Shaped by indigenous cultures, maritime trade, and waves of migration, Taiwan packs centuries of history into a compact island. You’ll feel it in temple courtyards perfumed with incense, in Japanese-era shopfronts along Dihua Street, and in storied tea rooms pouring high mountain oolongs. Modern Taiwan adds neon, bullet trains, and world-class design without losing its easy hospitality.

Food is the island’s heartbeat—from soy milk breakfasts to slippery beef noodles and flaky pineapple cakes. Taipei’s night markets are a delicious maze; Taichung claims bubble tea’s birthplace and a creative spirit that spills into galleries and architecture. Nature is never far: tea slopes above the city, volcanoes steaming in Yangmingshan, and the tranquil mirror of Sun Moon Lake.

Practical notes: Taiwan’s public transit is safe, clean, and punctual. Tap an EasyCard for MRT and buses; ride the Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR) to hop between cities in under an hour. Tipping isn’t expected, cash is still handy at markets, and the best weather is generally October–April, with summer bringing heat and afternoon showers.

Taipei

Taipei is Taiwan’s capital and cultural big stage—temples older than the MRT map, a museum vault of Chinese imperial treasures, and enough street food to make “just one more bite” a theme. It’s also a city of neighborhoods: buzzy Ximending, heritage-rich Dadaocheng, elegant Da’an, and the gleaming canyons of Xinyi beneath Taipei 101.

• Top sights: National Palace Museum, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Lungshan Temple, Taipei 101, Elephant Mountain trail.
• Local flavor: Ningxia, Raohe, and Yansan night markets; soy milk shops at dawn; oolong tastings in Maokong.
• Day trips: Lanterns in Shifen, tea-and-lantern lore in Jiufen, alien rock formations at Yehliu, hot springs in Beitou, fumaroles in Yangmingshan.

Stay in Taipei: Browse stays on VRBO or Hotels.com. Standouts: Mandarin Oriental, Taipei (resort-like spa, refined rooms), Grand Hyatt Taipei (next to Taipei 101; superb pool), and Meander Taipei Hostel (social, spotless, in Ximending).

Getting in: Fly into TPE and compare fares on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. Airport MRT to Taipei Main Station takes ~35 minutes.

Day 1: Arrive in Taipei, temple dusk, and your first night market

Morning: In transit. On arrival, pick up an EasyCard and pocket Wi‑Fi/SIM at TPE for smooth travel.

Afternoon: Check in, then wander Ximending’s pedestrian streets—retro cinemas, design shops, and the old-school Fong Da Coffee roasting beans since 1956. Slip over to Wanhua’s Longshan Temple to hear chanting and admire dragon roofs at golden hour.

Evening: Kick off with a guided food stroll at Ningxia—ten tastings in two hours is the perfect primer: Taipei Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market (10 Foods Incl.).

Expect oyster omelets, taro fritters, crispy chicken, and herbal pork rib soup. If you still have room, detour to Peanut Ice Cream Rolls on Dihua Street for crushed brittle and cilantro wrapped in a crepe—a classic sweet-salty combo.

Day 2: Icons and alleys—CKS, museums, and the 101 skyline

Morning: Join locals for breakfast at Fuhang Soy Milk—salty soy milk curds, egg-stuffed shaobing, and youtiao. Walk to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall for the hourly guard change and blue-tiled pavilions.

Afternoon: Taxi to the National Palace Museum to meet the jade cabbage and five millennia of art. On your way back, stroll Dihua Street in Dadaocheng: tea shops, fabric houses, and pastry boutiques. Lunch on Jin Feng’s glossy braised pork rice or a bowl at Yong Kang Beef Noodles.

Evening: Head to Taipei 101 for views, then choose between dumpling perfection at Din Tai Fung (Xinyi) or the old-guard Kao Chi (crispy-bottomed shengjian). Cap the night with a 20-minute Elephant Mountain hike—Taipei’s nightscape is your reward.

Day 3: Jiufen mist, Shifen lanterns, and Yehliu hoodoos (full-day tour)

Trade the city for coastal cliffs and lantern lore on this private day trip: Private Day Trip to Jiufen, Shifen and Yehliu Park.

Start with the surreal rock formations of Yehliu Geopark, then wander Jiufen Old Street for taro balls and tea-house views over the Pacific. In Shifen, write wishes on a sky lantern before releasing it on the old tracks. Back in Taipei, reward yourself with late-night grilled squid and black pepper buns at Raohe Night Market.

Day 4: Steam and scenery—Beitou hot springs and Yangmingshan peaks (full-day tour)

Soak and stroll among volcanic landscapes on the Beitou and Yangmingshan Day Tour in Taipei.

Explore the historic Beitou Thermal Valley and the Japanese-era hot spring culture museum before cresting into Yangmingshan National Park for fumaroles, alpine meadows, and sweeping city views. Post-tour, slurp noodles at a Beitou ramen spot or browse Shilin Night Market for baked sweet potatoes, pepper cakes, and fruit teas.

Day 5: Tea day—Maokong gondola, Pinglin plantations, and tastings (full-day tour)

Glide above the forest on the glass-bottom Maokong Gondola and delve deep into Taiwan’s oolong heritage with the Pinglin Tea Culture & Maokong Day Tour from Taipei.

Taste lightly roasted Baozhong and high mountain oolongs at farms and tea houses, learn proper gongfu brewing, and enjoy farm-to-table tea cuisine. Back downtown, linger over desserts at Wistaria Tea House or hunt for scallion pancakes and soybean pudding around Dongmen.

