Taitung travel blog — The fullest Taitung travel guide for first-timers

Referring to Taiwan tourism, visitors cannot ignore Taitung, a land of wilderness, possessing dense forests, long coastline, full of rivers and streams, and small but rich plains. Therefore, this place has long become a very attractive destination with many interesting things for tourists to visit. If you are planning to visit this beautiful land, then this guide is for you. So, is Taitung worth visiting, what to do in Taitung and how to plan a budget trip to Taitung perfectly? Let’s check out our Taitung travel blog (Taitung blog) with the fullest Taitung travel guide from how to get to Taitung, best places to visit, best time to come, what to eat as well as things to do in Taitung to help you maximize your trip as follows!

Overview of Taitung (East Taiwan) (#taitung travel blog)

Taitung county includes the districts of Taitung and Hualien located in the east of the Central Mountain Range, also known as “Houshan”. The eastern region is characterized by hilly topography, and the scenic spots are mainly distributed in the East Rift Valley or the Longitudinal Valley (Huatung) and the eastern coastal region. Possessing dense forests, long coastlines filled with rivers and streams, and even small but rich plains, East Taiwan is more like a land of refuge than a boastful development as remaining regions. Also thanks to its characteristics, East Taiwan becomes an extremely attractive destination with many interesting things for tourists to explore and experience.

Stretching along the Pacific coast and east of the Central Mountain Range, Taitung is known as the capital of Taiwan’s Taitung county. This land is famous for its fresh air and beautiful, spectacular scenery, which always attracts a large number of tourists. This is also a great place to help you relax and unwind after hard-working days. Traveling to Taitung, you are like returning to nature, where you can breathe in the fragrant of rice or the characteristic saltiness of the sea. This is indeed a place that you cannot miss when planning your trip to Taiwan.

When should you travel to Taitung? (#taitung travel blog)

The best time to visit Taitung is between November and April. During these months, the weather is very pleasant. Pleasant temperatures fall in the range of 22 – 28°C and there is very little rain. Meanwhile, the typhoon season lasts from mid-May until September-October, so this is not the right time for a trip to Eastern Taiwan.

What to prepare for a trip to Taitung? (#taitung blog)

• Camera, memory card full capacity: The natural scenery in Taitung is extremely beautiful, so be sure to prepare enough “virtual living” tools to have a memorial trip.
• Internet: Don’t forget to buy a 4G sim card or a powerful wifi transmitter so you can use it regardless of any terrain, contact to book train tickets, find the way when traveling in Taitung. You can refer it here.
• Chinese vocabulary: Because the natives here only use Chinese, if you can prepare vocabulary to communicate, that’s great. Otherwise, you can also rent a private car with a driver and guide according to each itinerary in a specific destination for sightseeing instructions.
• In addition, before setting foot in this land, you should learn some specific information about rules and safety to avoid confusion.

How to get to Taiwan? (#taitung travel guide)

Currently, there are quite a few airlines that operate direct/transit flights from Vietnam to Taiwan. To find, compare and book tickets, you can access some online websites such as Google Flights, Skyscanner or Kayak to quickly find best routes at best prices.

There are regular flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to Kaohsiung city as follows:

• The average air ticket price from Hanoi to Kaohsiung is around $97/way/person for a direct flight from Vietjet or $123 – $466/way/person for a connecting flight from Vietnam Airlines, Eva Air, Singapore Airlines, Scoot or China Airlines.
• The average air ticket price from Ho Chi Minh city to Kaohsiung is around $89/way/person for a direct flight from Vietjet or $115 – $458/way/person for a connecting flight from Vietnam Airlines, Eva Air, Singapore Airlines, Scoot or China Airlines.

Besides, with Klook’s airport transfer service, you can choose the type of vehicle according to your needs and costs. The driver will pick you up according to the pre-booked schedule and you will not have to pay any additional costs. Refer to it here.

How to get from the airport to the center of Taitung:

From Hualien to Taitung, there are the following means of transport:

• Train: Hualien Railway Station ←→ Taitung Railway Station: 2 hours
• Bus: Hualien ←→ Taitung: 4 hours 15 minutes (Hualien Bus, Dingdong Inland Bus)

What to do & where to go in Taitung? (#taitung travel guide)

Mr. Brown Avenue (#taitung travel blog)

Address: Chifu Rd, Chishang Township, Taitung County, Taiwan 958
Hours: Open 24 hours

Mr. Brown Avenue is a road located among the vast rice fields in the outskirts of Chihshang town in Taitung county. Every April – May every year, this road will stretch with a green color. Until around September – November, the road again put on the bright yellow color of the ripe rice season. You will have to admire the scenery on one side is the mountains, the other is the vast paddy rice fields. You can rent a bicycle to cycling around the roads, immerse yourself in the wind and record memorable souvenir moments.

