One visit to Taiwan was all we needed to fall in love. It’s such an underrated country that not many think of to go, but there’s so much beauty to see. It’s rich with beautiful temples, delicious cuisine, night markets, and gorgeous scenery. While we only stayed here a week, we explored areas in the south beyond Taipei, including Tainan and Kaohsiung. These areas are filled with hidden gems and give a more authentic taste of the country.
Here’s an inspiring list of 9 places in Taiwan to discover that are less known and more local, in addition to some of the more popular spots as well. This 3-day tour of Southern Taiwan covers a lot of the places listed here, and also helps to save the time spent on DIY planning.
A Unique Guide on Things to Do in Taiwan
The courtyard at Koxinga Shrine
Koxinga Shrine
Koxinga Shrine is located in the West Central district of Tainan. Dating all the way back to 1163, it has a lot of significance for Taiwanese history. It was built in memory of Cheng Cheng Kung, an important figure in history for the country. The shrine is a Northern Chinese style architecture with remnants of Japanese influence mixed in. I was in awe over the beautiful ornamental details and colors throughout, and it’s a wonder to walk through and explore.
A shop along Anping Old Street
Anping Old Street
Located near the fort in the Anping district of Tainan is Anping Old Street. The street is filled with amazing food to try and a variety of shops to see. I’m a sucker for those narrow, windy and charming streets and this one didn’t disappoint. We tried a plethora of unique food here, including oyster omelets, shrimp chips, pudding, and peanut desserts. If you’re into having a more local experience, this is a must see in the area.
The walkway at Anping Tree House
Anping Tree House
Another idea for places in Tainan to explore is the Anping Treehouse, which is a former warehouse that has been overtaken by banyan roots and branches. It’s located near the fort in the Anping district. You’ll love the mix of nature and man-made, similar to Ta Prohm, the famous temple in Cambodia. We walked within, above and all around the warehouse to get various viewpoints. It’s truly a unique experience and you’ll definitely feel like you’re in a treehouse. Nearby there’s also the Tait and Co Museum, an interesting insight into culture and history. Admission is 50NT.
The front of Renshow Temple
RenShow Temple
Within the rural parts of Tainan in the Gueiren District is RenShow Temple. I don’t know too much about it’s history, however the temple is 300 years old and inside is a stone tablet with inscriptions from 1888. I noticed beautiful carvings throughout, and the entire structure is stunning. We stumbled upon it at random, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re into architecture and less known places.
Seafood vendor on Cijin Island
Cijin Island
Next up is Cijin Island, a small island next to Kaohsiung harbor and just a 15 minute ferry ride away. It’s a wonderful day trip while in the area, and is loaded with things to do and see. You should definitely try plenty of fresh seafood while here. We also tried BBQ squid on a stick, which was delicious. In addition, you can bike around the island and admire the beautiful scenery all around. During our time here we also checked out a local temple, which we will feature next.
The front entrance of Tianhou Temple lit up at night by lanterns
Tianhou Temple
While visiting Cijin Island, you must check out Tianhou Temple. It was built for Matsu, goddess of the sea, and dates all the way back to 1673. Similar to other temples in Taiwan, it’s a Chinese style architecture, specifically from the southern areas. I loved looking at the intricate dragon carvings and colors, while admiring the beauty inside. Also, at night you’ll be rewarded with a magical view of lanterns lit up all around it.
The harbor in Kaohsiung Taiwan
Kaohsiung
Another underrated gem in Taiwan is Kaohsiung, a beautiful coastal city in southern Taiwan. We visited here for only a day and truly enjoyed it. Some must sees here are the night markets, Lotus Lake, the Love River, and a plethora of temples. You can also see stunning cityscape views from the top of the 85 Sky Tower. It’s a wonderful mix of nature, vibrant city life, amazing food, and rich cultural history. There’s also numerous day trips from here like Kenting Island, or Cijin Island. It’s worth exploring beyond Taipei and coming south. You could also do a private tour with a local like this one and discover all the hidden gems and great food spots.
A food vendor at Tainan Flower Night Market
Night Markets
Taiwan is home to some of the best night markets in the world. You can find them in every major city here. Some of the famous ones in Taipei include Shilin Night Market, Huaxi Night Market, and Linjiang Street Night Market. We also explored some in southern Taiwan, including Hua Yuan Night Market (aka the Tainan Flower Night Market), Dadong Night Market, and Guanghua Night Market. I love the sensory experiences at these markets, with all the smells, the sights, and the sounds. You’ll also have some of the best food and enjoy all the shopping, with incredible photography opportunities as a bonus.
View from the 89th floor of the Taipei 101
Taipei 101
Although touristy, the Taipei 101 is a must see while in the city. We went to the 89th floor to admire the amazing views of the city, and an outdoor observation deck on the 91st floor. There’s also special exhibits to discover and loads of shopping in the lower floors of the building. It’s so tall that you can see it from most parts of the city, and is cool to see from afar.
Inspiring Your Travel to Taiwan
We hope this list of things to do in Taiwan inspires some ideas for your next visit there. It’s truly a beautiful country with a lot of places to discover. Since we were only in Taipei for a day, we only scratched the surface. We’d still love to see Elephant Mountain, Jiufen Village, Mount Keelung, and explore more of Taipei city.
Day Trip from Taipei
If you’re spending some extra time in Taipei, this is the perfect day tour to Jiufen, Yehliu & Pingxi. These are some of the most beautiful and charming places to see in Taiwan!
Have you been to Taiwan? If so, we’d love to hear about it!
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9 comments
We absolutely loved Taiwan! Did you manage to get to Toroko Gorge?
We loved it too! We did not make it there, but would love to on a return trip! What parts of Taiwan did you see?
We were in Taipei for a house sit for what felt like a long time and then we took the train down to the gorge. There is so much more to see there, even after spending a month there!
Oh wow, that’s a nice amount of time to spend there! We were mostly in Tainan area visiting family, but would love to go back and explore Taipei and other areas more next time 🙂
[…] Once you’re through wandering the subtropical forests above Taipei, it’s about a 20-minute walk through Xinyi District to Tonghua Night Market (also called Linjiang Street Night Market) where you can recharge with some more Taiwanese street snacks. Visiting a night market is, of course, one of the absolute must-do activities while visiting Taiwan! […]
The architecture and details of the Tianhou Temple are wonderful. And of course, the Taipei 101 is a dream for me!
Yes I loved that temple, it was just gorgeous! And not crowded at all. Hope you get to go soon 🙂
I’ve only just recently added Taiwan to my bucket list. The temples look beautiful and the view from Taipei 101 is amazing. Pinned for reference.
It’s been years since I’ve been there, but definitely planning to go back and explore more of other areas. And some of the nature. It’s such an underrated country 🙂