Taiwanese Secrets Travel Guide

To truly appreciate Taitung’s tea culture, you should take a guided tour to learn about how tea is made, from the picking of the leaves to the final product that ends up in your cup. To activate and utilize this AI-based service, please allow the site to acquire your location first. In July 2017, I stopped working my full-time job in the States and purchased a one way ticket to Taiwan.
After leaving my PR career, I'm currently exploring Asia from Taiwan and learning Chinese. Follow my journey as I will share my travel experiences, tips & tricks and cultural insights. My omnivore tasting buds quickly caught the “missing” ingredients from 台東伴手禮專賣店 their dishes, but I have to tell you that they tasted quite good. And the chef has made an effort to “trick” you by creatively composing vegetarian ingredients to look like animal parts. For example, a teriyaki eel is made out of tofu and seaweed .

Another popular traditional Taiwanese skincare product that you can find in Taitung is handmade herbal soaps. These soaps are crafted using traditional methods and are infused with ingredients like lavender, rosemary, and green tea that are known for their beneficial properties for the skin. These herbal soaps are often made by local artisans and are a favorite among visitors looking for unique and natural skincare products. Additionally, visitors can participate in indigo dyeing workshops, where they can learn the traditional art of dyeing fabric with natural indigo plants. These workshops not only offer a creative and immersive experience but also support local artisans and preserve traditional craftsmanship in the region. Yes, there are several sustainable and eco-friendly souvenir options available in Taitung Township, Taiwan.
If you’re not into surfing, fear not, Donghe has plenty to offer for the rest of us who like to chill at cafes, restaurants, or at the B&B. Drone view of Taitung CityBeing one of the southernmost cities in Taiwan, Taitung is at about the same latitude as Hong Kong or Honolulu. In spite of its being one of the poorest cities in Taiwan, it has a rich aboriginal history outside of Chinese influence that you can’t find in places like Taipei in the North.
Enjoy a cup of locally grown tea or coffee complemented by exquisite views that span across the horizon. There are many taxis in Taitung, however a majority tend to congregate around the Old Railway Station. Tariffs start at NT$85 and cost around NT$150 for a ride within the city center. Dulan - this artistic community is centered around an old Sugar Mill and offers both surfing and swimming opportunities at the nearby beach.

In the past during the Japanese colonization period, Chihshang lunchbox were rice rolls wrapped in bamboo leaves containing stewed meat, carrots, grilled dried meat, pig’s liver, plums, etc. Chihshang lunchbox was sold at Chihshang Train Station – the station between Hualien and Taitung stations, where passengers would stop and buy a rice roll to relieve their hunger. The vendors later changed the form of lunchbox from rice roll wrapped in bamboo leaves to wooden-lunchboxes since 1962. The Taiwan Open of Surfing National Championship is held at Jinzun beach yearly, and it attracts surfers from all around the world.
Many products are made from locally sourced materials such as bamboo, wood, or even volcanic rocks, reflecting the region’s close relationship with the environment. Overall, the souvenirs from Taitung Township offer visitors a tangible way to learn about and appreciate the historical and cultural elements that make this region of Taiwan truly unique. Another popular handicraft in Taitung Township is the crafting of traditional Aboriginal pottery. Local artisans create pottery using traditional techniques that have been practiced for centuries. The pottery is often adorned with unique designs and symbols that hold cultural significance to the Indigenous tribes in the region.
The Taitung Harvest Festival is the perfect opportunity to do just that. Don’t miss the excitement of the Taitung International Surfing Competition! This annual event takes place in November and attracts surfers from around the world to the beautiful beaches of Taitung.

Among them, red oolong is also a very representative specialty product . Many people say that once you have tasted the red oolong in Taitung you can’t tolerate less. Many star-rated hotels also use the red oolong tea by Fun Tea Garden. There is also a combination of tea bags if you want to be more convenient, so that you can enjoy good  tea anytime, anywhere. Taichung is a big city of pastries, and there are also many old shops!
Though, they have vegan options on the menu, marked as such. It's a shame that the word vegan is misused so often in Taiwan. Nevertheless, the food was quite decent and the prices are okay.

Pipa Lake is a serene area located within Taitung Forest Park that offers visitors a viewing platform and bike trails to enjoy. The lake itself features crystal clear waters, making it a romantic destination for those who visit. Taitung big wheels Japanese Restaurant in Taitung City is a highly recommended dining option that offers authentic Japanese cuisine.
From pottery and weaving to wood carving and paper cutting, there are plenty of opportunities for your children to unleash their creativity while learning about Taitung’s cultural heritage. This is the last stop for my pan-taiwan island railway trip on the east coast. I arrived like about 4pm from hualien and took thr night local train to kaohsiung at about 7pm. Taitung is not really a large settlement at least by no means comparable to the cities in the west coast, but is still an important port and city especially in the east coast. Interestingly there is an archaeological site park just in the other side of the wall of the train station. Somehow there are many cyclists here loading their bikes to one designated railroad car, which is have never seen anywhere else.
It’s often enjoyed on toasted bread with butter, known locally as kaya toast. Brands like Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Killiney Kopitiam sell jars of kaya that you can take home to savor the taste of Singapore every morning. Every year from August to September, the whole mountain of Liushishi in Hualien is dyed with golden needle flower. After the harvest, the needle flowers will be dried by farmers everywhere, from the garden to the roof. Sanxiantai is a special tourist area formed by coral reefs and some small islands of Taiwan.