taichung tourist places

Taichung Tourism

Top 10 must go, 〝the beauty of a city does not come from nowhere or simply lies on the surface; it is deeply rooted in the soil, and then blossoms vigorously.〞, national taichung theater.

Most visited locations on Instagram

Calligraphy Greenway

One city, two attitudes

Dongfeng Bicycle Green Way Green Corridor and Hou-Feng bike path

Green Dajia River

The 4.5 kilometer long Hou-Feng bike path was built along the old Mountain Railway Line. The beautiful scenery constantly varies. It crosses an iron bridge over the Dajia River and goes through the old railway tunnel, adding to its charm.

Feng Chia Night Market

Top ten tourist attractions in Taichung

Guguan Hot Spring

Satisfaction for your body, heart and soul

Gaomei Wetlands

Birdwatching, water play and sunset seeing

Dajia Jenn Lann Temple

Three treasures of Taichung

Taichung Park

The first century-old park in Taiwan

Wufeng Lin Family Garden

The first Minnan style official residence in Taiwan

Lishan Scenic Area

The Town of Pears

15 Best Things to Do in Taichung, Taiwan (2023)

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A colorful, vibrant and fun city, there is an abundance of unique things to do in Taichung, Taiwan’s second-largest city. We were initially drawn to the city to visit the quirky Rainbow Village and soon discovered that there are an abundance of places to visit in Taichung. After exploring Taichung and its surroundings, we’ve put together this list of the 15 best things to do in Taichung. Enjoy!

Table of Contents

Best Things to do in Taichung

From the insanely colourful Rainbow Village to the beautiful Zhongshe Flower Market and the mouthwatering Feng Chia night market it’s hard to narrow down what to do in Taichung. These are our 15 Taichung favourites:

How to get to Taichung

This is the most popular way to get to Taichung from Taipei is by the Taipei High Speed Rail (THSR) and takes only 40 minutes from any of the major stations in Taipei (Taipei Main Station, Banqiao, Nangang station).

The trains are super-fast and frequent and West Taichung is easily explored from the train station. You can book your tickets in advance at discounted prices on the Klook app – check prices now!

Click here to buy your rail ticket now

1 | Rainbow Village

Rainbow Village is a tiny settlement in the Nantun District of Taichung which is famous for its vibrantly painted houses and streets. It is one of the most colorful spots in Taiwan and visiting Rainbow Village is one of our favorite things to do in Taichung.

The story behind Rainbow Village is truly inspiring. It began like the many military villages scattered throughout Taichung and Taiwan. These villages are constructed of cheaply built houses that were given to soldiers who fled mainland China and which have deteriorated badly over the years.

Developers moved in to buy up and redevelop the land. With just 11 of the original 1,200 houses remaining in Rainbow Village, a former soldier Mr Huang (now affectionately known as Grandpa) refused to leave and began painting buildings in the village with vibrant colors. The images depict toys, animals, manga characters and the village is uplifting and fun.

Over 1 million people now visit the village every year and, on some days, Grandpa makes a star appearance. He still lives in the village and continues to paint!

Best things to do in Taichung tip: Rainbow Village is immensely popular with tourists and, as a result, can get a little overcrowded at times. We recommend visiting first thing in the morning: it’s relatively quiet until the tourist buses begin to arrive about 30 minutes after opening.

Sim Card and Internet

As with most countries, having mobile data during a trip is invaluable for navigation and research. There are lots of options on arrival at Taipei’s Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) – we reserved a Chunghwa Telecom 4g sim through Klook who offer a slightly discounted rate on the airport price – check prices now!

  Buy your SIM card now!

Where to Stay in Taichung

Taichung is a surprisingly large city and choosing where to stay can be tricky. We recommend:

• CityInn Hotel Plus – Taichung Station Branch –  we loved the CityInn brand in Taiwan. Located in east Taichung beside the main train station, the CityInn Hotel Plus is a great option. Rooms are clean and modern and the extra facilities like free common areas with coffee/refreshments and on-site laundry are invaluable –   click here to book now!
• La Vida Hotel –  Regularly rated as one of the best hotels in Taichung, La Vida Hotel is a great option for those who want easy access to the Feng Chia Night Market. With European designed rooms the hotel is super comfortable and great for a stay in Taichung –     click here to book now!
• The Hung’s Mansion  – where we chose to stay in Taichung. It’s a great option if you are driving like we were. With free parking, large comfortable rooms and great food, Hungs Mansion is also a short walk to the incredible Feng Chia Night Market –   click here to book now!

Click here for the best Taichung hotel prices

2 | 921 Earthquake Museum

On Tuesday 21 September 1999 a devastating earthquake hit the centre of Taiwan. Known as the Jiji earthquake, it measured 7.3 on the Richter Scale. Almost 2,500 people lost their lives and over 100,000 Taiwanese were left homeless. The 921 Earthquake museum opened in 2001 and is a lasting memorial to that day.

The museum is located on the site of the former Guangfu High School, part of which crosses the fault on which the earthquake occurred. The damaged buildings and subsided ground still stand as they did after the earthquake struck.

The museum is a poignant memorial to the people who died and were affected to the quake and we highly recommend taking a few hours to visit this unique museum.

3 | Taichung Industries and Creative Park

Originally a traditional brewery, the 5.6acre Taichung Industries and Creative Park is a repurposed art, design and cultural venue where sculptors, writers, painters and performers showcase their talents. The park contains restaurants, art studios, craft stores, bazaars, exhibitions and a museum. There are various creative parks located around Taiwan with the Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei another of our favorites.

4 | Chun Shui Tang – The home of Bubble Milk Tea

Taiwan is heralded as the country which introduced Bubble Tea to the world and Taichung is touted as the original city of this incredible drink.

For the uninitiated, Bubble Tea (also known as Boba or Milk Pearl Tea) is served cold and comes in a variety of flavors. The basic ingredients are tea, milk, chewy tapioca balls, ice and an assortment of toppings. It generally comes in a sealed cup that you pierce with a large straw, allowing you to drink the cold tea and also suck the tapioca chewy tapioca at the same time.

On a hot day, bubble tea is incredibly refreshing and is one of the best drinks we’ve had on our travels!

Although it’s hotly debated, Taichung’s Chun Shi Tang store is considered the home of the original bubble tea. It was first sold back in the 1980s when the Bubble Tea obsession began in Taiwan.

The bubble tea here is the original version, containing just tea, milk, sugar and tapioca served in a signature blue cup and it really is delicious.

5 | Confucius Temple

Taichung’s Confucius Temple is one of over 20 temples dedicated to Confucius, a great Chinese teacher and philosopher, in Taiwan. The temple dates back to 1899 but the current structure is from the 1970s. The temple is a lovely retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city and the architecture is magnificent.

Best things to do in Taichung tip: if you happen to be in Taichung on September 28, Confucius birthday, make sure to stop by the temple to witness the Chinese ceremonies which take place to commemorate the day.

6 | Zhongshe Flower Market

Located a short drive from central Taiwan is another Taichung highlight, the Zhongshe Flower Market. The Zhongshe Flower market is a flower market with manicured gardens and Instagram worthy props.

Like Rainbow Village, the colours at the Zhongshe Flower garden are incredible. With beautiful water features, colourful flowers and picture perfect photo spots it’s easy to spend half a day here exploring all the parts of the garden.

We had a lot of fun wandering through the gardens and posing at the awesome photo spots: our favourites are the piano in the lavender field, the sunflower field and the photo frames against the mountain backdrop.

Zhongshe is also a really popular barbeque spot where lots of locals gather for an afternoon barbeque at the on-site restaurant.

7 | Lavender Cottage Farm

From November to April the purple lavender filled fields at Lavender Cottage are a beautiful place to visit.

Lavender Cottage was set up by two farm loving ladies who quit their city jobs to grow lavender in the mountains outside Taichung. With its stunning lavender gardens, laid back coffee shop, a Wishing Tree and local arts and crafts Lavender Cottage Farm is a great afternoon jaunt from Taichung.

8 | I’m Talato

Taiwan shares its love of themed restaurants with Japan and is home to quirky cafes such as the poo themed Modern Toilet and the alpaca themed Oia Café in Taipei.

In Taichung we loved I’m Talato, an ice cream store famous for both its ice-cream and the ice-cream swimming pool filled with giant ice cream floats. The pool makes I’m Talato extremely popular with Instagram lovers and the shop is usually very busy.

I’m Talato served its ice cream in an upside-down ice-cream cone and it’s really delicious. We highly recommend the matcha ice-cream which is a specialty of theirs.

9 | Feng Chia/ Fengjia Night Market

Taichung is home to one of the biggest and best night markets in Taiwan, the Feng Chia Night Market.

Located next to Taichung’s Feng Chia University, the market’ was a short walk from our hotel (Hungs Mansion) and was so much fun to explore. The market is packed with amazing food and clothes options: our favorite specialities were grilled scallops on a stick, the pork box and fried chicken cutlets

Things to do in Taichung Tip: The market is open most evenings between 7pm and 10pm and it starts to get really busy after 8pm. We tried to get there just after opening when the crowds were smaller and it was easier to explore the market.

10 | Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake is a scenic 90minute drive from the centre of Taichung. It is one of the gems of Taiwan and is one of its most popular tourist attractions.

Many visitors rent bikes to explore the cycle path which circles the turquoise blue waters of Sun Moon Lake. There’s also a gondola cable car which offers beautiful views of the lake and connects it with the Formosa Aboriginal Cultural Village.

The Ci-En Pagoda and the Wen-Wu Temple are popular Sun Moon Lake sights.

The 8 story Ci-En Pagoda requires a short uphill hike and is renowned for its views over the lake while the Chinese style Wen-Wu is vibrant and loud and there are lovely views of the lake over the burnt orange rooftops.

Best things to do in Taichung tip: the drive between Taichung and Sun Moon Lake takes about 75 minutes so we preferred to base ourselves in Taichung. Sun Moon Lake accommodation tends to be more expensive given its tourist draw and we were happy to drive.

11 | Eat Pineapple Cakes in Miyahara

Famous for its ice cream, chocolate and pineapple cakes, Miyahara is a popular dessert shop in Taichung. Once the home of the Taichung Health Bureau, Miyahara is located in a red brick building with an interior designed to resemble Hogwarts Harry Potter movies!

Best things to do in Taichung tip: there are often long lines at Miyahara so try and visit close to opening or later in the evening when it is less busy.

12 | Totoro Bus Stop

If you are a fan of the 1980’s Japanese animated film My Neighbour Totoro, then a visit to the Totoro Bus Stop is a Taichung essential. It featured in the scene where Satsuki waited for her father at the bus stop and Totoro gave her shelter from the rain.

13 | Animation Alley

Known locally as Painted Animation Lane, Animation Alley is located on a quiet set of small side streets in down downtown Taichung. With everything from manga comic characters to Super Mario and the Minions, it is fun exploring the streets to discover the many hidden pieces of street art strewn throughout the area.

Best things to do in Taichung tip: Animation Alley is a great stop for kids familiar with the cartoon characters and adults nostalgic for the heroes of days gone by!

14 | The Kaomei Wetlands

The Kaomei Wetlands are the perfect escape from the chaotic Taichung city life. The tidal flat is renowned for its stunning sunsets and is home to beautiful wildlife including thousands of crabs and birds. Catch the sea breeze on the specially built boardwalk and enjoy the sunset and the marine life.

Best things to do in Taichung tip: bring a jacket as the boardwalk is often breezy and it can be very chilly late in the evenings.

15 | Calligraphy Greenway

The Calligraphy Greenway is a tree-lined boulevard which runs between the National Museum of Natural Science and National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. The design is calligraphy inspired and the 3.6km walkway is home to open-air art. The route includes the arts and crafts heavy Fantasy Story, art museums, restaurants and the CMP Block Museum of Arts, Taichung’s living museum which often hosts interactive exhibitions.

For more on Taiwan

Check out our other Taiwan reads:

• our 30 best things to do in Taipei
• a two week Taiwan itinerary
• our ultimate Taipei itinerary
• a guide to renting a car in Taiwan

6 thoughts on “15 Best Things to Do in Taichung, Taiwan (2023)”

Hi! Nice photos. I am excited to visit Taichung this coming December.

Such a fun city! Have fun!

How was driving in Taiwan? Also, which rental car company did you use?

We found the driving totally fine! We picked up our car after exploring Taipei and used it to visit Taichung, Alishan, Taroko Gorge and Kenting as well as a few other stops! We booked with RentalCars.com and rented with Avis through them. We have an post with all the details on how we found it – it’s tips for renting a car in Taiwan if you want to read!

Have a great trip

Hello! How many days in Taichung do you recommend?

I would say two is great to see most of the city highlights.

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Taiwanese Secrets Travel Guide

Top 20 Attractions & Things to Do in Taichung

There’s a lot to see and do in Taichung city these days. But you wouldn’t know it if you only checked the guidebooks. Even the Lonely Planet only shows the biggest attractions, but ignores a lot of important sights. Let me show you my Taichung!

Most guidebooks describe Taichung like it was 20 years ago – just a transit point to other destinations like Sun Moon Lake . Make no mistake, Taichung is packed with unusual attractions, fun things to do, charming cafes , street food, night markets, temples, and a few decent bars .

I’ve been living in Taichung City since 2000, so I know the place like the back of my hand. I can help you discover the best museums, temples, markets, hotels, restaurants , parks, shopping areas, &  nightlife.

The two main reasons why I’ve lived in Taichung for so long, are the good weather  and relative  proximity to everything in Taiwan . OK, I have to be honest, there are two other reasons: my wife is from here, and Pizza Rock ‘s office is also in TC.

At the bottom of this page, you’ll find a  map  with all the tourist attractions listed here.

Table of Contents

The Middle City 台中

The middle city, or the “city in the center” is exactly what Taichung means. By the way, the proper way to spell Taichung in roman Pinyin is Taizhong. Tai (for Taiwan), zhong = center, middle

Popular Taichung Attractions

Rainbow village – 台中彩虹均村.

Rainbow Village is Taichung’s newest and hottest attraction! This colorful compound of old military houses was made famous within few months,  thanks to thousands of photos and videos being uploaded and shared on social media. Now, this “attraction” is featured in travel guidebooks such as Lonely Planet, and other popular ones in Japan, China, and other Asian Countries. The whole place was painted by Mr. Wong, a very old KMT veteran who can be seen at the village on most days.

It’s a bit out of the city center, in a pretty uninspiring area. To get to Rainbow Village, take bus #27 from Taichung Train Station. Address:  Lane 56,Chun An Road, Nantun District, 台中市南屯區春安路56巷

National Taichung Theater

The building design of the National Theater alone brings hordes of people to its ground to marvel at the curved lines of this architectural feat. If you are in Qiqi 七期 area, the ultra-modern skyscraper district of Taichung, you must visit the popular and iconic structure, which is also home to the Opera House. It will provide you with some of the best photo ops during your trip to the city – guaranteed!

The area near the National Taichung Theater is also home to two of the most popular malls in the city: Mitsukoshi 新光三越, and Top City. They are only three minute walk away from here, and are right next to each other, on Taiwan Boulevard 台灣大道.

This area of Taichung is modern and has some of the nicest parks and sidewalks where it’s really pleasant to stroll around. Quite a few restaurants and cafes have opened in this neighborhood the past few years.

Chinese : Táizhōng Guójiā Gējù Yuàn 臺中國家歌劇院 Address : 101, Section 2, Huilai Road, Xitun District

Check programs and events on the National Taichung Theater’s website.

Audit Village (Aka. Slow Village)

Located just north of the Art Museum, Slow Village use to be a residential housing neighborhood for civil servants. It has been turned into a cute pedestrian-only hipster area full of workshops, art studios, cafes, and stands that sell crafts and gifts. It’s a cultural hub where young creative minds, artists, craft-lovers meet on weekends to hold pop-up markets. It’s a warm and welcoming space where you can wander around the stalls, enjoy coffee or craft beer, feel the vibe of the city.

Chinese: 審計新村 Shěnjì xīncūn or 小蝸牛市集 Xiǎo wōniú shì jí Address : No.8, Aly. 4, Ln. 368, Minsheng Rd., West Dist.

Parks and Waterways

This one is not a single attraction, but a collection of parks, canals, and waterways around the city. I have dedicated a whole page about these parks and canals where you can walk, relax, take pictures… The best way to discover Taichung is by walking, in my opinion, and this page will give you some ideas. Walking Guide to Taichung Parks and Canals.

Donghai University – Luce Memorial Chapel

It is said that I.M. Pei (Luce Memorial Chapel’s architect) had praying hands in mind when he designed this striking landmark. The tent-like structure is located within the appealing grounds of Donghai University, about 8km west of the new downtown area.

Donghai is one of my favorite places in Taichung to walk in nature. The campus is like a massive forest with beautiful tall trees, ponds, creeks, meadows, and birds.  Tunghai Art Street and Tunghai Night Market are also worth exploring.

Xiangshang Market – 向上市場

Xiangshang traditional market is not an actual tourist attraction and you won’t find it listed in guidebooks, but it’s worth a visit if you want to experience what daily life is for many local Taiwanese.

I have brought many friends and first-time Taichung visitors here and everyone seems to find the experience memorable. The busy market offers lots of good photo ops. I have personally been buying my veggies there since 2000, and I still enjoy the hustle and bustle found on weekends when hundreds of people gather at Xiangshang’s narrow streets and alleys to buy fruit, veggies, meat, clothes, and snacks. Hours: 8:00am to approximately 12:00 noon is when the market is at its busiest.

Confucius Temple

Wether or not you’re interested in China’s most famous philosopher doesn’t really matter. The simple sight of this massive architectural marvel is worth the trip. Every year, on September 28, a  ceremony is held at dawn to honor the sage and it’s a good opportunity to witness ancient Chinese rituals. The temple was completed in 1976.

Shin Sei Green Waterway (Luchuan Canal)

If you’re in the old part of Taichung, near the train station , you should check out the historically significant Shin Sei Green Waterway, also called Lyu Chuan Canal. Walking around here is very nice, especially at night. On both sides of the waterway, you can see some interesting and typical Taiwanese architecture from the 70s and 80s, where practicality was the main drive behind design. The area is going through a slow revitalization and it seems like more restaurants and cafes are opening here, as rent prices are unreasonably high in newer parts of the city. Miyahara Ice Cream Shop  is along this canal.

Baojue Temple And The Happy Buddha

The Taiwanese like to make things BIG! And their places of worship don’t escape that tendency. At Baojue Temple, Milefo, the  giant smiling Buddha , sits on a hollow pedestal that is also used as a meeting chamber.

The Green Belt – Calligraphy Greenway

Walking along the Green Belt between the Science Museum and the Art Museum is one of the nicest things to do in Taichung, especially on a sunny day. Along the way, you’ll pass restaurants, cafes, and one of the cities biggest park (People’s Park) as well as Eslite Park Lane Mall where the best bookstore in town is found.

