Taiwan Travel Guide

Taiwan punches above its weight. You've got serious peaks—Yushan tops 3,900 metres—dense subtropical forests, and a coastline that swings from dramatic gorges to flat agricultural plains. The culture is Taiwanese first, Chinese second, and entirely its own thing.

The infrastructure is excellent: trains are fast and cheap, buses go everywhere, and scooter rentals cost next to nothing. Most travellers base themselves in Taipei, then fan out to the central mountains or the eastern coast. English is patchy outside the capital, but people are patient with hand signals and translation apps.

Food is serious business here. Night markets are the real deal—not tourist traps—and regional specialities (like Chiayi's turkey rice) beat any restaurant. Tea culture runs deep in the central highlands, and it's not a marketing angle; people actually care about what they're drinking.

Highlights

1. Taroko Gorge — Vertical marble cliffs, suspended walkways, and hiking trails cut through the ravine. Takes a few hours by train from Taipei.
2. Central mountain ranges — Multi-day alpine treks, high-altitude lakes, and tea plantations. Proper mountains with altitude sickness risk; permits required for some peaks.
3. Taipei night markets — Stall food, cheap clothes, live energy. Shilin and Raohe are the main ones; local night markets in residential areas are quieter and better.
4. East Rift Valley cycling — Flat riverside routes between Hualien and Taitung, rice paddies, aboriginal villages, and minimal traffic. Hire a bike or e-bike for the day.
5. Sun Moon Lake — Scenic lake in Nantou with serious cycling infrastructure, tea farms, and quiet temple trails. Popular but genuinely pleasant.
6. Penghu Islands — Windy, quiet archipelago off the west coast. Fishing villages, basalt cliffs, and a fraction of Taipei's crowds. Ferry takes 50 minutes.