Taiwan

Day 1 | Monday 25 October
Arrive Taipei
Travellers arrive into Taipei throughout the day, with individual transfers arranged by Academy Travel to our hotel in the lively Zhongshan District. In the late afternoon we gather for an introductory talk before exploring nearby Dihua Street, one of Taipei’s oldest commercial precincts. Established in the 19th century, its traditional shophouses, tea merchants and Chinese medicine stores reflect the prosperity of the former trading quarter and preserve an important chapter in the city’s development. Here we enjoy a welcome dinner together before returning to our hotel. Overnight Taipei (D)

Day 2 | Tuesday 26 October
Wanhua & Zhongzheng
Taipei’s historic core reflects the city’s transformation from a Qing frontier settlement into a modern capital shaped by Japanese colonial planning and the political changes of the 20th century. The districts of Wanhua and Zhongzheng preserve many of the landmarks that illustrate these successive layers of Taiwan’s identity. Following a morning talk in the hotel, we begin in Wanhua, Taipei’s oldest district, with a visit to Longshan Temple. Founded in 1738 by settlers from Fujian, it remains one of Taiwan’s most important places of worship. We then continue to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, where a vast marble memorial, formal gardens, monumental gateways and an expansive public square express the political ideals of the Republic of China during the late 20th century. Lunch is enjoyed at a local restaurant before we conclude our day by ascending Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest building, for panoramic views across the city basin to the surrounding mountains. Overnight Taipei (B, L)

Day 3 | Wednesday 27 October
Tainan
As Taiwan’s oldest city and first capital, Tainan preserves the foundations of the island’s colonial and cultural history. Established by the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century and later developed under Qing rule, it remains one of Taiwan’s most historically significant centres. Departing Taipei this morning, we travel south aboard Taiwan’s High-Speed Rail to Tainan. On arrival, we begin at the Chimei Museum, whose remarkable collections span European painting, sculpture, decorative arts, natural history and one of the world’s most significant collections of stringed instruments. Following lunch together in the city, we explore Tainan’s historic quarter, beginning at Anping Fort, established by the Dutch in 1624 as Fort Zeelandia to secure their trading interests in East Asia. We continue to the Tainan Confucius Temple, founded in 1665 and regarded as Taiwan’s first Confucian academy, before checking into our hotel. In the evening, we explore one of Tainan’s celebrated night markets, where dinner showcases a variety of the city’s distinctive street-food traditions. Overnight Tainan (B, L, D)

Day 4 | Thursday 28 October
Chiayi
Museums do more than preserve works of art – they also shape the stories societies tell about themselves. The Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum was established to complement its counterpart in Taipei by placing Chinese civilisation within the broader artistic traditions of Asia, examining the exchange of ideas, beliefs and craftsmanship that has connected the region for centuries. Leaving Tainan this morning, we travel north to Chiayi to explore the galleries of this ambitious satellite museum, where ceramics, textiles, Buddhist sculpture and decorative arts are presented alongside exhibitions exploring the cultural interactions between China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and India. After a break for lunch in the museum café, we continue to the Museum of Old Taiwan Tiles. Founded in 2015 and housed within a restored Japanese era warehouse, it displays about 1,500 restored ceramic tiles recovered from local heritage properties. We then check into our hotel before gathering for dinner this evening. Overnight Chiayi (B, D)

Day 5 | Friday 29 October
Alishan
Constructed during the Japanese colonial period to transport timber from Taiwan’s mountain forests, the Alishan Forest Railway is regarded as one of the world’s great mountain railways. Climbing from the subtropical plains into cool alpine forest, its narrow-gauge line traverses steep gradients through a remarkable series of switchbacks, tunnels and bridges, revealing the dramatic landscapes of the Alishan National Scenic Area. Travelling to Chiayi Station this morning, we board the Alishan Forest Railway for our ascent into the mountains. Our first stop is Fenqihu, a former railway settlement that developed as an important service centre during the logging era. Here we stroll through its atmospheric Old Street, where traditional timber buildings and local food stalls preserve the character of this historic mountain community, before enjoying lunch together. Reboarding the train, we continue through forests of cedar and cypress to Alishan. On arrival, we explore the highland landscape on foot before returning to Chiayi by coach in the late afternoon. Overnight Chiayi (B, L)

Day 6 | Saturday 30 October
Lugang
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Lugang was one of Taiwan’s busiest ports, prospering through maritime trade with mainland China. As its harbour gradually silted up, commercial activity shifted elsewhere, leaving behind one of the island’s best-preserved historic towns, where temples, merchant houses and narrow lanes evoke the character of Qing-era Taiwan. Departing Chiayi, we travel north to Lugang and explore its historic centre by pedicab, an ideal way to navigate the town’s network of narrow streets and alleyways. Our tour includes the richly ornamented Tianhou Temple, dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu, and passes through streets lined with traditional shophouses. Following lunch together, there is time to wander at leisure before visiting the Lugang Folk Arts Museum, housed in the former Koo Family Mansion. Its rich collection of Ming and Qing dynasty artifacts were donated by the family to promote the preservation of the town’s culture, with items ranging from porcelain, lacquer ware and embroidery to musical instruments and religious objects. We then continue to our hotel for an evening at leisure. Overnight Lugang (B, L)

