8D/7N: Mountain Crossing

In the morning pick up at the hotel and leave to visit the Northern Coast, Jiufen and Shifen.

JIUFEN OLD STREET

During the Qing Dynasty, this isolated village housed only nine families; thus the village would request ‘nine portions' every time shipments arrived from town. "Jiu" means "nine", "Fen" means "portions". Until the 1950's, Jiufen was a prosperous gold mining town but in the next years the town started to decline. This small village is located within hills, next to the mountains, and facing the ocean. Its special location saved it from becoming another anonymous mining ghost town. Jiufen is now a popular tourist destination for Taipeites eager to relieve scenes from the past.

SHIFEN WATERFALL

Shifen Waterfall is a 40 metre tall waterfall that creates a rainbow as it splashes into the lake, widely regarded as the most scenic in all of Taiwan.

SHIFEN SKY LANTERN

Shifen is a small town about an hour away from Taipei by car. The main reason tourists come to Shifen is to release sky lanterns. Historically, sky lanterns were released by brave villagers who stayed behind when their villages were ransacked by outlaws, signalling to fellow villagers who escaped to safety that it was safe for them to return. Today though, sky lanterns are released as a way to make

Depending on the time, other visits will be discussed directly with your guide on the way to Hualien.

Dinner at the night market or in a local restaurant ( not included, guide will suggest )

Overnight in Hualien a 3* or 4* hotel, central located

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 9:00AM meeting with your English-speaking guide and driver at the lobby of the hotel.

Leave to explore the breathtaking, world-renowned Taroko National Park. Enjoy a guided tour of its spectacular mountains, marble canyons, gorges, rapid rivers, and stunning waterfalls. Visit the eternal Spring Shrine and the Swallow Grotto trail till the Bayang Waterfall through the Water Curtain Tunnel (itinerary might change according to the weather)

On the way to Cinging cross the Hehuanshan and its 3.422 mt, one of the most beautiful and breathtaking mountain landscapes in Taiwan.

Free time for dinner, the guide will suggest.

Overnight in Cingjing 

Breakfast at the hotel.

After breakfast meeting with your English speaking guide and driver and transfer to Sun Moon Lake. On the way to SML and depending on the weather - your guide will suggest today’s itinerary with some visits or just go directly to Sun Moon Lake to enjoy the area.

Arrival in SML and time to discover and enjoy the majestic scenery.

There are several activities you can choose (OPTIONALS, can be decided with the guide or book in advance.) :

- Cycle round one of the best bike paths in the world: It is about 30 km with hills and will take 3-4 hours with stops at a few of the attractions along the way. A local guide will follow you and show the paths.

- Cable car overlooking the lake: On a good day you can enjoy stunning views of the lake with the trip taking about 7 minutes each way, however in peak times the wait can be hours.

- Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village;

- Boat tour (Shueishe, Ita Thao and Xuanguang Temple piers)

- Visit Ita Thao: is the origin of Thao people; it is believed that their ancestors, originally from Alishan, chased a white deer to a faraway lake where they found an abundance of fish. They returned to their homeland, brought the whole tribe, and decided to settle down at Sun Moon Lake, as we call it today. Although tribal life is almost extinct now, a visit to Ita Thao allows you to experience the aboriginal culture and you get to taste delicious aboriginal food too.

- Antique Assam Tea Farm: Shuili Snake Kiln is the town where remains the eldest tradition of kiln-making. There is a biggest kiln work which is in the Guinness Book of Records by the size of 6.68 meters.
- SUP 
- Practice your Tennis

Overnight in Sun Moon lake.

Breakfast at the hotel.

After breakfast, meeting with your guide and driver at the lobby of the hotel.

In the morning you can decide to explore the lake or just leave to Alishan.

On the way to Alishan stop in some beautiful viewpoints and at the Elephant Mountain National Scenic area to learn about tea culture and magnificent view.

