Taiwan is the kind of country that flies a bit under the radar.
It wasn’t even on my original spring Asia trip itinerary, mostly because it’s a touch more expensive than other places in SE Asia.
Yet, in Vietnam, when I found myself with a few weeks before I wanted to arrive in Bali, I started Googling flight routes and destinations in Asia to see what may be doable.
At the top of my intrigue radar were Taiwan and South Korea. When I realised flights between the two were relatively inexpensive, and that I could easily get to Taiwan from Vietnam, I made the impulse decision to spend 8 days in Taiwan.
Initially, upon starting to plan, I thought I’d travel around the country a bit in that time. But, my time in Taiwan overlapped with teaching certifications I was doing, and I realised it’d be difficult to bop around as much as I would have liked to.
So, instead, I decided to make Taipei my home base and booked a day trip to Shifin and Jiufen. I’d considered another day trip to Kaohsiung, but waited too long to purchase my tickets. By the time I went to book the high speed train, it was a day that would cost me several hundred pounds.
Lesson: Book high speed rail in advance, or give yourself more time and take the slow (read: cheaper) train.
Taipei was incredible. I have no regrets about spending most of my time exploring the city’s attractions.
In fact I loved Taiwan so much, I’m contemplating a return to see more of this incredible country. When I return, I’m hoping to spend more time in Taipei, and make my way around the country.
Where else is high on my Taiwanese ‘to visit’ list?
Three Places I’m Hoping to See on a Return Visit to Taiwan
Taichung: Taichung is easy enough to see in a day from Taipei. I didn’t realise how much there was to do there until closer to the end of my time in Taiwan, but if I’d known there was a gorgeous rainbow village, killer street markets, an incredible flower market, banging street art (hello, Animation Alley), a beautiful park, serene river walk, and a mushroom village (yes, a mushroom village), I would have definitely figured out a way to make it there on my first trip. Since I didn’t, it’s high on the list of places I’d like to see when I return.
Oh, and the rainbow village isn’t just Instagrammable, the nature of the gesture is also swoon worthy- it was painted by a grandfather for his grandchildren.
Image credit: link
Kaohsiung: When I realised I wouldn’t be able to make it to Kaohsiung, I was pretty disappointed. If I planned my trip again, I would have given myself one or two days longer in Taiwan, and split my time between Taipei and Kaohsiung. It’s easy to get between the cities, and a few nights in each would have made it a cinch for me to also work on my certifications.
Alas, on my return to Taiwan, Kaohsiung is the place I’m most looking forward to seeing.
Incredible temples and pagodas, a tranquil island (Cijin) off the coast with quirky art, cool metro stations, insanely good night markets and top notch street art (so good, the city is referred to as the street art capital of Taiwan)? Here for it, in every way.
Image credit: Link
Taroko National Park: Regarded as one of the most beautiful places in Taiwan, visitors flock to Taroko to hike its beautiful trails.
The landscapes are breathtaking, from coast to steep gorge walls, to waterfalls inside of caves, to dense, rolling tropical hills.
And, a bonus, most people recommend using public transit to get around the park. Which, I’m a huge fan of.
Image credit: link
Have you ever been to Taiwan? Is it on your list of places to visit?
Other Posts You May Enjoy
- The Best Street Food Eats for Vegetarians in Taipei
- 8 Cafes for Ace Coffee in Taipei
- A Misty Morning in a Beautiful Mountain Town: Visiting Jiufen, Taiwan
- 3 Can’t Miss Night Markets in Taipei
- Admiring Glowing Lanterns and Roaring Waterfalls in Shifen, Taiwan
- A Dreamy Afternoon Soaking in Taiwanese Hot Springs
- 5 Spots for the Best Bubble Tea in Taipei
- The Ultimate Guide to Taipei: Must-Do’s and Can’t Misses
- Does Taiwan Have One of the World’s Best Metro Systems?
There are plenty of places that you could visit during your trip in Taiwan, the night market for the food and the east coast for the nature. Also, Nantou is the central county where most of people neglect, it is closed to Taichung city,which takes about 40 minutes to commute. The mountains are not as deep as Taroko, but it is worth hiking.
Thank you for these tips! I’m glad I made it to Taiwan, and had a week in Taipei, but am so eager to make it back one day to see more of the country 🙂
I went to two of the three places you mentioned, and I can attest to how wonderful Taichung and Taroko National Park are! I didn’t know that the Rainbow Village was in Taichung; I’d go back just to see that! I would also recommend Hualien on the east, with plenty of jaw-dropping nature scenery and an incredible night market that rivals those of Taipei and Taichung. Hope you can return some day!
I feel the same way about the rainbow village, most definitely warrants a trip 😉
And, thank you for the recommendation for Hualien on the east- it sounds like an incredible place. Fingers crossed I make it back in time!
Definitely go to Kaohsiung. It is such a vibrant and fun city. It was my favourite, especially Cijin Island. I also want to visit Taroko Gorge when I return to Taiwan one day, and Kenting National Park and Tainan, because it is supposed to have the best food.
Kaohsiung is right at the top of my list for a return visit to Taiwan! And, oh, such good tips for other places to consider checking out, thank you!