Taiwan Museum of Art

This art museum exhibits both Taiwanese and foreign art in a modern building located along the green belt. The plaza in front of the museum is always very lively and it’s a good place to observe  taichi  practitioners around 6am. The walk from here to the Science Museum along the Green Belt is highly recommended and will be a highlight of your trip to Taichung.

2 Wuquan West Road Tue-Sun, 9am-5pm; admission free; UBus #75 Check exhibitions, collections, events on the Taichung Art Museum website

National Museum of Natural Science

If you’re traveling with kids, don’t miss the Science Museum. It has interactive exhibits, an  Imax Space Theater, and a life-sized dinosaur reconstruction. Even if you’re not traveling with kids, the area around the museum is nice and quiet. Great place to enjoy nature in the city and take an evening stroll. The walk to or from the Art Museum along the Green Belt is beautiful.

1 Guanqian Road, Taichung Tue-Sun, 8am-5pm; admission adult/kid NT100/50, Imax NT70/30; city bus #88, 103

National Botanical Garden

Like the Science Museum, the garden isn’t the most exhilarating attraction in town for adults and is probably more engaging for kids. Still, this landmark has great surroundings to chill out and the  tropical rainforest  in the covered area looks quite real. For some, the architecture might be worth the tripin itself.

Located behind the Science Museum Tue-Sun, 8am-5pm; admission adult/kid NT20/10

Fengchia Night Market

Considered by many as being the best night market in Taiwan for the variety and quality of its street food, cleanliness, cheap prices, and friendliness of the vendors. Be sure to reserve one night for Fengchia Night Market, you won’t regret it!

Maple Garden

Maple Garden (aka Mapple Valley) is a nice little oasis on the edge of Qiqi District, where the famous National Theater is located. I mostly recommend this park for photographers who want to show what kind of contrast Taichung has – nature vs. city. It is a sort of symbol for Taichung, as the battle between old and new, cutting-edge replacing traditional, seems to be the main theme in town these days.

Taichung Folklore Park

Taichung’s Folklore Park is an old Taiwanese mansion built in ancient Chinese-style architecture. This is one of the only places in the city where you can view this kind of classical design. There is a park in front of the mansion, and for that reason some travellers consider it as a good option if travelling with kids. Address: 73, Sec. 2, Lushun Rd., Beitun District Hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm, closed on Monday

Taichung Park

This is where the city was born. If you find yourself in the old downtown area, come by to see the two  iconic pavilions , rowboat, or just people-watch while walking on tranquil tree-lined paths.  (1km north of the train station)

Walking Guide to Taichung Parks and Canals.

God of Literature Temple

Stressed out about an upcoming exam? Don’t be! Join dozens of Taiwanese students who come here every day to ask the  God of literature  for divine help in passing tests… and while you’re in the area, take a look at  Taichung’s oldest temple.

Nantian Temple – God Of War

If you’re a photo enthusiast, you’ll enjoy shooting the  48m-high God of War  seated above a tiger on Nantian Temple. The red-faced, red handed deity is said to be worshiped by rebels and criminal gangs. This place is not a must, only visit if you happen to be in that area.  (daily 6:30am-10pm; Ziyou Rd, East district; admission free; city bus #33)

Taichung Second Market

Established during the Japanese colonial era, Taichung’s Second Market 第二市場 is one of the best places in the city to witness “real” traditional Taiwanese city life the way it was 30 years ago. My mother in law still goes there to buy veggies and meat before cooking for a family gathering on birthdays, Chinese New Year, and other holidays. This market is still popular for fabric.

Address : 87, Section 2, Sanmin Road, Central District

Wufeng Lin Family Mansion

The Lin Family Mansion and Garden in Wufeng is the former residence of one of the five wealthiest and most influential families who immigrated from mainland China in the 19th century. The history of this place is long and complicated, the reason you want to get here is not. You want to walk around and take pictures. It is by far one of the most photogenic ancient buildings in Taiwan proper. The complex construction started in 1864, during the Qing Dynasty. Most people combine a trip here with the 921 Earthquake Museum. Entrance is 250NT$ per person.

Chinese Name: Wùfēng Lín Jiāzhái Yuán 霧峰林家宅園 Address : Minsheng Road No. 42 and 28 Laiyuan Road No. 91

Tuniu Hakka Cultural Hall

This old, rebuilt Hakka three-section compound (  sān hé yuàn 三合院) is not on the usual list of things to do in Taichung, because it’s a bit out of town, in Shigang District. It’s also not a very popular attraction because there isn’t much English information available. So why include it here? Because it’s very colorful and photogenic, and it’s one of the only ancient building which has this kind of architecture in Taichung City.

Some parts of the buildings were destroyed during the 921 earthquake, but subsequently fixed by the government. There’s a pond in front of the front gate, and the best pictures can be taken from the other side – which I didn’t do. Next time…

Tuniu Hakka Cultural Hall 土牛客家文化館 Address : 10, Decheng Lane, Fengshi Rd, Shigang District Address in Chinese: 422台中市石岡區豐勢路德成巷10號

Gaomei Wetlands 高美濕地

The Gaomei Wetlands are about 25km outside Taichung city center, by the Taiwan Strait. It gets quite busy on weekends, as it’s one of the most popular spots in Taichung to watch the sunset and get beautiful views of the coastline. You can also see wind turbines farm here – it’s the windiest place on the island. Bring proper hiking sandals if you want to walk around the wetlands. And pack a windproof jacket! Gaomei is a cool place to visit if you have extra time, but I would not call it a must-see. If you make it all the way here, you can combine a visit to the world-famous Chen Lan Temple (鎮瀾宮) in Dajia.

Taichung City to Gaomei Wetlands

You can get to Gaomei Wetlands from Qingshui Train Station by catching bus #178 or 179. If you have your own car or scooter, just take Taiwan Boulevard all the way west toward Shalu, then head north on the 17. You’ll see the sign for Gaomei after 3 kilometers.

As usual, I always try to find a nice place to have coffee when I go anywhere, and I found such a good spot near Gaomei Wetlands. It’s called Gao Mei Mi Cafe. Strong Americano is 130NT$. You can sit on the second floor to have a good view of the Taiwan Strait. Address : No. 868 Gaomei Road, Qingshui District Phone : 04-2611-3878 Business Hours: Closed on Monday, open from 11am-6:30pm

• Hiking, Camping, Hot Spring in Dakeng

If you’ve had enough of the city and the pollution, or feel like going for a quick hike / hot spring, consider Dakeng, Taichung’s most popular hiking destination. The Dakeng Scenic Area is home to 10 trails, beautiful forests, a hot spring resort, a campground, and some fine Chinese temples. Read more about Dakeng  here.

Map of Taichung Attractions

Info About Taichung

Where is taichung.

Taichung is located right in the middle of the island on the west coast where the  High-Speed Railway (HSR)  runs from  Taipei  to  Kaohsiung . The normal train (TRA), highways, public and private bus lines can also take you everywhere around Taiwan with relative ease.

Many travelers base themselves in Taichung to visit attractions in Central Taiwan such as Sun Moon Lake , Hehuanshan , and Lugang .

Which District to Stay in Taichung?

Taichung is a very large city and, unfortunately, if you don’t have your own scooter or car, it can be a challenge traveling around using public transportation. So I always tell people to find a place to stay as centrally as possible. That means sticking to the area around the Green Belt / Calligraphy Parkway in the West District. 

To be more precise, I wouldn’t want to be further than 1km away from the corner of Gongyi Road and Zhongming South Road. Everything within this radius is considered to be within THE ZONE. This area is walkable and safe. This is where you’ll find the highest concentration of restaurants, cafes, bars, attractions in Taichung.

What about the Train Station Area?

Taichung’s train station area is surely going through a sort of “ rebirth “. Few years ago I would have told you to avoid it, but these days it’s nice again. It’s definitely one of the most vibrant part of Taichung, there’s a mix of old and new, tons of street food opportunities, and a big population of Southeast Asians. There’s a lot of budget accommodations, cheap hostels, B&B near the Taichung Train Station, so it’s popular with backpackers.

Best Food in Taiwan?

There is a saying that if a restaurant can last for 3 years in Taichung, it will be able to do well in other cities around the island. This implies that Taichung locals know good food. There is also this unspoken agreement that Taichung restaurants set the highest standard in Taiwan. Some of the most famous chains were born here, Wangping, Chun Shui Tang…

Food is obviously another reason why tourists love Taichung. Due to the large amount of foreigners that now call Taichung home, there is an ever-growing selection of international restaurants that serve everything from Greek to Indian at reasonable prices. The central Taiwanese metropolis also has a vibrant nightlife , and tons of modern cafes .

Check my favorite restaurants in Taichung.

Taichung Weather

Taichung’s weather is not as wet as Taipei’s  up north, and not as hot as  Kaohsiung down south. The Central Mountain Range also protects the city from the powerful typhoons that hit the island every summer. Overall, Taichung gets much less rain and wind than other parts of Taiwan.

Check the CWB website for Taichung weather forecast.

Pollution in Taichung

Pollution in Taichung was a serious issue between 2014 and 2018. Skies were grey, visibility was bad, PM 2.5 readings were through the roof, and residents were seriously concerned for their health. Luckily, the past 2 years (I’m writing this late 2020) things have been better and you no longer need to wear a mask when going outside. We still have some days when air isn’t super clean, but overall, it’s definitely improved and clear skies are the norm again.

More about Taichung air pollution here…

Accommodation – Hotels – Guesthouses

Check out availability and prices for accommodation in the city. You should make a reservation if you plan on coming here on a weekend or holiday.  Book a hotel in Taichung now! 

Taichung Links

• Taichung Restaurants
• Transportation, bus, train, HSR
• Best place to rent a scooter in Taichung
• Shopping Malls 
• Taichung MRT
• Shopping Guide
• Organic Food Stores Map
• Info and pictures about the air pollution crisis in TC

Places of interest near Taichung:

Lugang : temples, ancient Chinese culture

Changhua : gateway to Baguashan, a nice Confucius Temple

Baguashan : A giant Buddha sculpture (22m-high), temple

Sun Moon Lake : Taiwan’s biggest lake

Dakeng : Hiking trails

Sanyi : Wood sculpting, tea, countryside, Hakka food

Cinjing: Beautiful hill station surrounded by picturesque rolling meadows, gateway to Taroko National Park , Hehuanshan , and the mighty Central Mountain Range.

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The Perfect 3 Day Taichung Itinerary And City Guide (2023)

By: Author Lotte

Posted on Last updated: April 2, 2024

Categories Taiwan

Taichung is Taiwan's second most populous city and a place that should be included in any Taiwan itinerary . This bustling city on the West coast of Taiwan offers lots of fun activities for travelers.

From green parks and interesting and well-laid-out museums to colorful (street) art and night markets with delicious street food, Taichung has it all!

This Taichung itinerary will help you explore the best the city and the surrounding area have to offer. Read along for the best things to do in Taichung, travel tips, and more.

Taichung itinerary

Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). We're very grateful when you use our links to make a purchase:-).

Things to know before traveling to Taichung

Yes absolutely! From vibrant night markets (such as Fengjia night market) to interesting museums (like the National Museum of Natural Science), Taichung has something for everyone to enjoy. There are plenty of things to do, from shopping in the city's many malls to exploring its numerous temples, parks, and landmarks. The food in Taichung is also amazing, with a variety of delicious dishes to try. Whether you're looking for a relaxing getaway or an exciting city adventure, Taichung should definitely be included in your Taiwan itinerary!

While you can visit Taichung year-round, the best months generally are March-April and September-November . The temperature in Taichung varies between 12° in January and 33° in July. It rains a lot in the months of May until August and while winter isn't extremely cold, there are fewer activities during the winter months. Spring is lovely, especially March when it's cherry blossom season. Please note that two important public holidays (Children's Day and Tomb-Sweeping Day) take place at the start of April. Travel is best avoided during these days as it gets extremely busy on buses and trains.

The official currency in Taiwan is the  New Taiwan dollar  ( NT $) .   Here  you can find the current exchange rates, at the time of writing €1 is approximately 35NT$ and $1 approximately 30NT$.

Yes, you can. You can easily book a private transfer online , prices are usually around 3000NT$ (US$86). The bus journey takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes.

The MRT in Taichung city is still under construction, however, there is an extensive bus network both within the city as well as to Taichung attractions a bit further afield. Rides under 10km are free (pretty awesome right), however, you do need to check in and out with your Easycard .

Plan your Taiwan trip like a pro with these tools: ? Pick up an EasyCard for cashless payments and to use public transport. ? Book discounted tickets for Taiwan's high-speed rail. ? Stay connected with a  Taiwan Wifi router . ? Plan your journey with the  T aiwan Lonely Planet . ?️ Find your dream accommodation on Booking.com or Agoda . ? Book the best tours via Klook or Get Your Guide . ?️ Travel safely and get reliable travel insurance from Safety Wing .

3 day itinerary for Taichung: map

Click here for the interactive map .

3 days in Taichung: things to do

• Taichung Day 1 : Taichung Second Market, Taichung Park, Miyahara Icecream shop, Bubble Tea DIY class, Painted Animation Lane, Calligraphy Greenway, and the CMP Block Museum of Arts.
• Taichung Day 2: Rainbow Village, Gaomei Wetlands , or the Zhongshe Flower Farm.
• Taichung Day 3: take a day trip to Sun Moon Lake or Lukang.

Where to stay in Taichung

In the table below you can find my recommended accommodation in Taichung, for any type of budget.

Best budget hotel in Taichung: Modern Inn

The Modern Inn is a nice and affordable place to stay. Rooms are beautifully designed and have a private bathroom and comfortable beds. The staff is very accommodating and the train station is only a 10-minute walk.

Guests score this property an 8.9 ( on Agoda ) and 8.7 ( on Booking ) which definitely means they are doing something right.

Click here to book via Agoda | Click here to book via Booking

Best 4-star hotel in Taichung: Airline Inn Green Park Way

This 4-star hotel offers quirky airplane-themed guestrooms that are spacious and well laid out.

Located within walking distance of the Block Museum and Calligraphy Greenway and a bus stop pretty much at the doorstep, it's easy to get many of the Taichung tourist attractions mentioned in this post.

The staff is helpful and friendly and breakfast is included in the room price. There's even a coin laundry on the third floor if you need to wash some clothes.

Best luxury hotel in Taichung: Splendor Hotel

The Splendor Hotel is a beautiful 5-star hotel located 340 meters from the National Museum of Natural Science.

While not the cheapest place to stay, the Splendor Hotel also doesn't cost you a fortune ( prices start at €12 TP - Booking Taichung Splendor Hotel a night ) and will definitely make for a great stay in Taichung.

The stylish rooms offer great views over Taichung city and feature an extra-large double bed. There is a large swimming pool, a bar, and a fitness center.

Furthermore, the professional staff will go out of their way to make your stay a memorable one.

Taichung itinerary day 1

Have breakfast at taichung second market.

Rose from Where Goes Rose : one of the best places to visit in Taichung is the authentic Second Market.

Unlike the busy night markets around Taiwan which serve modern Taiwanese food, such as fried chicken and even hamburgers, this traditional wet market boasts 100 years of history.

Many of the local residents have been serving their signature dishes here for generations, passing down the recipes to their children and grandchildren. 

The best thing to try at the Second Market is a famous Taichung breakfast . This Taiwanese answer to an English fry-up is not the most healthy option but it’s certainly very filling and delicious.

This dish comprises a giant cube of fried rice batter, a gooey fried egg, and a ‘sausage’ made of rice. It’s all topped with a hearty dollop of barbeque sauce, as well as a pig’s blood soup if you’re feeling brave!

Within the Second Market, you can purchase fresh fruit and vegetables and even sample freshly made sushi at the fish market. Heaven for lovers of Japanese food!

To visit the Second Market, set your GPS to 87, Section 2, Sanmin Road. The market is centrally located and easy to fit into your Taichung sightseeing plans.

The only tricky bit about this market is that not much English is spoken. Don’t let that put you off though, a little pointing and miming never hurt anyone!

The Taichung locals are a friendly bunch so it won’t be difficult to snag a tasty meal.

Walk around Taichung Park

Taichung Park is the oldest park in the city and a lovely place for a stroll. There are multiple lakes, a nice activity is renting a boat and rowing around.

Alternatively, there is a well-kept bicycle lane so a good option is to rent a bicycle. There are bike rental shops near the park as well as an iBike station.

Be sure to admire Houxing Pavilion (also known as Taichung Park Pavilion), which is the symbol of Taichung City and a historical site.

The entrance fee for the park is 30NT. Be sure to bring a reusable water bottle in case you get thirsty.

Visit the marvelous Miyahara Icecream shop

Caroline from CK Travels : Miyahara is an incredibly popular and Instagrammable ice-cream shop, retail shop, and high-end restaurant set in a renovated red brick building from the 1920s (it's a former ophthalmology clinic).

The ground floor shop interior resembles Hogwarts from the Harry Potter movies and has to be seen to be believed! Large bookcases and gleaming shop counters, with staff all besuited in immaculate uniforms.

You will find local snacks such as pineapple cakes, plus luxury tea, cookies, and gourmet chocolates, wrapped in beautiful packaging and all kept (tantalizingly) behind glass.

Upstairs on the second floor is the restaurant  Moon Pavillion which serves up old Taiwanese gourmet cuisine in a retro setting.

Next door, the queues, and toppings for the Miyahara ice creams are out of this world.

If you do not want to queue for an hour or so, we would recommend getting get your dessert early in the morning (ice cream for breakfast needs to become a thing!) or late in the evening.

There are over 50 fantastic flavors of ice cream (some very unusual) and one scoop will cost you about NT$90. Quirky toppings, such as cheesecake and pineapple cake, are available at an extra cost.

The store is open from 10 am until 10 pm and is a 10-minute walk from Taichung Park.

Join a boba tea-making class at Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House

Carole from Travel with Carole : Bubble tea or Boba is an extremely popular drink in Taiwan and you can find it anywhere in the country.

No matter how small a village is, there is always a place to buy some boba.

I was delighted to be taking a class at the Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House on how to make boba pearl tea, a personal favorite of mine.

It is claimed that pearl tea, which mixes tea with fresh tapioca balls and often includes milk, was invented here. 

Bubble tea workshop

The restaurant’s do-it-yourself workshop began with making cold Chinese bubble black tea by combining strong-brewed black tea with ice and liquid cane sugar. 

We shook it for 33 shakes until it was full of bubbles, then drank it.

Not bad, but I was most interested in the second part of the lesson, which taught us how to prepare my favorite pearl milk tea (this type of tea is also the shop’s best-seller).

First, we compared the fresh tapioca pearls used by this shop with the hard, dried-out pearls that many other shops use. We learned that those other balls can last for up to three years ( unrefrigerated)!

For this concoction, we mixed a strong black tea, then added one spoon of dried milk and shook thoroughly.

