South Link Slow Travel · 2 Days

The South Link is Taiwan travelers' best-kept secret.

With the Central Mountain Range shielding it from the northeast monsoon, Taitung enjoys the mildest winter in all of Taiwan. From Taimali to Duoliang, the South Link Highway hugs the Pacific the whole way, and every bend is its own ocean-view postcard.

This two-day itinerary is in no hurry. We watch a sunrise in Taimali, soak in a hot spring at Jinlun, watch a single train roll past Duoliang Station, and in the evening listen to tribal elders share a story from their community.

Day 1 — Taimali

• 10:00 Pickup at Taitung Station (台東車站), heading south along Provincial Highway 9
• 11:30 Taimali Station (太麻里車站), one of the stations closest to the sea
• 12:00 Local lunch in Taimali — Paiwan-style cuisine
• 14:00 Wangyou Pavilion Trail on Daylily Mountain (金針山忘憂亭, daylily fields visible July–October)
• 17:00 Sunset at Taimali, golden light spread across the Pacific
• 18:30 Jinlun Hot Spring (金崙溫泉), a hot-spring cabin beside a wild creek, with soft, restorative waters
• 20:00 Check in at a local tribal guesthouse in Jinlun; dinner features wild boar cooked by community hosts

Day 2 — Jinlun → Duoliang

• 04:30 Wake early for the Taimali sunrise (the Slam Dunk level crossing)
• 07:00 Tribal breakfast — millet porridge and wild greens
• 09:00 Duoliang Station (多良車站), often called the most beautiful station in Taiwan
• 10:30 A stroll through Dawu (Da-niao) tribal village to learn about Paiwan slate houses and glass beads
• 12:30 Lunch in Dawu Township (大武鄉) — a small fishing-village eatery on the coast
• 14:00 Return along the South Link Highway, passing Taimali and Zhiben
• 16:30 A walk through Zhiben Hot Spring Park (知本溫泉公園) — Zhiben is the alkaline carbonate spa known as "the finest scenery in eastern Taiwan"; a soak can be arranged in advance if you'd like one
• 17:30 Drop-off at Taitung Station

Included

• Private 8-seater vehicle and a local guide throughout
• 1 night at a tribal guesthouse in Jinlun (breakfast included)
• 2 lunches + 1 dinner
• Guided walk on Daylily Mountain
• Use of the private hot-spring room at Jinlun
• Tribal glass-bead storytelling session
• Travel liability insurance

Not Included

• Personal expenses and souvenirs (glass beads available for purchase)
• Soaking fees at Zhiben Hot Spring (please let us know in advance if you'd like this arranged)

Good to Know

• Daylily season runs July–October; in other months the trails stay open but the flower fields are gone.
• Sunrise times in Taimali vary by season — your guide will confirm the best departure time the night before.
• In the early hours of 23 July 2026, Taimali Dawn Memorial Park hosts the one and only Dawn Light Sculpture session of the Taiwan International Balloon Festival — if your trip falls on this day, your guide can swap the sunrise plan for the hot-air-balloon version.
• The South Link Highway occasionally has rockfall sections; routes will be adjusted in heavy rain or after an earthquake.
• During tribal experiences, please respect the community's customs and pace.

The charm of the South Link is that it never raises its voice.

This itinerary is illustrative. The actual partner guesthouses, restaurants, guides, and tribal experiences will be confirmed with you point by point before departure. We don't sell what you can't see.