Taiwan is a small, partially recognized island nation next to China in the Pacific Ocean. Taiwan produces chips for all the computers in the world – and it is also green, safe, has mountains and ocean, skyscrapers, delicious Asian food and free Wi-Fi in public places.In this article we will explain why you should come here.
Why go to Taiwan
Going to the mountains
Taiwan is the fourth highest island in the world with nearly three hundred peaks above 3,000 meters. The scenery here ranges from rainforests to rocky peaks (even snow-capped in winter), and there are routes for all fitness levels.
If you’re ready to sweat a little, you can conquer East Asia’s highest point, Mount Yushan (3,952 meters), in two days.
And if long hikes aren’t for you, you can take a walk in the hills of the capital, Taipei, such as climbing Elephant Mountain, which offers panoramic views of the city.
If you’re too lazy to walk, rent a car and drive to Taroko National Park. This is a beautiful canyon with steep banks of marble cliffs.
Finally, lovers of unusual outdoor activities can try a special kind of trekking popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan – river trekking. You put on sturdy boots and climb up the bed of a mountain stream, sometimes just slapping the water, sometimes climbing rocks, and sometimes swimming. It’s wet, slippery and fun.
Go around the island in a circle
By train
This is probably the most convenient and cheapest way to travel around Taiwan. Railroad tracks run along the perimeter of the entire island, trains run frequently, they are clean, fast and comfortable. Especially for tourists, the website of the main railroad company sells unlimited tickets for 3 or 5 days (they cost NT$2,200 and NT$2,500). You can take the train and get off at any station you like.
The most logical starting point is Taipei, with stops in four major cities: Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Taidong. To see the countryside, take the short Pingxi Line and Old Mountain Line, which pass through picturesque Taiwanese villages. And if you have time, don’t miss a ride on the Breezy Blue retro train that runs along the ocean coast from Taidong to Fangliao Station.
On a bicycle
If you’ve been meaning to go on a cycling trip for a while, but didn’t know where to start, Taiwan is the best place to make it happen. The Taiwanese themselves love cycling, so this country has everything you need: a huge selection of bicycles for rent, perfect bicycle lanes even on busy roads, rest stops every few kilometers, bike repair in every village and high-quality spare parts.
By the way, according to locals, 90% of the world’s bicycle parts are manufactured here.
Seasoned cyclists may have heard of Taiwan’s Route 1, a thousand-kilometer route around the island that usually takes 10 to 14 days to complete. On it, you will have time to enjoy almost all the views that Taiwan has to offer the traveler: green hills, sandy beaches, rice paddies, aboriginal villages, Taoist temples, and the boundless ocean.
If you’re afraid that such a long route is beyond you, you can drive only the part along the east coast – from Taipei to Taidong – and then complete the circle by train.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking around Taiwan is my personal recommendation. The drivers in this small and very developed country were unexpectedly the most hospitable and friendly in all of Southeast Asia.
Many Taiwanese speak good English, understand what hitchhiking is, are curious about foreigners, and are always happy to chat. I never had to wait on the road for more than 10 minutes: someone would stop, offer me a ride, give me some local soy milk sweets, and show me the sights.
Of course, when hitchhiking in an unfamiliar country, don’t forget about safety: for example, take photos of license plates before getting in them and regularly share your geolocation with loved ones.
Swim in hot springs
Taiwan is in a seismically active zone, so typhoons and earthquakes are common. But for the same reason, tourists can enjoy thermal springs – hot, cold, mud and even seawater. The island is even called “the kingdom of hot springs”.
The oldest, most famous and cheapest public baths are in Taipei’s Beitou district, easily accessible by subway. If you like to bathe in nature, you can take a bus from Taipei to Wulai Village. And if you have time and want something really unusual and luxurious, you can fly to Green Island and swim in the unique Zhaori Saltwater Hot Springs, where thermal water mixes with salty sea water.
