if we were feeling extra energetic, we’d rent a bike to tackle the 30-kilometre round-the-lake circuit.

We also enjoyed catching incredible views along the 1.8-kilometer-long Sun Moon Lake Ropeway. For families visiting Sun Moon Lake with kids, trips to the Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village are also popular.

Since the bus ride takes about 90 minutes from central Taichung, you’ll need to be a true travel planning genius to fit everything in. (Of course, if you wanted to experience all of it, we’d recommend grabbing a room and spreading out the activities over two days instead of one.)

Before you set your travel plans in stone, we should warn you: Weekends at Sun Moon Lake can get packed, as all of Taiwan seems keen on converging here.

Undertake a late-night Taiwanese food adventure at Fengjia Night Market

In choosing only one of the Taichung night markets, you’d do well to stick to Fengjia Night Market. And with good reason: For food, it’s been listed by the official tourism board as one of the two best night markets in Taiwan!

While roaming Fengjia Night Market, we’d recommend seeking out some famous Taiwanese fried chicken, deep-fried squid-on-a-stick, or deep-fried Oreos. Wash it all down with what might be the tastiest bubble tea we tried in Taiwan.

Revel in history at Taichung Folklore Park

Unless you can read Chinese—which we definitively can’t—you won’t understand a thing while walking around Taichung Folklore Park. Either way, we think this historical park is a pleasant escape within Taichung. It provides a glimpse of Qing Dynasty-era Taiwan with its traditional architecture and artifacts.

We were entranced by the lotus pond and arch bridge. They’re reminiscent of what you’d see in old Chinese cities like Lijiang and Suzhou.

Marvel at the story of Rainbow Village

I don’t want to overhype Rainbow Village (Caihongjuan Village in Chinese) for fear it might disappoint. It truly is small, but its story is remarkable.

The Kuomintang built villages for its soldiers all over Taiwan. Mr. Huang, a war veteran himself, saw these villages slowly wiped away as his comrades passed on. He didn’t want his village to suffer the same fate. So, he painted.

Once discovered, his colorful murals gained instant attention, first around Taichung and then in the whole of Taiwan.

Thankfully, his plan worked, and his village was saved from demolition. Now, visitors from around the world drop in to see Mr. Huang’s legacy. Immerse yourself in this little colorful corner of Taiwan.

(Mr. Huang continued to work on the murals until, sadly, he passed away in 2024 at the age of 101.)

Where to stay in Taichung

Like Taipei, Taichung is an enormous, sprawling city. And we have to say that sorting through all the accommodations in Taichung can be an absolute nightmare. One of our favorite areas to stay in Taichung is Xitun District, near the Fengjia Night Market. Here are a few of our favorite hotels in Taichung to start your search…

Getting to Taichung

From Taipei to Taichung, it’s anywhere from about two hours to over three hours of travel time by regular train. The cheapest fares (and slowest trains) go as low as NT$241. Faster trains will set you back NT$375.

If you’re in a rush, Taiwan HSR plies the route in just over an hour for NT$700.

Tainan

1 Day

From Taichung, let’s take a quick 2- to 2.5-hour trip south to Tainan, Taiwan’s fifth biggest city and former capital.

Like many Taiwanese cities we’ve visited, the charms of Tainan may not immediately jump out at you. But with a little prodding, we think it has the potential one of your favorite stops during your 10 days in Taiwan!

If you’re a little crunched for time, stick to spending at least one day in Tainan. It’s enough time to get the main sites out of the way to get a taste of the city before moving on to the back half of your Taiwan trip.

What to do in Tainan

As it’s the old Taiwanese capital, we’ve found plenty of things to do in Tainan for the cultural explorer. Although Tainan is a large city, in our experience, you can fit in many of the highlights on a time crunch. Here are a few must-sees for your travel plans:

Get your Taiwanese food fix at Tainan Flower Night Market

Okay, so we’ll admit that it’s not Shilin Night Market or Fengjia Night Market. But in Tainan, Tainan Flower Night Market is our go-to venue for late-night street food.

Unlike most night markets in Taiwan, Tainan Flower Night Market is only open three nights a week. If you want to visit, you’ll have to be in Tainan on a Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday night.

Plying through the food stalls, we discovered a few delectable treats to seek out at the Tainan Flower Night Market. Look out for oyster pancakes, Korean-style fried chicken, and everyone’s favorite, bubble tea.

Dabble in Dutch colonial legacy at Anping Fort

Many people aren’t aware that for 40 years in the 17th century, the Dutch ruled Taiwan as “Dutch Formosa.” One of their most prized possessions on the island was Fort Zeelandia, now known as Anping Fort.

Wandering around Anping Fort these days is an interesting look back to these (not so popular) times. Take note of the brick wall outside the front gates. Covered in banyan tree roots, it’s the only original structure remaining from the fort’s Dutch period.

The road leading up to the main gate, Anping Old Street, is also one of the better places we found to eat in Tainan. Grab a mid-day snack here to fuel up for your day.

