I must be honest with you. Taiwan really surprised me. It was on my bucket list for quite a few years, specially while I was living in Japan. By the way, if you are thinking about travelling to Japan but not sure where to start, take a look at my 2-week and 3-week Japan travel guides 🙂 I finally had the chance to visit this tiny country island in May 2023, while living in Australia and working in the mines. I haven’t been to China yet. It will happen sooner than later. Regardless, I got the feeling that Taiwan is a mixed between Japan and China. It is some sort of a Japanized China. The country is beautiful and super clean, the streets are well designed and spacious, the public transportation is superb and the food is quite good. Are you ready to discover the best of Taiwan in 10 days?
Days 1-3: Taipei
We will start and end our trip in the capital of Taiwan, Taipei. Taipei is a big city, but it is not a giant like Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Singapur or Kuala Lumpur. Depending on where you are staying and what area of the city you want to visit, you might want to go for a walk or take the bus or the metro. The public transportation in Taiwan is top-notch 🙂
What to do and see in Taipei in 3 days? 15 essentials of Taipei
- Shilin Night Market: Taiwan is famous for its night markets and the Shilin Night Market is the largest not just in Taipei, but in the whole Taiwan. It is home to a huge array of street food, allowing you to try some of the highlights such as stinky tofu, scallion pancakes, and sticky rice sausage.
- Chiang Kai Shek’s Memorial Hall: huge complex erected in memory of the former president of Taiwan. Surrounding the hall you can also see the Gate of Great Centrality, the National Concert Hall and the National Theatre.
- Longshan Temple: one of the most revered Buddhist temples in Taipei. It serves as a place of worship for Buddha as well as for some Chinese folk gods. The temple is particularly known for the craftmanship displayed on its ceiling.
- Ximending: a neighbourhood specially popular among the youngsters. Accessory and clothes shops, cosplay, bars, bubble tea and many more entertainment options.
- Huashan 1914 and Songshan Creative Parks: Taiwan is keen on taking abandon areas and creating artistic spaces out of them. Two of the best in Taipei are the Huashan 1914 Creative Park and the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. If you visit any of them, you will find exhibits, venues and food and beverage options.
- Elephant Hill: short trail offering amazing views of Taipei, including the iconic Taipei 101. Ideal for sunset. The best way to reach the start of the trail is to get to the Xiangshan (象山) subway station (end of the red line) at least an hour before sunset. There are different view points throughout the trail. Find the one you like and enjoy the views.
- National Palace Museum: showcases an immense collection of ancient Chinese imperial artifacts and artworks. They were brought to Taipei from the Beijing Forbidden City during the Chinese Civil War. The collection includes almost 700000 pieces that document ,000 years of Chinese history. Among the items on display you can see calligraphy, statues, ceramics and much more.
- Xingtian Temple: beautiful temple featuring dragon sculptures on the roofs and on the pillars. The temple is devoted to Guan, worshipped as the God of War and as the patron of businessmen.
- National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine: built to honor the soldiers of the Republic of China who died during the Chinese Civil War. It displays beautiful Chinese ornate architecture.
- Taipei Confucius Temple: one of Taiwan’s largest Confucius temples. It is based on the original Confucius Temple in Qufu, China. Beautiful decoration.
- Baoan Temple: also known as Dalongdong Temple, it is one of the largest and most beautiful temples in Taipei. It is a Taiwanese folk religion temple used by the Han immigrants who went to Taipei from China. The architecture is beautiful. Next to Taipei Confucius Temple.
- Raohe Street Night Market: a more traditional night market than Shilin. Lively and crowded with locals and travellers.
- Sung Shan Tzu Yu Temple: also known as Ciyou Temple, it is a Chinese temple dedicated to the Goddess Matsu. The main hall is protected by stone lions.
- Taipei 101: an icon of Taipei. With a height of 508 meters, it was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010, until the Burj Khalifa in Dubai took over. The observation decks are on the 89th to 91st floors. A must-see to enjoy the views of Taiwan from above. Ideal for sunset.
- Wulai: you can spend the morning or evening in this tiny village or even the whole day as a day trip from Taipei. Wulai is known for its superb hot spring, some of them as nice as the Japanese onsen :). You can get there by bus (849) from Xindian MRT station. Once in Wulai, you can stroll around Wulai Old Street while enjoying the views and then go for a bath and relax at one of the multiple hot springs. We decided to go to Volando Urai Spring Spa & Resort and it was amazing.
