AI-Crafted Travel Plan · October 2026
Seoul, Busan & Taipei Autumn Escape
9 Days · 3 Hubs · Bengaluru → Seoul → Busan → Taipei → Bengaluru
✈️ BLR Departure · 15 Oct 2026 (night)
3 Hubs · 8 Nights
🍁 Seoul Autumn Foliage
🐟 Seafood-Forward
🌊 Busan Beaches & Jagalchi
🏮 Taipei Night Markets
0
Departure Day
Bengaluru → Seoul ✈️
Day 0
Fly Out from Bengaluru
Thu · 15 Oct
›
Late-Night Departure · Bengaluru
Have dinner at home before heading out — it's a post-midnight departure, so the terminal will be quiet.
✈️ Thai Airways · TG326 + TG652 · via Bangkok
💰 ₹42,479 / person · ₹84,958 for 2
Flight Details
- Leave home ~21:30 Thu 15 Oct — this is a post-midnight departure, so you're heading to the airport Thursday night, not Friday evening.
- DepartsBLR 00:55 · Fri 16 Oct 2026 (TG326) — Kempegowda International Airport
📍 Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru - LayoverBangkok (BKK) 06:20–07:55 · 1h35m — Suvarnabhumi Airport, stay airside
- ArrivesICN 15:25 · Fri 16 Oct 2026 (TG652) — Incheon International Airport (~11h total transit incl. layover)
- On arrivalClear immigration, then take the AREX All-Stop Train or Express Train from Incheon Airport to Seoul Station, transfer to Myeongdong (Line 4). Budget ~1h to hotel.
🎟️ AREX All-Stop — ₩4,750/person one-way (~₹292pp, ₹584 for 2) · Express — ₩9,500/person (~₹1,167 for 2)
📍 Incheon International Airport (ICN) - Check inNine Tree by Parnas Seoul Insadong — drop bags, freshen up, and head straight into Day 1's evening plan.
📍 Nine Tree by Parnas, Insadong, Seoul
1
Hub One · 3 Nights
Seoul, Myeongdong & Insadong 🍁
Day 1
Arrival Evening in Insadong
Fri · 16 Oct
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~21°C / 10°C · Seoul · Clear Autumn Evening
Crisp and cool once the sun goes down — a light jacket is enough for tonight's stroll.
🏨 Nine Tree by Parnas Seoul Insadong
⏰ Light evening only — you land mid-afternoon, real time starts ~17:30
Today's Plan — Touch Down & Ease In
-
15:25 · Land at Incheon (ICN) Clear immigration and collect baggage — budget 45–60 min. Then take the AREX all-stop train to Seoul Station (₩4,750/pp, ~₹292pp) and a short transfer or taxi on to Insadong, or go straight for a direct airport taxi (~₩55,000–65,000 flat, ~₹3,383–3,998, 60–75 min door-to-door) — worth it after a long flight with luggage on this tight evening window.
📍 Incheon International Airport (ICN) -
17:30 · Check In — Nine Tree by Parnas, Insadong Drop bags, freshen up. 49 Insadong-gil, Jongno District.
📍 Nine Tree by Parnas, Insadong -
18:15 · Insadong Culture Street A pedestrian street of traditional tea houses, hanji paper shops, galleries and antique stores — right outside the hotel, a zero-effort first activity to shake off the flight.
🚶 5-min walk from the hotel.
🎟️ Free to browse · Shops generally open 10:00–20:00/21:00
📍 Insadong Culture Street -
19:30 · Dinner — Gwangjang Market Seoul's oldest traditional market and its most famous street-food destination — try haemul pajeon (seafood scallion pancake), bindaetteok (mung bean pancake), and mayak gimbap. Walk-up, point-at-what-looks-good style, no reservation.
🚇 Walk 20 min from Insadong, or Line 3 Anguk → transfer Line 1 → Jongno 5-ga, Exit 8, 3-min walk (~12 min total). 🚕 Taxi ~₩5,500 (₹338), 8 min.
🎟️ ~₩25,000–35,000 for 2 sampling 3–4 stalls (~₹1,538–2,153) · Cash useful, though most stalls now take cards · Open ~09:00–23:00, food alley busiest 17:00–22:00
📍 Gwangjang Market, Seoul - ⚠️ Rest early — a big day starts early tomorrow.
