Spring in Taiwan: Our 4-Day Itinerary, Experience & Tips
We love Taiwan so much that we’ve traveled here three times already — once in spring and twice in summer. It’s one of the few overseas destinations we would never get tired of visiting over and over again. If you haven’t heard yet, Taiwan is visa-free to Filipinos until July 2024, so take advantage of this privilege before it ends.
If you’d ask us when is the best time to visit Taiwan, we highly recommend the spring season, which typically lasts from March to May. During spring in Taiwan, you’ll enjoy a cooler climate and spot lovely flower blooms including the famous cherry blossoms. Yes, Taiwan has cherry blossoms, too!
Now, let us share with you our Taiwan 4 days itinerary, so you know what awaits you here during this colorful season.
Things to prepare before your Taiwan spring trip
1. Philippine passport – Ensure that your Philippine passport is still valid for 6 months before your trip.
2. Accommodation – Book Taiwan accommodations that are near public transport like MRT stations. Try browsing on Agoda or Klook.
3. Flights – Be sure to book round-trip flight tickets. Be on the lookout for promo fares on Cebu Pacific, PAL, or AirAsia. Alternatively, you can try the Klook flight search to compare fares.
4. Taiwan EasyCard – Buy your EasyCard ahead to pay for public transport like subways and buses, as well as select stores and attractions in Taiwan. Read our complete Taiwan EasyCard guide to know more about this integrated card.
5. Internet – Prepare your Taiwan SIM card or pocket WiFi, too, so you can use the internet as soon as you arrive. Read our Taiwan SIM card or pocket WiFi guide to help you decide which one to use.
6. eTravel QR Code (Philippines) – Prepare your eTravel QR Code at least 72 hours or 3 days before you depart or arrive in the Philippines.
7. Travel insurance – Not mandatory but we recommend that you secure your travel insurance for peace of mind.
8. Clothes for the spring season – A two-layer clothing will already do like wearing a jacket over a shirt. Sometimes, it rains in Taiwan during spring, so it would be great to be prepared with waterproof boots or footwear. You can also bring scarves, earmuffs, and face masks for extra protection.
Our Taiwan 4 days itinerary
Here’s our planned 4-day Taiwan spring itinerary, which served as our guide. We made some adjustments along the way so feel free to do the same on your Taiwan trip.
1st Day: Biking adventure
- Beitou Thermal Valley
- Rent a bike at Xinbeitou Station
- Lunch near Guandu Temple
- Lover’s Bridge
- Return bike at Tamsui Station
2nd Day: Nature and cherry blossoms
- Yangmingshan National Park
- Shilin Night Market
- Ximending Shopping District
3rd Day: Keelung City and Taipei
- Starry Paradise near Keelung City
- Elephant Mountain
- Taipei 101
- Raohe Street Night Market
4th Day: Culture, more night markets, and shopping
- National Palace Museum
- Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
- Longshan Temple
- Bopiliao Historical Block
- Xichang Street Night Market
- Guangzhou Street Night Market
- Taipei Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market
Our actual Taiwan spring experience
Day 1: Biking adventure
Beitou Thermal Valley
Before starting our biking journey in Taipei, we decided to drop by the Beitou Thermal Valley first to see its famous hot springs. It is just a walking distance from Xinbeitou Station, the starting point of our cycling route. We didn’t get to dip in one of the thermal springs, though, but we enjoyed strolling around the area. The one pictured above is not for bathing as it’s extremely hot. Visitors are not allowed to cross the barriers.
Xinbeitou Station
Taiwan has established itself as a bike-friendly nation with well-maintained bike lanes and scenic routes across the country. We really dedicated our first day in Taiwan for cycling.
After Beitou Thermal Valley, we walked to Xinbeitou Station to rent our YouBike. Thankfully, our pro biker friend Joey planned our cycling route and we just followed his lead.
Cycling along the Tamsui River
From Xinbeitou Station, we cycled along the Tamsui River until we reached the Guandu Riverside Park where we made a pitstop for lunch. We continued until we ended our trail and returned our bikes to Tamsui Station. Our friends continued for another 5km to Fisherman’s Wharf and Lover’s Bridge, which are top tourist attractions in Tamsui.
