Getting There and Getting Around

Most visitors will arrive in Taiwan via Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport, which offers excellent transportation links to downtown Taipei and other cities. High-speed rail and an extensive train and bus network also make getting around the country convenient and affordable. For shorter distances, taxis are easy to hail. While travel between cities is smooth, I’d recommend renting a car or scooter for exploring more remote areas.

Where to Go in Taiwan

There’s so much to see and do across Taiwan’s diverse landscapes. Here are some top destinations I recommend in Taiwan:

Taipei – Base yourself in the energetic capital to visit night markets like Shilin and Raohe, see the iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper, hike Elephant Mountain for city views, and learn about history at the National Palace Museum.

Hualien – Located on Taiwan’s east coast, Hualien offers gorgeous mountain and ocean scenery. Key sights include Taroko National Park with its marbled cliffsides and temples, scenic drives along the coastline, and relaxing hot spring resorts.

Kenting National Park – Taiwan’s tropical south features sandy beaches and watersports along the Bay of Kenting. Visit Eluanbi Lighthouse, Sand and Shore Nature Park, and nearby rural towns.

Sun Moon Lake – This crystal-clear alpine lake surrounded by lush mountains is considered one of Taiwan’s most scenic spots. Take a bike ride around part of the lake, go boating or swimming, tour Wenwu Temple, and ascend Fo Guang Shan Monastery.

Alishan – Explore this popular high mountain resort and forest recreation area. Attractions include sunrise views from Alishan Forest Railway, lush walking trails, and tea plantations.

Tainan/Kaohsiung – These southwestern cities showcase rich Taiwanese food, culture, and heritage. Tainan highlights include centuries-old temples and street food stalls. In Kaohsiung, top sights include Pier 2 Art Center, Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, and Lotus Lake.

Taiwan’s Islands – Just off Taiwan’s coast, visitors can take ferries to explore smaller islands like Kinmen and Penghu. Each island chain has its own unique scenery, cultural sights, and local cuisine waiting to be discovered.

Best Times to Visit Taiwan

Taiwan enjoys comfortable weather year-round, but spring and autumn are considered peak tourist seasons due to mild temperatures ideal for outdoor activities. Late March-April offers pleasant weather and blooming cherry blossoms across the island. September-November also brings fewer crowds than summer. For cultural events, visit during major festivals like Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Lantern Festival.

Top Things to Do in Taiwan

With stunning scenery, vibrant cities, delicious food, and fascinating culture, Taiwan offers endless possibilities. These are just a few of my favorite things to experience:

• Hike through breathtaking mountain and coastal landscapes like Taroko Gorge, Yushan National Park, Sun Moon Lake, and the East Rift Valley
• Learn about history and culture by visiting temples, museums, heritage sites, and Taiwan’s many night markets
• Shop for local handicrafts like pottery, jewelry, woodcarvings, and Taiwanese oolong tea
• Relax at mountain hot springs and luxury resorts across Taiwan
• Sample night market delicacies and regional specialties – Taiwan is a foodie’s paradise!
• Join festival celebrations like lantern releases, concerts, and parades
• Spot wildlife in wilderness areas and reserves across Taiwan’s diverse ecosystems
• Take day trips to offshore islands for a beach getaway

Each traveler will find their own personal favorites from Taiwan’s long list of sights, flavors, experiences and adventures waiting to be discovered. With temperate weather year-round, delicious cuisine, warm hospitality, and easy transportation, Taiwan offers the perfect destination for an unforgettable Asia getaway.

Conclusion

In this Taiwan travel guide and blog post, I’ve highlighted some of the top destinations and attractions across the “Beautiful Island” that can suit any interest. From bustling Taipei to scenic Sun Moon Lake, culture and history in Tainan, island-hopping to Taiwan’s archipelagos, and hiking through breathtaking gorges and high mountains, Taiwan’s diversity amazes. With delicious food, excellent infrastructure and transportation, along with friendly locals happy to share their culture, Taiwan makes for an easy, enjoyable travel experience. I highly recommend adding Taiwan to any Asia travel itinerary, whether you’re a backpacker, foodie, adventurer, wildlife-lover, or city explorer.

The post Taiwan Travel Guide appeared first on byajayro.

There never seems enough time but make sure to try and spend at least 5 days in Taipei as it has so, so much to offer from the bizarre but delicious street food to fascinating history and culture to beautiful city parks and gardens, and that’s just the start – zoo, tea fields, mountains, unusual themed cafés, shopping etc, etc, – believe me, even 5 days ain’t enough!

Our post on traveling in Taiwan gives loads more detail and it is really easy to get around with a simple metro system, lots of signs in English and also plenty of bus routes that are user-friendly. Another handy feature of the city is that if you look even the slightest bit lost or confused, the super friendly locals come to the rescue and set you back on course. This happened every single time we felt the slightest bit lost and completely restored our faith in humanity. We seriously can’t emphasize enough how amazingly friendly people are in Taiwan.

Pre-booked Tours

It’s better to plan your travel so you don’t have to waste hours in thinking if a place to go when you are there. Instead, write it down on a paper/notebook or type it down on your phone. Plus book your activities online beforehand as its way cheaper than buying it when you get there.

Where to get cheaper tours?Based on our personal experiences, Klook Are a great company for discounted tours for your trip to Taiwan and we took the following from KLOOK

More Activities

Places We Visited

A memorial built in 1972 as a tribute to the founder of the Republic of China, Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Aside from the fact that it houses the accomplishments of Dr. Sun, the place has now become a ground for educational and cultural activities. The hall is surrounded by Zhongshan park that features a beautiful garden, histories carved in walls and a lake or most known as the Emerald Pond. From here, you can already see the beauty of once known as the tallest building in the world, the Taipei 101.Park Address:No. 505, Sec. 4, Ren-ai Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C
Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee
Opening Hours: 9:00am ~ 18:00pm

How to get there:
Option 1: 

From our hotel, We walked going to Sun Yat-sen that took us 17 mins. Another option is Youbike for 10 mins.

Option 2:

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

The most well-known historical landmark in Taiwan is the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. It was built in memory of the late President of the Republic of China, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. Alongside in the square is the National Concert hall and the National Theater.

The Gate of Great Centrality and Perfect Uprightness

A panorama of Memorial Hall Square, with the National Concert Hall (left) and the National Theater (right) Source: Wikipedia

Park Address: No. 21, Zhongshan S. Rd., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee
Opening Hours: 9:00am ~ 18:00pm

How to get there:
Option 1:

From Sun Yat-sen Station, Take Blue Line (to Far Eastern Hospital/ to Dingpu) get off at  Shandao Temple Station then walk going to Chiang Kai-shek.

Option 2:

Presidential Office Building

This is the place for you if you want to learn more about Taiwan’s colonial past and cultural heritage over the past fifty years. It is considered as one of the most recognizable buildings in Taiwan and is a good addition to a city tour since the place is located near the National Taiwan Museum and Taipei Main Station.

Park Address: No.122,Zhongshan District,Taipei City,Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday (except holidays): 09:00am – 12:00pm

How to get there?
Option 1: 

If you are coming from Chiang Kai-shek, you can just walk from there.

Option 2:

228 Peace Memorial Park & National Taiwan Museum

A park erected for the victims of the February 28 Incident (1947) in Taiwan history. This is near the Presidential Office Building and within the park is the National Taiwan Museum that stands at the north entrance of the park.

The National Taiwan Museum is located inside the park and is the oldest museum in Taiwan established back in 1908. It features the indigenous natural history and biodiversity of Taiwan. It is open from 9:30AM to 5:00PM

Park Address: 103, Huaining Road, Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee
Opening Hours: 10:00am – 17:00pm, Closed on Mondays

How to get there?
Option 1:

In our case, we just walked going to National Taiwan Museum, beside it is 228 Peace Memorial Park, since it is near the Presidential Office Building.