Brown avenue is a road that goes through rice fields in a rural Chishang township in Taitung County. This road is famous because the coffee brand Brown has filmed many promotional videos here. This place does not have a power line, but only a green color of young rice, so it is also known as a “green road of paradise”. Coming to Brown avenue, visitors can make friends with the fields and mountains, can relax, escape the hustle and bustle of the present life and freely experience the life in a rural countryside.

Taitung International Balloon Festival

The hot air balloon festival is held every year in Luye Township – a plateau located at an average altitude of about 350m, surrounded by rolling mountains and the East Rift Valley. This 66,000 square meter grassland is the perfect place to launch a hot air balloon and see the beautiful Taitung from above.

When coming to the festival, you will have the opportunity to see and check in with many hot air balloons of all shapes and colors. Not only that, you can also buy a hot air balloon ticket to see a beautiful Taitung from above.

Duoliang Station (#taitung blog)

Address: 963, Taiwan, Taitung County, Taimali Township

Built on the mountainside according to the design of a multi-storey station, Duoliang Station is known as the most beautiful station in Taiwan. Here, visitors can take the train while watching the vast, blue ocean out there. Do not forget to visit the station at sunset time because you will have the opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking panoramic view.

Jialulan Recreation Area

Address: 950, Taiwan, Taitung County, Taitung City

Jialulan Recreation Area is one of the “must-go” places in Taitung. This place used to be a waste land when the Air Force built the Jhihhang base airport, then it was developed into an eco-zone by the National Scenic Administration Department. It displays a lot of handicrafts and has wonderful sea views.

Taitung Forest Park

Address: No. 300號, Huatai Rd, Taitung City, Taitung County, Taiwan 950
Hours: 7:30AM–7:30PM

Taitung Forest Park was originally a protection forest and was almost uninhabited. Then the government planned this place to become the first coastal forest park in Taiwan. With an area of ​​nearly 300 hectares, it has an ice skating rink, water sports area, bike path and bird watching place. The park’s artificial lake is also home to the annual dragon boat races.

Chu Lu Ranch

Address: 954, Taiwan, Taitung County, Beinan Township, 牧場1號
Hours: 8AM–5PM

As the largest grassland in Taiwan, Chu Lu Ranch not only has endless green grasslands, but also has many lovely cows roaming around the grassland. When you come here, you will feel like you are lost in a field of Europe. Visitors can also feed the cows and sample dairy products, the most famous of which is the milk cake.

Tiehua Music Village

Address: No. 26號, Lane 135, Xinsheng Rd, Taitung City, Taitung County, Taiwan 950
Hours: 5–10PM/Monday, Tuesday: Closed

Tiehua music village was originally an old warehouse of the Railway Bureau, but musicians and artists in Taitung renovated it to turn it into a music performance venue. In the village there is a market selling handicrafts, stalls, together with the Eslite bookstore and the nearby railway art village, forming the cultural and artistic complex of the area. From Wednesday to Sunday, there is a different musical performance every day. On Saturday and Sunday there is also a “Slow Market” for visitors to walk around and shop.

Rafting on Xiouguluan River

Xiouguluan river is 104km long, the section from the lower Mizuho to the great sea mouth is 22km long with a large height difference, the river meanders, the water is fast flowing, is a great place for rafting activities. It takes about 3~4 hours to row all the section of 22km of the river, but the emotions during this journey will leave visitors with unforgettable memories. This is the best place in Taiwan for adventure rafting.

In June-July every year is the season of rafting along the Xiouguluan river. If you are not afraid of adventure and want to conquer nature, you cannot miss this fascinating activity!

Chishingtan Beach

Chishingtan Beach is a graceful arc of the ocean with crystal clear sea water and sophisticated black rocks. From here, visitors can zoom out to see the green mountains and the busy highway.

Lintienshan Forestry Culture Park (#what to do in taitung)

Address: No. 99巷99號, Linsen Rd, Fenglin Township, Hualien County, Taiwan 975
Hours: 9AM–4PM/Monday: Closed

Lintiensan is one of the forestry towns of Taiwan during the Japanese occupation. In the 1960s, life here was very prosperous, so it was also called “little Shanghai”. After the government issued a ban on forest exploitation, Lintiensan became an attractive forest cultural area with pristine ecosystems and landscapes, and visitors can learn about the prosperity of the time through the cypress wooden houses and the old track is still preserved to this day.