Visit local temples
The main religions in Taiwan are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The oldest and most famous temples in Taipei are Longshan Temple, Bao-An Temple, Xingtian Temple, and Qingshan Temple.
In the temples you can not only meditate and enjoy the architecture, but also get specialized help from the gods. For example, the Xia-Hai City God Temple is where Taiwanese singles who want to find a partner come to find a match – the deity Yuelao, or Moon Elder, is in charge of matchmaking.
Taiwanese prefer to ask the goddess of the ocean, Mazzu, who is especially revered on the island, for advice on difficult life situations. In the temples of Mazzu (for example, in the Great Temple in city of Tainan), a ritual with the tossing of sticks is held, which allows you to get a direct answer to any question from the goddess. And for a full immersion in the culture, you can participate in one of the rituals or group processions.
Eating at the night markets every night.
Eating all kinds of goodies is a national pastime in Taiwan. Therefore, every big city has at least a couple of open night markets with a variety of street food and other entertainment: first of all, all kinds of slot machines.
Enjoying Taiwanese street food on your own, which is similar to both Chinese and Japanese cuisine, can be difficult: it is not always possible to determine what a dish consists of and whether you want to try it. So I advise you to find a local companion or even pay for a special guide who will take you around the night markets and explain what is the most delicious there (you can find such guides on social networks).
But if you want to figure out Taiwanese food on your own, the next section has a minimalist program waiting for you.
What and where to eat in Taiwan
1. A traditional Taiwanese breakfast – Chinese omelet, soy milk and – pay attention! – radish cutlet (tastes better than you’d imagine). One of the most famous Michelin-starred breakfast spots in Taipei is called Fu Hang Soy Milk. There’s usually a line for a couple of hours in the morning, so you’re advised to get there early.
2. Bubble tea is an iced milk tea with black jelly balls. Perhaps one of the first associations with Taiwan. You can find it at every corner, but the most classic version is recommended to try at the bubble tea chain with the simple name 50.
3. Beef noodle soup sounds ordinary, but this dish is considered the gastronomic symbol of Taiwan. Foreigners are usually referred to Yong Kang Beef Noodles restaurant as the most famous and trusted place to try “that” beef soup. But in reality, every local has their own favorite noodle shop. So have a heart-to-heart talk with your hotel staff and they’ll be sure to give you the best location in the neighborhood.
4. Two classic Chinese dishes that you will probably try once and avoid afterwards: century egg and stinky tofu. I won’t recommend a special place: go to any bazaar and smell it.
5. For dessert, look for a sweet made from rice flour called mochi. They come in a variety of fillings, the most traditional being a mixture of peanut and sesame paste. This dessert is considered Japanese, but its Taiwanese variation is softer and more stretchy. The city of Hualian is famous for its rice cakes, and there is even a mochi factory museum in the city of Nantun.
Useful tips
1. The easiest way to buy a SIM card is at the airport – it costs no more than in the city. But you don’t have to – every station, shopping center and convenience store has free Wi-Fi. So if you don’t need the internet every minute, you can easily save money on a SIM card.
2. If you’ll be in Taiwan for about a month and mostly in the big cities, be sure to buy a T-Pass card on your first day. It’s a universal pass for all modes of transportation in all major cities. You can also use it to rent city bikes and ride for free for the first half hour. A monthly pass costs 1,200 Taiwanese dollars, and it will allow you to save a lot on transportation.
3. Taiwan is a treasure trove of traditional Chinese culture, which in China itself was partially lost when the Communists came to power. The traditional (rather than simplified) Chinese writing system is used here, so many foreigners come here rather than to China to learn “real” Chinese. Besides, here you can learn from famous masters of kung fu and tai chi, try acupuncture and Tui na therapeutic massage, and it is also said that Chinese dishes in Taiwan are prepared according to the recipes lost in China. So if Chinese culture is close to you, but Maoism is not, you should definitely come to miniature, friendly, democratic Taiwan.
