Service Learning in Taiwan
During our service learning programs in Taiwan, travelers will explore four well-known cities, as well as the diverse landscapes in between. They will also engage in service to help several local communities. By exploring not only the nature and sites of Taiwan but also engaging with local communities and individuals in meaningful and genuinely helpful ways, travelers on this program will leave with a multi-faceted perspective on Taiwan, its people, and its stories.
Sample Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Kaohsiung and meet your local guides at the airport. Transfer to your hotel for check-in. Head to Hamasen Railway Cultural Park to begin a series of language adventure activities at the charming red-brick British Consulate Residence and ending at the Pier-2 Art Center, which features art installations and old railway tracks, making it a perfect place to join locals at sunset and enjoy a picnic and fly kites. Enjoy a welcome dinner!
Day 2
Enjoy a guided tour of the 85 Sky Tower and Formosa Boulevard Metro Station. Afterwards, visit Juancun (眷村, Military Village) to participate in a local community beautification program (service learning) and a cooking workshop. For lunch, make dumplings from scratch with elderly locals. After lunch, walk along the Lotus Pond and explore the numerous temples and palaces that dot the area, including the Confucius Temple, the Spring and Autumn Pavilions, and the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas. Explore one of Taiwan’s famed night markets, Ruifeng Night Market, for dinner.
Day 3
After breakfast, check out of your hotel. Transfer to Taitung by train (2.5hrs). (Optional: visit Taitung Sugar Factory). After lunch and hotel check-in, visit the Dulan people (an Amis Indigenous group), learn about local Indigenous culture, and participate in a house renovation project. Have dinner at a local Dulan restaurant. In the evening, follow our naturalist expert and go stargazing in this rural part of Taiwan Island. (Optional: Relax and spend part of your evening at an ocean hot spring).
Day 4
After breakfast, check out of your hotel. Visit the Forest Culture Museum to learn about forest protection, as well as the local Sazasa Indigenous people, and eat lunch in the forest. Enjoy a cooking workshop in a traditional wood kitchen and experience traditional mochi making. Finally, experience planting seedlings. Transfer to Hualien by bus (3 hours) and have dinner at Hualien Hotel. (Additional team building games and evening activities are available upon request.)
Day 5
After breakfast, head straight to the beach, enjoy a beach hike and use found materials to design your own art as part of an art adventure challenge. Visit the stunning Taroko Gorge. Meet and learn about the culture of the Amis Indigenous peoples through playing a traditional field game and participating in an evening musical dancing activity.
Plus, choose one of the activities below:
Dolphin & whale watching (depending on season).
Adventure river tracing.
Cycling along the coast, enjoying the breath-taking scenery and fresh air.
Day 6
After breakfast, transfer to Taipei by train (2.5 hours). Visit Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf to begin a series of language adventure activities leading students through Fort Santo Domingo and ending in Tamsui Old Street. Lunch on Tamsui Old Street.
Engage in community service with the Sweet Potato Mama Program, a project helping single mothers to live independently by supporting them to become vendors of traditional Taiwanese sweet potatoes. Support the mamas by helping them sell sweet potatoes and get to know them as they teach you how to roast these snacks. Enjoy a short but steep hike up Xiangshan and enjoy the best night view of Taipei 101. For dinner, explore one of Taipei’s best-known night markets and participate in a snack tour.
Day 7
Eat breakfast, pack up and get ready for your journey home. Transfer to Taipei Taoyuan Airport for your flight home. (Recommended to opt for an afternoon/evening flight time.)
Ask us about school trips
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