Marvel in ancient Chinese architecture and traditions at the Tainan Confucius Temple

There’s no shortage of temples in Tainan. If you have to visit just one, we think it should be the Tainan Confucius Temple, the oldest Confucian temple in the country and one of Taiwan’s most important centers of Confucian worship.

The Tainan Confucius Temple has been preserved since 1666, despite being destroyed numerous times by war and natural disasters. Step inside the Minglun Hall to admire the beautiful calligraphy and into the main hall (Dacheng Hall) to catch a glimpse of the temple’s characteristic red spirit tablets.

Where to stay in Tainan

We discovered a surprising selection of quality hotels in Tainan. Start your search with a couple of our favorite places to stay in Tainan:

Getting to Tainan

From Taichung to Tainan, bargain for between 2 and 2.5 hours on the train. The quickest trains cost NT$363. Slower trains can cost as little as NT$233 for anywhere from an extra 30 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes of travel time.

The HSR (high-speed) train zips between Taichung and Tainan in under an hour for NT$650. If you’re not on a tight budget, we think the HSR is the way to go.

Keep in mind: the HSR station is a little outside of town. You’ll need to grab a taxi or take public transportation to get into Tainan’s center.

Kaohsiung

2 Days

The once bleak post-industrial Kaohsiung has done much to shed its “grey” reputation in recent years. Today, we’d even go as far to say that Taiwan’s second most populous city has become a worthy detour while traveling in Southern Taiwan.

Kaohsiung is second only to Taipei in its cosmopolitanism. We’ve found a lot to love in Kaohsiung. In fact, we think it might even be one of the most underrated and under-appreciated cities in the region!

We’d suggest trying to spend a least two days in Kaohsiung getting to know the city. If nothing else, you’ll at least leave well-rested with a more well-rounded appreciation for the country, its cities, its people, and its food.

(Even if you can only manage one day in Kaohsiung, we believe it makes for a worthwhile stop on your round-the-island Taiwan tour.)

What to do in Kaohsiung

Given the size of the city, there’s a large handful of things to do in Kaohsiung that travelers will dig. Get started with these gems:

Swing around the Lotus Pond

Most postcard photos of Kaohsiung feature the Lotus Pond. This interesting little attraction is located in the northern part of the city, and is the most picturesque area we rolled through in Kaohsiung.

On our trip, we learned that Lotus Pond has been kickin’ around since the Qing Dynasty. And it’s dotted with several buildings to prove it.

The most famous tourist attractions along the Lotus Pond are the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas and the Spring and Autumn Pavillions. Even though we do find them a little kitschy, it’s hard not to admire their remarkable details!

Eat your heart out at Liuhe Night Market

Locals might argue that there are better Kaohsiung night markets. But Liuhe Night Market has one thing that many night markets we visited in Taiwan lack: space. We loved how, unlike most Taiwanese night markets, Liuhe Night Market expands across a wider avenue rather than a narrow street.

That’s not to say it doesn’t get busy.

We’d suggest aiming to arrive shortly after 6 pm if you want to take advantage of that breathing room.

Since Kaohsiung sits on the southern coast, it didn’t surprise us to see that Liuhe Night Market specializes in fresh seafood. Our recommendation? Try the popular barbecued shrimp and fish soup.

Evening gondola ride down the Love River

You don’t need to bring your significant other along to enjoy a night out on Love River. Not long ago, this river that runs north and south through Kaohsiung, was a complete wasteland. I’m sure no one would have dreamed that it would soon become a major Kaohsiung tourist attraction!

Walking along the shore by day is worthwhile. Even better though, in our opinion, is to float down the river at night to admire the impressive Kaohsiung skyline under the faint glow of the city lights.

Walk down the Great Path to Buddhahood at Fo Guang Shan Buddha Memorial Center

The Fo Guang Shan Buddha Memorial Center sits among the most elite Buddhist architecture in East Asia. Like Tian Tan Buddha in Hong Kong or The Great Buddha of Kamakura—two of the most impressive monuments we’ve visiteid—Fo Guang is show-stopping.

We couldn’t help but be amazed walking down the Great Path to Buddhahood. It’s lined by eight pagodas representing eight schools of Chinese Buddhism. Looming above, the world’s largest Fo Guang Shan Buddha statue guards the path.

Best of all? Fo Guang Shan Buddha Memorial Center is free to visit.

Where to stay in Kaohsiung

If you’re figuring out where to stay in Kaohsiung, keep in mind that the most popular hotels pepper the area south of the main train station. There are also several options near Liuhe Night Market. This is a good place to start your accommodations search. Here are a few of our favorite hotels in Kaohsiung…

Getting to Kaohsiung

The train from Tainan to Kaohsiung is a quick one. Even with regular trains, you only need to carve less than an hour out of your day. And your wallet will only be NT$68 lighter.