Taichung

Creative, green, and quietly confident, Taichung pairs a thriving café culture with bold architecture like Toyo Ito’s fluid National Taichung Theater. It’s also the gateway to central Taiwan: Sun Moon Lake’s mirror waters, Qingjing’s high meadows, and sunset boards across Gaomei Wetlands.

• Top sights: National Taichung Theater, Calligraphy Greenway, Taichung Second Market, Zhongshe Flower Market (seasonal), Gaomei Wetlands.
• Food & drink: the original Chun Shui Tang (birthplace of bubble tea), Fengjia and Yizhong night markets, Miyahara’s ice cream cathedral and pineapple cakes.
• Nature nearby: Sun Moon Lake (boat loops, lakeside bikeways), Qingjing Farm (alpine views), Xitou (bamboo forests).

Stay in Taichung: Compare downtown and Calligraphy Greenway stays on VRBO or Hotels.com.

Getting there: Morning HSR from Taipei Main Station to Taichung Station takes ~1 hr (reserve on Trip.com Trains). Expect about NT$700–800 (~US$22–26) per adult. From Taichung HSR, it’s 10–20 minutes by taxi or local train/bus into the center.

Day 6: Taipei to Taichung, markets and design

Morning: HSR to Taichung (~1 hr) on Trip.com Trains. Check in near the Greenway for walkable cafés and galleries.

Afternoon: Lunch inside Taichung Second Market: try Wang Ji Meatballs (ba-wan), noodle stalls with sesame-scallion sauces, and black tea ice. Continue along Calligraphy Greenway to the National Taichung Theater—tour the cavernous interior and rooftop garden.

Evening: Head to Fengjia Night Market, one of Taiwan’s largest. Look for giant fried chicken cutlets, cheese-stuffed scallion pancakes, charcoal-grilled corn, and brown sugar bubble tea. For a quieter sit-down, try the original Chun Shui Tang for classic pearl milk tea and Taiwanese small plates.

Day 7: Sun Moon Lake and Qingjing Farm (full-day tour)

Trade city streets for alpine air on the Sun Moon Lake & Qingjing Farm Full-Day Shared Tour from Taichung.

Cruise or shuttle between lake piers (Shuishe, Ita Thao, Xuanguang), sample tea eggs and aboriginal millet mochi, then climb to Qingjing for breezy meadows and mountain views. Back in Taichung, celebrate with a bowl of beef noodle soup or modern Taiwanese at a Greenway bistro.

Day 8: Taichung’s sweets, murals, and a Gaomei sunset

Morning: Coffee at Coffee Stopover or a local roaster near the Greenway, then dessert-for-breakfast at Miyahara: towering ice creams crowned with pineapple cake and almond crisps. If in season, visit Zhongshe Flower Market for photo-worthy fields (plan on 40–50 minutes by taxi each way).

Afternoon: Explore Painted Animation Lane for playful murals and browse independent shops along Yizhong Street. Lunch on crispy oyster omelets, fried buns, and Taiwanese tempura at street stalls.

Evening: Time your trip to Gaomei Wetlands for sunset—the wooden boardwalk and wind turbines make stunning silhouettes; bring sandals for shallow wading. Back in town, nibble through Yizhong Night Market favorites or settle in for craft beer and skewers at a cozy izakaya.

Day 9: Back to Taipei and depart

Morning: HSR back to Taipei (~1 hr) via Trip.com Trains. Drop bags at your hotel’s bell desk if time allows.

Afternoon: Final bites near Daan: pan-fried dumplings, soy pudding with brown sugar syrup, and one last bubble tea. Airport MRT to TPE (~35–40 minutes). For flights, compare on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.

Evening: Departure day. If you have a late flight, fit in a calm tea session or a quick spa foot massage before you go.

Optional Taipei add-ons (swap into Days 2 or 5)

• Eat like a local with a customizable street food crawl away from the crowds: Taipei Street Food & Night Market Tour with a Local: Private & Custom.

  

• Prefer a private driver for photos and flexibility in Taipei: Taipei Private Chauffeur Service.

  

Where to eat and drink—quick picks you’ll love:

• Taipei breakfast: Fuhang Soy Milk (savory soy curd, shaobing), Yonghe Soy Milk King (classic youtiao), a buttery pineapple bun at a traditional bakery.
• Taipei lunch: Jin Feng braised pork rice; Yong Kang Beef Noodles; Lan Jia gua bao near Gongguan (peanut powder and cilantro).
• Taipei dinner: Din Tai Fung; grilled seafood at Raohe; modern Taiwanese tasting menus in Da’an.
• Cafés: Simple Kaffa (award-winning), Fika Fika, Roaster lanes near Minsheng Community.
• Taichung snacks: Taichung Second Market’s meatballs and noodles; ice cream and pineapple cakes at Miyahara; pearl milk tea at Chun Shui Tang.
• Night markets: Ningxia (compact and classic), Raohe (pepper buns), Fengjia (huge variety), Yizhong (student favorites).

Transit tips: Buy or top up an EasyCard at any MRT. Most intercity rides are swiftest on the HSR; reserve seats on Trip.com Trains. Taxis are plentiful; Uber operates in major cities. For flights into/out of Taiwan, compare options via Trip.com and Kiwi.com.

Why this route works: Two bases keep transit simple—skip hotel hopping and use efficient day trips. You’ll taste Taipei’s legends, walk lantern-lit lanes in Jiufen, breathe alpine air above Sun Moon Lake, and still have coffee and gallery time in Taichung.

Summary: In nine days you’ll savor Taiwan’s greatest hits—temples and towers, tea mountains and night markets, lakes and wetlands—without rushing. With fast trains, curated food stops, and a few unforgettable tours, this Taiwan itinerary balances depth and ease for a trip you’ll talk about for years.