Places in detail

Every attraction, with its own guide

Browse the places featured in the destination guides. Each page has practical details, a map and direct links to the full city guide and nearby stops.

Northern Taiwan

The island's most recognisable tower, designed to resemble a bamboo stalk. The 89th-floor observatory opens onto the whole Taipei basin, and the 101st-floor outdoor deck is worth the extra ticket on a clear day.

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Xiangshan (Elephant Mountain)

A short but steep stair climb through jungle that ends at the classic postcard view of Taipei 101. The trail is busy at sunset, and for good reason.

National Palace Museum

One of the world's great collections of Chinese art, with roughly 700,000 objects spanning imperial bronzes, calligraphy, jade and ceramics. Only a fraction is on display at any time.

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Dadaocheng & Dihua Street

The old trading heart of Taipei, where baroque shophouses sell dried mushrooms, medicinal herbs, tea and fabric. Renovated courtyards hide excellent coffee, design shops and intimate bars.

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Longshan Temple

A 1738 temple that is still very much alive: worshippers chant, offer fruit and throw moon blocks while the air fills with incense. The carved roof and stone dragons are extraordinary.

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Shilin Night Market

Taipei's biggest and most famous night market, a maze of stalls selling giant fried chicken, oyster omelettes, stinky tofu and shaved ice. Come hungry and graze.

Beitou Hot Springs

A geothermal valley 30 minutes north of the centre, with steam rising from the river, historic bathhouses and affordable public pools. It is the perfect rainy-day escape.

Ximending

Taipei's youthful shopping and street-performance district, all neon, sneaker stores, cinemas and snack stalls. It is loud, commercial and genuinely fun after dark.

Northeast Coast

Jiufen & the Northeast

7 places

Culture

Jiufen Old Street

A warren of stone stairs and covered lanes packed with taro-ball desserts, tea shops and souvenir stalls. The classic view is from the teahouses at the top, looking down over the rooftops to the sea.

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Shifen Waterfall

A wide, curtain-like waterfall on the Keelung River, reached by a short riverside walk. It is the broadest waterfall in Taiwan and especially powerful after rain.

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Shifen Old Street & sky lanterns

A former coal town where the railway runs straight through the market. Writing a wish on a paper lantern and releasing it over the tracks is a beloved, photogenic ritual.

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Yehliu Geopark

A surreal landscape of sandstone hoodoo rocks carved by wind and sea, including the famous Queen's Head. The boardwalks follow the coast past honeycomb weathering and fossil beds.

Houtong Cat Village

A former mining village turned cat-themed stop, with railway cats, a cat café and hillside paths overlooking the Keelung River. It is kitsch, but charming.

Wulai

An Atayal mountain village known for hot springs, a tall waterfall and a small log cabin museum. The riverside hot-spring hotels are a relaxed escape from the coast.

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Bitou Cape

A grassy headland with a lighthouse, sea caves and a clifftop trail where the East China Sea meets the Pacific. On clear days the views stretch to the horizon in both directions.

Central Taiwan

Taichung

7 places

Nature

Gaomei Wetlands

A coastal wetland of wooden boardwalks, tidal mudflats and wind turbines, famous for skies that turn orange and violet at sunset. The light and reflections are the attraction.

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Rainbow Village

A tiny cluster of houses covered in bright, naïve paintings by former soldier Huang Yung-fu. It is small, cheerful and one of the most photographed places in central Taiwan.

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts

A spacious modern art museum with a strong collection of Taiwanese and Asian contemporary work, plus a sculpture garden and a good café.

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National Taichung Theater

Toyo Ito's curving, cave-like opera house is one of the most striking buildings in Taiwan. Wander the public terraces even if you are not seeing a show.

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Fengjia Night Market

The largest night market in Taiwan, a dense grid of stalls around Fengjia University. Expect fried chicken, grilled squid, bubble tea and a lot of noise.

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Miyahara

An ice-cream parlour inside a beautifully restored 1927 eye clinic, all marble, wood and stained glass. The ice cream is good; the building is the real reason to queue.

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Zhongshe Flower Market

A flower farm that turns into a sea of colour through the seasons, with fields of lilies, sunflowers and cosmos. Popular with photographers and families.

Central Taiwan

Sun Moon Lake

6 places

Nature

The lake loop by bike

A 30-kilometre cycle path circles the lake, passing through tunnels of trees, tea farms and waterfront villages. The section between Shuishe and Xiangshan is especially beautiful.

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Wenwu Temple

A grand lakeside temple dedicated to Confucius and the gods of war and literature, with sweeping views over the water and mountains. The architecture is a photogenic blend of northern Chinese styles.

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Ita Thao village

The lakeside village of the Thao people, with a market selling millet wine, wild-boar sausage and tea eggs, plus a small cultural centre. Boats from Shuishe dock here.

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Ci'en Pagoda

A nine-storey pagoda built by Chiang Kai-shek in memory of his mother, reached by a steep staircase through the forest. The top offers the best full-lake panorama.

