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Way Away

  1. Way Away
  2. Taiwan
  3. Things to do & see

What to do and see in Taiwan

Places to visit in Taiwan (sightseeing):

Ranking of the 10 best things to see in Taiwan:

  1. Taipei, the capital of the country. Although the city itself is ugly, it is very well organized, safe and has a great atmosphere. And above all it has two unmissable architectural gems: Taipei 101 (which for a few years was the tallest building in the world), and the memorial of Chiang Kai Sek, a small Taiwanese Taj Mahal. In addition, you can see beautiful temples and dine in the best "night markets".
  2. Taroko National Park. A wonderful gorge carved by the river in the mountain over the centuries. A work of art of nature. You can go trekking, walk through its innumerable tunnels and get wet in its waterfalls surrounded by a unique landscape.
  3. Alishan. Walking among gigantic thousand-year-old trees through the dense fog of these mountains, an almost mystical experience!
  4. Tainan, the most beautiful city in the country. In it you can not miss the Anping Tree House (an old house invaded by gigantic trees, the small Taiwanese Angkor Watt) and the lanterns of Shennon Street (the most beautiful alley in Taiwan).
  5. Hualien. Very close to Taroko is this lively city. But the best of it is in the mountains. Turquoise water rivers, waterfalls lost in the jungle, crystalline natural pools ... a paradise for trekking and cooling off in summer.
  6. Shifen and Jiufen. Two towns that can be visited from Taipei. The first has wonderful waterfalls, and a main street through which the train passes several times a day. Very picturesque! It also has the wonderful (although not very ecological) tradition of throwing lanterns into the air. Jiufen has an interesting night market that winds its way through the entire town. Beautiful and quite unique, it also has wonderful views of the sea! Great to watch the sunset.
  7. Sun Moon Lake. It is the favorite place of the Taiwanese, with a touch even sacred. It seems beautiful to us, but not really wonderful. In any case, if you have enough days, it is not bad to stop by and enjoy the views from the Wenwu Temple and from the Ciâ??en Pagoda.
  8. Kenting. Here are the best beaches in Taiwan (although it must be said that beaches outstanding in Taiwan). Located in the southernmost tip of the country, it has a fairly good climate throughout the year. The views are very pretty and there are some trails to hike up the mountain.
  9. Liouchiou. Very close to Kenting is this island that can be reached after 20 minutes by ferry. Although the island is very beautiful, the best thing without a doubt is that hundreds of sea turtles inhabit its coasts. They can be seen simply by swimming from the beach with diving goggles.
  10. Taitung. If you go in July or August, you cannot miss their hot air balloon festival. And if you are brave, you can even ride one of them!

What to do in Taiwan (attractions):

Ranking of the 10 best things to do in Taiwan:

  1. River Tracing: it's like trekking but inside the river! Although there are fewer and fewer places where this practice is allowed, for us it is the TOP experience of the island.
  2. Go trekking. Taiwan is full of wonderful trails with spectacular views. From the Taroko trails between huge rock walls, to those of Alishan between gigantic ancient trees, passing through those that follow old train tracks surrounded by a mystical fog. A must do!
  3. Swimming in rivers and waterfalls. Although the beaches are not Taiwan's stronghold, in summer it is possible to bathe in rivers and waterfalls. In our detailed route we will explain the ones that are accessible and our favorites!
  4. Bathing in hot springs. Taiwan is a volcanic island where it rains a lot. These two factors, together with the porosity of its rocks, make the island have an infinity of hot springs. Although there are few wild ones left where you can bath, there are some baths that are built in the middle of nature. In the detailed route we indicate our favorites!
  5. Dining at the Night Markets: gastronomy is not the strong point of Taiwan, but it must be recognized that it is very curious and fun to walk through its night markets and try its small dishes (xiao chi).
  6. Go to a Karaoke. It is the # 1 attraction for the locals! They call it KTV (for its acronym in English), and it consists of private rooms that you reserve for your group for a few hours, and where you not only sing, but also eat and drink.
  7. Swimming with turtles: few people know, but in Taiwan it is possible to swim with turtles just off shore! There are a couple of places where it is possible, although our favorite is Liouchiou Island in southern Taiwan.
  8. See the Blue Tears. It is a bioluminescence phenomenon that takes place in the waters of the Matsu Islands, just 1 hour by plane from Taipei. A magical show although quite difficult to observe. The most favorable months are June, July and August, although even during those months, you will need a warm night, calm sea and not much moon light... you have to be lucky!
  9. Go see dolphins. The coast of Taiwan is visited every year by thousands of dolphins! To see them it is necessary to take a boat that moves a bit away from the coast, not suitable for those who tend to get seasick! But the reward is to see hundreds of friendly jumping dolphins that come to greet you. At certain times of the year whales also pass by the east coast, although the probability of seeing them is quite low.
  10. Surf. The waters around Taiwan are usually quite rough and the beaches are rocky. Not very appetizing for swimmings, but quite good for surfers. The best places are to the northeast of the island and to the southeast, in Taitung.

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