Taitung 2023: Best Places to Visit
Located on the riverside of Tamsui River and as a former colonial area for the Spanish, the Dutch and as well as the Japanese, Tamsui was one of the major trading ports in Asian history. The relaxed coastal city of Taitung (台東 or 臺東; Táidōng) is a highly likeable transportation hub from which travelers access Green Island, Lanyu and Taiwan's southern east coast. Kaishen Sinsu Hotel provides comfortable 3.5-star accommodation in Taitung City. It also offers an express check-in and check-out feature, a 24-hour reception and luggage storage. Inn by the Village is set in Taitung City and is within a short walk of nearby landmarks, including Tiehua Music Village.
Make sure you take one of the express trains; otherwise, you’ll be wasting a lot of time on transport. The best way to explore Chishang is to rent a bike at the TR9 store next to the train station. That way, you 台東蛋捲 can explore all the little roads at your leisure. You’ll need to return it by 4 pm, so best to arrive around 10 am. The city’s biggest green space,Taitung Forest Park, is situated right at the edge of town.
Carton King has a few locations in Taiwan, but the one located in the Beitun District of Taichung is the largest. Carton King is a perfect result out of the sheer popularity of these paper-made products, where snacks, hot pots, afternoon tea and set menus are served. Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Zhengqi and Bo’ai roads, this market is a great spot to grab souvenirs, try authentic Taiwanese food and get to know the local way of life. Rice Resort Hotel is a good hotel close to Taitung Railway Station – it has scored 8.8 over 2,856 reviews from HotelsCombined users. A good hotel close to Taitung Railway Station is Rice Resort Hotel (rated 8,8/10 from reviews).
It’s a great place to take photos of all the lanterns, shop for souvenirs, and catch other artists performing. A short walk from here, you can also check out Liyushan , where you can climb up the Longfeng Pagoda for a great view of the city. The Taitung Martyr’s Shrine is another attraction worth checking out if you’re into history. If you continue up to Bo’ai Road, Taitung Story Museum is a gorgeous cafe/ bookshop perfect for a quick coffee and cake fix.
Some of the premium facilities at this 3-star hotel include an indoor pool and complimentary Wi-Fi. A pity that we couldn't relax, rest, or enjoy the hot sprig o swim in the water, and I didn't have fun rushing all the way back up, worrying we would get trapped in the dark...... Finally, swim across the river again (cannot reach the bottom of the water bank - middle October, heavy rain few days before).
I had a very good time with my guide Jack, who taught me a lot about this beautiful city. All shops were closed except further inside the park during weekdays. Glad to spend time to walk around and enjoy the natural beauty.
An Amis tribal village near Sanxiantai is Pisirian, meaning “goat-herding” in their aboriginal language. Check the local weather here or ask your hotel before heading there. Like the rest of Taiwan, just be aware of seasonal typhoons in summer (June – October). Since you can’t take home any of its furry residents, opt for a plushie from the souvenir shop instead! There are many drugstores with really good beauty brands in Taipei. Wait till you see spacious standalone shops of your favourite brands!
Special thanks to Traveller Inn Taitung for the incredible hospitality and top-notch services and Taitung Tourism Board for providing timely travel information and offering so much help. And thanks to Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Singapore for hosting the talk. Once you’ve rented a bike, pedal back past Guanshan Railway Station and continue until you hit Longsheng Road. Hang a left and you’ll soon pass several other bicycle-rental shops.
This Taitung hotel offers parking on site.According to our guests, this hotel provides a very high level of service. N.B. Please note that these are considered correct at the time of publishing, but may no longer be available. If any of the facilities are absolutely essential for you please check when booking. Please do not assume that all are included in the room rate. Please note that the star ratings are interpreted generously by the hotels in many countries.
For anything longer than a casual ride around the city you will need to bring your own bike which is fairly easy thanks to the train. The coastal highway heading north to Hualien is quite popular and has many places for camping and many homestays along the way. For a more strenuous ride Hwy 197 heading north to Luye and Guangshan is a rewarding ride. South from Taitung the strip of land between mountains and the ocean evaporates and the ride winding along the base of the hill is spectacularly picturesque. It also offers luggage storage, a tour desk and an express check-in and check-out feature.
It’s a bit hard to get around Taitung via public transportation. Although that can work if you really wanted to, it will take up a lot of your time. Furthermore, the public transportation schedules are not reliable at all. You will most likely be taking atrain from other big travel hubs in Taiwan, such as TaipeiorKaohsiung.