8-Day Round Taiwan Island: Self-Launched Backpacker Loop
8 days · Taiwan
Edison Travel Service charges £940
No-markup version: ~£870 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched full circuit of Taiwan — Taipei's temples and museums, Sun Moon Lake, the old capital of Tainan, Kaohsiung, the tropical tip at Kenting, the east coast geoparks and a hot-spring night in Jiaoxi. Instead of a coach-and-guide package (US$1,232 ≈ £940 per person, twin share), you ride the excellent HSR and Taiwan Railway, sleep in hostels and guesthouses, and book the same sightseeing independently. Taiwan is one of Asia's safest and easiest places to travel solo, with cheap food, English-friendly transport apps and superb public infrastructure.
Day-by-day
Arrive Taipei — Ximending orientation
Taipei
Land at Taoyuan International Airport and take the Airport MRT into Taipei (~NT$150/£4, 35-40 min to Taipei Main Station). Check into a hostel in Ximending or Taipei Main Station. Evening wander: Ximending's street-food lanes for oyster omelette, fried chicken and bubble tea, then an easy first night. Buy an EasyCard at any MRT station (NT$100 deposit) for all metro and bus rides.
🚌Airport MRT Taoyuan → Taipei Main, ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Ximending / Taipei Main Station (£14-22)
- →Airport MRT to city
- →Ximending night-market food crawl
- →EasyCard setup
Taipei landmarks day
Taipei
Self-guided walking day on the MRT. Start at the National Palace Museum (Red Line to Shilin then bus 255/304; entry ~NT$350/£9). Continue to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall — the guard-changing ceremony runs hourly through the day, free. Wander Dadaocheng and Dihua Street for dried goods, tea shops and restored shophouses, then Longshan Temple in the early evening when it's lantern-lit and busiest. Optional sunset ride up Taipei 101 observatory (NT$600/£15, book on Klook for a small discount) or cheaper alternative: Elephant Mountain hike, free.
🚌MRT day pass ~£4
🛏Same Taipei hostel (£14-22)
- →National Palace Museum
- →Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall guard change
- →Longshan Temple
- →Dadaocheng & Dihua Street
- →Optional Taipei 101 observatory or Elephant Mountain
Sun Moon Lake
Sun Moon Lake
Take the HSR from Taipei to Taichung (~1 hr, NT$700/£18 booked ahead), then the Nantou bus (6670) or Taiwan Tourist Shuttle from Taichung HSR to Sun Moon Lake (~1 hr 20, NT$190/£5). Drop bags at a lakeside guesthouse in Shuishe or Ita Thao. Afternoon: Wen Wu Temple with its lake-view steps, boat across to Ita Thao village for thao food and tea eggs, then walk or shuttle to the Ci'en Pagoda trail for the classic view over the lake. Rent a bike for the Shuishe–Xuanguang section of the lakeside path if time allows.
🚌HSR Taipei → Taichung ~£18; bus to SML ~£5
🛏Lakeside guesthouse / hostel, Shuishe (£20-28)
- →Wen Wu Temple
- →Ita Thao village
- →Ci'en Pagoda hike
- →Lakeside bike path
Sun Moon Lake → Tainan → Kaohsiung
Tainan & Kaohsiung
Morning bus back to Taichung, then TRA or HSR to Tainan (~40 min). Spend the afternoon in the old capital: Fort Zeelandia (Anping Old Fort, NT$70/£2), Anping Old Street for shrimp rolls and tofu pudding, and if time permits the Chihkan Tower. Late afternoon continue by TRA local train to Kaohsiung (~40 min, NT$70/£2) and stay near the Liuhe Night Market or Formosa Boulevard. Evening at Liuhe Night Market, or ride the LRT out to the huge Fo Guang Shan monastery area the following morning instead.
