Warning: the following post will give you a 5 day complete itinerary in Taiwan, the one that you’ve been looking for all over the internet. Get ready because this is all free.
So, you have decided to travel to Taiwan but you still don’t have the perfect itinerary for your upcoming trip. Worry no more because you are in the right blog and I’m sharing with you our comprehensive 5 day itinerary in Taiwan.
Day 1
If you’re coming from Philippines, let us just say that your Day 1 is your departure day. In case, your flight is scheduled at midnight just like ours, then you probably might land in Taoyuan International Airport early morning the next day. On the other hand, those who will fly during morning and afternoon can still spend their Day 1 on a night market in Taipe.
| 5:30 PM | Depart QC for NAIA Terminal 3 |
| 7:00 PM | Check-in; Pay Travel Tax |
| 7:30 PM | Dinner at the airport |
| 11:40 PM | Cebu Pacific flight 5J 310 departs for Taiwan |
Day 2
Upon your arrival in Taoyuan International Airport, you need to buy Adult EasyCard from Airport convenient stores and load it. This will be your instant debit card just like BEEP card in Manila or TMoney in South Korea.
If you’re staying in Zhongshan Area, you have to ride a CitiAir Bus or West Bus #1961 from Airport terminal 1.
The conversion of money or exchange is P100 = NTD 50 (at the time of writing).
Let’s go back to the itinerary. On your 2nd day, you may visit the Tamsui Area at noon where you can ride a ferry to Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf and see the Lover’s Bridge.
In the afternoon, eat and shop in Tamsui Night Market. And if you still have time, you can go back to Taipe city proper and head to Shilin Market, the most famous night market in the city.
| 2:05 AM | Flight 5J 310 arrives at Taiwan Taoyuan Terminal 1 |
| Buy Adult EasyCard from Airport convenience stories or bus station | |
| 5:00 AM | Get Pocket Wifi (available at the Unite Traveler counter in Terminal 1) |
| 5:05AM | Take a bus or ride the train |
| 6:00 AM | Check-in at your hotel or Airbnb |
| 6:30 AM | Rest and Sleep |
| 12:00 NN | Depart for Tamsui |
| 12:07 PM | Walk to Zhongshan Station, hop on Red Line going to Tamsui Station |
| 12:45 PM | Arrive at Tamsui Station |
| Lunch at Tamsui Old Street | |
| 1:30 PM | Going to Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf (Yu Ren Ma Tou) |
| You can board Red 26, 836 or 837 (837 goes to Fishermen’s Wharf on weekends only) from Danshui Bus Station. Frequency of bus is regular. The bus will bring you to Fishermen’s Wharf where you can see the Lover’s Bridge. Fare: NT$15 (can use Easycard) Travel time: About 15 mins | |
| Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf (Yu Ren Ma Tou) | |
| Lovers’ Bridge (Sunset) | |
| Tamsui Night Market | |
| 7:00 PM | Depart for Shilin Night Market |
| Walk to Tamsui Station, hop on Red Line going to Jiantan Station | |
| 7:30 PM | Arrive at Jiantan Station and 7 mins walk to Shilin Market |
| 7:40 PM | Arrive at Shilin Market |
Day 3
Gear up and be ready for a long distance walking in Taipe Zoo that houses more than 300 wild and safari animals.
Just inside the zoo, you can ride the Maokong Gondola and sip a cup of tea in a restaurant atop the mountain.
In the afternoon, you may depart for Elephant Mountain just in time to catch a glimpse of Taipe City lights. You may reach the top within an hour and stay there for another 30 minutes.
Just a station away, go to Taipe 101. You may enter the building for free up to the 5th floor but if you wish to see the aerial view of Taipe, buy a ticket to visit the Observatory Deck at the 91st floor.
