A Quick Guide to Taiwan: 9 Days in Taichung, Cingjing, Hualien, and Taipei (Itinerary Included)

Toss a stone into a crowd of Singaporeans, and chances are you’re going to hit someone who has been to Taiwan. In fact, according to vacation rental company HomeAway, the Republic of China ranked number one in a list of top holiday destinations for Singaporeans.

As a couple, Jan and I celebrated the New Year at Taipei in 2013 (together with a group of church friends), where we enjoyed the spectacular Taipei 101 fireworks and light show.

But there’s so much more to Taiwan than just its capital city – we were definitely due for another trip!

This time, we returned with my mother and sister. We also decided to be a bit more adventurous, and explore the rest of Taiwan beyond the city of Taipei. After much deliberation, we chose to check out Taichung, Cingjing, and Hualien – in addition to a few days in Taipei for shopping, of course.

To stay connected over the wide range of cities and towns we were about to visit, we opted to get a portable wifi egg from KKDay for the whole family to share, at just TWD 23 (or S$1) per day (!!). Thankfully, it faithfully kept us on the grid throughout the 9 days, regardless of where we were in Taiwan.

Since we were going to be on the road a lot – via train, bus, and taxi – we also figured it’d be important to cover ourselves in the unlikely event of any accident or mishap. Thanks to a limited promotion, we were fortunate to grab POSB’s TravellerShield Plus at 50% off.

Over 9 days, here’s a breakdown of the places we visited – go ahead and jump to the section that’s most relevant to you:

9-Day Quick Guide to Taiwan Itinerary

Here we go. On day 1, we were up in the wee hours of the morning to take the earliest Scoot flight to Taoyuan International Airport (at 555am).

As much as I dislike waking up early, I have to say that this helped us to “gain” quite a bit of time to walk around Taichung later in the day. More on that later!

Our first destination for the trip was the city of Taichung – the gateway to Taiwan’s mountainous regions. After picking up our portable wifi egg at the airport, we headed right for Taoyuan HSR (High Speed Rail) station, which would take us straight to Taichung in around 40 minutes. You can purchase tickets on the spot at the station, or book them in advance online.

Time for a second nap!

For our party of 4, we forked out 1,940 TWD (roughly S$86, or S$21 per person) for the train tickets from Taoyuan Airport to Taichung HSR station. If you’re not pressed for time, you can opt instead to take the bus, which is considerably cheaper, but will take you 2 hours to reach instead (more info on the official website).

Taichung (Day 1 & 2)

From Taichung HSR station, it was an easy 15-minute taxi ride to our accommodation at Beacon Hotel. We picked this hotel because it was right smack in the middle of the action – walking distance to the famous Fengjia Night Market, and a ton of other shopping options in the area.

Arriving at 230pm in a slight downpour, we decided to grab a late lunch nearby first. Thankfully, we were spoilt for choice, and we decided to go with some herbal soup to warm our bodies up.

Taiwan in January is fairly cold and rainy – this would be the first of many hot, soupy meals we would have. Not that we were complaining 😉

We had planned to go to Zhongshe Flower Market today, but decided to postpone that till tomorrow in the hope that we’d have better weather then.

Instead, we walked around a bit, and then headed over to Fengjia Night Market when it opened at 5pm.

Nightfall had arrived, and already there were throngs of people queuing up at their favorite stalls. It wasn’t quite as bustling as night markets in Taipei City, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Squeezing through a crowd is overrated, anyway!

Stomachs filled, it was back to our hotel for a good night’s rest. The rooms we were staying in at Beacon Hotel were slightly small, but cozy – reminiscent of our lovely accommodation choices when we were road-tripping through Hokkaido.

Our second day in Taichung was packed with several activities to do, and destinations to check out. First stop: Zhongshe Flower Market.

Located in the Houli township, admission for adults costs 150 TWD (S$6.50) per ticket. Children aged 3 to 12, or older folks aged 65 and above, get to enter at 100 TWD ($4.50) per ticket.

Despite the gloomy weather, the flower fields were packed with visitors, all squeezing to grab photos with the beautiful flowers in between short bursts of rain.

The most crowded spots were the various items, such as a piano and drumset, that were randomly placed in the midst of the flowers. Gives it a dreamy sort of feel, don’t you think?

Definitely a great photo destination to visit, even when the weather isn’t quite ideal.

Next up, we headed off to try out the bubble tea at the popular Chun Shui Tang, a teahouse which apparently invented the Taiwanese concept of bubble tea. There are several outlets all over Taichung, so of course, we had to go to the original outlet on Siwei Street.

Apart from a pot of hot pearl milk tea, we also ordered a plate of fried steamed buns (or mantou) to go with it.

