4-Day Tour of Central and Southern Taiwan from Taipei Including Kaohsiung and Sun Moon Lake

4-Day Tour of Central and Southern Taiwan from Taipei Including Kaohsiung and Sun Moon Lake

Explore central and southern Taiwan and discover the beautiful countryside scenery on this 4-day tour from Taipei. Sit comfortably aboard an air-conditioned coach and hear interesting anecdotes and enlightening commentary about the sites, culture and local life in Taiwan. Step off the bus with your guide to walk around the region’s highlights and hidden wonders including the town of Puli, picturesque Sun Moon Lake, the scenic lighthouses of Kenting National Park, Kaohsiung’s impressive temples and pavilions and the historic town of Lukang.

Itinerary

Day 1: Taipei - Puli - Sun Moon Lake

Pass By: Edison Travel Service, 4F., No. 190, Song Jiang Rd., Taipei 10467 Taiwan
Edison Travel Service Co., Ltd. was established in 1988 by a team of travel experts and professional tour guides. With the everlasting efforts put into the field of tourism, good feedbacks and recommendations from our clients, Edison Travel Service has become the leading inbound tour operator in Taiwan among English, German and French speaking markets

Stop At: Sun Moon Lake, Zhongshan Rd., Yuchi Township, 555 Taiwan
Divided by Lalu Island, the Sun Moon Lake scenic area got its name from the unique terrain that looked like a sun on one side and a crescent moon on the other. Crowned as one of the Eight Wonders of Taiwan, Sun Moon Lake is also the most famous source of hydroelectric power; offering key tourist themes – “high mountain and lake”, “indigenous culture”, and “nature ecology”, the Sun Moon Lake Scenic Area attracts more than six million visitors each year.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Yidashao Pier, Yidashao, Riyue Vil., Yuchi Township Taiwan
Yidashao(Ita Thao), is called Barawbaw in thao language. The Han people call it North Cave. It was named Te Hua village after the restoration of Taiwan, and is under the administration of Yuchi. It has become the most populous area around the Sun Moon Lake. There are stores, restaurants, and hotels in the village. Also the thao people establishes the "thao Cultural Village" for tourists to appreciate the traditional culture, songs, and dancing of the thao tribe.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Ci'en Pagoda, Yuchi Township, 555 Taiwan
Ci-en Pagoda is located on Sha Ba Lan Mountain near Sun Moon Lake. It was built by Chiang Kai-Shek in memory of his mother in 1971. The construction was very difficult because the materials had to be shipped over the lake and moved up the mountain. The Ci-en Pagoda is 46 meters in height and has become the famous landmark of Sun Moon Lake. Surrounding the tower are beautiful plants and trees and there are stone tables and chairs for visitors to take a rest. The Ci-en Pagoda overlooks Lalu Island and Sun Moon Lake.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Xuanzhuang Temple, No.389 Zhongzheng Road, Riyue Village, Yuchi Township Taiwan
Monk Xuanzang was the Holy Monk in the Tang dynasty. During the China-Japan War, Japanese took the Monk Xuanzang's remains away from Nanchin to the Tsen Temple of Saidama Ken in Japan. In 1955, the Monk Xuanzang's remains were returned back to the Xuanguang Temple. In 1965, the Monk Xuanzang's remains were moved to the Xuanzang Temple after the temple rebuilding. There is a bell in front of the main gate of the Xuanzang Temple. The bell is called "wake up bell." If you prefer quiet atmosphere, Xuanzang temple is the best places for you.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Wenwu Temple, No.63, Jhongshan Rd. Yuchih Township, Nantou City Taiwan
Wenwu Temple is located at the shoulder of mountain where is on the north of Sun Moon Lake. It was built in 1938. People worried the water of Sun Moon Lake might cover Longfeng Temple and Ihuatang of Shuishotsun, they built Wenwu Temple. The Wenwu Temple is 2 (Longfeng Temple and Ihuatang) in 1. It was rebuilt in 1969. Its gate is face to the north. People pray the Civil Saint of Confucius, the Military Saint of Guangong, and the Established God of two temples at the Wenwu Temple. The temple is popular among students.
Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Xiangshan Visitor Center, No.599, Jhongshan Rd., Yuchih Township Taiwan
The Xiangshang Visitor Center is both for tourism and administration use. The uniquely designed building has wood-patterned exteriors and wings that stretch like human arms embracing the earth. In addition, the two giant canopy structures, 34 meters long and 8 meters tall each, allow people to enjoy beautiful views of the Sun Moon Lake from the top.
Duration: 20 minutes

