Staying in Taipei’s Ximending neighbourhood, you’re in the thick of Taiwan’s capital: street vendor stalls, tiny bars and plenty of Taipei’s ubiquitous crane game arcades.

Your local Taipei guide will show you around using the city’s slick public transport system. Your first stop, Longshan Temple, one of the oldest and most important temples in Taipei, devoted to both Buddhism and Taoism. Your guide will be able to explain the differences between the deities, and how people ask for guidance and intervention.

Just outside the temple grounds is Herb Alley. Folks still come here for the herbs and tinctures of their ancestors. Drink the strongly bitter herbal teas that fix whatever ails you – if you can get it all down.

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is where you’ll learn about the complicated Generalissimo who fled China for Taiwan, his statute looking out over the grand plaza, inspired by the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

Then, travel up to the observation deck of Taipei 101, the entire city laid out below: rivers, Songshan airport and the odd luxury apartment building encircled by dark green hills. Finish at Raohe night market, for black pepper pork buns, or maybe some stinky tofu.

One of the most surprising things about Taipei is how close it sits to nature. Yangmingshan National Park is an easy day trip from the city, reached by taxi. With a local guide, explore its volcanic fumaroles and walking routes, fringed with cherry blossoms, azaleas or hydrangeas, depending on the time of year you visit.

Today you’ll leave the lights and skyscrapers of Taipei behind and travel south via limited express train to Taroko Gorge. Passing through the coastal plain of Yilan, your journey will continue down the rocky massif of the eastern coast of Taiwan. Dramatic hills on your right drop into the turbulent surf below the tracks.

When you get to Hualien, you’ll board the hotel shuttle. Turn right into the mountains and then… the sheer marble cliffs of Taroko Gorge appear overhead. Keep your camera handy for one of Taiwan’s most naturally impressive views. One of only three river-cut pure marble gorges in the world, Taiwan is fiercely proud of this national park.

Your hotel can set up guided hikes, hands-on activities and walks across the river and up to hillside views of Xiangde Temple. Or, you could simply relax poolside, surrounded by the green hills and the bubbling river below.

With your fill of natural beauty you’ll travel back towards Taipei. Rather than staying in the city centre you’ll be in Beitou, one of the classic Taiwanese hot spring towns – filled with green parks, public baths and Japanese style hot spring ryokan inns. You’ll have a night here to relax and enjoy the quieter side of the greater Taipei area.

Need a break from taking a break? Take the train to nearby Tamsui Old Street. This pedestrian zone stretches along the riverfront and hosts a bevy of street food stalls, small restaurants, and shopping options. The area is quite popular at dusk, as the sun sets across the river, painting the sky and water brilliant pinks, reds, and oranges.

A two-hour flight from Taoyuan International Airport, and you’ll be in Busan. You’ll stay in the Haeundae area, where skyscraper hotels flank a crescent moon shaped beach. A Busan local guide will show you around, visiting the cliffside Haedong Yonggungsa temple before travelling downtown to the massive Jagalchi fish market and the colourful reclaimed cafes and galleries of the Gamcheon Culture Village.

A two and a half hour drive away is Gwangju. This unassuming city with its eclectic “Penguin Village” of cafes, street art and penguin sculptures is also deeply entwined with the history of democracy in South Korea. The 5.18 Memorial Park is a beautiful and sobering memorial to the student protesters and activists who were wounded or died on May 18th 1980 during the Gwangju Uprising.

Gwangju is also your gateway to the beautiful surrounding countryside. Your first stop will be the Daehan Dawon Green Tea Fields. The walk up the hill can take some effort, but the views out over tea plants sinuously following the hillside are worth the exercise, and you can treat yourself to a green tea ice cream when you’re back at the bottom. Your next stop is the shaded paths of the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest – it’s a truly tranquil and peaceful side to Korea that most visitors never find. Make a quick stop at a nearby cafe to try a cup of bamboo leaf tea.

The high speed KTX train will whisk you in comfort and style to the capital city of Seoul in a little over two hours. Straddling both sides of the mighty Han River, Seoul is one of our favourite cities and we think it has something for everyone, K-pop aficionados, skin care lovers, historians, and of course foodies. Pull up a stool and tuck into some of Korea’s finest food on an evening food tour. You’ll try Korean BBQ, grilled at your table, savoury pancakes and crunchy fried chicken washed down with ice cold beer (chimaek).

A local guide will show you the city highlights by day. Starting with Gyeongbok Palace, the largest of five historic palaces dotted across the city, then Bukchon Hanok Village, a neighbourhood that has avoided redevelopment and maintained the historic charm of traditional hanok homes.