Our verdict? While the pearl milk tea is certainly delicious, we couldn’t quite distinguish it from the popular brands we buy back home (such as KOI or Gongcha). But it was definitely a welcome reprieve from the increasingly cold weather brewing outside!

Our next stop for the day was another tourist hotspot: a quaint red-bricked building called Miyahara. This magnificent piece of architecture was built way back in 1927 as a clinic, and was later on acquired by a local pastry brand called. Dawn Cake. As expected, today it sells a variety of yummy pastries – such as pineapple tarts, biscuits, and tea leaves – putting it right up our alley.

I was especially taken by the ice cream store, which paired a wide selection of ice cream flavors with an assortment of pastries. Absolutely delightful (and sinful)!

As it was drizzling, we weren’t able to visit the Painted Animation Lane or Calligraphy Greenway (for next time!). Instead, we decided to hit up another less-known but rather trendy night market on Yizhong Street.

Many schools are located in this area, so naturally many students hang out around here. In fact, we felt that the shopping and food options here were somewhat better than Fengjia Night Market, with a more local flavor. It was the perfect place to round up the Taichung leg of this trip.

Unfortunately, because it was pouring by now, we couldn’t get any photos 🙁

Regardless, we managed to have an excellent dinner consisting of the usual suspects: fried chicken cutlets, oyster mee sua (or Chinese vermicelli), and grilled beef cubes. Lots more in the days to come!

Taichung to Cingjing (Day 3)

Taiwan is not just all about good food and shopping. In fact, it is home to the most number of high mountains in the world. To be exact: 286 mountain summits, over 3,000 metres above sea level.

You know what that means? Amazing views, and cooling (sometimes, freezing) weather all year round.

Since we were going to cross through the heart of Taiwan to get to the seaside town of Hualien, we decided to spend a night in the mountains. Specifically, on Cingjing (or Qingjing) Farm.

A direct drive on a taxi from our hotel in Taichung to Cingjing would take roughly 1.5 hours. But we decided to check out some of the sights and sounds along the way, which brought our total driving time up to 3.5 hours instead.

So, our first stop for the day: the majestic Xinshe Castle.

One problem: it started pouring (again) about halfway there. But we were not to be deterred, and decided to just go ahead.

And boy, were we glad we did.

Besides the red brick lovely castle buildings, the scenery around it was downright gorgeous. Autumn leaves abound, and once again, the rain added to the mood. It did feel like a scene right out of a fairy tale book.

In the heart of the castle: a cafe.

We were so tempted to get a cup of coffee, sit down, and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere. The weather was practically begging us to do so!

But then came the second bit of unfortunate news: we had to rush our schedule a bit as it had begun to snow at the top of the mountains, and some of the roads were getting closed off.

So we bade goodbye, and set off for our next destination: Lavender Cottage.

A cute little place with various lavender-themed items, it was hard to believe that this was just a dream of two young women not too long ago. Living the fantasies of many city dwellers, the pair had left their jobs in two major cities in Taiwan, and bought a hill to grow lavender on, as well as set up a cafe.

The result? A lavender paradise, with lavender-flavored drinks, soup, ice cream – and of course, that dream coffee shop.

Of course, we had to try the lavender-flavored food here.

Okay, so not all the food was lavender-flavored. They did have some delicious lavender and pumpkin soup as an appetizer, which was a great start to an excellent, hot meal. Exactly what we needed in the cold, rainy weather.

Next up, a quaint cottage with handcrafted cards – that could be mailed to your loved ones on the spot – and writing accessories. Irresistible.

And then, lo and behold, more food! Which always makes us happy 😉

This round included lavender tarts, ice cream, and fizzy drinks, which we took to-go as we explored other parts of the hill.

Finally, we reach the apex, where the dream cafe lay. And at last, we got that cuppa coffee (although we did have to take it to-go as well).

Last but not least, a store packed with lavender accessories. We bought some nice-smelling salts to bring back to Singapore.

We had intended to visit Guangxing Paper Mill to make some paper of our own next, but the sky was getting dark, and it is certainly not safe to drive up snowy mountain roads in the dark.

So we decided to head straight to our accommodation up in the mountains of Cingjing Farm, located at an altitude of 1500 meters: Julie’s Garden.

By the time we reached, it was pitch dark, and we were thankful to have had such a skilful taxi driver who brought us there safely.

And the guesthouse was a welcome sight. Clean, cosy, with polite and friendly staff to boot. The view from the top is also absolutely stunning, giving you the feeling of riding on clouds.

Also, free flow snacks, coffee, and tea in the common area, which is always great.