Option 2: 

Lin Family Mansion and Garden

The Lin Family Mansion and Garden was a residence built by the Lin Ben-Yuan family in late 1840’s. It is a prominent destination in Taiwan because it is the sole surviving complete example of a traditional Chinese garden. The place covers an area of about 20,000 square meters and is subdivided into nine (9) beautiful gardens and three (3) courtyard mansion.

NOTE: You can visit the place from 9AM-5PM every day except for the first Monday of each month and during Chinese New Year’s Eve and Day with an entrance fee of 80NTD.

Park Address: 9, Xiamen Street, Banqiao Dist., New Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Entrance Fee: NTD $80
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 17:00

How to get there?
Option 1: 

From National Taiwan Museum, walk towards NTU Hospital Station (Tamsui-Xinyi Line (to Beitou/ to Tamsui) => Taipei Main Station => Transfer to Bannan Line (to Far Eastern Hospital/ to Dingpu) => Fuzhong Station, then use your google map to locate Lin Family Mansion and Garden.

Option 2: 

Dahu Park

Located at the base of Bailushan, Dahu Park is best known for its large scenic lake. The 13-hectare lake is crossed by the Jindai Bridge. There is also a picturesque lake pavilion, which like the bridge, is built in a traditional Chinese style.

The park is also a popular spot for weekend fishing, picnics, and strolls in the scenic setting. Walking along the lake, one can enjoy the rippling light on the lakes and the flight of the egrets. Apart from the greenery and trails, there is a heated swimming pool, steam room, sauna, water slide, and other recreational facilities to enjoy.

Travel.Taipei

Park Address: No. 31, Sec. 5, Chenggong Rd., Neihu Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 17:00

How to get there?
Option 1:

From Lin Family Garden, go back to Fuzhong  Station (Blue Line) then transfer to Zhongxiao Fuxing Station (Brown Line) and get off at Dahu Park Station.

Option 2:

Taipei Zoo

After your Gondola experience, you should visit Taipei Zoo, considered as the largest zoo in Asia. Entrance fee is 60NTD and is open from 9AM to 5PM all year round except on Chinese New Year.

Park Address: No.30,Sec. 2,Xinguang Road,Taipei City,Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Entrance Fee: Adult – NTD $60 / Child – NTD $30
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 17:00

How to get there?
Option 1: 

Take Wenhu Line (to Taipei Zoo) from Dahu Park Station => Taipei Zoo Station. Then walk for about 3 mins going to Taipei Zoo. (Right side)

Option 2:

Maokong Village and Gondola Experience

Maokong Village is located on top of a mountain overlooking Taipei City. It is the village known as the most scenic spot in Taipei to enjoy a sip of locally produced tea. The best and fastest way to reach this place is to take the Maokong Gondola, a 4.3 KM cable car ride!

NOTE: Maokong Gondola opens at 8:30AM to 9:00PM (10:00PM for Friday and Saturday).  Ride fee is 120NTD for Adults, 50NTD for children ages 6-12 yrs old and Senior over 65 yrs. A discount of 20% for Easycard users are given during weekdays and another 20NTD discount if you will enter the Zoo.

Park Address:, Wenshan Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Entrance Fee: Adult – NTD $120 / Child – NTD $50 Opening Hours:Monday: Closed Tuesday to Thursday: 09:00~21:00 Friday and the day before a national holiday: 09:00 ~ 22:00 Saturday and national holidays: 08:30 ~ 22:00

Sunday and the last day of national holidays: 08:30~21:00

How to get there?
Option 1:

From Taipei Zoo, Have 8 minutes walk going to Maokong Gondola Entrance Ride Side of Taipei Zoo Station.

Option 2: 

Taipei 101 and Observatory

Taipei 101 is a well-engineered building that can withstand typhoons and earthquakes considered to be the icon of modern Taiwan.  It is once known as the tallest building in the world (2004-2010) until Burj Khalifa had been fully erected; and not until 2016, it held the record of fastest elevator in the world traveling at 60.6km/h and can transport people from the 5th floor to 89th floor for just merely 37 seconds.

The base of the building is composed of grandiose shopping mall and restaurants. On the fifth floor is the entrance going to Taipei 101 Observatory. Tickets can be acquired online or you can ask your booked hotels if they offer tickets for a discounted price.

In our case, we already booked a ticket prior to our arrival in Taiwan and we got it for 800+ pesos each. We scheduled our visit at Taipei 101 at 4PM but unfortunately, we were not able to attend it. However, what is good about it is that for every ticket purchased, you are entitled to reschedule your time of visit that is why we were able to adjust our schedule to 7PM and truth be told, it was a blessing in disguise to be at the observatory during this hour because the Taipei’s city lights is truly breathtaking.

The tune map damper that stabilizes the building against movements caused by strong winds.

Park Address: No. 45, City Hall Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Entrance Fee: Adult – NT$600 / Child – Free for children under the height of 115 cm
Opening Hours: 9:00am – 10:00pm (On 12/31 service ends at 9:00pm)

Book Discounted Taipei 101 Ticket Here

How to get there?
Option 1: 

From Maokong Gondola Station, Take Bus 15 going back to Taipei Zoo. Then take Wenhu Line (to Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center) from Taipei Zoo Station => Daan Station => Transfer to Tamsui-Xinyi Line (to Xiangshan) => Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station then walk going to Taipei 101 Observatory.

Option 2:

Taipei Travel Vlog

Best Budget Hotels in Taipei City

Top Hotels in Taipei City

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4D3N DIY TRAVEL GUIDE TO TAIWAN

Taiwan Travel Guide
Day 1: Taipei City Tourist Spots
Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More!
– Yangmingshan Travel Guide
– Beitou Travel Guide
Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more!
Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan

Beitou is a geothermally active region only half an hour from Taipei if you take the MRT. It’s a popular spot for both locals and tourists, who go to enjoy its mix of hot springs, Japanese history, and its geothermally active park and spring.

Pre-booked Tours

It’s better to plan your travel so you don’t have to waste hours in thinking if a place to go when you are there. Instead, write it down on a paper/notebook or type it down on your phone. Plus book your activities online beforehand as its way cheaper than buying it when you get there.

Where to get cheaper tours?Based on our personal experiences, Klook Are a great company for discounted tours for your trip to Taiwan and we took the following from KLOOK.

Yangmingshan National Park & Hot Springs Tour

More Activities

History

Beitou geothermal qualities were first in use centuries ago as sulfur mines, but with pretty disastrous consequences as, at the time, they were the cause of serious health problems for the poor miners. Fortunately, how times have changed!

Japanese Era – In 1896 a Japanese businessman from Osaka, Hirita Gengo (平田源吾), set up Taiwan’s first hot spring resort in Beitou (then known as Hokutō Village  / 北投庄). It was hugely popular and soon a great success with all of Japanese and local society, including a visit in 1923 by Prince Hirohito! It was obviously THE place to hang out in the hot baths and much the same attitude prevails today although there have been no further royal visits since 1923.

Post-Japan – Sadly it was left to rot in heavy neglect after WWII and it was not really until Taiwan started achieving some autonomy in the 1990s that local interest, fuelled by the improving economic situation, began to revive its fortunes and put it on the path of favor and popularity once again. With renewed funding, it was soon restored to previous heights of grandeur to once again become the popular ‘hot spot’ that you see today!

 Getting There

To reach Beitou take the red MRT line towards Tamsui Station or Beitou Station, transfer at Beitou Station to the Xinbeitou Line, which reaches XinBeitou Station (the hot spring area) in a few minutes (one stop). From there it’s a few minutes walk to the Hot Springs Park.

It’s difficult to find a better way to spend a great day in Taipei that beats routing around in the Beitou area. It has a great deal to offer from Buddhist Temples to Hot Springs to Museums and more besides. Below are just some of the must-see places.