The last step was pouring the liquid over fresh tapioca balls and stirring the drink before taking a sip. So very yummy! 

After the lesson, you can stay on for lunch. I recommend ordering vegetarian handmade noodles, a delicious plate of food.

If you haven't had enough bubble tea, accompany your lunch with chocolate milk tea with pearls.

This drink is very chocolatey, with chocolate shavings floating on top, and worthy of a dessert. A heads-up: even when shared a medium size was too much to finish!

Important: to take this Bubble Tea class, you need to make a reservation. If you speak Chinese you can book via the official site , alternatively, you can also book online (in English).

Admire colorful street art at Painted Animation Lane

Wendy from The Nomadic Vegan : if you like street art or Japanese anime, or if you're looking for a place to get some colorful shots for your Instagram feed, you should definitely visit Painted Animation Lane.

As the name suggests, this is a small alleyway with murals of famous anime and cartoon characters painted on the walls on either side.

Since it's a public street, it's completely free of charge and it's open 24 hours a day (though there's not much point in coming after dark).

While it doesn't draw as many crowds as Rainbow Village (read more below), I'd still suggest arriving fairly early in the morning if you don't have the patience to wait in line for selfies.

The alleyway is quite small, so don't expect anything on the same scale as the  famous Batman Alley in São Paulo .

But it's still a lot of fun, especially if you grew up watching these cartoons and can identify the characters.

Painted Animation Lane is on the west side of the city, the official address is Section 3, Liuchuan West Road. Just search for ‘Painted Animation Lane' on Google Maps and it will pop up.

From Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House, it's only a 10-minute walk.

Stroll around Calligraphy Greenway

While you could take a bus or taxi to your next destination, I highly recommend walking.

I love exploring cities on foot, it allows you to get off the beaten path and see places you wouldn't have discovered otherwise.

The Calligraphy Greenway is a lovely open green space with sculptures, street performers, food vendors, and a play area for children (if you happen to travel around Taiwan with kids).

You can find two museums here as well, the National Museum of Natural Science and the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, both are definitely worth visiting.

However, if you are short on time, continue walking to the next item on your Taichung travel itinerary: CMP Block Museum of Arts.

From Painted Animation Lane, it's a 30 minutes stroll (2km) to get to the Block Museum, and you'll be walking mostly on the Calligraphy Greenway making it a very pleasant walk.

Visit the CMP Block Museum of Arts

IMPORTANT: the Block Museum is currently closed and it's unknown if it will reopen in the future.

Nisha from Lemonicks: when I decided to plan a trip to Taichung, I immediately added the Block museum to our itinerary.

The pictures of buried cars in the green ground that I'd seen online fascinated me tremendously. And when I saw them in real life, I was in awe!

The full name of the museum is CMP Block Museum of Arts and the museum holds several exhibitions throughout the year. However, the famous buried cars are a permanent feature of the museum.

The museum is part of the first cultural creativity square in Taiwan. The inspiration to build this square came from European streets, where local culture is beautifully integrated into (interactive) art.

Once the museum was conceptualized, the area was transformed from an old school building and broken roads, into a modern museum.

The courtyard has many geometrical and intriguing artifacts, while on the inside you can find seasonal and trending exhibitions. Sometimes they even display art created by kids!

This living museum has no boundaries and people are encouraged to participate throughout their visit. There is also a cozy book cafe and people are invited to read books here for hours.

The area is very popular among locals and has a creative market during holidays. There are many coffee shops and restaurants nearby, so you can spend several hours in the area.

Taichung itinerary day 2

On your second day in Taichung, it's time to head out of the city center and explore some attractions a bit further away. But don't worry, these places are easy to reach, either by public transport or Uber.

Please note that you can't visit all three of these interesting places in Taichung on the same day. Well, you could but you would be rushing through the day without actually having time to enjoy the sights.

Instead, I recommend picking one or two options from the list below.

Do you love nature? Take a tour of the Gaomei Wetlands . If you love street art, visit Rainbow Village. Do you like colorful flowers, make your way to the Zhongshe Flower Market.

Admire the colorful Rainbow Village

Samah from God and Wanderlust : Rainbow Village is arguably the most colorful place in Taichung.

It exuberates everything wholesome, imaginative, and giddy; with small houses intricately painted, it's an art lover and a photographer's paradise.

The village’s history is intriguing. It was painted by Huang Yong-Fu, nicknamed Rainbow Grandpa . He was a Chinese soldier who fled to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

Huang Yong-Fu bought his house in a village, but news came out that the government planned on demolishing this village. He began to paint to preserve his home and those surrounding it.

His hard work and dedication paid off because years later, the artsy village was petitioned to be preserved by local university students upon discovery.

What's more, nowadays it's one of Taiwan’s most famous attractions!

Keep in mind temperatures can be quite high during summer days so be sure to bring enough water. Also, there is an ice cream cart and a cafe with an outdoor seating area shaded by huge trees.

Rainbow Village is located in Nantun District, west of the city center of Taichung. You can easily get there by taxi or public transportation.

Bus 358 takes you from the city center to Lingdong High School. From the school, it’s a 10-minute walk to the village.

Visiting Rainbow Village is free and, as with Painted Animation Lane mentioned above, there isn't really a point in visiting after dark.

Visit Zhongshe Flower Market

Dea from How She Wanders : Zhongshe Flower Market  is a 6-hectare farm that is famous for its colorful and inviting flower fields.

Visiting this beautiful place is a fun and uplifting experience for the entire family. Expect to see row after row of colorful pretty flowers of many different types in full bloom, all year round!

Also known as Houli Flower Farm or Chungshe Tourist Flower Market, it is a well-known tourist spot located less than an hour's drive from central Taichung. Check the lowest car rental prices here .

The Flower Market is also accessible via local TRA train, board the train at Taichung train station, and disembark at Tai'an Station.

From Tai'an Station, you can take a taxi or walk to the farm (about 25 minutes).

Zhongshe Flower Market is an open-air attraction, so among the must-haves when visiting are sunglasses   and sunscreen .

It's also important to bring enough drinking water to keep you hydrated, don't forget your camera !

A picture-taking haven, photographers of all levels will definitely take delight in playing around with the colorful environment.

Tulip season is between January and March and is considered peak season. The farm is open daily, from 9 am until 6 pm.

Truly a notable destination, no Taichung trip will be complete without a visit to Zhongshe Flower Market!

Did you know you can also book a Taichung classic day tour from Taipei , including a visit to the Zhongshe Flower Market? Check availbility here .

Admire the sunset at the Gaomei Wetlands

Mariza from Hoponworld : Gaomei Wetlands is a firm favorite among nature lovers, bird watchers, and photographers visiting Taichung.

Located south of the Dajia River mouth and spanning over 3km, Gaomei is the perfect spot to immerse yourself in nature.

Besides getting a closer look at the diverse ecology and abundant animal life that call this area home, Gaomei Wetlands is also one of  Taichung's most Instagrammable places.

The highlight of any visit to Gaomei is undoubtedly walking along the 800-meter-long winding boardwalk.

It's incredibly photogenic and also offers the best vantage point over the muddy flatland and the various creatures squiggling in the mud below.

During fall and winter, you'll be able to see many migratory birds there.

Dropping by the lighthouse, biking around the area, popping into the temples nearby, and snacking on some of the local specialties are other popular activities to do in the area.

Although it's a great place to visit during the day, visiting at sunset is highly encouraged.

Watching the changing skies over this serene landscape, and the sun's shimmer on the wetland is truly a surreal experience.

You can take a local bus (1hr) to get to Gaomei. Alternatively, you can also join this excellent Gaomei Wetlands tour .

If you have an international driver's license, there is a small chance you can rent a scooter to explore the area at your own pace.

Unfortunately, most rental places require a Taiwanese driver's license (read more about our experience renting a scooter in Kenting here).

If you do manage to acquire a scooter, the drive to Gaomei Wetlands takes about 30 minutes from Taichung.

Insider travel advice: remember to download google maps and check the tidal forecast before your visit. This way, you'll be able to navigate your way around the area easily and plan your stops.

Taichung itinerary day 3

There are so many places to go in Taichung county (yes Taichung is a whole county, not just a city), and visiting all these Taichung highlights within only three days isn't possible.

So you're going to have to make a choice between two fun day trips; you can either make a day trip to Sun Moon Lake or visit Lukang Township.

Again, it all depends on your preferences:

• Sun Moon Lake is the place to go if you love beautiful nature or want to learn more about Aboriginal culture.
• Lukang has a rich history and is considered a showcase of Taiwan's cultural heritage.

Both are worthwhile to visit, however, my personal favorite is Sun Moon Lake. I'll explain why below.

Take a day trip to Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake is one of the most popular places to visit in Taiwan. However, don't let that deter you, the crowds aren't that bad and it's a beautiful place with lots of fun outdoor activities and hiking (and cycling) opportunities.

Unfortunately, it rained during our visit, but even then the lake and its surroundings were pretty spectacular.

Cycling at Sun Moon Lake

When the sun is out, a fun activity is to rent a bicycle to cycle around (part of the) lake. Called the Yuetan Bike Path, this 29 kilometers bike route goes entirely around Sun Moon Lake.

Alternatively, you can choose a shorter section, which is around 12 kilometers.

Sun Moon Lake Ropeway

I also recommend riding the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway‭, which offers stunning views over the lake and forested mountains. Another option is to make a boat tour around the lake

Discount option : if you plan to do all these activities, check out the Sun Moon Lake ropeway combo pass , which includes the ropeway, bike rental, and a boat trip over the lake.

Other Sun Moon Lakes highlights

If you have more time and energy, the Wenwu Temple and Ci En Pagoda‭ are also worthy of a visit, both can be reached with the Round-The-Lake-Bus .

Contrary to what the name suggests, this bus doesn't actually go all the way around the lake but only between Shueishe Visitors Center and Syuanguang Temple. You can find more information here.

If you have time, it's actually better to spend one or two nights at Sun Moon Lake . However, visiting Sun Moon Lake from Taichung as a day trip is definitely a viable and popular option as well.

How to get to Sun Moon Lake from Taichung

If you have more than one day to spend the Sun Moon Lake, I recommend traveling by public transport (bus) or to book a shared transfer (in a comfortable minivan).

Buses take just under two hours, a one-way ticket costs 193NT$ and a round-trip ticket is 360NT$. Check the bus schedule here .

If you only have a day at Sun Moon Lake, consider joining a tour . A tour includes transport and several of the activities mentioned above and is a great way to make to most of your limited time at Sun Moon Lake. Check availability .

Make a day trip to Lukang Township

Milos from Happy Frog Travels : the beautiful Township of Lugang, close to Taichung, is one of the places in Taiwan with the best-preserved historic heritage.

It’s the perfect place to walk down narrow alleys, enter old temples and chat with locals. Lukang used to be a trading port for rice and sugar sent to Mainland China, thus its importance.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the port closed and the city ceased to develop. Luckily, the historical core remained unaltered.

Lukang is famous for its Old Street, a bunch of curvy pedestrian streets surrounded by old houses, 19th-century mansions, and interesting temples.

A king amongst these is Taiwan's oldest temple: Longshan Temple .

This beautiful place has a superb courtyard and an impressive octagonal ceiling. The ceiling supposedly protects the temple from evil.

Another thing to love about Lukang is the authentic bakeries and coffeehouses. You can have a delicious coffee and a cake in a century-old house or try one of the best baos in Taiwan.

Altogether you don’t need much money to visit Lukang. The main attractions like the old houses, temples, and charming streets are all free!

How to get to Lukang from Taichung?

It is very easy to reach Lukang. You can take a direct express bus from the Gancheng Bus Station in Central Taichung.

Another option is to take an old train at Taichung’s central train station to Changhua city. Local buses to Lukang stop right in front of Changhua’s station.

Alternatively, book this Lukang day trip including transportation. This is especially convenient for families interested in visiting Lukang.

If you have more time to spend in Taichung

If you have one more day to spend in Taichung, I'd highly recommend visiting any attractions in Taichung mentioned on this list that you skipped due to time constraints.

For example, if you opted to go to the Gaomei Wetlands and Zhongshe Flower Market on day 2, use your remaining day to visit the Rainbow village!

If you're up for another full day of Taichung sightseeing, you could even combine this with a visit to Lukang and spend half a day at each of the sights.

Where to go in Taichung: in conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this Taichung travel guide! If you have any questions, leave a comment or send me a message . Also read my other posts about Taiwan :

• Hualien and Taroko Gorge itinerary
• Kaohsiung itinerary
• Taitung itinerary
• Tainan itinerary
• Taiwan travel budget
• Taiwan's best beaches
• Taipei day trips

This post was updated in January 2023.

City Guides , Taiwan · March 10, 2024

18 Fantastic Things to Do in Taichung

Are you planning a trip to Taichung, Taiwan’s second-largest city? If so, you’re in for a real treat! Taichung is a beautiful city, with loads of exciting things to do and places to visit. Whether you want to visit the city’s popular attractions, explore its temples or museums, relax in its green spaces, or try out the delicious food at the night market, Taichung has a lot to offer! To help you discover the city’s best bits, here’s my list on the very best things to do in Taichung ! This guide includes the top tourist spots as well as several hidden gems you won’t find on any other Taichung must-do list!

Ready to find out what to do in Taichung? Let’s go! 

Disclaimer: This post probably contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through one of these links, I might receive a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

Before You Go to Taichung 

• Taichung has a great selection of hotels and hostels. My favorite places include  SOF Hotel ,  The Carlton , and  Calligraphy Greenway Hotel . For more options, search for best hotels deals in Taichung here on Agoda. 
• Taichung is easily accessible by high-speed rail, bus, or local train. Read my guide on exactly how to get to Taichung from Taipei . This Taiwan travel apps guide will also come in handy. 
• While buses, Uber, and MRT are available,  renting a scooter  is a fun way to explore the city at your own pace. Note, you need an  international driver’s permit to rent a scooter  in Taiwan. 
• Taichung has a fantastic selection of places to visit in and around the city. If you’d rather someone else plan all your stops, check out this  organized full-day tour or this fun  Instagram tour . Another great option is this  chartered day tour , which lets you plan all your stops without worrying about the logistics. 
• If you have time to explore some of the pretty places outside the city, like Sun Moon Lake or Cingjing Farm , here’s my guide on the best day trips from Taichung . 

Top Things to Do in Taichung

Rainbow village.

Rainbow Village is a former military dependents village turned Instagram hotspot. It used to be one of the top things to do in Taichung and a huge must on any Taiwan bucket list .

The village was nearly destroyed a couple of decades ago when the government wanted to demolish the houses to make room for new developments. However, Huang Yung-Fu , the famous Rainbow Grandpa (now sadly deceased), refused to leave, and painted colorful drawings of people, birds, and animals on several houses. After a group of university students discovered this quirky site, protests ensued. And finally, it became a designated tourist spot in Taichung drawing thousands of tourists.

Unfortunately, some of the artwork was vandalized in 2022, and the site was closed for some time. The village reopened to tourists in 2023, but many of the original paintings are now gone, and the site no longer looks the same. Most of the damaged areas are now covered by new artworks made by local artists or kids. Although this Taichung cultural attraction is much different than before it was defaced, it still draws crowds. If you want to see what’s left (and the new artwork), plan to spend about 30 minutes here. 

National Taichung Theater

The  National Taichung Theater  is a stunning opera house in Taichung’s Xitun district. It features a whopping 2000-seat theater designed by world-renowned architect Toyo Ito . 

The entire place is extremely modern, featuring undulating curves and huge glass windows. As a result, it’s a must-do in Taichung and one of the city’s most Instagrammable spots !

While the primary purpose of the National Taichung Theater is to promote art and host live performances, there is a lot to see both inside and outside the theater. Among the highlights include cafes, galleries, shops, and a  Sky Garden  on the rooftop that provides one of the best views in the city. Be sure to explore the perfectly manicured gardens surrounding the theater, too! The huge park opposite the theater also has some cool art installations that make the perfect backdrop for selfies. 

Shen Ji New Village

Shen Ji New Village  is a funky creative hub that has to be on your list of things to do in Taichung! 

This former government dormitory turned hip artists’ village is one of the best hangout spots in the city. The complex is chock-full with cute cafes, boutique shops, and small businesses selling all kinds of artsy goods. As a result, it’s a great place to spend a lazy afternoon shopping, sampling craft beer, taking photos, or simply soaking up the energetic vibe. Make sure to climb to the elevated walkway to get a bird’s eye view of the complex and flea market in the courtyard below. 

Shen Ji New Village is about a 10-minute walk from the  National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts , so combining these two stops is easy. 

Miyahara  is a popular tourist spot in Taichung and often included on historical tours of the city. 

Built during the  Japanese Colonial Era , it has a unique history and once served as an eye clinic. Today, the red brick building is an iconic landmark in Taichung and one of Taiwan’s most famous dessert shops! It offers gourmet chocolates, ice cream, cookies, tea, and local snacks like sun cake and pineapple cake. 

Besides all the tasty treats, what really makes Miyahara such a hotspot is its beautiful interior! Definitely come for the snacks, but make sure to snap a few pics of the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, beautiful stained glass windows, and grand spiral staircase. 

Since visiting Miyahara is one of the top things to do in Taichung, the lines are always long (especially for the ice cream)! Don’t let that deter you, though! The ice cream is absolutely worth the wait! 

Calligraphy Greenway 

Taichung has some really cool outdoor spaces. Among them is  the Calligraphy Greenway — a picturesque 3.6 km pathway that runs from the National Museum of Natural Science to the  National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts . 

This place is perfect for taking a leisurely walk. It is surrounded by lush greenery and features several quirky art installations. You’ll also find some of the city’s finest cafes and restaurants here. Remember to explore the side streets branching off the main pathway, where you’ll find many bougie shops and trendy hangouts. On weekends, you’ll find various vendors selling handmade crafts and souvenirs and some buskers to keep you entertained along the walkway.

Nearby, make a point to pop into  Chun Shui Tang Tea House  to see where boba tea originated in Taiwan! If you love all things bubble milk tea, don’t miss their  DIY bubble milk tea ! 

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts

If you’re into modern and contemporary art, the  National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts  is one of the best free attractions in Taichung. 

Located a short stroll from the  Calligraphy Greenway , this massive museum consists of 24 exhibition halls. It showcases a diverse range of permanent and temporary displays depicting Western art, Chinese paintings, and sculptures. There’s lots to do and see, so plan to spend at least a few hours here. Besides browsing the displays, also check out the beautiful garden, which houses some quirky artwork displays. 

Painted Animation Lane

Painted Animation Lane might be tiny, but it packs a punch. If you love all things color (or cartoons), this is one spot you shouldn’t miss on your Taichung itinerary . 

The small alley is full of colorful murals of anime and popular cartoon characters such as Super Mario, Popeye, Dragon Ball, Bugs Bunny, Totoro, and more . The artwork is painted on both sides of the alley, and it is best to visit during the day to appreciate it fully. 