If you still have time, grab a bite in Ningxia Night Market just a station away.
| 7:00 AM | Depart for Taipei Zoo (台北市立动物园 Táiběi shìlì dòngwùyuán) |
| Walk to Zhongshan Station | |
| 7:10 AM | Arrive at Zhongshan Station, transfer to Songshan-Xindian (green line) going to Nanjing Fuxing Station |
| 7:15 AM | Arrive at Nanjing Fuxing Station, transfer to Wenshan-Neihu (brown) line going to Taipei Zoo |
| 7:30 AM | Arrive at Taipe Zoo |
| Visit Panda, Dancing Waters, Musical Clock, etc | |
| Ride Maokong Gondola (Opens daily 9am-9pm) | |
| From Taipei Zoo Station, walk to Maokong Gondola Taipei Zoo Station for about 350 meters. Take gondola to temples. Buy Maokong Gondola Super Value Round-Trip Ticket.
This ticket is valid for one round-trip and an additional free ride from first use until the end of service on a single day. Super value round-trip tickets that have only been used once are returnable for a NT$130 refund (Ticket price NT$240 – highest single journey ticket price NT$120 – NT$10 handling fee + NT$20 deposit) |
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| EasyCard users now receive free transfer to the Maokong tour bus when travelling on the Maokong Gondola. Bus Route of the Maokong Tour Bus (Right Line) Route Maokong Gondola Maokong Station → Tianliao Bridge →North Entrance of Camphor Tree Trail→Zhangshan Temple →Telescopic Deck→Apricot Grove →South Entrance of Camphor Tree Trail→ Zhanghu Walkway →Maokong Gondola Maokong Station |
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| Bus Route of the Maokong Tour Bus (Left Line, Zhinan Temple) Route Tea Promotion Center Parking Lot → Maokong Pothole →Mini Skywalk→ Pavilion → Yuanshan → Caonan → Maokong Gondola Zhinan Temple Station |
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| 4:00 PM | Depart For Elephant Mountain |
| Walk to Taipe Zoo Station and ride or hop on Brown Line going to Daan Station | |
| 4:15 PM | Arrive and alight at Daan Station, hop on Red Line going to Xiangshan Station |
| Arrive at Xiangshan Station | |
| After arriving at Xiangshan station (象山), the terminus of Red Line 2, leave from Exit 2 and continue walking alongside the edge of the park. At the end of this road, take a left and follow until the entrance for Xiangshan Hiking Trail (象山登山步道), total 650 metres, around 20 mins. | |
| 6:00 PM | Depart for Taipe 101 |
| OPTION 1: Take the Red Line 2 (Xiangshan train) to Taipei 101 station (台北101). After entering Taipei 101, head up to the 5TH floor to purchase a ticket for the observatory | |
| OPTION 2: Walk to Taipe 101 (9 minutes) | |
| 6:10 PM | Arrive at Taipe 101 |
| 5F Taipei 101 Mall – Here, visitors purchase tickets and take the Guinness World Record breaking high-speed elevator to the observatory on the 89TH floor, traveling at 1,010 metres/min (60.6KPH), taking only 37 seconds to ascend to the observatory at the 89TH floor.