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Sun Moon Lake Hotel - Mountain View Room(4-star), Sun Moon Lake or equivalent

Day 2: Sun Moon Lake – Lukang – Kaohsiung

Stop At: Lukang, Lane 42, 505 Taiwan
The Village of Lukang, located about 180 kilometers south of Taipei, is known as a center of arts and handicrafts, particularly wooden and bamboo items. It is the nearest port to the coast of Mainland China. In earlier years, the city was the site of magnificent homes and temples of uniquely Taiwanese architecture. Some of these structures still exist today. The Lung Shan Temple is the prime example
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Lugang Longshan Temple, Longshan Street,Lugang Township Taiwan
Longshan Temple in Lukang was originally a small temple in Lukang. Later it was remodeled by local residents to be the current larger scale. The temple was beautifully designed. It is seated facing the west with the back to the east. The layout is square. The main building consists of four strata and three gardens. The format and design are inspired by Longshan Temple in Quanzhou (Chuanchow) of Taiwan.
Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Lugang Old Street, Lugang Street Taiwan
Lukang Old Street includes Yaolin Street and Putou Street. The historic site is perhaps the only place in Taiwan which best preserves the architecture stemming from as early as the Qing Dynasty. Previously a prosperous business center in the Qing Dynasty, the town’s streets feature buildings with a shop front and a back door facing the river for loading goods. Today, these traditional architectural pieces with brick walls, tiled roof as well as wooden door and windows are listed as a historic site. In addition to the main street, the winding brick streets and the narrow Osmanthus Lane are another area which had been filled with shops and households since early times. Now the area is occupied by folk art shops, nostalgic stores, teahouses, bookstores and painting stores, restaurants, local food vendors, and pastry stores, which are always packed with tourists on holidays. Walking on the streets, you will feel like being a part of a Qing drama.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Tianhou Temple, No.430 Zhongshan Road Taiwan
Lukang Tianhou Temple is the one of the three major historic sites in Lukang. It lies on Zhongshan Road, Lukang. In the Ching Dynasty, General Shi Lang built the first temple of Goddess of Sea in Taiwan. The statue in the alter was imported from Meizhou, China. There are over 1 million worshipers coming here every year. With the smoke of the incense, the statues face has turned black, so the Goddess is also called black-faced Goddess.
Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Lianchi (Lotus) Lake, Lientan Rd., Zouyin Dist., Kaohsiung Taiwan
This famous scenic area on the northern outskirts of Kaohsiung City is noted for its profusion of temples, with the Confucius Temple at its northern edge and, in the south, the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas and the Spring and Autumn Pavilions. The lake is most beautiful in the late afternoon, when the setting sun is reflected in the water. Nearby are the ruins of the Fengshan County walls and gates, which have been designated a first-grade historic.
Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Lianchitan, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung Taiwan
Two massive pavilions dedicated to Kuan Kung, the God of War, the Spring and Autumn Pavilions were completed in 1951. In front of the pavilions is a statue of Guanyin(Kuanyin), the Goddess of Mercy, riding a dragon. According to legend, Guanyin(Kuanyin) appeared above the clouds riding on a dragon, signifying that believers must erect an image depicting this event between pavilions of summer and autumn: The present-day structures are a result of this vision.
Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Dragon Tiger Tower, Liantan Rd 9, Kaohsiung Taiwan
About 700 meters to the south of the Spring and Autumn Pavilions are the Dragon Tiger Tower (Dragon and Tiger Pagodas). The dragon's throat is the entrance and the tiger's mouth is the exit. Entering a dragon's throat and coming out a tiger's mouth symbolizes turning bad luck to good fortune. Inside, paintings depict China's 24 most obedient sons as well as scenes of heaven and hell to inspire people to do good deeds during their lifetime, and to provide threatening examples of retribution for wrongdoing.
Duration: 20 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Chateau de Chine(4-star), Kaohsiung or equivalent