Day 4: Jiufen and Jinguashi
Jiufen is worldwide known because it seems that studio Ghibli got inspired by this little town to create Spirited Away. Jinguashi, although way less known, has its charm as well. They both are just around 1 hour and a half from Taipei, which make it ideal for a day trip from the capital of Taiwan. With all this, I had to include Jiufen and Jinguashi in the best of Taiwan in 10 days 🙂 The easiest way to get to Jiufen from Taipe is to take bus 1062 or 965. If you take the former one, you can start your journey at Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT station. The bus will go all the way to Jiufen and it will keep going for 10 more minutes until it arrives to Jinguashi. For more info about the timetable and route, click here.
What to do and see in Jiufen and Jinguashi in 1 day? 5 essentials of Jiufen and Jinguashi
- Teapot Mountain: known for the resemblance of its peak to a teapot, this hike will reward you with beautiful views of mountains, forests, the sea and the towns around it. It starts at the Gold Ecological Park. It takes around 1 hour or 1 hour and a half to reach the peak and, after that, you can go back to Jinguashi the same way or keep going following a loop. If you opt for the latter, you will make it to a beautiful and impressive temple.
- Cyuanji Temple: on your way back to Jinguashi from the Teapot Mountain, you will find this impressive temple with a huge copper and gold-face statue of Guan, the guardian of Jinguashi. Other than the statue and the beautiful views from the temple, you can also enjoy other treasures and carvings.
- Golden waterfall: a short walk from Cyuanji Temple, you will find this brownish looking waterfall which gets its colour from heavy metals (unfortunately all the gold has been taken already).
- Jiufen Old Street: the most popular and touristic spot in Jiufen. By the way, I would recommend to start with the hike in Jinguashi and then take a bus or walk to Jiufen. Once in Jiufen, even if sometimes it can be a bit too crowded, you can’t miss this beautiful old street. You will find souvenir, sweets and tea shops, as well as bars and restaurants.
- Amei Tea House: the most iconic tea house in Jiufen. The stairs that lead there from the Jiufen Old Street are worldwide known for its beautiful red lanterns, which look quite alike to the ones you can see in Spirited Away.
Day 5: Taichung
Taichung is the second largest city in Taiwan, and many travellers use it as the gateway to Sun Moon Lake. That’s what we did as well. I recommend spending 2 days in Taichung, one to explore the city itself and one more to explore the lake. Taichung and Taipei are connected by the high-speed train THSR. It is some sort of Japanese shinkansen. Very punctual, comfortable and fast. It takes 1 hour to reach Taichung from the capital of Taiwan. You can check the tickets and fares here.
What to do and see in Taichung in 1 day? 5 essentials of Taichung
- Rainbow Village: it takes 20 min by public transportation from Taichung’s HSR station. Rainbow Village used to be a very popular attraction in Taichung but it is not as appealing nowadays. Remodelled in 2023, it has lost a lot of its original art, the one created by Mr. Huang many years ago in an attempt to save the village from its demolition. Thus, depending on your sightseeing preferences and on how much time you have to spend in Taichung, you might opt to take a look at it or to skip it. For more info on the history of Rainbow Village and on what it looks like nowadays, take a look at this post by Nick Kembel 🙂
- Painted Animation Lane: if you are a big fan of Anime like me, you can’t miss this one. It is absolutely amazing. There are murals depicting some of the best and most popular Animes in the world: Dragon Ball, One Piece, Slam Dunk, etc. There are even murals about Ghibli Movies!
- Liuchuan Riverside Walk: it is near Painted Animation Lane, and it is ideal to stroll along the river, enjoying the flowers and green areas. It is sometimes lit up at night, specially during public holidays and events.
- Calligraphy Greenway: it is a scenic walkway stretching between the National Museum of Natural Science and the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Ideal for a leisure stroll where you can enjoy parks, art installations, live street music, cafes and restaurants.
- Taichung Park: the oldest park in the city. It was built when Taiwan was under the Japanese rule. Beautiful park with a Japanese-looking bridge, ponds and green areas.
- Fengchia Night Market: the largest and most popular night market in Taichung. You can try some of the locals specialties while enjoying the atmosphere! P.S: There are 6 essentials of Taichung instead of 5 in case you decide to skip the Rainbow Village 🙂
Day 6: Sun Moon Lake
One of the highlights of my trip to Taiwan in 10 days. You can enjoy the largest body of water in Taiwan as a day trip from Taichung. There are quite a few places to visit around the lake and it will depend on your pace, but I think 1 day at Sun Moon Lake is a good amount of time. I recommend you to rent an e-bike and cycle around the lake. That’s what we did and it was a pretty cool experience. To get to Sun Moon Lake, you have different options, depending on where you are staying in Taichung. There are buses departing from Taichung HSR Station, Taichung Station, Gancheng Station and Taichung Airport. From Taichung HSR Station, you can take bus 6670B, which has the least stops along the way and should get you to Sun Moon Lake in around 1.5 hours.
