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Taiwan itinerary 5 days: Taipei, Jiufen, Shifen and Beitou from one hotel

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This Taiwan itinerary for 5 days keeps you in one Taipei hotel and fills the days with night markets, Taipei 101 from Elephant Mountain, a day trip to Jiufen and Shifen, and the hot springs of Beitou. Every day trip is about an hour each way, so you never repack.

Five days is a good first look at Taiwan. It suits first-timers, couples, friends and families who'd rather eat well and wander than tick off the whole island. Below you'll find each day, why it sits where it does, how to get around, and what to sort out before you fly.

Taipei's skyline and Taipei 101 at sunset, seen from the trail on Xiangshan (Elephant Mountain)
Photo by Jimmy Liao on Pexels

The route at a glance

Why this order? We start with Taipei itself so you learn the MRT and find your favourite night market early. The Shifen and Jiufen day trip sits in the middle, on your freshest full day. Beitou and the National Palace Museum come on Day 4 because both are closed on Mondays, which makes them the easiest day to move.

Day 1: Arrive in Taipei and eat at Ningxia Night Market

The Airport MRT express runs from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei Main Station in about 35 minutes from Terminal 1 and about 39 minutes from Terminal 2. We'd stay near Taipei Main Station or Zhongshan, which puts most of this route on one or two MRT lines.

Keep today easy. Walk the lanes of Zhongshan, and have dinner at Ningxia Night Market, which is small, close by and good for a first night: oyster omelettes, taro balls and braised pork rice.

Day 2: Old Taipei, then sunset from Elephant Mountain

Start at Longshan Temple in Wanhua, which is busy with worshippers from early morning, then walk to the restored Bopiliao street nearby. Head north to Dadaocheng in the late morning for Dihua Street's tea shops, herbal medicine stores and old merchant houses.

In the late afternoon, take the MRT to Xiangshan station and climb the Elephant Mountain trail. It's a steep 20 to 30 minutes up stone steps, and the view of Taipei 101 at sunset is the one on most postcards. Come down for dinner in Xinyi, or go to Raohe Night Market, a short ride away.

Day 3: Day trip to Shifen and Jiufen

Take a train from Taipei to Ruifang, about 40 to 60 minutes, then change to the little Pingxi Line for Shifen. Trains on the branch line run roughly once an hour, so check the times and plan around them. At Shifen, the old street runs right along the tracks, where people release sky lanterns, and Shifen Waterfall is a short walk away.

Come back to Ruifang and take a bus or taxi up to Jiufen in the late afternoon. The narrow old street climbs the hillside, with teahouses looking out to the sea. Stay until the lanterns come on, when the day-trip groups start to leave. Bus 1062 runs back to Taipei and takes about 70 minutes, but the queue can be long on weekends.

Day 4: The National Palace Museum and Beitou hot springs

Spend the morning at the National Palace Museum, which holds one of the largest collections of Chinese art in the world. It's open from 09:00 to 17:00, Tuesday to Sunday, and is closed on most Mondays.

Steam rising from hot spring vents across a geothermal valley in Taipei
Photo by William Chen on Pexels

After lunch, take the MRT to Beitou. Thermal Valley, a steaming green spring pool at the top of the park, is free, open from 09:00 to 17:00 and closed on Mondays. The Beitou Hot Spring Museum is closed for restoration from 9 November 2026 until about October 2027, so don't plan around it. End the afternoon in a hot spring, either at a public bath or by booking a private room at one of the spa hotels.

If you still have energy, ride the MRT to the end of the line at Tamsui for the sunset over the river mouth.

Day 5: A slow morning and the flight home

Have a Taiwanese breakfast of soy milk and egg pancakes, then choose one last stop depending on your flight time. Huashan 1914 Creative Park is good for design shops, and the Taipei 101 observatory on the 89th floor opens at 11:00. Allow about an hour from the city to the airport check-in desk on the Airport MRT.

If you'd rather see more of Taiwan

Swap Day 4 for the high speed rail to Taichung, about an hour from Taipei, for its museums and night markets. Sun Moon Lake is further on by bus and is better with a night there, which makes this a 6-day trip.

Getting around (approximate)

Rough budget per person (approximate, excluding flights)

These are planning estimates, not quotes. Prices move with the season, the exchange rate and how many of you share a room.

What to book early

From Singapore

A non-stop flight from Singapore to Taipei Taoyuan takes about 4.5 to 5 hours. Singapore Airlines, Scoot, EVA Air, China Airlines and Starlux fly the route, with departures through the day and some overnight flights that land early in the morning.

Taiwan (UTC+8) is on the same time as Singapore all year, so there's no time difference to plan around. Neither uses daylight saving.

A Singapore passport doesn't need a visa for a stay of up to 30 days. Your passport needs at least 6 months of validity on arrival, and you need a confirmed return or onward ticket. The 30 days are counted from the day after you arrive, and the stay can't be extended. Every visitor also fills in the Taiwan Arrival Card online before landing. It's free on the official site, twac.immigration.gov.tw, and can be filled in within 7 days before arrival. One person can submit cards for a family or group.

For 2027, this trip fits three windows on our Singapore public holidays 2027 page:

For more short trips, see our weekend getaways from Singapore.

Planning this trip as a group

More itineraries

Sources

Last checked: 30 October 2026.

Questions

Is 5 days enough for Taiwan?

It's enough for Taipei and the day trips around it: the old city, Taipei 101, Jiufen, Shifen and the Beitou hot springs. Seeing the east coast or the south as well needs about 8 to 10 days.

What is the best Taiwan itinerary for 5 days for first-timers?

One hotel in Taipei, with a day trip to Shifen and Jiufen and a half day in Beitou. That is the route on this page. You never repack, and every day trip is about an hour each way.

Do Singaporeans need a visa for Taiwan?

No, for visits of up to 30 days. Your passport needs at least 6 months of validity on arrival, and you need a confirmed return or onward ticket. You also fill in the free online Taiwan Arrival Card before you land.

Is Jiufen worth it on a short trip?

Yes, if you go in the late afternoon and stay until the lanterns come on, when the day-trip crowds start to thin. Pair it with Shifen on the same day so the trip out is worth it.

Do I need a Taiwan rail pass for 5 days?

No. A stored-value EasyCard covers the Taipei MRT, city buses, the Airport MRT and the local trains to Ruifang on this route. A pass only pays off with several long rides on the high speed rail.

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