Photo by Jane Tsai
A week round Taiwan by train: Taipei's old quarters, what's open at Taroko, Kaohsiung's harbour, Tainan's temples and food, then Sun Moon Lake.
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- Day 19 am – 8 pm · 5 stops
- 9 am 1National Palace Museum: imperial jade and bronzesTaipei
Taiwan's great museum of Chinese imperial art (the Jadeite Cabbage, Meat-shaped Stone, bronzes and calligraphy) and the stop most first-timer itineraries we read put on day one. Exhibition Hall I is open Tuesday to Sunday 09:00-17:00 (ticket sales end 16:30) and closed on Mondays, per the museum's own visitor page; tickets were NT$350 on site in 2026 per a 2026 visitor review. Go at opening: the cabbage hall gets crowded but the rest spreads out, and exhibits rotate every few months, so check what is on. Reach it by MRT to Shilin then a bus or taxi.
9 min by train or taxi · 5.9 km - 12:30 pm 2Brunch at the Cisheng Temple food stallsTaipei
About 20 old stalls with shared tables under banyan trees in the courtyard of Cisheng Temple: meat congee with fried red-yeast pork, iron-plate fried rice, pig trotters and four-herb soup. Two Taipei food writers (Taiwanderers and Taiwan Scene) send people here; it's a morning-to-midday market, so come straight from the museum and don't leave it later than about 13:30 or stalls start packing up. Cash; budget roughly NT$100-200 a person.
7 min walk · 550 m - 1:30 pm 3Dihua Street and Xiahai City God TempleTaipei
Taipei's oldest trading street, lined with 19th-century shophouses selling dried goods, tea, herbs and fabric, with cafes and design shops in the restored arcades. Xiahai City God Temple, a small, busy temple at No. 61, is where locals ask the Old Man Under the Moon for help in love; buy incense at the desk inside. Two trip reports (Taiwanderers, TiffyCooks, both 2025-26) also recommend snacking on strawberry daifuku and sticky rice from street stalls along the way. Most shops keep roughly 10:00-18:00, so do it in the afternoon. Free to wander.
4 min walk · 250 m - 4:30 pm 4Sunset at Dadaocheng WharfTaipei
The old riverside wharf on the Tamsui River that once unloaded Dihua Street's goods, now a riverside park with container bars and food kiosks that come alive in the evening. Sunset in Taipei is around 17:05-17:15 from mid-November to January, so be there by 16:45. A short walk from Dihua Street, per Taiwanderers and TiffyCooks. Free.
10 min walk · 750 m - 6 pm 5Dinner at Ningxia Night MarketTaipei
A compact, food-focused night market about 10 minutes' walk from Dihua Street, open roughly 17:00-01:00 daily. Two trip reports (Taiwanderers, Taiwan Obsessed) both pick Liu Yu Zi's fried taro balls with egg yolk and pork floss (from NT$50), the oyster omelette stalls beside the market, and Fang Family chicken rice (about NT$50). The 19:00-21:00 peak is crushing, so arrive near 18:00; join the queue along the side of a stall, not in the aisle. Cash.
- Day 28 am – 8:30 pm · 4 stops
- 8 am 6Longshan Temple at morning prayersTaipei
Taipei's best-known temple, founded in 1738 and still a working place of worship, with intricate dragon roof carvings and morning chanting. Open daily 06:00-22:00 and free, per a November 2025 trip report and the other Taipei guides we read. Come early for a calmer visit, cover your shoulders, and don't walk in front of people praying. MRT Longshan Temple station.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.1 km - 10:30 am 7Train to Hualien with a railway bentoTaipei
Taroko or Puyuma express trains run from Taipei Main or Songshan to Hualien in just over two hours, about NT$440 (early-2026 fare, per Taiwanderers); there is no high-speed rail on the east coast. Seats sell out on weekends and holidays, so book on the Taiwan Railway site or app as soon as booking opens. Buy a TRA bento box before boarding (NT$80-150; pork, chicken or vegetarian) and eat on the train, a Taiwanese ritual per Taiwanderers' railway bento guide. Times here are an example; pick your train.
