2024 Taiwan Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in November)
Taiwan is a great place to travel. There are dozens of outlying islands to explore including Green Island, Orchid Island, or the Penghu Islands. Taipei, the capital and largest city, offers great shopping and dining experiences. Hualien and Taitung are renowned for their beautiful coastlines. Kenting in the south has earned the reputation as the “Asian Hawaii.” Sun Moon Lake in the central mountain range boasts some of the most gorgeous bicycling in the world, while Qingjing Farm shows off Taiwan’s alpine pasturelands. A wealth of food and entertainment exists all throughout Taiwan including delicious snacks and wonderful music festivals.
Popular Attractions
Yehliu Geopark
Exciting Taiwan Trip with Plenty to See
Taiwan offers a rich cultural experience and beautiful natural scenery, making it an ideal destination for a short trip from Korea. Here is a brief introduction to a 4-day, 3-night itinerary for a trip to Taiwan.
🌟 Day 1: Arrival in Taipei
Taipei 101
Ximending
Huaxi Street Night Market
🌟 Day 2: Nearby Attractions (Yehliu, Jinguashi, Jiufen)
Yehliu Geopark
Jinguashi
Jiufen
🌟 Day 3: Taipei
National Palace Museum
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Taipei City Hall
Shilin Night Market
🌟 Day 4
Tamsui
Beitou Hot Springs
Taoyuan International Airport
Climbing Taiwan's highest peak, Yushan.
For those who regularly exercise, as long as you secure a spot at Paiyun Lodge, you can climb Yushan quite easily (provided you don't suffer from altitude sickness)!
On the first day, start from the trailhead in the morning and walk slowly. You should reach Paiyun Lodge by around 4 PM. If you're lucky, you can rest a bit and catch the sunset. After a quick dinner, you can take a short nap! On the second day, put on your headlamp and carefully follow the group in the dark. The final stretch is a steep scree slope that requires both hands and feet. Then, you'll wait for the sunrise at the summit. Standing at the highest point in Taiwan and watching the beautiful sea of clouds is truly unforgettable!
Taoyuan Children's Art Museum: A Great Place for Families to Relax on Weekdays
Taoyuan Children's Art Museum
💫💫💫💫
There are several large paid parking lots nearby. Each exhibition area is bright and spacious, with a total of four floors, including different exhibition rooms, a children's library, and interactive areas. Most of the facilities are designed for children. It's a great place for a relaxed and leisurely visit on weekdays, perfect for family time and for children to learn and explore.
The Beauty of Taiwan's Food and Strolls
Visiting Taiwan, the night markets are an experience not to be missed. This time I came to Raohe Night Market in Taipei, which is filled with an atmosphere of longing. The night market boasts a dazzling array of delicacies, and although it's only a short 20-minute walk, each one is worth recommending. The photos capture the deliciousness I've tasted, especially recommending the pepper buns, the kumquat lemon is very refreshing, and the rib crisps are also fragrant. There's also the ice and fire glutinous rice balls worth lining up for, the unique combination of rice wine with ice and sesame rice balls has a distinctive flavor. Sweet potato balls and taro cakes should be eaten while hot, or the texture will be less enjoyable. Stinky tofu and medicinal braised ribs are very fragrant, but I was too full to eat more, leaving them for next time. Additionally, Yu Zhen Xin's cream puffs, sun cakes, and beef jerky sugar are great as souvenirs.
Then I went with friends to Tuen Mun, passing through a village estate with numerous shops and a variety of food and groceries. We tried a Taiwanese restaurant there, spacious and comfortable with music playing, adding to the ambiance. We tasted oyster omelets, garlic stir-fried lettuce, signature beef noodles in soy sauce, crispy rib vegetable rice, signature drunken chicken rolls, clay pot dumplings with chicken stew, pearl milk tea shaved ice, and Long Long Honey Honey special drink, each with its own unique flavor, leaving a lasting impression.
