Top 7 most famous, cheap & best things to buy in Taiwan Travel
Follow my journey as I will share my travel experiences, tips & tricks and cultural insights. Not only did I savor traditional choices – like red bean, mung bean, peanuts, matcha, etc. – but I also enjoy creative flavors – like swordfish. All that to say, even if mochi is not your thing, give it a try in Taitung. Paying tribute to the land of goat husbandry, the tribe is now known for its handmade driftwood goat arts along the coast. Walking along the East Coast Scenic Area, you may see Sanxiantai from afar. If you visit early in the morning, you can witness the Sunrise at Sanxiantai as well.
They plug in a card reader and it gets downloaded to your album. For some reason, our guy was super nice and gave us the micro SD card for us to keep because we initially had issues with the download failing (act of kindness #3). And don’t forget to check the airline’s policies, and prepare some zip bags for your Nuoc Mam if you want to bring 剝皮辣椒 some of them back to your homeland. The road was dirt and gravel for about 10 full kilometers, but I love this type of cycling. I would have been quite happy if the road had been dirt and gravel the entire way back to Taitung. I took my time and made sure to stop at several points along the way to take photos and soak in my surroundings.
In the city center near Railway Art Village, try The Gaya Hotel (see on Booking / Agoda / TripAdvisor), which has a rooftop pool, or budget-friendly Tiin Tin Inn (see on Booking / Agoda). If you want to drive from Hualien to Taitung, I recommend renting a car here. Next, I’ll cover Taitung’s two offshore islands, Green Island and Orchid Island. Finally, there are a few more places you might want to add to your Taitung itinerary south of Taitung city, heading towards Pingtung and Kenting National Park at the southern tip of Taiwan.
This Hong Kong Cycling Club has put together a nice feature on making the most out of a cycling weekend in Taipei. It also includes links to Strava GPS files so you can pick up and go ride these same amazing bike routes around Taipei. Check out this famous bicycle blogging couple’s 4 week adventure as they rode approximately 1350km around Taiwan. They explored designated bicycle routes in Taiwan and got off the beaten path to explore further. Giant Flagship Store – The home of manufacturing for Giant Bicycles, we’d be remiss to mention bike shops in Taichung without mentioning Giant’s HQ retail shop. Flyhouse Bicycle Workshop – Repairs, maintenance and retail are all featured at this location.
With the help of the hotel owner, I was able to find a doctor in Taitung and get treated for my ear infection. Below you can see the small room that I was living in during my stay in Taitung. The room cost me 500 New Taiwan Dollars each night (about $15 USD) and was barely big enough to turn around it. I had trouble sitting down at the small desk most of the time, because there wasn’t room for the chair to sit in front of the desk.
Similar dried durian snack, Thai tea is quite popular so you can buy in supermarkets or tea shops. Besides the view, a small, steep, and very winding road leads uphill to an aboriginal village and a few cafés and small eateries. You can also visit Duoliang on this half-day tour from Taitung.
It is advised to book in advance trains to Tainan and Taipei as there are not so many a day, and they can be fully booked. Very friendly hostel, very clean dorms with A/C and hot showers. Be aware that the hostel is not "always" open (e.g., it may be closed at 4pm when you want to check in!).
When shopping for edible insects, expect to find the likes of silkworms, crickets, and grasshoppers, packaged up by brands such as Non-Pai and Jing Leed. Thai alcohol is known for being very exotic, with popular brands to look out for including Mekhong Whiskey, SamSong Rum, and Singha beer. Most popular brands can be found at any general grocery store, 7-11, or supermarket in Thailand. Alongside parasols and umbrellas, you can also find a wide range of hand fans to help you against the hot and humid air. Find bright colours as only the tropics can offer with Thai silk products including clothing, ties and scarves, cushions and pillows, table-cloths and table-runners, bags and wallets, and more. The very best Thai silk comes from Jim Thompson shops, with locations throughout Thailand (including at his former home – now a museum – as well as Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport).
Facing the sea and a river, it is more of a man-made park than a wild forest. It’s better to have a bicycle to go around the park than to walk, unless you have a lot of time. You can rent a bicycle at the park entrance or at the train station. While Taitung City may not be known as a shopping hub, the region certainly has its share of local products and specialty goods. Travelers won’t want to leave Taiwan without a souvenir, so shopping in Taitung is a must-do activity.
I’d stop short of buying fake footwear – it’s not much fun to get stranded barefoot because your cheap flip-flops died. Great to know you’ve found good quality stuff there, and thanks for sharing with everyone here. Guess we just have to avoid the cheaper stuff or examine very very carefully. I’ve been living in the Da’an district for two months, near NTU .
More importantly, the weather is more consistent and its less likely to rain, unlike in the summertime. The absolute best month to cycle is in November when the whole month is dedicated to their annual Cycling Taiwan Festival. Finally, there’s always dried mango, that old standby for boring farts staunch traditionalists who don’t care for your cheesy cup noodles.
This promotion is limited to foreign visitors entering Taiwan for a ""short-term stay"" or visa-exempt entry. This promotion is not available for foreigners holding residency in Taiwan for education or employment purposes. KKday and THSR reserve the right to cancel the discount or refuse to redeem tickets if criteria are not met. I'm moving my life to Berlin, with excitment and anticipation. I am looking for an apartment November/December onwards, longterm, with a budget of max €700, or a room in a flatshare with wonderful people, if that's in the cards too. Taipei Cycling Group – This is a small but pretty active group that organizes scenic, casual, safe bike rides for fun and recreation all over the Taipei area.