89F Indoor Observatory – At 382 metres above the ground, the observatory deck provides an unobstructed view of the city in all directions. The observatory deck also houses a museum where visitors can learn about the design process and construction of Taipei 101 and other similar large-scale construction projects around the world, including a free audio tour in eleven languages, as well as high-powered binoculars, refreshments, and professional photography service. 88F Beauty of Taiwan Multimedia Corridor, Super Big Wind Damper, Treasure Sky – The corridor connecting the two decks is designed to showcase the natural beauty of Taiwan, providing 270-degree views of well-known scenic locations in Taiwan, leading to the engineering marvel known as a wind damper, a 5.5 metre diameter, 660 ton weight suspended within the building to offset the force of wind and help 101 stand upright. Also included is Treasury Sky, a collection of unique jewel crafts. 91F Outdoor Observatory – The outdoor observatory is accessible by stairs from the 89TH floor. From the outside, it’s possible to view the spire at the 508 metre high apex, but watch out for the strong winds! Inside the building on the 91ST floor is a small theatre showcasing films about the construction and the annual New Years fireworks display. 91F is only open on days with favorable weather conditions. |
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| 9:00 PM | Depart for Ningxia Night Market |
| Walk to Taipe 101 World Center | |
| 9:10 PM | Arrive at Taipe 101 Station, hop on Red Line going to Zhongshan Station |
| 9:25 PM | Arrive at Zhongshan Station and walk to Ningxia Road |
| 9:35 PM | Arrive at Ningxia Night Market |
| 11:00 PM | Go home |
| 11:30 PM | Arrive at your hotel or AIRBNB |
Day 4
This day is going to be tiring and exciting because you will be roaming the northern part of Taiwan. You may avail a discounted round trip shuttle ride in Klook for only P1,184 (click here) I suggest that you take this tour to avoid the hassle of getting a pricey taxi ride.
The shuttle will depart from Ximending area at 8am then head to Yehliu where you can see amazing rock formations. Next destination is the Ying Yang Sea where two tones of water, blue and yellow, swirl together and resemble the Ying Yang symbol. The driver will also drive you to the Golden Waterfall.
The highlight of the tour is the Jiufen, a quaint village in the mountain. If you have watched the movie, Spirited Away, the village where the story revolves is just a reminiscent of Jiufen. It is also one of the famous destination in the Northern Taiwan.
Have your lunch and take a stroll in Jiufen old streets. Afterwards, the shuttle will take you to Shifen, another great tourist site where you can fly your own colorful lantern right at the rail track.
Before the clock strikes at 4pm, you and your shuttle mates will depart from Shifen but if you wish to stay longer, you may advise the driver.
At 5pm, you’ll arrive at Ximending. This is a great time to shop till you drop in a Divisoria-like shopping district.
| 7:00 AM | Depart for Gakuden Bakery, Ximen (Meeting point at 7:45 AM) |
| 7:10 AM | Walk to Zhongshan Station, hop on Green Line (Nei Hu Main Line) |
| 7:15 AM | Arrive at Ximen Station |
| 7:45 AM | Meeting point at the Gakuden Bakery) |
| 8:00 AM | departure |
| 9:00 AM | arrive at Yehliu |
| 10:00 AM | depart for Ying Yang Sea |
| 10:50 AM | arrive at Ying Yang Sea, 13-Layer Remains |
| 11:10 AM | depart for Golden Waterfall |
| 11:20 AM | arrive at Golden Waterfall |
| 11:30 AM | depart to Jiufen |
| 11:50 AM | arrive at Jiufen |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch at Jiufen, walk Jiufen Old Street |
| 1:50 PM | depart for Shifen |
| 2:40 PM | arrive at Shifen, fly lantern, walk to Shifen Waterfall |
| 3:40 PM | depart for Ximen |
| 4:45 PM | arrive at Ximen |
| 5:00 PM | Ximending shopping |
| 8:00 PM | Depart for Zhongshan station (AIRBNB) |
| 8:10 PM | Walk to Ximen Station, hop on Green line |
| 8:20 PM | Arrive at Zhongshan Station and walk to house |
Day 5
Since this is your last day in Taiwan, visit the 3 tourist spot in central Taipe that offer free entrance.
First stop is the Longshan Temple, a favorite destination of many foreigners. You can visit the temple as early as 6 in the the morning.
Then head to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial place, a grand palace ground where you can see a giant statue of Chiang Kai Shek, a Chinese ruler.
And the last stop is the National Palace Museum, just a taxi or train stations away from Chiang Kai Shek place.
You should be going back to your hotel or Airbnb before noon to pack your bags and prepare to leave Taiwan at midnight.
