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🇹🇼 Taiwan Travel Guide 2026

Taiwan — Hidden Gem
of Asia

Nature · culture · food · night markets · and world-class hotels — at the best value in Asia.

🌃 Night Markets 🏔️ Taroko Gorge 🏮 Jiufen 🍜 Beef Noodles 🚆 HSR Train
6
recommended cities
40+
hotels reviewed
9.2
average score
NT$1K
from / night
Home › Asia › 🇹🇼 Taiwan
📅 Last updated May 2026 · Compiled by the Wherebest team
🇹🇼 Search Taiwan guides

Looking for something specific in Taiwan? Try the search

🏞️ Hualien ♨️ Onsen 🏮 Jiufen ⛰️ Alishan 🌃 Night Markets 🍜 Beef Noodle 🏖️ Kenting 🏔️ Taroko 🚇 MRT 🛂 Visa
🎯 Pick your travel style — content adapts
Why visit Taiwan

A small island that gives everything
a traveller dreams of

Taiwan is a destination hard to forget — beef noodles in a morning market, an afternoon hiking Taroko Gorge, shopping in Ximending at dusk, and walking the longest night markets in Asia after dark. All in one country that is safe and where the locals are wonderfully kind.

See recommended hotels →
🌃
Night Markets
Shilin, Fengjia, Raohe — a paradise of cheap eats
🍜
World-class food
Beef noodles, oyster omelette, the original bubble tea
🏔️
Beautiful nature
Taroko Gorge, Alishan, Sun Moon Lake
❤️
Exceptionally safe
Among Asia's safest, with kind, helpful locals
Latest Reviews

6 Latest Taiwan Hotel Reviews

The Wherebest team picks the best hotels across every city — real photos, real prices, booking links.

UNION HOUSE Lukang
★ 9.1
Lukang · New
UNION HOUSE Lukang
Lukang · Boutique hotel in the old town
Read full review →
EPISODE Hyatt Hsinchu
★ 9.1
Hsinchu · JdV by Hyatt
EPISODE Hsinchu JdV by Hyatt
Hsinchu · Design hotel, 4-star
Read full review →
Maison de Chine Chiayi
★ 9.0
Chiayi · 5-star
Maison de Chine Chiayi
Chiayi · 5-star, Silks Group flagship
Read full review →
Silks Place Yilan
★ 9.2
Yilan · 5-star
Silks Place Yilan
Yilan · Flagship 5-star resort
Read full review →
The Lalu Sun Moon Lake
★ 9.5
Sun Moon Lake · Luxury
The Lalu Sun Moon Lake
Sun Moon Lake · Lake-view luxury, score 9.5
Read full review →
Parkview Hotel Hualien
★ 8.9
Hualien · 5-star
Parkview Hotel Hualien
Hualien · 5-star coastal city hotel
Read full review →
🏨 Browse all 201 hotel reviews →
6 recommended destinations

The cities and places you have to visit

From a buzzing capital to peaceful mountain villages, Taiwan has something for every travel mood.

Taipei, the capital of Taiwan
★ 9.4
Capital
🏙️ Taipei
Taipei — Capital City

A capital that blends the modern and the traditional perfectly — Shilin Night Market, Taipei 101 and Jiufen all close together.

Shopping · Night Market · City Break
🏨 10 hotels reviewedSee hotels →
Jiufen village
★ 9.2
Historic village
🏮 Jiufen
Jiufen — Historic Village

The most beautiful mountain village in Taiwan, with a Ghibli-film atmosphere and lovely red lanterns at dusk — a 1-hour day trip from Taipei.

Photography · Street food · Day Trip
🏨 5 recommended staysSee hotels →
Rainbow Village, Taichung
★ 8.9
2nd-largest city
🌸 Taichung
Taichung — Art City

A lively, art-rich city — Rainbow Village, the National Theater, and Fengjia, the most famous night market in the country.

Art · Food · Nature
🏨 8 recommended staysSee hotels →
Chihkan Tower, Tainan
★ 9.1
Ancient city
🛕 Tainan
Tainan — Ancient Capital

Taiwan's oldest capital, with more than 200 temples and signature dishes praised by CNN Travel.

Culture · Food · History
🏨 6 recommended staysSee hotels →
Lotus Pond, Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, Kaohsiung
★ 8.7
Harbour city
⚓ Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung — Harbor City

A modern seaside harbour city — the hip Pier-2 Art Center and the Lotus Pond with its beautiful dragon temples.

Harbour · Art District · Seaside
🏨 7 recommended staysSee hotels →
Sun Moon Lake
★ 9.3
Nature
🌊 Sun Moon Lake
Sun Moon Lake — Nature

The most beautiful lake in Taiwan — clear blue water ringed by green mountains. Cycling around the lake is an experience to try.

Nature · Cycling · Resort
🏨 4 recommended staysSee hotels →
Lukang historic old town
★ 9.1
Historic Town · New!
🏛️ Lukang
Lukang — Historic Town

Taiwan's best-preserved 300-year-old city — Tianhou Temple, Longshan Temple, ancient streets and unique local food you won't find anywhere else.

History · Temples · Local food
🏨 6 hotels reviewedSee hotels →
📍 12 top attractions in Taiwan Taipei 101 · Jiufen · Taroko · Alishan — real photos, coordinates and how to get there, all on one page See all attractions →
🏨 Find your hotel here

Taiwan hotel roundups — by city and style

201 hotel reviews · 60 ranked lists · every city, every budget, every type. Click the category you need to start.

