🇹🇼 Taiwan by Rail: 16 Days of Cherry Blossoms, Culture, & Coastal Views 🏮 (PRIVATE ROOMS)

🙋🏻‍♀️ Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a Creative Writing Coach, writer, and travel lover. I've taken great care in planning this trip to be memorable and a unique dive into Taiwanese culture & nature while consulting with my Taiwanese relative on what to see and do. (Check out my profile for more information about me and my other trips.) What's Included ✅ 🏠 Accommodations: - 🛌 4 nights in Taipei in a highly rated hotel in the Zhongshan District - 🛌 2 nights inside Alishan National Forest Recreation Area in a highly sought after mountain hotel - 🛌 3 nights in Tainan in highly rated centrally located hotel - 🛌 5 nights in Taitung in a highly rated hotel nearby the coast - 🛌 1 final night in Taipei in a highly rated hotel close to the main station 🥢 Meals: - 🍳 Daily breakfast at every hotel throughout the trip - 🍜 Welcome dinner in Taipei at a local favorite restaurant - 🍱 Traditional Fenqihu railway bento lunch during the Alishan Forest Railway journey - 🧺 High-mountain picnic lunch during our Alishan cherry blossom walk - 🍱 Famous Chishang railway bento lunch during our Luye/Chishang day - 🍱 Sanrio-themed bento dinner box on our final train ride back to Taipei 🤸🏾 Experiences: - 🌄 Golden Sunset Walk in Alishan National Forest - 🚞 Optional Zhushan Sunrise Train experience over the cherry blossoms - 🌸 Cherry Blossom Walk with high-mountain picnic in Alishan - 🍵 Traditional Tea at Dihua Halfday in Taipei - 🏮 Snail Alley, Shennong Street & Zhengxing walking exploration in Tainan - 🎨 Blueprint Cultural & Creative Park walk in Tainan - 🌳 Anping District walk including admission to Anping Tree House & Tait & Co. Merchant House - 🏯 321 Art Alley Settlement stroll - 🌅 Taitung Forest Park Sunset Walk - 🏞️ Luye Highland panoramic views & tea tasting - 🌾 Chishang rice paddy cycling on Mr. Brown Avenue - 🛍️ Chishang traditional market visit - 🎶 Seashore Park Sunset Stroll & Tiehua Music Village night market in Taitung 🚘 Transportation: - 🤝 Meet & greet at Taipei airport with airport express train + taxi to hotel - 🚅 All inter-city train travel: Taipei → Alishan (via Chiayi), Alishan → Tainan (via Chiayi), Tainan → Taitung (Scenic South Link line), Taitung → Taipei (Sanrio train) - 🚕 Taxi transfers to stations on travel days - 🚞 The historic Alishan Forest Railway ride up and down the mountain - 🚆 All public transit to and from included group activities - 🚙 Rental car days in Taitung for optional coastal & forest day trips (driven by your guide) - 🧭 Personal navigation support through Taiwan's transit system by your guide - 🚈 Airport express train + guidance to Taipei airport on departure day 🧖🏽‍♀️ Extras: - 🎁 Welcome kit with a local surprise - 📋 Detailed pre-trip packing list, weather guide, basic Mandarin phrases, & cultural etiquette notes - 📆 Trip planning and coordination for all bookings and reservations - 🪄 Assistance recommending independent activities, restaurants, and free-time excursions Not Included ❌ - Flights to and from Taiwan - Visa or visa assistance - Travel insurance - ask about recommendations (Join My Trip covers travel insurance for German & Austrian residents) - Meals not listed above - Optional add-on activities - Personal expenses ‼️ Limited to 3 Travelers ‼️ This is an intentionally intimate journey. With only 3 spots plus your guide (me!), you'll experience Taiwan with plenty of space to breathe, personalized attention, and a truly flexible pace. 🧳 This adventure is ideal for: 🧳 - Curious travelers wanting to experience Taiwan slowly and deeply. - Cherry blossom lovers seeking a less crowded alternative to Japan's peak season. - Solo travelers looking for a safe, welcoming small-group experience. - Couples or friends who want a guided adventure without the planning stress. - Nature lovers drawn to ancient forests, coastal views, and mountain trails. - Foodies eager to taste one of Asia's most exciting and underrated food cultures. - Culture lovers fascinated by Taiwan's layered indigenous, Fujian, Hakka, Dutch, & Japanese heritage. - Rail enthusiasts and slow travelers who love scenic train journeys. - Photography enthusiasts wanting temple architecture, coastal landscapes, & cherry blossoms. - LGBTQ+ travelers seeking an inclusive, welcoming experience in Asia's most LGBTQ+-friendly country. - Neurodivergent travelers who benefit from having logistics handled with care and a