Afterward, we started our journey to Kaohsiung. In the morning, we arrived at Taoyuan and took the high-speed train to Kaohsiung. Unfortunately, I didn't win the Jin Fu Qi draw, and there was no one-day offer for the SIM card, so I had to buy a three-day one, and on the last day, I was forced to activate international roaming. In Kaohsiung, there were some 'free' records where the step count doubled. For example, two kids were repairing the roof at Pier-2; the pure white carousel at Stack 2 Warehouse was removed; the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas at Lotus Pond were under maintenance; and the jadeite cabbage at the National Palace Museum was not on display. However, there were also some doubled happiness with delicious food and drinks. The fish belly soup at Dagouding Milkfish Vermicelli Soup was very tasty; Gangyuan Beef Noodles were affordable and initially delicious; Dahua Milk Tea with half sugar was very drinkable, and sweet lovers thought it could be even sweeter. Yanchengpu Night Market is only open on Saturdays, super delicious, with few stalls but all are essence, and the prices are incredibly cheap! The spicy and sour duck feet are absolutely amazing. There's also authentic duck rice, crispy stinky tofu at Ruifeng Night Market, saltwater chicken, and more. The clear broth beef noodles at Liu Shan Dong Beef Noodles in Taipei are also very fragrant.
This trip for the working people was super rushed, a hurried three days in the south, and although the one-day trip to Tainan didn't yield much delicious food, I saw the stunning Ten Drum performance and beautiful sunset. On the last day, I hurried back to Taipei and visited the National Palace Museum. With a journey of thirty thousand steps a day, it was fortunate that Kaohsiung was cheap and delicious. The shops didn't open in the morning, but the hotel included breakfast, which was also very satisfying. I will come again! But next time, I'll avoid the Dadong Night Market in Tainan, which is expensive and not tasty. 🥹
Tranquil Olivia~Simmons70 Wang's Broth Taiwan
🥢 Wang's Broth
🚈 : MRT Longshan Temple ทางออก 1
อยู่ในตลาด Huaxi Street Night Market
⏰ : 09.00 - 22.00 น. (ปิดทุกวันอังคาร)
ร้าน Wang's Broth เป็นร้านที่ได้รับ มิชลิน บิบ กูร์มองด์ ปี 2019 - 2022 โดยร้านตั้งอยู่ในตลาดกลางคืนหัวซี เมนูเด็ดคือ ข้าวหมูสามชั้นตุ๋น และอาหารทานเล่น เช่น ผัดผัก ไข่เต้าหู้ตุ๋นพะโล้ และไก่ต้ม ซึ่งบอกเลยว่าอร่อยสมคำล่ำลือเลย
#ที่เที่ยวไต้หวัน #taipei #taiwan
CNY Celebration in Taiwan
First time celebrating CNY oversea, so Taiwan would be the top choice on the list. Here’s the breakdown of the 6 days trip:
Day 1: Direct flight from Penang to Taoyuan. 3:20pm departing from Penang and landed around 8pm at Taoyuan airport. Booked an inn approx 2km away from Taipei Main Station and saved up on taxi fees.
Day 2: Visited National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, Taipei 101 and its vicinity. Surprised by the atmosphere as it wasn’t as festive as Malaysia. Had dinner at Ximending and it’s the best place for (literally) window shopping.
Day 3: Took train & bus to visit Jiufen & Shifen. Intrigued by the architecture and old school vibes of these two places. Long journey and definitely worth it!
Day 4: Booked a taxi for a full day trip down to Taichung. Unfortunately stuck in a bad traffic and took 4 hours to get there. Gentle reminder: take HSR next time! Didn’t manage to visit much places as the traffic congestion took up precious time, ended up visiting the famous ice cream shop (Gong Yuan Yan Ke), Carton King and Yizhonh Street Night Market. Super rushed and short trip but definitely will revisit again.
