36 Must-Visit Attractions in Taiwan
Visitors to Taiwan are spoiled for choice when it comes to things to do and places of incredible natural beauty to visit on the island – with so many attractions, it’s hard to figure out what to see. Let us do the hard work for you, with our list of the most beautiful tourist spots in Taiwan.
1. Taipei 101
Building
2. National Palace Museum
Museum
3. Taroko Gorge
Park, Shrine
5. Sun Moon Lake
Natural Feature
6. Maokong
Zoo
7. Dragon and Tiger Pagodas
Buddhist Temple
8. Shilin Night Market
Market
9. Yangmingshan geysers
Park
10. Longshan Temple
Buddhist Temple
11. Rainbow Village
Park
12. Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Memorial, Building, Park
13. Kenting Street
Park
14. Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Museum
15. Fort Zeelandia
Ruins
16. The rocks of Yehliu Geopark
Natural Feature
17. The Taiwan Black Bear
Zoo
18. Jiufen gold mines
Historical Landmark, Museum
19. Enjoy a wild hot spring
Swimming Pool
Yushan National Park
Another of the most beautiful national parks in Taiwan, Yushan National Park is the setting for the country’s tallest mountain along with several other picturesque peaks such as Sanqingshan.
Maolin National Scenic Area
South of Kaohsiung lies the region known as Maolin National Scenic Area. This is where you’ll find Purple Butterfly Valley, the wintering home for a million Euploeini butterflies. An incredible sight to behold if you’re lucky enough to arrive at the right time of the year.
Miramar ferris wheel
Located in the Miramar Entertainment Park, the Miramar ferris wheel dominates the local skyline. And with very few tall buildings to obstruct the scenery, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the city.
Penghu
One of Taiwan’s most popular weekend trips is a trip to the archipelago of Penghu. This sandy tropical paradise has plenty of beaches scattered throughout its islands and is a must for seafood lovers.
Chimei Museum
This private museum was established by the Chimei corporation in 1992 but moved to its current location in 2014 and contains a large collection of Western art, musical instruments, and weapons. Its design is heavily influenced by European architecture, making it one of a kind in Taiwan.
Fulong beach
While Taiwan is not quite a go-to surfing destination like Bali or Hawaii, there are still some great spots around the island that boast waves all year round. One such spot is Fulong beach which is also a popular destination for day-trippers from Taipei keen to spend some time on the sand. As it is on the Northeast coast, Fulong gets some great swells throughout the year but in particular from May to October, just pay attention to the weather as this also coincides with typhoon season.
Xinmending shopping district
One of the coolest neighborhoods in Taipei, Ximending is known as the place to be for the younger generation. But that doesn’t mean tourists can’t also enjoy the scores of shops selling everything from hats to anime figures. A great place to grab an alternative kind of souvenir.
KTV Clubs
Everyone loves a good sing song but it Taiwan they take it to a whole new level. There’s no need to worry about bothering others with your renditions of the latest pop tunes as in the local Karaoke Television (KTV) clubs you get a private soundproofed room that even has its own bathroom. Fancy something to eat or drink? Pick up the phone, and the wait staff will bring it right in.
Attend a cultural festival
The people of Taiwan love a good celebration, and as a result have a pretty impressive calendar of festivities throughout the year. In spring you have Penghu Ocean Fireworks Festival, Baosheng Cultural Festival and the Bunun Tribe’s Ear Shooting Festival. Come summer it’s all about Taiwan International Balloon Festival, Fulong Sand Sculpting Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Keelung mid-summer Ghost Festival. In autumn you have Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival, Yunlin International Puppets Arts Festival and National Yimin Festival, while winter welcomes iconic lantern festivals, Christmasland and the Lunar New Year. Read our guide to the best festivals in Taiwan and plan your trip accordingly.
Enjoy the Cherry Blossoms
While Japan is often the go-to tourist spot for cherry blossoms, not many people realize that Taiwan is actually a great place to witness the yearly blossoming. The island is full of cherry blossom trees and you need only go to a local park to find yourself surrounded by these beautiful trees. But perhaps one of the best locations to take in the blossoms is Sun Moon Lake. Here there are hundreds of the trees throughout the area making for some incredible photo ops. March and April are usually the best time of year to see the trees in full bloom.
The Most Unusual Things to do in Taiwan
Go zorbing in Kenting
There are many ways to descend a hill, but one of the most unusual has to be in what can only be described as an inflatable hamster ball. Zorbing down hills in Kenting is a thing – and it’s huge fun if you don’t suffer from motion sickness.
Play with some sheep
OK, while visiting a farm may not initially seem unusual, Qing Jing Farm in Nantou is a little different. Here you can wander around the farm (which is located in stunning surroundings, by the way) and play with the sheep. They are free to roam the mountainside, and you are free to accompany them, stroke them and maybe take a selfie with them!
Eat some penis-shaped goodies
Phallic images and symbols are quite prevalent throughout the island, but it’s the penis waffle that has really captured the imagination of a nation. Head to any night market, and the chances are that someone somewhere is selling a penis waffle and more often than not there will be a queue of locals waiting to take some very NSFW photos with them. Taiwanese people certainly know how to have fun.
Buy betel nuts from a scantily-clad lady
It’s the only place in the world where you will see ladies dressed in skimpy clothing selling betel nuts on the side of the road. The betel nut girls of Taiwan are a bit of a contentious issue, as some politicians feel that they are shameful, while most of the general population consider them a harmless custom. You’ll have to head out of Taipei City to see them though, as they are not allowed to sell within the capital city’s limits.
Go paragliding in Wanli
Not something that many would expect to find just outside of Taipei but it’s just a short bus ride to Wanli where local paragliding clubs take tourists up for tandem rides around the bay. Kitted out with a GoPro, thrill seekers can record their trip to prove to the folks back home that they really did it.
Visit a haunted prison
Green Island’s Bagua Building was once home to political prisoners, and it’s said that during the White Terror period between 1949 and 1987 many of these prisoners died in most unpleasant ways. Locals say their spirits haunt the buildings and tourists jump at the opportunity to visit the abandoned buildings at night.
Have a sleepover in an aquarium
The National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium have come up with a novel way to allow visitors to enjoy the fish after the building has shut down. They allow a limited number of guests to sleep in various sections of the aquarium each night. Imagine waking up to the sight of a shark swimming overhead. Pretty magical.
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