comfortable pace. - Anyone who wants the magic of Taiwan without the exhausting planning. ✨ Optional Add-On Activities ✨ Enhance your journey with these carefully curated experiences. Please let me know as soon as possible which you'd like to add so I can book them while availability lasts. - 🛕 Dadaocheng Walking Tour (Taipei) — $35 / €31 per person A 2-hour late-morning walking tour with a licensed English-speaking guide through Taipei's most historic neighborhood. Once Taipei's most important trading harbor, Dadaocheng was where foreign merchants set up shop for tea, cotton, and silk. Today, its restored old streets are alive with tea houses, art galleries, and family shops. We'll walk Dihua Street, the Yongle Textile Market, Taipei Xia Hai City God Temple, and Dadaocheng Wharf with cultural insight into Taiwanese food, tea culture, textiles, architecture, and daily life along the way. - 🥟 Disappearing Flavors Food Tour (Taipei) — $52 / €46 per person A highly rated 3-hour small-group evening food tour (5pm–8pm) through the historic neighborhoods of Dadaocheng and Dihua Street. Discover generations-old recipes, family-run businesses, and traditional Taiwanese food craftsmanship that still survive in hidden corners of Taipei. Learn how Taiwan's food culture evolved through indigenous, Fujian, Hakka, Dutch, and Japanese influences, and why certain traditional dishes are quietly disappearing. Includes 12+ tastings such as traditional Taiwanese confections, handmade rice cakes, heritage rice dishes, old-school herbal drinks, and slow-cooked comfort foods (tastings vary by seasonality). - 🧋 Taiwanese Cooking Class with a Local Chef (Taipei) — $80 / €70 per person Learn to prepare four beloved Taiwanese dishes: xiao long bao (soup dumplings), sesame oil chicken with mushroom vermicelli, tofu strip salad, and hand-shaken bubble milk tea, with an English-speaking local chef in a warm, home-style kitchen inspired by traditional Taiwanese mothers' cooking. Includes eating what you've made as lunch. - 🏮 Shifen Waterfall, Pingxi & Jiufen Day Trip (Taipei) — $70 / €62 per person A guided full-day trip led by me to three of northern Taiwan's most beloved spots. We'll start early to beat the crowds, taking a train to Houtong Cat Village for coffee and a wander through this uniquely feline village, then continue to Shifen for a forest walk to the thundering Shifen Waterfall (often called Taiwan's "Little Niagara"). We'll head to Pingxi for the traditional wish bamboo experience, an eco-conscious take on making wishes for the future. Includes lunch at a local restaurant in Pingxi. In the afternoon, we'll taxi to Jiufen, the mountaintop former mining town whose lantern-lit teahouses inspired scenes in Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away. Time to explore the winding old street and shops, photograph the iconic A-Mei Teahouse (Jiufen's most famous facade), and enjoy afternoon tea at Jiufen Teahouse, a quieter alternative with beautiful terrace views, timed for sunset. Return to Taipei by ~8pm. All transportation, lunch, and afternoon tea included. - 🥾 Jhihben National Forest Day Trip (Taitung) — $60 / €53 per person A guided day trip with me by rental car to Jhihben National Forest Recreation Area for a moderate hike through one of Taiwan's most stunning forest landscapes. Includes lunch at a local restaurant. Return to the hotel by early afternoon. - 🐉 East Coast Scenic Day Trip (Taitung) — $65 / €57 per person A guided full-day drive along Taiwan's dramatic east coast. Visit Fushan for the fascinating Wild Tidepool Feeding experience, explore the Dulan Sugar Factory & Art Community (a former Japanese-era sugar factory reborn as an indigenous artists' collective), enjoy an included lunch at Dulan, take in Pacific Ocean views from Jinzun Lookout with coffee at Jinzun Cafe, and finish at the iconic Sanxiantai Dragon Bridge with its eight arches curving over turquoise water. Includes rental car transportation and lunch. - 📜 National Museum of Prehistory (Taitung) — $3/€2.50 plus shared taxi about $20/€15 total for the group An optional low-cost visit to Taiwan's finest museum of pre-Chinese indigenous history and archaeology with an incredible collection covering 30,000 years of human habitation on the island, including the astonishing Beinan burial site (one of Asia's most significant prehistoric discoveries). Perfect for anyone curious about Taiwan's indigenous heritage. 