Central Taiwan
Sunset wetlands, painted villages and the island's biggest night market.
Photo: Mk2010 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Why go
Taichung is where Taiwan comes to play. It has a younger, more laid-back feel than Taipei, a serious street-food scene and a string of photogenic spots scattered along the coast and into the hills.
The city itself is pleasant rather than spectacular, but its surroundings are excellent: the boardwalks of Gaomei Wetlands at sunset, the rainbow-painted lanes of Rainbow Village and the flower fields of Zhongshe. Use it as a base for Sun Moon Lake and the central mountains.
Taichung works best as a two-night stop: one afternoon in the city, one evening at Gaomei, then onward to Sun Moon Lake or the mountains.
The high-speed rail station is outside the centre, so allow 30–40 minutes to reach the city by shuttle or taxi.
Before you go
Taichung is 50 minutes from Taipei by high-speed rail, with a free shuttle bus to the city centre. The city is also a natural stop between Taipei and Sun Moon Lake.
50 minutes from Taipei to Taichung HSR, then a free shuttle or the metro to the centre in about 20 minutes.
TRA trains from Taipei take about 2 hours and stop at the central station, which is handier than the HSR station for the city centre.
Intercity buses from Taipei take about 2.5 hours; useful if you are coming from a town without an HSR link.
The essentials
The essentials, in roughly the order you might see them. Every pin appears on the map.
Select a pin for a short description, or open the place directly in Google Maps.
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.
Check the tide table before you go; the best reflections appear at low tide just before sunset. Bring mosquito repellent in summer.
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.
Go early; the lanes are narrow and fill quickly. Combine it with a visit to nearby Fengjia Night Market.
A spacious modern art museum with a strong collection of Taiwanese and Asian contemporary work, plus a sculpture garden and a good café.
Free entry to the main collection. The surrounding Calligraphy Greenway is a pleasant walk.
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.
The rooftop garden is free and open to the public; sunset is the best time to visit.
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.
Come hungry and share everything. The side streets off Wenhua Road are less crowded than the main drag.
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.
Try the pineapple cake ice cream. Weekday afternoons have the shortest queues.
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.
Check which flowers are in bloom before travelling out; the fields are best from winter to spring.
Taste
Taichung takes its fried chicken seriously. Look for stalls with long queues and paper bags.
The city is a major producer of this buttery, jam-filled pastry; Miyahara and local bakeries sell excellent boxes.
Taichung claims to be the birthplace of pearl milk tea, and the tea shops here are outstanding.
Neighbourhoods
Cafés, boutiques and the Calligraphy Greenway. The most walkable part of the city for visitors.
Home to Fengjia Night Market and the National Taichung Theater. Busy, youthful and full of food.
The old downtown around Taichung Station, with historic shophouses and Miyahara.
Before you go
On the road
Ready-made routes that pass through this part of the island.
3 days
Classic
Taipei & Taichung
From the capital to the lake, by high-speed rail.
2 days
Cycling
Sun Moon Lake
Taiwan's most beautiful bike loop, at an easy pace.
1 day
Classic
Taichung
City art, a painted village and a sunset over the sea.
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