Taiwan small group holiday

Iconic landmarks, stunning natural landscapes, cultural encounters and historic temples - get beneath the surface of one of Asia’s hottest destinations.
Taipei National Palace Museum Sweet Potato Mama - social enterprise Dihua Street entrepreneur zone Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Hualien Taroko National Park Qingshui Cliff Danong Dafu Forest Park Yilan King Car Distillery Jiufen Turtle Island Sun Moon Lake Puli Chung Tai Chan Monastery Hugosum tea farm Lukang Longshan Temple Wanggong Taichung
Price
£2330£1845To£2990excluding flights
Duration
11 Days
Type
Small group
Reviews
More info
Single supplement from £845 - £855.
Offers
Up to £630 off selected dates.
Late availability on these dates: 03 Oct, 17 Oct, 19 Oct, 24 Oct, 31 Oct, 04 Nov, 07 Nov, 11 Nov, 14 Nov, 18 Nov, 21 Nov, 28 Nov, 12 Dec
Make enquiry

Description of Taiwan small group holiday

Taiwan is rapidly earning a reputation as a major Asian destination, and this small group adventure covers a lot of ground. Packed with fascinating experiences from start to finish, the tour begins in Taiwan’s electrifying and densely populated capital Taipei. Get your bearings with an aromatic visit to the Ningxia night market, or a soak in the hot springs of nearby Yangmingshan National Park.

You’ll visit Sweet Potato Mama, learning how this social enterprise helps women start their own small businesses. You’ll meet the bustling entrepreneurs in the merchant zone, help prepare lunch at an aboriginal village, and stop at a spring onion farm, discovering how one of Taiwan’s favourite foods is grown, and how to prepare them in a pancake for a delicious snack.

On a boat trip out to Turtle Island, depending on the time of year, you might see hundreds of dolphins, or whales. There are many more dramatic landscapes to enjoy, such as the vast Qingshui Cliff in Taroko National Park, Danong Dafu Forest Park with its chattering birdlife, and the iconic Sun Moon Lake where you’ll trek the scenic Ci’en Pagoda trail.

Other highlights include a tour of the island’s only whisky distillery, a chance to have a soothing foot massage at a historic temple, and a chance to roll your own black tea leaves at a farm visit. Oh, and did we mention the food? There are plenty of night markets to wander throughout Taiwan, where you might sample fish balls, molasses cakes, coffin bread and even the famous ‘exploding’ chicken rolls!

Map

Price information

£2330£1845To£2990excluding flights
Single supplement from £845 - £855.
Make enquiry

Check dates, prices & availability

Travel guides

Taiwan
Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, can create contemporary culture shocks although traditional Chinese heritage is never far from the shiny surface, especially...
Solo travel
I love going solo: dinners, theatre trips, gigs, planes, and lovely long train journeys. I’m not alone: the majority of Responsible Travel staff have ...

Holiday information

Small group tour, ideal for solos & couples:
Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modeled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, travelling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. For those with limited time, a small group tour will save valuable time in planning, and on holiday.

Reviews

2 Reviews of Taiwan small group holiday

4 out of 5 stars
SHOW
1
0
1
0
0

Reviewed on 01 May 2023 by

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Evening markets
Taroko Gorge
Lukang Township
Diverse activities

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Lots of free time to explore on your own

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


Yes

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?



Reviewed on 29 May 2019 by

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Kayaking on Sun Moon lake and the walk in Taroko gorgebe

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Be prepared for a western level of infrastructure. Definitely a first world
culture. Not a cheap place to visit.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


Benefited local people.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


Not as good as expected. Fell short of the description of trip. Only one and a half hours walk in Taroko gorge and no chance of free time to do other trails. Didn't do hot springs at Yilan. Would have been better to see Yehliu Geopark rather than yet another market at Jiufen ( no views cos of mist ).
No chance to see the mangroves at Wanggong. We didn't actually pick oysters there and it was a waste of time. We needed a guided tour of the old quarter of Lukang in order to appreciate it. The noodles trip did not materialise either. All in all the trip wasn't quite as described. The guide, Irene, was excellent though.

Responsible Travel

As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your holiday to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.

Planet

Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, boasts one of the most efficient recycling systems in the world, and our leaders will explain how it works during our travellers’ initial welcome meeting. They will then understand best practise when it comes to waste disposal throughout the trip.

In a lot of the accommodation we stay in there are kettles available to use if passengers want to fill up their bottles with tea, coffee or water for the day. This dissuades them from buying bottled water in an attempt to decrease plastic waste.

Our leaders will also encourage travellers to purchase their own chopsticks to avoid using instant ones. Instant chopsticks are very common in lots of Taiwanese eateries and the plastic consumption and waste they create is substantial. As part of learning and adapting to Taiwanese food culture, it’s a great idea to carry a pair with you. Plus, they make a great souvenir to take back home!

People

On this trip, travellers will take part in the fun yet purposeful activity of selling sweet potatoes to locals on the street. The initiative is called the Sweet Potato Mama Project and helps single mothers live independently by allowing them to become vendors of these traditional Taiwanese root vegetables.
This project is supported by the Genesis Social Welfare Foundation (GSWF), which has long been helping women to earn an independent living. We will help the mamas to sell their produce, get to know them and learn about their lives as they teach us how to roast sweet potatoes.

There are plenty more hands-on experiences included on this tour such as a visit to a local farm, a noodle making class and tea picking. In Taiwan’s smaller towns and cities, they face issues of labour loss because young people prefer to move to the bigger cities for a taste of modern life and better job opportunities.

Tourism definitely alleviates this issue somewhat and our group’s visit helps to support the local economy, retain their workforce and preserve the local traditions and culture too.

Popular similar holidays

Highlights of Ancient Greece holiday

Highlights of Ancient Greece holiday

From £1949 - £2749 9 days including UK flights

A cycling adventure around the 'island of serendipity'

Bulgaria small group holidays

Bulgaria small group holidays

From £3295 12 days excluding flights

A superb tour exploring the Bulgaria's undiscovered beauties

Hunza and Skardu cultural tour, Pakistan

Hunza and Skardu cultural tour, Pakistan

From £2360 14 days including domestic flights only

Experience the rich cultural heritage of Karakoram valleys