City: Taiwan
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Top 10 Outdoor Activities in Taiwan, Taiwan
Taiwan (/ˌtaɪˈwɑːn/ ( listen)), officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a state in East Asia. Its neighbors include the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the west, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south. It is the most populous state and largest economy that is not a member of the United Nations.
Restaurants in Taiwan
1. Fongbo Hike Trail
2. Dakeng No.8 Trail
3. Taipei Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,191 reviews
The largest zoo in Asia, this was original a private zoological garden. The giant panda house, Formosan animal area, koala house and Asian tropical rainforest area are of particular note.
Reviewed By paulynyyy - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Taipei Zoo opens from 9-5pm eaily accessible via MRT Brown line, exit Taipei Zoo Station. The zoo ticket, in my humble opinion, is quite cheap NT 60 for adults while preschoolers (age 6 and below) enter free, can easily be paid via Easy Card. The first section we went was Panda House. There were two Pandas, TuanTuan and YuanYuan (their names means reunion in chinese, by the way) We managed to see both, one was in indoor and the other outdoor. Both were very active. Next, we went around, the Bird World, the Amphibian/ Reptiles House and the Penguin House (mostly indoor as it was raining) Lots of snack shops and toilets available. It is a large zoo and our legs were tired walking around, hence we took the shuttle train (single ride: NT5) to Maokong Gondola Taipei Zoo South Station (operates from 9am-4pm) and took the Gondola to Mao Kong. Note: Some indoor exhibits in Taipei Zoo (Including the Panda House) may close on Monday, therefore go on other days.
4. Taroko Gorge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,630 reviews
Reviewed By Worldofg
Having a full day to kill due to a long connection in Taipei my wife and I decided to rush down to Taroko Gorge rather than staying in the city. What a great decision!! We caught train 202 from the main station at 6am, arriving at Hualien at 08:15 ($400 TWD return- $22 AUD). Based on other trip advisor posts we booked a taxi driver ( Jason Huang) for a day for a very reasonable $3500 for the car rather than per person (Taiwan; about $160.00 Australian). I hate being carted around on coaches and in large groups, you tend to see very little and it can be quite rushed, so a private hire was a perfect option considering tours were charging around $3500 pp. Our driver, Jason met us at the station as arranged, waving my name on his board, (note head towards West exit of the station and not the east). Jason is a happy chap with excellent English, as it turned out Jason was the perfect guide with very informative commentary on rock formation, the national park and wildlife so I started to feel quite smug about my choice. Our first stop was the Qingshui cliffs, absolutely beautiful known for its plunging cliffs and rugged seascapes, certainly a worthwhile stop. Look carefully in the trees on the walk up to the viewing platform and you will probably see the Formosan rock monkey, which are endemic to Taiwan. There were a number of them feeding in the trees, it was surprising that other visitors walked right passed without noticing them. Our day continued with drive up the mountain range with its spectacular marble walls arising from the Gorge’s base. Our tour stretched from the entrance Taroko National Park up to the incredible Baiyang waterfall trail, taking in the Changchun Shrine, Swallow Grotto, Shakadang Trail and Taroko Archway along the way . Jason was very good at hoping in front of the bus groups so we saw most of the main sites in peace and open to changing the itinerary to meet our requirements, rather than just following the tourist trail, as such we saw what we wanted to see and stayed at a particular spot for as long as we wished. The Shakadang Trail is a road one way shared with pedestrians and traffic but very well managed. The walk is around 2 km from one end to the other but is flat and easy with plenty of places to stop for a breather. Jason dropped us off at one end of the trail and met us at the opposite end. This is a must, there are so many impressive panoramas following the winding Gorge on foot that it’s impossible to stop taking photos- the marble cliff walls are a breathtaking sight and that’s an understatement. Probably second only the Grand Canyon, without question this was the highlight of our holiday. At the entrance to the trail stop and pick up a helmet, which are provided free by the Nation Park Authority, just in case of falling rocks or stones Our next stop was the Baiyang waterfall trail. The trial is a 4.2k round trip, and characterised by a number of tunnels, so take a small touch (Jason provided ours). The hike is very easy and for the mostly