Huadong Valley

Huadong Valley also known as East Rift Valley or Hualien–Taitung Valley is also known as the “Land of Milk and Honey”. This beautiful Taitung landscape is loved by many people for its tranquil, simplicity, and quietness. The valley area is about 138 hectares, extending from the Mugua River to the north of Taitung City. The Huadong valley is also an ideal place for tourists to enjoy the rustic countryside scene with vast rice fields, green meadows, and cows grazing leisurely…

Liyu Lake

Liyu Lake is located in Soufeng commune, Hualien district. The lake is named after the mountain Liyu in the east. Water flows out from the middle of the lake, clear all year round. The lake is oval in shape, narrow in the East-West and long in the South-North, with a total area of 1 km2. Liyu Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Hualien County. The road around the lake is mainly for bicycles with a total length of 5km. On the road around the lake, there are many stops for visitors to rest, sipping tea and enjoy the natural beauty.

Chihpen Hot Springs

Address: 954, Taiwan, Taitung County, Beinan Township

Chihpen is located 17km southwest of Taitung city, also known as “the greatest scene in eastern Taiwan”. This place possesses a unique valley topography, with the beauty of the magnificent high mountain slopes, still retains the wild beauty and natural ecosystem because it has not been overexploited. Also, the most popular tourist attraction is the natural hot springs. In the Chihpen hot spring area, visitors can see and enjoy the majestic natural beauty, relieve all the pressure of busy city life.

Water Running Upward

Address: 959, Taiwan, Taitung County, Donghe Township, 都蘭村
Hours: Open 24 hours

This is a wonder located near the fishing bridge in Dulan village, Tunghe commune. Visitors can see an irrigation ditch on the right side of the road with the water in the ditch flowing upward the higher side. In fact, because the two sides of the fish bridge are steeper than the road surface, it creates the feeling that the water flows back to a high place. Many tourists come to see and admire this special thing.

Sanxiantai

Sanxiantai is a special tourist area formed by coral reefs and some small islands of Taiwan. The red eight-arch bridge connecting the island to the mainland is as majestic as a dragon playing in the ocean waves. The landscape, terrain and ecosystem on the island are very special and rare, so this is a famous place for studying marine ecosystems.

Guangfu Sugar Factory

Guangfu Sugar Factory was built in 1920, also known as “Yilian garden”. The factory currently mainly produce cane sugar and derivative products. Visitors here can not only experience the old-fashioned sugar production culture, but also enjoy delicious ice creams. The area around the sugar factory is also home to two famous Amis tribes, Tafalong and Fata’an, so visitors will have the opportunity to experience the culture of the indigenous people.

Liushishi Mountain

Every year from August to September, the whole mountain of Liushishi in Hualien is dyed with golden needle flower. After the harvest, the needle flowers will be dried by farmers everywhere, from the garden to the roof. There’s nothing better than drinking a bowl of chicken soup cooked with needle flowers, then climbing up to one of the uniquely shaped watchtowers to see the field of brilliant flowers and relax on holiday.

Taitung Night Market

Address: 950, Taiwan, Taitung County, Taitung City, 台東觀光夜市
Hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 5–11PM

Taitung Night Market is located on Zhengqi Road. It is a fruit market on weekdays and turns into a night market for tourists in the evenings on public holidays. The night market here is very bustling and is the gathering place of Taiwan’s elite cuisine with famous dishes such as stinky tofu, beef noodles, fried chicken, pearl milk tea, onion cake, takoyaki…

What to eat in Taitung?

The Taitung rice noodles that you find at Rong Shu Xia Rice Noodles (Address: No. 360號, Section 1, Zhonghua Rd, Taitung City, Taitung County, Taiwan 950/Hours: 10:30AM–2:30PM, 5–7:30PM/Wednesday: Closed), although not as famous throughout the island as other Taiwanese dishes. But imagine slurping a bowl of hot meat soup filled with thick rice noodles is a great way to recharge for a day of touring this land. If you’re still hungry, cross the street to Nihau (Address: 大同路207號, Taitung, Taiwan, 950), a stylish and modern place to enjoy Taiwanese shaved ice.

In addition, don’t forget to enjoy the pork blood soup known locally as Mother’s Secret Food, with its soft, smooth and savory characteristics, bringing the taste of long-standing Taiwan. In addition, Taitung is also famous for its steamed buns, meatballs, stinky tofu and beef noodles, all local dishes that you will remember forever.

