How Many Days Do You Need to Circle Taiwan? Choosing Between the 6-Day and 7-Day Routes
If you’ve got roughly a week off and want to circle Taiwan, the question that stalls most people is simple: six days or seven? GO TAIWAN’s two in-depth round-island baseline routes happen to make a perfect side-by-side — the 6-day loop is built around food and culture, the 7-day around natural landscapes. This guide lays both routes out flat so you can pick the right pace.
The 6-Day Food & Culture Loop: Eating Your Way Around the Island
The 6-day route runs Taipei → Yilan → Hualien → Taitung → Kaohsiung → Tainan → Taipei, threaded together by each region’s signature food:
- D1 Taipei → Yilan: Jiufen Old Street (lantern-lit at night) and sky lanterns at Shifen, then an overnight hot-spring soak in Jiaoxi, with lunch at the Evergreen Resort Hotel Jiaoxi.
- D2 Yilan → Hualien: the National Center for Traditional Arts, Qixingtan Beach, and Taroko’s Shakadang Trail.
- D3 East Rift Valley: Ruisui Ranch, Sixty Stone Mountain, and Mr. Brown Avenue in Chishang — with the most classic Chishang railway lunchbox at midday.
- D4 Taitung → Kaohsiung: Sansiantai and the Dulan workshops, then straight to Wanluan’s pork knuckle street for lunch.
- D5 Kaohsiung → Tainan: Fo Guang Shan, Cijin seafood, and the street snacks of Tainan’s Guohua Street.
- D6 Tainan → Taipei: Anping Old Fort (Fort Zeelandia) and the Chimei Museum, with lunch at A-Sha Restaurant — reservation required well in advance — before the high-speed rail back north.
In one sentence: every day is anchored by a lunch worth detouring for, from the Jiaoxi hotel spread and the Chishang lunchbox to Wanluan pork knuckle and century-old Tainan banquet cuisine.
The 7-Day Natural Wonders Loop: Gorges, Rice Seas, and High Mountains in One Trip
The 7-day route runs Taipei → North Coast → Yilan → Hualien (2 nights) → Taitung → Kaohsiung → Tainan → Chiayi → Taipei, centered on Taiwan’s remarkably varied terrain:
- D1 North Coast: the Queen’s Head at Yehliu, the painted houses of Zhengbin Fishing Harbor, and Keelung Miaokou Night Market.
- D2 Yilan → Hualien: Jiaoxi hot springs, the Qingshui Cliff viewpoint, and Qixingtan Beach.
- D3 Full day in Taroko: Swallow Grotto, the Tunnel of Nine Turns, the Shakadang Trail, and the Eternal Spring Shrine — with two nights in Hualien, you can go deep into the gorge.
- D4 East Rift Valley: Ruisui Ranch, Sixty Stone Mountain (daylily blooms in August–September), and Mr. Brown Avenue.
- D5 Taitung’s East Coast: the eight-arch bridge at Sansiantai, the sea-carved rock pillars of Shiyusan, and Duoliang Station.
- D6 Kaohsiung → Tainan: Maolin’s gorges (Purple Butterfly Valley from November to March), the Hengchun old town walls, and Eluanbi.
- D7 Alishan, Chiayi: the giant-tree trails, Fenqihu, and Alishan’s tea plantations, then the high-speed rail back to Taipei.
The key difference is two nights in Hualien: Taroko becomes unhurried, and the extra seventh day brings the whole of Alishan into the loop.
The Two Routes at a Glance
| 6-Day Food & Culture | 7-Day Natural Wonders | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Signature regional food | Gorges, sea rocks, rice seas, high mountains |
| Nights in Hualien | 1 night | 2 nights (deeper into Taroko) |
| Alishan | Not included | D7 giant trees + Fenqihu |
| Kenting Peninsula | Skipped | D6 Hengchun old town walls, Eluanbi |
| Seasonal highlights | Works year-round | Daylilies Aug–Sep, purple butterflies Nov–Mar |
| Best for | First-time visitors, food first | Return visitors, landscape photography first |
How to Choose: Three Deciding Questions
- First trip to Taiwan? Go 6 days. The density of cities and food is higher, and you collect Taiwan’s signature experiences in one sweep.
- Want to go deep into both Taroko and Alishan? Go 7 days. These two are the ceiling of Taiwan’s natural scenery, and rushing them would be a shame.
- When are you traveling? Depart in August–September or November–March and the 7-day route gains a seasonal bonus — the golden daylily fields or the Purple Butterfly Valley.
Full day-by-day timetables for both routes are on the itinerary pages: 6-Day Food & Culture Round-Island Tour and 7-Day Natural Wonders Round-Island Tour.
Two Things to Sort Out Before Booking
Round-island days involve longer drives (1.5–3 hours on average), comfortably covered by the daily 10 hours of vehicle use; book accommodation 1–3 months ahead, earlier in peak season.
First, lock in your hotels before finalizing the itinerary — where you sleep sets the rhythm of each day, especially over the summer holidays and Lunar New Year. Second, tell your consultant your group size and preferences; both baseline routes can add or drop stops and stretch or shorten each visit.
For ideas beyond the round-island loop, the five themed itineraries on our homepage cover family trips, trips with parents, slow escapes, pilgrimages, and friend getaways — 15 routes of 2–4 days to mix and match.
FAQ
How many hours of vehicle use do I get each day on a round-island charter?
GO TAIWAN's round-island itineraries include 10 hours of private charter per day. Daily drives on the loop average 1.5–3 hours, so 10 hours comfortably covers both transit and sightseeing stops. Overtime charges and exact packages are confirmed with your travel consultant.
Is accommodation included in the round-island price?
Accommodation isn't included in the charter fee, but we can help arrange it on request. For a round-island trip, book rooms 1–3 months ahead — earlier still for peak season (summer holidays in July–August and Lunar New Year).
Can the 6-day and 7-day routes be adjusted?
Yes. Both routes are baseline versions — if you'd like to add stops, change overnight towns, or shift daily departure times, our travel consultants can tailor everything to your group size and preferences.
How is a round-island charter priced?
Pricing is customized per charter, based on group size, dates, and vehicle type. Tell us your departure date and headcount via LINE or phone, and a travel consultant will reply with a personalized quote.