Day 5: Second last day in Taiwan, spent the entire day at Tamsui. It was jam packed with people as it was the 4th day of CNY, thus mobility was quite an issue. It has nice view and the weather was bone chilling, had a great evening there.
Day 6: 9am flight, thus had to wake up at 5am and arrive at the airport by 7am. Landed in Penang around 1:30pm, and the whole trip came to an end.
Final verdict: Is Taiwan worth visiting? A big YES.
Taiwan, must visit city in your list!
I have been Taiwan for a several times and this was my fifth time to be here. Taiwan is a place with full of love and delicious food here. I went to the famous waterfall in Taiwan which is located in Pingxi District along the Keelung River. It has a height of around 66 feet and is widest waterfall in Taiwan! The name is called Shifen Waterfall and I loved it so much. Moreover, I went to the lover bridge to see the sunset and it was so pretty. I wish I can have more time spending in this wonderful place. Come along to Taiwan and find out what you like the most ! #taiwan #台灣旅遊 #台灣 #tripcom #travel
Jioufen old Town in Taiwan
Getting There - Have 2 options to go there.
Option 1. Can go by subway to Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, and take Exit 1. Then take bus number 1062 or 788. Will take about 1 hour to arrive at the Jiufen Old Street bus stop. Then get off here.
Options 2. Can take the TRA train from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang Station (takes about 40 minutes). Get out of the station and walk to the left side for about 200 meters.
Attractions - Jiufen Old Street is a small village in Keelung, Taiwan. This village is surrounded by mountains along the sea. In the past, it was a community of gold miners in Taiwan. and used to prosper as a gold-producing city during the Japanese colonial era when there is no gold mining people move away Therefore, this community began to be abandoned. But it didn't take long for the government to see Jiufen's hidden charm. therefore came to renovate it to become a tourist attraction
Food & Restaurants - There are teas and pastries. whether pineapple pie, Plum mung bean cake, or Mochi, Tomato coating with brown sugar as well.
Shopping - There are too many shops and food on the street road.
#mytripvlog
Tango Inn Ximen In Taipei
Looking for a nice cosy hotel with a nice balcony and yet on a budget and want it to be in the middle of on of Taiwan City, ximending? I've got you covered, you can stay at thr Tango Inn in Ximending located at Lane 96, Kunming St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108.
This hotel is also easily accessible by the MRT which only takes a 5mins walk from the MRT station Ximen and its smack right in the middle of the city, which only cost less than $120 a night. A hotel in Taiwan City can be expensive, but for this price, and a Google rating of over 4 stars, its pretty good!
#staycation #taiwan #taiwancity #ximending #cosy #clean #budgetfriendly #walletfriendly #nearamenities
Shaolai Hiking Trial In Taiwan
Shaolai hiking trial is the start of the trail that leads you all the way up towards the bojinjiashan trial.
One must be wary and be well prepare to bring water and food ration as this hike is not an easy one. Although this is less than a 4km hike which took us a good 4 hours in total. Also, you have to take note that this requires some physical fitness due to the constant upslope, but you will be greeted with an amazing view from above , you won't regret it! It's a worth while hike!
#gohiking #hiking #nature #taiwan #taichungcity #view #amazing #trial #trialhunting #scenicviews
The BoJinJiaShan Hiking Trial
Taiwan is a place filled not only with amazing food and Chinese desserts but also an outdoor enthusiasts destination due to the many hiking areas around taiwan. One place is called the Bojinjiashan located east of Taichung City which is approx an hour plus drive.
But a warning, this hike is not going to be an easy hike as it takes approx 6-7 hours hike in total to hike up and down. Its tedious due to the constant incline up the peak, making this one hike that you have to be prepared. But the view from above, is absolutely rewarding.
#gohiking #taiwan #hiking #trial #taichung #nature #viewfromabove #view #gorgeous #unblockedview
Conas's Chocolate Castle In Taiwan
Are you someone who craves for chocolate or love chocolate, there is one located in Taiwan in Nantou County at No 32 Taomi Road where its called the Cona's Chococastle where it was launched recently in 2017.