You may check our Taipei bike route on Strava if you want to follow our 23km trail. But for beginners, we suggest that you join this Taipei cycling tour with a professional guide.
Tips:
- To rent a YouBike onsite like what we did, you need to have one EasyCard each and one registered Taiwan SIM card to rent up to 5 bikes.
- To rent a YouBike without registering, you may download the YouBike app and pay with a credit card. Follow the YouBike one-time rental instructions.
- YouBike rental fees: NT$10 per 30 mins (4 hours); NT$20 per 30 mins (4-8 hours); NT$40 per 30 mins (over 8 hours).
How to get to Xinbeitou Station: Ride the MRT Red Line 2 to Beitou Station. Then, transfer line going to Xinbeitou.
Day 2: Nature and cherry blossoms
Yangmingshan National Park
Like Korea and Japan, Taiwan has cherry blossoms, too! Our Taiwan spring trip would definitely not be complete without spotting these lovely blooms and ticking this off our bucket list. So, if you visit Taiwan in spring, be sure to add this activity to your itinerary.
One of the best places to spot cherry blossoms in Taiwan is Yangmingshan National Park. Spanning more than 11 hectares, it is a top tourist destination to take in the beauty of nature. Unfortunately, it poured heavily on our visit so we decided to skip some of its scenic spots.
How to get to Yangmingshan National Park: Ride the MRT Red Line 2 going to Beitou Station. Then, exit and find the bus station. Hop on the S230 or S9 bus going to Yangmingshan Bus Station. From there, you can ride some shuttles that go to the scenic spots like the 125 shuttle bus that goes to Flower Clock, and the 108 shuttle bus to Calla Lily Farm.
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Tip: It’s a little tricky to commute to Yangmingshan National Park, especially if the weather is not so good. We suggest that you hire a private car with a professional driver. Take it from us, we got soaked trying to navigate our way there. |
Shilin Night Market
Of course, we can’t miss Taiwan’s famous night markets. On our second night, we went to Shilin Night Market to indulge in yummy Taiwanese street food including crispy pork ribs, cheesy chicken, castella cake or sponge cake, and tanghulu (sugar coated fruits). We were spoilt for choice!
How to get to Shilin Night Market: Ride the MRT Red Line 2 to Jiantian Station. Exit 1 and cross the street to Shilin Night Market.
Ximending Shopping District
On the same night, we also went to Ximending, a famous shopping district in Taipei filled with commercial establishments, boutique shops, and restaurants. We didn’t buy anything, though. We just wanted to see how bustling this district is at night.
How to get to Ximending: Ride the MRT Blue Line to Ximen Station. Exit 6 and you should already reach Ximending.
Day 3: Keelung City and more of Taipei
Starry Paradise in Keelung City
On our third day, we ventured off the beaten path and headed to Keelung City, a port city north of Taiwan. There was only one attraction we wanted to see and that was the Starry Paradise, a massive creative park and art installation made of recycled plastic bottles and CDs depicting Van Gogh’s famed painting Starry Night. It would have been more spectacular to visit at night to see the stunning light show.
How to get to Starry Paradise: From Taipei Station, take the train going to Badu Station in Keelung City. There is a free shuttle bus from Badu Station that will take you to Starry Paradise.
Taipei 101 and Elephant Mountain
It was foggy that day so the view of Taipei 101 was quite elusive. We even hiked up Elephant Mountain to view it from a different angle, but to no avail. Though it took a lot of cardio to reach the top of the mountain and didn’t see a clear view of Taipei 101, it was still a fun and memorable experience overall.
We didn’t get to enter the Taipei 101 Observatory due to time constraints. But if you have time, it would be bucket list-worthy to go up the tallest building in Taiwan.
How to get to Taipei 101 and Elephant Mountain: From Taipei Main Station, ride the Tamsui–Xinyi line to Taipei 101 or World Trade Center Station. From Taipei 101, you can walk for 23 minutes or 1.5km to reach Elephant Mountain.
Raohe Street Night Market
We capped off our third day at Raohe Street Night Market where we sampled more mouthwatering Taiwanese delights including xiaolongbao, blowtorched steak, scallion pancake, and milk tea. Never leave Taipei without having a food trip here!
