Things to Do & Eat in Taitung

Part of the East Rift Valley, the Wuling Green Tunnel is 4.5-kilometer long road, shadowed by many trees and with low traffic, making it a perfect place to go biking. SourceLocated in Changbin Township, Basian cave, originally, was a huge sea cave, with time and because of crustal uplift, it turned into several smaller caves, raised above sea level. The cave is called the Goddess cave by the Amis people, who believed the caves were uplifted because of the killing of a beautiful lady. Another famous bike-way is the Mr. Brown Avenue in Chihshang Township, dubbed the “green road of paradise”. There’s a small museum inside, it’s a branch of the larger National Museum of Prehistory. You can also see some of the excavation sites, in some of which you’ll see traces of ancient structures.
Staying  at a hot spring resort to relax at the end of your Taitung trip sounds like an excellent idea? Zhiben Hot Springs contains colorless, odorless Alkaline carbon. For adventurous travelers, I recommend driving up the mountain to La Wei of Forest Coffee Plantations. It is super challenging to drive 有面子伴手禮 off-road up the unlighted hills. (We had many doubtful moments and almost attempted to turn around.) But the nocturne view of the lighted city below and glowing moon in the sky makes the adventure so worthwhile. If you have a week or two in Taiwan, I highly recommend taking a round-the-island trip.

See on Booking) is another decent option, overlooking greenery on the edge of town. Some of the best white rafting in Taiwan can be had at Hsiukuluan River (秀姑巒溪) near Ruisui. This rafting tour offers pickup from either Hualien City or Ruisui. Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area (富源國家森林遊樂區), in neighborhing Wanrong Township, is famous for its swarms of butterflies, which can be seen here in spring in summer. However, we didn’t have much luck when we visited in  early spring one year, so I would only suggest coming here in late spring or summer.
In winter waves are strong, and smaller during summer, making it a perfect spot for beginners. The village there is also quite nice, with an artsy vibe, mixed with the local aboriginal culture. You also have the possibility to visit  some more remote villages, less touched by tourism but you’ll need to go through an agency and hire a local guide. Some tribes can have different social codes than what foreigners or even locals are used to, always exercise caution when visiting aboriginal villages.
A great place to visit just outside Taitung city is Xiaoyeliu .

A lot of travelers stop in at Guangfu Sugar Factory (光復糖廠冰棒) for their famous ice cream. Shisan keng creek hot spring is located in Baolai Creek, Kaohsiung, and is only available when the river is dry. Along the stream, there will be several pools such as seven pits, ten pits, and thirteen pits along the road! The spring got its name because of its location in the thirteenth tributary of Baolai Stream.
Jia Lu Lan is a nice scenic spot facing the sea with a couple of sculptures and artworks. Siwei Night Market – more for foodies than souvenir shoppers, this market is near Taitung Night Market and offers an overwhelming amount  of Taiwanese cuisine and street food. If you have time, nearby Pisirian is another cool place to visit. Pisirian is a tiny tribal village home to the Pisirian tribe. The village offers little excitement, but some cute driftwood goat sculptures are worth seeing along the coastline.

In Taitung, you should miss short rice noodles, a local dish made of sweet potato flour and indica rice and served as a soup. The Taroko Gorge is probably the most famous landmark in Taiwan. If you like hiking, you will love taking a trip to Taroko National Park. A market is held there every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month. Ethnic diversity has endowed Taitung with a unique culture, diverse festival occasions, and a vibrant tradition of oral history and myth to provide plenty of food for the mind. Tiehua Music Village – this hip hub sells music CDs produced by local musicians and also carries a lot of whimsical and unique souvenirs.
A couple of local stalls sell drinks, snacks, and aboriginal handicrafts here, and there’s some makeshift seating in front of the main stage where you can sit down and enjoy the tunes. In recent years, the relocation of the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration Center to Duli has driven the development of tourism in the township. Well-planned tours, an abundance of marine attractions and the vivid colors of Amis culture, have made Chenggong the most important tourist town in Taitung County. One of the most unique hot springs in Taiwan is Guanziling in Tainan, which is a mud hot spring.