Travel Guide Taiwan

Taiwan is located in the Western Pacific between Japan and the Philippines. The island combines a vibrant capital, temples, and night markets in the densely populated west with high mountains, gorges, and a steep Pacific coast in the east.

Why Go To Taiwan?

Across roughly 36,000 square kilometers, Taiwan brings together a vibrant capital with temples and night markets, high mountains peaking at 3,952 meters in Yushan, and a dramatic Pacific coast in the east. Adding to this are a distinctive food culture from street stalls to tea houses, the traditions of 16 officially recognized indigenous peoples, and a high-speed train that takes you from Taipei to Kaohsiung in about an hour and a half.

Where in Taiwan?

Pick a region. The highlights, road trips and places below follow your choice.

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Taipei

Taiwan's capital in the north of the island blends Qing-era temples, colonial architecture, and the 509-meter-tall skyscraper Taipei 101 with a vibrant night market culture.

Taipei has about 2.5 million inhabitants, with the greater metropolitan area including New Taipei and Keelung home to approximately seven million people. The city is situated in a basin surrounded by mountains, rising northward towards Yangmingshan National Park.

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Hualien

Hualien on the east coast is the gateway to Taroko National Park and the Pacific coast, where the Central Mountain Range drops almost vertically into the sea.

Hualien is the most important city on the east coast and a starting point for Taroko Gorge, the sea cliffs, and the East Rift Valley towards Taitung.

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Jiufen

Jiufen is a former gold mining town located on a steep hillside above the northeast coast, about an hour from Taipei.

Jiufen is located in New Taipei's Ruifang District, on a steep slope overlooking the northeast coast, approximately 35 kilometers from central Taipei. The town's vibrant life unfolds along Jishan Street, the old town alley, and the stairs of Shuqi Road, featuring teahouses with sea views.

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Sun-Moon-Lake

Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County, Central Taiwan, is the island's largest body of water, situated at 748 meters amidst forested mountains.

Sun Moon Lake lies in Nantou County; Taichung is usually the starting point. Piers are spread around the lake: Shuishe in the north, where buses arrive, Xuanguang and Ita Thao in the south.

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CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Alishan

Alishan is a forested mountain region in Taiwan's western Central Mountain Range, reached by a historic narrow-gauge railway from Chiayi.

The Alishan area in Chiayi County ranges from mid-elevation tea villages to the forest area around Alishan Station at over 2,000 meters. The starting point is Chiayi City with its High-Speed Rail station and the Forest Railway station.

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Tainan

Tainan in the southwest is Taiwan's oldest city and was its political center for centuries. Those interested in history, temples, and traditional street food will find more here in a compact area than anywhere else on the island.

Tainan is Taiwan's oldest city and, since 2010, a special municipality that includes its former county. There's no metro, but many historic sites in the old city are within walking distance, and city buses reach the outer districts.

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Kenting National Park

Kenting National Park encompasses the southernmost tip of Taiwan on the Hengchun Peninsula, about 90 kilometers south of Kaohsiung. It marks the island's tropical end with beaches, coral limestone cliffs, and forests, perfect for a few days by the sea.

The national park occupies the tip of the Hengchun Peninsula. The main town is the small city of Hengchun, with a bus station and scooter rentals.

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Taitung and Huadong Valley

Taitung in the southeast is the quietest part of Taiwan: rice fields in the East Rift Valley between two mountain ranges, a sparsely developed Pacific coast, and a strong indigenous character.

Taitung County (southeast) is Taiwan's most pristine region. Taitung City lies on a narrow plain between mountains and sea at the East Rift Valley's southern mouth.

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More highlights in Taiwan

Unique experiences that make Taiwan unforgettable.

How to plan your trip to Taiwan

From the guide to the road: here is what comes next.

1
Pick a route
Pick a ready-made one or save places and plan your own.
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2
Trip to Taiwan
Live
1Taipei3 days
2Hualien4 days
3Jiufen5 days
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Plan your trip
The planner sorts stops, days and budget. Plan together in real time.
Go to My Trips
3
Use it on the road
Download the guide to your phone and use it on site, even offline.

Regions to Discover

Explore the diverse regions of Taiwan.

North Taiwan

The North around Taipei is the most densely populated part of Taiwan and the entry point for most travelers. Here you land in Taoyuan, eat your way through the capital's night markets, and drive in an hour to the mountains above the Northeast Coast.The Greater Taipei Area, including New Taipei and Keelung, is home to around seven million people. The metro reaches Yangmingshan National Park with its extinct volcanoes and Beitou's hot springs. In Ruifang District lies the former gold mining town of Jiufen, next door to the Gold Museum in Jinguashi.

Central Taiwan

Central Taiwan stretches from the metropolis of Taichung into the Central Mountain Range, home to Sun Moon Lake and the Alishan mountain area. Those seeking lakes, forests, and tea plantations will find them here.Taichung, with its high-speed rail station and metro, serves as the region's transport hub, with buses departing from here to Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County. Further south, the historic Alishan Forest Railway runs from Chiayi to over 2,000 meters. To its east rises Yushan, Taiwan's highest mountain at 3,952 meters.

South Taiwan

The south is warmer, more leisurely, and for many, the culinary heart of Taiwan. Tainan, the island's oldest city, the port city of Kaohsiung, and the beaches in Kenting National Park are only a few hours apart.In Tainan, the Dutch founded Fort Zeelandia in 1624; later, the city was long the island's capital. Kaohsiung is the terminus of the high-speed rail from Taipei and the starting point for buses to the southern tip. There lies the Kenting National Park, founded in 1984, Taiwan's oldest national park.