Day 2
Palaces, Han River & N Seoul Tower
Sat · 17 Oct
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~22°C / 9°C · Seoul · Sunny, Peak Foliage
One of the best-weather days of the year in Seoul — layer up for the morning, breezy on the river in the afternoon.
🏨 Nine Tree by Parnas Seoul Insadong
⏰ Full day, 3 zones — palace area → Yeouido → Namsan/Myeongdong. Keep moving.
🛥️ Today's water/adventure-forward block
Today's Plan — Palace, River & Skyline
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9:00 AM · Gyeongbokgung Palace Seoul's largest and grandest royal palace (1395), with the Geunjeongjeon throne hall and the stunning Gyeonghoeru Pavilion beside its lotus pond. Catch the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate (~10:00, ~20 min) if timing allows.
🚶 18-min walk from hotel or 🚕 8 min (~₩4,500/₹277).
🎟️ ₩3,000/adult → ₩6,000 for 2 (~₹369) · Optional: rent hanbok nearby for free palace entry instead · Open 09:00–18:30
📍 Gyeongbokgung Palace -
10:30 AM · Bukchon Hanok Village A hillside neighbourhood of 600-year-old traditional hanok houses, still lived in today — narrow lanes, tiled roofs, and some of Seoul's best skyline viewpoints (Bukchon 8th viewpoint is the postcard shot). It's residential — please keep noise down.
🚶 15-min walk from Gyeongbokgung's east gate/Samcheong-dong. Within 15 min — grouped together.
🎟️ Free entry, always accessible
📍 Bukchon Hanok Village -
11:45 AM · Lunch — Insadong/Bukchon A traditional Korean set-meal restaurant in the area — good mid-priced option.
🚶 10-min walk toward Insadong.
🎟️ ~₩15,000–25,000pp → ~₹1,850–3,080 for 2 -
1:30 PM · Yeouido Hangang Park — Bike Rental Rent bicycles from the riverside kiosks and cycle the Han River path — wide, flat, scenic paths right along the water, your headline water/adventure slot for the day.
🚇 Anguk (Line 3) → transfer Line 5 → Yeouinaru Station, Exit 2/3, direct into the park (~30–35 min). 🚕 Taxi ~25 min (~₩13,000/₹800).
🎟️ ~₩3,000–6,000/hour per bike — budget ~₩15,000 for 2 for 1.5 hrs (~₹923)
📍 Yeouido Hangang Park -
3:00 PM · Han River Cruise (E-Land Cruise) A 40–45-min daytime cruise along the Han, passing under Seoul's bridges with skyline views.
🚶 5–10-min walk along the riverside from the bike rental spot. Within 15 min — grouped together.
🎟️ ₩19,900/adult → ₩39,800 for 2 (~₹2,448) · Departures roughly every 1–2 hrs
📌 Can walk up, but booking online (Klook/Seoul Travel Pass) the day before guarantees a slot.
📍 E-Land Cruise, Yeouido Pier -
4:15 PM · Namsan Cable Car A 3-minute glass cable-car ride up Namsan mountain with panoramic city views — skips the climb, keeps the view.
🚇 Line 5 Yeouinaru → transfer Line 2/4 toward Myeongdong Station Exit 3 (~30 min), or 🚕 taxi ~25 min (~₩15,000/₹923) direct to the base station.
🎟️ Round trip ₩15,000/adult → ₩30,000 for 2 (~₹1,845) · Open 10:00–23:00
📍 Namsan Cable Car -
4:45 PM · N Seoul Tower Observatory Seoul's most iconic landmark — 360° observatory deck, the "love locks" fence, and (on clear days) views to the Han River and beyond. Good late-afternoon light for photos.
🚶 Direct — upper cable car station is 2 min from the tower base.
🎟️ ₩29,000/adult walk-up · ~₩21,000–23,000/adult online (Klook/KKday) → for 2: ~₩42,000–46,000 online (~₹2,583–2,829) · Open 10:00–23:00
📌 Book online in advance for the discount and to skip the line.
📍 N Seoul Tower -
6:15 PM · Cable Car Down + Myeongdong Browse Ride down, then wander Myeongdong's shopping and street-food alleys (tteokbokki, corn dogs, roasted chestnuts).
