Add a stop in Hong Kong to your Taiwan adventure
Make the most of your visit to the Far East next time you travel to Taiwan, with a quick jump across the South China Sea to Hong Kong. The former British territory is one of the most popular destinations among Taiwanese travellers thanks to great air access, a short flight time, a similarly eclectic food culture, and brilliant shopping opportunities. Modern airports at both ends make this one of the easiest add on destinations in the region.
TAIWAN
Day 1: One of Asia’s most popular destinations, Taipei is a modern metropolis beloved by history buffs and foodies. Spend your first day exploring the Taiwanese capital, visiting the National Palace Museum, home to over 670,000 pieces of timeless Chinese art and artifacts; and watching the changing of the guard at the National Chiang Kaishek Memorial Hall before making your way to the Shilin Night Markets for brilliant street food.
Day 2: Head northeast from the capital to Jiufen, a fascinating town in the mountains with a rich tea culture, narrow lanes packed with local artisans and fun local boutiques, and a frontier heritage stemming from the region’s gold mining era. Be sure to try the local taro balls and spicy ginger tea at local icon Grandma Lai’s Yuyuan.
Day 3: Head south to Jiaosi in Yilan, a landscape of green rice terraces and misty mountain ranges. People come here for the traditional culture, the towering three-tiered Wofongci waterfall, and to soak away their troubles in the many natural mineral pools. Get a blessing at the century-old Sietian Temple for good luck.
Day 4: An easy drive or fascinating train journey south is the acclaimed Taroko National Park, home to the 19-kilometer-long Taroko Gorge, a breathtaking geological formation of towering stone cliffs and rushing alpine rivers, ideal for a day’s walking. The gorge takes its name from the Truku Aboriginal word for “magnificent and splendid”, with the road passing ancient shrines and through tunnels towards Taiwan’s highest peaks.
Day 5: Especially popular with cyclists, Chihshang is a popular weekend escape destination thanks to its breathtaking rural landscapes and its smoke-stained Taoist temples. Be sure to pop in at the fascinating Ami Indigenous Culture Art Center to learn about the region’s unique Aboriginal culture.
Day 6: In Guangfu you can delve back into the mountains of the east coast and learn more about the Ami people and their folklore with a visit to the Saoba Stone Pillars and the Wuhe Terrace. Go hiking in the Fuyung Forest or learn the local art of textile dyeing at the Flower Handkerchief Plant Dyeing Workshop.
Day 7: Explore the lotus ponds and learn how the Ami cultivated the waterways of the East Rift Valley at the Fata’an Wetlands before putting your knowledge into practice at the Fairy Story Village Organic Leisure Farm in Yilan, where you can gather and dine on traditional plants and flowers at a traditional dinner before catching the train back to Taipei.
HONG KONG
Day 1: Arrive Hong Kong in the afternoon and embark on a halfday tour of Hong Kong Island. You’ll take in sights such as Victoria Harbour (long famous for its spectacular views, which make it a major tourist attraction), the Hong Kong Observation Wheel, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong and Victoria Peak.
Day 2: Start with a luxury hotel buffet breakfast before exploring Lantau, a mountainous island that’s home to Disneyland and the international airport. Catch the MTR to Tung Chung, famed for its outlet shopping, before catching the Ngong Ping 360 cable car up to Tian Tan, known locally as the Big Buddha, and the Po Lin Monastery. Here you will find the Vegetarian Kitchen restaurant, which prepares dishes enjoyed by the monastery’s monks. From this lofty point it’s an easy bus ride to the traditional fishing village of Tai O, famed for its canals and laidback lifestyle, and on to sleepy Mui Wo where you can catch the ferry back to Central.
Day 3: Kowloon is frantic and fascinating. Stop at the The Peninsula hotel for high tea before visiting Mongkok, home to great dining and shopping, including the famous Ladies Markets. Head south again and visit the Temple Street Markets for great street food and fortune tellers, and end up at Ozone, the world’s highest bar, atop the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong. Getting to Kowloon is easy on the Star Ferry, which has provided service across Victoria Harbour since 1888.