While it only takes a few minutes to stroll through the entire place, you could easily spend longer here taking photos or popping into the surrounding boutique souvenir shops, which sell everything from toys to cartoon-related knick-knacks. 

Wu Wei Tsao Tang Teahouse

If you’re looking for a unique thing to do in Taichung, don’t miss the city’s best-kept secret,  Wu Wei Tsao Tang Teahouse. 

Wu Wei Tsao Tang is a gorgeous traditional teahouse located in  Nantun District , just a few blocks southeast of the  Shui-An Temple MRT stop . It’s the perfect place to enjoy a traditional tea ceremony and delicious meal in a serene and picturesque setting.

The teahouse is built around a wooden boardwalk and has a large koi pond as its centerpiece. Cozy tatami rooms jolt off the boardwalk, providing private and intimate spaces to relax, enjoy tea, or eat.  Reserve a table well in advance , especially if you want a seat with a view of the pond. 

Hotels don’t usually make it to my list of top things to do in a city, but  SOF Hotel  is an exception. 

SOF Hotel is a gorgeous boutique hotel in downtown Taichung. It was designed by  Fearon Hay Architects , who converted a dilapidated building into the stunning design hotel we see today. Many of the original features of the 1950s industrial building were retained and fused with modern elements such as concrete, black steel, and natural wood. While the design is really cool, the most striking feature here is the large void at its center, which acts as a light well. 

The rooms feature beautiful minimalistic interiors that are spacious and clean. Besides being within walking distance from several of Taichung’s best tourist spots, another perk of staying here is the free snacks and wine offered every night between 7 pm and 9 pm. Try the  Azarbe Rosado —a delicious pink sparkling wine! [ Check rates and availability here ]

Taichung Park

One of Taichung’s biggest charms lies in its sheer amount of green spaces. Among the most notable is  Taichung Park .

Taichung Park is a sprawling park covering roughly 10 acres. It’s also the oldest park in the city and a historical site since 1999. History aside, this park is the perfect spot to enjoy a walk, picnic, or rent a canoe to explore the lake. The park features several key attractions, with the beautiful double-story  Taichung Park Pavilion  being the star. Other notable sights include the remains of a Shinto Shrine and the beautiful  arch bridge  next to the pavilion. 

Paochueh Temple

Another unique and lesser-known attraction in Taichung is  Paochueh Temple.   

The temple was built in 1927 as a tribute to the Japanese soldiers who lost their lives in Taiwan during WWII. Since their bodies were never claimed, the government placed their remains in a columbarium here. Even if you aren’t into history, it’s worth visiting to peek into the beautiful traditional wooden temple set inside a new concrete structure, see the bell tower with its 600kg bell, and snap a selfie with the giant laughing golden Buddha! 

Feng Chia Night Market

If you’re looking for a fun way to end any night in Taichung, you can’t go wrong with  Feng Chia Night Market . 

Stretching almost a kilometer wide, Feng Chia Night Market is one of the biggest and best night markets in Taiwan . You can find nearly anything under the sun here, from clothes and accessories to gadgets, souvenirs, and much more. However, the biggest reason to visit Feng Chia is for the food!

Feng Chia offers so many amazing street food options. Expect all the usual night market fare like oyster omelets, stinky tofu, scallion pancakes, and cubed beef, here. But also make sure to try some of the local favorites like tri-color sweet potato balls, rice sausage stuffed with sausage and egg crepes. 

Feng Chia attracts thousands of people every weekend, so it’s best to time your visit. Plan to arrive just before 7 pm or after 10 pm to skip the crowds. If that’s not an option for you, get ready to join the scrum! 

Dali Art Plaza

Dali Art Plaza  is actually not in the city center, but relatively easy to get to by Uber. Located in Taichung’s Dali District, it’s a nice little pitstop if you’re en route to Wufeng Lin Family Garden , Guangfu New Village , Xianfo Temple , or Baiyang Temple of Heaven . 

The plaza houses several shops and art galleries if you’re into that. However, the coolest part about this creative space is all the outdoor art installations scattered in and around it. Don’t miss the ladybugs in the courtyard and the giant quirky characters in the park. 

Other Popular Places to Visit in Taichung

• If you love traditional Taiwanese breakfast and want to eat like a local, get yourself to  Taichung Second Market . This indoor market is housed in a sprawling building dating back to the Japanese colonial era and features a beautiful hexagonal courtyard and tons of food vendors. 
• Liuchuan Riverside Walk:  If you’re looking for a peaceful place to stroll around or a romantic spot to sit and chill, head to this river walkway. Come at night to see the gardens illuminated. 
• Sun Cake Museum : If you’re en route to the Taichung Second Market , keep an eye out for the beautiful red brick building that houses the Sun Cake Museum. It’s a great place to learn a little more about (and sample) these traditional sweet snacks. The gift shop has a great selection of beautiful souvenir sets if you want to buy a few boxes to take home. Want to make your own batch of sun cakes? Join this  sun cake DIY class  at Nine Sun Baking! 
• Taichung Cultural And Creative Industries Park  is not nearly as hip as Shenji New Village or the creative parks in Taipei ( Huashan 1914 Creative Park ) and Kaohsiung ( Pier Art 2 ). Still, it’s worth a quick stop to check out the sculptures, murals, and pop-up exhibitions or browse the weekend bazaars. 
• Luce Memorial Chapel  is a bizarre little chapel housed on the Tunghai University campus. If you visit the 19m tent-like structure when it’s open, it’s worth a quick peek inside to see the beautiful interior. If not, the exterior is a nice backdrop if you’re into the ‘gram. 

What to Do in Taichung in Conclusion

Whether you come for the street food, temples, museums or art, there are many fantastic things to do in Taichung! I hope this list has helped you figure out what you’d like to do in the city!

Well, there you have it: 18  really  cool things to do in Taichung on your next trip! Did I miss your favorite Taichung attraction? If so, let me know in the comments below so I can check it out the next time I’m in Taichung!

Liked this guide on must-do things in Taichung? Don’t forget to pin it for your upcoming trip!

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Where to go in taichung — 16 must go, top places to visit in taichung & best places to visit in taichung.

Taichung is the 3rd largest city in Taiwan after Taipei and Kaohsiung. Taichung is located in the middle of the country, about 2 hours from Taipei by car. Taichung brings beauty to the harmony between traditional beauty and modern. Along with the capital of Taipei and the coastal city of Kaohsiung, Taichung is currently a hot destination that attracts many visitors around the world. So, where to go in Taichung? Let’s check it out our suggestion top places to visit in Taichung including best places to visit in Taichung (Taichung best places to visit), must go places in Taichung, must visit places in Taichung to find out the answer!

• Taichung one day itinerary — How to spend 1 day in Taichung from Taipei?
• Top night markets in Taiwan — 11 most famous, must-go & best night markets in Taiwan
• What to eat in Taichung? — 10+ must-eat, famous & best food in Taichung
• Rainbow Village Taichung blog — How to get & how to visit the most colorful village in Taichung, Taiwan
• Lukang Taichung blog — Explore the ancient beauty of Lukang Old Street & Molu Lane in Taichung

Taichung is a big city of Taiwan, despite strong development with modern architectural works but It still preserving and protecting the natural environment quite well. Visiting the beautiful landscapes of Taichung will be an exciting discovery journey in Taiwan tour that you should not miss.

In addition to the modern Taipei capital, Taichung city is also known as a tourist destination with many beautiful naturual landscapes such as Sun Moon Lake, Gaomei Wetlands, sacred pilgrimage sites and unforgettable romantic landmarks. The place blends the beauty of traditional beauty, and the romance with a bit modern. And these top tourist attractions in Taichung promise to bring you a journey of exploration and discovery that is new and memorable.

Best places to visit in Taichung: Sun Moon Lake

Starting the series “Where to go in Taichung”, I introduce to you the first place is Sun Moon Lake. Sun Moon Lake is a natural freshwater lake located in Yuchi town, Nantou district. The lake is located at an altitude of 748 meters above sea level. This is the largest natural lake in Taiwan

Referring to the beautiful scenery of Taichung, can not help but the Sun Moon Lake, what makes the special feature is that the shape of the lake, in the East is the lake as round as the sun and the West is like the crescent moon that makes anyone come here does not want to leave. Therefore, the name of the lake comes from this special shape.

Sun Moon Lake is always on the bucket list of any visitor when coming to Taichung, one of the best places to visit in Taichung (Taichung best places to visit) top places to visit in Taichung, and one of the must visit places in Taichung. With the charming beauty, surrounded by majestic mountains, in the distance are floating clouds reflex their shadow on the surface of the lake, along with the bold Chinese architecture makes Sun Moon Lake is like the fairy land, so captivating, making anyone never forget after visited.

We recommend you should spending a whole day to visit Sun Moon Lake. Coming to the lake, you will be absolutely overwhelmed by the majestic mountains. Sun Moon Lake has a very romantic cycling route around it. This route used to be in the top 10 most beautiful cycling routes in the world voted by CNN Travel. Bike rental is about TWD 200 ($6.45) for 2 hours of cycling.

Sailing cruise on the lake is also an interesting experience. Sitting on a boat and enjoying the charming beauty of the lake and majestic mountains surrounds. There are 3 boat piers. The first pier is Shuishe, the second one is syuangguang and the last is Yidashao.

Get off the 2nd pier is the famous Syuanguang Temple. At the foot of the temple is Jinpan Madame Shop selling delicious tea eggs The small cute hot eggs has a strange taste but very attractive! Come here, do not forget to try this strange snack.

We have a detailed review of the itinerary for visiting Sun Moon Lake and Cingjing Farm for one day, please read here: Sun Moon Lake itinerary — Exploring Sun Moon Lake & Cingjing Farm for 1 day trip.

How to get to Sun Moon Lake?

Sun Moon Lake is about 65 km from Taichung city. I will show you 2 ways to getting to this lake as follow.

You go to Nantou Bus Station in Taichung to buy a ticket to get to Sun Moon Lake.

The bus tickets from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake is TWD 195 ($6.29)/one way, TWD 360 ($11.61)/round trip. There are many trips a day. Please refer to the following schedule to make your plan.

Shuttle bus

If you go in groups of 3-8 people, I feel comfortable and most active is to hire a private car (shuttle bus) to take the whole group. The cost for each trip is not too expensive, but the group can still travel comfortably. The driver will pick up your group at the hotel too! You can book this service via travel agencies such as: KKDay , Klook or Trazy.

Must go places in Taichung: Gaomei Wetlands

The second destination in the series “Where to go in Taichung?” that I want to introduce is Gaomei Wetlands. Stunning placet for devotees who love the art of nature here. Gaomei Wetlands is the place where we can watch the whole super beautiful sunset in Taichung. One of the must go places in Taichung you definitely should not miss.

This wetland is very wide, with a wooden path across the sandbank to the sea. At high tide, standing on the wooden road you feel like your foot touch the sea. In the distance are the giant wind turbines. Gaomei Wetlands is the most beautiful at the sunset, so this is the most crowded time.

You need to refer the time before sunset on the phone and watch the time to get here. Not every day the sunset at the same time. Once there, you should find and choose for yourself the most photogenic spot first. The best moment of sunset lasts only 10-15 minutes, so try to capture and take really spectacular photos!

Year built: September 29, 2005 Location: Qingshui, Taichung, Taiwan

Taichung best places to visit: Rainbow Village

Looking at the pictures below, you have seen this village is full of special, right? Actually called the Rainbow Village but now only a few houses are decorated with colorful patterns like this.

The unique, colorful backgrounds here are the perfect setting for your ‘virtual life’ photos. You will not be surprised when know the current owner of these paintings still continuing his creative work and therefore every come, visitors will feel excited when discovering the new interesting drawings.

Do you know why these houses have special patterns like this? The true story of the origin of the Rainbow Village tells the story of the old man Huang who personally painted, and decorated the village himself. The village wearing a new beautiful dress not only makes the villagers admire but according to the good rumors, many people from other places also come here to admire. The government has decided to preserve this special village and build some more works in 2010. Rainbow Village is getting more and more famous.

Address: No.56, Chun’an Road, Taichung 408, Taiwan Hours: 8AM–6PM Phone: +886 4 2380 2351

Top places to visit in Taichung: Taichung Metropolitan Opera House (National Taichung Theater)

If Australia is famous for the Sydney Opera House with oyster shells architecture; Singapore with the Esplanade Theater by the Marina Bay with durian fruit architecture, then in Taiwan with the Taichung Metropolitan Opera House. The theater is a pride of Taiwanese people in general as well as Taichung in particular.

Taichung Metropolitan Opera House is covered on an area of 60,000m2. The theater was built in an open architecture, designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito. Seen from the outside the theater is a massive building. The outer wall impresses visitors with its long, winding strips adorn with holes, very eye-catching. One great thing is the entire building does not use air conditioning to cool. The water circulation system is used during the operation to cool the theater. Extremely environmentally friendly!

Address: No.101, Section 2, Huilai Road, Taichung 101, Taiwan Opened: November 23, 2014 Capacity: 2,014 (grand theater) Phone: +886 4 2251 1777

Where to go in Taichung? Fengjia Night Market (Feng Chia Night Market)

When street lights up is also the time we dress up to go to night market! Night market is a very beautiful traditional culture of Taiwanese people for generations. Taichung has many different large and small night markets and the Feng Chia Night Market is the largest market. There are up to 15,000 stalls here. Is it a lot? Surprise? Wherever you go shopping in Taichung, you must go to Fengjia Night Market at least once.

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Taichung, Taiwan – 28 Things To Do Guide + Photos 2024

Taichung in Taiwan is changing! Once best known as an industrial city, it has undergone a total transformation in recent years and become famous for its food scene, quirky activities and arts scene.

Taiwan’s second biggest city, there are so many things to do in Taichung with new attractions opening all the time – for instance, opened in 2024, you can now visit the  Taiwan National Museum of Comics.

This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Located on Taiwan’s west coast, Taichung is becoming increasingly popular with domestic and Asian tourists with heaps of attractions to suit all budgets and tastes.

On our first visit to Taichung years ago, we were practically the only westerners visiting here during our inaugural Taiwanese adventure but overseas tourism in Taichung is now booming!

This article was originally published on cktravels.com in May 2019.

Table of Contents

Taichung, Taiwan Overview

Given the scope of things to see and do in Taichung (and eat) in the city, Taichung should be high on your Taiwan hit-list.

Although not as well known as  Taipei ,  Tainan  or  Kaohsiung  on the tourist circuit, Taichung should definitely be a part of your Taiwan itinerary.

From the  Rainbow Village  to ship-shape churches, gorgeous green spaces to Instagram worthy ice-cream, there are plenty of top Taichung tourist spots and things to do.

Here is our things to the top things to do in Taichung, Taiwan in 2024.

You might like – Things to do in Kaohsiung, Taiwan >

Travelling to Taichung, Taipei

As Taichung is Taiwan’s second biggest city (after Taipei) plus one of the most populated places in Taiwan, there are many transport options to get here.

Going to Taichung via Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR)

We visited Taichung from Taipei on the Taiwan High Speed Rail train (HSR) which takes around 47 minutes.

You can buy discounted Taiwan High Speed Rail one way tickets between Taipei and HSR Taichung station (plus other stations) via this  Klook HSR booking link >

Please note these discounted Taiwan High Speed Rail 2024 tickets are exclusive to overseas tourists and you will need to show your passport upon redemption.

There is also a much cheaper TRA train from Taipei that arrives at Taichung station in downtown Taichung (the HSR station is a little further out of town). The journey takes just over 2 hours.

Taichung by bus

You can take a bus from Taipei to Taichung in two hours for as little as NT$260 one way (prices correct as of May 2024).

Book your Taipei to Taichung bus ticket here >

If you’d rather just do a day trip from Taipei to Taichung, check out this classic attractions and Gaomei Wetlands >

Taiwanderers Tip Grab a Taiwan EasyCard as a convenient way to use buses and public transport in Taipei and across Taiwan. They can be easily topped up at stations and convenience stores. Read more about how to use a Taiwan EasyCard, including how to top up >

You might like – 30+ cutest EasyCard designs in Taiwan >

Taichung accommodation

Mid-Range ($$) Park City Hotel Central Taichung Modern affordable hotel located a 10 minute walk from Taichung Train Station.  Check rates and availability on  booking.com  and  agoda.com

Luxury ($$$) Millennium Hotel Taichung Modern high-rise 5 star hotel. Facilities include a rooftop bar, outdoor pool, sauna and on-site restaurants. Check rates and availability on  booking.com  and  agoda.com

Check out the best hotels in Taichung via  booking.com  or  agoda.com

Things to do in Taichung and attractions

1. national taiwan museum of comics taichung.

Taichung’s newest thing to do and major tourist attraction, the National Taiwan Museum of Comics opened in early 2024, located in the grounds of a former prison.

The site has been extensively renovated and it is now a lush green open space with lots of exhibition rooms located across historic buildings.

Chock full of comic-book attractions, exhibitions, archives and cafes, the entire site will continue to expand until it fully opens in 2029.

From children reading comic books in the libraries to families collecting the stamps across the site, it was one of the busiest attractions in Taichung City. It also felt very reminiscent of the nearby Taichung Cultural Heritage Park – but WAY better!

From the history of the prison site to the buildings that are currently open,  read our Taiwanderers guide to visiting the National Taiwan Museum of Comics plus photos >

Try this – Top 10 Taichung tours with Klook and Get Your Guide

2. Bugcat Capoo Shop Taiwan and Foam Cat Cafe

Chances are if you’ve spent any time in Taiwan, you’ll have spotted the bright blue Bugcat Capoo comic character – so popular, there is even a themed Bugcat Capoo 7-Eleven store in Taipei .

Bugcat Capoo celebrates its 10th anniversary (soooo young) in 2024 so it is a perfect time to do all things Bugcat Capoo whilst in Taichung.

As well as two Bugcat Capoo shops (including a new one at Taichung Station), there is also a rather ‘purrfect’ Foam Cat Cafe, renowned for its latte art, plus a Bugcat Capoo pop-up at the above National Taiwan Museum of Comics.

Taichung’s Bugcat Capoo House is located in an old traditional Taiwan style building with wooden arches and tiles. It really is a charming set-up and has hundreds of Bugcat Capoo gifts and merchandise including exclusive postcards and even Bugcat moped helmets!

For the full low-down on all things Bugcat Capoo in Taichung (including the Foam Cat Cafe),  check out our Taiwanderers guide to Bugcat Capoo shops here >

Join our Facebook Taiwan Travel Tips Group! Need help with your Taiwan itinerary or have any questions? Head on over to our Facebook group with 10k+ members and ask the experts! Click here to join our group >

3. Shen Ji New Village

Push your way through the hardcore hipsters and selfie snappers and this pretty independent retail village in Taichung is actually a rather enjoyable area to explore.

