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🇹🇼Things to Do in Taiwan
From Taipei 101's observation deck to the marble cliffs of Taroko Gorge - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Taiwan combines a major modern city, some of the finest Chinese imperial art in the world (moved here in 1949), and dramatic gorge and mountain scenery within a small, easy-to-navigate island. Night market food culture runs through nearly every city, making it as much a food destination as a sightseeing one. Here are 8 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Taipei 101
Once the world's tallest building, with an observation deck and a massive tuned mass damper (visible through glass) that keeps the tower stable in Taiwan's frequent earthquakes and typhoons.
📍 Taipei
🚉 Nearest station: Taipei 101/World Trade Center on the red line, which surfaces at the base of the tower; the observatory lifts are among the fastest in the world at 37 seconds to floor 89.
National Palace Museum, Taipei
Home to one of the world's largest collections of Chinese imperial artifacts, moved from Beijing's Forbidden City in 1949 - the collection is so large that only a small fraction is displayed at any time.
📍 Taipei
🚉 Take the red line to Shilin, then bus R30, 255 or 304 for 15 minutes - the museum is up in Waishuangxi and has no station of its own.
Taroko Gorge
A marble canyon on Taiwan's east coast, with hiking trails carved into cliff faces and suspension bridges crossing the gorge - one of the most dramatic landscapes in East Asia.
📍 Hualien, East Coast
🚉 Nearest station: Xincheng (Taroko) on the east coast line, about two hours from Taipei by express, then the Taroko shuttle bus or a taxi into the gorge - note that sections close after typhoons and earthquakes.
Night Markets
Shilin and Raohe in Taipei are the best-known of Taiwan's night markets, serving street food like stinky tofu, beef noodle soup and bubble tea, which originated in Taiwan.
📍 Taipei
🚉 Each has its own MRT stop: Jiantan for Shilin, Longshan Temple for Huaxi, and Ximen for the Ximending streets - all a couple of minutes' walk from the exits.
Beitou Hot Springs
A hot spring district within Taipei's metro reach, with both public bathhouses and private hotel spas fed by the same geothermal source as the nearby volcanic Yangmingshan National Park.
📍 Taipei
🚉 Take the red line to Beitou and change to the short Xinbeitou branch; the public baths, the thermal valley and the museum are all within a 10-minute walk of that terminus.
Sun Moon Lake
Taiwan's largest lake, in the central mountains, with a cable car connecting it to an aboriginal cultural village and cycling paths considered among the best in Asia by international cycling publications.
📍 Nantou County, Central Taiwan
🚉 Take the high-speed train to Taichung, then the Nantou Bus 6670 for 90 minutes to Shuishe pier, where the lake's boats and cycle paths begin.
Jiufen
A hillside town near Taipei with lantern-lit teahouses and narrow alleyways often cited as a visual inspiration for the film Spirited Away, though Studio Ghibli itself has not confirmed a direct connection.
📍 Ruifang, New Taipei
🚉 Nearest station: Ruifang on the east coast line, 40 minutes from Taipei, then bus 788 or 827 up the hill for 15 minutes to the old street.
Kaohsiung
Taiwan's second city, in the south, with the Dome of Light glass ceiling at Formosa Boulevard metro station and Lotus Pond's temple-lined lake as its best-known sights.
📍 Kaohsiung
🚉 Nearest station: Zuoying for the high-speed train from Taipei in 90 minutes, connecting to the city's own red-line metro and the light rail around the harbour.
Mark Taiwan, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Taiwan?
A week covers Taipei, Taroko Gorge and Sun Moon Lake well. Ten days lets you add Kaohsiung and the south without rushing.
What's the best time to visit Taiwan?
October-April has the mildest weather and avoids typhoon season, which runs roughly June-October and can bring significant disruption. Spring (March-April) is also good, before summer humidity sets in.
Is Taiwan good for a first-time visit?
Yes - Taipei's metro system is extensive and easy to use, English signage is common, and it's considered one of the safest and most tourist-friendly destinations in Asia.
Do I need a visa to visit Taiwan?
Many nationalities, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can visit visa-free for short tourist stays (typically up to 90 days); other nationalities need a visa arranged in advance. Check the official visa information for your nationality: boca.gov.tw.
What are some things to do in Taiwan on a tight budget?
Night market food is cheap and excellent, Taipei's public transport (metro, buses, YouBike rentals) is inexpensive, and many temples and parks, including much of Yangmingshan National Park, are free to visit.
Can I rent a car in Taiwan, and what licence do I need?
You can, though the high-speed rail and metro systems cover almost everything here. Taiwan requires an International Driving Permit alongside your home licence, and it must be validated at a local Motor Vehicles Office if you stay beyond 30 days; some nationalities can instead use a translated licence under reciprocal agreements. Minimum age is 20 with a year of driving experience. Scooter rental, which is how locals get around smaller towns, requires the motorcycle category on the same permit - shops that rent without checking are not doing you a favour. Official rules are published by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications at motc.gov.tw, with visitor guidance at taiwan.net.tw.