Taipei-Taichung-Nantou-Taipei -3
Day 1: Taipei Departure - Sanxia Old Street - Lunch - Chung She Forwer Garden-Gaomei Wetlands - Night Market( Dinner) - Hotel by Taichung
Sanxia Old Street
Sanxia Old Street—famous for its signature horn-shaped croissants—is also known as Sanjiaoyong Old Street. It’s been a bustling commercial hub ever since the Qing Dynasty. During the Japanese colonial era, the street got a major makeover, and modern Western-style buildings started popping up left and right, marking a golden age for the area.
Walking into Sanxia Old Street today feels just like stepping into a time machine. The endless red-brick arched hallways and beautiful Baroque-style facades give the street its unique, nostalgic vibe.
The area is a fantastic mix of historic sites, amazing food, and rich culture. Aside from the historic architecture, you'll find the street packed with shops selling camphor, dyed fabrics, tea, traditional Chinese medicine, and groceries—all the major industries of Sanxia back in the Qing Dynasty and Japanese era. It's well worth popping into these retro shops to get a feel for what old-school Sanxia was like! And of course, you can’t leave without trying the local eats. Make sure to grab some of Sanxia’s famous horn-shaped croissants (they come in tons of flavors!) and a bowl of the legendary, three-generation-old handmade tofu pudding.
Chung-She Flower Garden
Zhongshe Flower Market is the only low-altitude flower market in central Taiwan to successfully grow tulips. By utilizing unique cold-storage and cultivation techniques to control the blooming schedule, a total of 150,000 tulips take turns blossoming from January to March every year. Whenever you visit during the blooming season, you can immerse yourself in the stunning grandeur of the tulip fields. Without the hassle of traveling abroad, you'll feel as though you've stepped right into a picturesque Dutch landscape.
The spacious fields are planted with a wide array of brilliant colorful flowers by professional growers. The blooming flowers attract large numbers of visitors to enjoy the masses of color and the beauty, as well as the people who love photography would come with their fellows to capture the full bloom. Additionally, many newly married couples are especially fond of choosing the sight to shoot their photos for a lifetime memory.
Gaomei Wetlands
Although Gaomei Wetlands is not vast in size, its combination of both muddy and sandy tidal flats, interspersed with the river mouth's marshland, has nurtured a rich and complex wetland ecosystem. It also boasts the largest known population of Bolboschoenus planiculmis (Yunlin bulrush) in Taiwan. This creates a complex terrain of alternating wet and dry areas accompanied by thriving vegetation. Due to this diverse topography, the ecological species here are highly varied, consisting primarily of birds, fish, crabs, and other invertebrates. Every year during autumn and winter, large flocks of migratory birds arrive as guests. Whether they are stopping for a brief rest or staying for the winter, they add a distinct ecological charm to Gaomei Wetlands, making it a popular new hotspot for birdwatchers.
The Gaomei Bicycle Path runs along the Qingshui Drainage Channel and the sea dike all the way to Gaomei Wetlands. Starting from Binhai Bridge in the south and extending north to the Gaomei Sea Dike flood control road, it spans a total length of 3.3 kilometers. The path runs right alongside the Qingshui Drainage Channel and Gaomei Wetlands, offering not only a bird's-eye view of the entire wetlands but also serving as an excellent spot for birdwatching and watching the sunset. In the future, visitors will also be able to look out at the wind turbines under construction along the western coast, making it a wonderful place for tourists to travel and unwind.
Accommodation Recommendations
GOLDEN TULIP ZHONG XIN HOTEL. https://www.thehotel.com.tw
MOXY Hotel https://www.moxytaichung.com/public
Day 2: Hotel Departure - Lake Cruise -Xiangshan Visitor Center - Lunch - HOHOCHA- Return to Taipei
Sun Moon Lake cruise
Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan’s biggest natural lake, and it is absolutely stunning. The cool thing about it is that you get a totally different view depending on where you're standing.
Taking a boat ride is a absolute must-do here—you can hop between Shuishe, Xuanguang Temple, and Ita Thao piers, just cruising across the gorgeous, shimmering water. As one of Taiwan’s top eight scenic spots, there are so many ways to experience it. You can wander down the mountain trails, catching glimpses of the lake through the lush trees and flowers, or you can just relax on a boat and take in the view from the water.
A day of exploring both land and lake lets you see Sun Moon Lake from every possible angle, leaving you with memories you'll never forget.
Xiangshan Visitor Center
This is more than just a building—it's a stunning piece of landscape art set along the shores of Sun Moon Lake.
Designed by renowned Japanese architect Norihiko Dan, the Xiangshan Visitor Center embraces a minimalist design, free from unnecessary decoration. The entire structure showcases the raw beauty of exposed concrete, creating a clean and timeless look.
Its graceful curved lines stretch across the landscape like a pair of open arms embracing Sun Moon Lake. The rooftop gently follows the natural slope of the hillside, blending seamlessly into the surrounding environment and making the architecture feel like part of the landscape itself.
One of the most breathtaking features is the infinity reflecting pool. The surrounding mountains and lake are mirrored perfectly on its surface, creating a peaceful scene where water, sky, and nature seem to become one. Around every corner, you'll find a picture-perfect view that feels made for photographers.
HOHOCHA
Here is a natural and engaging English translation of the text, keeping its inviting and descriptive tone:
HOHOCHA (Taiwan Xiang Sun Moon Lake Black Tea Factory) is a tourism factory themed around Sun Moon Lake black tea. Its striking Japanese Zen-style wooden architecture is a major eye-catcher. The park perfectly combines modern Taiwanese tea culture with immersive tourism experiences, offering visitors a comprehensive journey into tea culture—from touring the black tea production process to exploring tea gifts for daily life.
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