Taiwan Recs: Where to go Outside of Taipei

“I’m thinking about traveling outside of Taipei adn exploring the countryside by train. Where should I go?”

HUNDREDs of people DMed me with their enthusiastic Taiwan recommendations, and there was definitely some crowd favorites. I compiled, tallied, and summarized the responses I got and ranked them by votes. I can’t thank my community enough because I ended up in the top three destinations, and it made an unforgettable trip for me!!

I think this curated list is a very valuable one that you might not find very easily, so I’m happy to share it with you all.

Where to visit Outside of Taipei:

Some Other Recs

One-off mentions

Penghu, Dajia, Waiao/Turtle Island, Hehuanshan, Ruifang, Changhua, Taoyuan, Lavender Cottage/Hill, New Taipei tea areas, Yingge, Pingtung, Lukang, Chenggong, Qingshui Cliff, Fo Guang Shan, Fangliao → Taitung old train route.

Summary

Food-first: Tainan is the clear winner. The specific food notes were beef soup, traditional snacks, street food, Michelin-affordable restaurants, bars/cafes, and Carpenter’s Coffee near Yongle Market.

Nature/train-first: Hualien + Taitung got the strongest “take the train and enjoy the view” endorsements. The east coast train route, Hualien coastline, Taroko, Chishang rice paddies, and Fangliao → Taitung old-style train all came up.

Mountains/tea: Alishan is the strongest pick, especially for tea plantations, forest railway, hikes, cooler mountain air, and that Sunrise Yunqi Teahouse lodging splurg

Easy from Taipei: Yilan/Jiaoxi/Toucheng is the best-supported easy escape: hot springs, scallion pancakes, seafood/fish market, beaches, countryside, and not too far from Taipei.

Bike-friendly: Sun Moon Lake and Chishang were the most bike-specific recs.