And because you still have extra time in the afternoon, you may want to leave your luggage on Subway Lockers or have it deliver straight to the airport thru luggage services. You can spend your remaining time in the shopping district around Taipe 101.
So that’s your 5 day complete itinerary in Taiwan. If you want a soft copy of this itinerary, you can download it here.
| 5:30 AM | Depart for Longshan Temple |
| 5:40 AM | Walk to Shandao temple Station Blue Line |
| 5:46 AM | Walk to Longshan Temple |
| 5:55 AM | Arrive at Longshan Temple |
| Open daily from 6am – 10 pm | |
| FREE ADMISSION | |
| 8:00 AM | Depart for Chiang Kai Shek Mem’l Hall |
| Walk to Longshan Temple Station Blue Line | |
| 8:15 AM | Alight at Ximen Station Green Line |
| 8:20 AM | Arrive at Chiang Kai Shek Mem’l Hall |
| Open daily from 8:30am – 6:30 pm | |
| FREE ADMISSION | |
| 9:30 AM | Depart for Nat’l Palace Museum (MRT Shilin) |
| 9:44 AM | Take Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Station Red Line |
| 9:38 AM | Arrive at Shilin Station and take a taxi |
| 9:40 AM | Arrive at Nat’l Palace Museum |
| Open daily from 8:30am-6:30 pm | |
| FREE ADMISSION outside the museum | |
| 10:30 AM | Depart for Zhongshan (Airbnb) |
| Take a taxi (P500) | |
| 10:50 AM | Arrive at Airbnb house |
| 12:00 NN | Depart for Taoyuan |
| 12:30 NN | Walk to Taipe Main Station (leave baggage) |
| FREE TIME | |
| 10:00 PM | Depart for Taoyuan International Airport |
Will bookmark this for my next Taiwan adventure. I was in Taipei some years back but only for a quick trip of 3d/2n and certainly, it wasn’t enough. Looking at all the things you can do, I felt like I missed quite a bit but was able to go to the important spots and do a foodtrip – this is a must!
Great detailed article, I hope to visit one day!
This is the best!! I love Itineraries to get ideas and time structure!! I would love to go there someday!
I love how you have gone into lots of detail and given a time schedule to help people keep on track. I love Taipei and would definitely go back. The night markets are the best.
Wow this is quite the packed Itinerary, you seemed to have pretty much covered everything you should do In Taiwan. I tend to travel quite slow rather than packed into a few days but Taiwan is on my list and this post will come in handy although it might be a little more spread out.
This is such a cool itinerary, I think it is super busy though… I’m quite a slow traveller so I might spread it out, but you have given me such a great idea of what to do in Taiwan.
I’ve never been to Taiwan, but traveling is in my blood. After reading your post and looking through all the photos, I think I’m going to add this to my bucket list. Great post! Full of tons of info!
Wow, this is a great detailed itinerary of Taiwan to complete in 5 days. How nicely you have mentioned the places to see and things to do with time details. This is definitely gonna be bookmarked by me. Very very informative. Thanks for the share.
This is a really detailed post. Kudos and thanks for helping travelers like me for future trips.
I would prefer to go start exploring as soon as I get there. This is what I do when arriving a city early in the morning (after keeping my stuff at the hotel) to take advantage of lesser crowd. Then I sleep from afternoon to morning the next day.
But of course, your preference is only the best because you’re traveling with your kid.
Your itinerary is very detailed and useful for first time visitors. Thumbs up!
Wow, just five days in Taiwan? You did a lot during your time there. Glad you were able to enjoy the trip.
What a detailed post here. I would love to visit Taiwan one day. Sounds like a great place to see.
Traveling with little ones isn’t easy. Good thinking on getting most out of those 5 days.
Thanks for this five-day Itinerary, complete with tips for the trip! I especially love the advice about getting an easy debit card which makes travel that much easier. Looks like you covered so much ground and fun ??
Taiwan is one of those places where 5 days would seem like there’s not enough time to visit and see everything. But you can definitely cover A LOT of great attractions and places within those few days.