Touring around Beitou using Youbike.

Xinbeitou Station

From Beitou station a one-station branch line runs to Xin Beitou station, which is near the hot springs area. One train services this line running back and forth between Beitou and Xinbeitou MRT stations, departing from each end approximately every ten minutes.

In order to get close to the hot springs, you can go from Beitou Station direct to Xin Beitou. The train goes every 10 minutes. You can rent a bike (YouBike)when you arrive which makes it so much easier to get around but you can walk if you have the energy and stamina and if you’re going to want to visit the Beitou Museum it’s a fair old trek on foot!

How to get there:
Option 1: 

From Yangmingshan, Wait for bus 108 (only bus going to Yangmingshan Bus Station) then from Yangmingshan Bus Station take bus 9 or 230 opposite of 7/11 and Starbucks then get off at Xinbeitou Station in front of the Youbike area.

Option 2:

Beitou Park

Beitou Park is a long, narrow park just by Xinbeitou Subway Station. Established 1913! It is best known for its water fountain at the entrance which puts on an hourly water show throughout the day. There are also a number of walking trails and great places to relax and worth a look are the Beitou Library and Plum Garden.

Free: All time
Address: No. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Beitou Dist., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed on national holidays.

Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch

Not just a library but a building, housing books, that Tarzan would feel at home in and the first building in Taiwan to be certified as ‘Green’ by the government. Built-in 2006 it’s an awesome wooden structure and even if you are not interested in literature, the building architecture is a must see.

travel.taipei

Free: All time
Address:  Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 8:30am – 9pm, Sun-Mon 9am – 5pm; Closed first Thursday of each month

Beitou Hot Springs Museum

The museum has an amazing history and really only by a mix of luck and perseverance of some locals, survived the turmoil of post-WWII and the lack of enthusiasm for anything originally Japanese in that era. Luckily for all as late as 1997 the building was lovingly restored to the beautiful landmark that it is today. Both the building and the museum displays are a must for a visit – don’t miss it.

Unfortunately, They are renovating the place when we went there. So we didn’t go inside.

Admission: Free
Address: No. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Opening hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm

There are a total of 3 hot springs and 2 cold springs. The hottest is at 43 to 45-degree c. With the others at 41 to 42-degree c and 35 to 40-degree c. Conditions of use are strict and using you’ll need to use the shower to rinse yourself and once you have decided which one you’re going to try, you’ll need to wash your feet again with the buckets by each spring. The protocol also requires complete body immersion and not just dangling your feet in etc.

travel.taipei

The hot spring is open only at certain hours (below) and if you forget swimwear you can buy in the expensive onsite shop. There are full bathroom facilities and changing lockers.

Entrance Fee: NTD 40.
Suggested Months: 01、02、12
Address: Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Opening hours:
5:30am– 7:30am / 8:00am – 10:00am / 10:30am –1:00pm
1:30pm – 4:00pm / 4:30pm – 7:00pm / 7:30pm –10:00pm

Beitou’s Puji Temple is an uncommon example of a Japanese Buddhist temple. Few survive in Taiwan and Puji was built in 1905 and combines the elements of three Japanese religious traditions; Wayo, Daibutsuyo (Great Buddha) and Zen Buddhist. Today, Puji Temple is dedicated to Tangshou Guanyin – the Goddess of Mercy and the temple and the Goddess are believed by locals to be the guardian spirit of the hot springs.

Free: All time
Address: No. 112, Wenquan Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Opening hours: Daily 8am – 5pm

Beitou Museum

The Beitou Museum (北投文物館) houses over five thousand pieces of Taiwanese folk craft dating from the Qing Dynasty up until the 1970s. The building itself is probably the best-preserved example of  Japanese architecture in Beitou and has been beautifully restored, complete with two small stone gardens and in its day it was the most luxurious hot spring hotel in Taiwan. The museum also houses a cafe and restaurant (vegetarian meals must be ordered two days in advance). It’s only a short taxi ride to get there and it’s a great experience.

Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10:00AM – 6:00PM. It opens on Mondays if they are a national holiday.

Beitou Thermal Valley

Beitou Geothermal Valley is on the northern edge of Taipei and its hot springs have a history Going back over 200 years to when the Japanese first started using the springs. The Valley has hot springs that reach temperatures of over 100º Celcius and although you have to pay to actually take a dip in the cooler ones, you can enjoy the great views free of charge.  The Valley is easy to access on the subway and it’s a nice break from the buzz of the city center.

travel.taipei

Free: All time
Address: No. 32, Youya Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 9am – 5pm; Closed Mondays

The historic Plum Garden was once a summer house of the calligraphy master and political leader Yu Youren. Built in the late 1930s, it was not until 2010 that officials renovated the building and opened it to the public.  The actual characters “Mei Ting”, meaning Plum Garden, were actually written by Yu and can be seen on a plaque at the entrance. Now housing a visitor information center to promote tourism, the traditional Japanese wood-framed architecture is amazing in its own right and as well as getting information of other places to visit, you can also see some great examples of Yu’s calligraphy.

travel.taipei

Free: All time
Address: No.6, Zhongshan Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun:09:00 – 17:00. Will be closed on Feb. 28 (2/28 Memorial Day).

Cherry Blossom Tunnel at Fuxing 3rd Road

The well-known “Cherry Blossom Tunnel,” located at Fuxing 3rd Road, Datun Village, Beitou District, is home to a stupendous ‘river’ of flowers that extend along the entire length of the road. Meticulously maintained, the trees were planted as part of an overall floral theme many years ago and are a symbol of pride for officials and locals alike.

travel.taipei

Suggested Months: 03、04
Address: Fuxing 3rd Road (Beside Baigong Villa), Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
How to go: Take Bus S(小)6 to Qingtian Temple (清天宮)

A slightly further walk away from Puji Temple, next door to a beautiful old church. It’s a much humbler Buddhist affair than Su, but still offers delicious set meals for 100 – 200NT. Staffs were welcoming and happy, but it may be difficult to communicate this if you can’t speak Chinese. They offer an English menu.

Perhaps if you come here, try order another ramen like the fried pork chop ramen? or just order a couple of plates of that divine pork chop!

Address: No. 110, Wenquan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan. Tel: (+886) 2 2893-7958

Nearest MRT: Xinbeitou MRT

Sample Budget & Itinerary 

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The post DIY Travel Guide: Beitou appeared first on byajayro.

4D3N DIY TRAVEL GUIDE TO TAIWAN

Taiwan Travel Guide
Day 1: Taipei City Tourist Spots
Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More!
– Yangmingshan Travel Guide
– Beitou Travel Guide
Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more!
Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan

High on your list of must-see places in Taiwan have to be the iconic, historical and charming old towns of Keelung, Jiufen (九份) and Shifen (十分). They are rich in old world charm of a bygone era and have some of the best and atypical eateries in the country. The vast majority of visitors book coordinated tours to visit these towns, but it’s not that difficult for the independent traveler to get to see them without being herded around like cattle! It’s pretty straightforward to organize yourself and it is what we described to do ourselves, so read on and see how simple and stress-free it can be.

Pre-booked Tours

It’s better to plan your travel so you don’t have to waste hours in thinking if a place to go when you are there. Instead, write it down on a paper/notebook or type it down on your phone. Plus book your activities online beforehand as its way cheaper than buying it when you get there.

Where to get cheaper tours?Based on our personal experiences, Klook Are a great company for discounted tours for your trip to Taiwan and we took the following from KLOOK.

Yehliu Geopark Shuttle Bus from Ximen Tour

More Activities

Keelung City

Nicknamed ‘rain city’ is a great place to begin your exploration of the beautiful North Coast, which includes spots such as  Yehliu Park, Ruifang, and Japanese-style gold-mining town Jiufen.  Don’t forget your umbrella ;).

