Ask first.
Then book.

Formozaic is the brand of Julian Travel Agency Co., Ltd., a travel agency registered with Taiwan's Tourism Administration (No. 870100) and a member of the Travel Quality Assurance Association (No. 0603). Every charter is a contract with a licensed company, not a transfer to a stranger's bank account.

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A white-plate car is a private vehicle carrying paying passengers illegally. There is no commercial insurance, no dispatch record and nobody to complain to if something goes wrong. Our vehicles are R-plate rental cars with commercial passenger insurance and our drivers hold professional licences and police clearance.

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Yes. As a licensed travel agency we carry travel agency liability insurance for every passenger, on top of the vehicle's commercial passenger insurance. The amount is shown on the charter page and in your confirmation.

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Slow, steady mountain driving is written into what you pay for, not a favour. Drivers who get complaints about speed are removed from our rotation. If you feel unsafe at any point, tell the driver or message us and we deal with it that day.

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The vehicle, a Chinese-speaking professional driver, fuel, highway tolls, parking, the driver's meals and tip, passenger insurance, 15 minutes of free waiting at pickup, water and USB charging. The full list is on the charter page and it does not change with the season.

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Only the items on our short list: overtime beyond the hours you booked, the driver's lodging on multi-day trips, Taoyuan Airport transfers, the Hehuanshan and Alishan mountain routes, departures between 22:00 and 07:00, child seats, and any tickets or experiences you add. Each has a fixed amount shown before you book. Nothing else is added on the day.

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Our 9-seater vans, foreign-language drivers and many experiences come from partners we confirm for each date. The estimate uses our standard rates; within 24 hours of your request we confirm availability and send the final quote. You pay nothing until you accept it.

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Prices are in New Taiwan Dollars (TWD); the site shows an approximate conversion for reference only. After you accept the quote we send a card payment link for the deposit; the balance can be paid by card before the trip. No cash handover to the driver is required.

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You are booking with a licensed travel agency that can legally add a certified guide, that takes responsibility for the driver and vehicle, and that answers messages the same day. If you only need a car and a Chinese-speaking driver, our 5-seater is priced at the market rate; the difference appears when you add the things car companies cannot sell.

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A driver drives. By Taiwanese law a driver may not act as a tour guide for paying guests, so even a friendly, fluent driver will not walk into the temple with you and tell its story. A licensed guide rides along, explains each stop, handles tickets and ordering, and can be added for a full day, half day or a single stop.

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We label two levels honestly: conversational (directions, timing, food recommendations) and fluent. When we confirm your driver we tell you which one you are getting. If English matters for the whole day, add a licensed guide; if you just need to communicate, the English-speaking driver add-on is enough.

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Yes, but fewer of them. Add the Japanese- or Korean-speaking driver option and we confirm availability for your date within 24 hours. If no one is free we tell you before you pay, and can offer a licensed Japanese- or Korean-speaking guide instead.

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Yes, with a 10-hour charter. Taichung to Sun Moon Lake is about 90 minutes, the lake to Cingjing another hour. You get roughly three hours at the lake and two at Cingjing. Choose the 8-hour option only if you are picking one of the two.

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We advise against it. Sun Moon Lake to Alishan is about 2.5 hours of mountain road each way, and Alishan's best hours are dawn. Book two days with a night in Fenqihu or inside the park; the 'Alishan route' add-on covers the extra driving and the driver's lodging is listed separately.

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8 hours suits one destination plus a stop on the way back (Lukang and the Gaomei sunset, or the lake alone). 10 hours is right for two destinations or anything with a sunset at the end. Most travellers who book 7 or 8 hours tell us afterwards they wished they had booked more; pre-booking an extra hour is cheaper than overtime.

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Two weeks is comfortable for a 5-seater with a Chinese-speaking driver. For a 9-seater, a Japanese- or Korean-speaking driver, cherry-blossom season (February to March), Chinese New Year or Alishan train tickets, book six to eight weeks ahead. We do take last-minute requests and simply tell you honestly what is available.

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Yes, within the hours and region you booked. Swapping Lukang for Gaomei, staying longer somewhere or skipping a stop is fine; the driver will tell you honestly if a change would push you into overtime or a mountain surcharge before you decide.

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48 hours before pickup you receive the driver's name, photo, plate number and a LINE or WhatsApp contact. At a hotel the driver waits in the lobby; at THSR Taichung or an airport they hold a sign with your name at the agreed exit. If you cannot find each other, message us and we relay in real time.

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The 5-seater takes 2–3 suitcases of 24–28 inches with up to 4 passengers; the 9-seater takes up to 6 large cases with the rear row folded. Luggage stays locked in the car all day, so a lake day or a hotel change never means hunting for lockers. Tell us your case count when booking so we pick the right vehicle.

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Any Taichung hotel, THSR Taichung station or Taichung Airport are included. Taoyuan Airport pickup is an add-on (about two hours away). We can also end the day somewhere else, for example at your Sun Moon Lake hotel, with the one-way drop-off add-on.

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Yes. Taiwan requires child seats in private vehicles (taxis are exempt, charters are not). Add a child seat or booster in the builder, tell us the child's age and weight, and it is installed before pickup.

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Drivers take the Cingjing and Alishan roads slowly and will stop whenever you ask. Motion-sickness tablets are on board and we can plan an extra break at Puli or Fenqihu. Tell us in the notes and we route accordingly.

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Drivers help at every door and with luggage; a folding wheelchair fits in either vehicle at no charge. We also plan step-free stops and shorter walking distances when you tell us. If someone needs to stay in the wheelchair for the ride, ask for the lift-van option and we confirm availability.

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Only if you invite them. The driver's meals are already covered in the price, so there is no expectation either way. Many families enjoy the local recommendations over lunch; others prefer their own table. Both are normal.

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If a typhoon warning, earthquake or an official road closure stops the day, you can reschedule once for free or cancel with a full refund of what you paid. If only part of the route is closed (Hehuanshan often is), we re-route to a lower destination at no extra cost.

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Cancel 7 or more days before pickup: full refund. 3–6 days: 50% of the deposit. Within 48 hours or no-show: the deposit is retained. Add-ons with third-party tickets (Alishan train, experiences) follow the supplier's terms, which we tell you before booking them.

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Yes. Tell the driver; we can head back early, swap a hike for a tea house, or add a rest stop. Unused hours are not refunded, but nothing extra is charged, and if you have the concierge line we also help find a clinic or pharmacy.

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No. The tip is already included in the price. If a driver was exceptional you are welcome to give something, but it is never expected and nobody will hint.

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No. We do not run commission stops and drivers are not allowed to suggest them. If you want souvenirs, ask and we will point you to places we would send our own family, or have them delivered to your hotel through the souvenir add-on.

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The car is the base; an experience is added per person on top. Lukang deep dive, Nantou tea, the Songhe hunter's trail and the others each include their own licensed guide, entries and materials, so you do not need to add a separate guide for that part of the day.

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Drivers happily take photos on your phone at every stop, free. For edited, high-quality images add the half-day photographer; you receive 60 or more edited photos within a week.

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