Cultural Tour

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9Days Cultural Tour
 
Price from $6356 per person on twin sharing basis
 
Taipei – Hualien – Taroko Gorge – Taitung – Tainan – Xinhua – Tainan – Taipei
 
Day 1: Taipei 
Arrive in Taiwan and transfer to Hotel. This afternoon, visit Wanhua, one of the oldest and most interesting parts of Taipei, and home to its best known hall of worship, Longshan Temple, or a wander through the traditional neighbourhood of Dihua Street, famous for its baroque-revival architecture, is not far from the gorgeous Baoan Temple. Take stroll around Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, a landmark dedicated to the Nationalist Chinese leader.
 
Day 2: Taipei  (B)   
This morning, visit the magnificent National Palace Museum. Continue touring the city and visit Martyrs Shrine, where the hourly changing of the guard is a display of breathtaking precision. Then it’s off to Xinbeitou, where Japan left a heavy imprint in terms of architecture and hot-springs culture.
 
Day 3: Taipei – Hualien (B)
Early start today and drive to Hualien on the east coast, enroute stopping at the hot & cold springs park in Jiaoxi in Yilan County. We can, instead, detour to Kavalan Distillery where one of the world’s newest whisky brands has been producing prize-winning editions. A large part of the population in the east is of indigenous Austronesian descent and each of these tribes has its own distinct cuisine. Enjoy some indigenous delicacies (on direct payment) at the acclaimed aboriginal restaurant Dageeli before heading to Hualien.
 
Day 4: Taroko Gorge (B)
Today explore Taroko Gorge, a breathtaking combination of solid rock and rushing water. This not-to-be-missed geological marvel is part of the ancestral territory of the Truku indigenous people. You can take the flat but scenic Baiyang Trail or the more challenging hike up to Lianhua Pond, or to glimpse macaques on the Lushui Trail. Enjoy stunning natural landscapes on either of these walking trails. Alternatively, take a drive to the national park to a former Truku settlement to see demonstrations of indigenous handicrafts.
 
Day 5: Hualien – Taitung (B)  
Drive through the bucolic East Rift Valley, inhabited by multi-ethnic mix of Hoklo, Hakka and several indigenous tribes. Each tribe has its own cuisine and today we’ll be sampling aboriginal delicacies. Stop is Ruisui, famous for its hot springs (if you want a dip, bring your swimsuit). Then on to Guangfu, where the sugar industry once drove the local economy. Further drive through bucolic hamlets and alluring view will bring you to Taitung.
 
Day 6: Taitung – Tainan (B)  
Drive through another part of indigenous Taiwan: the villages that face the Pacific Ocean and the tribal homelands deep in the hills. Enroute, visit the 150-year-old Hsiao Family Residence, the finest traditional mansion in the south and a superb example of Hoklo architecture. On arrival in Tainan, take an evening walking tour to Shennong Street and Chihkan Tower.
 
Day 7: Tainan (B)
Spend the day visiting Anping, the seaside community where Tainan and Han Chinese culture in Taiwan – began. Visit Fort Zeelandia, the stronghold built by the Dutch East India Company in the the early 1630 and Anping Tree House, a 19th-century warehouse dubbed ‘Tainan’s Angkor Wat.’ Also visit Confucius Temple, an austerely beautiful academy-cum-house of worship.
 
Day 8: Tainan – Xinhua – Tainan (B)
Leave Tainan and drive though countryside stopping at the rural town of Yanshui to see a spectcular Roman Catholic church and a private home known as the Octagon. Continue to head to the little town of Xinhua, which has one of Taiwan’s most authentic ‘old streets’, and then onto the Holy Glory Temple.
 
Day 9: Tainan – Taipei (B)
Take a high-speed train from Tainan, straight to Taipei Airport to connect your onward flight
 
Note: This is a private tour, departs daily and can be operated in reverse.
 
Included: Accommodation for 6 nights, meals as per itinerary, transfers and sightseeing as indicated, local English speaking guides and entrance fees.
 
Note: Please contact us if you require more information on different Hotel categories.
 
Prices quoted are valid from 01 October 2021 - 30 September 2022. Cost above is indicative, based on Low Season in NZ Dollars and subject to change due to fluctuation in exchange rates. Please read T&C before booking. Call 09 410 5060 or 0508 EXOTIC (0508 396 842) or email info@exoticholidays.co.nz for more information.