54 min by train or taxi · 119 km - 2 pm 8Pine Garden: a 1940s villa above the harbourHualien City
A wooden Japanese-era officers' residence among old pines, with views over Hualien's harbour and a cafe known for its pine ice cream. Afterwards, walk down to the seafront path at Beibin Park for the Pacific at dusk (sunset about 16:55 in November). Open daily 09:00-18:00, closed the second Tuesday of each month, small admission fee, per Taiwanderers (visited February 2026); Taiwan Obsessed also recommends the cafe. A 10-minute taxi from the station.
17 min walk · 1.2 km - 6 pm 9Dinner at Dongdamen Night MarketHualien City
Hualien's big night market, open daily 18:00 to midnight, with an Indigenous food street selling grilled meats, millet-wine cocktails and stuffed coffin toast (about NT$65). Taiwanderers (February 2026) and Taiwan Obsessed (revisited 2026) both say it is quieter than before the 2024 earthquake, so some stalls have gone; if one is missing, try its neighbours. Cash.
- Day 38:30 am – 7 pm · 5 stops
- 8:30 am 10Bus to Taroko and the Dekalun TrailXiulin
What is open at Taroko in late 2026: the Visitor Center (about 08:30-17:00) and the short, steep Dekalun Trail behind its car park (about 1.3 km, 60-120 minutes return) with views over the gorge mouth. Shakadang, Swallow Grotto, the Tunnel of Nine Turns, Baiyang and Eternal Spring Shrine are all still closed, per three 2026 status guides (Taiwan Private Tours, checked October 2026; Goodcars, September 2026; Explorer Tom, August 2026). Bus 310 from Hualien Station runs via Qixingtan to the Visitor Center (NT$154 one way, NT$250 day pass, EasyCard OK). Buses beyond the Visitor Center into the gorge are suspended; Highway 8 opens to Tianxiang only in timed daily windows, so the inner gorge needs a licensed driver or tour. Check the national park's notices the day before.
8 min by train or taxi · 3.7 km - 11:30 am 11Qingshui Cliffs from ChongdeXiulin
Marble cliffs dropping straight into the Pacific, seen from the Chongde Recreation Area off Highway 9 north of the park entrance. Only the 1st and 2nd viewing platforms were open in September 2026 (Goodcars), and Explorer Tom and Taiwan Answered both suggest it as the easy add-on that avoids Highway 8's controls. Reach it by taxi from the Visitor Center (about 15 minutes) or bus 310 if the timing works. Free.
23 min by train or taxi · 23 km - 12:45 pm 12Lunch: wonton soup at Ye Xiang Bian ShiHualien City
A 70-year-old shop that sells one thing: pork wontons in a light broth, NT$80 a bowl after a 2026 rise. Open only 09:30-13:30 and closed Sundays, per an August 2026 visit (Bunny Ann); Taiwanderers and Ms Travel Solo also send people here. Pay at the front and share a table. Taxi back to town from Chongde takes about 40 minutes, so leave by 12:15.
10 min by train or taxi · 6.4 km - 3:30 pm 13Qixingtan Beach at golden hourXincheng
A long crescent of pebble beach just north of Hualien with views up the coast towards the Qingshui Cliffs; you can rent bikes for the coastal path. Swimming isn't allowed (strong currents), per Taiwan Obsessed and Taiwanderers. Bus 310 or a short taxi from town. Free.
10 min by train or taxi · 6.4 km - 6 pm 14Dinner: xiaolongbao at Gongzheng BaoziHualien City
Hualien's famous no-frills bun shop: small soup dumplings at NT$7 each (March 2026, per Taiwanderers), steamed dumplings and buns. You tick an order form and wait for your number; seating is limited. Also recommended by Ms Travel Solo. Listed hours are 09:00-21:00 daily, but some guides say it runs later.
- Day 48:30 am – 8 pm · 4 stops
- 8:30 am 15Train Hualien to Kaohsiung down the east coastHualien City
The South-Link line runs down the Rift Valley to Taitung then cuts across to the west coast: allow about 4.5-5 hours, sometimes with a change in Taitung (one trip report took 08:23-13:08). Book on the Taiwan Railway site or app as soon as booking opens; sit on the left for the sea after Taitung. Buy a bento at Hualien station for lunch on board (NT$80-150). Times are an example.
