Taiwan Taipei 7-Day Itinerary — Quick Answer
As of 2026- Trip length
- 7 days
- Est. cost / person (mid, ex-flights)
- $1,070
- Budget–luxury
- $535–$2,410
As of 2026, the recommended Taipei 7-day route runs Day1 Modern Taipei · Day2 Old Taipei + Shilin · Day3 Jiufen + Shifen · Day4 Beitou + Tamsui · Day5 Yangmingshan + Maokong · Day6 Tainan HSR Day Trip · Day7 Kaohsiung HSR Day Trip OR Slow Taipei Final Day, grouping the must-see sights with minimal backtracking. Estimated cost per person (excluding flights) is around $1,070 on a mid-range budget. Seven days unlocks south Taiwan. Days 1-5 cover Taipei + day trips (3-day essentials + Beitou + Yangmingshan). Day 6: HSR to Tainan (1.5 hours from Taipei) — Taiwan's oldest city, the food capital, 17th-century forts + temples + danzai noodles. Day 7: Continue HSR to Kaohsiung (2 hours from Taipei) — Taiwan's southern port city, the Pier-2 art district, Lotus Pond, Cijin Island sunset. Or return Tainan → Taipei same day.
7-Day Total Budget at a Glance
Budget
$535
Per person, flights excl.
Mid-Range
$1,070
Per person, flights excl.
Luxury
$2,410
Per person, flights excl.
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Day-by-Day Detailed Schedule
Modern Taipei
Taipei 101 · RaoheActivities
- 13:00 Din Tai Fung lunch 1.5 hours
Xiaolongbao.
Cost: $10-25 / NT$320-800 - 17:00 Taipei 101 1.5 hours
Observatory.
Cost: $19 / NT$600
Meal Recommendations
Dinner
Raohe
Songshan · $10-25 / NT$320-800
Pepper buns
MRT.
DAY 1 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Old Taipei + Shilin
Longshan · XimendingActivities
- 09:30 Longshan Temple 1.5 hours
1738 temple.
Cost: Free - 13:00 Beef noodles lunch 1 hour
Lin Dong Fang.
Cost: $8-15 / NT$250-470
Meal Recommendations
Dinner
Shilin
Shilin · $10-25 / NT$320-800
Hot Star chicken
MRT.
DAY 2 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Jiufen + Shifen
Mountain + lanternsActivities
- 10:30 Jiufen Old Street 2-3 hours
Lanterns + tea.
Cost: $10-25 / NT$320-800 - 14:30 Shifen Sky Lanterns 1 hour
Release wishes.
Cost: $6-10 / NT$200-300
Meal Recommendations
Lunch
Amei Tea House
Jiufen · $10-25 / NT$320-800
Tea + sweets
TRA + Pingxi Line.
DAY 3 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Beitou + Tamsui
Hot springs + riverActivities
- 11:00 Hell Valley + Beitou bath 3 hours
Hot springs.
Cost: $1-60 / NT$40-1,800 - 16:45 Tamsui sunset 3 hours
River walk.
Cost: $10-25 / NT$320-800
Meal Recommendations
Dinner
Tamsui or back
Tamsui / Central · $10-50 / NT$320-1,580
Fish dishes
MRT Red Line.
DAY 4 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Yangmingshan + Maokong
National park + cable carActivities
- 10:00 Yangmingshan sulfur springs 3 hours
Volcanic park.
Cost: Free - 16:30 Maokong cable car 2 hours
Tea mountain.
Cost: $8 / NT$240
Meal Recommendations
Dinner
Mala Hot Pot or RAW
Xinyi · $30-220 / NT$950-7,000
Hot pot or Michelin
Bus + MRT + cable car.
DAY 5 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Tainan HSR Day Trip
Taiwan's oldest city · food capital · 17th-century fortsActivities
- 08:00 HSR Taipei → Tainan 1.5 hours
90 min by High Speed Rail, NT$1,490 / $47 each way. Book online via Klook or HSR app for 10% discount.
Cost: $94 / NT$2,980 round-trip - 10:00 Anping Old Fort (Fort Zeelandia) 1.5 hours
1624 Dutch fort, restored. Free entry. Taiwan's oldest European structure — Tainan was Taiwan's capital under Dutch rule 1624-1662.