Day 7 | Sunday 31 October
Taichung to Sun Moon Lake
Established in 1988, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts was the first public museum in Taiwan dedicated exclusively to modern and contemporary art. Its collections document the emergence of a distinctly Taiwanese artistic identity through periods of colonial rule, political change and rapid modernisation. Departing Lugang this morning, we travel to Taichung to visit this museum, with ample time to explore its galleries showcasing painting, sculpture, photography and mixed-media works by many of Taiwan’s leading artists. Following lunch together, we continue into Taiwan’s mountainous interior to Sun Moon Lake, arriving at our lakeside hotel in the afternoon. There is time to relax and enjoy the tranquil setting before dinner is served in the hotel’s Japanese restaurant. Overnight Sun Moon Lake (B, L, D)

Day 8 | Monday 1 November
Sun Moon Lake
Set at 748 metres above sea level, Sun Moon Lake occupies a central place in Taiwan’s cultural and environmental landscape. Long associated with Indigenous Thao traditions and later shaped by Japanese-era infrastructure, the lake’s distinctive form – its eastern side rounded like the sun, its western side crescent-shaped like the moon – has inspired centuries of artistic and literary response. Our exploration begins at a nearby Assam tea farm, where we learn how the Japanese introduced Assam tea to the region in the early 20th century before sampling local Oolong and black teas. We then continue to Xuanguang Temple, dedicated to Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang, whose pilgrimage to India and translation of Buddhist scriptures profoundly influenced the development of Buddhism throughout East Asia. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the tranquil lakeside setting or explore independently. Overnight Sun Moon Lake (B)

Day 9 | Tuesday 2 November
The Chung Tai World Museum
Buddhism has shaped Taiwan’s cultural and intellectual life for centuries, with monastic institutions continuing to play an active role in education, art and spiritual practice. The Chung Tai World Museum represents a contemporary expression of this tradition, combining religious purpose with the preservation and interpretation of Buddhist art. After a morning talk in our hotel, we travel to Puli to visit the museum, affiliated with the nearby Chung Tai Chan Monastery. Before entering the galleries, time is spent in the monastery’s vast lobby, where a monumental Buddha introduces the scale and ambition of the complex. We then continue into the Wood Gallery, before exploring the main collections with a guide. These collections trace the development of Buddhism across Asia, from early Indian sculpture to Chinese and Southeast Asian devotional works, alongside calligraphy and finely carved timber figures. Following a break for lunch, we return to the hotel in the afternoon. Overnight Sun Moon Lake (B)

Day 10 | Wednesday 3 November
Across the Central Mountains
The Central Mountain Range forms the mountainous spine of Taiwan, dividing the island’s densely populated western plains from its rugged eastern coast. Completed in 1960, the Central Cross-Island Highway was a remarkable engineering achievement, opening a route across some of Taiwan’s most dramatic and inaccessible terrain through towering peaks, deep river valleys and sheer marble gorges. Leaving Sun Moon Lake behind today, we follow this highway eastwards, venturing through the island’s mountainous interior. As we descend towards Taroko, forested highlands give way to the spectacular marble cliffs and deep gorges carved over millions of years by the Liwu River. Arriving in Taroko National Park, we pause at Tianxiang, where the Xiangde Temple occupies a commanding position above the gorge. Our exploration then follows the gorge road to our hotel, where dinner is served this evening. Overnight Taroko (B, D)

Day 11 | Thursday 4 November
Along the East Coast
Taiwan’s east coast presents one of the island’s most dramatic natural landscapes. Here, the Central Mountain Range meets the Pacific Ocean in a narrow corridor of towering cliffs, forested slopes and rocky headlands, shaped by the continuing collision of the Philippine Sea and Eurasian tectonic plates. Return to Taipei today, our journey north takes us to Qingshui Cliff, where we admire its towering marble escarpments and expansive views across the Pacific Ocean before. Lunch is the enjoyed at a local Indigenous restaurant in Xiulin before continuing along Taiwan’s spectacular east coast to Taipei, where a traditional tea ceremony provides an introduction to the customs of preparing and serving Taiwan’s celebrated teas. The evening is at leisure on arrival to our hotel. Overnight Taipei (B, L)

Day 12 | Friday 5 November
The National Palace Museum
The preservation of China’s imperial collections in Taiwan represents one of the most significant cultural transfers of the 20th century. The National Palace Museum houses more than 500,000 objects, tracing the development of Chinese civilisation across millennia, with works once held in the Forbidden City and relocated to Taiwan in 1949. We visit the museum this morning, beginning with an introductory tour before there is time to explore the galleries in greater depth. The collections encompass ancient bronzes, jade carvings, painting and calligraphy, alongside the refined ceramics of the Ming and Qing dynasties, offering insight into both artistic achievement and imperial patronage. After a break for lunch, the afternoon is at leisure to revisit the museum or explore Taipei independently. This evening, we gather for a farewell dinner in the hotel’s Teppanyaki restaurant. Overnight Taipei (B, D)

Day 13 | Saturday 6 November
Depart Taipei
Our tour concludes after breakfast. Day-use hotel rooms are available until 6.00pm before evening departures. (B)