If you are flying into Taipei and coming directly to Xiaoliuqiu from the airport, make sure you fly into airport code TPE, this is the largest international airport outside Taipei city. There is another airport in Taipei with an airport code TSA which is right inside the city. This would only be convenient if you plan on staying in Taipei. If you are familiar with Tokyo, then TPE is like Narita and TSA is like Haneda. 

I do not recommend booking your HSR ticket before you land as immigration and baggage sometimes can take a long time (not to mention flight delays), unless you are traveling during a long holiday or weekend. If that is the case, I would book a train a few to several hours after you land and then you can check with the ticket desk if you can hop on an earlier train. 

You can board the train with your QR code from your app so no need to pick up physical tickets.

Second, you should buy your SIM card for Taiwan. You can book ahead of time on Klook here and pick up (do note that if you arrive on a super early flight, it may be before some pick up stations are open). Recently though, I found it much easier to just buy an eSIM package on my phone, the advantage of that is I can use my phone as soon as I land and not use any janky airport WiFi. Plus I don’t have to line up for SIM cards after immigration which is often the case. If I need to top up, I can do so without visiting any store. 

There are two international terminals in TPE. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Once you come out of immigration, you want to head over to the MRT station. You can find a video of that path on this Youtube video from Terminal 1 and here if you are coming from Terminal 2. Note the station is the same one that has the express train into Taipei city, so make sure you are not headed in that direction. 

Take the train headed towards Taoyuan HSR station which is 6 stops from Terminal 1 and 5 stops from Terminal 2. 

The train ride (Taoyuan Airport to Taoyuan HSR station) is about 20-30 min depending on whether you take the express train or not. 

Once you get out of the station, follow my video here for the most preferred option on how to take the bus 9127D (See bus schedule here) from Zuoying HSR station to Donggang Ferry Terminal which costs about NT$100, or about US$3 and takes 40 minutes.  Another option is Uber or taking a cab there which would cost about NT$1200 (or about US$39). Or you can book travel from Zuoying Station to Donggang online here.

The bus or taxi/Uber will take you directly in front of the ferry terminal. There are three private ferry companies, Leuco Sapphire, Tungliu and Taifu. Pick the ferry time you want and buy from that company. You can check out the complete ferry schedule here. If you love sushi/sashimi, we strongly recommend eating at the market next door, you can check out the video here with English subtitles. The fisherman around here catch some of the best tuna there is and you know you are getting it fresh, not to mention its GREAT VALUE. 

Important Note

If you do not have a Taiwan domestic bank card, this will also be your last opportunity to take money out of the ATM. There are two convenience stores that have ATMs which accept international cards across the street from the ferry terminal. The ones on Xiaoliuqiu DO NOT ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL CARDS nor is credit card a popular thing here. We are an all cash island pretty much.