Taiwan Itinerary - Advice please

[Aekron]

Hi, my friends and I (5 of us) will be travelling to Taiwan in late March to early April. Our plane will land in Taoyuan Airport at 6 AM.

Day 1: Taichung (Lih Pao Land, Fengchia Night Market) OR Hsingchu (Leafoo Village Theme Park)
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:
Day 5: Naotou (Cingjing, Sun-Moon Lake)
Day 6: Hualien (Explore Taroko Gorge, Dongdamen Night Market)
Day 7: Hualien (Taroko River Tracing tour)
Day 8: Hualien & (Explore Hualien(morning), travel back to Taipei(afternoon), Beitou, National Palace Museum, Shilin Night Market)
Day 9: Taipei (Yangmingshan, Yehliu GeoPark, Raohe Night Market)
Day 10: Keelung & Pingxi (Jiufen, Shifen, Golden Waterfall, Yangyin Sea, Keelung Night Market)
Day 11: Taipei (Taipei 101, Din Tai Fung Lunch. Flight @ 8pm)
General questions:
1. Any recommendations on what to do from days 2 – 4? Should we spend another day in Hualien or Yilan (Lala Shan) ? Maybe travel down to Chiayi or Tainan? The order of visiting is up in the air.

2. Anybody has experience with these tours http://www.teyra.com.tw/ & http://hualienoutdoors.org/index.php/river-tracing ? Friend’s family recommended the first tour, the package for the first tour is much cheaper than the latter, will email to find out more.

3. Is it advisable we visit Cingjing and Sun-Moon Lake in a day?

4. Should we hire a driver for travel within Taipei or take public transport, from days 9 - 11?

5. Is there any difference in cost or convenience in travelling in the opposite direction, starting from Taipei > Hualien > Naotou > Taichung …. > Taipei etc. ?

TYVM

 

[dilphinus]

Day 9 not likely possible. Yehliu do with day 10.

 

[TheFinestDetails]

Should we hire a driver for travel within Taipei or take public transport, from days 9 - 11?

This one, public transport will be good.
But since you said you have 5 people, the taxis might not accept..

 

[twosix]

Probably day 1 go leofoo village, day 2 then go taichung area. u can consider gaomei wetlands in the evening for sunset, rainbow village, carton box, etc. in taichung. day 3 or 4 can go alishan, also can spend some time in nantou like 18c chocolate factory, the puli winery, etc.

day 5, go sml in the morning and try to spend noon in cingjing and stay cingjing overnight.

 

[dede1217]

Probably day 1 go leofoo village, day 2 then go taichung area. u can consider gaomei wetlands in the evening for sunset, rainbow village, carton box, etc. in taichung. day 3 or 4 can go alishan, also can spend some time in nantou like 18c chocolate factory, the puli winery, etc.

day 5, go sml in the morning and try to spend noon in cingjing and stay cingjing overnight.

Note that gaomei wetlands is super far.
have went there before ...
taichung railway station to gaomei wetlands is 2 hours one way by buses
they have selected timing to depart from gaomei wetlands to taichung railway station area ... if u miss the timing, then really gg

 

[dede1217]

Should we hire a driver for travel within Taipei or take public transport, from days 9 - 11?

This one, public transport will be good.
But since you said you have 5 people, the taxis might not accept..

i guess you have to look for bigger cab . toyota wish i guess can only take 4 pax . For day tour by driver, normally they would go
yeliu, shifen, jiufen, keelung, etc ...
you can tell them go where and then they would plan the route
if u take public transport, it might take longer time ...

 

[twosix]

Note that gaomei wetlands is super far.
have went there before ...
taichung railway station to gaomei wetlands is 2 hours one way by buses
they have selected timing to depart from gaomei wetlands to taichung railway station area ... if u miss the timing, then really gg

Yah yah. Need to take taxi or driver to Gaomei.

 

[pinpinpin]

Should we hire a driver for travel within Taipei or take public transport, from days 9 - 11?

This one, public transport will be good.
But since you said you have 5 people, the taxis might not accept..

i guess you have to look for bigger cab . toyota wish i guess can only take 4 pax . For day tour by driver, normally they would go
yeliu, shifen, jiufen, keelung, etc ...
you can tell them go where and then they would plan the route
if u take public transport, it might take longer time ...

Agree with dede.

I think 5 ppl just nice can book a 7 seater car.

Should be easy to travel around with car.

 

[twosix]

Agree with dede.

I think 5 ppl just nice can book a 7 seater car.

Should be easy to travel around with car.

7 seater like wish will not be able to accommodate 5 adults comfortably. dun forget to count the driver, total 6 adults in the car.

 

[pinpinpin]

7 seater like wish will not be able to accommodate 5 adults comfortably. dun forget to count the driver, total 6 adults in the car.

I have 3 adult for booking for a sedan camry is alright?

 

[calkel20]

7 seater like wish will not be able to accommodate 5 adults comfortably. dun forget to count the driver, total 6 adults in the car.

5 ok in a wish.

 

[OMeGa666]

3. Is it advisable we visit Cingjing and Sun-Moon Lake in a day?

4. Should we hire a driver for travel within Taipei or take public transport, from days 9 - 11?

3. Nope, IMO. The boat tour at Sun Moon Lake would have already taken you one whole day. It will be kinda rush. Since you have 11 days, then can space out a bit.
In my previous trip, we stayed overnight at SML, then joined hostel sunrise photography trip, followed by cycling to Xiangshan Tourist Centre (the place that Chris Lee and Tien Hsin shot drama) for more photos. We eventually reached Cingjing around noon for Paiyi lunch, and visited the farm. Joined another stargazing and sunrise tour at Hehuan Mountain. Total 3d2n.

4. 9 and 10, yes (according to your pace in the itinerary). The places are actually far apart. You can save up Day 11 and take metro instead.