Taiwan is set to be big news in travel in 2021 (watch this space for exciting news from Blank Canvas HQ). So, we’ve put together a list of the very best things to do in this wonderful island country. Get ready to be inspired, and start putting together your Taiwan wish list!
1)Visit the derelict Wanli UFO Village with its retro-futuristic pod houses
You’ll love the slightly creepy feeling of walking the streets of this mainly abandoned holiday resort, distinguished by its Futuro (UFO) pod houses on stilts. It’s an experience like no other.
2)Pop on some sunglasses to tour the Rainbow Family Village
Only in Taiwan will you find something so magical and quirky as the Rainbow Village, in the Nantun District of Taichung. Here, every surface inch is covered with colourful designs and decorations, so make sure to bring your camera (and your sunglasses – it’s all pretty bright). It all started with Huang Yung-Fu, who started painting houses to save them from demolition. Safe to say, things got a little out of hand.
3)Enjoy the night markets, street food and beautiful Buddhist temples of Taipei
A trip to the Taiwanese capital of Taipei is a must during your trip. It boasts colourful, bustling night markets selling some of the country’s most weird and wonderful street food, along with beautiful temples and Taipei 101 – the second tallest building in the world.
4)See the largest collection of Chinese art at the National Palace Museum
This fascinating museum in Taipei is home to the world’s biggest collection of Chinese art, with around 7,000 pieces from the last 8,000 years.
5)Learn how to make bubble tea
Taiwan is famous for its bubble tea, and you can learn how to make this hugely popular drink at a café that claims to have invented it back in 1983. Visit Chun Shui Tang café in Taichung for a short masterclass, and plenty of opportunities to taste this moreish milky speciality.
6)Look up at the largest glass art work in the world
Believe it or not, you’ll find this extraordinary spectacle not in a museum or art gallery – but on the B1 level of the Formosa Boulevard metro station in Kaohsiung. It’s called the Dome of Light, made of 4,500 coloured glass panels designed by Italian artist Narcissus Quagliata, telling the story of human life through the elements.
7)Visit the ‘Little Niagara of Taiwan’
It may not be as large as the real Niagara Falls, but the crescent-shaped Shifen Waterfall is scenic, impressive and well worth a visit.
8)Go whale watching at Gueishan Island
Visit this dormant volcano island in Yilan County between March and November and you’ll have the chance to spot whales as they migrate through the area. There’s a chance to see up to 17 species of whale and dolphin from this unique spot.
9)Drink in the tranquillity of Sun Moon Lake
Head outside of Taipei and you’ll find Taiwan’s answer to Lake Como – Sun Moon Lake. It’s the perfect spot for spas, lake views, cycling and a blissfully relaxing getaway.
10)Enjoy beaches, lush forests and wildlife in Kenting National Park
One of nine national parks in Taiwan, Kenting offers an enormous amount to see and do. It boasts fabulous beaches, lakes, forests, villages and even night markets, plus with tropical botanical gardens and birds, butterflies and Formosan macaques in the Kenting National Forest Recreation Area.
Looking for more travel inspiration? Explore our destination pages or get in touch to start planning your bespoke itinerary with Blank Canvas.