Taiwan is one that is less visited tourist spots in Asia, but is well worth the effort that it takes to travel to this vibrant island. Taiwan has a mix of traditional Chinese culture as well as modern elements that take their influence from China, the West, Japan and Korea. On a trip here make sure to check out the delicious food, traditional folk festivals, beautiful architecture, verdant national parks and pristine beaches.
Elephant Mountain has some of the best views in all of Taipei looking over the city. It is also known for the Nangang District Hiking Trail and there are paved trails that you can walk along if you want to do some hiking outside of the city.
Travel time:
18 minutes by road (15 NTD)
Clothing: Make sure to wear proper hiking shoes or boots.
Distance from Taipei: 462 km
In the south of Taiwan is the Kenting National Park which sprawls over 466 acres. You will find beaches here as well as lush flora and fauna. Trekking in the park is a popular pastime, and the inner part of the park is covered in hiking trails. You can also hire a scooter and explore the park that way.
Travel time:
5 hours by road (430 NTD)
10 hours by rail (364 NTD)
Clothing: Make sure to wear proper hiking shoes or boots.
Distance from Taipei: 361 km
Out in the Taiwanese countryside near Kaohsiung lie the Wushanding Mud Volcanoes. These are located on a nature reserve of almost 5 hectares and this natural phenomenon is caused by gas beneath the earth which sprays mud high into the air.
Travel time:
4 hours by road (400 NTD)
2 hours 42 by rail (1,490 NTD)
Clothing: Make sure to wear proper hiking shoes or boots.
Distance from city center: 10.6 km
Shilin Night Market is known as a premium tourist spot to try Taiwanese food and has some of the best cuisine around. This is the biggest night market in Taipei and some favorites include stinky tofu, Taiwanese bubble tea, and tasty oyster omelets.
Best mode of transport: MRT to Danshui Station
Duration of travel: 43 minutes
The market only opens after 4.30 pm
Distance from city center: 1.1 km
Taipei 101 used to be the tallest tower in the world and visitors can visit the observation decks on the 88th, 89th, and 91st floors. People come here is to take in the amazing views over Taipei and there are also shops, bars, restaurants and nightclubs inside the building.
Best mode of transport: On foot
Duration of travel: 1 minute
If you come here in the early evening you will be able to enjoy the sunset views
Distance from city center: 7 km
The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial is a monument to the former leader of Taiwan. There is also a museum that will tell you all about Chiang Kai-shek’s life and his impact on Taiwan, so if you like history then this is an excellent stop. The memorial sits in the middle of a park that is a nice place to go for a walk in the late afternoon.
Best mode of transport: MRT to World Trade Station
Duration of travel: 23 minutes
Bring a camera to take photographs
Baishawan Beach (White Sand Beach):
Baishawan Beach sits in the north of Taiwan and stretches for 1,000 meters. The sands, as the name suggests, are pristine and the waters are turquoise and clean. The beach is about 40 minutes outside of Taipei so it is easy to get to and you can also go hand gliding here from the surrounding cliffs.
Feicueiwan Beach:
On the northern coast of Taiwan sits Feicueiwan Beach which is also known as Green Bay Beach. This is one of the most popular places to come for locals and the beach is over 1,500 meters long. You can enjoy a huge range of water sports here such as scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing, and water skiing.
Chinshan:
Chinshan is a beach resort on the northeastern coast of Taiwan and is known for being a popular place with families. The beach is 500 meters long and has beautiful sands that are clean and perfect for making sand castles or just sunbathing. You can also camp at the beach if you want to stay longer. You can easily get a bus here from Taipei.
Eslite Mall (誠品 Chengpin) is a luxury shopping center that is known for its bookstore that is open 24 hours a day and sells English language publications. The rest of the mall is also open 24 hours a day, so if you want to shop at all hours then this is the place to come. You can get a range of typical products here like books, clothes, shoes, electronics, and food.
