Tours to Taiwan

Taiwan is a mountainous island off the southeast coast of mainland China, roughly 400 kilometres from north to south, and its compact size and fast High Speed Rail make it easy to combine a modern capital with marble canyons, tea country and tropical beaches in a single trip. Most visitors start in Taipei, where Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum with its vast collection of imperial Chinese art, and the incense-filled Longshan Temple in the old Wanhua district sit alongside lively quarters such as Ximending and Da'an. Day trips lead to the hillside lanes and teahouses of Jiufen, the sky lanterns of Pingxi, and the eroded rock formations of Yehliu Geopark on the north coast.

On the east coast, Taroko Gorge cuts through marble cliffs close to Hualien (the park has been only partially open since the April 2024 earthquake), while the Central Mountain Range shelters Sun Moon Lake and the alpine forests and sunrise viewpoints of Alishan, known for its high-mountain oolong. Tainan, the former capital, is the place for Confucian temples, Dutch-era forts and traditional snacks, and Kaohsiung in the south pairs the Lotus Pond pagodas and the Pier-2 Art Center with easy access to the beaches of Kenting National Park. Ten to fourteen days allows a full loop of the island; a week covers Taipei, Taroko and one central or southern region.

October to December and March to May bring the most comfortable weather, while summer is hot, humid and prone to typhoons, and winter can be chilly and damp in the north. Food is a central reason to come: night markets such as Shilin, Raohe and Kaohsiung's Ruifeng serve oyster omelettes, stinky tofu, pepper buns and shaved ice, while sit-down favourites include beef noodle soup, braised pork rice, xiaolongbao and bubble tea, which originated here in the 1980s.