🚌Bus SML → Taichung ~£5; HSR/TRA to Tainan ~£5-10; TRA Tainan → Kaohsiung ~£2
🛏Hostel/guesthouse near Kaohsiung Main or Liuhe (£14-22)
- →Fort Zeelandia / Anping Old Fort
- →Anping Old Street food
- →Chihkan Tower (optional)
- →Liuhe Night Market
Fo Guang Shan & Kenting National Park
Kenting
Early bus or taxi to Fo Guang Shan Monastery and the Great Buddha Land (free entry, E-DA bus from Kaohsiung Zuoying, ~40 min). Then take the Kenting Express bus (9189) from Zuoying HSR down to Kenting (~2 hrs, NT$400/£10). Base yourself in Kenting village and rent a scooter (NT$400-600/day with IDP) or use the Kenting街车 shuttle bus to hit Maopitou (Cat's Nose), Chuanfan Rock (Sail Rock), Eluanbi Lighthouse (NT$60/£2) and Longpan Park for sunset over the Pacific. Night at the Kenting Night Market on the main strip.
🚌Bus to FGS ~£2; Kenting Express bus ~£10; scooter rental ~£11 split
🛏Kenting surf hostel / guesthouse (£14-24)
- →Fo Guang Shan Monastery & Great Buddha
- →Maopitou (Cat's Nose)
- →Chuanfan Rock
- →Eluanbi Lighthouse
- →Longpan Park sunset
- →Kenting Night Market
Kenting → Taitung → East Coast → Hualien
Taitung / East Coast / Hualien
This is a long transit day — do it in stages. Morning bus/scooter back to Fangliao, then TRA train up the coast to Taitung (~1 hr 15). If you want the classic east-coast sights (Xiaoyeliu, Sanxiantai Dragon Bridge, Shitiping, Fanshuliao), break the journey rather than rush: take the TRA to Chenggong or Yuli and use the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle East Coast line, or book a one-day small-group east-coast van tour out of Taitung or Hualien on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£25-35) which covers Xiaoyeliu, Sanxiantai and Shitiping in a day. Overnight in Hualien, ideally near the night market.
🚌TRA Kenting-side → Taitung ~£6; Taitung → Hualien ~£8; small-group coastal van tour ~£30
🛏Hualien hostel/guesthouse (£14-22)
- →TRA coastal train
- →Xiaoyeliu rock formations
- →Sanxiantai Dragon Bridge
- →Shitiping geopark
- →Fanshuliao canyon
- →Dongdamen Night Market, Hualien
Hualien → Yilan: Kavalan whisky & hot springs
Jiaoxi, Yilan
Morning TRA from Hualien to Jiaoxi (~1 hr 10, NT$250/£6). Check into a hot-spring guesthouse in Jiaoxi — many budget options have in-house spring baths, so you skip the ¥5-star price tag. Afternoon: local bus/taxi to the King Car Kavalan Whisky Distillery for the self-guided tour and tasting (NT$200-300/£5-8), then the National Center for Traditional Arts (NT$150/£4) for craft stalls and DIY workshops. Evening soak and street food along Jiaoxi's hot-spring boulevard.
🚌TRA Hualien → Jiaoxi ~£6; local bus/taxi ~£3
🛏Hot-spring guesthouse, Jiaoxi (£20-30)
- →Jiaoxi hot-spring soak
- →King Car Kavalan Whisky Distillery tour & tasting
- →National Center for Traditional Arts
- →Optional DIY craft workshop
Jiaoxi → Taipei → home
Taipei / Taoyuan Airport
Slow morning soak, then TRA directly to Taipei Main (~1 hr, NT$130/£3) and the Airport MRT onward to Taoyuan T1/T2 (~£4). If your flight is late, leave bags at Taipei Main Station lockers and do a last dumpling run at Din Tai Fung or the Raohe Night Market.
🚌TRA Jiaoxi → Taipei ~£3; Airport MRT ~£4
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Morning hot spring
- →TRA to Taipei
- →Airport MRT
Self-launched vs. Edison Travel Service
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Edison Travel Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£870 | £940 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £70 per person (7%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Edison Travel Service-style trips? Check them out here.~£870
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 8-Day Round Taiwan Island: Self-Launched Backpacker Loop cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £870 per person for 8 days in Taiwan. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Edison Travel Service?+
Yes — Edison Travel Service charges around £940 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £870 — a saving of roughly £70 (7%) per person.
How long is the Taiwan trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Taiwan.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, budget trip through Taiwan, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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