Keelung has some great events and festivals (check dates online) and probably the most spectacular of these is the popular “Ghost Festival” that runs normally around August or September depending on the lunar calendar. The city lights up with parades, fireworks, and red lanterns and things to see include folk-art performances and the release of burning water lanterns to light up the waterways for the lonely souls trapped there and guide them to land.

Other places you may want to visit while in Keelung City:

Photo credit to @Yevgen Byelykh

• Miaokou Night Market
  The city is also known as an inexpensive place to eat and the night market is a great place to experience this with its fried sandwiches, cream crab, and famous Pao-Pao Shaved Ice (泡泡冰 Pàopào Bīng), available in an insanely amount of flavours from a few shops located near the intersection of Rensan and Aisi. It’s a really popular place so be prepared for crowds and queues.

mytaiwantour.com

• Museum of Marine Science and Technology

mytaiwantour.com mytaiwantour.com

How to get there:
Option 1:

From our hotel, we used Youbike going to Taipei Bus Station and took Bus 1800 going to Keelung City.

Option 2:

Where to stay in Keelung City

Yehliu Geopark

Yehliu Geopark is a cape shaped area located in Yehliu Village of Wanli District, just an hours drive from Taipei City. It is famous for its amazing eroded rock formations such as the Queens Head and is probably the major attraction in Taiwan.

As well as boasting an ecology reserve and Taiwan’s first marine park, Yehliu has some great walks including one that takes you to the top of a cliff offering an outstanding 360-degree view of the North Coast and the Pacific Ocean. The marine park (Ocean World) features acrobatic dolphins, whale, and seal shows as well as the opportunity to ‘walk underwater’ with a stroll through the 100 meters long transparent undersea tunnel.

Sadly the constant erosion caused by wind and waves that have resulted in the spectacular rock formations are the ongoing cause of their delicate state, so please always follow the guidance rules and never touch any of the eroded rock forms (especially the Queen’s Head) and always stay behind the painted boundary lines.

Address:No.167-1, Kantung Road, Yehliu Village, Wanli District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 
Contact Number: 886-2-24922016
Email: info@ylgeopark.org.tw
Open Hours: 8:00AM to 5:00PM Daily
Entrance Fee: Adult TWD80.00 | Childen (TWD40.00)

Book discounted yehliu ticket here

How to get there:
Option 1:

From Keelung City Port, cross the bridge and wait for Bus 790 in front of Family Mart. 

Option 2:

Jiufen

This is another really great place to visit in Taiwan as this old mining town is said to be the inspiration for the setting of the animated film, Spirited Away, which I happen to love. A bit of a downside is that you have to travel for at least two hours from Taipei just to reach the town, so hope you will have the time.

Along the narrow alleyways, you can find a great variety of shops – souvenirs, general nick-knacks, cafes, and lots of places to eat as Jiufen is considered by many as a top food location.; there are souvenir shops, stores that sell accessories, cafes and tea houses, and lots of food establishments, as Jiufen is considered by many as yet another top food location.

Jiufen was primarily developed by the Japanese in from 1893 after they discovered gold there and their architectural influence is still very obvious although probably the most famous spot in Jiufen is this teahouse building decorated with red Chinese lanterns!

Built in 1934, Sheng-Ping Theatre 昇平劇院 was one of the first film theatres in Taiwan. It was closed in 1986 as the Jiufen population had seriously declined but reopened and restored in 1989 due to exposure in a major Taiwanese film about it. The theatre is also showing reruns of A City of Sadness at certain timings of the day, so if that floats your boat be sure you visit.

Address: No. 137, Qingbian Road, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224
Opening Hours: 9:30A – 5PM (Mon-Fri), 9:30AM – 6PM (Sat-Sun)

The Ah Mei Teahouse is another iconic landmark that you might recognize from Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 movie, Spirited Away. It’s a great photo opportunity locating and it can be a bit of fight to get the ideal shot as it is very popular and always crowded.

Skip the line and get fast-track entry to Amei Teahouse, one of Jiufen’s most iconic structures. Enjoy oolong tea and classic Taiwanese snacks in a traditional tea house with a breathtaking mountain view.

Book your reservation here

Address: No.20 Shixia Alley, Ruifang Town, Xinbei, Taiwan [新北市瑞芳區市下巷20號]
Opening Hours: 8:30AM – 12AM (Mon-Thu & Sun), 8:30AM – 1AM (Fri), 8:30AM – 2AM (Sat)

How to get there:
Option 1:

From Yehliu Geopark, we took the same bus going to Keelung City and took a train from Keelung City to Ruifang Station. There’s no direct stop going to Ruifang from Keelung so you need to transfer to Badu Station. From Ruifang Station, walk to the bus stop near the Police Station and wait for the buses going to Jinguashi or Jiufen.

•  No direct bus from Yehliu to Jinguashih or Jiufen.
• From Yehliu Geopark > Keelung (for transfer to another bus heading Jiufen/Jinguashih). Walk to Yehliu stop where you earlier disembark the bus. Across the road, just outside a convenience store, board Keelung bus #790 or #862 displaying destination “基隆” to get to Keelung Railway Station. Can use Easycard. Travel time: About 40 mins.

Option 2:

Jinguashi

Jinguashi(金瓜石) is another former gold and copper mining town about ten minutes by bus from Jiufen. It’s famous for its mining history, its solid bronze statue of the Guang Gong and its POW camp for captured allied soldiers during WWII.

NOTE:  

• Jinguashi is best visited as a side-trip from Jiufen (transport). It’s ten minutes by bus (number 788, every fifteen minutes) from the busy bus stop outside Jiufen Old Street.
• The Gold Building (museum) and Benshan Fifth Tunnel (gold mine) are closed on the first Monday of every month (except during or just after national holidays – see below).
• The Gold Building (museum) and Benshan Fifth Tunnel (gold mine) are closed on the first Monday of every month (except during or just after national holidays – see below).

Gold Ecological Park

A must see is the restored the Benshan Fifth Tunnel (gold mine), complete with model Taiwanese miners setting dynamite or enjoying lunch from their bentos (Japanese lunch boxes). While a little contrived, it offers a taste of what life was like for the hard-working miners who supplied much of the metals needed by the Japanese empire. The Gold Building is essentially a museum on the history of gold in Taiwan and around the world and offers the chance to touch the world’s largest gold ingot at 220kg. It’s rumored that if you can lift it (with one hand) you can take it home. There are some great restored former Japanese residences, including a chateau built-in expectation of a visit from Crown Prince Hirohito, who never bothered to turn up!

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• The park itself is free and always open.
• The Gold Building and the Benshan Fifth Mine Tunnel are open
• Mon – Fri: 9:30 – 17:00
• Weekends and Holidays: 9:30 – 18:00
• They are closed on the first Monday of every month or the day after the holiday if the first Monday falls on a national holiday.
• Cost: Everything is free except the Benshan Mine Tunnel

POW Memorial

One of the less savoury aspects of Jinguashi’s history is Kinkaseki (the Japanese pronunciation of Jinguashi), which was a Prisoner of War camp, where over 1100 Allied soldiers, mostly captured in Southeast Asia, were forced deep into the mines to carry out work considered too dangerous or unpleasant for Taiwanese or Japanese miners. Conditions were similar to the infamous Death Railroad in Thailand and Burma, and prisoners were beaten with mining equipment if they couldn’t complete their allocated tasks. Many died from malnutrition and preventable diseases. The memorial was erected in 1997.

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Cyuanji Temple (勸濟堂) 

Astride this temple sits a solid copper, 25 tonnes, golden-faced statue of the God Guan Gong, and although it is permitted to walk to the statue, you have to pass through the temple so always remember that it is considered a sacred place of worship.