🚡 Cable car down (5 min) + 🚶 10-min walk into Myeongdong.
🎟️ Free to walk · Snacks ₩3,000–8,000 each
📍 Myeongdong Shopping Street -
7:00 PM · Dinner — Myeongdong Nakji A dedicated octopus specialist (4.6★) — sannakji, octopus hotpot, octopus pancake. Casual sit-down, squarely on-brief for seafood-forward, adventurous eating.
🚶 5–7 min walk from the Myeongdong shopping street.
🎟️ ₩10,000–40,000/dish — budget ~₩60,000–70,000 for 2 (~₹3,690–4,305) · Open 11:00–22:00 daily
📍 Myeongdong Nakji
Day 3
Changdeokgung Secret Garden & Gangnam
Sun · 18 Oct
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~19°C / 8°C · Seoul · Clear, Best Foliage Day
Cool morning for the Secret Garden walk — this is likely the single best foliage spot of the whole Seoul leg.
🏨 Last night in Seoul · KTX to Busan tomorrow morning
📌 Secret Garden needs advance online booking — English tours are capped and sell out in foliage season
Today's Plan — Best Foliage, Then Pack for Busan
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9:00 AM · Changdeokgung Palace A UNESCO World Heritage palace, the best-preserved and most naturally landscaped of Seoul's royal palaces — less crowded than Gyeongbokgung and architecturally beautiful.
🚶 18-min walk from hotel or 🚕 8 min (~₩4,500/₹277).
🎟️ ₩3,000/adult → ₩6,000 for 2 (~₹369) · Open ~09:00–17:30 · Closed Mondays (fine, this is a Sunday)
📍 Changdeokgung Palace -
10:30 AM · Secret Garden (Huwon) Guided Tour A sprawling, gorgeously landscaped royal garden behind the palace — pavilions, a lotus pond, and centuries-old trees turning spectacular colour in mid-late October. Likely the best true foliage experience on this trip. Only accessible via a timed guided tour.
🚶 Direct — inside the same complex.
🎟️ ₩5,000/adult on top of palace admission → ₩10,000 for 2 (~₹615) · Combined with palace: ₩16,000 for 2 (~₹984)
📌 Book ASAP at royal.khs.go.kr as soon as the booking window opens (~1 month ahead) — English tour slots (~50 online + 50 on-site) sell out in peak foliage season.
📍 Changdeokgung Secret Garden (Huwon) -
12:15 PM · Lunch — Ikseon-dong Hanok Alley A trendy pocket of restored hanok houses turned cafés and restaurants, right next to Changdeokgung — relaxed lunch with photogenic hanok-alley backdrops. Look for a modern-Korean spot with a seafood dish to keep the seafood thread going.
🚶 10-min walk from the Secret Garden exit.
🎟️ ~₩20,000–30,000pp, ~₩40,000–60,000 for 2 (~₹2,460–3,690)
📍 Ikseon-dong Hanok Alley -
2:00 PM · K-Star Road, Gangnam A busy shopping avenue celebrating K-pop's biggest stars — decorated "GangnamDol" bear statues line the street, each one sponsored by/dedicated to a different idol or group. Good browsing and photo stops, plenty of cafés along the way.
🚇 Anguk (Line 3) → transfer → Apgujeong/Sinsa area (~30–35 min). 🚕 Taxi ~25 min (~₩13,000/₹800).
🎟️ Free to walk
📍 K-Star Road, Gangnam -
3:30 PM · Starfield Library, COEX Mall A jaw-dropping public library inside COEX Mall's basement — 13-metre-tall bookshelves under a soaring atrium, one of Seoul's most photographed interiors and genuinely free to wander (no library card needed to browse). Rated 4.6★ from nearly 7,000 reviews.
🚕 10–15 min taxi or bus from K-Star Road (~₩6,000/₹369), both in Gangnam-gu.
🎟️ Free entry · Open 10:30 AM–10 PM daily
📍 Starfield Library, COEX Mall -
6:00 PM · Farewell Seoul Dinner — Gwangjang Market One more round of haemul pajeon before you leave the city — a fitting last-night seafood stop, and a good spot to buy dried squid/seaweed snacks to take on the train.
🚇 Subway from COEX/Samseong (Line 2) → transfer toward Jongno, ~30 min. 🚕 Taxi ~25 min (~₩12,000/₹738).