From boutique breweries to cute coffee shops, it is easy to spend an afternoon (and the contents of your wallet) at Shen Ji New Village, a top Taichung tourist spot.

Formerly a 1960’s dormitory complex for the Taiwan Provincial Government, Shen Ji New Village in Taichung retains its historical charm and you can still explore the nooks, crannies and mezzanine staircases to the second floor.

We visited Shen Ji New Village one afternoon during what we think was the last day of school or university as there were lots of students posing for graduation photos all over the village. The local youngsters love it here, especially posing in the British style red phone box.

You might like –  From Taipei: Taichung Instagram day tour >

4. Taichung River Walk

The Da’an River flows through the centre of Taichung and efforts have been made to make the central sections accessible, by creating paved walkways along either side of the river, as well as water sculptures and stepping stones across the river.

It has been really well done, and lots of local people hang out along Taichung River Walk having their lunch or walking with friends (very popular with young mums and their pushchairs). It is certainly one of the best (and most fun) free things to do in Taichung.

You might like – Our 1 day in Taipei guide or our best of Taipei 3 day itinerary

5. Miyahara Taichung

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice-cream! Miyahara is a beautiful and Instagrammable ‘olde worlde’ red brick building from the 1920s (a former ophthalmology clinic), which now houses an incredibly popular ice-cream shop, Miyahara, alongside a retail shop and high-end restaurant.

Taichung’s Miyahara n-’ice’ shop interior resembles Hogwarts from the Harry Potter movies and has to be seen to be believed – it is packed full of wall to-wall large bookcases and gleaming shop counters, with staff all besuited in immaculate uniforms.

At Miyahara, you will find local snacks such as pineapple cakes, plus luxury tea and coffee, cookies and gourmet chocolates, all presented in beautiful packaging and kept (tantalisingly) behind glass.

Upstairs at Miyahara, you’ll find a restaurant called  Moon Pavillion  which serves up old Taiwanese gourmet cuisine in a retro setting.

Eating one of Miyahara’s ice creams is one of Taichung’s top things to do and the queues are crazy busy.

If you do not want to queue for an hour or so, we would recommend going to get your ice-cream early in the morning (ice-cream for breakfast needs to become a thing!) or late in the evening.

They also have a smaller venue down the road at Forth Credit Union dessert hall with smaller queues!

There are over 50 fantastic flavours of ice cream and a sundae with several scoops will cost you around NT $450 (Mihayara prices correct as of summer 2024). Toppings such as cheesecake, waffles and pineapple cake are available at an extra cost.

You might like – Things to do in Tainan, Taiwan >

6. Taichung Night Markets

Taichung is home to the largest night market in Taiwan –  Fengjia Night Market , one of the best attractions and top tourist spots in Taichung. Fengjia Night Market is open from 6pm to 3am daily (as of 2024).

However, Fengjia is quite far out of the city (a long bus ride – definitely not easily walkable) so we visited the smaller but more centrally located Yizhong Street Night Market  for our nocturnal noodles.

A short walk away from all the main hotels and hostels in downtown Taichung, Yizhong Street Night Market runs along both sides of a main street and has a combination of street-food stalls, restaurants and outdoor seating areas with entertainment.

Unlike Kaohsiung’s tourist night markets, the main road remains open throughout so watch out for errant mopeds joining the food stall queues.

There is a nice range of food stalls at Yizhong Street Night Market, with plenty of choice. Stalls usually open late afternoon until around 11pm (so Fengjia Night Market stays open later).

You might like – How to get to Sun Moon Lake from Taichung >

7. Taichung Rainbow Village – now reopen in 2024

The  Rainbow Village in Taichung  is a popular tourist attraction and Instagram hotspot but possibly also overrated (in our ‘unexpert’ opinion).

After a recent spate of vandalism at the Rainbow Village Taiwan (ironically by those who were paid to look after it), many of the original features and walls have now been painted over or replaced with artwork completed by the local pupils and painters.

Alas, the creator of Rainbow Village died in January of this year (2024) at the age of 101 years old.

Still incredibly popular with dozens of tourists filing through during our visit (even complete with a weird, singing ‘Iron Man’), it remains one of the most colourful things to do in Taichung.

From opening times to how to get there plus photos of the new artwork,  here is our Taiwanderers guide to visiting Taichung’s Rainbow Village in 2024 >

8. Fourth Credit Union

This is a Taichung dessert hall with a difference; you can ‘bank’ on it!

Situated over three floors of a former bank, Fourth Credit Union is an opulent retro setting, really making the most of its historic surroundings.

It used to have lots of different street-foods but is now focused on sweet-treats (as it has been taken over by nearby Miyahara’s ice-cream shop owners)

There are a lot of culinary choices here, (mostly desserts including a second branch of Miyahara Ice Cream). All reasonably priced, so in keeping with your surroundings, it won’t break the bank!

Our tip is that if you want a Miyahara ice-cream but don’t want to stand outside the main shop eating it, head on over to Fourth Credit Union as there are lots of seats and smaller queues. You’re welcome!

You might like – Somebody Feed Phil in Taipei locations guide >

9. Animation Alley / Animation Lane, Taichung

Channel your inner anime by visiting Taichung’s animation alley – these are two laneways adorned with paintings of all your favourite cartoon characters including Super Mario, Spongebob Squarepants, Studio Ghibli, the Simpsons and Pokemon (plus loads more that we can’t name!).

We were a little underwhelmed by our Animation Alley / Lane visit to be honest – it takes about one minute to see them all, and the alleyway itself is nothing special plus some of the paintings are peeling and a little slapdash.

If you have limited time in Taichung, we wouldn’t say this is one of the best things to do in Taichung nor a top Taichung tourist spot.

10. Taichung train station &  Taichung Station Railway Cultural Park

Taichung’s swish modern TRA train station is an unexpected great photo spot in the city. Head over to admire some of the awesome art installations dotted around outside.

Next door, the old Taichung railway station has been turned into the Taichung Station Railway Cultural Park where you can dine on old carriages and enjoy picnics on the old railway tracks.

At the weekends, the old railway tracks and former station platforms play host to cute crafts markets and bakery stalls – or there are old Taiwan Railway carriages which have been transformed into a cool cafe and cute gift shop full of train merchandise.

A new Bugcat Capoo store also opened in April 2024 in the old station.

Check out all our themed 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan guides: • Coca-Cola • Hello Kitty • Mofusand • Snoopy / Peanuts • Pokémon • Ultraman • STARLUX • Sumikko Gurashi Plus check out our guide to why 7-Elevens in Taiwan are the best in the world!

11. PARK2 Caowu Square

A large restaurant, bar and cafe complex that is part cultural hub, part entertainment center, the architecture here is quite unusual with a square at the top plus more food and drink places located underground in a sort of ‘sunken plaza’.

We visited on a Saturday afternoon and it was busy with groups of friends plus large groups of families. There are lots of international foods like a Korean BBQ joint (standing only), Toasters Mediterranean restaurant plus the Sunmai Brewery taproom.

There was also a branch of the Rockland outdoor adventure store complete with a cool cafe and live music – rock on!

You might like – Things to do in Hualien, Taiwan >

12. Fantasy Story Green Ray

A creative area located in old warehouses and packed full of fashion and book shops, craft stores, charming coffee shops, this trendy Taichung neighborhood has sprung up in the old dormitory of the Taiwan Water Corporation.

Home to a mix of permanent places like Taihu Brewing to more temporary pop-up stores, this is one of the best hipster hangouts in Taichung. You’ll also find some restaurants and street food stalls hidden away on the terrace up top.

You might like – Rongjin Gorgeous Time, Taipei’s trendy mall in an old prison >

13. UpToy / Taichung Yue Lao Office

One of the coolest toy shops and retro goods stores we visited in the whole of Taiwan, UpToy Taichung ( map ) is top stuff.

The ground floor is full of cute and Kawaii goods like gachapon capsule toys, plushies and dolls whilst the upper floor is something even more curious…

One section is dedicated to second-hand vintage goods and classic toys and character merchandise plus nostalgic goods like classic Coke merchandise but the other area is something rather unusual!

What intrigued us the most is the ‘Old Office’ / Yue Lao Office upstairs that was full of large groups of teenagers trying to find ‘true love’ matches via coloured capsules – blue jars with single men’s details and pink jars with women’s details. Yue Lao incidentally is the god of marriage and love.

Who needs ‘Bumble’ when you have Taichung’s Yue Lao Office!

You might like – Our guide to Taiwan’s highest coffee shop, Simple Kaffa Sola atop Taipei 101 >

14. Confucian Examination Hall x Zhong Dao GLAb

Talking of epic transformations, also check out this super-cute coffee shop located in an old school examination hall, the only one left remaining from the Qing Dynasty.

Now school desks and canes have been swapped for cappuccinos and cake in the form of Zhong Dao GLAb coffee roasters and cafe.

The interior is all sleek and modern and looks like a cross between a library and school lab (yep, they are trying very hard to be trendy).

Outside, there is sometimes an artisan craft market held outside the old Confucian Examination Hall on the weekends.

Find it on Google Maps here >

Try this – Sun Moon Lake day tour from Taichung >

15. National Taichung Theatre

Opened in 2015, the National Taichung Theatre is one of Taiwan’s top performing arts centers and its curved interiors make it one of the most unique buildings in Taiwan, up there with the Kaohsiung Music Center.

Even if you aren’t planning on going to the opera here or a live performance, we urge you to still visit the National Taichung Theatre if only to visit the free rooftop garden.

Jump in the lift to the 6th floor and walk out into a green oasis in the middle of the city, complete with benches and ‘Tellytubby’ style dinosaurs – it was a popular photo spot for families when we visited.

You might like – Our guide to Din Tai Fung, Taiwan’s most famous dumpling restaurant chain >

16. Gaomei Wetlands

Admire the towering wind turbines of Gaomei Wetlands – a grassy and muddy tidal flat where you can catch the sea breeze and watch beautiful sunsets.

The best bit is spotting birds and various wildfowl, as you stroll along the wooden boardwalk, with the wetlands in the background – blissful!

Taichung’s famous Gaomei Wetlands are an easy and inexpensive day trip from Taichung – it is theoretically possible to go by public transport but the tours are much more efficient – some even include a visit to the famous Miyahara ice-cream stall!

Book a Gaomei Wetlands tour from Taichung >

17. Second Market Taichung / Fifth Market

Constantly recommended as the best place for Taiwanese street-food in Taichung in the day-time, Second Market is open six days a week (closed Monday) from 7am to 1pm.

Second Market has been around for over 100 years and many of the food stalls have been passed on from family member to family member – the upper section of the building also has a small museum.

We also checked out Fifth Market which is open 7 days a week and a much smaller neighborhood market, close to the Confucian Examination Hall.

Many of the stalls were selling soups and Taiwanese noodle dishes, with long lines. Fifth Market was OK but probably not worth a trip especially.

18. Taihu Brewing Taichung

Located in the Fantasy Story Green Ray area of bars and restaurants, Taihu Brewing is one of Taiwan’s top breweries and craft beer bar chains. You can even buy its beer in 7-Eleven stores, although some of it is super strong like their 9.99%(!) Happy Set.

We’ve enjoyed several Taihu Brewing craft beer bars in Taiwan including their Taichung Taihu Brewing taproom, complete with roof terrace and rather magic ‘Back to the Taihu’ / Back to the Future inspired neon sign – all have  cracking beer selections.

We visited Taihu Brewing Taichung on a Saturday afternoon and it was packed – both the upstairs terrace and downstairs bar area were heaving with happy drinkers. Ganbei!

You might like – Our guide to Taipei’s best craft beer bars and Taiwan breweries >

19. Calligraphy Greenway

‘Calligraphy Greenway’ Park in Taichung is home to the world’s only* ‘World of Warcraft’ bronze statue designed by Taiwanese artist Steven Wang.

From the hit online game by Blizzard Entertainment, the statue is of Warcraft character Lich King Arthas Menethil – it is a HUGE 4.5 meters tall & like no other sculpture we’ve seen before.

*We think…unless you know otherwise

20. Taichung Creative and Cultural Industries Park

Taiwan creative parks are frequent in number and vary in terms of the visitor experience – the one in Taichung is OK to visit but nothing outstanding (we preferred Shen Ji New Village above).

And if you gauge Taiwan’s creative parks mainly by their Instagram opportunities and selfie spots, Taichung Creative and Cultural Industries Park doesn’t really have many vibrant murals or wall paintings like the others – but there are still lots of things to do here.

We liked Taichung Creative Park as it was easy to walk around, fairly quiet and is home to regular pop up exhibitions plus visit a rather interesting brewery shop (it felt like stepping back 50 years into a time-warp).

The presence of the Taichung Creative Park brewery shop is a nod to the fact this 6 acre site used to be the largest brewery in the whole of Taiwan. Cheers!

2024 update –  the brewery section appears to have been closed down on our last visit. Other than a weekend flea market we stumbled upon, there doesn’t appear to be all that much going on these days at Taichung Creative and Cultural Industries Park.

21. National Museum of Fine Art

Taichung is blessed with several renowned museums and arts venues including The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts which has over 20 different galleries and exhibition spaces – it is famous for its Western art exhibitions and sculpture collection.

It is open 6 days a week (closed Mondays) and also has gorgeous grounds with lots of alfresco artwork and temporary installations.

You might like – Our guide to the 10 best neighborhoods to stay in Taipei >

22. Taiwan Connection 108

Call it a ‘high-line’ or a ‘sky garden’, the ‘Taiwan Connection 108’ is a small area of reclaimed railway line that runs north from Taichung Station for just over 1km, parallel to the canal.

Popular with joggers, photo shoots and the odd romantic couple, we’d only recommend this as an easy walk way from Taichung station to Taichung Creative and Cultural Industries Park.

Otherwise, it is just a semi-interesting walk-way where you can still see some of the old sidings left over from the old railway.

You might like – Our guide to the ‘free’ Taiwan Receipt Lottery, which tourists can enter >

23. Taichung Park

Taichung has lots of top tourist spots and open green spaces but the most frequented and loved by locals is the eponymous Taichung Park (also the oldest park in Taichung).

You could easily spend a whole afternoon in Taichung Park wandering around the lake and exploring the large Japanese style pagoda, the main feature of the park.

We were amazed by the sheer number of large fish (likely koi carp) in the lake. In fact, a family next to us were feeding the fish with bread and the carp were battling the ducks for the bread (kam-’koi’-kaze?).

To get up close to the wildlife or the huge fountain in Taichung Park, pedalos can be hired to take out on the lake here. Taichung Park is open 24 hours.

You might like –  things to do in Kaohsiung, Taiwan >

24. Don Don Donki Taichung

Japan’s most delightful discount store is now open in Taitung, on the lower levels of Tiger City Mall.

Originally known as Don Quijote in Japan where it has dozens of stores all over the country, Don Don Donki (as it is branded in Taiwan) opened their first Taiwan store in Ximending in 2021.

This is a fairly new Don Don Donki store in Taichung that is open from 10am to 11pm daily (alas not 24 hours like Ximending).

Combined with its big fresh food area (with lots of Japanese food like takoyaki and sashimi / sushi), Don Don Donki is a great place for late night shopping in Kaohsiung.

25. Eslite Spectrum Taichung 480

Some of the most beautiful bookshops you’ll find in Taiwan (and across Asia), Eslite (誠品) is one your one stop shop for unique gifts, cute collectibles and travel reading.

We were lucky enough to visit the newest (and HUGE) Eslite Spectrum 480 Taichung branch on its opening weekend in spring 2024.

With several floors of food courts, book shops, restaurants and home furnishings, this was one of the best shopping malls in Taiwan we experienced.

The bookstore part and gift section at Eslite Spectrum Taichung 480 was particularly good plus it is great to go shopping then eat at one of the cafes or restaurants inside.

Check out our guide to Eslite Bookstores: Taiwan’s most beautiful department stores >

26. Taichung Totoro Bus Stop (Closed)

2024 update – this Taichung Totoro Bus Stop has now been moved by its owner – however, there is another mural Totoro bus stop at Taichung’s Animation Alley / Lane; more on this later.

Although not totally legit (and not approved by Studio Ghibli), this recreated bus stop from the movie ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ (when Satsuki waits at the bus stop for her parents and Totoro shelters her from the rain) is a little away from Taichung’s attractions, but ‘Totoro-y’ worth your time!

Although not an actual bus stop (just in case you spend hours waiting for a bus), this has been created by a local resident, whose workshop is to the left of the Totoro bus-stop.

When we visited, he beckoned us in to see his latest creation, a Harry Potter trolley disappearing into the wall on platform 9 3/4 (like the one at King’s Cross Station, but without the two hour queue to get your photo taken).

There are lots of awesome anime inspired photo opportunities and it is free to visit, but it located on the side of a very busy road, so you have to weave through the traffic to get the best shots from across the other side of the street.

27. Panding Church

Wow, this is one Taichung church that looks ship-shape; literally! Nautical but nice, the Panding Church is a popular place to visit and the blue and white theming also look quite similar to a sailor’s outfit.

Located a little way out in the Longjing District, this basically looks like a real Noah’s Ark (but without all the animals).

Our final thing to do in Taichung

28. qianyue building.

A quick mention of one of Taichung’s most unusual sights, ideal for URBEX enthusiasts (although the old building is all sealed up now). The abandoned Qianyue Building can be seen from all Taichung and is very close to Miyahara and the little stream.

The 1970s 13 storey building started to decay and became unsafe after a fire in a night-club on the middle floors around 20 years ago – it has gradually decayed more and more over time.

From afar, it looks like a UFO has landed on the building and this used to be a former revolving restaurant in Taichung.

The abandoned Qianyue Building is now all boarded up with graffiti all over the exterior – maybe one just to look up at when exploring downtown Taichung.

Found this things to do in Taichung article helpful?

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25 Unique Things to Do in Taichung, Taiwan

Dear reader: This article contains links to products and services that I may be compensated for, at no extra cost to you.

When I first moved to Taiwan in 2008, the most recent edition of Lonely Planet Taiwan described Taichung as “ hardly a must-see for the short-term visitor .” A lot has changed since then, and in recent years more and more travelers have been coming to Taiwan with Taichung in a top spot on their Taiwan itinerary !

Taichung (台中 or Taizhong , literally “Taiwan’s middle”) is the largest city of Taiwan. It is the birthplace of pearl milk tea and is particularly known for its artistic tendencies, flower viewing, night markets , café culture, and several large universities.

Taichung is home to some really unique attractions like Rainbow Village , Zhongshe Flower Market , and Gaomei Wetland . It is also a transit point for trips to famous places like Sun Moon Lake , Cingjing Farm , and Hehuanshan . I’ve covered these further-away sights in my guide to the best day trips from Taichung .