East Taiwan

The East Coast between Hualien and Taitung is Taiwan's wildest part: steep cliffs where the Central Mountain Range drops almost vertically into the Pacific, the Taroko Gorge, and the tranquil East Rift Valley with its rice paddies.There is no high-speed rail here, but Taiwan Railway express trains connect Taipei with Hualien and Taitung. The region is home to many indigenous peoples, especially Amis, Truku, Puyuma, and Bunun. Following the April 2024 earthquake, many trails in Taroko Gorge are closed, but the coast and valley are easily traversable.

Recommended Itineraries

Discover the best routes through Taiwan.

Taiwan around the island in 16 days

The tour starts in Taipei with temples, museums, and night markets, then proceeds to the gold mining town of Jiufen. High-speed train to Taichung, bus to Sun Moon Lake, then into the Alishan mountains with its historic forest railway. The south offers Tainan's Old Town, the port city of Kaohsiung, and Kenting National Park's beaches. Back north via Taitung's East Rift Valley and Pacific coast to Hualien, gateway to Taroko Gorge, with some paths closed since the 2024 earthquake.

16 Days

Stops at a glance

1.Taipei
2.Jiufen
3.Taichung
4.Sun-Moon-Lake
5.Alishan
6.Tainan
7.Kaohsiung
8.Kenting National Park
9.Taitung and Huadong Valley
10.Hualien

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What you eat in Taiwan

Niu Rou Mian

Wheat noodles and tender braised beef in a robust, flavourful broth, often served with pickled mustard greens. The dish is considered an unofficial national dish; Taipei even dedicates an annual festival to it.

Lu Rou Fan

Finely chopped pork belly, slowly braised in soy sauce and spices and served over rice, often with a marinated egg. A simple everyday dish you'll find in food stalls across the country.

Gua Bao

A soft, folded steamed bun with braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, coriander, and ground peanuts. Due to its shape, it is sometimes called a Taiwanese burger.

Xiaolongbao

Steamed dumplings with seasoned pork filling and hot broth within. Traditionally served with ginger strips and black vinegar, the first bite requires caution.

Oyster Omelette

Fresh oysters, egg, and sweet potato starch are fried on a hot griddle into a soft-chewy omelette and served with sweet and sour sauce. It's a night market classic.

Bubble Tea

Sweetened tea, often with milk, and large tapioca pearls that you drink through a wide straw. This drink originates from Taiwan and is freshly prepared at countless tea stalls.

Good to Know

Essential info for your trip planning.

Land & People

Geography Taiwan is located in the West Pacific between Japan and the Philippines, separated from the Asian mainland by…

History & Society

Colonial Powers and Imperial Rule Long before Europeans and Han Chinese arrived, Austronesian peoples lived on the…

Food & Drink

Influences and Classics Taiwanese cuisine draws from Fujian's culinary tradition, brought by early settlers, Japanese…

Practical Info

Entry Many European passport holders, including Germans, currently need no visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days,…

Getting Around

Rail The Taiwan High Speed Rail connects the west coast, from Nangang in Taipei to Zuoying in Kaohsiung, covering…

RV Travel

RV Travel in TaiwanRV road trips are not common in Taiwan. There's no international network of RV rental companies like…

Traveling with Kids

Traveling with Children Taiwan is an easy travel destination for families.

Best Time to Visit

When is the best time for your trip?

March

April

October

November

19–25°C·89–163 mm(heavy rain)

Spring (March and April) and autumn (October and November) bring pleasant temperatures of around 20 to 25 degrees and less rainfall than summer. From May, the rainy season begins, typhoons can occur from June to October, and in mid-summer, daily highs in Taipei exceed 34 degrees.

The monthly figures are for Taipei (climate normals 1991 to 2020 from Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau). The island's climate ranges from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south; it is significantly cooler in the mountains, and snow can fall on the higher peaks in winter. The typhoon season extends from June to October, with the highest risk in August and September.

Seasons

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Spring and Autumn: pleasant

Plum weather

Hot, humid, typhoon danger

Cool, often cloudy winter

Best Time to Visit

▶Show detailed monthly data

Month	Temp (°C)	Rain (mm)	Sun (h)
January	16.4	94	2.5
February	16.9	102	2.8
March	18.8	108	3.1
April	22.3	101	3.2
May	25.6	225	3.7
June	28.2	235	3.8
July	29.9	214	5.7
August	29.5	237	5.9
September	27.7	237	5.1
October	24.6	163	3.7
November	21.9	89	3.1
December	18.2	97	2.5

Video reports from Taiwan

Get inspired by authentic travel tales.

Taiwan for food lovers

DW Documentary on Taiwan's food culture.

DW Documentary on the lives and prospects of Taiwan's indigenous peoples.

Jetset Times video guide to Taroko National Park.

Travel advice

Safety, entry requirements and health: the official, up-to-date advice for Taiwan is published by the UK government on GOV.UK.

Go to GOV.UK

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Travel Guide Taiwan

Why Go To Taiwan?

Where in Taiwan?

Taipei

Hualien

Jiufen

Sun-Moon-Lake

Alishan

Tainan

Kenting National Park

Taitung and Huadong Valley

More highlights in Taiwan

Penghu Islands

Kaohsiung

Taichung

How to plan your trip to Taiwan

Pick a route

Plan your trip

Use it on the road