Your guide will also suggest some stops along the road; there are several train stations with small villages and old street markets as well as stunning plantations tea.

Lunch on the way (not included in the quotation). Your Tour guide will suggest some places on the way.

Overnight in Alishan

Early in the morning you will take the Alishan Mountain Railway to Zhushan Station and witness one of the most famous sunrises. (Tickets not included, please pay for your guide.)

With the guide you will then have a walk at the Alishan Forest Recreation Area and meet the thousands year old Taiwan cypress tree. Back to the hotel and breakfast.

After Breakfast, transfer to Tainan. Depending on the weather some stops in the mountain will be suggested by your guide.

Arrival in Tainan and check in at the hotel.

Visit the city center of Tainan, Taiwan’s oldest and fifth-largest city which was formerly its capital during the Qing Dynasty, is one of Taiwan’s greatest hidden gems.

Overnight in Tainan 

Breakfast at the hotel and meeting with your guide/driver.

In the morning you will explore Tainan and the AnPing Old Fort area.

After Lunch ( not included ) transfer by private van to Fo guan Shan, the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. Visit Fo Guan Shan ( entrance is free but donations are very appreciated) and after the visit take the road to Kaohsiung.

Dinner free and night time boat tour on the Love River ( optional and to be book and paid on the spot).

Overnight in Kaohsiung.

Breakfast at the hotel and meeting with the guide/driver at the lobby of the hotel

Full day visit Kaohsiung and the surroundings: ( Sample itinerary, the order of the visits can change )

⇒ The British Consulate at Takow: built in 1867, it is the most antique western-style modern architecture as well as the first British Consulate in Taiwan. Shoushan, the "love" Deck from where you will enjoy the spectacular view of the city.

⇒ Kaohsiung Rose Basilica, designed in a Gothic style., was rebuilt in 1928 and is the largest cathedral in Taiwan and one of the 3 cathedrals in Asia.

⇒ Formosa Boulevard Station was rated second most beautiful subway stops in the world. The real treasure is underground -- the 2,180-square-meter Dome of Light, a glass mural built into the ceiling of the station. The colorful ceiling was created by American-Italian artist Narcissus Quagliata. It's the largest such glass installation in the world.

⇒ Lotus Pond is an artificial lake, ended in 1951, it is - as you can guess from the name - famous for the lotus plants!

Lotus Pond, only 5 Km from the city center, it can take around 2 to 3 hours to walk all around the lake. The most interesting thing about the pond is that there are more than twenty temples worshiping different deities around the lake. Among the temples, one of the main attractions is the Dragon and Tiger pagodas.

⇒ Dragon and Tiger Pagodas

The name comes form the the 2 buildings represented a dragon and tiger. Visitors enter the towers through the statues' bodies. Entering the dragon's mouth and exiting via the tiger's mouth is believed to be auspicious. The towers are connected to the shore with a 9-angle bridge (九曲橋).

⇒ Cijin or Qijin Island

Cijin or Qijin Island is a small and narrow island about 10-15 minutes away by ferry from Kaohsiung harbor.

Here you will have some time to explore this little island. There are many bike rental shops on Cijin Island but you can rent or just take a drink in one of the bars on the beach and relax on the quiet Black Sand Beach.

If instead you want to visit the island with your bike don't miss the Chi Jin Mazu or Tianhou Temple, one of Cijin Island’s foremost attractions. Opened in 1673, it’s Kaohsiung's very first temple dedicated to Mazu, the Chinese goddess of the sea. Cihou Lighthouse and Cihou Fort are both offering great views of the ocean and island and a nice spot to take pictures. The colorful Rainbow Church – which is actually not a place of worship – is also a nice spot to take some photos due to its colorful architecture, it is located at Cijin Seaside Park.

Dinner in the city and overnight in Kaohsiung. 

Breakfast at the hotel.

High speed train to Taipei  or other destinations along the High Speed train route ( open voucher valid on any train on the day )