Cingjing to Hualien (Day 4)

One of the best feelings in the world is waking up to an icy cold morning while snuggled cozily in bed with a warm electric blanket. That’s exactly what we got up to on day four of our Taiwan trip, and it was so hard to get out of bed.

Nevertheless, we were drawn by the promise of a good breakfast – provided by the guesthouse – and weren’t disappointed.

It looked like it was going to be another rainy day – and up in the mountains, rain is as good as snow – so we geared up and headed out to our first spot for the day: the iconic Green Green Grassland.

The Small Swiss Garden was on our list as well, but because of the weather, we opted to visit just one of these two locations instead.

But first, we dropped by the Old England manor to snap some pictures.

Given that it costs a pretty penny to stay here – think S$500 to 600 per night – the owners have mandated that only guests of the mansion can enter the grounds. Alternatively, you can also opt to have tea at their cafe (which features fairly expensive food too).

We were still feeling pretty full from breakfast, so we decided to move on.

Admission tickets for adults who want to enter Green Green Grassland cost NT$160 (~S$7) on weekdays, and NT$200 (~$9) on weekends. Children below the age of six get to enter at NT$20 (~$1), regardless of day.

The grasslands are pretty much the poster child for Cingjing. Who doesn’t like large expanses of bright greenery and adorable sheep running about, right?

Yes, these guys are roaming freely around. Everywhere. Think of it as a sheep pasture rather than an amusement park, and you won’t be disappointed.

As you can see from the photos, we were pretty much shrouded in a fog of rain and mist all day. The sheep shearing show was also not operating due to inclement weather.

Not to be discouraged, we decided to just enjoy the views and cool weather instead. The air was incredibly fresh, with the rain washing out any traces of smoke or unclean air around the area.

We did manage to catch the other performance, which was the horse show, in the Green Green Grassland. It featured some incredibly agile and talented Mongolians, who performed tricks while seated, standing, and running alongside horses. Quite a sight to behold!

By now, we were quite ready to head down to warmer pastures (pun intended).

Our next destination was the quiet seaside town of Hualien – a good 3.5 hours drive from Cingjing – and so we loaded up on the taxi and headed out right after the grasslands.

And boy, were the roads slippery! Turns out, a good amount of snow had come down on Mt Hehuan (or Hehuanshan) – which we were going to pass through – as we were asleep, and our driver warned us that it might take a wee bit longer than we thought it would.

So if you’re coming up here in January, do bear in mind that navigating between Cingjing and any other locations around might be tricky.

Clad in our sneakers and windbreakers, we were absolutely not prepared for this level of cold.

On the bright side, it made for some beautiful photos at the rest stops along the way.

Finally, we made it safely to our accommodation in Hualien: the Slow Living Minsu.

We had stayed here a couple of years ago, on a previous trip, and enjoyed it so much. We were pleasantly surprised to be greeted like an old friend by the guesthouse owner, who apparently remembered us from before (what a great memory)!

Why did we love it so much, that we had to return? In sum, this incredible view of the sea from our rooms:

Yes, this was taken from our room window!

Plus, breakfast is included in the room cost – delivered directly to your room every morning. A little slice of heaven, and certainly a nice wake-up call in the morning.

They also have a rack of bicycles that guests can use for free. And the track that runs alongside the sea – right behind the minsu – is the perfect place for a cycling adventure.

It was also nice to see that the rooms had been upgraded. Previously, it had felt a little bit cold, dark, and worn out, but had since been given a fresh coat of paint and decor.

In short? We highly, highly recommended this minsu for your Hualien accommodation needs.

Being so well taken care of really set the tone for this leg of the trip. We were so relaxed, and indeed, this was the vibe of Hualien that we loved so much last we came here.

The best part? The weather was slightly drizzly still, but in a nice way that cools and refreshes you as you walk along the streets. We couldn’t have arrived here at a better time!

As such, despite feeling drowsy and dazed from the long drive, we were up and ready to go in a matter of minutes upon arrival. Since it was nearing evening time, we headed out in search of some dinner.

In Hualien, all of the best food and shopping can be found within the Golden Triangle – where the three major roads in the city (Zhongshan, Zhonghua, and Zhongzheng Roads) come together:

We were craving some warm, homely food for dinner, so we headed to the famous Gongzheng Baozi shop to get some steamed dumplings (or xiao long bao). They were absolutely delicious, with thick skin and a generous amount of meat and soup filling, definitely beating out any neighboring restaurants.

And at NT$5 (~S$0.20) each, they are an absolutely steal.

We also dropped by the local night market, Dongdamen Night Market, to fill up the rest of our stomach space.

Compared to when we last visited a couple of year ago, the market had doubled (or even tripled) in size, with many, many more food stalls on offer.

