Taiwan is only about 390 km long, yet a road climbs from sea level to 3,275 m at the Wuling pass on Hehuanshan, and on the east coast the Central Mountain Range drops straight into the Pacific. A car turns that geography into a day’s drive: marble gorge in the morning, alpine meadow at lunch, a hot spring by dark.
The west coast is a corridor of cities joined by freeways and high-speed rail, and you do not need a car there. The driving trips are in eastern Taiwan, where Highway 11 follows the coast and Highway 9 runs down the East Rift Valley to Taitung, in the central mountains around Sun Moon Lake and Alishan, and at the southern tip around Kenting, where buses are thin and the best stops sit between towns.
Car hire is cheap by regional standards, roads are well built and signed in English as well as Chinese, and fuel stations are everywhere on the main routes. The catch is paperwork: you need the right International Driving Permit.
At a Glance#
- The classic drive: the east coast from Yilan through the Suhua cliffs to Hualien and Taroko, then Highway 11 along the Pacific to Taitung, three to five days.
- Inland alternative: Highway 9 down the East Rift Valley between the mountain ranges, with rice paddies at Chishang and hot springs at Ruisui.
- The highest road: Highway 14A over the Wuling pass on Hehuanshan (about 3,275 m), linking the east to Sun Moon Lake.
- Tea country: Highway 18 from Chiayi up to Alishan, about two and a half hours of switchbacks through tea gardens.
- Tropical south: the coast roads around Kenting National Park and the South Link Highway across to Taitung.
- Day trip from Taipei: the northeast coast past Keelung and Yehliu, or up into Yangmingshan.
- Costs: small cars from about NT$1,800 to NT$2,500 a day (about 55 to 80 USD); freeway tolls are charged automatically by eTag.
The east coast#
This is the drive most people mean by a Taiwan road trip. From Taipei, take Freeway 5 through the 12.9 km Hsuehshan Tunnel to the Yilan plain, then follow the Suhua Highway (Highway 9) south. Long tunnels now bypass much of the old cliff road, but the Qingshui Cliffs, where mountain walls hundreds of metres high plunge into the sea, are still visible from viewpoints on the remaining open sections. Hualien, the gateway to Taroko National Park, is the natural first night.
South of Hualien, Highway 11 runs about 170 km along the Pacific to Taitung. Public buses on it are infrequent, which is why a car pays off here. Stop at the Shitiping terraces of volcanic rock, the Tropic of Cancer marker at Jingpu, and the eight-arched footbridge to the islets at Sanxiantai, then the surf town of Dulan with its old sugar factory turned arts space. Allow a full day with stops, more if you swim.
East Rift Valley#
Highway 9 takes the inland route between the Central and Coastal ranges, through a flat valley of rice paddies, pomelo orchards and small railway towns. Ruisui has iron-rich hot springs, Yuli is known for its noodles, and Chishang has the rice field road made famous by an airline advert, best ridden by bicycle once you park. Luye’s high terraces host the hot-air balloon festival each summer. Most road trippers drive one side down and the other back, with link roads crossing the Coastal Range from Ruisui to the coast along the Xiuguluan River and from Yuli to Changbin on Highway 30.
Central mountains#
Highway 8, the Central Cross-Island Highway through Taroko, was badly damaged in the April 2024 earthquake. The section from the park entrance to Tianxiang reopened in October 2025, but traffic runs under controls with set opening times, and the road through the gorge is not a reliable through route. To cross the island, most drivers climb from the Taroko side on Highway 8 to Dayuling, if open, or approach from the west via Puli on Highway 14 and Highway 14A over the Wuling pass on Hehuanshan. Snow and ice are possible from December to February, and the road closes in typhoons.
From Puli it is a short drive to Sun Moon Lake, with a lakeshore road you can circle in under an hour. Further south, Highway 18 climbs from Chiayi to the Alishan forest area through tea gardens and cypress forest; park at the recreation area and take the forest trains and trails on foot. The Southern Cross-Island Highway (Highway 20) from Tainan to Taitung via the Yakou pass reopened in 2022 after more than a decade of closure following Typhoon Morakot; it is narrow and remote, with traffic restrictions, so check before you set out. For the parks themselves, see our national parks in Taiwan guide.