Cost: $2 / NT$70 - 12:00 Anping Old Street + lunch 2 hours
Tainan's signature: danzai noodles (担仔麵, invented 1895), oyster vermicelli (蚵仔麵線), coffin bread. Eat at Du Hsiao Yueh (the original danzai noodle).
Cost: $15-30 / NT$470-950 - 14:30 Chihkan Tower (Provincial City God Temple) 1 hour
1653 Dutch-built Fort Provintia, repurposed as Confucian temple. Free entry to gardens; NT$50 / $1.60 for interior.
Cost: $2 / NT$50 - 16:00 Tainan Confucius Temple 1 hour
Taiwan's oldest Confucian temple (1666). Free entry. Cooler atmosphere than the tourist-stuffed Anping.
Cost: Free - 17:30 Hayashi Department Store + dinner area 1.5 hours
1932 art deco department store, restored. Western-style café on roof; pair with Hayashi Lin (next door).
Cost: Variable - 19:30 HSR back to Taipei 1.5 hours
90 min HSR. Last trains 22:00.
Cost: Already on round-trip
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
HSR station café
Taipei Main · $5-10 / NT$160-320
Quick coffee + sandwich
Lunch
Du Hsiao Yueh (Tainan)
Tainan · $15-30 / NT$470-950
Danzai noodle origin + oyster vermicelli
Dinner
HSR station bento or Taipei dinner
HSR / Taipei · $8-50 / NT$250-1,580
Quick bento on train or full dinner in Taipei
HSR (High Speed Rail) Taipei → Tainan 90 min. NT$2,980 / $94 round-trip. Discount tickets via Klook.
DAY 6 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Kaohsiung HSR Day Trip OR Slow Taipei Final Day
Southern port city · art district · Cijin Island OR slow goodbyeActivities
- 08:00 HSR Taipei → Kaohsiung 2 hours
2 hours by HSR, NT$1,630 / $52 each way.
Cost: $103 / NT$3,260 round-trip - 10:30 Pier-2 Art Center 2 hours
Former warehouse district turned street-art + design hub. Free entry to outdoor zones; galleries variable. The most photogenic + young Kaohsiung experience.
Cost: Free - 12:30 Lunch in Pier-2 area 1 hour
Kaohsiung-style danzai noodles or Taiwan-style burgers at design-conscious cafés.
Cost: $10-25 / NT$320-800 - 14:00 Ferry to Cijin Island 2 hours
5 min ferry, NT$30 / $1 each way. Cijin Old Street has Taiwan's largest seafood marketplace + Cihou Lighthouse (free, panoramic view).
Cost: $2 / NT$60 round-trip - 16:30 Lotus Pond + Dragon-Tiger Pagodas 1.5 hours
MRT Zuoying — 2 ornate pagodas (entering dragon mouth, exiting tiger mouth brings luck). 1976 build, free entry, photogenic Buddhist site.
Cost: Free - 18:30 Kaohsiung HSR back to Taipei 2 hours
2 hours back. Last train 22:30.
Cost: Already on round-trip - 21:00 Farewell dinner — RAW (if booked) or favorite night market 2.5 hours
Final feast.
Cost: $15-220 / NT$470-7,000
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Pier-2 café
Kaohsiung · $5-12 / NT$160-380
Design-conscious café
Lunch
Pier-2 lunch
Kaohsiung · $10-25 / NT$320-800
Kaohsiung-style dishes
Dinner
RAW or final night market
Taipei · $15-220 / NT$470-7,000
Last-night feast
HSR Taipei → Kaohsiung 2 hours. NT$3,260 / $103 round-trip. Alternative: slow final day in Taipei — repeat favorites, last shopping, no commute.
DAY 7 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Book Taipei Tours & Tickets
Packing Checklist
- ✓ Same 5-day list + lightweight day-trip backpack
- ✓ Camera with extra battery (lots of photo days)
- ✓ Bottled water — south Taiwan hotter than Taipei
Taipei 7-Day Itinerary FAQ
Tainan or Kaohsiung for the day trip? ▼
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Why you can trust 7-day itinerary
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.