2-Day Family Fun from Taipei: Taichung, Sun Moon Lake, Leofoo Village Theme Park

Your tour guide will meet you at your hotel or any designated meeting place in downtown Taipei. Hop in the car, kick back and enjoy a scenic ride to the first destination on your two-day trip.

The tour starts with a visit to Sun Moon Lake, the biggest natural lake in Taiwan. The lake is divided by Lalu Island; the east side of the lake resembles the sun while the west side resembles the crescent moon, hence the name. The area around the lake is also the home to the Thao people, a group of Taiwan indigenous peoples. With a rich indigenous culture and abundant natural beauty, Sun Moon Lake has become one of the top-ranked destinations in Taiwan.

Before lunch, you will enjoy a cozy lake cruise by a motorboat that you can fully enjoy the stunning landscapes around you. 

After lunch, you head off to the next destination, Taichung. The first stop after your arrival is Miyahara. It was originally an ophthalmology clinic, founded by the Japanese ophthalmologist—Miyahara during Japanese colonization. After the retrocession of Taiwan, the building was taken over by the government, then acquired and renovated by a local pastry company, which transformed this former eye clinic into a retro-style pastry and ice cream parlor.

Today, Miyahara is widely known for its Hogwarts-alike interior design and various flavors of ice cream. If you are a Harry Potter fan or have a sweet tooth, this place is unmissable.

Hidden in the West District of Taichung City, the Painted Animation Lane has become one of the most photogenic places to snap an Instagram moment thanks to the popularity of Japanese animations. Walking through this colorful alleyway, the scenes of the classic Japanese animations and manga such as “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Your Name”, “Gundam”, “Dragon Ball” and many more, can be spotted on every corner. Whether you are an anime fan or not, strolling through this alley is just like taking a trip back to childhood.

Speaking of the origin of the Painted Animation Lane, it was simply because one of the residents found the walls too boring and monotonous as he repainted the walls, so he painted his favorite anime characters. Soon after, his painting became famous among the neighborhood, and people followed suit one after another, making this originally simple and unadorned alley went viral and become an Instagrammable spot.

In addition to the anime characters painted on the walls, the houses are also worth seeing when you ramble through the alley. The metal roofing, steel doors and window frames, and the brick walls offer a glimpse into the early lifestyle of Taiwanese people.

Your tour continues with a stop at National Taichung Theater, an opera house designed by the famous Japanese architect—Toyo Ito.

The opera house is referred as one of the most difficult architectures to build in the world, because of its curved surfaces. Here you can enjoy a close-up view of this architectural masterpiece, appreciating every detail created with innovative construction methodologies by the master. Even if you are not here for an opera or a musical, the building itself will provide you with an extraordinary experience as you walk through it.

Lastly, before the end of the day, you will visit the biggest night market in Taiwan—Fengjia Night Market.

Even though the night market is always crowded, there is no better way to experience the local culture than visiting a night market. Fengchia Night Market is known for a wide variety of street food, including the locals’ most beloved, such as Taiwanese popcorn chicken, sausage with sticky rice, stinky tofu, papaya milk, bubble tea, etc, will make you drool.

In addition to the food, the clothing and accessories here are also trendy and fairly priced.  

Overnight: Feng Chia Beacon Hotel, Taichung or equivalent

After a good night’s sleep, enjoy a warming and filling breakfast at the hotel before meeting up your tour guide to continue your central Taiwan tour.

The first stop on the day is Chung-she Flower Garden, also known as Chungshe Flower Market. The vast and colorful garden covers 6 hectares, featuring hundreds of thousands flowering plants, such as tulips, sunflowers, calla lilies, roses and many more. From January to December, there are always beautiful flowers blooming in the garden. Whenever you come to visit, it will never cease to amaze you.

In addition to the fascinating flower beds, there are gorgeous installations like swing chairs, floral arches, the replicas of piano and windmills, etc, which are perfect for photo shooting.

After that, enjoy a “wild” day in Leofoo Village Theme Park, one of the most popular amusement parks in Taiwan. The park features 4 areas: the Wild West, South Pacific, Arabian Palace and African Tribe. The Water Park is open during the summer time.

The South Pacific is where the visitors can experience many exciting and thrill rides featuring South Pacific and the age of dinosaurs; the Great Pirate is the biggest pirate ship ride in Taiwan.

The Arabian Palace will take you on an Arabian journey with the immersive rides featuring “One Thousand and One Nights”, as if the well-known bedtime stories come to life.

The Wild West is designed based on the Tombstone Town in Arizona State in North America, a famous mining town in the 19th century. Besides the exciting rides and the VR experience, you will soak in the atmosphere of America’s old western town.

The African Tribe is the only safari zoo in Taiwan, where a wide range of more than 70 species and over a thousand wild animals can be seen.

After an extremely fun day, you will head back to your hotel or designated drop-off place in downtown Taipei with precious memories.