A country · 219 places · 8 regions
Taiwan, all of it.
219 curated places across 8 regions — photographed, mapped, and noted with the season each is best in.
The 4 biggest regions — Taiwan, Taipei, New Taipei and Kaohsiung — read below as chapters, with 4 more waiting past them.
Chapter I · Taiwan · 54 places
Taiwan
Carved by the Liwu River through a wall of marble and gneiss, Taroko Gorge is the centrepiece of a 920-square-kilometre park extending from the Pacific coast to the summits of the Central Mountain Range. The Central Cross-Island Highway threads through tunnels and along sheer cliff faces above the turquoise river, passing side trails to hanging footbridges, aboriginal heritage sites, and alpine meadows at elevations above 3,000 metres.
via Wikimedia CommonsChapter II · Taipei · 47 places
Taipei
Taiwan's capital and largest city, Taipei is a dense, walkable metropolis characterised by a coexistence of Modernist high-rises, Japanese colonial-era civic buildings, and dense temple districts. Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the National Palace Museum — home to one of the world's foremost collections of Chinese imperial art — the night market culture centred on Shilin and Raohe, and the hill trails of Yangmingshan framing the basin give the city an unusually wide range of experiences.
✦ October–December (dry, mild); March–April (spring warmth without summer humidity) · $$
Chapter III · New Taipei · 27 places
New Taipei
A former gold-mining settlement stacked against a steep hillside above the northeastern coast, Jiufen is reached by a long staircase of red-lanterned teahouse lanes that descend through layers of tiled roofs toward the Pacific. The main alley — Jishan Street — and the elevated Shuqi Road, with its traditional teahouses occupying multi-storey wooden buildings cantilevered over the hillside, are the visual centrepieces of the old town.
via Wikimedia CommonsChapter IV · Kaohsiung · 24 places
Kaohsiung
A narrow sandspit enclosing Kaohsiung Harbour, Cijin Island is reached by a short ferry from the Gushan Ferry Terminal and offers a compact heritage district of Qing-dynasty temples, traditional seafood lanes, and a lighthouse dating to the 1880s that sits above a coastal park with views across the harbour entrance. The Cijin Haitian Bridge and waterfront promenade have become the island's principal evening gathering space.
✦ October–April (cooler season for walking); late afternoon for harbour light · $
Every place in Taiwan
219 places, one country.
Taroko National Park
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ October–April (dry season, lower typhoon risk); spring for wildflowers · $
Jiufen
New Taipei, Taiwan
✦ Dusk and evening when lanterns are illuminated; autumn and winter for mist · $
Sun Moon Lake
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ October–December; early morning for mist on the water · $$
Alishan National Scenic Area
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ Late March–early April (cherry blossoms); October–November for clear skies · $$
Yehliu Geopark
New Taipei, Taiwan
✦ Year-round; weekday mornings for smaller crowds · $
Kenting National Park
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ October–April (northeast monsoon off; best beach conditions) · $$
Tainan
Tainan, Taiwan
✦ October–March (cooler and drier); temple festival season varies · $
Wulai
New Taipei, Taiwan
✦ November–March (cooler; hot springs most appealing) · $
Qingshui Cliffs
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ October–April; morning for eastward light on the cliffs · $
Penghu Islands
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ June–September (summer calm; snorkelling season); avoid spring for strong winds · $$
Cijin Island
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
✦ October–April (cooler season for walking); late afternoon for harbour light · $
Shifen Waterfall
New Taipei, Taiwan
✦ Year-round; after rain for maximum flow · $
Lugang
Changhua County, Taiwan
✦ October–April · $
Yushan National Park
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ October–May (dry season); summit requires advance permit reservation · $
Beipu
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ October–April · $
Green Island
Taitung County, Taiwan
✦ May–October for diving; year-round for the coastal circuit · $$
Hehuanshan
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ January–February for snow; June for high-altitude wildflowers · $
Taipei
Taipei, Taiwan
✦ October–December (dry, mild); March–April (spring warmth without summer humidity) · $$
Yangmingshan National Park
Taipei, Taiwan
✦ February–March (cherry blossoms and calla lilies); autumn for clear views · $
Elephant Mountain
Taipei, Taiwan
✦ Year-round; dusk for twilight city-and-tower photography · $
Maolin National Scenic Area
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
✦ November–February for butterfly peak season · $
Lanyu
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ April–June and September–October (avoiding summer typhoons and winter monsoon swells) · $
Sanxiantai
Taiwan, Taiwan
✦ October–May; sunrise for eastward Pacific light on the bridge · $
Bitan
New Taipei, Taiwan
✦ Year-round; spring and autumn for pleasant temperatures · $