How to get to Raohe Street Night Market: Ride the MRT Red Line to Zhongshan Station. Then, transfer to Green Line bound for Songshan Station. Exit 5 and you should see Raohe Street Night Market across the street.
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Tip: Make your night market experience even more fun by joining this Taipei Night Tour. A professional guide will introduce you to the popular Taiwanese street food in Raohe Street Night Market. Plus, you’ll sample the famous Xiaolongbao in Din Tai Fung. |
Day 4: Culture, more night markets, and shopping
National Palace Museum
We dedicated our final day in Taiwan to exploring its cultural aspect, and first on our list was the National Palace Museum. Showcasing a huge collection of ancient Chinese artefacts and relics, this museum is the largest of its kind and a must-visit for everyone visiting Taiwan.
National Palace Museum entrance fee: NT$350 (regular ticket); FREE for 17-year-olds and below.
How to get to the National Palace Museum: From Taipei Station, take the MRT Red Line to Shilin Station. Exit the station and go to the bus stop to ride the red bus 30 to the National Palace Museum.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
We also made sure to visit Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, a place in honor of Chiang Kai-shek, the revolutionary leader who played a vital role in establishing the Republic of China (ROC) or present-day Taiwan. We also witnessed the changing of the guards, which happens every hour from 9am to 5pm.
There is no entrance fee to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and you are free to watch the changing of the guards.
How to get to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall: From Taipei Station, take the MRT Red Line to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station. Exit the station and you should already reach the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
Longshan Temple
After Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Station, we separated ways with two of our friends since they needed to catch their flight back to Singapore. The rest of us continued our cultural immersion at Longshan Temple in Wanhua District. Built in 1738, the temple now serves as a religious landmark and a place of worship among locals and tourists.
How to get to Longshan Temple: Take the MRT Blue Line to Longshan Temple. Exit 1 and you should see the temple easily.
Bopiliao Historical Block
From Longshan Temple, we walked our way to the Bopiliao Historical Block. It is a well-preserved area in Wanhua District featuring 18th-century architecture with red brick walls and creative murals. It was almost sunset when we came here so we just strolled briefly and snapped some photos.
How to get to Bopiliao Historical Block: From Longshan Temple, Bopiliao Historical Block is only about 300 meters away. You can just walk for approximately 4 minutes to reach it.
More night markets in Taipei
Our legs were already sore from all the walking the entire day, but our urge to immerse more in the local night market scene was stronger. So, we managed to visit these night markets in the area. They are actually just walking distance from one another.
Xichang Street Night Market
We passed by Xichang Street Night Market and found more local goods sold here like clothes, bags, trinkets, and household products.
How to get to Xichang Street Night Market: Facing Longshan Temple, just walk to the left and you should find Xichang Street Night Market.
Guangzhou Street Night Market
From Xichang Street Night Market, we walked in the opposite direction to check out the Guangzhou Street Night Market. Here, we found more Taiwan street food as well as clothes and electronics.
How to get to Guangzhou Street Night Market: Facing Longshan Temple, walk to the right and you should find the Guangzhou Street Night Market.
Taipei Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market
While Taipei Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market has a “tourist” in its name, it’s actually not as touristy as Raohe or Shilin. In fact, we found the things sold here pretty interesting, from eccentric ornaments to traditional medicine and adult stuff.
How to get to Taipei Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market: You should find Huaxi Street after passing through Guangzhou Street Night Market.
After these night markets, we returned to Shilin Night Market to buy some last-minute pasalubong (souvenirs) from Taiwan for our loved ones back home. We also enjoyed more Taiwan street food for dinner before heading to the airport for our flight back to the Philippines.
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Tip: If you’re a fan of the Meteor Garden and F4, sign up for this Meteor Garden Sightseeing Tour. The professional guide will take you to notable filming locations like National Chung Cheng University, Chung She Flower Garden, P.S. Bubu Café, and more! |
In 4 days during spring in Taiwan, we experienced some of the best things the country has to offer — from its splendid nature to its rich culture and endless food scene. Not to mention the cherry blossoms and scenic cycling routes. This was truly a trip to remember!
Special thanks to our friends Joey, Gale, and Mickey for being such amazing travel buddies. Our trip would not have been this fun and smooth sailing if not for them. Also, credit to Joey for some of our beautiful shots. Looking forward to our next trip!
