Taiwan was my first international trip, so naturally, I wanted to see as much of it as I could. It was my first little leap outside the Philippines, and I remember feeling both excited and slightly unsure of what to expect.
So, I’ve put together this list of the best places to visit and things to do in Taiwan based on the places I personally visited and would include in a first-time Taiwan itinerary. Some are classic attractions, some are photo spots, and a few are places I specifically wanted to see.
Think of this list as your starting point when planning your own Taiwan trip.
Inside Taipei City
Of course, let’s start inside Taipei City.
These are the places I visited that are directly within Taipei and are relatively easy to reach using the city’s MRT network. Taipei’s metro makes getting around the major sightseeing areas surprisingly straightforward, which is one of the reasons I found exploring the city pretty easy even on my first international trip.
Photograph Taipei 101 From Two Iconic Photo Spots
Have you ever really been in Taiwan if you don’t have a photo with Taipei 101? Haha. I mean, as they say… photo or it never happened.
Taipei 101 is one of those landmarks that instantly makes a photo feel like Taiwan. But you don’t necessarily have to go up to the observatory to get the iconic shot. There are several spots around Xinyi where you can photograph the tower from completely different angles, and I ended up checking out two of the most recognizable ones.
The Famous Escalator Viewpoint
Keep in mind that this is an active escalator and shopping area, so there will be plenty of people using it. When taking photos or videos, be mindful of everyone around you and avoid blocking the way.
How to get to the famous escalator viewpoint
- Take the MRT Red Line to Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station.
- Use Exit 4, which connects directly to Taipei 101.
- Enter the Taipei 101 shopping area and follow the escalators toward the area used for the famous photo angle.
- Since this is an active public escalator, take your photos quickly and step aside so other people can pass.
The Little Alley at Takemura Izakaya
We literally walked for around 30 minutes just trying to find this tiny alley beside Takemura Izakaya. Expect a line of tourists waiting for their turn, especially as the afternoon moves into early evening. We got there at around 4 PM, and the queue was already getting noticeably longer.
How to get to the little alley at Takemura Izakaya
- The easiest public-transport option is to take the MRT Red Line to Xiangshan Station.
- Use Exit 2.
- Walk toward Songren Road and search Takemura Izakaya on Google Maps.
- The photo spot is in the narrow alley beside the izakaya at No. 2, Alley 1, Lane 253, Songren Road.
- Once you find the restaurant, look around the entrance and adjoining alley for the Taipei 101 view.
Tip: This is a residential area, so be considerate of the people who actually live here. There can also be vehicles passing through the alley.
Taipei Rainbow Street Crossings
Taipei actually has two official rainbow landscapes that are popular photo spots. They’re completely different in atmosphere, so I’m glad I got to see both.
Rainbow Six
📍 Location: Hanzhong St., Wanhua District, Taipei City
This is the more famous one and probably the one you’ve already seen on Instagram and TikTok. It’s located on Hanzhong Street in Wanhua District, right outside Exit 6 of Ximen MRT Station, making it almost impossible to miss if you’re exploring Ximending.
And yes, it gets busy. Since it’s a working pedestrian area, you’ll need a little patience if you want a clean photo.
Taipei 101 Rainbow Walk
If you want something a little quieter, I’d actually recommend this one.
The Rainbow Starting Line is in front of Taipei City Hall Square in Xinyi District. The colorful pavement stretches from the City Government toward the City Council and gives you a different composition, especially because Taipei 101 can appear in the background.
Explore Ximending, Taipei
We stayed around Ximending, so we ended up exploring this area more than once. If it’s your first time in Taiwan, I think Ximending is one of the easiest areas to base yourself in.
The pedestrian district around Ximen is known for its shops, restaurants, street performances, pop-culture stores, and photo spots. Some things you can do around Ximending:
- Taste an original Taiwanese milk tea
- Take photos around the colorful POP MART and character stores
- Visit The Red House
- Explore the pedestrian shopping streets
- Check out the street performers and cosplay scene
- Hunt for snacks and little Taiwanese food spots
- Walk around Cinema Street and the surrounding side streets
- Find random photo spots along the neon-lit streets
Visit Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Now, let’s add a little cultural touch to your Taiwan trip. The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is massive, and the architecture around the complex is honestly one of the things that stood out to me the most.
Even if you’re not particularly interested in history, I think the scale of the place alone makes it worth seeing. Taipei Tourism lists the memorial hall as a major historic and cultural attraction, and it is directly served by the MRT.
How to get to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
- Take the MRT Red Line or Green Line to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station (G10/R08).
- Use Exit 5 for direct access to the memorial grounds.
- From Ximending, you can take the Green Line and get off at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station.