Miramar Entertainment Park is a large shopping center with a range of department stores as well as large international brands. It also has an IMAX theatre and is known for its signature Miramar Ferris wheel that provides amazing viewsacross Taipei city.
The Core Pacific Living Mall (京華城 Jinghua Cheng) is said to be one of the largest shopping centers in Asia. Here you will find a food court, cinema, and even a nightclub called Plush.
Oyster Omelets- These are one of the signature dishes of Taiwan and are served all over the country. They consist of omelets into which fresh oysters are scrambled.
Beef Noodles- A bowl of herbal soup is cooked with beef brisket until the meat is tender. Noodles are then added to make a heartier soup.
Milkfish- Milkfish is sold all over Taiwan and is a bony fish with a delicious flavor. It can be served with rice, in rice porridge, as fish balls, or simply fried.
Niu Ba Ba (688 Beef Bowl) (牛爸爸牛肉麵) Zhongxiao East Road, Sec. 4, Alley 27, Lane 216, No. 16 (台北市忠孝東路四段216巷27弄16號) Tel: 886-2-2778-3075. This restaurant is famous for serving the most expensive beef noodle soup in Taiwan at 120 NTD. Still, these are said to be some of the most delicious noodles you will ever eat.
Taiwan Pa (太玩吧) Business Hour 8:00pm-4:00am 1F, No.155, Sec.2, Anho Road, Taipei, Tel:+886 2-2732-701. For something a little different, try this restaurant that serves fusion food in the form of Taiwanese tapas.
Beau Bar, No. 11, Ln. 408, Sec 4, Ren'ai Road, Da'an Dist. Beau Bar is relatively new in town and is known for its amazing modern and classic cocktails. It is an intimate venue and is decorated in a vintage style.
Myst, #12-9F, ATT4FUN Building, Song Shou Rd., Xinyi Dist. One of the most famous clubs in town that attracts a young and modern crowd. From the club you can look over Taipei 101 and there is a large dance floor if you want to dance. They host a Ladies Night every Wednesday.
Roxy Rocker, 10 minute walk from Guting station. This club is great for anyone who likes rock, metal, or punk music, and you can request music as you listen and dance.
List of nationalities who have permission for Visa free entries:
Visa exemption program which permits a duration of stay up to 90 days:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, U.K. , and Vatican City State.
Visa exemption program, which permits a duration of stay up to 30 days: Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, U.S.A.
Other countries need to apply for a visa before they arrive.
List of nationalities who can have Visa on arrival: N/A.
Any nationalities who are not eligible to travel to that country or can travel under certain conditions N/A
Drug possession is a serious offence and venues can be raided and people drug tested.
Drug trafficking in Taiwan is punishable by death.
Prostitution is illegal in Taiwan.
The legal drinking age in Taiwan is 18.
If you are caught drinking underage then you can be fined.
Taiwan is a safe place and light crime is the most serious problem many people here experience.
Pick pocketing may occur in crowded tourist areas but violent crime is very rare.
General vaccinations recommended for all travelers to Taiwan include diphtheria, hepatitis A, tetanus, yellow fever, hepatitis B and Japanese encephalitis.
Dengue fever exists in Taiwan and visitors should avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.
There is no malaria in Taiwan.
Taiwan has international standard health care.
Medical care may not be of such a high standard in rural areas and for serious injuries or illness travelers will need to travel to a major city like Taipei.
The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin but regional dialects like Fuzhu, Hakka, and Hokkien are also spoken. Taiwan is known for having an aboriginal population who were the first people to inhabit Taiwan thousands of years ago. The aboriginal people of Taiwan are not ethnic Chinese as they lived in Taiwan 8,000 years before the Han Chinese immigrated here. In the present day these populations are found mostly in the mountainous areas of Taiwan as well as on Orchid Island. They speak indigenous dialects rather than Mandarin. Taiwan is technically under the rule of China and many foreign entities do not recognize it as a separate country from mainland China.