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Golden Waterfall

A short walk down from the Cyuanji Temple is the Golden Waterfall. The water collects a brownish hue from heavy metals (but not much gold) in the ground.

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Remains of the Thirteen Levels

(十三層遺址) Officially known as the Shuinandong Smelter, this abandoned thirteen-story smelter made famous as a backdrop for several movies. It’s possible to walk down to the roof of the smelter from behind the Cyanji Temple, however, it’s best viewed from the coast (also walkable from Jinguashi, a little past the Golden Waterfall, but easier with private transport). There are numerous Flue Pipes that’s used to carry the smoke and fumes to the top of the mountain, and they are believed to be the longest chimneys in the world. It’s not safe to enter any of the buildings or the chimneys.

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How to get there:

Where to stay in Jiufen

Shifen Old Street

Shifen Old Street is in the Pingxi District 平溪区 of New Taipei City 新台北市 and is famous for its sky lanterns.

Many tourists feel that Releasing sky lanterns is one of the lists of must-do items when you visit the Shifen Old Street and an attempt to be more ecologically correct, Pingxi is the only place in Taiwan where sky lanterns are allowed to be released due to its sparse population and high altitude.

They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors and the colors represent differing auspicious meanings. The cost of the lanterns depends on how many colors the lantern has from 150TWD for 1 color to 200TWD for 4 colors.

Also, each color has its own significance:

After you have chosen, they will unfold the lantern and clip it to a steel frame for you. You will be asked to write down your corresponding wishes on the lantern with the calligraphy brushes and ink provided. If you lack ideas about what to write, there are some handy Chinese phrases written on boards for you to copy!

Once we are done with the writing, the vendor will open the flattened lantern and asked us to hold them for a photo session if you want and then it’s up up and away as you watch the peaceful assent of your lantern carrying your hopes and desires.

Not wanting to ‘pour water’ on your floating dreams but do think about the fact that releasing sky lanterns has caused pollution to the environment. A sky lantern is only airborne as long as the flame stays alight and will sink back to the ground once the flame goes out. However, it may also land when it is still alight, making it a fire hazard. The flame source generally does not burn completely and may land in forests and buildings, causing pollution and even fires.

Shifen Waterfalls

Most consider Shifen Waterfall to be Taiwan’s most famous and it has been nicknamed “Little Niagara” because the horseshoe shape mimics North America’s most famous waterfall. It’s not as tall nor as wide, at 20 meters high and 40 wide, located on the upper reaches of the Keelung River — though it is incredibly powerful. It is, however, insanely beautiful.

• NO admission/entrance fee is required: F R E E!
• Opening Hours: 9:00 AM – 16:30

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The walk to the waterfall is a real beauty and includes crossing two suspension bridges, looking down ‘kettle pits’ (potholes) and admiring the winding river that seems comic book turquoise against the luscious green mountains; photo ops abound!

The round trip to and from Shifen Waterfall takes about a 45-60 minute walk and there are some cafés here in case you get peckish (though after visiting Shifen Old Street, I’d doubt you are!).

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Make sure you go to the Observation Point Trail past the first major viewpoint of the falls — you can walk nearly all the way to the bottom of Shifen Waterfall where you’ll get the best view and photos (that is why you came, no?).

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How to get there:
Option 1:

From Jiufen take a bus going to Ruifang Station. Then, wait for a train bound to Shifen Old Street. Train intervals are every 1 hour so better plan your trip. Shifen Waterfalls is walking distance from the Old town.

Option 2:

Train Schedule going to Shifen Station from Ruifang Station:

Timetable of trains going to Shifen Station from Ruifang Station vice versa. Timetable of trains going to Taipei City from Ruifang Station.

Raohe Night Market

For an authentic Taiwanese experience, you must visit Taipei’s oldest night bazaar – Raohe Street Night Market. This amazing market is a stone’s throw away from Songshan MRT Station, and sellers normally start setting up their stalls at 5pm, but the best time to drop by is around 7pm – where you get to catch the action in full force.

How to get there:
Option 1:

We waited an hour to catch the next train going back to Ruifang Station. Then waited for less than 5 mins before the next train going to Taipei. We get off at Taiei Songshan Station (Green Line) then walk towards Raohe Night Market.

Option 2:

The choices facing the gastronome are enormous, and it’s so difficult to choose exactly what to try as it’s all so good! but don’t leave without trying a cup of the famous bubble ice, which comes in a range of fruity flavors, whipped up to order.

• Stinky tofu
• Oyster omelet
• Pot-edged pancake soup
• Bubble Ice Tea
• Fried sandwiches
• Bean noodle thick soup
• Shrimp Taiwanese balls
• Tianbula (Taiwanese Tempura)
• Shaved ice (with different toppings)
• Chinese sausages

DAY 3 TRAVEL VIDEO

Keelung City + Yehliu Geopark + Shifen Old Street + Jiufen + Jinguashi
Itinerary & Expenses

25.109187 121.846298

The post DIY Travel Guide: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen, Jiufen and Jinguashi , Taiwan appeared first on byajayro.

Taiwan Travel Guide
Day 1: Taipei City Touris Spots
Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More!
– Yangmingshan Travel Guide
– Beitou Travel Guide
Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more!
Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan

Yangmingshan National Park was established in 1985 and is next to Mt. Yangming, one of the most famous mountains in Taiwan.  It is massively popular and features volcanic formations with fragrant flowers during all four seasons. It is also known locally as the ‘Backyard of Taipei’ owing to the abundance of flora which thrives in its tropical climate, also loved by some of the unusual animals there.

Being the only national park in Taipei City, Yangmingshan National Park has always been popular with locals and foreigners alike. The park not only has lots of popular scenic sites such as Qingtiangang and the Zhuzihu but unusually the opportunity to see some of the wild animals and then eat them in the cafes! Perhaps not such a politically correct idea these days!

Pre-booked Tours

It’s better to plan your travel so you don’t have to waste hours in thinking if a place to go when you are there. Instead, write it down on a paper/notebook or type it down on your phone. Plus book your activities online beforehand as its way cheaper than buying it when you get there.

Where to get cheaper tours?Based on our personal experiences, Klook Are a great company for discounted tours for your trip to Taiwan and we took the following from KLOOK.

Yangmingshan National Park & Hot Springs Tour

More Activities

How to get there?

You can get to the Park’s bus terminal (Yangmingshan Bus Terminal) in less than an hour and all the buses to other destinations within Yang Ming Shan National Park can be found there as well. The reason you will need to consider ongoing buses is that different features of the whole national park (see below) are pretty widely spaced, so unless you have your own transport, a bus is a logical option.

To get to these destinations, you can take Bus S8 (小8).

*It operates from 7:00am to 5:30pm daily, with 5 to 8 minutes interval time.

Yang Ming Park is reachable by walking from the main bus terminal, probably taking about 30 minutes for this 2km walk. It seems like a long way for but trusts me, it is totally worth the effort as the scenery along the way is just totally awesome. You can pass by beautifully-landscaped garden compounds which are filled with purple lavender in the right season as well as roads lined with white cherry blossom. Even if your not a flower lover is an amazing spectacle!

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Walking this route gives you access to massive Yang Ming Park.

It is most famous for it’s Flower Clock (花鐘), which compared to its pictures, I found a little disappointing – tribute to good photography I guess!!, even so, this is a great hiking place / budget-friendly tourist area which Is not that far to travel to from the city.

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Suggested Months: 03、04、10、05、11

Zhuzihu (竹子湖) 

The dinky little village of Zhuzihu is tucked between volcanic mountains in Yangmingshan and is another must visit place and is known for its calla lily fields. There are numerous paths into the fields and over waterways, and for a few hundred of the local currency you will be allowed to pick some of your own to take home – if you’re not into that you buy them in nearby stalls.

