Taiwan for First Timers

Every place below is pinned on the interactive map with its exact location. You can browse it for free, and copy the whole map into your own Ikuzo account to adapt it to your trip.

Taipei

Taipei 101

Taiwan's iconic 508 meter tower with an 89th floor observatory and the famous gold tuned mass damper. Go around sunset to see the city in daylight and by night.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

Monumental white and blue memorial with a vast plaza, ornate gates and gardens. Time your visit for the changing of the guard, held every hour.

Longshan Temple

Taipei's most famous temple, founded in 1738 and always alive with worshippers and incense. Come in the evening when the lanterns are lit, then explore the old Wanhua streets nearby.

Shilin Night Market

The biggest and most famous night market in Taipei. Try the giant fried chicken cutlet and dig into the underground food court.

Raohe Street Night Market

A single 600 meter street of food stalls, easier to navigate than Shilin. The black pepper buns baked in clay ovens near the temple entrance are the must eat.

National Palace Museum

One of the world's great collections of Chinese imperial treasures, home of the Jadeite Cabbage. Plan two to three hours and arrive early to beat the tour groups.

Elephant Mountain

Short but steep 20 minute stair climb to the classic postcard view of Taipei 101. Best at sunset, bring water and arrive early to claim a spot on the boulders.

Ximending

Taipei's liveliest pedestrian district, often compared to Shibuya. Street food, fashion, cinemas and street performers, best experienced after dark.

Dihua Street

Taipei's oldest street, lined with restored shophouses selling tea, dried goods and crafts. Lovely for a slow morning, with cafes hidden in the old courtyards.

Beitou Hot Springs

Hot spring district 30 minutes from central Taipei by MRT. See the steaming Thermal Valley and the Hot Spring Museum, then soak in a public or private bath.

Yangmingshan National Park

Volcanic national park just north of the city with fumaroles, grasslands and easy hiking trails. Famous for cherry blossoms in spring and the Qingtiangang grassland.

Maokong Gondola

Scenic 4 km cable car ride from Taipei Zoo up to the Maokong tea plantations. Queue for a crystal cabin with a glass floor and finish with tea in a hillside teahouse.

Near Taipei

Jiufen Old Street

Atmospheric hillside town of narrow lanes, teahouses and red lanterns overlooking the sea. Very crowded at midday, magical in the early evening when the lanterns glow.

Shifen Waterfall

Taiwan's broadest waterfall, nicknamed the little Niagara, an easy walk from Shifen Old Street. Back in town, release a painted sky lantern right on the railway tracks.

Yehliu Geopark

Coastal park of surreal mushroom shaped rock formations, including the famous Queen's Head. Easy to combine with Jiufen and Shifen on a north coast day trip.

Tamsui Old Street

Riverside old town at the end of the red MRT line, famous for street snacks and sunsets. Walk to Fisherman's Wharf or take the ferry across to Bali for the best evening views.

Wulai

Atayal aboriginal hot spring village in the mountains an hour south of Taipei. Ride the mini log cart train to the waterfall, try indigenous food on the old street and finish with a soak.

Keelung Miaokou Night Market

Harbor city night market glowing with yellow lanterns around Dianji Temple, famous for seafood. Try the crab thick soup and the one bite sausages.

Central Taiwan

Sun Moon Lake

Taiwan's largest lake, ringed by mountains, temples and one of the world's most scenic bikeways. Buy a boat pass to hop between Shuishe, Ita Thao and Xuanguang piers.

Wenwu Temple

Grand hillside temple complex on the north shore of Sun Moon Lake, guarded by two huge red lions. The rear terraces have sweeping views over the water.

Alishan National Forest Recreation Area

High mountain forest of giant ancient cypress trees, famous for its sunrise above a sea of clouds. Stay overnight and take the small red train to Chushan for dawn.

Rainbow Village

Tiny former military village saved by one veteran who painted every wall in joyful naive art. A quick and cheerful photo stop on the edge of Taichung.

Miyahara

Japanese era eye hospital in Taichung reborn as a Harry Potter style sweets emporium. Famous for extravagant ice cream sundaes and beautifully boxed pineapple cakes.

Lukang Old Town

One of Taiwan's best preserved historic towns, full of temples, brick lanes and traditional craft shops. Do not miss Longshan Temple and the winding Nine Turns Lane.

Cingjing Farm

Alpine sheep farm at 1750 meters with grassy slopes and huge mountain panoramas. A popular overnight stop, cool even in midsummer, with sheep shows on weekends.

Gaomei Wetlands

Vast tidal flats with a photogenic boardwalk and a line of wind turbines. Arrive about an hour before sunset when the wet sand mirrors the sky.

East Coast

Taroko Gorge

Spectacular marble canyon with cliff hugging trails, shrines and turquoise water. Check trail and road openings before going, sections close after earthquakes and typhoons.

Qixingtan Beach

Crescent shaped pebble beach just north of Hualien where the mountains drop straight into the Pacific. Great for a sunrise walk, swimming is not allowed due to strong currents.

Dongdamen Night Market

Hualien's huge and well organized night market with a dedicated indigenous food street. Perfect for barbecue skewers, mochi and fresh seafood after a day in Taroko.

Brown Avenue

A dead straight road through Chishang's rice paddies with no power lines in sight, made famous by an airline commercial. Rent a bike and glide between the green or golden fields.

Sanxiantai

Rocky islet linked to the coast by a scalloped eight arch dragon bridge. Cross at sunrise for one of the east coast's most iconic views.

Duoliang Station

Disused railway station perched high above the Pacific, now a viewing platform where trains still rush past the sea. A perfect stop on the coastal road south of Taitung.

South Taiwan

Anping Old Fort

Site of Fort Zeelandia, built by the Dutch in 1624 and the starting point of Tainan's history. Climb the watchtower, then wander to the banyan swallowed Anping Tree House nearby.

Chihkan Tower

Elegant pavilions built over the ruins of the Dutch Fort Provintia of 1653, in the heart of Tainan. Lovely when illuminated at night and surrounded by legendary street food.

Lotus Pond and Dragon Tiger Pagodas

Kaohsiung's temple lined lake, famous for the twin pagodas where you enter through the dragon's mouth and exit through the tiger's for good luck. Stroll the shore for more colorful temples and pavilions.

Pier-2 Art Center

Old harbor warehouses turned into Kaohsiung's creative district, full of street art, installations, shops and cafes. Combine with a ride on the waterfront light rail.

Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum

Monumental Buddhist complex with a 108 meter seated Buddha and eight pagodas lining the main axis. Entry is free, allow half a day and dress modestly.

Ruifeng Night Market

Kaohsiung's favorite local night market near Zuoying station, packed with young crowds and creative snacks. Closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Kenting National Park

Taiwan's tropical southern tip with white sand beaches, coral coastline and a lively beach town night market. Rent a scooter or hire a driver to loop the cape roads.

Eluanbi Lighthouse

White fortress lighthouse standing at Taiwan's southernmost point inside a seaside park. Walk the coastal trails out to the southernmost point marker.