Taitung, Taiwan – Must Go Places & Things To Do There

Taitung is a county on the Southeastern coast of Taiwan. It is a pictorial agricultural haven with very little man-made pollution so you can take a breather of fresh air while enjoying picturesque moments of the coast and mountain views.

There is no bustling of metropolitan city life but just fields & fields of plantation and fishermen netting for fishes by the shore. Seven of the 14 Taiwanese Aboriginal tribes reside in Taitung county. It is rich in culture yet life is simple & peaceful with a joyful welcoming smile where ever you go. This is the kind of break we city dweller need.

For me, I would spend 10% of my time in the city at Taitung and the rest of the 90% outside of the city.

Here are my recommendations of things to do and places to visit when you are in Taitung:

Scenic & Romantic

Seashore Park (台東海濱公園-國際地標)

The window to the North Pacific Ocean, Seashore Park is a wonderful spot to view an endless horizon sunrise. Oversized public art is integrated into the modern landscaping. Only 10 minutes drive from Taitung City, this is a one of the most Instagramable locations in Taitung anytime from sunrise to nightfall. The Paposogan rattan roof bridge will also be lit up from sunset till 10pm daily, ideal for a romantic stroll through the night.

*Google map here.

Tiehua Music Village (鐵花村音樂聚落)

Throughout the week, Tiehua Music Village will be filled with music performances & handy craft fairs organised for both locals and tourists to experience and appreciate local folk art engulfed in Taitung’s rich cultural ambiance.

Do look out for seasonal exhibitions and displays at Tiehua Music Village too. The “Hot Air Balloon” hand crafted by locals hang across the whole park offering a spectacular view when they were all lit at night.

*Google map here.

Jia Lu Lan Rest Stop (伽路蘭遊憩區)

If you are heading up north from Taitung City and taking the highway along the sea front, do make a stop at the Jia Lu Lan rest stop. At this rest stop you will not find any shops to buy souvenirs. Instead you will be welcomed by the splashing sound of the ocean waves hitting the rocks and gorgeous mountainous landscape along the shores. Great place to enjoy the sea breeze and check-in on social media before carrying on your journey.

*Google map here.

https://instagram.com/p/4QUQRivZon/

Mr. Brown Avenue (伯朗大道)

Fans of Takeshi Kaneshiro (金城武), Mr. Brown Avenue is a MUST VISIT when you visit Taitung. The “Paradise” segment in the EVA Air commercial was shot right in Mr. Brown Avenue, the same tree where Takeshi sat under is also there too.

Riding a bicyle along the vast & vivid green rice fields, in search of that sacred tree was a surreal and relaxed experience. We even brought our own kettle to the location to mimic Takeshi’s shot under the tree. If you didn’t already know, the tree was uprooted by typhoon a couple years ago, so it is now supported by some cables until it is strong enough to support itself.

*Google map here.

A Gastronomic Journey

Chang Bin 100 (長濱100號)

Chang Bin 100 is a restaurant without a menu.  Choose from a meal of NT300 (S$13), NT400 (S$18) or NT500 (S$22) per person and the chef will cook up a feast using the the best and freshest seasonal ingredients from Taitung.

This is a cozy family run restaurant that started many years ago without a name to their little eatery. So locals used its original address as the name. The son runs the counter and do the servicing, while the parents cook in the kitchen. If you love home cooked food like me, I bet you will love the dishes served up at Chang Bin 100. The restaurant is now located at No.92 Chang Bin, instead of No.100.

*Google map here.

Chun Yi Zhi Ice Cream Store (春一枝冰棒)

During hot summer days a fruity ice popsicle made with 100% natural fruit juice will be the best thirst quencher anyone could wish for. Chun Yi Zhi is an honest store where you just pay through the box as no one is there to collect the payment. Each popsicle is priced between NT30 (S$1.30) to NT50 (S$2.20).

More than just an ice cream shop, you can spend a tranquil time and enjoy the spectacular view of nature from the balcony while indulging on the popsicles.

*Google map here.

Golden Harvest 金色豐收館

When in Taitung, everyone should buy some rice back home. Yes, it can be heavy, but the rice grains here are simply amazing. An agricultural county of Taiwan with close to zero pollution, you find award winning grade and finest rice grains in the whole of Taiwan in Taitung.

At Golden Harvest, you will be able to learn the history and process of rice agriculture in Taitung. You will also get to purchase the rice at the souvenir store. Each package comes with a QR code for you to retrieve the details of the farm and farmer that produce that particular package of rice.

If you do not cook, right at Golden Harvest you can also taste the freshly cooked rice with an assortment of traditional Taiwanese cuisine like pickled radish omelette, braised pork belly and many others. You will even get to bring back the ceramic bowl and wooden chopsticks home after you are done with the meal as a souvenir.

*Google map here.

Adventure Is Your Cup Of Tea

Surfing at Jinzun 金樽衝浪

We are all used to seeing white sandy beaches.However, in Jinzun, the pristine volcanic sand is black and mixed with glittery sparkles. Complimented by the gorgeous blue sky, a stroll down the vast sandy beach with calming sound of crashing waves, will be bring out the poet in you to start writing poem.

This is also the venue where the Taiwan Open Surfing Competition is held annually. Even though this was my first time surfing and I am already taking on the competition grade waves, I had fun albeit exhausting. Thanks to the help from our friendly Aboriginal instructors, I was able to ride the waves for about five seconds and it was awesome!!!
*Google map here.

Hot Air Balloon Ride With SkyRainbow (天際航空熱氣球)

The highlight for me in Taitung was waking up at 3am in the morning for a ride on the hot air balloon to catch the sunrise!!! Flying over the vast padi fields and overlooking at the mountains were simply breathtaking. Achievement UNLOCKED!!!

The hot air balloons flying in the sky are the perfect compliment to the scenery of Taitung county. Viewing it from the air in the hot air balloon or chasing it in a car on the ground, it will always be picture perfect. Photographers would be in Trigger Happy Mode and snap away!

*Google map here.

Check out the full album below to find the super cute COW hot air balloon in action. Mouse over the picture below for the arrows to scroll through the album.