Below I’ve compiled the best things to do in Taichung city center, based on multiple visits over the 10+ years that I’ve lived in Taiwan, to help you plan where to go in Taichung. To find out how to manage the below suggestions when planning your trip, have a look at my recommended 1, 2, or 3-day Taichung itinerary and my general Taichung guide .

I hope this Taichung guide can help you plan your trip, whether you are visiting as a day trip from Taipei or staying for a while, and help to prove that Taichung is now one the places you must visit on your trip to Taiwan !

Table of Contents

Welcome to Taichung!

For local Taiwanese and foreigners living in Taiwan , Taichung is a tempting place to live. It offers real estate prices and rental fees one third lower than in Taipei, and it is the birthplace of many famous chain restaurants (not to mention bubble tea!)

What’s more, due to the region’s unique position in a basin that is protected by the Central Mountain Range to the east and the hills of Miaoli County to the north, Taichung receives significantly less rainfall and is less affected by typhoons than other major cities in Taiwan.

In 2010, Taichung City merged with what used to be called “Taichung County”, meaning that the area that is now called “Taichung City” is much more than city one city. It is actually a vast region over 2000 square kilometers in size! It stretches all the way from the west coast of Taiwan stunning Lishan mountain area and Yilan County in the northeast and Taroko National Park in Hualien County . It encompasses remote aboriginal villages and some of the Taiwan’s highest mountains!

This article will focus mainly on the original core area of Taichung City, around Taichung train and High Speed Rail stations.

Taichung Travel Essentials

– Read my essential Taiwan travel tips . – Get a discounted HSR ticket to Taichung in advance and read how to book them . Get NTD100 off these or any other Klook deals by signing up with my referral link first. – Catch a bus directly from Taoyuan Airport to Taichung or order a ride with a private driver . – If you arrive at the Taichung International Airport west of town, order a private ride from the airport to town . – After years of delays, the Taichung MRT is up and running as of early 2021. Taichung buses are free for rides under 10 km. You need to swipe on (look for 上 above the door) or off (下) with an EasyCard . See my EasyCard guide for details . – Hire a private driver or take this popular day tour to visit the main sights in Taichung. – Taichung is quite spread out. Get around by YouBike , renting a scooter , or renting a car renting a car . – Book your portable WiFi device or SIM card before you arrive. – If you plan to visit Taichung during Chinese New Year, see these important travel tips in my article on traveling to Taiwan during Chinese New Year , or read about the best months to visit Taichung .

Getting from Taipei to Taichung

The fastest way to get to from Taipei to Taichung, or from any other major city on the west coast, is by HSR ( see my HSR guide ). From Taipei it only takes 40-60 minutes, depending which train your get. If you’re staying in Taipei first, make sure to check out my list of 50 things to do in Taipei , my detailed guide to the best Taipei hostels and hostels , and my suggested Taipei itinerary .

However, the HSR is located southwest of the city center in Wuri District. These may be convenient for you if you are planning to visit Rainbow Village or sights in Southern Taichung. From Taichung HSR station, you can connect to New Wuri Station (新烏日火車站) on the regular train line, and a ride to Taichung Station in the city center only takes 10 minutes. Make sure to order your HSR tickets online to get a discount!

The bus or regular train (TRA) takes about 2 to 2.5 hours from Taipei to Taichung. It is important to note that there are two major bus stations in Taichung. Buses from Chaoma Bus station northwest of the city center (near Feng Chia Night Market) in Xitun District (西屯區) are faster because they don’t have to drive so far into the city center. But if you are staying in the city center around the train station, you may want to get the bus or simply take the regular train (TRA) to Taichung Station, which is also sometimes called Gancheng Station.

Taichung is the transit point for Sun Moon Lake . If you are heading there next, you can take the tourist shuttle bus (90 minutes) from Taichung Station or Taichung HSR station. This shuttle bus is included on the Sun Moon Lake Pass, a special pass that includes bus ride and some activities at SML. You can also takes a shared transfer or private transfer from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake.

Taichung is also the transit point for Cingjing Farm. You can get there by bus (you’ll need to transfer in Puli ). You can also get there by shared transfer , private transfer , or by taking this day tour to Cingjing Farm and Hehuanshan , the most famous place to see snow in Taiwan . Learn more in my guide to getting from Taichung to Cingjing Farm .

Getting around Taichung

For a long time, exploring Taichung was not s0 convenient because it didn’t have an MRT like Taipei and Kaohsiung . What’s more, the HSR station is located far outside of the city center. In 2021, one line of the Taichung MRT has finally opened, but it doesn’t go to the city center or Taichung station. It goes from the HSR station to Feng Chia Night Market, the city’s most famous night market.

In the future, there will be a new line that will connect Taichung Station in the city center to the green line, which will make things much more convenient.

For now, you will still have to rely more on walking, riding YouBikes , taking local buses, or taking taxis while exploring the main sights in Taichung city. You also need to budget a little more time if you want to visit places around the city, like Rainbow Village, Gaomei Wetland, Zhongshe Flower Market , and so on. The buses and trains to these places tend to be a little slow.

You can be more efficient by renting a car in Taichung or taking a day tour like this one .

Where to Stay in Taichung

The most convenient place to stay in Taichung is around Taichung Train Station (台中站) in the city center. From there, you can reach several of the below places to visit in Taichung on foot, and you can also ride the train to other places outside the city or to the HSR station.

Best Hostel

Norden Ruder Hostel ( see on Booking / Agoda / Klook / TripAdvisor ) is a brand new, highly rated hostel that is super conveniently located right across from the Taichung train station. The best part is the amazing views from the 12F windows!

There are several other options, though. Here are some of the best hostels in Taichung .

Mid-Range Hotels

Guests say nothing but good things about Old School (Central Land Hotel) ( see on Booking / Agoda / Klook / TripAdvisor ), a budget/mid-range choice just south of the train station with friendly staff and spacious rooms.

Want a boutique hotel with a futuristic slide into the lobby? Check out RedDot ( see on Booking / Agoda / Klook / TripAdvisor ). I recommend this one for families or anyone young at heart.

A fellow blogger friend of mine highly recommended Blue Sky Hotel ( see on Booking / Agoda / TripAdvisor ), which has a really cool interior design.

Inhouse Hotel Grand (see on Agoda / Booking / Klook / TripAdvisor ) is a more elegant option.

Things to Do in Taichung City Center

The below Taichung attractions are listed starting with the closest to the Taichung Train Station. If I listed them in an order so that you could do a kind of walking tour starting from Taichung Station. But some of the attractions further down in the list may require you to hop on a bus or take a taxi.

 Miyahara Ice Cream

If you want to feel like a tourist in Taichung, head directly to Miyahara (宮原眼科). This retail space, which is often described as having a 1940s or “Harry Potter” feel to it, occupies a building that was once an ophthalmology clinic owned by a Japanese man named Miyahara (that’s why you may see it called “Miyahara Eye Clinic”. Later housed the Taichung City Government’s Public Health Bureau, then was partially destroyed by the 921 Earthquake.

Today the building houses a pastry and souvenir business. Inside, if you can get past all the camera wielding tourists, you can purchase high end cookies and some of the best pineapple cakes in Taiwan .

You can even dine in a chic restaurant on the second floor. There’s also an attached tea shop, but what most people come for is the ice creamery on the side, especially in blistering hot summer in Taiwan .

When I visited, there were over 100 people waiting patiently in line for their chance to hold (and of course photograph and Instagram) one of the ridiculously overdone “ice creams”, which come topped with entire slices of cake, pineapple cake, butterfly shaped cookies, fruits, and so on.

Miyahara is only a few minutes from Taichung Station in the city center. It is also included on this day tour of Taichung .

For a less busy alternative to Miyahara, go to Fourth Credit Union (台中市第四信用合作社) down the road, which has the same ice cream and is housed in a 1966 bank building.

Near Miyahara, also watch for the pair of 100-year-old bridges over the adjacent water canal here and here .

Ice cream lovers should also check out the ice cream section of my food guide to Ximending, Taipei .

Taichung Cultural Heritage Park

Artist villages, or creative arts parks, are a big thing in Taiwan. Usually they occupy old factories, housing complexes, or abandoned communities, and every major city in Taiwan has at least a few of them.

The Taichung Cultural Heritage Park (文化部文化資產園區) is one such art park. Like Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei, it occupies a former sake distillery from the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945) in Taiwan. It was later taken over by the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp. then abandoned in 1998.

Today the park displays publics works of art, houses artists’ studios, and is often a venue for events or weekend bazaars. In the TTL Taichung Wine Village (台中酒莊) you can view old brewing equipment, a tower of beer bottles, and of course, sip on a beer. There are also a few cafés and restaurants on site, but the craft beer bar that was once here is no longer.

It’s also worth seeking out the impressive Noah’s Ark statue in the park. If you enjoy this kind of attraction, also consider visiting Railway Art Village in Taitung !

Taichung Cultural Heritage Park is a 10-minute walk from Taichung Station.

Natural Way Six Arts Cultural Center (Taichung Martial Arts Hall) (CLOSED)

The Natural Way Six Arts Cultural Center is the official name today for what was during the Japanese colonial period a butokuden , or martial arts training center, for workers at the Taichung Prison. Update: this site appears to now be closed to the public, but I’m leaving this entry up in case it ever opens again.

It is one of the most beautiful butokudens in Taiwan, and is a highly photogenic reminder of Japan’s colonial past in Taiwan. The building actually burned down in the past but has been beautifully restored. There’s a small but very atmospheric restaurant in the side building, and the calm garden at the back has an enormous banyan tree with lanterns hanging in it. It doesn’t take long to visit, but it is certainly worth a stop.

Natural Way Six Arts is a 15-minute walk from Taichung Station or 10 minutes from Culture Heritage Park.

For more impressive Japanese-era architecture in Taiwan, see my detailed guides to Beitou Hot Spring and Jiufen Old Street in New Taipei City .

Chun Shui Tang, the Homeland of Pearl Milk Tea

If you’re a fan of bubble tea (also known as boba or pearl milk tea), then a pilgrimage to the original Chun Shui Tang (春水堂) in Taichung that claims to have invented (there are other claims out there) it is in order.

Supposedly the founder of Chun Shui Tang  first thought of serving Chinese tea cold after noticing on a trip to Japan that people iced their coffee there. Later in a meeting, a staff member poured her Taiwanese dessert, fen yuan , into her iced tea, and everyone loved it.

Today there are more than 15 Chun Shui Tang locations in Taiwan , and more in Japan and Hong Kong, but the original Taichung location remains the Holy Grail. Make sure you go the right one! It is called Chun Shui Tang Siwei Original Store and is here on GoogleMaps .

One glass of the original pearl milk tea is NT85 for a small, or NT160 for a VERY BIG medium), and the pearls may be smaller than you are used to. And for really serious fans, you can even learn how to make your own bubble tea in a DIY class at Chun Shui Tang !

The shop also specializes in high quality Taiwanese teas and aims to promote Taiwan’s traditional tea culture . The food there is also pretty good!

This tea shop is about 5 minutes’ walk from the last attraction.

Painted Animation Lane

10 minutes’ walk from Chun Shui Tang, Painted Animation Lane (動漫彩繪巷) is Taichung alley covered with paintings of famous Japanese and Western cartoon characters. There’s not much to do besides pose for countless selfies, but serious cartoon fans can also purchase toys and anime paraphernalia from a few shops near the entrance.

There’s also a Totoro bus stop (in red in the above photo) here, so if you don’t make it to the famous one in Taichung (see below), here’s your chance. There’s also a hidden Totoro bus stop in Keelung !

It’s important to manage your expectation for this attraction. I have one friend in Taipei who went after reading this article and told me he was severely disappointed with it. So yes, it’s just an alley with some cartoon characters on it.

Other great places to see street art in Taiwan are Ximending in Taipei and Pier 2 in Kaohsiung.

Taichung Literature Museum

Just 5 minutes away from Painted Animation Lane or from Chun Shui Tang, the Taichung Literature Museum (臺中文學館) is housed in a beautiful, wooden, Japanese-era house. It is a former police dormitory dating to 1932.

There isn’t a whole lot to see inside, and the information is mostly in Mandarin. Still, the house is worth a quick look, and the trees around it are especially beautiful, so it’s a good spot for taking photos.

Liuchuan Riverside Walk

Near Painted Animation Lane, Liuchuan Riverside Walk (柳川水岸景觀步道) is a manicured river canal that flows through central Taichung. It has flowers and grassy parks along it, so it is a lovely place to take a stroll.

At night, there are sometimes lovely light displays, especially around Christmas, Lunar New Year and Lantern Festival , so it can be a nice place to take an evening walk.

Taichung Second Market

For some local Taiwanese food in a unique indoor market, check out Taichung Second Market (台中第二市場). The market building dates to the Japanese colonial period, when it specialized in upscale goods. This is mainly a daytime market, so you can consider having lunch here. It’s just a few minutes from Liuchuan Riverside park.

Entrances on all sides of the building lead to a hexagonal courtyard at the center. I would personally recommend Yang Mama Lishi (楊媽媽立食) an excellent restaurant at the heart of the market specializing in creative sushi, Japanese cold sesame noodles (胡麻麵), and fish skin stew.

For more information on other foods you might see there, see my super detailed guide to Taiwanese foods .

Taichung Park

The largest park in the Taichung city center, Taichung Park (台中公園) is a lush green space suitable for an afternoon stroll.

The main feature in the park is a large pond called Sun Moon Lake (日月湖), which almost the same as the name as the famous Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) in Nantou, only different characters for the word “lake”. The view of the Taichung Park Pavilion (湖心亭, see photo above) across the lake is one of the most beautiful scenes in Taichung City, especially at night. The remains of a Shinto Shrine (台中神社跡) and a few other monuments at the northern end of the park are also worth a quick look.

Taichung Park is quite large and is a good place to have a picnic. It’s a 10-minute walk from Taichung Second Market or 15-minute walk from Taichung Station.

Yizhong Street Night Market

While Feng Chia Night Market (see further below) gets all the attention from tourists in Taichung, it’s actually less convenient to visit because it is far away from the city center. Yizhong Street Night Market (一中街夜市) is much more convenient. It is just a few steps north of Taichung Park, or about 20 minutes’ walk north of Taichung Station.

Yizhong Street Night Market is next to a high school, so it is popular among teens and young people. I would say that it is Taichung’s equivalent to the popular Ximending district in Taipei . Besides lots of yummy food, you can find things like cat cafes and cosplay cafes there.

It’s not nearly as large as Feng Chia, but that also makes it much easier to navigate. Like most night markets, it gets going around 5 to 6 PM. If you time it right, you can visit right after watching sunset at Taichung Park. Find out what to eat there in my guide to Taichung’s night markets .

ShenJi New Village

One of the hippest places to go in Taichung for shopping and eating is Shenji New Village (審計新村 or “Audit Village”), formerly called Shenji 368 New Village (審計368新創聚落).

Here an old dormitory compound built by the government for employees in the auditing office has been repurposed into a craft market and collection of cute eateries and cafés run by the young local entrepreneurs. It’s a great place to come for an ice cream on a lazy, sunny afternoon. It can get quite crowded on weekends.

The spots is a little ways from the previous ones. It’s about a 15-minute walk northwest of Painted Animation Lane. If coming from Taichung station, you may want to just hop in a cab.

Calligraphy Greenway

The Calligraphy Greenway (草悟道) is a 3.6-kilometer strip of thin, interconnected green spaces connecting attractions like the following (from north to south): National Museum of Natural Science (see below), Park Lane by CMB shopping mall, Park2 Caowu Square (a cool hangout with cafes, shops, bars, and artworks), Shenji New Village, Museum of Illusions , National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts , and Liuchuan Riverside Park.

It is supposedly named after the fact that the diversity of artistic displays, museums, events, and activities found along it flow like the cursive movements of Chinese calligraphy.

While the park itself is not an absolute must for your Taichung trip, a walk along the greenway, especially on a weekend, provides a window into the Taichung way of life.

One way to tackle it would be to walk from Painted Animation Lane then follow it north past National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts and Shenji Village to the below spot for ice cream. Walking to and visiting all these places could take several hours.

I’m Talato Ice Cream

Another stop along the Calligraphy Greenway worth visiting is I’m Talato Ice Cream Shop (愛台灣的義式冰淇淋英才路旗艦門市), especially if you like delicious ice cream and made-for-Instagram photo props.

This clever shop has devoted half of its floor space to a selfie station, where guests can lie in a pool of scoops of ice cream, while their friend climbs a ladder to a platform above the pool to take the perfect picture from above.

What about the ice cream itself, you ask? I had watermelon sorbet, and it was excellent.

National Museum of Natural Science

If you’ve got kids, happen to love dinosaurs, or just want a rainy day or winter in Taiwan activity, then you can’t miss the National Museum of Natural Science in Taichung (國立自然科學博物館). We drove all the way down from Taipei just for this museum, and it was totally worth it. See here for more information on traveling around Taiwan with kids and things to do in Taipei with kids !

The museum is huge and you’ll have to decide which gallery you want to visit when you pay. But what we went for was the dinosaur exhibit in the Life Science Hall . What makes it so awesome? The life-size dinosaurs actually move! (see the video we took at the top of this article).

My kids are massively into dinosaurs right now, but they were actualy terrified when we visited because the dinosaurs were so lifelike. There are a few more dinos hiding in the large park outside the museum, too.

The museum also has a 3D theater, IMAX theater, conservatory, and multiple permanent and rotating galleries. See more information on the official website .

Taichung Totoro Bus Stop (CLOSED)

Unfortunately, the Taichung Totoro Bus Stop (立體龍貓公車站) was closed recently, but I’ll leave this info up so readers can find out about it. You can still see a small Tatoro Bus Stop at Animation Lane, a secret Totoro Bus Stop in Keelung , and another one here on the coast of Miaoli .

These fan-made sculptures used to be one of the must-visit stops in Taichung, despite their inconvenient location. You usually had to wait in a line to take a photo there. Perhaps it was the lines disrupting local traffic that caused them to close it.

Northern and Western Taichung City Center

The following places to visit in Taichung are located a little further north and west of the Taichung City center. You’ll probably want to take a taxi or bus (I recommend using GoogleMaps to find out which bus) to reach them.

Confucius Temple & Paochueh Temple

While it’s a bit of a journey from other sights on this list, if you’re into temples then it’s worth checking out the Taichung Confucius Temple (台中孔廟). Unlike typical Taiwanese temples, Confucius temples tend to be simple in design and serene places where you are likely to be one of, or perhaps the only visitor when you go, as I was.

The large structure dates to 1976, and sits beside the Taichung Martyr’s Shrine (臺中市忠烈祠), which itself sits on the site of the former Taichung Shinto Shrine.

The Taichung Confucius Temple is about 15 minutes’ walk north of Taichung Park. It would be a little too far to walk from Taichung Station, so consider taking a taxi or bus. Also don’t miss the Confucius Temples in Taipei and in Tainan .

