Tucked away in the “backyard” of Taiwan, Yilan is merely an hour away from Taipei but boasts a whole lot different view. For those who have enough of the hustle and bustle of cities and are looking for a quick getaway in the open air without travelling too far from Taipei, a carefully planned tour to Yilan is the answer.

In the beginning of the tour, our professional driver/guide will lead you to Mr. Brown Castle Café, where you can savor a magnificent seascape view while sipping a cup of freshly brewed morning coffee. All fuelled up with caffeine, you’re then ready to hit the road again. At Tangweigou Park, you’re going to experience something bizarre but brilliant — a spa treatment where doctor fishes would eat away the dead skin (or keratin) of your feet, whitening the skin of feet and enhancing skin smoothness while you dip your feet into the hot spring pool. For lunch, you’ll dine at Shanzhai Monster Village to enjoy a diverse variety of items on the menu ranging from waffles to pasta and pizza, while being surrounded by (seemingly) monstrous figures in a Japanese setting. After taking a leisure stroll at Jimmy Plaza, a park dedicated to the famous Taiwanese illustrator and picture book writer, you’ll then head to Artemis Garden to have a relaxing and comfortable afternoon.

On a beautiful day trip like this, what better way to end the day than a swig of the world’s best whisky at Kavalan Whisky Distillery?