What to see in Taiwan: 8 must-sees
Discover what to see in Taiwan: 8 must-see destinations, from Taipei to Taroko Gorge. Predominantly religious and city; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
Religious(3)
Behold the temple where architecture, history and spirituality create a unique landscape. Temple, architecture and spirituality. Visit the sacred temple where spirituality, architecture and history create a space of peace and reflection. Admire the architectural details and feel connected to the transcendent. Its courtyards follow the model of the Confucian temples and are devoted to education, ceremonial music and respect for teachers.
Cross the grounds of Fo Guang Shan, the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan, and walk the avenue flanked by pagodas to the 120-meter Great Buddha watching over the hills of Kaohsiung from high above. Walk the cared-for gardens, meditation halls and stupas where monks and visitors share the daily quiet. Climb the terrace at dusk to watch the lights come on over the golden figures, and understand why this center of the Fo Guang Shan order gathers thousands of believers each year.
Behold the Longshan Temple, in northern Taiwan, one of the country's most venerated temples. Note the columns of carved dragons, the curved roofs with ceramic figures and the lanterns hanging from the central courtyard. The temple mixes Taoist and Buddhist tradition, with altars dedicated to Guanyin and other deities. You will see worshippers burning incense, leaving fruit offerings and casting divination blocks — in a constant movement that brings the place to life at any hour of the day.
City(2)
Explore Taipei, Taiwan's capital, where 2.6 million people live between temples such as Longshan and the Taipei 101 skyscraper. Follow the Shilin night market to try fried chicken and bubble tea, ride the Maokong cable car or browse the electronics shops of Guanghua. Here the incense of the altars coexists with punctual metro trains and design cafés.
Head up to Jiufen, a former gold-mining village in the mountains of northern Taiwan, and walk Jishan Street among red lanterns, tea houses and stalls of taiyaki and taro balls. Look out from the viewpoints over Keelung Bay and the Pacific, try the oolong tea at the A-Mei teahouse and follow the trails toward Keelung Mountain. As evening falls, the stone steps light up and the village recovers the air that inspired Miyazaki in 'Spirited Away'.
Natural(1)
Explore Taroko Gorge, in eastern Taiwan, where the Liwu River cut its channel between marble walls over a thousand meters tall. Follow trails such as the Water Curtain Tunnel or the Zhuilu trail, suspended over the precipice, and cross hanging bridges beside temples perched on the rock, such as the Eternal Spring Shrine. Watch Formosan macaques and native birds as the clouds snag on the peaks ringing the canyon.
National Park(1)
Take to the coastal trails of Kenting National Park, at Taiwan's southern tip, where the westerly wind of the strait lashes the coral cliffs. Here coral reefs, tropical forest and white-sand beaches good for snorkelling coexist. You can hike the signposted routes, watch migratory birds in season and visit rocky coves shaped by marine erosion. The park requires active conservation because of the fragility of its corals and woods, so respect the closures and protected areas during your visit.
Beach(1)
Discover Kenting Beach, in the south of Taiwan, where white sand and transparent water invite you to swim, surf or snorkel among corals. Walk the shore at sunset, when the sky turns orange over the strait, and head to the nearby national park with trails between fossil coral formations. Book your lodging in Kenting village to have the night market at the beach's edge, with stalls of grilled seafood and tropical fruit.
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