Kaohsiung
A true hidden gem, this private museum has a small but exceptional collection of sculpture and antiques by mid-19th- to 20th-century Japanese artists who…
Must-see attractions in Taiwan
Taipei
This former 'Centre Street' has long been known for its Chinese medicine shops, fabric market and lively Lunar New Year sundry market. It has attracted…
Tainan
This lively temple once served as the palace of Ning Jin, the last king of the Ming dynasty. If you wish to confirm visually that a king's status is lower…
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Kaohsiung
Tianliao Stone Temple is a fantastical, Gaudi-esque interpretation of a Taoist temple by Southeast Asian migrant workers. The 500 men had been hired to…
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Taipei
This former detention centre, court and jail was where political prisoners were incarcerated and tried during the White Terror period (1947–87). The…
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Alishan Forest Recreation Area
Western Taiwan
Visiting Alishan may almost feel like a cliche, but do not lose heart. There may be equally beautiful and less-visited places in Taiwan, but Alishan, with…
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Kaohsiung
This sprawling flea market in Neiwei may possibly offer one of the most authentic and fabulous experiences of Taiwan. You'll find everything under the sun…
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Penghu Islands
Those desert island paradise photos you probably saw on Penghu's promotion brochures and websites were most likely taken at Jibei Sand Tail, a dazzling…
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Western Taiwan
This holy structure was renovated in 1936, a high period in Taiwan's temple arts. The woodcarvings are particularly fine in the front hall, and the high…
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National Museum of Natural Science
Taichung
A fantastic place for kids and botany fans, this massive museum has over 50 exhibit areas covering space, the environment, rainforests, gems and minerals,…
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Penghu Islands
This celebrated 17th-century Matsu temple sports high, sweeping swallowtail eaves and a wealth of gorgeous Chaozhou-style woodcarvings, mostly from a 1922…
Taipei
This grandiose monument to authoritarian leader Chiang Kai-shek is a popular attraction and rightly so. It is a sobering feeling to stand in the massive…
Taipei
Borrowing from western urban-regeneration models, this early-20th-century wine factory has been restored as Taipei's most retro-chic venue. Remodelled…
Taipei
Recipient of a Unesco Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for both its restoration and its revival of temple rites and festivities, Bao'an Temple (also called…
Kaohsiung
This narrow island that acts as a buffer to the harbour and extends down the city coastline makes for a lovely day trip from the mainland. The main…
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Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park
Green Island's windswept northeast corner was completely out of bounds for much of the 20th century, occupied by a large prison camp. Here, political…
Kaohsiung
An attractive sprawl of old warehouses by the port is separated by tree-lined boulevards, and hosts shops, galleries and cafes. It's a wonderful place to…
Kaohsiung
One of Kaohsiung's few temples that made the national protected relics list is also its oldest Mazu temple. Cijin Tianhou Temple was constructed in 1673…
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Northern Taiwan
The family mansion of Lin Ying-yin boasts wood and stone carvings, traditional architectural motifs representing luck and fortune, and a beautiful…
Taichung
Beautiful wetlands teeming with life rendered surreal by the sight of wind turbines on the horizon. It is especially photogenic at sunset and makes for a…
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Northern Taiwan
Jinguashi's big draw is this Japanese-era mining-complex-turned-tourist-park, where hillside paths connect 1930s offices, workshops and dormitories, and…
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Western Taiwan
In the southern foothills of Baguashan is this bizarre temple and haunted house where parents used to take their children to scare them into obedience. It…
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Kaohsiung
A remarkable museum in a unique location. From the '50s to the '70s this white building was a hostel for young men departing for compulsory military…
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Tainan
When you enter the temple, look up for the two large abacuses used to calculate whether you have done more good than bad in life; check out the most…
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Taipei
About 1km beyond Fort San Domingo on Zhongzheng Rd is the turn-off for Hobe Fort, built in 1886 when then governor Liu Ming-Chuan was attempting to shore…
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Northern Taiwan
First built in 1748, and masterfully restored in 1924, this Hsinchu landmark has the highest rank of all the city god temples in Taiwan, and is a splendid…
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Taipei
Head down to the river from the Museum of Drinking Water, turn left, and you'll soon come across this charming art village. It was founded in the late…
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Penghu Islands
This large, family-friendly experience is home to an engrossing collection of living sea life, from a rescued three-legged turtle and magical family of…
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Hualien
Built in 2000, this gigantic temple-cum-performance venue has a simple yet striking, white-and-grey exterior. At its tallest point, the building is…
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Tainan
This horticultural Eden is a home with a fantastical garden overrun with plants, and seeds, seeds, seeds – some 500 species, most endemic to southern…
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National Museum of Taiwan Literature
Tainan
This serious and excellent museum details the development of Taiwanese literature from the time of the pre-Han indigenous peoples to the modern era…
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Northern Taiwan
The only Taoist temple on the mountain, Quanhua Temple (c 1897) is dedicated to the Jade Emperor. The elaborate main hall is built into a recess in the…
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Taipei
This graceful memorial to the victims of the 2-28 Incident is housed in a beautiful Japanese building dating back to 1931. The excellent permanent…
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Taipei
Oxford College was the first western university in Taiwan and founded by Presbyterian missionary George Leslie Mackay. The original building, built in…
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Taipei
Dating back to 1661, this gawdy, grand, massive multistorey temple (one of Taipei's oldest) is built right into the side of a mountain. In fact, a 100m…
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Penghu Islands
Penghu's most photographed icon is a double hoop of stone walls linked to breakwaters in an ocean bay. Built with narrow openings, they were designed to…
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Western Taiwan
Located 2km south of Changhua Train Station, this remarkable temple is one of the stops on the Mazu Pilgrimage. The distinctive character of the complex…
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Tainan
Cafes, art galleries, fashion boutiques and B&Bs have flowered in the hub of Tainan's former Five Canals area, taking full advantage of the long, narrow,…
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Tainan
In focus here is Koji pottery that is used to embellish roof ridges and walls by sculptor Ye Wang (1826–87). The first such artist to be born in Taiwan …
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Taipei
Built in 1913 as the Beitou Public Baths, this handsome building is a copy of the bathhouses in Shizuokaken Idouyama in Japan. It is also a good example…
