Taipei
Surrounded by a high grey concrete wall just to the south of NTU Hospital MRT station, Taipei Guesthouse is a two-storey Renaissance-style building dating…
Must-see attractions in Taiwan
Northern Taiwan
First built in 1810, this is one of Taiwan's most elegant wooden structures. As with any temple, don't rush through: stand in place and tiny treasures…
Taichung
An attractive example of the old building-turned-artsy-marketplace formula, the handful of old civil-servant dormitories known as Audit Village are now…
Southern Taiwan
This showpiece of a southern temple, complete with beautiful swallowtail roof, was constructed by Gu A-jhen and 12 other local worthies in 1918. If you…
Southern Taiwan
This charming old street has tonnes of snack and dessert shops tucked into faux-baroque facades and crumbling Fujian-style courtyard houses, as well as…
Kaohsiung
A handsome modern fort with Qing dynasty foundations that used to guard the northern entrance to Kaohsiung Harbour. From the top of the barracks and the…
Kaohsiung
A nonprofit striving to protect Kaohsiung's history and culture has taken over this century-old Japanese house. You'll see a small display on the historic…
Penghu Islands
For fine views and nice walks, follow signs to Snakehead Hill (蛇頭山; Shétóu Shān) and discover some grassy terraces on which once stood a Dutch fort.
Tainan
One of Tainan's two most ancient Buddhist temples, Fahua has clean lines and understated aesthetics. A simple gourd, exorcist of evil spirits, sits on the…
Taipei
Built with money from the Saudi government and other Middle Eastern countries back in the 1950s, this modest, traditional structure is set in its own…
Northern Taiwan
Facing Wulai Waterfall, this snazzy little museum tells the story of Wulai's old log cart railway, which was only motorised in 1974. Prior to that,…
Taitung
For sweeping views across Taitung to the ocean and, on clear days Green Island, climb to the viewing platform in this steep, wooded park. It's just ten…
Kenting National Park
This well-protected expanse of scrubby hills and open grasslands is a favourite with picnickers, hiking families and ecotourists. A pathway runs through…
Kenting National Park
Just so you can say you've been to Taiwan's southernmost point, there's a stone marker showing exactly that. It's about 1.2km southeast of Eluanbi Park…
Western Taiwan
This 1726 beauty ranks as one of the oldest Confucian temples in Taiwan and as a first-class historical relic. Inside the ancestral hall, there's an…
Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei
Taipei
Very bright, very modern, and often fun and very experimental art is showcased here. The long red-brick building dates back to the 1920s. It started life…
Tainan
A fabulous gallery inside an attractive 50-year-old building. The three-and-a-half floors of space hosts well-curated exhibitions of works – paintings,…
Western Taiwan
The handsome building of this museum was designed by a Japanese architect (who also designed the Presidential Office Building in Taipei) and built in 1919…
Hualien
Climb through a dragon's mouth into one of two spiral staircases that front this gigantic Matsu temple – the biggest in Hualien. There is particularly…
Green Turtle Tourism & Conservation Centre
Penghu Islands
Exhibits on Wang'an's ecology, flora and fauna are showcased in a large, striking building with modernist, undulating curves. The main focus is sea…
Taipei
Located next to a water park (open in summer only), this museum covers the history of water treatment in Taipei and is set in a rather beautiful former…
Taipei
This bridge, river boardwalk, mall of seafood restaurants, a fancy resort and snack stalls is only worth it for the ferry ride from Tamsui or, if it's a…
Tainan
This temple is one of many claiming status as the oldest in Taiwan. Its interior is more elaborately decorated than most in central Tainan, and features a…
Northern Taiwan
This modern museum covers everything from 'snake kilns' and woods used in firing to special exhibitions showing the direction modern Taiwanese ceramics is…
Northern Taiwan
The tiny coastal town of Daxi has a rocky surf beach known as Honeymoon Bay, where, depending on the swells, conditions are suitable for beginners to…
Southern Taiwan
The written word enjoyed such a sacred position in the world of the ancients that they built furnaces just for disposing of written paper. They're called …
Southern Taiwan
This Japanese western-style complex was a primary school for Japanese children built in 1912. The nicely restored classrooms and offices now house child…
Tea Research and Promotion Center
Taipei
This lovely red-brick building, about a 20-minute walk from Maokong gondola station, has tranquil gardens, free tea (look for the tap at the far right of…
Northern Taiwan
This classical Roman-style building with Arabic details was Taiwan's first air-conditioned luxury cinema when it opened under Japanese rule in 1933. It…
Northern Taiwan
The Atayal are the third-largest indigenous tribe in Taiwan and form a big presence in Wulai (part of their traditional territory). Inside this charming…
Taipei
Longshan Temple is one of five Longshans in Taipei, and as such is devoted to the Guanyin Buddha. Built in 1738 and then rebuilt in the 1850s, the temple…
Southern Taiwan
This handsome western-style building (1933) across from the old bridge used to be Meinong's political and financial centre. It's now run by Meinong Hakka…
Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park
This roadside rock formation has gone through various Chinese names over the years – Virgin Rock, Maiden Rock, Couple Rock, Torch Rock – all reflecting…
Northern Taiwan
This temple is dedicated to the Ksitigarbha bodhisattva, one of the most beloved divinities in Japan (where he is known as Jizō). One level lower down the…
Southern Taiwan
Using videos and displays of tools used by the Hakka, this museum helps you to understand the Hakka's migration from mainland China to Taiwan, and how…
Northern Taiwan
With tatami floors, sliding screen doors and antique furnishings, this beautifully preserved Japanese house was the residence of school principal Hsin…
Kaohsiung
The largest temple in Lotus Pond area began as an ancestral hall for the followers of Koxinga. It was restored and considerably expanded in 1980. The two…
National Science & Technology Museum
Kaohsiung
Features an hourly IMAX show and high-quality, hands-on science exhibits designed for children. The exhibit on the industrial history of Taiwan, one of…
Taipei
Opened in 2006, this beautiful wooden building was Taiwan's first green construction project. You can go inside and wander about or just hang out on the…
Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park
This cultural foundation has a museum-like section with costumed mannequins and, in the yard, an example of a Tao underground house. You can generally…
