The 15 best experiences you can have in Taiwan

20.10.2023 - 10:29 / lonelyplanet.com

Taiwan is a country with more facets than the 11-headed Guanyin you’ll see inside its temples.

On a single trip, you could be cycling between skyscrapers, drinking coffee at plantations, sun-bathing, forest-bathing, soaring on luscious homegrown whisky, or reeling from rocket fireworks and the repertoire of a night market. The options are endless. 

So whether you’re a first-time visitor or coming back for more, deciding what to do might just be the hardest part of your trip. Here are some of the best experiences in Taiwan.

Pick a couple, if not more. Be they incense-filled and packed to the eaves with idols and art or a dusky roadside shrine, whether Taoist, Buddhist, Confucian or folk, temples offer a fascinating glimpse into Taiwan’s spiritual life.

You’ll see devotees, including a surprising number of young people, praying and giving thanks. They burn joss paper for the departed, toss moon blocks to seek divine guidance on whether to buy a car, and make offerings of guava, orchids and sesame crackers to a pantheon of deities.

During festivals, temples offer up a smoky and noisy slice of local life. On quiet days, with their relics, sculptures and caisson ceilings, temples are museums in their own right. 

Both Tainan and Lukang are home to a wealth of old structures, from understated Confucius temples to Mazu temples rich in southern Chinese folk decorative art.

Some favorites from all over the country are Taipei’s Unesco-award winning Bao'anTemple, Lukang’s graceful Longshan Temple, Penghu’s old Tianhou Temple, Tainan’s fierce City God Temple, and Changhua’s Nanyao Temple with its Doric columns.

Local tip: Entering and leaving a temple the proper way – through the "dragon door" on the right-hand side and exiting through the "tiger door" on the left – means you go into protection and leave danger behind. The center door is reserved for the gods, the abbot, and the president.

The windy collection of islands known as Penghu is distinctive yet hard to pin down. Set along its roaring coastlines are sea-facing temples, coral stone-walled villages where vendors sell seashell pendants and prickly pear sorbet, and beaches good for water sports – in winter, Penghu becomes a windsurfing hot spot for top-class athletes the world over. 

Added to this mix are geological wonders, a large aquarium, and remnants of ancient sea trade in all their desolate splendor. Further still, Penghu cuisine is celebrated for its delicious simplicity and plentiful seafood. If you come out of season, the golden spit known as the Jibei Sand Tail could be all yours.

Urban Tainan has such a tight weave of attractions that walking is the best way to take everything in. Cafes, restaurants and dessert shops are liberally tucked into the fabric,