Complete 5-Day Tour in Taiwan
Take a 5-day excursion in Taiwan with this complete island tour. From Taipei to Sun Moon Lake, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Kenting, the East Coast and Yilan, discover the country’s most beautiful places in an optimized itinerary, ideal for a first trip.
Taiwan is the kind of destination that feels made for a 5-day tour: compact enough to travel across, yet incredibly diverse. In just a few days, you can go from Taipei’s skyline to alpine lakes, from historic forts to tropical coastlines, and from wild East Coast cliffs to relaxing hot springs. This page presents a complete 5-day Taiwan round island tour based on a popular, well-optimized route: Taipei → Sun Moon Lake → Tainan → Kaohsiung → Kenting → Taitung → Hualien → Yilan → Taipei. Whether you’re traveling independently or looking for a ready-made guided tour, this program shows what to see and do in Taiwan in 5 days with day-by-day highlights, cultural stops and scenic nature.
Taiwan 5-Day Tour: Key takeaways
- 🗺️ Complete 5-day route: Taipei, Sun Moon Lake, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Kenting, East Coast, Yilan.
- 🏞️ Nature + culture: temples, forts, coastal landscapes, hot springs and local traditions.
- ⏱️ Optimized logistics: guided coach transport + a scenic train segment (Hualien → Yilan).
- 🛏️ Overnights included: Sun Moon Lake, Kaohsiung, Taitung (hot spring resort), Yilan.
- 🛂 Before you travel: Make sure to complete your Taiwan Arrival Card, the mandatory entry form for all visitors.
Your 5-day Taiwan tour begins with a scenic drive from Taipei into the mountains of Central Taiwan. Sun Moon Lake is one of the country’s most iconic natural excursions, known for calm waters, forested hills and viewpoints that feel worlds away from the capital. It’s the perfect first stop to ease into the journey and shift from city energy to nature.
✨ Day 1 highlights:
Starting your 5-day Taiwan tour at Sun Moon Lake is ideal: it combines culture, landscapes and a relaxed pace, making it one of the best opening stages of a guided round-island trip.
Overnight: stay at Fleur De Chine Hotel in Sun Moon Lake, Le Méridien Taichung in Taichung, or a similar hotel.
After breakfast, your guided Taiwan tour continues south to Tainan, the island’s oldest city and a true cultural treasure. The day blends colonial history, traditional streets and local flavors before heading to Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s southern metropolis where modern city life meets deep spiritual traditions.
✨ Day 2 highlights:
This is one of the most balanced days of a 5-day Taiwan tour, combining history in Tainan with a powerful cultural experience at Fo Guang Shan.
Overnight: stay at Grand Hilai Hotel in Kaohsiung (or similar).
Day 3 brings a more tropical feel to your 5-day Taiwan tour. After breakfast, you head to Kenting National Park, Taiwan’s most famous coastal destination, known for dramatic cliffs and ocean views. Later, the journey continues to Taitung on the southeast coast, a region loved for its slower pace and relaxing hot spring resorts.
✨ Day 3 highlights:
If you’re choosing what to do in Taiwan for 5 days, Kenting is the perfect way to add beaches, cliffs and a laid-back coastal atmosphere to your tour.
Overnight: hotel in Taitung City (or similar), often with hot spring access.
The East Coast is often considered the most scenic part of Taiwan, and this day of your guided round-island tour shows why. You follow the coastline where mountains drop into the Pacific, stopping at major natural landmarks before enjoying a comfortable train ride from Hualien to Yilan to end the day smoothly.
✨ Day 4 highlights:
This part of the trip is a highlight of any 5-day Taiwan tour, offering raw nature, fewer crowds and unforgettable coastal landscapes.
Overnight: Wellspring by Silks Jiaoxi in Yilan (or similar), a popular base for relaxation.
Your final day focuses on Yilan’s cultural and local experiences before returning to Taipei, bringing your 5-day Taiwan tour to a smooth conclusion. The program blends gastronomy, crafts and heritage, before heading back to the capital to complete this round island guided tour.
✨ Day 5 highlights:
Ending your guided Taiwan tour from Taipei via Yilan is a smart choice: close to the capital, easy to return from, and rich in cultural experiences.
To make the most of your 5-day Taiwan tour, it helps to plan around transport, weather and comfort. This route is designed to keep travel times efficient while still allowing plenty of time for sightseeing and relaxation.
✨ Travel advice:
A well-organized 5-day Taiwan tour balances cities, culture and nature, offering a smooth and complete introduction to the island.
If you have more time in Taiwan or want to extend your 5-day Taiwan tour, the island offers many iconic attractions that can easily be added as day trips or short extensions.
In Taipei, a visit to Taipei 101 is a must. Just outside the capital, Jiufen Old Street and Shifen Waterfall are among the most popular day trips from Taipei.
Nature lovers shouldn’t miss the spectacular Taroko Gorge, one of the most impressive natural sites in the country. If you’re staying in Taipei, you can easily organize 👉 a day trip to Taroko Gorge from Taipei, ideal for discovering cliffs, tunnels carved into the rock, and marble landscapes in just one day. On the northern coast, Yehliu Geopark offers unique rock formations. For culture and history, the National Palace Museum is an essential stop. Nearby, Beitou Hot Springs and Yangmingshan National Park make a perfect nature-and-relaxation combo. If you’re staying in the capital, one of the easiest nature escapes is 👉 a Yangmingshan National Park day trip from Taipei. This guided excursion takes you from the city to volcanic landscapes, hot springs, bamboo forests and scenic viewpoints in just half a day, making it a perfect complement to a longer round-island tour.
Further inland, Sun Moon Lake remains one of Taiwan’s most peaceful destinations. Finally, for a quieter cultural escape, Pinglin Tea Museum offers insight into Taiwan’s tea traditions.
By adding one or two of these stops, you can create an even more complete Taiwan tour that perfectly balances cities, culture and nature.
Find out if your question has been answered in the list below
In 5 days, Taiwan is best discovered through a guided tour that combines cities, culture and nature. A well-designed route usually includes Taipei, Sun Moon Lake, historic Tainan, Kaohsiung, Kenting National Park and the scenic East Coast. This type of tour lets you see the highlights without rushing, with an optimized schedule and smooth logistics.
Yes, 5 days is enough to cover the main highlights if you choose a well-organized 5-day Taiwan tour. With comfortable transport and a logical route, you can combine major cities, cultural landmarks and natural scenery efficiently. It’s an ideal format for a first trip, offering a great overview without the stress of planning everything yourself.
The best option is usually a round island guided tour starting and ending in Taipei. It typically includes Sun Moon Lake, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Kenting, the East Coast and Yilan. This structure ensures variety, smooth travel days and minimal backtracking, making it one of the most efficient ways to explore Taiwan in a short time.
For most travelers, a guided 5-day Taiwan tour is easier and more comfortable than traveling independently, especially on a first visit. It simplifies transport, hotels and daily planning, while making sure you don’t miss the key attractions. Independent travel is possible, but a guided tour saves time and removes logistical stress when covering long distances in just five days.