🏙️ By city
🏙️
Top 10 Hotels in Taipei
Flagship list · all budgets · all neighborhoods
See all 10 →
⚓
Top 10 Hotels in Kaohsiung
Harbour city · Silks Club · Indigo
See all 10 →
🛕
Top 9 Hotels in Tainan
Ancient city · Silks Place · Shangri-La
See all 9 →
♨️
Top 10 Hotels in Yilan
Hot springs · seaside · Silks Place
See all 10 →
🌲
Top 9 Hotels in Chiayi
Alishan Railway base · Maison de Chine
See all 10 →
🔬
Top 10 Hotels in Hsinchu
Science Park · Sheraton · EPISODE Hyatt
See all 10 →
🌿 Nature & outside the city
🌊
Top 10 Hotels at Sun Moon Lake
The Lalu · Fleur de Chine · lake views
See all 10 →
🏔️
Top 10 Hotels in Hualien
Parkview · Fullon · Taroko gateway
See all 10 →
🏖️
Top 9 Hotels in Kenting
Beachfront · Caesar Park · Gloria Manor
See all 9 →
🌅
Top 7 Hotels in Alishan
Sunrise views · inside the park
See all 7 →
♨️
Top 8 Beitou Onsen Hotels
In-room hot spring · Grand View Resort
See all 8 →
🏛️
Top 6 Hotels in Lukang
300-year-old town · UNION HOUSE
See all 6 →
📚 Browse all hotel roundup articles →
Featured Hotels

The best stays in Ximending, Taipei
fully reviewed, ready to book

The Wherebest team has picked and reviewed the 10 best hotels in Ximending, Taipei — with real prices and links to Agoda and Booking.com on one page, ready to compare instantly.

🏨 See the 10 recommended hotels Search on Agoda →
10
hotels reviewed
9.2
top score
NT$1,000
from / night
Map of Taiwan

Cities and destinations on the map

Click a pin to see information and recommended hotels for each city.

Key information

Get to know Taiwan before you go

🇹🇼 What to know before visiting Taiwan
🌐LanguageMandarin Chinese, Taiwanese Hokkien
💴CurrencyNew Taiwan Dollar (NT$) — NT$1 ≈ US$0.031
⏰Time zoneUTC+8
🛬AirportsTaoyuan (TPE) — main · Songshan (TSA) — in the city
📶SIM cardTourist SIM, 5–10 days, NT$300–500 at the airport
🌡️ClimateNorth 15–28°C · South 22–32°C through the year
🚆TransportMRT, HSR, TRA trains, buses, scooters
🍜Food budgetNT$50–150/meal (night market) · NT$200+ (restaurants)

When is the best time to visit?

Taiwan is good to visit year-round, but each season offers a different experience.

🌸
Spring
Mar – May
Cherry blossoms, the best weather Recommended ⭐
☀️
Summer
Jun – Aug
Hot and humid, occasional storms, lovely beaches
🍂
Autumn
Sep – Nov
Good weather, great for travelling anywhere Recommended ⭐
❄️
Winter
Dec – Feb
Cool in the north, mild in the south; Taipei is pleasantly cool
🌸 Taiwan cherry blossoms Where and when — top blossom spots, late Jan–Mar → 🍁 Taiwan autumn foliage Where and when — red maple spots, Nov to early Dec →
Travel tips

What to know before visiting Taiwan

6 tips from the Wherebest team who've been there — they save plenty of time and money.

1
Get an EasyCard first

The EasyCard works on the MRT, buses and at every 7-Eleven. Buy it at the airport or any MRT station — it's very easy to top up.

2
Book the HSR ahead

For travel between cities the high-speed HSR is very convenient. Book ahead via 12GO Asia — some routes sell out fast.

3
Night markets are heaven

Don't miss Shilin, Raohe and Fengjia! Food is NT$30–100 a plate and excellent. Go after 7 pm for the full atmosphere, and try the original bubble tea.

4
Tourist SIM card

Buy a data-only SIM at Taoyuan Airport before you leave the arrivals area — NT$300–500 for 5–10 days, with excellent 4G/5G across the island.

5
Jiufen as a day trip

Take a bus from an MRT station, about 1–1.5 hours. Go in the afternoon to catch the sunset and the beautiful lanterns at dusk.

6
Rough travel budget

Budget: NT$1,500/day · Mid-range: NT$3,000/day · Comfort: NT$5,000+/day. Taiwan is far cheaper than Japan or Singapore!

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ — common questions about visiting Taiwan

❓ Do I need a visa to visit Taiwan?

Visa requirements for Taiwan depend on your nationality. Many nationalities can enter visa-free or via an online travel authorization under the conditions set by Taiwan's authorities. Always check the latest requirements and documents from official sources before you travel.

❓ When is the best time to visit Taiwan?

The best weather is in spring (Mar–May) and autumn (Oct–Nov). Cherry blossoms appear around Feb–Mar and autumn foliage around Nov–Dec. It's best to avoid the typhoon season from Jun–Sep.

❓ How many days do you need in Taiwan?

5–7 days is about right for Taipei and 1–2 nearby destinations. With 10 days or more you can travel the whole island — north, centre and south.

❓ How do you travel between cities in Taiwan?

The high-speed rail (HSR) connects the west-coast cities — Taipei to Kaohsiung takes about 2 hours. Within cities, use the MRT, and a single EasyCard works on both trains and buses.

❓ How much does a trip to Taiwan cost?

A budget trip runs around NT$1,500–2,500 per day (excluding flights), covering accommodation, food and city transport. Taiwan offers great value compared with Japan or Korea.

🇹🇼
Taiwan vs Japan — which country first?
Straight comparison: visa, cost, language, food — verdict: Taiwan first for most travellers; Japan for snow/Michelin/deep culture
Read the comparison →
🔴 Book a Taiwan hotel See hotel reviews