Things to do in

Kaohsiung

Explore the best of Taiwan on a 5-day tour of its natural splendors. The luxury trip includes accommodation in the best 5-star hotels, and visits to the hot springs at Sun Moon Lake, a walk with Buddhist monks at Fo Guang Shan Monastery, a drive along the spectacular East Coast National Scenic Area, and much more. Learn more about this fascinating island, as you cross from its capital Taipei in the north, to the southern tip at Kenting National Park, and down the east coast past Hualien, back to Taipei. Day 1: Taipei / Sun Moon Lake + Natural Hot Spring Following a hotel pick-up in Taipei City, drive to Sun Moon Lake, located in the lofty mountains of Central Taiwan, 2,500 feet (762 meters) above sea level. The tour will stop at the famous Wenwu Temple (Literature Warrior Temple), dedicated to Confucius as Master of Pen and to Kuan Ti as Master of Sword. See the Holy Monk Shrine, and Tse-En Pagoda. After your sightseeing tour, proceed to your hotel for check in, and stay overnight at the Fleur De Chine at Sun Moon Lake–Mountain View, or similar hotel. Enjoy the natural hot springs at the Fleur de Chine Hotel. Day 2: Sun Moon Lake/Fo Guang Shan Monastery/Kaohisung Breakfast at your hotel, and then drive to Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Monastery, the most famous Buddhist sacred site in southern Taiwan. Learn about Buddhism during the monastery walking tour, and taste Buddhist vegetarian lunch (at your own cost). Communicate with some of the monks and nuns during a visit to the Main Shrine, and Great Buddha Land, site of a huge Buddha statue. Continue to Kaohsiung City, the second largest city in Taiwan, and visit the former British Consulate, Love River, and Lio Ho Night Market. Stay overnight at Kaohsiung in the Grand Hi-Lai Hotel, or similar accommodation. Day 3: Kaohsung/Kenting/Taitung (Hot Spring) Take a morning tour to Kenting National Park, located at Taiwan’s southern tip. Travel past 37 miles of coral-rimmed shoreline, along 3 sides of the park, to see its main attractions. Stop at Oluanpi Lighthouse, Maopitou Coastal Scenic Area, and Kenting Forest Recreation Area. Continue to Taitung, via the Southern Link Highway. Your overnight stay will be at the Royal Hotel Chihpen in Taitung, or similar accommodation. Day 4: Taitung/East Coast National Scenic Area/Hualien After breakfast, enjoy an exciting East Coast National Scenic Tour. The East Coast National Scenic Area, known as "Taiwan's last unspoiled land", stretches for approximately 100 miles (170 kilometers) down the east coast of the island. Weathering, erosion, and accumulation have produced a wide range of landforms. Your tour will stop at Siaoyeliou, Sansientai, Stone Steps, and the Caves of the 8 Immortals. Late afternoon, proceed to Hualien for an overnight stay at the Silks Place Taroko, or similar accommodation. Day 5: Hualien/Taroko Gorge/Taipei Today you will spend a full day at Taroko National Park. Go to Taroko Gorge, an exceptionally beautiful, narrow ravine created by the Liwu River, which has cut deep into the mountains of solid marble. Travel along a road that has been carved into sheer walls of rock, winding its way past forested peaks and cliffs, towering thousands of feet above it. Hundreds of feet below, the river roars past gigantic marble boulders. Stop at Eternal Spring Shrine, Swallow Grotto, Marble Bridge, Tienshiang, and a marble factory. Drive back to Taipei, via the Su-Hwa Highway, and the 8-mile-long Hsuei-Shan Long Tunnel to arrive in the city at around 19:00.

Explore the city with a friendly local who is passionate about his/her city and eager to share all the tips and tricks that will help you make the most of your trip. Meet where you're staying to get familiar with the neighbourhood, find out about the best places to eat and buy groceries, the easiest ways to get around, and the hidden gems you might have missed. By the end of the tour, you'll feel more comfortable in navigating the city and confident that you have all the information you need to make the most of your stay. Once we receive your booking, the supplier get in touch with you to confirm all the details for the tour: meeting place and time, language and your contact information, and also ask you some questions to get to know you better. They will hand-pick the right local for you based on your interests. Each tour is completely customized so you can choose the meeting location, start time and length that you prefer (minimum: 2 hours).  During the walking tour you will have the option of taking public transportation or taxi to get around the city (at your expense). The local guides (Lokafyers) are locals who are passionate about their city and love to meet travellers and share what they love about their city.  They are not professional tour guides and do these tours occasionally, which provides an authentic and personal experience that is like having a friend show you around their home city.  Through conversations with your Lokafyer, you’ll learn what it’s like to live in Koahsiung, learn about cultural differences, local events and politics and also get to know each other on a personal level. With this experience, you won’t be just passing through the city, you’ll be part of it.