What to do and see in Sun Moon Lake in 1 day? 5 essentials of Sun Moon Lake
- Bike Around the Lake: the best way to enjoy this astonishing scenery is by bike. The 30-km loop around the lake will allow you to rejoice in the views of the lake itself and the mountains surrounding it. There are shorter cycling paths to explore in case you don’t want to go around the whole lake. Some of them are the Xiangshan Section and the Ita Thao Section.
- Wenwu Temple: one of the most incredible temples I visited during my trip to Taiwan in 10 days. It is devoted to the God of Literature, the God of War, and Confucius. It is huge, so it will take you some time to explore it fully. The temple offers beautiful views over the lake and the mountains. The decoration inside is superb and, if you go all the way to the top, you will also find beautiful gardens, statues and even better views 🙂
- Shuiwatou Hiking Trail: There are quite a few hiking trails in Sun Moon Lake. This one is just about 500 metres long, but it is quite nice because it allows you to get very close to the lake. If you walk till the end of the trail, you will find frog statues stacked on top of each other, indicating the lake’s water levels.
- Ita Thao Village: recommended lunch stop. The Ita Thao Shopping District is famous for its street food market. Other than the typical Taiwanese food, you can also try specialty snacks from the Thao people. Enjoy eating and strolling around.
- Ci’ En Pagoda: the best views of Sun Moon Lake. The pagoda has a height of 47 metres, but it sits at the top of Shabalan Mountain, which has a height of 1000 metres. To reach the pagoda you will have to walk a short trail that will take you through a jungle-looking forest. From the top of the mountain, the views are not too spectacular because of the trees, but if you go to the top of the pagoda, there, you will enjoy some stunning views.
Days 7 and 8: Kaohsiung
The third largest city of the country was the most beautiful I saw during my trip to Taiwan in 10 days. It has a lot to offer, so you will want to spend at least 2 days here. There is no direct THSR to Kaohsiung but to Zuoying, which is not far from Kaohsiung. The THSR from Taichung HSR to Zuoying HSR takes around 1 hour. Then, from Zuoying HSR to Formosa Boulevard Station (Kaohsiung), you can take the Kaohsiung metro and it will take around 15 min.
What to do and see in Kaohsiung in 2 days? 15 essentials of Kaohsiung
- Dome of light: if you arrive at Formosa Boulevard Station, you can enjoy this huge glass artwork without leaving the station. The lit up art is found at the intersection between the red and orange KMRT lines. The light display changes with beautiful colours.
- Hou Yi Shopping District: 20-min walk from Formosa Boulevard Station. Restaurants, cafes, clothes shops and a street full of umbrellas.
- Sanfong Temple: next to the Hou Yi Shopping District, you will find this beautiful temple full of red lanterns. Just the sight of this red mosaic deserves to stop by.
- Pier 2 Art Center: I love how Taiwan takes abandoned areas (like the Creative Parks in Taipei) and makes beautiful art with them. This art center used to be a collection of abandoned houses and now is one of the coolest areas in the city. In the warehouses you will find restaurants, cafes, bars, art galleries and much more. There are some impressive murals, which can be found at the main section of Pier 2.
- Shoushan Love Lookout: short hike that will take you to a lookout with some of the nicest views of Kaohsiung. It is specially recommended to go at sunset to enjoy the last rays of sun as well as the city lit up.
- Kaohsiung Martyrs’ Shrine: next to Shoushan Love Lookout. Originally built by the Japanese, it was remodelled taking into account the architecture of his sibling in Taipei. The mountain gate is the icon of the temple, as well as the views of the city from up there.
- Love River: the name says it all. Chances are you might find the love of your life here. If not, at least, you will be able to enjoy some beautiful green areas, parks, bicycles paths and an overall relaxing and joyful atmosphere.
- Liuhe Night Market: by this point, I’m sure you’ve realized night markets are a big deal in this beautiful country. I love night markets. I love the vibe, the ambience and the food. Speaking about food, you should try the fried rice (chaofan) in this market. It was the best fried rice during the best of Taiwan in 10 days. Liuhe Night Market is a short walk from Formosa Boulevard station, and it is very popular among tourists because of its location, spacious alleys and lack of traffic.
- Lotus Pond: artificial lake in Kaohsiung known for its beautiful and peaceful landscape as well as for its magnificent temples. The lake is quite big, so it can take a while to go around it on foot. There are several bicycles stands where you can rent your bike.
- Kaohsiung Zuoying Confucius Temple: Taiwan’s largest Confucius temple. There are different expositions telling the story of Confucius and showing beautiful art.