Day 3: Kaohsiung – Kenting – Kaohsiung

Stop At: Kenting National Park, No.596, Kenting Rd., Henchun Township Taiwan
Established on Jan. 01, 1948, is Taiwan’s first National Park. The park is superbly located. Spanning the Hengchun Peninsula, it faces the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Bashi Channel to the south, and the Taiwan Straits to the west. Some of Taiwan’s largest coral reefs lie off the coast and the forests along the park’s western edge are the last of Taiwan’s coastal tropical forests. The name Hengchun Peninsula says much about the area’s attractions. ” The fantastic climate, lush forests, beaches, and reef environments make Kenting a rival to internationally famous tropical resorts like Bali and Phuket.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Maobitou Park, No. 100, Xiaquan Road, Hengchun Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan 946
Maobitou is located in the west cape of southern Taiwan, right on the demarcation point of Taiwan Strait and Bashi Channel. Since there is a rock falling from the sea cliff which looks like a crouching cat facing toward the sea, it is named Maobitou. The whole area of Maobitou is a typical erosional landform of coral coast which just faces windward and has abundant sea erosion. It is an excellent landform classroom with various scarps, reef columns, sea trenches, sea erosion caves and pot holes.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Eluanbi Park, Hengchun Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan 946
Kending's rugged coastline provides some of the area's most outstanding attractions. The most prominent of these must be Eluanbi, also known as "Taiwan's Tail". This is the island's southernmost point. Eluanbi Park was created in 1982 to provide an appropriate venue for people coming to visit Taiwan's southernmost point and one of the peninsula's most notable landmarks, the Eluanbi Lighthouse, also called "The Light of East Asia". It stands 21.4 meters high and is reputedly the brightest lighthouse in Asia. The park covers an area of 59 hectares. Within the park there are a number of recreational facilities and a wide range of interesting geological, botanical, and ornithological features. The area covered by the park is also one of the sites of Kending's prehistoric cultures.
Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Longpan Park, Jia'e Highway, Hengchun Township Taiwan
Longpan is the great grassland beside the Jia-Oh highway and near the beach of Pacific Ocean. This area is based on the tableland of coral reef limestone. Eroded by the rain, the terrain of limestone shows a variety of crumbled ridges, subterranean limestone caves, and red soil.
Duration: 20 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Chateau de Chine(4-star), Kaohsiung or equivalent

Day 4: Kaohsiung - Taipei

Stop At: Port Of Kaohsiung, No.10, Jiexing 1St, Gushan Dist, Kaohsiung 804 Taiwan
At the fourth largest container port in the world, Kaohsiung Harbor plays an important role to Taiwan's economic development. The Harbor currently has a channel lane of 18 kilometers, available for boats 100,000 tons. There are 97 docks, with a total length of 20.570 meters. A cruise around Kaohsiung Harbor will let you see the modernization of the Harbor and experience the beauty of the City.
Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: The British Consulate At Takao, No. 20 LianHai Road, Gushan District, Kaohsiung Taiwan
The consulate was built in 1865 with more than a hundred years of history. It is now the most antique western building preserved in Taiwan. It was the western building designed by a British engineer and built by Chinese craftsmen, and it is the most meaningful ancient building of Chinese modern history with graceful and elegant proportion.
Duration: 50 minutes

Stop At: Ai He (Love River), Min Sheng 2nd Road, Kaohsiung Taiwan
Love River begins at Bagualiao in Kaohsiung City's Renwu District. It divides Kaohsiung City, into two. The Jianguo, Cisian and Jhongjheng Bridges connect the two sections and the river flows directly into the sea. Love River had originally been a shallow creek, which could only be crossed by ferry. During the Japanese Colonial era it was dredged into a canal and named The Kaohsiung River. This was the first time the river had been given an official name. It was formally referred to as The Kaohsiung Waterway or The Kaohsiung Canal. In 1948, Love River Boat Company was opened near the Jhongjheng Bridge. This gave people the opportunity to row up and down the river. This became a particularly popular past for local couples and therefore acquiring the name - Love River.
Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Chengcing Lake, Dabei Rd., Niaosong Dist., Kaohsiung Taiwan
Chengcing Lake is the main water source for Kaohsiung. Originally a small pond, Chengcing Lake was expanded several times during Japanese Occupation in order to satisfy the water demand. Chengcing Lake has been a popular sightseeing spot since the 60s’ due to its unrivaled natural beauty and relaxing, tranquil atmosphere. The lake district covers an area of over 300 hectares (approximately 741 acres) with the lake itself being 103 hectares (approximately 255 acres). A 7-km road running around the lake features scenic spots like viewing decks, a wetland park, the Ocean Fantasy Museum, a playground, picnicking and barbecue area, a forest, and the Chiang Kai-shek Chateau. These places are connected to each other and you will feel extremely relaxed no matter if you’re taking a walk around the lake, chatting with friends in a pagoda, or just appreciating the beautiful lake and mountains at a random spot.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.