Advice please! My 83 yr old dad wants to visit Taiwan!

Travel Taiwan Travel
1

Hello!

My dad is 83 and wants to visit Taiwan for maybe 10 days this fall. He’s in good health for his age, but he can’t do a huge amount of walking, let alone any hiking.

Can anyone recommend some great (but safe!) tours that don’t require a ton of walking?

Recommendations about solid tour companies would also be appreciated - as well as warnings about crap ones. (I’m not keen on renting a car.)

Any other bits of advice (aside from “Don’t do it!”) are also most welcome!

Thanks in advance, eh?

2

Great that your dad is coming over.
Maybe get a comfortable car or rent a van to drive people round if going outside the city. Is he used to the climate ?
Late fall will be a lot better of course.
City sights would be easier to do like the national museum
There’s the double-decker bus tours now are they air conditioned , only partly I think.
Obviously weekdays would be easier with less crowds in places like Tamshui.
Wouldn’t try to pack too much in I’ve made that mistake before, just chill out and enjoy some drinks and chat with the folks is always good.

1 Like
3

I’ve haven’t tried this guy out, but may give him a call when cousins come to visit later this year.

Phil%20Ad1
Phil%20Ad1600×776 2.56 MB

4

Do your or your old man understand Chinese?

You can give Lion Travel a look and see if they have tours geared towards your dad.

5

Thanks for the suggestions. Here are a few extra details…

  • My Dad is coming from Canada and will not be used to the climate (but that shouldn’t be a problem in late October)
  • He doesn’t speak any Chinese (and myself very little)
  • He’s been to Japan but is not a seasoned traveller (aside from cruises).
  • We don’t plan on renting a car
    Thanks again!
6

Good thing about Taiwanese tours is that they are mostly overprotective hens. They are very well laid out in terms of time and food and everything else. They can help you plan and will take good care of your Dad.

Even by yourself, you will find people quite helpful and many resouces for limited mobility. For example, a couple of years back my pal from Japan, who is disabled, wanted to visit Chishang, which is a biking area. No problem. Take train there -lots of elevators, lots of help from staff- then rented a motorized bike, 4 seater with a canopy. Got to see the lake, the fields, the zoo… no problem.

7

you can hire a taxi for your tour. Taxi company or tour company may have an option of custom tour for a full/half day.

8

OP If you go this route, definitely consider going with a larger tour company.

OR

Do a bit of research on the Canada end where you wouldn’t have issues communicating with the tour companies. This will be useful in figuring out a package best suited for you and your pops.

9

I highly second this advice (is this good English?). My 79-year-old mom was just here. We drove everywhere and I can’t imagine having to deal with public transport with her. She’s in great shape but still. Feel free to PM me and I can give you the number of a cab driver that I know. He doesn’t speak much English, though. You could probably reserve him for a few days. He brings me and my bike to races in the northern area (he has one of those Toyota hatchback, eight/nine-seater cabs).

10

Thanks for all of the ideas, folks! I’m somewhat leaning toward a train / taxi combo. Reading the odd horror story about overworked tour bus drives has me a bit leery of going on a tour, unless the company is highly rated with an impeccable safety record. If any know about such a company, do let me know! (Thanks again!)

11

I like Lion Travel. I have also heard very good things about a furriner who runs tours, mostly hiking though.