- Zuoying Yuandi Temple: pretty impressive temple. A walkway connects the shore of the lake with the temple. A huge statue of the god Xuan Wu, who is particularly revered by martial artists, protects the temple. The god holds a 37.5-meter sword in his right hand and is stepping on a snake with his left foot.
- Spring and Autumn Pavilions: the temples at Lotus Pond are pretty unique. I’ve never seen anything like that before in my life. The Spring and Autumn Pavilions are a pair of four-story octogonal pagodas connected by a bridge. The bridge is guarded by an impressive snake, whose mouth is the entrance to the bridge. I felt like Goku going inside the snake 🙂
- Dragon and Tiger Pagodas: another mind-blowing temple. Again, a pair of pagodas. Again, guarded by impressive animals. This time is not a snake but a dragon and a tiger. For good luck, you should enter through the dragon’s mouth and exit through the tiger’s mouth.
- Fo Guang Shan: remember I told you Kaohsiung became my favourite city in my trip to Taiwan in 10 days? If you were thinking you had seen it all with the previous impressive temples, wait to arrive at the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. It is really huge! In fact, it is so big that you could spend the whole day there! The complex includes the original Foguangshan Monastery, a Buddhist university, and the newer Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, where the largest Buddha statue in the country resides. How to get to Fo Guang Shan from Kaohsiung? The cheapest way is to take the E02 Harvard Express bus at Zuoying HSR Station. The ride takes about 40 minutes.
- 85 Sky Tower & Observatory: with a height of 378 meters, it is the city’s tallest building. Entrance is less than half the price of Taipei’s 101’s observatory, so, if you didn’t make it to the top of Taipei’s landmark, you should make it to the one of Kaohsiung. Try to visit it right before sunset to enjoy the last rays of sun and the city lit up.
Days 9 and 10: Hualien and Taroko National Park
Same as Taichung is the gateway to Sun Moon Lake, Hualien is the gateway to this beautiful piece of nature. The city of Hualien itself doesn’t have too many interesting sightseeing attractions, but you can spend days hiking around Taroko National Park. You can even go on a boat to see dolphins and whales! I spent a couple of hours in the open sea and, while I didn’t see any whales, I saw quite a lot of dolphins. I paid 25 € for the activity. Not bad, right? In case you are interested in doing it too, here is the link:
By the way, unfortunately, there is no THSR from Kaohsiung to Hualien, so, you would have to take the regular train. The journey takes around 4 hours so you might want to aim to get one of the earliest trains in the morning.
What to do and see in Hualien and Taroko National Park in 2 days? 5 essentials of Hualien and Taroko National Park
- Dolphin and whale watching: since the train ride takes around 4 hours, by the time you arrive in Hualien, it will be kind of late to go to Taroko National Park. The perfect way to still do something enjoyable and beautiful is to go on a dolphin and whale watching excursion.
- Dongdamen Night Market: I had the chance to visit several night markets during my 10 days in Taiwan. Dongdamen Night Market was the best. It is huge, which means there are a lot of food options. It is very spacious and there is even live music! What better way to put an end to the first of your 2 days in Hualien?
- Taroko National Park: this national park is the main reason people go to Hualien and I guess it applies to you too, right? As I mentioned before, you could spend several days hiking around the park. You can rent a moto or go by bus. I went by bus and it was alright, but sometimes we had to wait for quite some time for the next bus to arrive. So, depending on your travelling style and on how much time you want to spend on this beauty, you might opt for feeling like El Ché during Motorcycle Diaries or to step on a bus. There are many highlights in Taroko National Park but, some of the most popular ones are the following.
- Shakadang Trail: it is a fairly easy trail of around 4.5 km. The views of turquoise water rock pools, wild life (we saw some huge spiders), beautiful vegetation and natural scenery are superb. If I could just choose one hike in the whole national park, it would be this one.
- Buluowan Suspension Bridge: amazing. The hike up to the bridge, the bridge itself and the views of the national park from the bridge. Another must-see and must-do at Taroko National Park!
- Bonus: some of the other worth doing trails of Taroko National Park are: Eternal Spring Shrine, The Swallow Grotto and The Tunnel of Nine Turns.
Everything comes and passes, and unfortunately, the best of Taiwan in 10 days has come to an end. As I mentioned in the beginning of the travel guide, I didn’t expect Taiwan to be such an interesting and beautiful country. Regardless of its size, it has a lot to offer. Public transportation is super good so it is quite easy to move around the country. You can experience the vibe of a huge city like Taipei, the uniqueness of the temples in Sun Moon Lake and Kaohsiung, the tranquility and beauty of Mother Nature in Taroko National Park and the delicious gastronomy in all of the night markets spreading through the country. Have you been to Taiwan before? How was your trip? Did you visit any other areas in the country? I read you in the comments below! 🙂