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Suggested Months: 02, 03、04、

Taipei’s very own dormant volcano.  Xiaoyoukeng is considered by most to be the most beautiful scenic spot in Yangmingshan National Park. You can understand why as you walk the scenic trail of Xiaoyoukeng. It is famed for the fumaroles, sulfur crystals, hot springs and spectacular ‘landslide terrain’ formed by post-volcanic activity.

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 Xiaoyoukeng (小油坑) (literal translation ‘Little Oil Pit’)is around 20 minutes away from Zhuzi Hu by bus and although it may look close on the map, don’t be tempted to walk, it’s further than it looks.

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The shuttle bus Take you to the bus stop for Xiaoyoukeng. It takes another 3 minutes walk to the observatory platform some 50 meters away from the pit. You can see the steam gushing out from the rocks with sulfur, and if the wind is blowing at you, you will get the heat and smell of sulfur as well.
Suggested Months: All Year Round

Mount Qixing

Mount Qixing (Seven Stars Mountain) is the highest peak in Yangmingshan National Park is a popular hiking trail and you can access it directly from the park headquarters (Miaopu entrance) and is known as the Mt. Qixing Hiking Trail (2.5 Kms.). About 1.6km into the trail, you’ll reach Qixing Park, which is a scenic rest area that also provides great views of the peak, as well as over the city of Taipei. Carry on up the trail and you’ll reach the summit of Mt. Qixing. There is an alternative 1.7km side route down to Lengshuikeng where you can grab a relaxing free dip at the public hot spring.

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Suggested Months: All Year Round

Lengshuikeng (冷水坑)

Lengshuikeng is popular rest spot for visitors hiking or touring Yangmingshan National Park, has a visitor center with a small restaurant/café, a formal hot spring building (not for the bashful as you are separated into genders and must enter naked), as well as an outdoor foot-soaking. All hot springs are free to the public.

Oddly translated into English as cold water pit, they are very much hot springs at Lengshuikeng but a little cooler than others in the area that can be 40c, so ideal for those not quite ready to be cooked! If you not ready for the full immersion experience, just try the easy foot soaking pool!

Suggested Months: 01、02、10、11、12
Opening Hours: 09:00～16:30

Menghuan Pond

Menghuan Pond is an ecological conservation zone and if famous for the extremely rare Taiwanese Isoetes (a perennial aquatic fern) as well as other aquatic animals and plants. A chorus fit for a choir is a constant from the frogs, insects, and birds that live around the pond, and is quite something to hear. Qixing Park has a pavilion, corridor, and bathrooms, and if the weather is kind you can see great views of the green hills of Mt. Qixing, Taipei City, Mt. Shamao or the Syue mountain range.

Menghuan Pond is located next to Lengshuikeng (冷水坑), a cooler-temperature hot spring with public facilities.

Suggested Months: 01、02、10、11、12
Opening Hours: 09:00～16:30

Qingtiangang Grassland Trails (擎天崗) 

Qingtiangang is another location worth a visit in Yangmingshan National Park. It is a beautiful grassland area, 20 minutes by bus from Xiaoyoukeng. Originally it was a tea plantation and farmland which in the 1930s, was changed into cattle farms which all closed some years ago apparently due to low demand for traditionally reared cattle. Some cattle remain to roam free around the area, not to end up on your plate but because they are a tourist attraction! It’s a vegan-friendly place to visit!

You can access Qingtiangang easily by car or bus and a drop into the visitor center is very worthwhile as there is a free guided tours start (twice a day: 9:30 and 13:30). Once you are there follow the 2.4-kilometer-long circular trail to meet those grazing cattle on the grassland as well as a number of historic ruins on the way. Weather permitting, which is normally Spring, the Jinshan plain, and the Taipei basin crowd the uninhibited views to the horizon.

Suggested Months: All Year Round

Transportation

Round trip ticket is 60 NTD per person per day. Service Tel:+886-2-28616206

 2. Minibus S15 (Capital Bus)

3. #681:

Donghu ←→ Yangmingshan Second Parking Lot (06:00～18:30)

4. Minibus S9 (Danan Bus)

5. 1717 Royal Bus

6. #260:

Taipei Railway Station←→ Yangmingshan Bus Station (6:00～22:30)
Peak Hour: Every 7～10 minutes
Off-Peak Hour: Ever 10～15 minutes
Service Tel: +886-2-28616206

7. #230:

MRT Beitou Station ←→ Yangmingshan Bus Station (5:30～22:45) Every 30～45 minutes

Service Tel: 0800-089-456

8. Red#5

(Connects to MRT at Jiantan MRT Station):
Jiantan MRT station ←→ Yangmingshan Bus Station (5:30～24:40)
Peak Hour: Every 5～8 minutes
Off-Peak Hour: Every 12～15mintues
Service Tel: +886-2-28616206

Tips and Reminders

1.High-temperature areas such as fumaroles and geothermal springs are unstable. Always stay on the trail. 2.To avoid slipping and getting lost, please stay on the trial. 3.Trails may be slippery, walk slowly. 4.Use headlights at all times when driving on mountainous roads, in fog use fog lights and drive slowly. 5.Be prepared for changeable weather before climbing mountains and hiking. 6.If poisonous snakes or wasps appear on the trail, leave quickly and quietly.

7.Do not wear colorful clothes or use perfumes, so as to avoid attack by wasps.

Overall, Yangmingshan National Park is one of the perfect places to get close to the nature in Taipei City!

STAY IN TOUCH WITH OUR WORLD OF ADVENTURES BY CHECKING OUT:

The post DIY Travel Guide: Yangmingshan National Park appeared first on byajayro.

Taiwan Travel Guide
Day 1: Taipei City Tourist Spots
Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More!
– Yangmingshan Travel Guide
– Beitou Travel Guide
Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more!
Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan

Day 2 of our stay in Taiwan. Tired from our Day 1 activity, we woke up early to stick with our itinerary. Today’s itinerary is a bit different because we are going to experience the off beaten path tourist destinations often overlooked by most of the tourist when they come to Taiwan. Here, one will experience the Japanese influence left in the country and the Mainland China. So let’s start!

Pre-booked Tours

It’s better to plan your travel so you don’t have to waste hours in thinking if a place to go when you are there. Instead, write it down on a paper/notebook or type it down on your phone. Plus book your activities online beforehand as its way cheaper than buying it when you get there.

Where to get cheaper tours?Based on our personal experiences, Klook Are a great company for discounted tours for your trip to Taiwan and we took the following from KLOOK.

Yangmingshan National Park & Hot Springs Tour

More Activities

Places We Visited

The Expo Park was a big noise in 2011  during an International Floral Expo, but this often overlooked attraction is well worth a visit. Its huge, kids friendly, gardens are great with loads of interesting pavilions to rest your feet and watch the world go by. ?aid=2313

It’s easy to access from the nearby Yuanshan MRT Station and is close to the Maji Maji Square shopping and food area when you moving to the Fine Arts Park and Museum. The museum also offers free interactive child-themed exhibits in the basement as well as a cafe that serves child-friendly meals in plastic car and plane dishes.

Finally a little further on is the Xinsheng Park and the Lin Tai Ancestral House.
Entrance Fee is FREE except to Taipei Fine Arts Museum where you need to pay 30NT$.

Yuanshan Park! One part of the Taipei Expo Park.

Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Taipei Fine Arts Museum

How to get there:
Option 1:

From our hotel, We took the Green Line from Namjing Sanmin Station to Zhongshan Station then transferred at Red Line and we got off at Yuanshan Station. Taipei Expo Park is Beside the station.

Option 2: 

Confucious Temple & Dalongdong Bao-an Temple 

These are THE two temples that you have to visit and are seldom visited by tourists in comparison to others like Longshan Temple. With these 2 you have a serene tranquility almost an out of body religious experience as well as fantastic architecture.