🗓️ Please let me know as soon as possible which activities you'd like to add so I can book them while availability lasts. ✨ What to Expect ✨ - 5 accommodation changes across 15 nights, each intentionally selected to give you a different flavor of Taiwan (bustling capital, misty mountain forest, ancient temple town, wild coast, capital return.) - A relatively relaxed pace with generous free time built in. This trip is designed for slow, deep travel rather than rushing between sights, - Extensive train travel, Taiwan's rail network is exceptional, and I'll navigate every transfer for you, but expect walking, luggage handling, and busy platforms in Taipei. - One very early morning (4am for the optional Zhushan sunrise train) that's completely optional but unforgettable. - Two rental car days in Taitung where I'll drive us to the coast & forest for a comfortable way to see the region. - March mountain weather in Alishan can be cool and misty (5–15°C / 41–59°F at elevation), so bring layers, a warm jacket, and a light waterproof shell. - March coastal weather in Taitung and Tainan is warm and mild (18–25°C / 65–77°F), light layers and comfortable walking shoes are essential. - Some moderate hiking and walking (Jhihben forest hike, Alishan trails, temple explorations); you should be comfortable on your feet for a few hours at a time. - Rich rewards: cherry blossoms at altitude, tea in a mountain teahouse at sunset, hand-shaken bubble tea you made yourself, and hours of Taiwan's magnificent scenery gliding past your train window. ** Dietary Notes ** Important: Vegetarian diets, common allergies, and religious restrictions can be accommodated for our included group meals (welcome dinner, hotel breakfasts, included lunches). Please let me know when you book so I can do my best to ensure the food is safe for you. Railway bento notes: The traditional Fenqihu and Chishang railway bentos are heritage meals with classic set contents, typically featuring braised pork or chicken, marinated egg, pickled vegetables, and local rice. Both stops also offer vegetarian bento options. If none of the available boxes work with your dietary needs, I'll arrange an alternative meal for you at that stop. For the Sanrio train bento dinner, dietary accomodations can be made but I will need to request it in advance. For optional activities involving food, I'll check available accommodations for you when booking.

🏠 Where We'll Stay 🏠 All accommodations will be highly rated 3-4 star properties, with a preference for Taiwanese-owned hotels wherever possible. None will feel like budget stays. Some Taiwan hotels don't open bookings until closer to the travel date, so exact properties will be confirmed as we get closer. Although I have specific hotels in mind, I'll share full details and images as bookings are finalized. 💫 Taipei — Zhongshan District (4 Nights + 1 Final Night) Our base in Taipei is a highly rated hotel in the vibrant Zhongshan District, one of the capital's most beloved and well-located neighborhoods. Just a couple of miles from Taipei Main Station, Zhongshan blends old-world Taipei charm with contemporary art galleries, hidden coffee roasters, department stores, night markets, and easy metro access to every corner of the city. It's a neighborhood where you can walk out the door and stumble into a beef noodle shop, a boutique tea house, and a small temple all within a few blocks. You'll be in a private room with breakfast included daily. Our final night back in Taipei will be in the same area (either the same hotel or a nearby comparable property). 💫 Alishan National Forest Recreation Area (2 Nights) Two nights inside Alishan National Forest Recreation Area: one of Taiwan's most coveted stays during cherry blossom season. Waking up inside the park means we can walk directly out into the ancient cypress forest, catch the Zhushan sunrise train, and experience Alishan in the golden light of early morning and evening when day-trippers have gone. Accommodations inside Alishan are limited and highly sought-after during blossom season and booking is competitive. Your room will be a private room in a highly rated mountain hotel, breakfast included. 💫 Tainan (3 Nights) Our home base in Taiwan's ancient former capital will be a highly rated hotel within easy walking distance of Tainan's most beloved streets, temples, and food scene. Tainan is Taiwan's oldest city and its cultural heart where everything is walkable and atmospheric. Private room with breakfast included daily. 