12 Days In Taiwan Travel Guide – Itinerary To Explore The Entire Island

Taiwan is known by many names, but perhaps the most memorable one is Formosa. Now, that sounds a bit odd, but it was in fact coined by Portuguese explorers in the 16th century.

This 12-day Taiwan itinerary (just short of two weeks) follows our journey around the entire island and is geared towards those who have the curiosity of a tiger and the adventurous courage of a dragon.

Day 1 – Hit The Ground Running In Taipei

Go and take in Taipei’s iconic landmarks, feed your hunger at the bustling night markets, and jump right into the colourful culture.

Day 2 – Spirited Away

If you’ve ever wanted to launch your own sky lantern, explore the remains of a Japanese gold mine, and walk through streets that inspired Miyazaki’s classic "Spirited Away," you’re in for a treat.

Here you’ll find the most magnificent terrain of giant red cypress trees that are more than 2,000 years old, Rivendell-like hiking trails, and trains from a different era.

Day 3 – Winding Up In Alishan

Day 4 – The Almost Sunrise

I have no doubt that when you can actually see a sunrise, the view is quite glorious. We weren’t quite lucky enough due to the time of year, but that’s kind of how it goes!

Day 5 – Artsy Urban Kaohsiung

The southern city of Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s second-largest city is nothing like its bigger brother and that’s what makes it such a worthy destination. With its graffiti, art installations, galleries, trendy cafes, and boutiques, it’s the perfect place to wander.

Day 6 – The Surf Challenge

Kenting occupies the most southern part of Taiwan and is the country’s very own beach vacation destination with long stretches of sand, big waves, and more. We made the best of it with our mix of water and land-based fun.

Next steps

More amazing travel inspiration in the blog post!