• The Confucius Temple honors one of the greatest philosophers of all time and exemplifies his teaching- simplicity and you will notice the lack of elaborate wall designs and the blinding mixture of gold and red colors.

• Just behind the Confucius Temple is the also renowned Dalongdong Bao-an Temple. Established in 1742, it was awarded a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award in 2003.

  Perhaps a little sadly, the Bao-an Temple is usually visited by people praying for good health or recovery from illness, but you will be pleased to know that the temple deity, Baosheng Dadi, seems to grant many visitors a speedy return to health! Taking over 25 years to build with materials mostly sourced in Mainland China, Bao-an Temple is a style icon along the lines of those of the more exotic temples.

  So 2 contrasting experiences right next to each other – be sure not to miss them!

Address: No.275, Dalong St., Datong Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C
Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee Opening Hours:Tues~Sat: 08:30~21:00;
Sundays and National Holidays: 08:30~17:00; Closed on Mondays

How to get there:
Option 1:

From Taipei Expo Park, use your google to reach the Confucius Temple.

Option 2:

Yangmingshan National Park

The park is famous for its cherry blossoms, unique volcanic geology, and topographical sights, with signs of volcanic activity like fumaroles and hot springs everywhere. It’s easy to reach from Taipei, just one hour by bus. Due to its accessibility for the people of northern Taiwan, on weekends and holidays, the park attracts countless hikers and other visitors who come to enjoy the scenery.

Yangmingshan National Park

Yangmingshan National Park

Park Address: No. 1-20, Zhuzihu Road, Shilin Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee
Best Months: 01、02、10、11、12

How to get there:
Option 1:

Go back to Yuanshan Station, then take MRT, get off at the next station – which is the Jiantan Station. Wait for the bus s15 on the left side of the station going to Yangmingshan Park.

Option 2:

Xinbeitou Station

From Beitou station a one-station branch line runs to Xin Beitou station, which is near the hot springs area. One train services this line running back and forth between Beitou and Xinbeitou MRT stations, departing from each end approximately every ten minutes.

In order to get close to the hot springs, you can go from Beitou Station direct to Xin Beitou. The train goes every 10 minutes. You can rent a bike (YouBike)when you arrive which makes it so much easier to get around but you can walk if you have the energy and stamina and if you’re going to want to visit the Beitou Museum it’s a fair old trek on foot!

How to get there:
Option 1: 

From Yangmingshan, Wait for bus 108 (only bus going to Yangmingshan Bus Station) then from Yangmingshan Bus Station take bus 9 or 230 opposite of 7/11 and Starbucks then get off at Xinbeitou Station in front of the Youbike area.

Option 2:

Beitou

Beitou is a geothermally active region about half an hour by MRT from Taipei. A prime tourist spot for domestic and international tourists, it’s famous for its hot springs, Japanese history, and its geothermally active park and spring.

To reach Beitou take the red MRT line towards Tamsui Station or Beitou Station, transfer at Beitou Station to the Xinbeitou Line, which reaches XinBeitou Station (the hot spring area) in a few minutes (one stop). From there it’s a few minutes walk to the Hot Springs Park. A trip to Beitou could easily take a whole afternoon and is often combined with a trip to Yangminshan.

Use your Google Maps in getting around Beitou as the tourist spots are just near to each other. We paid 55NT$ in total for our Youbike.

National Palace Museum

Before heading to Shilin Night Market and if you still got plenty of time, you can still include this in your itinerary. The Taipei National Palace Museum can trade punches with any world-class museum anywhere and contains some of the rarest pieces from centuries of Chinese dynastic rulers and how they got there is a great story in its own right.

The design of the museum itself mimics the Northern Chinese Palace in The Forbidden City and contains over 700,000 pieces of Chinese imperial art spanning a total of 8,000 years! Needless to say, it can get very busy (over 6 million visitors a year) but if you enjoy ancient Chinese art and history this is a no-brainer – can’t be left out of your places to go in Taipei.

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Park Address: No. 221, Sec. 2, Zhishan Rd., Shilin Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Entrance Fee: NTD $350
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 17:00 (Sunday ~ Friday) 09:00 – 20:30 (Saturday)

How to get there:
Option 1: 

From Xinbeitou Station, take the MRT and get off at Shilin Station, then you have an option to ride the bus or Youbike going to National Palace Museum.

Option 2: 

Xiangshan Park

Elephant Mountain

Elephant Mountain (it’s more a big hill) is known for being a great place to get amazing pictures, not least Taipei 101, but also if you’re lucky, some drop-dead fantastic sunsets, so a good time to start a hike is during the afternoon to coincide with the event. The climb takes roughly 15-20 minutes with a lot of steps along the way, but it’s not too hard to reach, even for even for those of moderate fitness. There are rest points, benches and viewing balconies along the way if needed. It is all free and that’s fantastic but the drawback is that it can be pretty crowded not only with sightseers but also lots of locals who can often be seen walking up backward for some reason, as well as aspiring athletes engaged in the rigors of training. But it’s all worth it if you get your timing right and nature cooperates and you get 101 with a stunning sunset behind – quiet breathtaking!

Elephant Mountain

How hard is the hike? Not too hard.  Like I said, it’s 15-20 mins, maybe 30 minutes up if you’re a little out of shape, and while it’s pretty steep, there are plenty of rest stops and seats on the way to take a break. I’d recommend taking a bottle of water and a towel, other than that it’s pretty basic.

There’s no ticket necessary for the hike, so you can rock up pretty much any time and actually the night hike is super popular too.  Another benefit of the evening hike is that it’s not so bloody hot!

Park Address: Xiangshan (Mt. Elephant), Xinyi Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee
Reminders:
1. Trail length: Hiking trail: approx. 1.5km, total: approx 2.3km 2. Altitude: 183m

3. Walking time: approx. 1 hr 40 min

How to get there:
Option 1: 

From Xinbeitou Station, Take the MRT Red Line going to Beitou Station, Transfer to another train then alight at Xiangshan Station. It will take you 12 mins or more to reach the Hiking trail Jump-off.

Option 2:

Shilin Night Market

There are many night markets in Taipei but none can shine a light on Shilin. It’s the biggest, best, most popular and downright top dog of them all. It has everything from a massive selection of food to gaudy, yet amusing, tourist nonsense that you can haul back to not so good friends and family! It’s like some unsolvable maze to walk around and you can’t help feeling you been somewhere before 10 minutes after you think you were there previously, but that’s all part of the fun of such a great place that oozes atmosphere from every single nook and cranny. Be there or be square – and you can buy them too!

Shilin Night Market

Shilin Night Market

Many of Taiwan’s traditional foods can be found and bought for reasonable prices from the friendly locals who are eager to let you taste the unique flavours of their traditional recipes such as Giant Fried Chicken Steak, Tempura, Bubble Tea, Oyster Vermicelli Oyster Omelet, Fried Buns and of course, the most notorious Taiwanese goodie, Stinky Tofu.

Shilin Night Market

Park Address:  Jihe Rd., Shilin Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 
Opening Hours: Daily 17:00 – 24:00

How to get there:
Option 1:

From Xiangshan Station, Take MRT Red Line going to Shilin Station, But you may also opt to get off at Jiantan Station as it’s just across the station.

Option 2:

Day 2 Travel Vlog

Best Budget Hotels in Taipei City

Top Hotels in Taipei City

The post Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou, Elephant Mountain, Shilin Night Market and more! appeared first on byajayro.

4D3N DIY TRAVEL GUIDE TO TAIWAN

Taiwan Travel Guide
Day 1: Taipei City Tourist Spots
Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More!
– Yangmingshan Travel Guide
– Beitou Travel Guide
Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more!
Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan

Taichung (臺中 or 台中; Tái-zhōng) is located in the west-central part of Taiwan. With a population of around 2.5 million, it is the 3rd biggest city and has grown rapidly in recent years on the back of diverse manufacturing.

