off-the-beaten-track

List of Places that Are Closed in Taiwan Right Now

When I first published this article (in late 2024), it had been a rough year for weather disasters in Taiwan, ...
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9 Meaningful Ways to Experience Aboriginal Culture in Taiwan

Many visitors to Taiwan want to experience Taiwanese indigenous culture. However, most aboriginal villages in Taiwan are remote and not ...
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Staying at Songsyue Lodge, Hehuanshan (and how to book it)

Songsyue Lodge (松雪樓 or songxue lou, see official site) is the highest hotel in Taiwan (3150 m/10,335 ft!) and the ...
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Pinglin: How to Visit the Prettiest Tea Plantations near Taipei

Pinglin (坪林) and Shiding (石碇) have the most beautiful tea plantations that I’ve seen in the Greater Taipei Area.  As ...
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Chocolate, Cycling, and Boat Burning in Donggang, Taiwan

Donggang (東港) is a small township in Pingtung county on the southwest coast of Taiwan. Most travelers know Donggang as ...
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The Matsu Islands of Taiwan: A Detailed Visitor’s Guide

The Matsu Islands (馬祖列島 or mazu liedao) are a fascinating frontier region of Taiwan. Of the 36 islands in the ...
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30+ Fun Things to Do in Taipei at Night (incl. Non-Drinking!)

There are a million articles about things to do in Taipei (here’s mine), but what about after the sun goes ...
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Shen’ao Rail Bike: Riding Rails on Taiwan’s Northeast Coast

Shen’ao Rail Bike (深澳鐵道自行車) is one of two “rail bikes” in Taiwan (the other is Old Mountain Line Rail Bike ...
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Lisong Hot Spring: How to Visit Taiwan’s Prettiest Wild Spring

Lisong Hot Spring (栗松溫泉) in Taitung county is widely regarded as the most beautiful wild hot spring in Taiwan. The ...
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Fenqihu Old Street: Bentos, Bamboo & Fireflies in Alishan Region

Fenqihu (奮起湖, also spelled Fenchihu) is a major highlight in one of my personal favorite regions of Taiwan: Alishan. This ...
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30+ Things to Do in Hualien (besides Taroko Gorge!)

As you’ve most likely already heard, a massive earthquake struck Hualien on the east coast of Taiwan on April 3, ...
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Visiting Puli on the Way to Sun Moon Lake or Cingjing Farm

Puli is a township in Nantou, Taiwan’s mountainous central county. In fact, the geographical center of Taiwan is in Puli. ...
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