🎟️ ~₩20,000–30,000 for 2 (~₹1,230–1,845)
📍 Gwangjang Market - ⚠️ 7:30 PM · Back to Hotel, Pack for Busan Early night — the KTX to Busan leaves from Seoul Station tomorrow morning. Have bags ready to go.
2
Hub Two · 1 Night
Busan, Haeundae 🐟
Day 4
KTX to Busan & Haeundae Evening
Mon · 19 Oct
›
~22°C / 14°C · Busan · Mild Coastal Air
Noticeably milder and breezier than Seoul — a light jacket for the evening beach walk is enough.
🏨 Toyoko Inn Busan Haeundae 2
⏰ Pack up in Seoul before breakfast — KTX departs Seoul Station at 10:00
🌊 Just 1 night here — keep moving
Today's Plan — Seoul to the Coast
-
10:00 AM · KTX Seoul → Busan Fastest direct KTX takes 2h15m (some services stop at Daejeon/Daegu, adding 15–30 min — book a direct one if possible). Arrives Busan Station early afternoon.
🎟️ ~₩59,800pp one-way → ~₹7,355 for 2 (one-way; the return leg to Seoul is skipped since you fly onward from Busan)
📍 Seoul Station -
~12:15 PM · Arrive Busan Station → Haeundae Subway (Line 1 → transfer Seomyeon → Line 2 → Haeundae, ~40 min, ₩1,500–1,700pp) works but is awkward with luggage. Taxi recommended — 30–45 min direct, no transfers.
🎟️ Taxi ~₩15,000–25,000 flat (~₹923–1,538)
📍 Busan Station -
1:00 PM · Check In — Toyoko Inn Busan Haeundae 2 Drop bags, freshen up. 3–8 min walk from the beach.
📍 Toyoko Inn Busan Haeundae 2 -
1:30 PM · Haeundae Beach Korea's most iconic beach — a 1.5 km stretch of clean white sand with a lively promenade of cafés and street food, skyline as backdrop. An easy first stop right after checking in.
🚶 Walking distance from the hotel.
🎟️ Free · Open 24/7
📍 Haeundae Beach -
3:00 PM · Haeundae Blueline Park — Sky Capsule A glass sky-capsule ride along the cliffside coast from Mipo to Cheongsapo (~30 min) — your water/coastal-adventure block for Busan.
🚶 Mipo Station is a 15–20 min walk along the coast from the main beach, or a short taxi (~₩4,000–5,000).
🎟️ 2-seat, one-way Mipo→Cheongsapo ₩40,000 → ~₹2,460 for 2 · Open 9:00 AM–8:30 PM
📌 Book ahead at bluelinepark.com if possible.
📍 Blueline Park, Mipo Station -
3:45 PM · Cheongsapo Daritdol Skywalk A 72.5-metre glass-floor observation pier shaped like a blue dragon, jutting out over the water right at the Cheongsapo end of the Blueline ride — sea, village and lighthouse views straight down through the glass. Free and genuinely worth the short detour since you're already at the station (4.4★, 5,700+ reviews).
🚶 5-min walk from Cheongsapo Station. Within 15 min of the Sky Capsule stop — grouped together.
🎟️ Free entry · Open 7:00 AM–10:00 PM daily
📍 Cheongsapo Daritdol Skywalk -
4:30 PM · Beach Train back to Mipo The open-air beach train retraces the cliffside route back to Mipo, a relaxed way to close the loop after the skywalk.
🚶 Back at Cheongsapo Station.
🎟️ ₩8,000–10,000pp (~₹492–615pp)
📍 Blueline Park, Cheongsapo Station -
6:00 PM · Gwangalli Beach — Sunset & Gwangan Bridge A curved beach facing the illuminated Gwangan Bridge — the view transforms after dark as the bridge cycles through colours. (If it's a Saturday in summer season, there's sometimes a drone light show ~8 PM and 10 PM — worth checking.)
🚕 15–20 min taxi from Mipo (~₩9,000–12,000, ~₹553–738).
🎟️ Free
📍 Gwangalli Beach -
7:30 PM · Seafood Dinner — Millak Raw Fish Center A 10-story building right on Gwangalli — live-seafood market on the ground floor, sashimi (hoe) restaurants upstairs with bridge views. Pick your fish downstairs, eat it upstairs, similar in spirit to Jagalchi but smaller and right where you already are.