Like some other areas, Taichung has the ever popular night markets (ChungHwa, Feng-Chia, and Chung-Shiao) with the requisite food and drinks diversity, but more uniquely it is the home of a world-class science museum and has some great hiking trails into the hills. Among the activities to catch when visiting Taichung: the world-class science museum and hiking in the nearby hills.

Pre-booked Tours

It’s better to plan your travel so you don’t have to waste hours in thinking if a place to go when you are there. Instead, write it down on a paper/notebook or type it down on your phone. Plus book your activities online beforehand as its way cheaper than buying it when you get there.

Where to get cheaper tours?Based on our personal experiences, Klook Are a great company for discounted tours for your trip to Taiwan and we took the following from KLOOK.

book Formosan Aboriginal Culture tour

book A Day at Sun Moon Lake Tour

Book Gaomei Wetland & Rainbow Village Tour

Other Taichung Tours

 How to Get there:

By Bus
Bus is the most convenient and cost-effective option and leaves from Taipei Train Station. Take the Tong-Lien Bus (統聯客運), Kuo-Kuang Bus (國光客運). Tickets cost from NT$100-350, depending on what day of the week you travel on. Buses depart several times an hour from the early morning through evenings and the entire ride is about three hours long.

By Train

• High Speed Rail (HSR)
  All Taiwan High-Speed Rail (HSR) trains between Taipei and Kaohsiung stop at Taichung. The High-Speed Rail station is located on the outskirts of Taichung. You can take a regular train between the two stations in about six minutes, in addition, a free bus is available to take HSR passengers downtown, to the universities, etc.
• Mountain Line
  In addition, Taichung is a major stop along the Western Line with all north and southbound trains a making a stop here. Express trains (ZiQiang) are NT$375 from Taipei and NT$470 from Kaohsiung. Midrange ticket prices (Jukuang class) typically run around NT$289 from Taipei or NT$363 from Kaohsiung. The entire trip takes about three hours from both Taipei and Kaohsiung. The Western Line station is located in central Taichung.

By Car
You can rent a small car for about 2200 NT per day.

Getting around Taichung

We only had a day in Taichung and since some of the places in my itinerary were somewhat hard to get to without a car, we tried our best to reach these destinations the DIY (Do-it-yourself) way. Taichung is a big province and tourist spots are far from each other. You have an option to take the High-Speed Rail (HSR) or via Mountain line. For those of you with a bit more cash, you can hire a cab that will take around Taichung. In our case, we choose Youbike to tour around the city and took an Uber to get to the more remote places.

Where to stay in Taichung City

ZhongShe Flower Market is probably the most Instagram-worthy destination you’ll visit in Taichung, and that’s saying a lot (just check out the “Rainbow Village” to see what we mean!) Field after field of every kind of flower – it’s breathtaking and will keep you camera buffs super busy and if the flowers are not enough there are some great settings like gazebos, mini bridges and like some surreal film set for a Beatles movie, a white piano in a field of lavender – John and Yoko would have loved it!

• Try to visit when it’s not hot unless you’re into sweating!
• If you do go on a hot day, take a hat, umbrella etc., to give yourself some shade.

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Address: No. 333, Sec. 5, Sanfeng Road, Houli Dist, Taichung City 421, Taiwan
Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm daily
Contact: 04-2557-6926
Website: http://www.flowerjs.com.tw/
Entrance Fees: Jan-Mar (Tulip season) – 150NTD (adult) / 75NTD (child between 3 to 12 years old, and elderly aged 65 and above) Apr-Dec – 120NTD (adult) / 60NTD (child between 3 to 12 years old, and elderly aged 65 and above)

How to get there:
Option 1:

From Taipei, Take West Line trains or Mountain Line Trains then get off at Tai’an Station then walk around 20mins to reach the place. Houli Station is an option but you need to take a cab going to Zhongshe Flower Market.

Option 2:

Miyahara

Miyahara Eye Hospital sounds like it’s a branch of London’s famous Moorfields Eye Hospital but in reality is an exquisite emporium of frozen dairy products, or to you me, ice cream heaven! It gets its name from the fact that when it was originally built by the Japanese, it did what it said on the tin, but after they left it fell into disuse until restored into a paradise for kids and adults where you can agonise over which of the 50 or so flavours of ice cream you can manage to taste!

Address: No. 20, Zhongshan Rd, Central District, Taichung City, Taiwan 400

Opening hour: 10:00-22:00

How to get there:
Option 1: 

If you’re coming from Zhongshe Flower Market, Take a train from Tai’an Station going to Taichung Station. Outside the station, you can rent Youbike to stroll around Taichung City.

Option 2:

Taichung Park

Taichung’s Rainbow Village (彩虹眷村) is not what you might suspect from its name, but is an incredible, one-of-a-kind, art display. Its 3-5 houses are eclectic and vibrant examples of eccentric and unusual designs. It’s a must for lovers of contemporary art and lucky to have survived e-commercial pressures of developers who had earmarked the area for upscale housing! Vibrant, colorful art painted on the remaining street & homes of a former veterans’ village.

Note: The place is quite small and you should plan for 30 mins or so. To avoid crowds, go on a weekday morning. Basically, it’s still a residential area, so don’t expect to find public toilets or foods here.

Address: 408, Taiwan, Taichung City, Nantun District, 春安路56巷

Opening Hours: Open 24 hours
Phone: +886 920 162 888

How to get there?
Option 1: Option 2:
This attraction is located in Nantun District, quite far from Taichung city center. Except for the village itself, there is nothing of interest in this area. The Chinese name is Caihongjuan Village (彩虹眷村).

travel.taichung.gov.tw

Address: Gaomei Wetland, Qingshui Dist., Taichung City 
Opening Time: The boardwalk is closed at high tides.

How to get there:
From April 8th, 2017, bus #655 will link Taichung THSR Station (Xinwuri Station), Rainbow Village, Gaomei Wetlands Visitor Center and Taichung harbor Fishing Port. But only on weekends, public holidays, summer and winter school vacations (so, roughly, from mid-June to mid-September, from mid-Jan to the end of February).

So many tourists prefer to rent a taxi. A taxi ride from the High-Speed Railway will cost about 800NTD, from Qingshui Railway Station about 250NTD.

Feng Chia Night Market

travel.taichung.gov.tw

Address: Surrounds the Feng Chia University of , Xitun Dist., Taichung City
Opening Hours: 12pm- 2am

Princess Annie’s Garden Restaurant 

ladyironchef.com

Address: No.223 Zhongxing Street, Xinshe District, Taichung City
Contact Number: 04-2593 1567
Opening Hours: Daily / 9am – 8pm

Rollin Farm (Ruo Yin Nong Chang)

ladyironchef.com

Address: No 1 XueShan Road, Heping District, Taichung City
Contact Number: 04 2597 1218

XinShe Castle

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European-style castle with picturesque grounds featuring a koi-filled pond & waterfall, plus dining.

Address: 426, Taiwan, Taichung City, Xinshe District, 協中街65號

Opening Hours: 9AM–6PM

Carton King

jenitadarmento.wordpress.com

Address: 2 Second Alley, Tungshan Road, Beitun district, Taichung 406, Taiwan

sheenalovessunsets.com Travganic.com

Whimsical mountainside retreat offering verdant trails, lavender fields, a restaurant & gift shop.

Address: 426, Taiwan, Taichung City, Xinshe District, 中興街20號

Places of interest near Taichung:

Lugang: temples, ancient Chinese culture
Changhua: gateway to Baguashan, a nice Confucius Temple
Baguashan: A giant Buddha sculpture (22m-high), temple
Sun Moon Lake: Taiwan’s biggest lake
Dakeng: Hiking trails
Sanyi: Wood sculpting, tea, countryside, Hakka food

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