Where to stay in Taitung?

Despite being among Taiwan’s smallest cities, with a population of just over 100,000, you’ll still find plenty of nice, well-priced hotels in Taitung.

Sheraton Taitung Hotel

Located right in the heart of the city, Sheraton Taitung is the perfect base from which to explore iconic Taitung places to visit, from Tiehua Music Village to Paposogan(Seashore Park). The rooms are fully furnished, the quietest and most comfortable space ensures absolute relaxation for guests. In particular, the room view overlooking the city skyline or the beautiful ocean view further increases the comfort for guests. You can check rates, reviews and book on Agoda.com or Booking.com.

Gaya Hotel

The 4-star Gaya Hotel is located in Taitung City Center, close to several popular attractions, such as Taitung Art Museum, National Museum of Prehistory, Taitung Railway Art Village and Taitung Tianhou Temple. All 145 rooms provide comforts like premium bedding, safes, air conditioning, bathrobes, refrigerators, electric kettles, fireplaces, and more amenities. You can check rates, reviews and book on Agoda.com or Booking.com.

Tin Tin Inn

Tiin Tiin Inn is a 10-minute drive from Taitung Airport (TTT) and a few minutes’ walk from Taitung Railway Art Village. This apartment includes a full range of rooms (double room, single room, 4-person room, dormitory room) suitable for individuals and groups who want to find affordable accommodation.

Popular places of interest near Tiin Tiin Inn include Taitung Railway Art Village, Wu’an Temple, Taitung County Stadium, Taitung Airport…

You can check rates, reviews and book on Agoda.com or Booking.com.

Hoya Taitung Hotel

With its prime location, Hoya Taitung Hotel offers guests access to local attractions. Guests can enjoy mountain or city views from their room windows. This 4-star property has a restaurant and full service to make your stay more relaxing and memorable.

You can check rates, reviews and book on Agoda.com or Booking.com.

Cham Cham Taitung Hotel

Located just 4.7 km from Taitung Forestry Park, Hotel Cham Cham Taitung (Caesar Park Hotels & Resort) is an ideal and relaxing place to explore nature and wilderness.
Cham Cham Taitung offers 110 fully furnished rooms, utilities such as LCD TV, free wireless internet, shower, free toiletries, hair dryer, telephone, table and chairs, kettle. electricity.

You can check rates, reviews and book on Agoda.com or Booking.com.

Below we recommend more best budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• Kindness Hotel Taitung (Agoda, Booking)
• Rice Resort Hotel (Agoda, Booking)
• Traveller Inn – Mido Hotel (Agoda, Booking)
• V-Hotel (Agoda, Booking)
• Traveller Inn TieHua Cultural and Creative Hotel (Agoda, Booking)

Check out more top and best hotels in Taitung on Agoda.com or Booking.com

What to buy as a gift in Taitung?

Although it is not an ideal shopping place like Taipei or Kaohsiung… but if you want to choose a few items as souvenirs when coming to Taitung, you can still find many interesting things. Some of the items you can buy as gifts include local postcards, traditional craft items, etc.

Many traditional ethnic groups here often produce items such as pictures, bags, jewelry, etc. imbue with local stamps and sell them in many souvenir shops everywhere. In addition, postcards in Taitung are also interesting gifts because unlike ordinary postcards, these postcards are made from traditional materials and decorated with famous local landscapes…

Taitung as a part of the land is more of a refuge than a boastful development like the rest of the areas. Thanks to its characteristics, Taitung becomes an extremely attractive destination with many interesting things for tourists to visit. We hope you enjoyed this Taitung travel blog!

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Taitung you can refer to

• Taitung East Coast Guided Nature Tour
• Duoliang Station & Huayuan Bay Half Day Guided Tour
• Brown Boulevard, Paradise Road, and Luye Tea Hill Guided Day Tour
• Private Multi-City Car Charter for Taiwan
• Taitung: Chu Lu Ranch Admission Ticket
• Taitung East Rift Valley Half Day Guided Tour
• Green Island Ferry Tickets (Taitung Departures)
• 【Limited Offer – 5% Off】Taitung Scooter Rental – Taitung Railway Station Pickup
• [20% Off] Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) Discounted Ticket (non-Taiwan nationals only)
• [Buy 1 Get 1 Free] Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) Discounted Ticket (non-Taiwan nationals only)

Read more about Taiwan guide here.