🚶 Walking distance — north end of Gwangalli Beach. Within 15 min — grouped together.
🎟️ No entry fee · Sashimi platter for 2 ~₩40,000–70,000 (~₹2,460–4,305) · Cash often preferred at smaller stalls
📍 Millak Raw Fish Center
Day 5
Jagalchi, Gamcheon & Taejongdae + Night Flight to Taipei
Tue · 20 Oct
›
~23°C / 15°C · Busan · Clear Coastal Day
Good visibility for the Taejongdae cliffs — bring a light windbreaker, it's breezy at the lookout.
🏨 Last night in Busan · fly out tonight
⏰ Wrap sightseeing by ~18:00 — Taejongdae to Gimhae Airport is ~80 min by taxi
✈️ EASTAR JET ZE983 · PUS→TPE · 22:20 → 00:20+1 · nonstop
Today's Plan — Seafood, Village, Cliffs, Then Fly
- 8:30 AM · Depart Hotel Check out, luggage in tow for the day — pack light-access items for the flight since you're going straight to the airport tonight.
-
9:15 AM · Jagalchi Fish Market Korea's largest seafood market — live fish, crab, and octopus stalls on the ground floor with cook-upstairs restaurants, Busan's answer to Noryangjin with its own old-port character. Good for an early seafood lunch.
🚇 Subway Line 2 (Haeundae) → transfer Line 1 at Seomyeon → Jagalchi Station, ~40–45 min total.
🎟️ Free to browse · Pay per kg for fish + ₩5,000–8,000/dish cooking fee upstairs — budget ₩40,000–60,000 for 2 (~₹2,460–3,690) · Open 5:00 AM–10:00 PM, closed 1st & 3rd Tuesdays
📍 Jagalchi Fish Market -
11:15 AM · Gamcheon Culture Village The "Machu Picchu of Busan" — pastel houses cascading down a hillside, murals, small art installations, café-lined alleys. Involves real uphill/downhill walking, budget proper time rather than a quick drive-by.
🚕 10–15 min taxi from Jagalchi (~₩7,000–9,000, ~₹430–553).
🎟️ Free · Optional stamp-rally souvenir map ₩2,000 (~₹123) from the tourist info office · Open 9:00 AM–6:00 PM (Mar–Oct)
📍 Gamcheon Culture Village -
1:30 PM · Taejongdae Park A dramatic cliffside park on Yeongdo island — pine forests, a lighthouse, and sheer drops to the sea. Ride the Danubi loop train around the cliff-top trail rather than walking the whole loop, to protect the airport buffer.
🚕 20–30 min taxi from Gamcheon (~₩15,000–18,000, ~₹923–1,107) — public transit here involves multiple bus changes and 1hr+, not worth it against today's flight deadline.
🎟️ Park entry free · Danubi Train ₩3,000/adult → ₩6,000 for 2 (~₹369) · Park open ~4:00 AM–midnight, Danubi Train ticketing 9:00 AM–5:30 PM (Oct–May)
📍 Taejongdae Park -
⚠️ 5:45 PM · Taxi to Gimhae International Airport ~80 min door to door — leaves a comfortable 3-hour buffer before the 22:20 international departure for check-in, immigration and security.
🎟️ Taxi ~₩25,000 (~₹1,538)
📍 Gimhae International Airport (PUS) - 10:20 PM · Depart PUS — EASTAR JET ZE983 Nonstop to Taipei (TPE), ~3h flight, arrives 00:20, Wed 21 Oct.
3
Hub Three · 4 Nights
Taipei, Ximending 🏮
Day 6
Redeye Landing from Busan, Slow Start
Wed · 21 Oct
›
~27°C / 21°C · Taipei · Warm & Humid
A big jump from Seoul's autumn chill — shorts and sandals weather, even at night.
🏨 COMMA Boutique Hotel, Ximending
⏰ Redeye landing — hotel check-in ~2:00–2:30 AM, real activity starts ~11:00
Today's Plan — Ease Into Taipei
-
12:20 AM · Land at Taipei (TPE) Direct flight from Busan (Gimhae) — clear immigration, then Taoyuan Airport MRT to Taipei Main Station, transfer to Ximen (Blue Line). Check in around 2:00–2:30 AM and sleep in — no early alarm today.
