A Dream Trip That Started It All
Back in 2011, I wasn’t a travel designer. I was simply a traveller with a dream—to explore Taiwan differently. My co-partner and I were planning a 14-day round-island journey by train, high-speed rail, ferry, and private guides. We wanted to spend a few days in each county, travel slowly, and really feel Taiwan—the people, the culture, the everyday rhythm of local life.
But when I started speaking to travel agencies in both Singapore and Taiwan, I realised no one could give me what I was looking for. The itineraries were all the same—cookie-cutter, rushed, and impersonal. Some drivers even refused to follow my preferred routes, insisting on their own.
It was frustrating. It felt like no one truly understood what I wanted.
So I decided—if no one could plan it for me, I would do it myself.
From Frustration to Freedom: How I Designed My First Taiwan Free and Easy Trip
That decision changed everything.
I quickly realised that planning a true free-and-easy trip was no small task. In fact, it felt like a full-time job—and I already had one. My nights were spent buried in maps, ferry schedules, and local blogs. My weekends were filled with phone calls to minsu owners and car rental operators, cross-checking train routes and piecing together logistics.
It took me six months to complete that first itinerary. It was exhausting… but it was also liberating.
That trip was where I discovered the soul of travel. Staying in minsu—Taiwan’s family-run guesthouses—was a revelation. Back then, minsu were still relatively unknown to most Singaporeans. These stays were warm, personal, and full of heart. Breakfasts were lovingly home-cooked, hosts often doubled as storytellers, and every corner told a story.
And then there were the moments you could never plan for. Like the time in Guguan, a remote hot spring region, when there wasn’t a suitable vehicle to take us (and our two giant backpacks) down the mountain. The only transport available? A garbage truck. And so, laughing the whole way, we climbed in and rode down the mountain in the back of a garbage truck—one of those quirky, unforgettable travel memories that I still smile about today.
After that trip, I couldn’t keep the joy to myself.
I started writing about my adventures on Facebook—the quaint minsu I stayed in, the friendly drivers who went above and beyond, the incredible breakfasts that started each day with warmth and comfort, and yes, even that hilarious garbage truck ride.
To my surprise, everyone was astonished. Many didn’t realise Taiwan could be that fun, that local, that authentic.
In those days, most Singaporeans knew Taiwan only through mass group tours—stopping by jewellery stores, Chinese herb shops, and tourist traps. It was predictable, commercial, and, frankly, boring. My stories offered something new—a Taiwan that was intimate, spontaneous, and full of soul.
That’s when it hit me: I wasn’t just planning trips. I was discovering a different way to travel.
The Birth of Taiwan Free and Easy – How It Became a Travel Brand
A few months later, a local operator in Taiwan reached out after seeing my posts and photos. They were impressed by my passion and the way I designed my itinerary from scratch. They offered me a partnership.
And in 2012, Taiwan Free and Easy was officially born.
From the very beginning, I never saw myself as a travel agent. I saw myself as an ambassador of Taiwan—someone who wanted to showcase her beauty, her authenticity, her hospitality, and her culture. I wasn’t selling tours. I was creating memories—first for myself, then for others who wanted to see the Taiwan I had fallen in love with.
Every itinerary was designed with heart and intention. Every detail mattered, because each traveller’s experience mattered.
Why I Believe in Slow, Heartfelt Travel in Taiwan
Taiwan rewards those who take it slow.
Beyond Taipei’s neon lights and Taichung’s bustling food scene lies a quieter, gentler Taiwan. The stillness of Sun Moon Lake at dawn. The breathtaking sunrise at Hehuanshan. The mysterious sea of clouds drifting across Alishan at sunset. The laughter shared over roadside lu rou fan or a night market snack.
These are the moments that remind me why I do what I do. Travel isn’t about checking off sights—it’s about collecting feelings.
When you slow down, you see more. You connect more. You remember more.
That’s the heartbeat of Taiwan Free and Easy.
Looking Back at 2011 and How Taiwan Free and Easy Continues Today
When I look back at that first 14-day trip, I can’t help but smile. I had no idea it would become the foundation of something bigger—a lifelong journey of designing travel with meaning.
Today, Taiwan Free and Easy continues to craft bespoke, authentic journeys for travellers who want to experience Taiwan the way I first did—freely, deeply, and with heart.
We’ve helped families rediscover Taiwan through culture and cuisine, couples fall in love again amidst mountain sunsets, and solo travellers find peace in hidden corners of this beautiful island.
For me, Taiwan will always be more than a destination—it’s a feeling. A warmth that stays long after the trip ends.
Ready to start your own Free and Easy adventure in Taiwan?
Reach out to us and let’s create your story—one heartfelt journey, one sunrise, and one county at a time.