New Taipei City and Northern Taiwan
Now let’s leave the city for a bit.
New Taipei City surrounds Taipei and includes much of the northern coastline and mountainous areas. This is where you’ll find some of Taiwan’s most famous day-trip destinations, including Yehliu, Shifen, Jiufen, and the old mining landscape around Jinguashi.
A shared day tour can be a convenient option if you want to combine Yehliu + Shifen + Jiufen without worrying about the transfers.
Explore Yehliu Geopark
Yehliu was one of those places where I kept stopping to look at the rocks because they genuinely don’t look real.
The coastline is filled with naturally formed rock formations created over time by erosion, including the famous Queen’s Head, mushroom rocks, candle rocks, and other unusual shapes. The area feels completely different from Taipei City, which is exactly why I think it works so well as a day trip.
It can also get pretty sunny, so bring water, sun protection, and something to cover your head if you’re visiting around midday.
Explore Shifen Village
Shifen was one of those places where the whole setting felt a little unusual in the best way.
It’s especially known for sky lanterns, where visitors write their wishes and blessings on a lantern before releasing it into the sky. The area is also home to Shifen Waterfall, which you can add if you have enough time.
Some things you can do here:
- Write your wishes on a sky lantern
- Release your lantern along the railway tracks
- Try some of the local snacks
- Walk around Shifen Old Street
- Visit Shifen Waterfall
- Watch the train pass through the village
Wander Around Jiufen
Jiufen was probably one of my favorite places in Taiwan.
As someone who loves anime, I think a huge part of the reason I loved Jiufen was simply the atmosphere. The winding streets, old buildings, lanterns, mountain views, and little tea houses gave me that feeling of stepping into a place I had seen before in my imagination.
It’s often compared online to the town in Spirited Away, and while that connection has been debated, I personally understood why people make the comparison the moment I walked around it.
Jiufen is also strangely reminiscent of Sa Pa in Vietnam to me. Both have that hillside-town feeling, although they obviously have very different cultures and architecture.
The biggest downside? It was crowded.
And that actually made me think about how I would do Jiufen differently next time. If I come back, I’d love to stay for at least two nights and explore Jiufen much more slowly and intentionally instead of treating it like another quick day-trip stop.
Jiufen’s Old Street winds through the historic hillside settlement, which grew during Taiwan’s gold-mining era and is now known for its old architecture, food stalls, tea houses, and mountain-and-sea views.
Central Taiwan — Taichung City
Now we’re moving down to Taichung, where the scenery starts feeling a little more open and relaxed compared to Taipei.
Visit Chung-she Flower Garden
Chung-she Flower Garden—also commonly referred to as Zhongshe Flower Market—is basically a massive garden filled with seasonal flowers and carefully arranged photo spots.
And I’m going to be honest here: I’m not really a huge fan of attractions like this.
Don’t take that the wrong way. I love flowers. I just don’t usually go out of my way to visit a garden attraction unless there’s something else that really catches my attention.
Visit Rainbow Village in Taichung
Rainbow Village felt like walking into someone’s imagination.
The walls and structures are covered in bright, playful paintings created by Huang Yung-Fu, affectionately known as Grandpa Rainbow. What started as one person painting the walls of a military housing community eventually turned the area into one of Taichung’s well-known colorful photo spots.
It’s small, so you don’t need to spend half a day here. But because every wall has a different drawing, you’ll probably take your time looking around and choosing your favorite corners for photos.
Watch the Sunset at Gaomei Wetland
Gaomei Wetland was one of those places I understood immediately once I got there.
It’s wide, open, windy, and completely different from the dense streets of Taipei. The wetland is known for its coastal scenery, boardwalk, wind turbines, and beautiful sunset views. It’s also an important ecological area with diverse plant and bird life.
Honestly, this is one of those places where I’d recommend not rushing. Give yourself enough time to walk around, take photos, and actually wait for the sun to go down.
Visit National Chung Cheng University — the Meteor Garden Filming Location
One of the tours I was most excited about was visiting National Chung Cheng University because of Meteor Garden.
The Taiwanese Meteor Garden was such a huge part of my childhood. I was one of those kids who grew up watching the series and knowing exactly who F4 were, so being able to visit one of the locations associated with the show felt like meeting a tiny piece of my childhood in real life.
And this is one of those places where the reason you visit matters more than the attraction itself.
The university is located in Minxiong Township, Chiayi County, rather than Taichung. It is documented as a filming location for Meteor Garden, which is why it has become a nostalgic stop for fans of the series.
For anyone who grew up watching the show, I think you’ll understand why this felt different from simply ticking another attraction off a list.