Another 10 minutes’ walk north of Confucius Temple is another cool temple, Paochueh Temple (寶覺禪寺). Originally a Japanese shrine, the original Japanese structure is now protected by a newer temple built up around it. The grounds have a cemetery of Japanese soldiers from WWII. There’s also a huge golden Laughing Buddha statue and a Japanese

If you love temples, don’t miss remote Lion’s Head Mountain in Miaoli County.

National Taichung Theater

The National Taichung Theater (台中國家歌劇院) is a gorgeously designed opera house in Taichung’s Xitun district northwest of the city center near Feng Chia Night Market (see below). It is the work of Japanese architect Toyo Ito, who is known for his virtual-meets-physical “conceptual” architecture and is regarded as one of the world’s most influential architects.

Since the building officially opened in 2016, it has become a favorite of photographers and Instagrammers looking to find awe-inspiring patterns and backdrops. It is even included on this popular Taichung day tour as well as this Instagram-focused day tour .

Feng-Chia Night Market

Feng Chia Night Market (also spelled Feng Jia Night Market or 逢甲夜市) is Taichung’s largest and most famous night market, and one of the most well-known night markets in all of Taiwan. See my guide to what to eat at Feng Chia night Market here .

The market was originally set up along Wenhua road, but has spread out to Fengjia road, Fushin road, Xian street, and beyond. What to eat at Fengchia night market? Well, you can find a bit of everything here, from stinky tofu and sausages stuffed into rice sausages to fried chicken and all manner of roasted seafood. I personally enjoyed a bowl of Korean tteokbokki, deep fried fish cakes, and green onion cakes.

Even though this night market is the most famous one in Taichung, it is not very convenient to reach. The new green line of the Taichung MRT will get you close. You’ll need to walk about 10 minutes from Wenxin Yinghua station. But this MRT only goes to Taichung’s HSR station. It doesn’t go to the regular train station in Taichung’s city center. In the future, a new MRT line will make it easier to go there.

For now, you’ll need to take a bus or taxi, or take the regular TRA train to Daqing Station and then connect to the green MRT line there.

If you are a serious night market fan, seek out these other night markets in Taichung , or read my guides to the best night markets in Taipei , Tainan , Kaohsiung , and Keelung !

Rainbow Village

Although it comes toward the end of my list because it is quite a ways from the city center, Rainbow Village has in recent years become one of Taichung’s most compelling sights, and many people come to Taichung for this attraction alone.

Rainbow Village is a courtyard home in a military dependent’s village originally built to house KMT soldiers from China. Most of the community was abandoned, but one ex-Chinese soldier, Huang Yong-Fu, refused to leave. To convince the bulldozers to stay away, he began painting the walls of his home in psychedelic colors and designs.

Now 100 years old (seriously!), Huang Yong-Fu (who is lovingly referred to as “Rainbow Grandpa”) no longer maintains the site. Sadly, some of the walls were painted over by angry construction workers and the site was closed for a whole year. As of June 2023, it is open again, but many of the original paintings are lost.

For more details, see my original guide to Rainbow Village (based on a 2018 visit) and my new guide to whether Rainbow Village is still worth visiting today after it was severely damaged.

Luce Memorial Chapel

Another iconic Taichung attraction that is a little out of the way is Luce Memorial Chapel (路思義教堂) on Tunghai University (Donghai University or東海大學) campus. The 19.2-meter tent-like structure is a central landmark at the university, and nothing like the other buildings on campus.

The building was designed by I. M. Pei (貝聿銘), who did much of the other early work at the university, and contains 500 seats. It is named after Rev. Henry W. Luce, an American missionary in China in the late 19th century.

If you want to actually enter the chapel, you can attend a service on Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:15 AM. Otherwise, you can just peek in the windows at the lovely interior.

For something really interesting, you can see a super detailed miniature version of Luce Memorial Chapel at the Museum of World Religions in Taipei .

If you’re in the area and want to explore further, there are several other cool attractions in the area, like the beautiful trees along Wenli Boulevard (東海大學文理大道), Tunghai Village Night Market (東海別墅夜市), and Donghai Arts Shopping District (東海藝術街商圈),

Southern Taichung

The following places are located south of the Taichung city center but worth a half-day trip. To get to them, there are two buses that are extremely useful. One is the #151, which departs from the Taichung HSR and the other is the Ubus #50, which connects these sights to central Taichung.

Dali Art Plaza

No, it’s not named after the artist Salvador Dali, though that’s what I initially thought, too. The Dali Art Plaza (Dali Art藝術廣場) is an art-focused department store in Taichung’s Dali District. It houses dozens of art galleries and shops, and there are often some large-scale art displays there, such as the one in the photo above when I visited.

This isn’t really a must-visit in Taichung, but if you’re interested in art and shopping, you may want to make a stop there on the way to the next spots.

Wufeng Lin Family Garden

If you’re familiar with Taipei, you may also have been to the Lin Family Mansion in Banqiao, New Taipei City, but the Lin Family Garden in Wufeng (霧峰林家宮保第園區) has no relation to it (Lin is just super common Chinese surname). But these two mansions belong to a list of the “Four Great Gardens” (臺灣四大名園) of Taiwan.

Here you’ll find one of the most beautifully preserved traditional mansions in Taiwan. The sight is divided into three sections; a lower and upper compound that were occupied by two branches of the family, and a lovely garden (search for Lai-Yuan of Wufeng’s Lin Family or 霧峰林家萊園) a few steps away.

Only two halls are actually open to the public, while members of the Lin family still occupy other parts. It is free to enter, but you can see more if you join a guided tour (N250, Mandarin only).

Guangfu New Village

Among all the art centers/village on this list of things to do in Taichung, Guangfu Village (光復新村) is definitely where you’ll find the hippest locals. Like Rainbow Village (and Treasure Hill and 44 South Village; see my list of things to do in Taipei ), Guanfu Village is a former military dependent’s village, but in this case it was originally built to house higher level civil servants in the education department.

Several blocks of homes are now converted into ultra cute cafés, artist’s exhibits, restaurants, organic produce stores, and even a chocolate factory. Some rows are left in their dilapidated condition and are a magnet for photographers. People doing wedding shoots can often be seen here, too.

Come early or on a weekday to have it mostly to yourself, or on a weekend afternoon when all the shops are open and it has a livelier atmosphere and crowds of local youths. It is very easy to combine a visit to Guangfu Village with 921 Earthquake Museum (#20), a short walk away.

Access: From the Taichung HSR station, take bus #151 to Kengkou Village (Guangfu New Village) stop (30 minutes, swipe when you get on and again when you get off). You can easily walk to the next stop and then catch bus #50 back to the city center from there.

921 Earthquake Museum

Of all the Taichung attractions I’ve visited, the 921 Earthquake Museum (九二一地震教育園區) in Wufeng District is the only one that literally made me say “Wow.”

The 7.3 magnitude 921 earthquake struck Taiwan on Tuesday, 21 September 1999 at 01:47 AM was the deadliest and most disastrous in Taiwan’s history. 2415 people died and over NT300 billion in damage was caused. Images from the Guangfu Junior High School, now the 921 Earthquake Museum, were among the most poignant in media coverage of the event.

The school sits directly on the fault on which the earthquake occurred. Touring the museum starts with an indoor section where you can see the actual fault, then observe the two-meter displacement along a distorted track & field. The Earthquake Engineering Hall contains a kids’ playing area, while the Image Galley Building shows 3D films (NT170) and a simulated earthquake experience (NT25) roughly every 30 minutes. I tried the latter, and it was pretty fun!

The most striking feature, though, is the partially collapsed classroom building, which has been preserved in situ under a canopy. Also watch for the bent railway tracks near the road at the front.

Access: Take bus #151 from the Taichung HSR station to Guangfu Village then walk (10 minutes). To leave, cross the bridge over the river near the ticketing building and take Ubus #50 to Lin Family Mansion, Dali Art Plaza, or central Taichung.

Well, that brings us to the end of my Taichung guide! For more Taichung attractions further from the city center, see my guide to the best day trips from Taichung !

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12 thoughts on “25 Unique Things to Do in Taichung, Taiwan”

Very informative! Thanks for the info!

I am going back to Taiwan as a solo traveler. This time, I will be spending time in Taichung and this post is very helpful! Thanks for the suggestions and detailed information ‘;)

Thank you for the post! I am excited to visit Taichung!

Has this been updated recently? Is Rainbow Village still closed?

Still closed, unfortunately. The Taichung government first said February 2023, but that passed. More recently they said May or June, so hopefully soon!

Hi there, your travel trips and tips are awesome! My pal and I are going over, end of Jun! Would you also recommend Moncoeur Garden?

Exiting! Sorry, I haven’t personally been to Moncoeur Garden, but the reviews seem good!

Thanks for this! Very helpful to those going to Taichung for the 1st time.

We will be in Taichung August 15 to the 29th of 2023. I am sorry to bother you but can’t find this answer yet. Has the Rainbow Village reopened? Thank you,

Loving your info, suggestions, and Facebook.

Yes, it has reopened, but it will look a little different than before, with some new artwork put up but not by the original man. You can check GoogleMaps for the opening times.

Hi! I’m traveling to Taiwan next month and my partner and I would like to visit Xinshe castle. Is this place still open? Posts and reviews I have found online date back to 2019 up to early 2023 so I wonder if it’s already closed. If it’s still open, could you give us some guidance on how to get there? Much appreciated!

If you go to GoogleMaps reviews and filter for newest, you will see there are many recent reviews. I haven’t personally been to it so I can’t provide much guidance. There are a few buses from Taichung city center but they are slow, so it will take you about 1.5 hours to get there. Just use GoogleMaps directions to find them.

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Home     Travel     21 best Taichung attractions: these are the top things to do in this city

21 best Taichung attractions: these are the top things to do in this city

If you are planning a trip to Taiwan, you definitely cannot leave Taichung out of your itinerary.

The modern city located one hour from Taipei is especially well-known for being the birthplace of new food trends (bubble tea was said to originate from Taichung!), home to some of the best night markets, and the best place for artistic minds to gather in Taiwan.

Can’t wait to find out what are the Taichung attractions to visit? Read on to see what tourists and locals alike recommend to do in Taichung!

1. Rainbow Village Taichung

View this post on Instagram A post shared by bas_thanaphol (@bas_thanaphol) on Apr 13, 2019 at 8:05pm PDT

One of Taichung’s most famous and most highly visited attractions is Rainbow Village – in fact, we’re pretty sure that you would have seen it popping up on your feed before, and the inspiring story behind it will definitely motivate you to come, if not for the IG-worthy architecture.

Rainbow Village was originally a low-cost village built for veteran soldiers in the city, but as time passed, developers wanted to buy the properties and demolish the village. One of the residents, Mr Huang, did not want to leave his home, so he began painting his house with images of comic characters and animals in vibrant colours in protest. Many of his neighbours requested that he painted their homes as well in order to save their homes.

Over time, the story of Grandpa Huang trying to save his settlement gained traction and the remainder of the village was saved. Just 11 of the original houses remain from the original 1,200, and the settlement has now become a must-see in Taichung as a celebration of one man’s gallant efforts to save his home.

If you’re lucky, you may even get to meet Grandpa Huang in person – fingers crossed!

Address: No.56, Chun’an Road, Taichung City, Taiwan 408

2. Sun Moon Lake

View this post on Instagram 日月潭。朝霧碼頭??⛰️ 新的一年煙火之外一定要來一張充滿希望的照片☺️ 那天去日月潭終於拍到這個，想拍好久的景色了?有種天神降臨的感覺? 朝霧碼頭可以看日出拍銀河，去日月潭一定不能錯過！ Tag朋友一起來日月潭玩吧? – . . . . . #ygtphotograph#discovertaiwan#travellingaroundtheworld#iseetaiwan#vscotaiwan#bpintaiwan #amazingtaiwan#igerstaiwan#exploretaiwan#popdaily#taiwantravel#taiwan1#taiwan_dream#taiwanese#travel#tv_pointofview#taiwangram#instagrammer#台灣#taiwan#南投#南投景點#日月潭 A post shared by 樂YGT? (@ygt1016) on Jan 2, 2020 at 3:27am PST

Although Sun Moon Lake is not exactly located in Taichung city, it is easiest to get to this popular attraction from Taichung via a 90-minute bus ride.

Sun Moon Lake‭ is the largest lake in Taiwan, and its surrounding shore area has been home to the Thao aboriginal‭ ‬tribe‭ (‬邵族‭) ‬since the Qing Dynasty‭. ‬Today‭, ‬the Thao ‬number less than 1,000‭, ‬making them one of the smallest of Taiwan’s officially recognised aboriginal tribes‭.

The best way to admire this lake is by viewing it from above either by cable car or from Ci’en Pagoda, although you also have the option of taking a ferry ride on the lake and getting close to Lalu Island, in the middle of the lake, which is a sacred ground for the Thao tribe that only tribe members can step foot on.

Address: Yuchi, Nantou County, Taiwan

3. Miyahara Ice Cream

View this post on Instagram #宮原眼科#taichung #台中#icecream A post shared by 無 (@apple___photography) on Jan 26, 2020 at 7:41am PST

If you only have time to visit one attraction in Taichung, we highly recommend Miyahara Ice Cream.

During the Japanese occupation, the Japanese government modelled Taichung after Kyoto. Miyahara Takekuma, a Japanese ophthalmologist, founded the Miyahara eye hospital in Taichung, and this place was later taken over by a Taiwanese company called Dawn Cake, which makes Taiwan’s most famous pastries and pineapple cakes.

Today, Miyahara is a conserved building where it is a retail store for typical Taiwanese pastries and goods, a restaurant, and an ice-cream parlour – as well as one of the most popular Taichung attractions to visit.

The first thing you may notice when you arrive here is the long queue for the delicious customisable ice cream, and when you enter the building, you’ll be wondering if you’ve accidentally stepped into the filming set for Harry Potter – remember to snap lots of photos of the beautiful high ceiling and checkered marble floors!

Address: No. 20, Zhongshan Road, Central District, Taichung City, Taiwan 400

4. Chun Shui Tang

View this post on Instagram 入到門口見到好多枱客都嗌咗杯極巨型嘅珍珠奶茶已經好心動?? 拼喺個頭隔籬真係有成個頭咁長 畢生難忘?? 金舌頭話我知啲奶溝咗水茶味唔濃唔甜珍珠超tiny難咬嘅?? 雖然味道below average但個size始終驚為天人?? 味道：5/10 春水堂 珍珠奶茶 NT$160 ?台北 #hongkong #852food #hongkongfood #hkig #foodig #foodstagram #foodie #hongkong #cuisine #breakfast #lunch #dinner #foodlover #kinfolk #instafood #instafoodie #foodblog #foodshare #travelforfood #whattoeat #goodfood #foodporn #foodhunt #foodblogger #fotd #ootd #bestfood #taipei #extralarge #fullhouse #unforgettable A post shared by 宗旨：乜都食? 乜都試? (@foodiepepe) on Sep 27, 2018 at 6:03am PDT

You can’t say you’ve been to Taiwan if you don’t drink at least one cup of bubble tea, and you definitely can’t say you’ve been to Taichung if you haven’t tried the OG bubble tea.

Chun Shui Tang is founded by a Mr Liu Han-Chieh, who had the idea of serving Chinese tea cold in the early 1980s, after a visit to Japan where he saw coffee served cold. His manager is said to have included Taiwanese tapioca pearls into the drink, hence creating what is now known as bubble tea.

Although most bubble tea outlets function out of small kiosks, Chun Shui Tang is actually a Chinese teahouse that not only serves your favourite drink, but also mains like noodles and fried chicken.

In addition, you’ll find that Chun Shui Tang’s version is just the right amount of creamy and sweet, served in a HUGE cup, which is no wonder why even locals will travel to Taichung to patronise this.

Address: No. 30, Siwei Street, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403

5. Feng Chia Night Market

View this post on Instagram Kalau misalnya ada yang tanya, “Apa yang Taiwan banget?”. I’d say “Night Market! Dan segala jajanannya yang enak!” ??????? A post shared by Richa Etika Ulhaq 烏堤卡 (@richaeu) on Jul 2, 2019 at 3:31am PDT

In Taiwan, the streets come to life when the sun sets, and Taichung is no exception, especially when it is home to what is arguably the best night market in Taiwan – making it a popular Taichung attraction you can’t miss.

Tuck into appetising street snacks like fried taro balls, fried chicken cutlet, small sausage in large sausage, scallion pancakes, and stinky tofu – if you have the stomach for it. You can also check out the fashion & accessories shops littered around the night market for affordable and trendy clothes.

P.S. There are many bubble tea outlets located around the rim of the night market, such as Jenjudan, Xing Fu Tang, Tiger Sugar, and The Alley!

Address: Wenhua Road, Xitun District, Taichung City, Taiwan 407

6. Totoro Bus Stop

View this post on Instagram 陪龍貓一起等公車 A post shared by ann (@meowww_lin) on Aug 30, 2017 at 5:24am PDT

Remember the scene in My Neighbour Totoro where Satsuki waited at the bus stop for her dad in the rain and Totoro gave her shelter? You can now recreate that iconic scene at Taichung’s Totoro Bus Stop!

Created by the owner of Home Doctor, an interior design and housing design repair company located next to the fixture, this self-made attraction even features No Face on the subway, so you can take a seat there and pose for some cute photos.

If you have the time, hop over to Home Doctor and have a chat with the owner, who is described as a soft-spoken and humble man passionate about creating props, figures, and models!

Address: No. 133, Qiaocheng Road, Dali District, Taichung City, Taiwan 412

7. Taichung Second Market

View this post on Instagram 这里的PASAR隐藏了好多美食 – 古早味鲁肉饭-?? A post shared by lK.keong (@lk.keong) on May 17, 2016 at 4:10pm PDT

The Second Market dates back to the Japanese Colonial Era, where it was once a gathering place for trading commodities.

Today, it is one of the best places to hunt for delicious local food in the day, but take note that this is just as popular with the locals as it is with tourists, so many food vendors close as soon as they are out of food.

Some types of food you’ll find here include traditional breakfast food, Braised Minced Pork Rice (or  lurou fan  魯肉飯), soup noodles, dry noodles, Japanese cuisine, and also desserts like sweet tofu and tapioca.

A must-try is this little restaurant called Arashi Braised Minced Pork Shop. They make a few signature dishes with their own Arashi sauce, a Taiwanese braised minced pork sauce, which goes well with rice, noodles, meatballs – anything! You can even buy a jar of the sauce to recreate the simple, yet addictive, flavours back at home.