For the high-speed trains, you’ll pay NT$130 and zoom between the two cities in less than 15 minutes. The only catch: the HSR train only takes you as far as Zuoying, a northern suburb of Kaohsiung, which we find a tad inconvenient.

To get into Kaohsiung from Zuoying, you’ll need to hop on a train from NT$15 to NT$23 for a 9- to 13-minute ride.

Hualien

3 Days

Mention to a Taiwanese person that you’re heading to Hualien, and you’re bound to face envy. In Eastern Taiwan, we couldn’t find a destination that’s more popular among Taiwanese city dwellers hoping to escape their daily chaos.

The reason for its popularity among Taiwanese city folk isn’t surprising: Hualien is one of the finest slices of nature we saw while visiting Taiwan.

Our advice? Don’t attempt, as many travelers do, to jam everything into a long Hualien day trip from Taipei. Instead, spend two or more days here to allow time for relaxation.

What to do in Hualien

Of all our favorite things to do in Hualien, almost all involve getting outdoors. With beautiful lakes and mountain scenery at its doorstep, there’s plenty to see around here. It’ll open your eyes to the immense natural beauty of this treasured island.

As with many popular Taiwanese destinations, we’d recommend avoiding weekends and holidays in Hualien as it’s a local hotspot. Split up your time with the following:

Wander through canyons in Taroko National Park

In most lists of things to do in Taiwan, Taroko National Park sits somewhere near the top. And we’d agree. Taroko Gorge, stretching 36km through Taroko National Park, is the highlight of this beautiful park.

It’s near impossible to tire of the area’s temples, canyons, rivers, and, especially, the hiking trails. The trails here offer some of the best hiking in Taiwan.

The most famous hike in the park is to the Changchun Shrine (Eternal Spring Shrine). From the entrance, the hike here is quite easy, and should, in our experience, take only 20 minutes.

We’d also recommend extending the Eternal Spring Shrine hike past the shrine to the Bell Tower. It’s about 2.2 kilometers further, but well worth the effort to marvel at the beautiful views over the gorge.

Relaxing at Liyu Lake

Spectacularly clear and surrounded by mountains, Liyu Lake is built for chillin’ out. Hanging out here means getting to admire Taiwanese nature at its finest.

We found several cycling and walking trails ringing Liyu Lake. They give ample opportunity for leisurely trips along the shoreline. (It should only take about an hour to walk around.)

If you happen to be in Hualien in May, head over to Liyu Lake to take in its famous Dragon Boat Festival. 

Finding Taiwanese food bliss at Rainbow Night Market

You might have noticed I can’t resist adding night markets at every point of the journey. It’s not just because I sport a massive appetite, but because I truly could never get enough of Taiwan’s night markets. Hualien’s answer to Shilin Night Market in Taipei is Rainbow Night Market.

Of course, it’s nowhere near as large or famous. The food offerings aren’t shocking for frequent visitors to Taiwanese night markets. Where Rainbow Night Market is unique is its family-friendly atmosphere. It offers activities like video game arcades and small carnival-type games for kids.

Where to stay in Hualien

The East Coast of Taiwan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Taiwan. You’ll be spoiled with plenty of choices for accommodations. Here are a few of our favorite hotels in Hualien to start your search…

Getting to Hualien

From Kaohsiung to Hualien, the regular Taiwan Railways Tze-Chiang Limited Express trains take about 3h49m to 4h33m. The fare is NT$705.

Unless you love epic train trips, avoid all the Chu-Kuang Express and Tze-Chiang Limited Express trains through Chaozhou. Traveling via Chaozhou (the Mountain Line and the Coast Line), these trains are more expensive. Even worse, the ride can take up to 11 hours.

More 10-day Taiwan itinerary ideas

• Need a little time on the coast? We’d recommend heading over to Kenting National Park for a relaxing vacation on the beaches of Southern Taiwan.
• Craving more amazing street eats? Add in a half-day trip from Taipei to Keelung. Visit Miaokou Night Market and sample its Taiwanese delights.
• Want a tighter connection with nature? Visit Alishan National Scenic Area to hike and drink tea among amazing Taiwanese woodlands.

When to go to Taiwan

The only thing certain about Taiwan’s weather is that it won’t always cooperate. The time of year you decide to visit Taiwan can make a huge difference on your trip.

The best time to visit Taiwan is either November or April. By November, the heat & humidity of summer is long gone, leaving dry days with warm to mild temperatures.

In our opinion, April is a close second when the island is in full bloom, and spring is hitting full stride. Stick to early April if possible. The end of the month begins to see increasing rainfall.

Other Taiwan travel planning resources

• Guidebooks: As much as I rely on technology these days, I rarely travel without print guidebooks. Lonely Planet Taiwan provides one of the more comprehensive and up-to-date travel guides for Taiwan.
• Phrasebooks: Planning to travel outside the main cities of Taiwan? Expect a sizeable language barrier. Let the Lonely Planet China Phrasebook help. It includes phrases in Mandarin and Hakka and is good to have by your side in a pinch.