📍 Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport -
11:00 AM · Brunch — Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle An iconic Ximending street-food stall — mee sua (rice noodle) with pork intestine or oyster. A 2-minute walk from the hotel, the perfect low-effort first meal.
🚶 2-min walk from hotel.
🎟️ ~NT$75–90/bowl → ~NT$160 for 2 (~₹408) · Cash preferred · Open ~10:00 AM–11:00 PM
📍 Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle -
11:30 AM · Longshan Temple Taipei's most important folk-religion temple (built 1738) — ornate Qing-dynasty architecture, incense-filled courtyards, locals praying for love and luck. A genuine slice of local life, not just a photo-op.
🚇 MRT Ximen → Longshan Temple, 1 stop direct (~2 min), or 🚶 15–20-min walk.
🎟️ Free entry · Open 6:00 AM–9:30/10:00 PM
📍 Longshan Temple (Bangka Longshan Temple) -
12:15 PM · Bopiliao Old Street A preserved Qing-dynasty and Japanese-era shophouse street, now a quiet open-air heritage block — atmospheric and uncrowded, a good photo stop.
🚶 5–10-min walk east on Guangzhou St. Within 15 min of Longshan Temple — grouped together.
🎟️ Free (outdoor street; some indoor halls free too) · Open 9:00 AM–9:00 PM
📍 Bopiliao Old Street -
2:00 PM · Free Time in Ximending Your own neighbourhood — pedestrian shopping streets, street murals, and the historic Red House (Ximending Hong Lou) theatre/market. A good low-key jet-lag buffer block.
🚶 15–20-min walk back, or 1 MRT stop.
🎟️ Free to browse -
3:30 PM · Beitou Public Hot Spring + Thermal Valley A relaxing, therapeutic soak after the overnight flight — Beitou is Taipei's historic hot-spring village. The public outdoor pool (mixed bathing, swimsuit required) is the budget-local way to do it; Thermal Valley next door is a milky-turquoise geothermal lake you view (too hot to touch).
🚇 MRT Blue Line (Ximen) → transfer Red Line at Taipei Main Station → Beitou → transfer to the pink Xinbeitou shuttle branch (every 6–8 min, 3-min ride) → Xinbeitou, 5-min walk. Total ~30–35 min, 2 transfers, EasyCard works throughout.
🎟️ Public Hot Spring ~NT$60/person → NT$120 for 2 (~₹306), cash only · Thermal Valley viewing free · Pool open ~9:00 AM–8:00 PM, Thermal Valley 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (closed Mondays)
📌 A private couple's room at nearby spa hotels runs NT$700–800/50 min if you'd prefer privacy over the mixed communal pool.
📍 Beitou Public Hot Spring 📍 Beitou Thermal Valley -
7:00 PM · Seafood Dinner — Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market Right beside Longshan Temple — oyster omelette, stir-fried clams with basil, grilled squid, seafood soup. The old "snake alley" reputation is gone; it's now a clean, food-focused market, less crowded than Shilin.
🚇 Same route back toward Ximen, then 5-min walk from the hotel.
🎟️ ~NT$500–700 for 2 (~₹1,275–1,785) · Open late afternoon–midnight, stalls mostly close by 10 PM
📍 Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market
Day 7
Bitan Boating & Taipei 101
Thu · 22 Oct
›
~28°C / 22°C · Taipei · Sunny & Warm
Good sun for the boating — bring a hat and sunscreen; the humidity picks up by afternoon.
🏨 COMMA Boutique Hotel, Ximending
🚣 Today's water/adventure-forward day
Today's Plan — Lake, Tower & Night Market
-
9:30 AM · Bitan (Green Lake) — Swan Boating Your headline water/adventure slot: a scenic river-lake in Xindian ringed by cliffs, with a landmark red suspension bridge. Rent a pedal or electric swan boat and paddle around — genuinely fun, cheap, and a proper adventure beat rather than another temple.
🚇 MRT Green Line (Songshan–Xindian) direct from Ximen, no transfer, ~25 min to Xindian station, then 5–10-min walk to the riverside.
🎟️ ~NT$400 per boat for 30 min (fits 2) + NT$100 refundable deposit → effectively NT$400 for both of you (~₹1,020) · Cash · Open 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
📌 "Bitan West Shore Boats" nearby has notably better reviews (4.9★) than the main operator if available.