1h 33m by train or taxi · 204 km - 2 pm 16Pier-2 Art Center and the harbourKaohsiung
Old harbour warehouses turned into galleries, murals, shops and cafes, with the Hamasen railway park and port views; every Kaohsiung report we read includes it. The site is free; indoor areas open 10:00-18:00 Monday-Thursday and 10:00-20:00 Friday-Sunday per Kaohsiung's tourism site, and some museums inside close Mondays or Tuesdays. Take the light rail to Dayi Pier-2 or the MRT to Yanchengpu. Weekends bring markets.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.7 km - 6 pm 17Dome of Light at Formosa Boulevard stationKaohsiung
A huge stained-glass ceiling of 4,500 panels by Narcissus Quagliata over the concourse of Formosa Boulevard MRT station, one of the most-photographed metro stations anywhere. Free once you're in the station; recommended by Two by the World and LTL. Liuhe Night Market is right outside Exit 11.
4 min walk · 300 m - 6:20 pm 18Dinner at Liuhe Night MarketKaohsiung
More than 100 stalls on a street that closes to traffic in the evening, a two-minute walk from Formosa Boulevard station Exit 11; stalls start around 17:00-18:00. It's touristy and pricier than locals' markets, per Nick Kembel (2025), but convenient and full of seafood and the sausage-in-rice-sausage local specialty. Two reports prefer Ruifeng Night Market, which is closed Mondays and Wednesdays, if you'd rather eat with locals.
- Day 58:30 am – 7:30 pm · 8 stops
- 8:30 am 19Lotus Pond and the Dragon and Tiger PagodasKaohsiung
Twin seven-storey pagodas on a zigzag bridge over Lotus Pond: enter through the dragon's mouth and leave through the tiger's for luck, then walk to the Spring and Autumn Pavilions. The pagodas were renovated in 2023-25; travellers entered them again in 2025 and March 2026 (Girl on a Zebra, Saltscape), but Kaohsiung's tourism page still showed a closure note, so check on arrival. Pagodas about 08:00-17:30; lakeside open all day; free. Little shade, so go early. Xinzuoying TRA station is about 10-15 minutes' walk.
8 min by train or taxi · 1.7 km - 10:15 am 20Train to TainanKaohsiung
TRA trains from Xinzuoying to Tainan take about 30-40 minutes, frequent and cheap; tap in with an EasyCard. Then city bus 2 (NT$18) or the 88/99 tourist shuttle from the stop opposite Tainan Station to Anping, per Taiwanderers.
38 min by train or taxi · 38 km - 11:45 am 21Anping Tree HouseTainan
A former British trading warehouse swallowed by banyan roots, with walkways through the canopy. Open daily 08:30-17:30, NT$70, per Tainan's official tourism site; Taiwanderers (March 2026) also paid NT$70.
8 min walk · 600 m - 12:30 pm 22Lunch: shrimp rolls at Chou'sTainan
Anping's best-known shrimp roll counter, fast-food style: two shrimp rolls NT$65 and a rice-noodle dish NT$50 on Taiwanderers' March 2026 visit (they found the rolls a bit greasy); Ms Travel Solo lists it 09:30-19:00. Cash.
4 min walk · 350 m - 1:30 pm 23Anping Old Fort and Old StreetTainan
The 1624 Dutch Fort Zeelandia, Taiwan's oldest fort, with a lookout tower and brick walls, then Anping Old Street's snacks and shrimp crackers. NT$70, per Tainan's tourism site (listed 10:00-17:10 daily) and Taiwanderers (summer 2026).
8 min by train or taxi · 4.3 km - 3:45 pm 24Chihkan TowerTainan
Rebuilt Qing-era pavilions on the site of the 1653 Dutch Fort Provintia, with stone tortoise steles in the garden. Open daily 08:30-21:30, NT$70, per Tainan's official tourism site; every Tainan guide we read starts the old city here. Taxi or bus back from Anping.
9 min walk · 700 m - 5:15 pm 25Shennong Street at duskTainan
A short lane of restored wooden shophouses with lanterns, small bars, cafes and a tiny temple at the end; it's at its best as the lanterns come on. Free; recommended by Pack Lightly and the other Tainan guides we read.
13 min walk · 1000 m - 6:15 pm 26Dinner at Du Hsiao Yueh's original shopTainan
The danzai noodle shop founded in 1895, now a Michelin Bib Gourmand: danzai noodles NT$60, braised pork rice NT$55, shrimp rolls NT$200. Open daily 11:00-20:30 per a September 2026 review (Trvlogue), which says portions are small so order several dishes; Ms Travel Solo also recommends it. Cards accepted.