💫 Taitung (5 Nights) Our longest stay is in Taitung, on Taiwan's wild Pacific coast with a slower, warmer, and more indigenous side of the island. You'll be in a highly rated hotel with easy access to the coastline, forest park, and night market. Private room with breakfast included daily. Full property details, room images, and neighborhood guides will be sent as bookings are finalized. ---> Room-sharing note: All guests will have private rooms throughout the trip. If a couple or pair of friends would prefer to share rooms & beds at a reduced rate, please ask at the time of booking and I'll see what I can arrange (kept small to maintain the intimate group size). ✨ The Places We'll Explore ✨ 🍲 Taipei — The Modern Heart of Taiwan Taipei is one of Asia's most livable capitals: deeply traditional but effortlessly modern, and endlessly delicious. From the winding old lanes of Dadaocheng and Dihua Street (Taipei's oldest trading district) to the neon buzz of night markets and the surprising cultural depth of Taiwan's famously themed 7-Elevens, Taipei rewards travelers who take their time. 🚞 The Alishan Forest Railway — A Journey in Itself Built by the Japanese in the early 1900s to transport ancient cypress timber down from the mountains, the Alishan Forest Railway is one of the last three surviving mountain railways in the world. The train climbs from Chiayi at sea level to over 2,200 meters, passing through 50 tunnels and across 77 bridges as the landscape shifts from bamboo groves to broadleaf forest to primeval cypress. It's one of Taiwan's greatest travel experiences. 🌸 Alishan National Forest Recreation Area Home to some of Taiwan's oldest and largest cypress trees (some over 2,000 years old), Alishan is a mountain sanctuary of ancient forest, sea-of-clouds views, and spectacular cherry blossoms. The blossoms here bloom later due to elevation, and include multiple species that create waves of pink and white through the ancient forest. Our visit is timed for the Cherry Blossom Festival. 🏯 Tainan — Taiwan's Ancient Capital For over 200 years, Tainan was Taiwan's capital and its main port of trade, first under the Dutch, then under Ming loyalist Koxinga, and later under the Qing. That layered history is written in the city's temples (Tainan has more per capita than anywhere in Taiwan), its Dutch-era ruins, its Japanese colonial architecture, and its extraordinary food scene which widely considered the best in Taiwan. 🚆 The Scenic South Link Line — Tainan to Taitung One of Taiwan's most beautiful train journeys, the South Link Line winds through the mountains of southern Taiwan and along the wild Pacific coast, connecting the west and east sides of the island. Expect dramatic tunnels, ocean vistas, and the feeling of the landscape opening up as you leave the west's cities behind. 🌊 Taitung — Taiwan's Wild Pacific Coast Taitung is Taiwan's least-developed and most indigenous region with a slower and greener side of the island where Amis, Puyuma, and Rukai cultures have shaped the landscape for millennia. This is where surfers, artists, and slow travelers come to escape the west coast's pace. 😻 The Sanrio Train — A Whimsical Ride Back to the Capital For our final journey from Taitung back to Taipei, we'll ride Taiwan Railway's beloved Sanrio-themed, a sightseeing train designed around the joy of the journey itself. Each carriage is dedicated to a different Sanrio character (Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, Kuromi, Hangyodon, and Gudetama), fully decked out in that character's colors and design. Guests enjoy luxurious business-class seating with 360-degree rotating chairs, hidden dining tables, and bright panoramic windows for scenic viewing. The experience includes a Sanrio-themed bento dinner served onboard with beer, plus unlimited meals, snacks, and drinks from a dedicated bar carriage throughout the ride. There's also a karaoke carriage with a monthly-updated song list, an activity carriage with capsule toy machines and photo booths, and a collectible themed ticket handed out at random. It's playful, comfortable, and only-in-Taiwan. ---> If you'd prefer not to ride the Sanrio train (whether due to sensory preferences or simply not being interested), please let me know at the time of booking and I'll arrange a regular train ticket timed to arrive in Taipei around the same time as the group. 💌 Have questions? Feel free to save the trip to start a chat with me! 💌