📍 Bitan (Green Lake), Xindian -
11:30 AM · Light Lunch — Xindian Old Street Braised pork rice and local snacks at the old street near Bitan MRT, before heading back into the city.
🚶 5–10-min walk from the boating dock.
🎟️ ~₹500–800 for 2
📍 Xindian Old Street -
1:30 PM · Taipei 101 Observatory The classic Taipei skyline icon — the world's former tallest building, indoor observatory on floors 88–91 with 360° views, plus the famous 660-ton tuned mass damper visible through glass.
🚇 MRT Green Line to Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall → transfer Red Line (Tamsui–Xinyi) → Taipei 101/World Trade Center, Exit 4, direct into the mall basement. ~34 min, 1 transfer.
🎟️ Standard Observatory NT$600/person → NT$1,200 for 2 (~₹3,060) · Optional Skyline 460 (open-air 101F) adds NT$980/person · Fast-Track skip-queue NT$1,200/person · Open 10:00 AM–9:00 PM
📌 Pre-book online (official site/Klook/KKday) — noticeably faster entry than walk-up, especially at peak sunset hours.
📍 Taipei 101 Observatory -
⚡ Optional · 4:00 PM · Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) A free, ~20-minute walk up steep stone steps to the famous "Six Boulders" viewpoint for postcard shots of the tower and skyline — especially nice at dusk. A hiking-only spot, so it's kept optional/secondary here rather than a headline stop; skip if tired from Bitan + 101, or squeeze it in for sunset before dinner.
🚶 0.85 km, ~20 min from Taipei 101.
🎟️ Free · Trail lit until ~10 PM
📍 Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) -
7:00 PM · Seafood Dinner — Ningxia Night Market Datong District — the Yuan Huan Bian oyster omelette stall (No. 46 Ningxia Rd) is a local legend, plus fresh seafood stalls, dim sum, grilled squid and gua bao. Several Michelin Bib Gourmand stalls here.
🚇 Red Line direct (no transfer) from Taipei 101 to Zhongshan/Shuanglian, ~25–30 min, then 5–10-min walk.
🎟️ ~NT$500–800 for 2 (~₹1,275–2,040) · Open 5:00 PM–1:00 AM, busiest 7–10 PM
📌 Alternative: swap in Addiction Aquatic Development (a high-end seafood market with standing sushi bars and fresh sashimi counters, cash only, 7 AM–10 PM) for a sit-down seafood meal instead of market stalls.
📍 Ningxia Night Market 📍 Addiction Aquatic Development (alt.)
Day 8
North Coast: Yehliu, Keelung, Shifen & Jiufen
Fri · 23 Oct
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~26°C / 21°C · North Coast · Sunny
Coastal breeze at Yehliu — bring a light layer for the exposed cape and the cooler hillside evening in Jiufen.
🏨 COMMA Boutique Hotel, Ximending
⏰ Long day, ~13 hrs door to door — start early
📌 Alternative: a fixed-loop day-tour (Klook/KKday, ~NT$550–900/person) removes the multiple transit transfers if you'd rather not self-navigate
Today's Plan — Coast, Waterfall & Lanterns
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8:00 AM · Depart for Yehliu MRT Ximen → Taipei Main Station (Blue Line, direct, ~10 min) → Kuo-Kuang Bus #1815 to Yehliu (~75–90 min, NT$96/person → NT$192 for 2, ~₹490, EasyCard OK).
📍 Taipei Main Station -
~9:30 AM · Yehliu Geopark Bizarre wind- and wave-eroded rock formations along a coastal cape — the famous "Queen's Head" rock and honeycomb/candlestick formations. A flat, easy coastal walk, not exertive — the trip's coastal/geological substitute for a generic hike.
🚶 5–10-min walk from the bus stop to the Geopark entrance.
🎟️ Adult NT$120/person → NT$240 for 2 (~₹612) · Open 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
📍 Yehliu Geopark -
11:00 AM · Seafood Lunch — Keelung Miaokou Night Market One of Taiwan's most famous seafood-focused street-food markets, centred on the 1873 Dianji Temple. Tempura, butter crab, fresh seafood stalls, oyster omelette, stewed eel soup.