Unfortunately, we were a bit too late, and most of the stalls had closed by then. Still, we managed to snag a couple of food items (some savory mochi, a bowl of braised pork rice, and a few BBQ meat sticks) to bring back to our room and end the night.

Hualien to Beitou (Day 5)

After devouring our sumptuous breakfast, we took a taxi down to the nearby Qixingtan Beach. An attraction that’s known mostly to local Taiwanese tourists only, this beach certainly qualifies as one of the most beautiful beaches in Taiwan.

See it to believe it:

Facing the vast, open sea (according to Google Maps, the next major island you’d hit if you swam straight out from Qixingtan Beach is Hawaii), this place is the perfect place to just laze around and enjoy the sea breeze. Bicycles are also available for rent here, so you can cycle down the allocated tracks that go alongside the sea.

Also, the pebbles that fill up the beach are very pretty. We kept a handful to bring back to Singapore, but was told by our taxi driver that it was actually an offence to take them away, and so had to sadly return the bigger ones.

We did manage to smuggle a tiny one or two back, though 😉

Now at the midway mark of our journey, we were due to head back to the city of Taipei to get our shopping on.

So at 12pm, we boarded the speedy Tze-Chiang Limited Express from Hualien Train Station, which would bring us to our destination (Taipei Main Station) in just slightly over 2 hours. Just nice for a good nap.

Once we reached, we took the local MRT train straight to Xinbeitou station, where we’d be spending the night at Sweetme Hot Spring Resort. We were pretty excited about this leg of the trip, as we’d be able to – wait for it – enjoy the amazing, soothing hot spring water in the bath of our very own room!

But first: some shopping at Tamsui Old Street, an easy seven train stops down.

We had heard that the Tamsui River was the perfect spot to view the sunset, and the streets that line it are full of food and shopping options. And it definitely did not disappoint.

The atmosphere was nicely balanced – somewhere in between bustling and relaxed. It felt like there was a lot going on, but with enough space to take a step back and just enjoy the waterfront views.

The streets situated further down from the boardwalk also yielded many surprising finds, such as a milk-based mochi that was to die for, and curious little antique stores. Perfect for a late night stroll.

We capped it off by winding down in our comfy rooms at SweetMe Hot Spring Resort by soaking in a piping hot spring water bath. No better way to end the day.

Shifen, Jiufen, and Other Parts of Taipei City (Days 6 to 9)

From here on out, we were back to your typical Taiwan itinerary. You’ll probably find many of these places familiar, so we’ll keep it short and sweet, highlighting the main places and spaces that we particularly enjoyed 🙂

First up: the old towns of Jiufen and Shifen.

Ever wondered why these two must-visit locations always come as a pair? It’s because they mean 9 (jiu) and 10 (shi) in Chinese respectively. As such, taxi drivers tend to put them together in an itinerary, along with any other interesting locations that crop up in between.

One of these locations is the gold and copper mining region of Jinguashi, our first stop after leaving Taipei City.

Here, we got a good view of the Yin Yang Sea, a blue and yellow patch of water at the foot of one of the mountains.

The reason for the (dis)coloration of the sea water? Iron ion particles from the local geology.

Further uphill still is another interesting sight: the Golden Waterfall.

Another remnant of the mining days, the water that cascades down from this particular waterfall is golden brown, thanks to the high concentration of copper and iron deposits within it.

Finally, we reached Jiufen Old Street. Having visited this place a few times before, we were anticipating the excellent street food and great mountaintop views. Again, no disappointments here.

We had intended to spend only a while grabbing some lunch and checking out the local shops, but ended up extending our time because we enjoyed wandering the streets and taking in the sights so much.

Thankfully, our taxi driver was able to accommodate 🙂

Next, it was on to the 40 metre tall Shifen Waterfall.

Apparently, the waterfalls create a rainbow as it hits the water below, but we couldn’t see it from any angle that day 🙁

So as evening drew near, we moved on to Shifen Old Street to partake in its most popular activity: setting off sky lanterns.

The practice here is to write down your hopes and dreams on each side of the lantern, and then lighting it up and setting it off into the sky.

Besides that, the rest of the town – which contain the Shifen railway station – is extremely photogenic.

What’s Next

We hope that this (relatively) quick guide to Taiwan’s lesser-known towns and cities will help you as you plan your itinerary!

We’ll be returning to Taipei in early 2019, so we’ll save the other locations for another article. Keep an eye out for that 🙂

In the meantime, we’re currently based in Chiang Mai, getting a taste of the digital nomad life and enjoying local Thai culture. We promise that there’ll be a bunch of articles covering this awesome city as well in time to come!