You are able to experience the chocolate making experience, from the start of how cocoa is extracted and how it ends up on your table and also be able to DIY your own chocolate. All these comes woth an admission ticket less than $10 and can be found on trip app itself.
This is exceptionally fun if you have kids with you because it looks entirely like a fairytale castle chocolate factory with educational chocolate history wall with many photoworthy shots in the castle itself.
#celebratewithtrip #castle #taiwan #chocolatefactory #cona #taomivillage #educational #chocolate #conachococastle
Mount North He Huan In Taiwan
Looking for a challenging hike somewhere in Asia where one is located in Taiwan called Mount He Huan where this is a mountain that has a total of more than 3000metres of climb and is the highest peak among all the other mountain in this region.
This hike is not an east hike as the ascent towards the peak is non stop but gradual and well pathed. Its a total hike of 6km out and back to the parking lot from the Mt Hehuan service station.
Just make sure you bring supplies like water, hat, sunscreen, rain gear and some food, as this hike will take you approx 4 hours but it's definitely worth it as the view from the top is magnificent and breathtaking especially with the clear skies.
#celebratewithtrip #taiwan #hehuan #peak #hike #mountain #adventure #outdoor
Cafes with Awesome Coffees And Roasters
Taipei is filled with amazing local Chinese delicacies, restaurants, bubble milk teas and cafes but do you know that they also roast really good aromatic coffees?
There is 2 recommendation of coffee placed here in Taipei. 1st one which is the davinci coffee located at 106, Taiwan, Taipei City, Da’an District, Lane 58, Wenzhou St which is now a coffee studio which educates people on coffee, teaches on how to roast coffee and also sell beans and their very own products.
Another place is called the Goodman roasters located at No. 110, Tianyu St, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111 which is a nice cosy little cafe that also serves aromatic coffee with cakes and an educational way on where and how the beans are harvested. They are quite serious in their coffee!
#fallingforfall #cafes #taiwan #taipei #coffee #foodie #coffeehouse #aromatic #coffeehunt #cafe
A Foodie Playground In Taiwan
Taiwan is a place filled with great sceneries, nice cooling hikes, friendly people and most of all the Taiwanese food!
Oh gosh, the food here is like a BIG WOW, at every corner and every street in Taiwan, the food options here are vast and so good especially the street food. Of course if you are looking for something more of a healthier version, abit up class you can head to the many Chinese restaurant located thruout the cities. You will be amazed but the empowering flavours of these Chinese delicacies, like the fried oyster and their home made chilli, or if you dare try the smelly toufu, or even just the steamed chicken. You should also try dishes like the turnip cake or hand made small dumplings generally called dim sum.
Need recommendations, nahhh, these food are located all around you, just head into any one of these restaurants that is filled with locals and you will never go wrong!
#fallingforfall #fallingforfood #foodie #taiwan #taipei #foodhunt #taiwanese #delicacies #foodhunt
Taiwan Circular Ride Can Be Quite Scenic
Do you know that Taipei in Taiwan is a very well connected city especially the public transport, apart from it be convenient, do you know this can also become a very scenic ride around the city of Taipei!
There are more than 5 MRT(train) lines in Taiwan but one of the more recent train line which open was the circular line which is a driverless train where you are able to go to the front to take photo and videos of your ride.
Although this isn't one of the biggest train here in Taipei, you will still be able to get ample seating for sure! This train brings you to 4 different districts in Taiwan, Xindian, Zhonghe, Banqiao and Xinzhuang and most of it all the train will be able to have a scenic view of the XinBei Bridge, which stretches over the gorgeous Erching Floodway.
