Taiwan: a country full of traditions - and contrasts. We are travelling to cities and villages, light lanterns and admire nature. 2 weeks travelling in Taiwan - our summary in 5 minutes.
We start our round trip in the capital Taipei. First, we visit the country's most important landmark, Taipei 101: It is home to one of the fastest lifts in the world: 60 kilometres per hour at top speed! Also worth seeing are Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall and Longshan Temple, the oldest temple in Taiwan.
In the evening, we go to Raohe Night Market, where we experience a very special kind of food market. People are cooking, frying and sizzling everywhere. Open every day from 5 pm to midnight. Here you can find intestines that you absolutely have to try, stinky tofu and much more. Find out more about Taipei in our video: Taipei in 5 minutes
You can take a few day trips from Taipei. In the mountain village of Jiufen, there are trains that run through the middle of the village and lanterns to paint. Nearby is a waterfall that is well worth seeing, said to be the Niagara Falls of Taiwan. We continue by car along the east coast to Hualien. You can actually get around Taiwan very well by train. But because we don't have much time, we decided to hire a car. It's actually a bit challenging because all the signs are in Chinese, but if you drive carefully, it's alright because most Taiwanese people are patient when driving.
Taroko National Park is actually a highlight on the route. However, after a major earthquake, the park is closed to tourism (last update: April 2025). But we don't let this spoil our mood and have a great alternative plan: Aboriginal Cooking Class. You can book these very easily via ‘Get Your Guide’, for example.
In the south of Taiwan there is the Kenting National Park with beautiful sandy beaches, which you can visit before travelling to Kaohsiung on the west coast: A very colourful big city with many beautiful temples. Lotus Lake is the main attraction in Kaohsiung. Here you will also find the Dragon and Tiger Pagoda. A photo opportunity that you should definitely take a look at.
The next day, we are heading to Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum. This huge temple complex was opened in 2011. You can really spend hours here. It is very interesting to watch the people celebrate their belief. Mount Alishan is known for its beautiful sunrises and tea cultivation. There are many hiking trails in the national park, which we highly recommend.
- Travel duration: 2 weeks
- Best time to visit: March to May / September to November
- Main dish: 10 €
