Taiwan

Taipei is Asia's most underrated capital — legendary night markets (Shilin, Raohe), world-class museums (National Palace Museum), stunning mountain hikes (Elephant Mountain, Yangmingshan), and some of the friendliest locals you'll meet anywhere. The MRT is spotless and efficient, bubble tea was invented here, and the food scene is extraordinary.

Taiwan's sunny port city features the stunning Lotus Pond temples, revitalized Pier-2 Art Center, and some of the island's best night markets. A more laid-back alternative to Taipei with easy access to Kenting beaches and Fo Guang Shan monastery.

A 19-kilometre marble canyon on Taiwan's east coast where the Liwu River has cut through 1,000-metre cliffs of polished white and grey marble. Eternal Spring Shrine clings to a waterfall, the Tunnel of Nine Turns weaves through the narrowest neck of the gorge, and the Swallow Grotto wall is pocked with caves carved by river spray. The 2024 magnitude 7.4 earthquake closed the central highway and most signature trails, so check current trail status before going.

Taiwan's largest lake, an 8-square-kilometre alpine bowl at 748 metres in the Nantou highlands, named for its split shape — a sun-round eastern half and a crescent western half divided by Lalu Island. Wenwu Temple looks down on the north shore, the Ci'en Pagoda crowns Mount Shabalan, and a 29-kilometre cycle path rated by CNN as one of the world's most beautiful loops the entire shoreline. Reachable in about four hours from Taipei via the High Speed Rail to Taichung plus a Nantou Bus connection.

Taiwan's oldest city, founded by the Dutch East India Company in 1624 and the island's capital for two centuries before Taipei was built. Locals say there are more temples per capita here than anywhere else in Asia — over 1,600 inside the city limits — and the food canon (danzai noodles, milkfish congee, coffin bread, beef soup) was largely invented within a few blocks of the old Anping Harbour. An hour and a half south of Taipei by High Speed Rail; quieter, slower, and unmistakably more historic than anywhere else on the island.

A 110,000-person Pacific-coast city wedged between the Central Mountain Range and the open ocean — the working gateway to Taroko Gorge 15 kilometres north. Qixingtan Beach is a long arc of black pebbles facing whale-shaped bays, the Dongdamen Night Market sprawls across a former harbour, and the morning fishing-port market sells the day's bonito within an hour of landing. Two to three hours from Taipei on the eastern TRA line, and the home base of the Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation and its enormous hospital and university campus.