A great way to see Taipei at a cheaper rate ^^
#fallingforfall #taipei #taiwan #view #scenic #budgetfriendly #cheaptours
The Bustling Streets Of XiMenDing
Ximending, has a different vibe when the sun is up and when the night falls. In the late morning and afternoon you will see the same bustling streets as the night but the difference is the many Taiwanese Groups who want to market themselves out to the public doing their singing and dance out on the streets making this one of a very busy hype up location, something like the singapore orchard Road or New York City times square.
Also for food options, and almost every street, every corner you will find the many Taiwanese delicacies like hotpot, fried chicken, bubble tea and many more. But one very very unique thing in Taiwan, and I'm not sure why, but its all the funny shaped waffles, biscuits, chocolates that most of the vendors are selling, and somehow its like a trend and popular even among locals.
You should give this a try and you can even buy back souvenirs of funny shaped chocolate back from Taiwan for friends too!
#fallingforfall #taiwan #funny #taipei #ximending #worktrip #foodie #shopping
Shopping, Foodie, Bubble tea, All In XiMen
Thinking of somewhere to go or can't decide where to stay? Well, a great suggestion is definitely at Ximen located in Taipei where this is the hype and bustling streets with many shops selling clothes like popular Caco(eh popular Taiwan clothing store), or the artsy fartsy art collections where vendors sell you hand drawn or hand sprayed paint of the iconic landmark of Taiwan like the Taipei 101 tower or maybe just looking for some good food and Taiwanese drink?
Ximen or they called it XiMenDing is the place to stay! Look out for great deals and discount on the trip app! Hotels prices here are competitive due to the menu boutique hotel located all around Ximen, so you will sure find somethibg reasonable and wallet friendly.
#fallingforfall #ximen #ximending #taiwan #taipei #attractions #shopping
The Sunshine Cafe on elephant hill
When one travels to Taiwan its either 2 things, the panoramic views from the mountains or the food trial in the night markets or cafes.
One shout out to a cafe called Sunshine Cafe located at elephant hill(Xiang Shan), located right at the foot of the hill and this is a must stop place for those wanting to either have a rest stop before going up the elephant hill for a scenic panoramic view of Taipei.
This cafe has a cosy interior(initially I thought it was a vegetarian cafe due to its plants and signboard), which serves really good coffee and rea and of course waffles and ice cream! The cafe owner was friendly and kept talking to us about how they actually miss tourists like us. But the place was still quite quiet on a Wednesday afternoon, which makes thus place a sweet spot to be either on a work trip or better a date ^^
#fallingforfall #foodie #taiwan #taipei #cafe #cosy #elephanthill
Taiwan, taoyuan
I really love Taiwan beef noodle! in fact their boba milk tea and their pastries are the bomb! is a must to try if you planning to go taiwan!
Exploring Jiufen
Situated in a small mountain region, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Jiufen is an old village that still retains its own charm.
It is said that Jiufen used to be a village with nine families during the Qing Dynasty and would request for 9 portions (jiu fen in Chinese) of shipment every time and that’s how its name came about. It subsequently became a gold mining town, ended up shutting off in 1971 when mining declined after World War II.
It has since flourished to become a must-visit tourist attraction with its preserved narrow alleyways, stairs and teashops.
Although we were driven to Jiufen by a friend, getting there via public transport shouldn’t be a quite difficult with a direct bus 1062 from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT outside Sogo department store.
