Enjoy a three-day food tour as you taste a variety of traditional Taiwanese snacks and meals in Taipei. From beef noodles to bubble milk tea, you'll explore signature dishes in local neighborhoods and see cultural landmarks around the city.
Itinerary:
Day 1 – Taipei City
• After flying into Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei, transferring to the capital, and resting up for a bit in your hotel, we’ll begin our gourmet expedition with an early-ish dinner that represents mainstream culinary traditions: Ultra-fresh ingredients braised, steamed or turned into soups; vegetables wok-fried with garlic; and delicious local fruit for dessert.
• After-dark Taipei is brim-full of distractions. Depending on your preferences, we can take you for a spot of shopping in glitzy Xinyi District, a wander through the far more traditional neighbourhood of Dihua Street, or a look at the gorgeous Baoan Temple. The evening will end with a look (and a sampling of traditional snacks) at one of Taipei’s night markets.
Day 2 – Wulai Scenic District
• Taipei is dominated by Taiwanese of Chinese descent, but just outside the capital there’s a gorgeously scenic district called Wulai. It’s popular with birdwatchers, hot-spring aficionados and hikers. Many of Wulai’s 6,000 residents are members of the Atayal ethnic group, one of the island’s 16 Austronesian indigenous tribes. For a quick introduction to Taiwan’s aboriginal people and their delicious food, we’ll drive you to some of Wulai’s most scenic corners before sitting down for a lunch that’ll include roasted meats and foraged vegetables.
• If you wish we can spend the entire day in Wulai. Alternatively, we can drive to one of the region’s fishing harbors for a seafood feast. As befits one of the world’s great fishing nations (Taiwan’s pelagic fishing fleet ranks no. 1 in the world for Pacific saury, no. 2 for tuna and no. 3 for squid), the Taiwanese have a tremendous appetite for seafood and love to eat at dockside restaurants.
Day 3 – Taipei City
• Whatever time your flight out, we’ll help you make the very most of your final day in Taiwan. If we’re driving you to the airport, there may be time for a lunch featuring Hakka cuisine. Many traditional dishes created by the Hakka people, who account for around one seventh of the island’s population, were regarded as oily and salty. However, in line with modern preferences for healthy fare, innovative Hakka chefs have updated their recipes, while retaining its characteristic pork and pickle flavours.
