Tailor Made Round Island Tour     

    

Shaped roughly like a tobacco leaf, Taiwan is 240 miles long and 85 miles wide at the broadest points.  Hills and mountains cover two thirds of the island, offering some truly splendid scenery.  Many elements account for the enchantment of Taiwan foremost among them is the embodiment of China's millennia old culture into a contemporary society.

In Taiwan you will find Chinese Festivals, shrines, temples and pagados and the people are extremely courteous and hospitable.  You will also find some of the world's finest and most authentic Chinese cuisine, however you might not be tempted to eat all parts of the anatomy offered as a "delicacy"!

The climate is temperate in the north and tropical in the south.  Taipei is the capital of Taiwan and the northern gateway to the island.  It is essentially a busy commercial city but there are some sights to see.  At night a visit to the famous Snake Alley Market is a must, but not for the squeamish!

For entertainment there are a number of bars and clubs located behind the Imperial Hotel in Shuang Cheng Street, and for dining why not try a traditional Mongolian BBQ?  To the north of Taipei past the splendid Grand Hotel is the National Palace Museum which houses the world's largest and most priceless collection of Chinese Art Treasures.

A visit to the museum is a must and can be included into a tour of the city. 

On the east coast of Taiwan is Taroko Gorge, one of the most awesome natural wonders of the world.  19km long and in places more than 900 metres high, the towering cliffs contain billions of tonnes of marble.  We can arrange a day tour which includes a roundtrip flight from Taipei to Hualien and a journey by coach through the winding gorge and tunnels as far as Tienhsiang.

In the highlands of Taiwan is scenic Sun Moon Lake, and further south accessible by train from Chiayi is Mount Ali.  Overnight can be spent at Alishan House followed by a steam train ride to the summit of Mount Chu to view the sunrise above the sea of clouds.

 

Descending from Mount Ali one can either return to Taipei by train or proceed south to the southern gateway city of Kaohsiung.  Like its neighbour Hong Kong there are numerous regional flights enabling Taiwan to become part of your Individual Multi-Centre Itinerary.

 

Half-day tour of Taipei City & Palace Museum

Taipei - the name means "North Taiwan" - is the principal cultural and economic metropolis. The tour affords a glimpse of Chinese culture and the bustling city. It includes a visit to the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall dedicated to the late President, passing the Presidential Square enroute. Watch the Changing of the Honor Guards ceremony at the Martyrs’ Shrine and onwards to the National Palace Museum which houses the world’s largest and most priceless collection of Chinese art treasures.

Also included is a visit to the Taiwan Handicraft Center before returning via Grand Hill.

 

 

Full Day Taroko Gorge Tour

One of the greatest and most awesome natural wonders of the world is the 19 kilometre (12 mile) long Taroko Gorge at the eastern terminus of the scenic East-West Cross Island Highway also called "The Rainbow of Treasure Island". The towering cliffs of the gorge, some more than 900 metres high, contain billions of tons of marble deposits.

Pickup from hotel for transfer to the domestic airport for flight to Hualien. On arrival, transfer to a coach for the drive to the Gateway of the Taroko Gorge, passing the Eternal Spring Shrine, the Swallow Grotto, Nine Turns Tunnel, and the Marble Bridge, towards the town of Tienhsiang, nestling in a valley 450 metres above sea level. After lunch, return to Hualien for a one hour song and dance performance by aborigines of the Ami tribe at the Ami Culture Village. After a short visit to the Marble Processing Factory, transfer to Hualien airport for flight to Taipei in the evening. (Optional overnight stay in Hualien at the Grand Formosa Resort ).

 

 

3 days/2 nights Sun Moon Lake & Mount Ali

SUN MOON LAKE & MOUNT ALl

Alishan, a range of 18 peaks flanking the great north-south Central Mountain Range is linked by a narrow-gauged railway to the town of Chiayi. The alpine train journey is 75 kilometres long, crosses 77 bridges and passes through 50 tunnels. The 3 hour journey traverses the tropical, subtropical and temperate zones before terminating in the frigid zone beyond Alishan village. One of the greatest attractions is that a vantage point on nearby Mt Chu (Celebration Mountain) affords an enthralling view of the Sea of Clouds ringing Yushan (Mt Jade), the loftiest peak in North East Asia.

DAY 01: Leave Taipei by bus to Sun Moon Lake for overnight. Full Day Sun Moon Lake tour.

DAY 02: Enbus for the town of Chiayi and transfer to the alpine train for ascent to Mount All. Tour of Alishan Forest Recreation Area begins with a visit to a 3,000 year old cypress named The Sacred Tree, struck dead by lightning in 1947. Tour the village museum, The Two Sisters Pond, Three Generation Tree as well as Ali Forest Park. Overnight at Mount Ali.

DAY 03: (Optional Sunrise View by ancient train to Mount Chu) Enbus for Taipei

 

 

3 days/2 nights Sun Moon Lake & Taroko Gorge

The poetically named Sun Moon Lake is a year round resort situated 762 metres above sea level in the lofty mountains of Central Taiwan.

DAY 01: Depart Taipei by bus to Sun Moon Lake through the town of Taichung, a journey that takes us through rice, sugar-cane, tea and pineapple plantations. On arrival, tour the Wen Wu Temple dedicated to the sage Confucius and Kuan Ti - God of War, Tzu En Pagoda and Hsuan Chuang Temple. The day ends with a visit to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village of primitive dwellings and cultural artifacts representing Taiwan’s nine surviving aborigine tribes. Overnight at Sun Moon Lake.

DAY 02: Enbus for Taipei. On route, visit the renowned Oolong Tea Field. On arrival in Taipei, transfer to the airport for flight to Hualien for overnight stay.

DAY 03: Leave Hualien in the morning for full day Taroko Gorge tour before returning to Taipei by evening flight.

 

4 Days Round Trip Island Tour

DAY 01: Depart Taipei by bus (or train) to Sun Moon Lake for overnight. Full Day Sun Moon Lake tour.

DAY 02: Enbus for Kaohsiung, an international seaport located on the southwest coast of Taiwan. On the way, tour Fokuang Shan (Buddha Torch Mountain), which attracts pilgrims from all parts of Asia. Crowning the summit is a statue of Buddha, 25 metres tall that stands on a pedestal 12 metres high. The statue is flanked by 480 other images each of them 1.8 metres high. Visit also Cheng Ching (Clear Crystal) Lake resort area renowned for its lover’s bridge, ornate pavilions and the Chung Hsing (Restoration) Pagoda, one of the best known landmarks in Taiwan. Tour ends with a visit to the Lotus Lake area, site of the newest Confucian temple, which houses the Spring and Autumn Pavilions. Overnight in Kaohsiung.

DAY 04: (Optional Sunrise View by ancient train to Mount Chu) Enbus for the town of Lungtan for a visit to Chinese Lilliputian land Window On China. The complex covers 2 Hectares and features an incredible 50,000 Lilliputian representations of people as well as 56 historical and contemporary sites found in Taiwan and mainland China. Miniature reproductions are so exact that they are indistinguishable from the originals. Sights include The Great Wall, Forbidden Palace and Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Enbus for Taipei and transfer to hotel.