#passionpassport #jiufen
Beautiful Modern Taiwanese Restaurant
Excellent Taiwanese food! But the design concept and environment photos will be put in the next post Because both salty and sweet foods are excellent, they have to have a whole post on their own The food here is surprisingly good Add innovative elements to the base of traditional Taiwanese cuisine I already want to eat it again (*゚▽゚)ノ ❁ French Foie Gras Beef Tongue Beef Noodle $268 ✔️✔️ ❁ Soft Shell Crab Mapo Tofu Lo Mein $238✔️ The price here reflects the quality, the price of both noodles is high but it is worth it! ! Beef Tongue and Heart Beef Noodles! The beef bone soup base is paired with the home-made spicy butter, which is sweet and thick, and the mousse-shaped foie gras sauce is even more fragrant and smoother~ The beef fillet is very soft and delicious, plus the thick noodles that soak up the soup, Really unforgettable 😋😋 The mapo tofu lo mein sauce is more savory, a little spicy, and the soft shell crab is very novel and matches, also recommended~ ❁ Fish Maw Braised Pork Rice $168 The Huajiao film is very soft and delicious, and the braised pork with pork skin is very old-fashioned in Taiwan. ❁ Three-color salted chicken $128✔️ ❁ Mentaiko Sweet or Spicy $78 The salted crispy chicken is served with grapefruit, tom yum, and truffle sauce. Personally, I like the tom yum sauce the most. Sweet and not spicy is cooked in a semi-frying method. It has a strong fragrance and should be eaten while it is hot!
#restaurant #deliciousfood
Taiwan trip!
Taiwan is amazing, been there so many times. The food is great the location is great. weather is so so so good. Will definitely go back again! love the food and people there! Should go again to enjoy the scenery and all! very very fun trip! Holidays is always fun! cant wait to go again!
#holidaygetaway #staycation #foodie #nationalpark #cafe #urbanexplorer #summervacation #naturalwonders #awesomepic #taiwan #taiwanese #holidays #holidayseason #holiday2022 #trip #trip2022 #singapore Trip #singapore_insta #singapore_featured #singaporetrip #amazingpic #fun #pictures #hype #taiwandering
Holiday at Taiwan
visit taiwan! a great holiday over there!
#exploresgtogether #christmaslights #hiking #skiing #nationalpark
#summervacation #awesomepic
hidden part
loved the atmosphere here, we got lost but found a nice place within the houses. if u like a peaceful n quiet place, drinking a cup of affogato, its definetly the best place to be in n just hearing the sound of the waves with kids screaming in the background 🤣
Wulai Waterfalls
The world is big and i want to have a good look to it before it gets dark......
highly recommend to all very nice place😍#topview
#wulaiwaterfalltaiwan
#loveit#
Jedi Cafe & Bar
Nice view cafe along the Mahanak canal near the golden mountain temple The shop has a lot of seating. But today I'm at work So I ordered a hot cappuccino. and hot latte, take away style.
🕙 Opening hours 09.00-18.00 hrs. (Closed on Wednesday) *Last order at 5:30 p.m.
🚗 Parking on the street in front of the shop
JL Studio Restaurant!
I really like this restaurant. It doesn't have too many tables, so it's not crowded. The kitchen is open to the customers - always a good sign. The staff are all good. The food, cooking, and experience, all superb. Not too expensive, although it is not cheap. The pork fat candles were excellent. Everything was excellent. Had a glass of very good wine. The wait staff were very knowledgeable and helpful. The chef came out to talk to us. We had a lovely time.
JL Studio restaurant is led by Singaporean chef Jimmy Lin and his experience honed by working in international restaurants. Here at JL Studio, you can find deconstructed iconic Singaporean dishes such as Hainan Chicken Rice, Satay, Chilli Crab, and more with his solid French techniques.
#romanticrestaurant
Akau Coffeeshop At Taiwan
This disarmingly charming space tends to attract the classiest 屏東 residents, from local professionals to women of leisure dressed to the nines. Strong coffee and tasty pastry stylishly served contributes to the overall pleasing effect. A lovely place for casual conversation or a bit of light reading. Attention, mes amis: it's only open in the afternoons.
Coffee was on point! Tasted like the beans were just roasted. Had a good balance of notes. Would recommend over a lot of other coffee in the area.
On top of all this the customer service was top notch and very informative of what beans was used and how they make the coffee.
I will definitely be back when I'm in the mood for a good coffee.
#café
Recommended Attractions at Popular Destinations
Popular Restaurants in Taiwan