- Day 68:30 am – 6:45 pm · 7 stops
- 8:30 am 27Tainan Confucius TempleTainan
Taiwan's first Confucian temple (1665), quiet red-walled courtyards under old trees. The grounds are open daily 08:30-17:00 and free; the inner Dacheng Hall is NT$40, per Nick Kembel's temple guide and the ticket listing. Snack stalls line Fuzhong Street across the road.
9 min walk · 700 m - 9:45 am 28Martial Temple and Grand Matsu TempleTainan
Two of Tainan's grandest temples side by side near Chihkan Tower: the Sacrificial Rites Martial Temple with its long crimson wall on Yongfu Road, and the Grand Matsu Temple with a 300-year-old Matsu statue, per Nick Kembel's guide. Free; dress modestly. Working temples, open from early morning.
14 min walk · 1.1 km - 10:50 am 29Early lunch: milkfish congee at A HsingTainan
A Michelin Bib Gourmand congee shop (since 1965) serving Tainan's milkfish in salty rice congee and milkfish-belly dishes. Open Tuesday-Sunday 06:00-12:50, closed Mondays, per the 2026 Michelin Guide; Ms Travel Solo also recommends it. Cheap ($ tier).
8 min by train or taxi · 2.2 km - 11:45 am 30High-speed rail Tainan to TaichungTainan
Take the Shalun line (about 25 minutes) from Tainan Station to THSR Tainan, then the high-speed train to Taichung (about 40-50 minutes). Book HSR seats 8-28 days ahead for early-bird discounts, per Seat61.
59 min by train or taxi · 130 km - 1:30 pm 31Shuttle bus 6670 to Sun Moon LakeTaichung
Taiwan Tourist Shuttle 6670 runs from Taichung HSR (Exit 5) to Shuishe in about 1.5 hours, NT$244 by EasyCard, per Taiwan Obsessed (2026); only 10 seats a bus can be reserved, so book ahead at weekends. Taiwanderers (2026) gives the same route.
41 min by train or taxi · 41 km - 3:30 pm 32Boat across the lake to Ita ThaoYuchi
Lake boats run about 09:00-17:00 every 15-30 minutes; NT$150 one way or NT$300 round trip (2026), per Taiwanderers. Stay the night in Ita Thao, the Thao village on the east shore.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.8 km - 5 pm 33Dinner at Ita Thao's street-food marketYuchi
Ita Thao's small food street sells Indigenous snacks: wild boar sausage, bamboo-tube sticky rice, millet wine, grilled mochi and black-tea ice cream. Most stalls close around 19:00 and the village is quiet after that, per Nick Kembel (2026) and Taiwanderers (March 2026), so eat early. Cash.
- Day 79 am – 4:30 pm · 5 stops
- 9 am 34Morning boat to Xuanguang Temple and its tea eggsYuchi
Take an early boat from Ita Thao to Xuanguang pier for the lake at its calmest and the tea-egg stall by the pier (Grandma's mushroom tea eggs, stewed in local black tea), recommended by Nick Kembel and Taiwanderers. Then continue by boat to Shuishe. Boats from about 09:00.
15 min walk · 1.1 km - 10:15 am 35Cycle the lakeshore to Xiangshan Visitor CenterYuchi
Rent a bike in Shuishe (from about NT$200 at Giant in the Shuishe shopping centre, per Taiwanderers and Nick Kembel) and ride the dedicated lakeside cycle path west to the Xiangshan Visitor Center, with its curving concrete roof, rooftop deck and Matcha Prince dessert counter. Allow about 30 minutes at the centre; the path is mostly flat.
8 min by train or taxi · 1.7 km - 12:30 pm 36Lunch in ShuisheYuchi
Shuishe's main road and pier area have Taiwanese and Indigenous restaurants and a lakeside Starbucks, per Nick Kembel; many close early in the evening, so lunch is the time to eat here. Return the bike first.
3 min walk · 0 m - 1:40 pm 37Shuttle back to Taichung HSRYuchi
Bus 6670 back to Taichung HSR, about 1.5 hours, NT$244. Reserve a seat if you can; otherwise queue early for the next bus.
41 min by train or taxi · 41 km - 3:30 pm 38High-speed rail back to TaipeiTaichung
THSR Taichung to Taipei takes 47-64 minutes, NT$700 standard (fares stay the same through 2026, per Taiwan Obsessed and a 2026 fare guide). Book 8-28 days ahead for early-bird seats.