flat, the path is well maintained with informative signage on the way. The marble here has incredible the layers and patterns in the gorge walls, there is also large 5-10 metre wide marble boulders sitting in the blue river, sensational. There are great views of waterfalls, plunging cliff faces in the background, along with some colourful bird life, look out for a red tail wagtail, I’m not sure of its name but there we plenty of them and they are very pretty. At the end of the trail you can have an exceedingly cold shower if you wish to visit the Curtain Waterfall Cave (very refreshing I thought), I would highly recommend the cave, it can be a tight squeeze but worth it. My wife had a poncho and stayed dry as a bone. The walk back was as good taking in a different prospective of the scenery. The Taroko National Park is a wonder and should not be missed if you visit Taiwan. The scenery is unparalleled with captivating sights and relaxing sounds of the gorge. It is one trail that you must not missed when at the gorge . We had a fantastic day we were so happy we made the effort, Jason was brilliant and I would highly recommend him rather than a busy tour bus, which I may add looked crowded and very rushed. The ability to stop anywhere in your own time is certainly the way to go. Again, Jason was the perfect guide with very informative commentary on rock formation and wildlife. Jason's details are whatsapp 886963-800617 or [email protected]
5. Eighteen Peaks
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 128 reviews
Hiking Trail park in Hsinchu City, next to Ching Hua University.
Reviewed By myhoneybee88 - Hsinchu, Taiwan
Perfect for your daily exercises, running or walks.. Well paved walk ways with very gentle hills. Great for all ages!
6. Xinyue Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By E2988UFmartinp - Zhongzheng District, Taiwan
Clean water and clean beach with only few people. Bring a beach tent or water proof blanket as the sand is wet...
7. Wuer Chahu Shan/Teapot Mountain
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 40 reviews
Reviewed By szotdogs - Melbourne, Australia
This might not be the easiest place to get to, but the hike is definitely worth it for the stunning views. You can walk from the Gold Museum, or get a taxi up to the trailhead to shorten the walking time if you wish. I chose the former and the walk will take you along a stair trail that had some cherry blossoms in bloom as a nice bonus. You will have to walk on the road at some point to reach the trailhead but the roads are very quiet so there is no problem in doing so. There are also some nice views as you walk, which will give you an idea as to what to expect when you reach the teapot. The surface of the trail (from the actual trailhead) head varies between loose gravel and larger loose stones, stone steps and smooth dirt. Do take some care on the parts where there are loose stones as it would be very easy land the wrong way and fall. There is a pavilion close to the teapot where you can get some nice views, but since you're so close, why not go to the teapot and climb through it? There are some ropes to help you climb through it, and the opening is fairly narrow so if you are carrying a backpack you might need to remove it and place it overhead at the top of the teapot before you can climb through. Once you're out of the teapot, you will then need to cross a small gap in the teapot and scale down a very short, yet angled rock face to reach the 'end'. There is a rope line as well as foot holds cut out of the rock to help you. However the effort and views are completely worth it! Probably the best views I had in Taiwan were from here. If you go on a weekend there's a very good chance you'll find other people there who will help or encourage you if you need it.
8. Bitoujiao Trail
9. HouFeng Bikeway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 82 reviews
Reviewed By Awesome3050
I brought my young family of five, two of whom were novices at cycling. The track was exceptionally friendly, yet sufficiently challenging to make it worth the while. Being able to cycle on a river spanning bridge, and a nearly 2km tunnel made the trip worth it. We went fully pedal power. The tunnel is fully lit and has pictures of what it was used for in the past along the route. As the entire is track is reserved for bicycles, it is extremely safe. Do well to avoid weekends and school holidays though. The end of the track is currently hosting an international flower festival. It is very worth a visit. Check with the bicycle rental companies on where to leave the rental bike safely (there is a light refreshment shop near the flower festival). I spent a tiny amount at the shop on snacks and refreshments after the nearly 5km route. There is another 12km track that starts at the same point. The bike rental companies are competitive and the prices reasonable for 12 speed mountain bikes.