🚌 Local bus toward Keelung (#790/#862, ~40–50 min, ~NT$50/person) from Yehliu.
🎟️ ~NT$500–700 for 2 (~₹1,275–1,785) · Open Mon–Sat 12:00 PM–12:00 AM (works for lunch)
📍 Keelung Miaokou Night Market -
2:00 PM · Shifen Waterfall + Sky Lantern Release Taiwan's widest waterfall (40m, "Little Niagara"), 10-min walk from Shifen Old Street; then the signature Pingxi experience — write a wish on a paper lantern and release it over the old railway tracks.
🚆 Train Keelung → Ruifang (~33 min, transfer at Qidu, ~NT$25/person), then Pingxi Branch Line Ruifang → Shifen (~30 min). Buy the Pingxi Line Day Pass at Ruifang station (NT$80/person → NT$160 for 2, ~₹408) — unlimited hop-on/off the branch line.
🎟️ Waterfall park free entry · Sky lantern NT$200 (1-colour) / NT$250 (4-colour, shared) / NT$300 (8-colour) / NT$450 (eco-material) → a shared 4-colour lantern for both of you ~NT$250 (~₹638), or one each ~NT$500 (~₹1,275) · Park open 9:00 AM–5:30 PM, lanterns forbidden 10 PM–6 AM
📌 Walk-up only — buy lanterns directly from any track-side shop, no advance booking needed.
📍 Shifen Waterfall 📍 Shifen Old Street (Sky Lanterns) -
5:30 PM · Jiufen Old Street (Evening) The atmospheric hillside town with narrow lantern-strung alleys, tea houses, and sea/mountain views — best at dusk when the red lanterns light up.
🚆 Pingxi Line train back to Ruifang (~30 min, covered by the day pass) → Bus #788/#827/#1062 Ruifang → Jiufen (~15–20 min, NT$15/person → NT$30 for 2, ~₹77).
🎟️ Free to walk · Tea house sit-down ~NT$300–500/person · Street snacks (taro balls, fish ball soup, peanut ice cream roll) NT$50–100 each · Shops generally open 10:00 AM–8:00 PM, street/lanterns stay lively into the evening
📍 Jiufen Old Street - ~9:00 PM · Return to Ximending Bus #1062 from Jiufen to MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing station (~1 hr 25 min, every 30 min, ~NT$95–100/person → ~NT$190–200 for 2, ~₹485–510) → MRT to Ximen (Blue Line, ~20 min with a transfer). Expect to be back ~9:30–10:00 PM.
Day 9
Last Morning + Fly Home
Sat · 24 Oct
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~26°C / 22°C · Taipei · Warm, Last Morning
One last warm Taipei morning before heading home — keep it light, no MRT trips beyond the airport run.
⏰ Leave the hotel area by ~10:00 AM — flight departs 14:05
✈️ TG633 + TG325 · TPE→BLR via Bangkok · 14:05 → 23:55
Today's Plan — Short Morning, Then Home
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7:30 AM · Breakfast Ay-Chung again, or any Ximending breakfast stall (congee, soy milk shop) — stay within a 5-minute walk of the hotel, no MRT needed.
🚶 Within 5 min of hotel.
🎟️ ~₹300 for 2 -
8:30 AM · Last Light Stroll — Ximending & Red House A relaxed final wander through your home neighbourhood — grab any last souvenirs, photos at the Red House (Ximending's Japanese-era octagonal market building) or the street-art alleys. Nothing scheduled or ticketed.
🚶 Within Ximending, no transit needed.
🎟️ Free
📍 Red House, Ximending -
9:30 AM · Pack Out, Check Out COMMA Boutique Hotel, Ximending.
📍 COMMA Boutique Hotel, Ximending -
⚠️ 10:00 AM · Depart for Taoyuan Airport MRT Ximen → Taipei Main Station (Blue Line, direct, ~10 min) → Taoyuan Airport MRT Express (~35–37 min, NT$160/person → NT$320 for 2, ~₹816, 15-min frequency). Arrive airport ~11:00 AM — 3+ hours before the 14:05 departure for international check-in, immigration and security.
📍 Taipei Main Station -
2:05 PM · Depart TPE — Thai Airways TG633 + TG325 Via Bangkok (BKK), landing Bengaluru 23:55 same day.
📍 Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE)