Explore Taiwan

Trip Code: CJSA

Why we love it

Discover Taiwan’s food culture by collecting clams in Wangong, sipping black tea at a plantation and cooking farm-fresh spring onion pancakes in Yilan., Hike through lush mountain foothills to a 12-tiered pagoda that overlooks Sun Moon Lake, and take a ride around the emerald green waters on a cycling adventure., Enjoy a special visit to the Indigenous Atayal tribe and spend some time with their community to learn about their forest survival techniques and costumes, then enjoy a hearty home-cooked meal that showcases tradition and Indigenous flavours., Explore stalls pilled with dried fruits, herbs and medicines on Dihua Street – considered one of the oldest streets in Taiwan., Ride the Forest Railway train through Alishan’s tropical and subtropical forest, then hike the Sacred Forest Trail to get closer to the old, resident Cypress trees.

Is this trip right for me?

We use mainly private transport between destinations on this trip to enable us to pack as many highlights as we can into each day. When in Taipei you can expect plenty of walking and to make use of the efficient metro system.

There are several opportunities for hiking and cycling on this trip. While these are not strenuous, they do require a good overall level of fitness.

This trip doesn’t spend a lot of time in Taipei. We highly recommend you spend extra time in this great city. Please consult your booking agent for booking extra accommodation here before or after the trip.

Important information

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip, except in Sun Moon Lake and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

What to bring/pack

What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible and make sure that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage, and walk with it for short distances or up or down a flight of stairs. Our travellers usually find the smaller their luggage is, the more they enjoy the trip not having to worry about carrying heavy bags! Aim to keep your main luggage under 15kg.
Many travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. Smaller suitcases or backpacks with wheels are convenient although we recommend your bag has carry straps or handles.
If you are taking overnight trains, or primarily using public transport then the smaller your luggage the easier it will be to store under or above bunks.
A lockable bag or small padlock will be useful especially when travelling on public transportation as well.
You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, camera, and jacket etc. when you’re exploring during the day.

Below are some ideas and helpful tips on what you specifically need for this trip.

Essential:
- Clothing: a mixture of lightweight and dry fast clothing and warm layers are recommended essential for travelling in this region. Long shirts, pants, scarves are useful for covering shoulders & knees when visiting religious sites.
- Shoes: sturdy and comfortable shoes for walking long distances are essential.
- Personal travel documents inc. your passport (visa), travel insurance, flight tickets and trip notes. Photocopies of your passport and visa, passport size photos and travel insurance will be handy. While not valid, a photocopy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary.
- small first aid kit including items such as mild pain killers, electrolytes, Band-Aids and insect repellent, and essential medicine depending on your doctors advice.
- Money: cash/credit card/EFTPOS card and money belt
- Sun protection like a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses.

Recommended:
- Refillable water bottle (1.5-litre capacity suggested): The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1-litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments.
- Cell phone, camera with spare batteries, charger, and adapter plug
- Hand wash, travel wipes, toiletries and a small towel
- Watch/alarm clock and torch/flashlight (and spare batteries)
- Torch or flashlight esp. for stay at local guesthouses or homestays

Optional:
- Sleeping bag. Useful for camping, overnight trains and poorly heated hotels, particularly during the winter months of Dec - Feb when temperatures are low.
- Sleep sheet. If you are travelling during the hot season you may wish to pack a sleep sheet so you will be comfortable no matter what the weather.
- Earplugs to guard against street noise and snorers.
- A good book, a journal and music player for overnight train rides and longer drives.

Other things to consider:

- Check weather in destinations you are travelling to online a few days before you go to make sure you pack appropriate clothing
- Laundry facilities may not be available in all destinations, so make sure you have a few cycles of clothes to tide you over until your next chance to wash, Please note that accommodation in Taiwan will not provide single use items in the bathroom so please bring your own tooth brush, tooth paste, comb, razor, shaving cream, or shower caps. Or you will be able to purchase these in local convenience stores.

Physical rating

3

Joining your group

Horizon Inn, 4F, No.246, Sec. 2, Chang’an E. Rd, Zhongshan District,, Taipei, 10492, TAIWAN, REPUBLIC OF CHINA, Phone: +886 227110102

Only 5-minute stroll from Breeze Centre Nanjing Branch and Liaoning Night Market, Horizon Inn is located in Taipei city centre. It features modern accommodation with free Wi-Fi access in all areas. The hotel is an 8-minute walk from East Nanjing Road MRT Station and a 10-minute walk from Taipei Arena or Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station. It takes 10 minutes by taxi from Taipei Songshan Airport. Taoyuan International Airport is a 40-minute drive away. Rooms here are fitted with air conditioning, a flat-screen cable TV and an electric kettle. Offering a bathtub and shower facilities, private bathroom also includes a hairdryer.

Alternate Joining Point

For trips departing on the following dates
use this joining point.
16 Oct 2025 (CJSA251016)
18 Oct 2025 (CJSA251018)
23 Oct 2025 (CJSA251023)
06 Nov 2025 (CJSA251106)
22 Nov 2025 (CJSA251122)
27 Nov 2025 (CJSA251127)
11 Dec 2025 (CJSA251211)
Orange Hotel - Ximen Taipei
No.166-2
Sec.1
Zhonghua Rd.
Wanhua Dist.
Taipei City

Taipei
10846
TAIWAN
REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Phone: +886 223115556
For trips departing on the following dates
use this joining point.
13 Mar 2025 (CJSA250313)
Wholesome Hotel
No. 247
Guangzhou St
Wanhua District
Taipei City
Taipei
TAIWAN
REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Phone: +886 2 2308 1000

Joining instructions

An arrival transfer is bookable upon request. Please provide your flight details no later than 14 days prior to your travel.
If you have a confirmed arrival transfer with Intrepid, your driver will pick you up in the arrival hall, holiding an Intrepid sign and your name on it. If you encounter flight delay, luggage loss, or having trouble locating your driver, please contact our local team's emergency number to inform them.
If you are making your own way to the hotel, you can take a taxi from the airport to the hotel, which will cost approximately 1700TWD (about 50USD). You could also take 'Evergreen Coach 5201' at No. 1 or 2 Terminal at the airport, get off at No. 5 Station Fuxing N. Road and Bade Road, then it's about 3 minutes walk to the Horizon Inn.

Finishing your trip

Horizon Inn, 4F, No.246, Sec. 2, Chang’an E. Rd, Zhongshan District,, Taipei, 10492, TAIWAN, REPUBLIC OF CHINA, Phone: +886 227110102

Only 5-minute stroll from Breeze Centre Nanjing Branch and Liaoning Night Market, Horizon Inn is located in Taipei city centre. It features modern accommodation with free Wi-Fi access in all areas. The hotel is an 8-minute walk from East Nanjing Road MRT Station and a 10-minute walk from Taipei Arena or Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station. It takes 10 minutes by taxi from Taipei Songshan Airport. Taoyuan International Airport is a 40-minute drive away. Rooms here are fitted with air conditioning, a flat-screen cable TV and an electric kettle. Offering a bathtub and shower facilities, private bathroom also includes a hairdryer.

Alternate Finish Point

For trips departing on the following dates
use this finish point.
16 Oct 2025 (CJSA251016)
18 Oct 2025 (CJSA251018)
23 Oct 2025 (CJSA251023)
06 Nov 2025 (CJSA251106)
22 Nov 2025 (CJSA251122)
27 Nov 2025 (CJSA251127)
11 Dec 2025 (CJSA251211)
Orange Hotel - Ximen Taipei
No.166-2
Sec.1
Zhonghua Rd.
Wanhua Dist.
Taipei City

Taipei
10846
TAIWAN
REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Phone: +886 223115556
For trips departing on the following dates
use this finish point.
13 Mar 2025 (CJSA250313)
Wholesome Hotel
No. 247
Guangzhou St
Wanhua District
Taipei City
Taipei
TAIWAN
REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Phone: +886 2 2308 1000

An airport transfer is bookable upon request. Please provide your flight details no later than 14 days prior to your travel. Your tour leader will be able to advise you when to meet your driver to the airport.

Meals & dietary information

Breakfasts included: 10

Lunches included: 1

Dinners included: 

Taiwan has some of the best food in Asia, including a fantastic street food scene. Vegetarians and vegans are not difficult to cater for. Here are some links to get you excited about what you might eat while in Taiwan:

https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/taiwan-food-guide/
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/taiwan-food/

Climate & seasonal information

TYPHOONS:
Taiwan experiences typhoons, particularly in the wet/typhoon season (May to November). Flooding and mudslides are common. The direction and strength of typhoons can change with little warning. In some areas, adequate shelter from a severe typhoon may not be available to all. If a typhoon is approaching, flights in and out of affected areas could be delayed or suspended. Available flights may fill quickly. If a typhoon is approaching, local authorities may declare a 'typhoon day' at very short notice. This ordinarily results in reduced business operating hours and government office closures.
Information on typhoons and other severe weather is available from the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau: https://www.cwb.gov.tw/V7e/prevent/typhoon/ty.htm?

In case of emergency

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

For general enquiries or questions about your booking, please contact your agent or adventure specialist, or visit us at www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local operator on the number below.

Available for phone call or WhatsApp call on +886 2591 0127 or +886 961 066 121

Accommodations

OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.

TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on a different Intrepid trip than your own.

CHECK-IN TIME
Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.

PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (subject to availability), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.

Transportation