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Xiangshan Visitor Center

A low, green-roofed building that seems to grow out of the hillside, with exhibitions on the lake's ecology and a café facing the water.

Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village

A theme park and cultural village combined, with performances, traditional houses and a cable car over the lake. It is touristy but a good option for families.

Southern Taiwan

Tainan

7 places

Culture

Anping Fort

Built by the Dutch in 1624 as Fort Zeelandia, the site now combines a reconstructed watchtower, ruins and a museum in a leafy park. It is the best place to start understanding Tainan's colonial history.

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Chihkan Tower

A pretty complex of pavilions and gardens built on the foundations of the Dutch Fort Provintia. The stone turtles and red walls are a favourite photo stop.

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Shennong Street

A narrow, curving lane of restored wooden houses, small bars, tea rooms and craft shops. It is one of the prettiest streets in Taiwan, especially after dark.

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Tainan Confucius Temple

The oldest Confucian temple in Taiwan, founded in 1665, set in a calm courtyard with old banyan trees. It is a peaceful contrast to the city's busy streets.

Tainan Art Museum

Two buildings — a striking modern extension and a restored police station — house a strong collection of Taiwanese art from the 20th century to today.

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Blueprint Culture & Creative Park

A former Japanese naval dormitory turned creative park, with manga exhibitions, design shops and grassy courtyards. It is relaxed and family-friendly.

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Garden Night Market

Tainan's most famous night market, open only on certain nights, with a local, less commercial feel than the big-city markets. Bring an appetite and a sense of adventure.

Southern Taiwan

Kaohsiung

7 places

Culture

Pier-2 Art Center

A cluster of old warehouses transformed into galleries, studios, shops and cafés along the harbour. Public art spills onto the promenade, and the light railway connects the different zones.

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Dragon and Tiger Pagodas

Two vividly painted pagodas rising from Lotus Pond, entered through a dragon's mouth and exited through a tiger's. The surrounding temples and pavilions make for a wonderful, slightly surreal walk.

Cijin Island

A narrow island across the harbour, reached by a five-minute ferry. Rent a bike, ride to the lighthouse and beach, and eat fresh seafood at the market near the pier.

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Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum

A monumental Buddhist complex built by the Fo Guang Shan order, with a 108-metre seated Buddha, museums, gardens and a pilgrimage hall. It is free to enter and deeply impressive.

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Kaohsiung Music Center

A swooping, wave-shaped concert hall on the harbourfront, designed by Manuelle Gautrand. The public terrace and surrounding plaza are a great place to watch the port at dusk.

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Liuhe Night Market

A compact, easy-to-navigate night market near the city centre, strong on seafood, papaya milk and traditional snacks. It is less overwhelming than Taipei's biggest markets.

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Weiwuying

One of the world's largest performing-arts centres, a vast white canopy floating over gardens and theatres. Even without a ticket, the building and park are worth the trip.

Eastern Taiwan

Hualien

6 places

Nature

Taroko Gorge

A dramatic marble gorge with trails for every level, from the easy Shakadang Trail along a turquoise river to the nerve-testing Zhuilu Old Trail. The scenery is unlike anywhere else in Taiwan.

Qixingtan Beach

A long crescent of smooth pebbles and big Pacific waves, with mountains behind and a paved path along the shore. Sunrise here is spectacular.

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Qingshui Cliff

A towering wall of marble and green rock plunging into layered blue sea, one of the most photographed stretches of the Suhua Highway. The viewpoint is a short stop on the coastal road.

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Hualien Night Market

A lively, locally focused night market with grilled seafood, indigenous-style barbecue, and stalls run by families rather than chains.

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Liyu Lake

A calm lake surrounded by forest and gentle cycling paths, popular with families and birdwatchers. It is a peaceful counterpoint to the drama of the gorge.

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Zhuilu Old Trail

A vertiginous cliff-edge trail with a narrow path and chains, high above the gorge. The views are extraordinary, but it requires a permit and a head for heights.

Southern Taiwan

Kenting

6 places

Landmark

Eluanbi Lighthouse & Park

The southernmost point of Taiwan, with a white 19th-century lighthouse, coastal fortifications and walking paths through tropical vegetation. The sunset over the strait is the highlight.

Nanwan (South Bay)

The most popular swimming beach in Kenting, a long crescent of sand with rental umbrellas, water sports and a relaxed crowd. The water is warm from spring to autumn.

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Maobitou Park

A coral-limestone headland on the south-west coast with sea-eroded caves, cliffs and a boardwalk overlooking the Bashi Channel. It is a great spot for sunrise and birdwatching.

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Longpan Park

A grassy plateau above the Pacific with sweeping views along the coast. The land drops away sharply, and on windy days the sea below is a deep, dramatic blue.

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Kenting Night Market

A fun, compact night market on the main strip, with grilled seafood, Taiwanese sausages, fruit smoothies and plenty of beachwear stalls.

National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium

A world-class aquarium near Checheng, with a huge ocean tank, penguins and an excellent waters of Taiwan exhibit. It is a good rainy-day or family option.

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