First time trip help!
Hi everyone,
I’m planning my first trip to Taiwan and would love some advice on which itinerary makes more sense.
I’ll be arriving in Taipei on Friday 29 May and leaving Taiwan on Sunday 7 June, before flying via Hong Kong back to Melbourne. So I’ll have roughly 9 full days / 10 days including arrival and departure.
For context: I’ve done a mostly solo trip to Japan before (Tokyo, Aomori, Hakodate, Sapporo, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto, Takayama, Kanazawa) and loved it. For Taiwan, I may be travelling partly with friends and partly solo. I’m interested in a mix of food, night markets, shopping/streetwear/local shops, cafés, some nightlife, temples/old streets, scenic day trips, and a bit of nature, but I don’t want the trip to feel too rushed or logistically stressful.
I’m currently deciding between two itinerary options:
Option 1 — Taipei + Southern Taiwan
Day 1 — Fri 29 May: Taipei
Arrive, Ximending, Raohe Night Market, easy first night.
Day 2 — Sat 30 May: Taipei core
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Longshan Temple, Yongkang/Da’an, Taipei 101/Xinyi, maybe Elephant Mountain sunset, drinks/night out.
Day 3 — Sun 31 May: Day trip from Taipei
Jiufen + Shifen, or Yehliu + Jiufen.
Day 4 — Mon 1 June: Taipei flexible day
Beitou/Tamsui, Dihua Street, Huashan/Songyan, shopping, card/toy shops, night market.
Day 5 — Tue 2 June: Taipei → Tainan
HSR south, West Central District, Chihkan Tower area, food crawl.
Day 6 — Wed 3 June: Tainan
Anping Old Fort, Anping Old Street, temples, local food, night market.
Day 7 — Thu 4 June: Tainan → Kaohsiung
Pier-2 Art Center, harbour area, Love River, casual dinner/drinks.
Day 8 — Fri 5 June: Kaohsiung
Cijin Island, seafood, sunset, relaxed night out.
Day 9 — Sat 6 June: Kaohsiung → Taipei
HSR back to Taipei, final shopping, final Taipei night.
Day 10 — Sun 7 June: Depart Taiwan
Fly Taipei → Hong Kong.
Option 2 — Taipei + Hualien/Taroko + Taichung/Sun Moon Lake
Day 1 — Fri 29 May: Taipei
Arrive, Ximending, food/night market.
Day 2 — Sat 30 May: Taipei core + shopping
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Longshan Temple, Taipei 101, Songyan/Eslite, Raohe Night Market.
Day 3 — Sun 31 May: Yehliu + Jiufen
Guided tour or public transport day trip.
Day 4 — Mon 1 June: Taipei → Hualien
Train to Hualien, pick up rental car, Dongdamen Night Market.
Day 5 — Tue 2 June: Taroko Gorge / Hualien area
Originally thinking Shakadang Trail, Eternal Spring Shrine, Swallow Grotto, etc., but I understand some Taroko areas may still be closed or affected after the 2024 earthquake, so I’m unsure how worthwhile this is in 2026.
Day 6 — Wed 3 June: Hualien → Taichung
Long train/transit day, stay near Fengjia Night Market.
Day 7 — Thu 4 June: Taichung → Sun Moon Lake
Rent car, drive to Sun Moon Lake, bike ride/lakeside walk, stay overnight.
Day 8 — Fri 5 June: Sun Moon Lake → Taipei
Return car in Taichung, HSR back to Taipei, final shopping.
Day 9 — Sat 6 June: Taipei
Final Taipei day/night.
Day 10 — Sun 7 June: Depart Taiwan
Fly Taipei → Hong Kong.
My questions:
- For a first-time visitor to Taiwan, which itinerary would you recommend and why?
- Is Taroko/Hualien worth including in June 2026, considering the earthquake damage and possible closures?
- Would I regret skipping Tainan and Kaohsiung on a first trip?
- Are there any changes you’d make to either route?
- Any must-visit food spots, night markets, shopping areas, local brands, cafés, or cool neighbourhoods you’d recommend?
Thanks in advance! 😁