Taiwan tours & travel

While there’s really no bad time to visit Taiwan, some months are more predictable than others. September to November is the best time to visit, when you’ll find balmy nights, rich autumn foliage and off-peak prices. Travelling in spring (March to May) is down to luck: it could be clear skies, monsoonal rain or even a sandstorm blown over from China. Swimming is best mid-year (June to August) when the weather can heat up, but there is always the small risk of typhoons.

Taiwan is a little like South America with its spine-like ridge of (often impassable) mountains running south-west through the centre of the island. The beauty of this setup is that topography and environment can change very quickly. You can be cycling through low-lying rice paddies around Taitung one day, traversing the high forest passes of Yushan the next, then finishing up on the white northern beaches around Fuguei Cape. Generally the central national parks and east coast are the most spectacular regions; the west coast is flat and highly developed with urban areas spreading over the river basins and flood plains that lead to the sea.

Top 5 Attractions in Taiwan

1. Sun Moon Lake

One of Asia’s best-kept secrets, Sun Moon Lake is easily the equal of any Como, Bled or Windermere. It’s a huge blue oasis hidden among the green peaks of Taiwan’s central mountain ranges. By day it’s merely beautiful, but in the blue-gold light of dawn, with mists rolling over the water and local fisherman paddling past, it’s like something out of a fairy tale.

2. Taroko Gorge

They have to shoot a James Bond chase scene through here, that’s all there is to it. Taroko Gorge was made for the cinema. It’s a winding maze of looming marble crags, huge cut-out roads tunnelling right into the mountains, rushing river gorges and looping alpine passes. If you are ever being chased by gangsters in your supercar, you want it to be here.

3. Qingshui Cliffs

Just google an image of ‘Qingshui Cliffs’ before we continue. All done? Now you know what we’re talking about. They’re basically a 21 km stretch of sheer jungle-covered cliffs plunging straight into the East China Sea, with a tiny highway clinging on about halfway up. This is not a journey for vertigo-sufferers, but for fans of jaw-dropping natural wonders, it’s a must-do.

4. Taipei

An easy one to tick off, since it’ll probably be your first stop in Taiwan. The northern city of Taipei is the island’s capital, and offers a beating, chaotic counterpoint to the Zen-like beauty of the southern national parks. If you think it’s crazy by day, just wait until night, when a neon glow lights the sky and lantern-lit markets spring up in the colourful Songshan district.

5. Penghu Islands

Penghu is one of Taiwan’s hidden gems, an archipelago of 90 islands between the mainland and China. They’re remote, but worth the journey, with brilliant beaches devoid of crowds, glorious temples, towering basalt columns and genuine old-fashioned Chinese hospitality. Penghu is also a windsurfing mecca and a nesting ground for rare green sea turtles. Not bad for one tiny volcanic island chain.

Intrepid takes the health and safety of its travellers seriously, and takes every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and enjoyable for everyone. We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure: