It’s time we all learned a little more about Taiwan, and what better way to do that than with a list of the best things to do while you’re there?

Table of Contents

Drink tea

Tea service at the top of a spiraling mountain road in Jiufen.

A post shared by Emily Caneer (@emilyjsuzanne) on Mar 13, 2017 at 4:47pm PDT

You’re in Taiwan, and tea houses are a big deal here. You’ve got so many to choose from, so where do you start? Head to Taichung (which birthed bubble tea, if you’re familiar with it), or Jiufen if you’d like to drink your tea while looking out over the mountains and ocean.

Eat

Much like their tea, the local Taiwanese cuisine is also amazing. Taiwan is famous for dim sum, beef noodle soup and street food, or if you’re feeling particularly daring, give stinky tofu a go – it’s a local favourite. Shilin Night Market, Yonkang Street, and James Kitchen are firm favourites.

Taipei 101

A standard tourist activity, but one that you can’t miss. You get great views of the city from as high as 91 floors – plus, the lift shoots you up to the 89th floor in under 40 seconds. So if the view isn’t exciting enough for you, the ride there will be!

Night markets

#LuoDongNightMarket #Luodong #Yilan #Taiwan #RoadTripA post shared by Dake Hu (@dstyletw) on Jul 21, 2015 at 4:31am PDT

Asia is known for its night markets, and Taiwan is no exception. With tons to choose from, if you’re looking for a market that has a bit of everything, check out Luodong Night Market (next to Luodong Park), Raohe St Night Market (in Taipei’s Songshan District), and Tonghua Night Market (in Taipei’s Datun District).

Go on an overnight hike

First sunrise of 2017#sheipanationalpark#hiking

A post shared by Amber C (@amchien86) on Jan 4, 2017 at 5:20am PST

Taiwan has some incredible hiking trails, and you’ll take so many photos your poor Instagram and Facebook followers will hate you for blocking their newsfeed. If you’re after a challenging trek, try the 3-4 day trail in Shei-Pa National Park (North Taiwan), where you’ll be able to stay at the top of a mountain overnight, look up at the Milky Way, and then wake up for an epic sunrise over the park. If you’re looking for something slightly easier (and less likely to remind you how unfit you are), go for the Beidawushan Trail in South Taiwan, which is 10km and promises you some magnificent panoramic views over the Pacific Ocean and the Taiwan Strait.

Visit temples

Taiwan is a country rich in culture, history and religion – so take yourself on a tour of the temples. In the oldest district of Taiwan, Wanhua, you can visit the Lungshan Temple of Manka, or go along to the impressive Chung Tai Shan Buddhist monastery in Puli.

If this list has helped you build on your existing Taiwan itinerary, or convinced you it’s finally time to head out there, take a look at our flights page.

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