Taiwan is a destination where you can enjoy natural wonders, trace the influence of the past, and marvel at its present innovation. It has embraced the influences of its neighboring countries but has also inspired others with its culture and architecture. Despite its modest nature, the cordialness and ingenuity of its people have enabled it to build incredible structures, develop a rich culture, and created cuisines that have become recognized worldwide. Taiwan promises an array of fun things to do and interesting things to see, as well as the best boutique hotels and other types of hotels to stay in. Read on to discover more of the top things Taiwan is famous for.
1. Taipei 101
What is Taiwan known for when it comes to architectural triumphs? Taipei 101, of course! Standing in the Xinyi District, Taipei 101 evokes the form of a Chinese pagoda. Since its completion, it has become a central component of New Year’s celebrations in Taiwan. Considered as the tallest green building in the world, it offers you picturesque scenery of Taipei and its surrounding area. During your visit, you can ride on its super-high-speed elevator and explore its observation deck. Also, you can head to its museum to learn about the design and construction of the building and other similar large-scale construction projects around the world.
Taipei 101
Address: No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Rd, Xinyi District
Website: Taipei 101
Opening hours: 9am - 10pm (daily)
Price: From 540 USD
2. Acer & Asus
Taiwan is one of the leading providers of computers in Asia, and two of its biggest names in the industry are Acer and Asus. Acer Inc. was founded by husband and wife Stan Shih and Carolyn Yeh, as well as five other co-founders, in August 1976. The company is headquartered in Xizhi, New Taipei City. As of January 2021, this company is the 6th largest vendor by unit sales of personal computers. Headquartered in Beitou District of Taipei is Asus, or AsusTek Computer Inc., which ranks 5th on the aforementioned list of PC sales. Tzu-Hsien Tung, Ted Hsu, Wayne Hsieh, and M.T. Liao founded the company in Taipei in 1989.
3. Little League baseball
That’s right. Little League baseball is something that Taiwan is popular for, especially a few decades ago where the country really cemented its name in the league. Taiwan once dominated the Little League Baseball World Series held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Beginning in 1969 until 1991, Taiwan won 15 series out of 23. There was also a time where non-USA teams were prohibited from competing, initially attributing it to hefty costs of travel, but some say it was due to the growing success of the Far East teams.
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4. Taiwanese food
Taiwan is known for many tasty delicacies, but one of the most famous ones is stinky tofu. The dish has an intense putrid odor that lingers in the surrounding, which limits other people from trying it. Despite its stinkiness, locals love it since it tastes good. Also, the local dish is beneficial to human health because it’s full of live bacteria. Some people even prefer it stinkier than it is. Its preparation requires having good quality vegetables together and two years of fermentation. Because of its popularity among locals, it has come to symbolize Taiwanese street food. One of the famous places you can get this is at Dai’s House of Unique Stink.
5. Taiwan’s night markets
Night markets in Taiwan have a long history. Today, they are considered as lively hubs of food and shopping hence they have become part of Taiwanese popular modern culture. An unmissable thing to do for every tourist in Taiwan is snacking and walking in its night markets. Some of the best places to experience this are Raohe Night Market, Tamsui Old Street, Fengjia Night Market, and Tonghua or Linjiang Street Night Market. If you want to go to one of the largest, oldest, and most crowded night markets in Taiwan then head to Shilin Night Market. You’ll enjoy a carnival-like atmosphere and find unique creative treats as well.
6. Taroko Gorge
Taroko Gorge is formally known as Taroko National Park. This rocky, tree-lined canyon has a river at the bottom, while its forests shelter different species of animals. The place is also famous for its marbles while its picturesque scenery makes it an excellent hiking site. Man-made structures were also built along this national park. Should you want to explore its attractions you can check out Shakadang Trail, Yanzikou Trail, and Lushui Trail. Also, you can visit Changchun Shrine, Tunnel of Nine Turns, the river terrace recreational area, and Qingshui Cliff.
Taroko Gorge
Address: 972, Taiwan, Hualien County, Xiulin Township,
Website: Taroko Gorge
Opening hours: Trail entry: 7am - 10pm
Price: From 100 USD
7. Beautiful mountains
Taiwan is the home of Mount Yushan, the tallest peak in Northeast Asia, and the tallest peak in Taiwan. Also known as Mount Jade, it is located within the Yushan National Park. It is covered by forests and serves as a habitat for different species of wildlife. It is the most famous, and most popular hike in Taiwan hence it often features on the bucket list of local mountaineers. Although it has easier high mountain hikes, being physically fit is still required to climb it. To reach the summit, it would take two days from the trailhead.
8. Bubble tea
One of the drinks that Taiwan is famous for is bubble tea and one of the teahouses that claimed to invent it is Chun Shui Tang. It was concocted after Liu Han-Chie, the founder of the teahouse, went to Japan and saw coffee served cold. The idea sparked him to serve Chinese tea cold in the early 1980s. In addition, he included Taiwanese tapioca pearls in the drink and it became the bubble tea that we know. This teahouse has become a popular tourist attraction in Taichung, which at times requires you to wait at least 30 minutes to get your drink. To have a taste of famous thing in Taiwan that started it all, try their original pearl milk tea.
9. Taiwan Lantern Festival
Taiwan Lantern Festival is celebrated on the first full moon of the Chinese New Year, and it usually takes place over a couple of weeks. The festival highlights colorful lanterns on the ground that feature Taiwanese icons. The different lantern exhibits with different subjects are often displayed in multiple areas of the city. Every year, the location of the festival changes as different cities in Taiwan take turns to host it annually. The Tourism Board of Taiwan organizes this festival.
Taiwan Lantern Festival
Website: Taiwan Lantern Festival
10. Friendly locals
The people of Taiwan are known to be friendly. They are welcoming, always offer to help, and take the initiative to return an item they have found. Although they are extremely shy, they love talking to foreigners. They could be initially hesitant in speaking, especially if it is in a different language, but once they get comfortable you’ll see how warm they can be. In addition, the Taiwanese believe that saying no directly as impolite, hence they are not able to say a clear and direct “no” and would resort to saying ‘maybe’ instead.
11. Hotsprings
Taiwan has several hot springs but Beitou is probably the most famous hot spring in the country. The surrounding area around the natural hot springs was developed into a resort destination filled with resorts, inns, tea houses, parks, and public baths during the Japanese occupation. Up to the present, it still retains the Japanese ancient architecture. Beitou hot springs are of three types that include green sulfur, white sulfur, and iron-sulfur. Each bathhouse may have different etiquette and general rules regarding gender separation, clothing rules, and food and drink.
12. Jiufen (Spirited Away village)
What is popular in Taiwan that movie buffs love? The small town of Jiufen in the mountains! This place has been made popular due to its similarity to the village of Spirited Away of Hayao Miyazaki. Its old street is quite small and can be explored in two to three hours. The narrow alleyway is also extremely touristy and crowded. Some of the things you can do here include feasting on local food from stalls along the old street, souvenir shop hopping, and exploring pottery stores. To unwind, you can visit tea houses with shore and mountain views from open balconies. You can also check out museums and peeled mining tunnels to learn about Jiufen as a gold mining town.
Marvel at Taiwan’s jewels
Taiwan has a vibrant culture and an amazing history. Get to know the country, meet its people, and learn about its culture by going local and exploring the areas that make it famous. Aside from the famous things mentioned above, there are tons of other places in Taiwan awaiting to be discovered. Go and explore to be amazed.
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