That’s a comprehensive post about Taiwan. Great information and the itinerary is planned very meticulously, for someone who visits there for the first time. I would love to see the lovers bridge and shop at Shilin Market when I visit Taiwan.
Such exhaustive information on Taiwan itinerary is greatly appreacited. Would share your post link in my friend circle.
Wow, I drop by to the right blog since I’m looking for an itinerary in Taiwan. I love that you make it concise, but filled with an important note to remember. Your itinerary is very comprehensive and since you provided a detailed place to see and enjoy, my trip to Taiwan would be easier now. Thank you so much for being so kind to share this with us.
This is a really helpful and informative post. I have never been to Taiwan and this itinerary would be perfect for first time travelers like me. Hope to visit soon. Thank you for sharing!
This is a very well laid out itinerary with all the details that one might need while visiting. And it looks like an easy one to take when visiting Taiwan with family and kids. I am bookmarking your post for future reference, when I travel to Taiwan.
I went to Taiwan in January last year and it was one of the best trips of my life. I loved the cold weather, I loved the food, loved the people, and the destinations. I just love Taiwan, it’s such an amazing place to visit. There are places in your post though that I haven’t visited like the Taipei Zoo, Elephant Mountain, and Ningxia Night Market. Obviously, I have many places to cover and I can’t wait to go back. I’m pretty impressed with your itinerary, it covered many things in such a short time.
Your guide is very helpful for me! I will save it for my next Taiwan trip!
It is better to have this kind of guide coming from other bloggers 😀
I am bookmarking this article in case I visit Taiwan in the future.I like your detailed hour by hour itinerary. You are saving future travelers tons of work.I can see that you have put in a lot of hard work into this itinerary.
Wow I love how organized you are! I just can’t imagine getting anything done with my kiddos right now lol!
Wow this looks like SUCH a fun trip!!
It is a matter of coincidence that though I have never been to Taiwan, but i’m marketing the Taiwan Expo 2018 that is about to happen in India in a few days from now! Thank you for much needed travel tips to Taiwan. The more I read about Taiwan, the more i feel like visiting the beautiful country!
You enjoyed a lot in 5 days. Now I think I must visit there.
This has got to be one of the most definitive itineraries for Taiwan. It is like a template for someone to plan their travels! Well done, Team Uy!
This is awesome and thanks to you so much for organizing an itinerary like this.
Wow, it’s a bookmark for sure. Just take a print either and enjoy your 5 days visit to Taiwan. You are doing fantastic blogs.
I wish to visit Taiwan one day. Hope I’ll manage to be as organised as you were, because I tried to be organised on my trip to USA and it was such a mess haha!
good post with good writing and charming images. Would love to go Taiwan
Oh my this is a detailed diary! Very nice and glad your team enjoyed Taiwan! Where is your next destination?
I don’t have plans to travel to Taiwan, but your iterary is a lesson in planning and organization for all who travel! Well done and inspiring!
That is so exhaustive !!I Detailed description given with a time schedule. I really want to see taipae 101. Greatly admired by it’s engineering and beautiful architecture !!!
Finally a itinerary that includes a toddler. Planning to go to taiwan too. May i ask how much isnyour total expenses in peso? Thanks!
Such exhaustive information on Taiwan itinerary is greatly appreciated. Would share your post link in my friend circle.
Wow, thanks for sharing this. I’ve been meaning to visit Taiwan and i’m glad to have bumped into this post. Have a safe travel!
Its is my dream to visit Taipei 101 – A true engineering marvel !!! Love its architecture
and technology used to counter earthquakes !!!
One day would love to visit Taiwan . Your post is so nice and precise for travellers.
This is an exhaustive list of things to do in Taiwan. You are one well organized lady
This is a very detailed itinerary and seems like you have enjoyed your 5 days adventure. How much does it cost you for this trip?