Are you thinking of a visit to Taiwan and not quite sure where to go? We absolutely love the country, and so much so, we are considering returning. We outline below the different regions that a popular for tourists (and some less so) in a hope to help you construct your itinerary.
Taiwan is a diverse city with a long history, an amazing mix of culture and food. It’s diverse features come from different countries that occupied the region such as the Dutch, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese. They also reflect and recognise their indigenous history.
Taipei
Taipei is obviously somewhere that’s a must visit. Whilst it is a big city, there is certainly a lot to see and do. We were there for three nights, but you could easily stay a week. With plenty of sites to see, festivals and events to attend and food to try. We really just touched the surface. See our blog for what we did when there.
Where to get good coffee in Taipei
Yilan
A region that is abundant with hot springs, green hills, delicious food and a laid back lifestyle, oh and a whisky distillery! See our blog here for more details.
Taitung’s East Coast
Perfect for a more relaxing holiday exploring the coast. We found wonderful galleries, beaches and rich Indigenous culture. See our blog here for more details.
Hengchun
One of our favourite places on the trip. We loved exploring the old town, visiting the deer park, the brewery and the hotel that had a slide inside! See our blog here for more details.
Nanwan
A great place for a beachside getaway, whether it be to chill out, swim, sunbake or surf. This is in Southern Taiwan and popular for locals and tourists alike. See our blog here:
Tainan
Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan. They have some restored heritage areas like Anping, with an old Dutch fort, as well as some old streets which housed the canals in Shennong Street.
There’s plenty temples so it’s cultural history is rich. They also have a lot of foods different in this area like the famous coffin bread and plenty of shrimp crackers. We also found a cute little cat cafe.
Kaoshuing
This is the nation’s second largest city, it is a port city that has a good mix of city life and a rich topography of mountains, seas and rivers. It also has a wealth of cultural sites and certainly worth spending a few days. Check out our blog below for more detail.
Some areas we didn’t visit but will add next time
- Hualien – vibrant for it’s culture, art, architecture and food
- Nantou – Inland with indigenous history access to the Sun Moon Lake, Formosa Aboriginal culture village and plenty of natural beauty
- Taichung – central west Taiwan, where you reach Sun Moon Lake easily from, the central mountain ranges
- Taoyuan – northwest of the island, the international airport is there and it’s the gateway to the mountains, recreation and scenic parks
Surfing
If you’re up for surfing, there’s plenty of other remote places to visit. Check out our blog for the finer details
Travel tips
Before you go, don’t forget to read our travel tips here:
We also found the Lonely Planet helpful, so be sure to pick up one of those before you travel.