The south#
From Kaohsiung or Tainan, Highway 1 and Highway 26 lead down to the Hengchun peninsula and Kenting National Park. A loop of about 60 km takes in the white sand of the main bays, the lighthouse at Eluanbi, the cliffs at Maobitou and the grassland and dunes on the quieter east side. Kenting town is crowded on weekends and Chinese New Year, so stay in Hengchun or on the east coast instead.
Highway 9 then crosses to the east on the South Link Highway, a widened mountain road that drops to the Pacific near Dawu and runs north past Taimali to Taitung. Combined with the east coast, it makes a full loop of the island in about eight to ten days.
Day drives from Taipei#
The northeast coast is the easy escape: Highway 2 runs from Tamsui round the cape past Jinshan’s hot springs, the rock formations of Yehliu Geopark, Keelung’s harbour and on to the beach at Fulong. Inland, the road over Yangmingshan passes fumaroles and grassland ridges below Qixing Mountain. Both are busy on weekends; leave early.
Sample itineraries#
| Route | Days | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Taipei to Taitung by the east coast | 3 to 4 | Suhua cliffs, Taroko, Highway 11 |
| East coast and Rift Valley loop | 4 to 5 | Highway 11 south, Highway 9 north, hot springs |
| Cross-island via Hehuanshan | 2 to 3 | Taroko, Wuling pass, Sun Moon Lake |
| Round-the-island loop | 8 to 10 | East coast, Kenting, Alishan, Sun Moon Lake |
Our Taiwan itineraries page has day-by-day plans you can adapt to a car. For drives elsewhere in the region, see road trips in East Asia.
Car hire, licences and tolls#
Rental chains have desks at Taoyuan airport and the main high-speed rail stations, so a common plan is train to Hualien, Taichung or Zuoying (Kaohsiung), then pick up a car. Small cars cost about NT$1,800 to NT$2,500 a day, less by the week. You need your home licence, passport and an International Driving Permit from a country that has reciprocity with Taiwan; the IDP covers you for 30 days after arrival, after which you must register it at a Motor Vehicles Office. Japanese licence holders use an official Chinese translation instead. Our getting around Taiwan page covers the rules in detail.
Check your IDP before you fly
Taiwan only recognises IDPs from countries with a reciprocal agreement, and some IDPs issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention are refused at rental desks. Confirm with your issuing body and the rental company before travel. Driving without a valid permit leaves you uninsured.
Freeways are tolled by distance through the eTag sticker on every rental car; the first 20 km each day are free outside some holiday periods, and the company bills the total when you return the car. Taiwan drives on the right. Speed cameras are common, turning right on a red light is not allowed, and scooters filter on both sides at every junction, so check mirrors before turning. Mountain roads close in typhoons and after heavy rain, and landslides are common from June to October; check the Highway Bureau’s road reports before crossing the mountains. October to December and March to May are the best driving months.
Park outside Taroko and take the shuttle or a local driver into the gorge. Road access runs in timed windows, parking inside is limited, and you spend less time waiting at control points.
Best places for a Taiwan road trip#
More Things to Do#
Taiwan road trip FAQs#
Can foreigners drive in Taiwan?
Yes, with a valid home licence plus an International Driving Permit from a country that has reciprocity with Taiwan, valid for 30 days after arrival. Japanese drivers can use an official Chinese translation of their licence. Without them you cannot rent a car and are not insured.
Is driving in Taiwan difficult?
Not outside the cities. Highways and mountain roads are well built and signs are bilingual. The hard parts are scooters swarming around you in towns, narrow mountain roads with buses and trucks, and parking in Taipei, so pick up your car after you leave the capital.
How much does it cost to rent a car in Taiwan?
About NT$1,800 to NT$2,500 a day (about 55 to 80 USD) for a small car, with weekly discounts. Add fuel and tolls, which the rental company bills from the car’s eTag when you return it.
Is Taroko Gorge open to cars?
Partly. The gorge road on Highway 8 reopened to Tianxiang in October 2025 but runs under traffic controls with set opening times, and some trails remain closed after the 2024 earthquake. Check the national park and Highway Bureau notices before you go.
What is the best road trip in Taiwan?
The east coast: the Suhua cliffs to Hualien, then Highway 11 along the Pacific to Taitung, returning through the East Rift Valley on Highway 9. Add a crossing over Hehuanshan to Sun Moon Lake if the mountain roads are open.