Address: No. 87, Section 2, Sanmin Road, Central District, Taichung City, Taiwan 400

8. Cingjing Farm

View this post on Instagram 《南投-清境農場》 來到清境除了看美景，當然要跟羊拍張照? 可以在羊咩咩秀旁邊的販賣機購買乾草或者秀結束會販售限量的羊咩咩餅乾？（我忘記名字惹） 拍照都在裝鎮定，我到現在還沒辦法克服羊舌頭舔在手上的感覺，軟軟濕濕的，我很怕其實哈哈 而且一個不注意他就要咬我圍巾，還要注意到處都是羊便便? ?綿羊秀很值得一看，小時候看過就覺得長大不需要再看，應該很無聊，沒想到出我意料的好笑精彩捨不得離開呢 #清境農場 #南投 #清境 #綿羊秀 #qingjingfarm #qingjing @qingjingfarm A post shared by 林昀YUNLIN (@yunlin_diary) on Jan 31, 2020 at 7:24am PST

Craving for fresh air, green pastures, and azure blue skies away from the bustling city? Take a one-hour bus ride from Taichung and head to Cingjing Farm, otherwise affectionately called “Foggy Eden”.

Here, you not only get to soak in amazing views of nature, but also see animals like sheep and cows up close, as well as feed them – just be a little careful because they can get a little aggressive when they’re hungry!

If you’re craving a little adventure, you can also try your hand at horseriding, made even more epic by the fact that you’re galloping in the midst of a fog!

Address: No. 170, Renhe Road, Ren’ai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 546

9. Gaomei Wetland

View this post on Instagram 藍天白雲☁️ A post shared by Steph aka Leebo (@leeebo) on Jan 24, 2020 at 11:42pm PST

Not a fan of sheep but still want to reconnect with nature? Gaomei Wetland will stick all the right boxes.

Located on the south of the mouth of Dajia River, this wetland is mixed with both sand and soil textures, and is home to a vibrant wetland ecological system. Every year around fall and winter, large flocks of migrating birds would come here for either short or long stay over the winter, serving as the best spot for bird-watching.

You’ll find many locals coming here on the weekends and sitting on the boardwalk, either recollecting their thoughts or chatting with their family and friends – feel free to do the same.

Address: Qingshui, Taichung, Taiwan

10. Xitou Monster Village

View this post on Instagram A post shared by 蔡天愛 (@tinatsai941110) on Jan 30, 2020 at 4:36am PST

There is a quirky village located a short distance away from Taichung that makes you feel like you’ve wandered into Japan by accident, and it was created as such for a very touching reason.

During Taiwan’s time under Japanese rule, there were two good friends, a Taiwanese man and a Japanese man, who worked together in Xitou. After Japan lost WWII and the Japanese man had to go back to Japan, he wanted to give his Taiwanese friend a wooden sculpture as a present.

Unfortunately, the two never managed to meet again after the war, but their descendants brought the sculpture from Japan to Taiwan and kept it in Ming Shan Resort.

To commemorate the beautiful friendship between the two, Ming Shan Resort built a village right in front of the resort. Its original name is Matsubayashi, the name of the Taiwanese man, but has since been more commonly called Monster Village due to the many Japanese monster statues with various strange shapes seen there.

Take the time to stroll down this Japanese-style street, wait for freshly-baked bread at the bakery named after the Japanese man (Kurota), and play nostalgic games from your childhood.

Address: No. 2-3, Xingchan Road, Lugu Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 558

11. Zhong She Flower Market

View this post on Instagram Leme play a love song A post shared by Thiiuu (@thiiuu) on Jan 26, 2020 at 6:25am PST

With its manicured gardens and Instagram-worthy props, Zhong She Flower Market in Taichung is a span of colourful flower fields that are flower-lovers’ heaven.

Located a short drive from central Taichung, you’ll surely squeal in delight when you see a variety of colourful blooms set among beautiful water features, musical instruments, flower arches, and life-sized photo frames.

Look out for the lavender field with a piano as its centrepiece – people will queue just to get a good Facebook profile photo here!

Address: No. 333, Section 5, Sanfeng Road, Houli District, Taichung City, Taiwan 421

12. Guguan Hot Spring

View this post on Instagram We’re thinking of making this a new trend in Canada… swim caps will be all the rage ? A post shared by Stacy Clendining (@stacyclendining) on Apr 2, 2019 at 5:33pm PDT

Taiwan is just as famous for its hot springs as Japan, and you’ll definitely want to have a good, relaxing soak in this one set against Bashan Mountain and facing Dajia River.

If you are looking to conceive, Guguan Hot Spring is a must-visit: rumour has it that after the Japanese Emperor Meji was bathed in Guguang Hot Spring, he successfully got a baby boy. This hot spring is also nicknamed as “Hot Spring that Helps Mothers to Give Birth to Boys” – no harm trying your luck!

Address: Lane Wenquan, Section 1, Dongguan Rd, Heping District, Taichung City

13. Dajia Jenn Lann Temple

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Think that temples are boring and quiet places? This temple in Taichung will surely change your mind.

With over 200 years of history, Dajia Jenn Lann Temple is one of the most famous Matzu Temples in Taiwan and welcomes many devotees daily.

The inspection tour held in March every year is a world-famous religious ceremony that attracts visitors from all over the country (and world!), but if you’re visiting at other times of the year, you can still marvel at the temple’s treasures: the violet jade Matzu of Jenn Lann Temple and the Golden Matzu in the basement of Matzu cultural museum.

Address: No. 158, Shuntian Road, Dajia District, Taichung City, Taiwan 437

14. Lavender Cottage

View this post on Instagram . 薰衣草森林 偶爾吵鬧 偶爾鬥嘴 偶爾鬧脾氣 偶爾耍任性 但是妳依舊是我的寶 A post shared by Lian_yu (@tw.lian_yu) on Jan 31, 2020 at 3:34am PST

Once upon a time, two coffee-loving, herb-loving young women quit their office jobs in the huge cities of Taipei and Kaohsiung to be farmers in Taichung. They bought a hill in the middle of nowhere and grew lavender, eventually bringing their dream of a hillside coffee shop surrounded by lavender to life.

While this is no Provence, Lavender Cottage is a cosy retreat in Taichung that welcomes all fatigued visitors to take a break and soak in the relaxing lavender fragrance. Take an afternoon off to indulge in afternoon tea, and then check out the little market selling lavender products, for a memory of your beautiful time here.

Flower Bloom Seasons: November~April – lavender, June~August – salvia

Address: No. 20, Zhongxing Street, Xinshe District, Taichung City, Taiwan 426

15. Wufeng Lin Family Mansion

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Peek into Taiwan’s rich history when you pay a visit to the family residence of influential Lin Family of Wufeng – different members of the Lin family played pivotal roles in several events of Taiwan history of the last 200 years.

Members of the Lin family still live in the rest of their ancestral residence, so only the Great Flower Hall and Gong-Bao-Di (located in the Lower House section) are currently opened to the public. The former was often used by the Lin family to host grand banquets and performances in the 19th and 20th centuries, so be prepared to be wowed away by the splendour.

Take note that you have to join a guided tour to visit the mansion itself. Tours start by the hour at the ticketing-info kiosk, in front of Gong-Bao-Di.

Address: No. 26, Minsheng Road, Wufeng District, Taichung City, Taiwan 413

16. Shenji 368 New Village

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Renovated from old residential housing, Shenji New Village in Taichung is now a vibrant creative and cultural hub where many different art studios gather and organic markets take place from time to time.

Head to the Protest Studio to shout out your anger from everyday life in a fun way, marvel at the dinnerware and car stands made from wood scraps at Carvy, and be sure to have a chat with the creative minds behind Letian Hero (expert in packaging designs) and Blossom (creations inspired by quaint window grills).

With a multitude of cafés are also in proximity, there is so much to check out in Shenji New Village that you’ll never be bored!

Address: Lane 368, Minsheng Road, West District, Taichung City

17. National Museum of Natural Science

View this post on Instagram ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 這隻蝴蝶，小編以前真的一直以為他是蚊子！這張照片呈現了很強烈的科技感！ Is this Mothra? – ? @ooo_lin_ooo – ? 404台中市北區館前路1號 – ➡️只要Tag @taichungtravels 就有機會讓你的美照在大玩台中FB、IG及微博上曝光喔！ #taichungdiary #travel #igphoto #iseetaiwan #scenery #Landscape #taichungtravels #discovertaichung #vsco #観光 #寫真 #旅行 #여행 #풍경 #風景 #旅行 #台灣 #台中 #看見台中 #台中景點 #大玩台中 #國立自然科學博物館 #植物園 A post shared by 大玩台中-臺中觀光旅遊局官方IG (@taichungtravels) on Jan 31, 2020 at 4:00am PST

Those with kids in tow or are avid science-lovers themselves must make a trip to this popular attraction in Taichung.

As one of the most heavily attended museums in Taiwan, and one of the most attended venues in Taichung, National Museum of Natural Science is a massive six-venue complex with permanent exhibits covering everything you can think of: astronomy, space science, paleontology, ecology, gems and minerals, tropical plants, and even Taiwanese Aborigines!

The museum often plays host to rotating special exhibits, so there’s always something new to check out even if you have been here before.

Address: No. 1, Guanqian Road, North District, Taichung City, Taiwan 404

18. National Taichung Theater

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Taichung residents fondly call this theatre the ‘pride of Taichung’.

For starters, this attraction in Taichung was designed by Japanese super-architect, Maestro Toyo Ito.

He wanted to build an inviting and welcoming place for people from all walks of life to congregate and spend time together, while creating a space where people can fully appreciate the beauty of artistic performances. Hence, The Theater is designed around superior sound acoustic, with the internal layout supposed to mimic caves with an internal river running through it.

Besides the beautiful architecture, you can also check out the activities happening in the space – there is always something to do!

Address: No. 101, Section 2, Huilai Road, Xitun District, Taichung City, Taiwan 40756

19. Dali Art Plaza

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As you can tell by now, Taichung is heaven for artistic souls and creative minds.

If you can’t get enough of the bustling art scene, here’s one more Taichung attraction to check out: Dali Art Plaza!

The Dali Art Plaza is an art-focused complex that houses dozens of art galleries and shops – a little like Insadong’s Ssamziegil in Seoul. They also host a lot of activities for kids, so remember to come here with your little ones for a fun-filled afternoon.

Address: No. 1, Keji Road, Dali District, Taichung City, Taiwan 41267

20. Guangfu Village

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Similar to Rainbow Village, Guangfu Village was constructed for veteran soldiers and their families, but has since been converted into a cultural-creative hub that locals visit on the weekends for good photos, good vibes, and good art.

That being said, what is really impressive is the effort to marry the old and the young. Although artists and other cultural-creative types have been invited to move into the village, the original residents still inhabit the outer sections!

Adress: No. 2-3, Heping Road, Wufeng District., Taichung City

21. 921 Earthquake Museum

View this post on Instagram ?來到這裡可以看到921車龍埔斷層保存區 看見大自然破壞威力的活教材 一旁還有美美的彩虹階梯 看完震撼的教育園區後，來這裡拍張照沈澱一下剛剛好！ . 《921地震教育園區》 . ?台中市霧峰區新生路192號 ⏰9:00-17:00（週一公休） ☎️04 2339 0906 . Instagram / @sienna_0409 授權 Instagram / @x_ester_x 授權 Instagram / @mc_0820 授權 . 有任何廣編合作、美食、旅遊與新品新聞稿、歡迎Mail至 [email protected] . 歡迎大家在照片下方標註 #TripGo旅行趣，或是標記 ＠tripgo.tw就有機會透過我們將你的照片或影片分享給大家❤️ . #Tripgo旅行趣 #Tripgo旅行趣台中 #景點 #台中景點 #台中打卡 #台中 #921地震教育園區 #網美景點 #拍攝 #彩虹 #Taichung #tripgo #trip #photograph A post shared by TripGo 旅行趣 (@tripgo.tw) on Jan 15, 2020 at 6:00pm PST

Although we are fortunate to be in a country that is well-protected from natural disasters, it is still important to take a look at and understand the damage that earthquakes can cause.

At 1:47 AM on September 21, 1999, Taiwan experienced one of its worst natural disasters of the past century – a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that devastated the central part of the island. This museum is a showcase of the actual damage caused, as well as an opportunity to learn how earthquakes occur.

Address: No. 192, Xinsheng Road, Wufeng District, Taichung City, Taiwan 413

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• Travel tips

Taichung Solo Guide: 24 Things to do in Taichung Taiwan Alone

Solo travellers should consider visiting Taichung (台中) , the second-largest city in Taiwan, as there are many things to do in Taichung on your own.

Located on the west coast of Taiwan, Taichung rose as an economic, transportation and cultural hub during the Japanese occupation due to the development of highways and railways. The city has a modern landscape and open spaces that welcome locals and tourists.

Besides finding the remnants of Japanese culture, there are many things to do in Taichung, especially if it is your first time travelling solo. In this post, I’ll show you all the best attractions in Taichung and other day trip ideas.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through them, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost. Thank you for supporting this website. For more information, please read our disclosure for more info.

Table of Contents

Taichung travel guide: what you need to know

Before you check out some of the best Taichung attractions, take a look at my post on all my best tips for travelling to Taiwan . I included a lot of information, including getting a Taiwan prepaid SIM card , transportation around the country and more.

Here are a few quick tips for travelling to Taichung:

• Purchase a rechargeable smartcard called EasyCard or iPass . Either card is good for taking public transportation in major cities in Taiwan. You can get a rechargeable card at any major train station or convenience store in Taiwan.
• Taichung is a safe city for solo female travellers .
• If you want to see all the Taichung attractions in this post, you will need a few days in Taichung . Stay in the Central District , so you are close to all the public transportation.

How to get to Taichung Taiwan

From taichung international airport to taichung.

Taichung is accessible by air, and daily domestic and international flights (from Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, and Thailand) fly directly into Taichung International Airport .

From the airport, several buses will take you to Taichung. Alternatively, you can take a metered taxi.

Below are a few sample routes from the Taichung International Airport to Taichung.

• Taichung Bus Route 9, U Bus Route 302
• Time: 60 minutes
• Cost: about NT$15 (with EasyCard or iPass)
• A1, A2, or A3 Taichung International Airport Bus
• Time: from 45 minutes
• Cost: NT$100

From Taipei to Taichung

Most international travellers will be coming from Taipei (台北 ) because more international flights fly into Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport .

The fastest way of getting from Taipei to Taichung is to take the Metro (MRT) from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei Main Train Station. Then take Taiwan High-Speed Railway (HSR) to Taichung.

However, Taichung HSR Station is at the edge of the city, so you will have to hop on another local train to go into the town. Get on the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) train at  Xinwuri Station , a one-minute walk from Taichung HSR Station.

• Time: from 35 minutes
• Cost: NT$150
• Time: 47 minutes +
• Cost: NT$700
• Time: 12 minutes
• Cost: NT$15

Alternatively, you can take TRA, a regular train from Taipei to Taichung for a much cheaper price.

• Time: 2 hours 30 minutes +
• Cost: NT$241 +

From Tainan to Taichung

If you are coming from the south, you could be coming from Tainan (臺南) , Kaohsiung (高雄) or other cities. You can go to Taichung on a high-speed train (with a transfer to a regular train) or a commuter train.

See below for a few sample routes from Tainan to Taichung.

• Time: 38 minutes +
• Cost: NT$650
• Time: 1 hour 20 minutes +
• Cost: NT$363+

How to get around Taichung Taiwan

Taichung city bus.

Taichung is a relatively big city, and it would be easier if you take the Taichung City Bus to get to different areas of the city. Buy an EasyCard or iPass to take the public bus easily. As of 2021, the basic fare for a bus ride is NT$20. 

YouBike is a point-to-point electronic bike-sharing program popular in most of Taiwan’s cities, including Taichung. You can pick up a bike at one location and drop it off at another. 

Use your EasyCard or iPass and your local mobile number to register the first time you are using YouBike. The first 30 minutes are free then it is NT$10 for every 30 minutes after . 

Uber is an excellent and cheap transportation option if you don’t want to take the bus or use the shared bike program. Download the Uber app and set up the app before you use the app. And if you are setting it up in Taiwan, you will need a local phone number.

Map: Where to go in Taichung Taiwan

Taichung is a hub for all things art and culture. You can do a one-day tour of all the art and cultural attractions mentioned below and another day wander around the city for the rest of the tourist attractions.

Whatever you do, take a look at the map below and visit these Taichung attractions while you are in the city.

Taichung solo travel: What to do in Taichung Taiwan on your own

Below are some of the best things to do in Taichung for solo travellers. These are some of the must-see Taichung attractions you do not want to miss. Follow the red pins on the interactive map.

1. Miyahara (宮原眼科) 

Miyahara used to be an ophthalmology clinic, but it is a popular tourist attraction today. Visitors go to Miyahara to see the Harry Potter-eques interior , buy pineapple cakes , and try their famous ice cream .

They have over 50 flavours of ice cream . Choose one of the many tea-infused flavours or chocolate flavours . Protip: go early or late because there is always a long queue.

2. Taichung Second Market (第二市場)

If you are looking for good food early in the morning, you must visit Taichung Second Market . There is plenty of traditional Taiwanese food inside the market. But go early because many vendors close when they run out of food. Many of the food vendors are near the east and south entrances.

If you go there for breakfast, try the braised pork rice , radish cake with a fried egg , or soup with wonton , and wash it down with Taiwanese black tea .

Besides cooked food, there are other things to do at the Taichung Second Market. Check out the coffee shops, clothing stores, tailors and other retailers . And there is even an old temple in the hexagonal courtyard.

3. Taichung Park (臺中公園)

As the oldest park in the city, Taichung Park spans over 10 acres, where you will find Rih-Yue Lake , an artificial lake, an arch bridge and Hu Xin Pavilion , a double pavilion built to commemorate the Crossway Railway in 1908. Locals like to hang out here because of all the outdoor recreational equipment like tennis courts and playgrounds.

4. Yizhong Street Night Market (一中商圈)

Yizhong Street Night Market is a centrally located night market and is a favourite among locals. There are street vendors, cafes and restaurants along the main road where you can try some of the best food in Taiwan. And if you poke around the side streets, there are many boutique stores and vendors selling souvenirs and other knick-knacks.

My favourite food at Yizhong Street is the braised food, Taiwanese pepper bun, papaya milkshake and sugar cane ice cream .

If you stay in the Central District in Taichung, you can easily come back here several times throughout your trip. I highly recommend returning a few times as this is one of my fav night markets in Taichung !

5. Taichung Confucius Temple (台中孔廟)

Built between 1972 and 1976, Taichung Confucius Temple was designed and constructed in the classic architectural style of the Song Dynasty . The temple complex layout resembles the original Confucius Temple in Qufu, Shandong, the birthplace of Confucius in China.

Even if you don’t know much about the temple’s history, it is worth seeing the grandeur of the temple. The roofs and beams are decorated with many different colours and materials. And colourful paintings in the Song style are found in each hall.

6. Paochueh Temple (寶覺禪寺)

Paochueh Temple was built to commemorate all the fallen Japanese soldiers during World War II . Since their remains were not claimed, the deceased were gathered in the columbarium at the temple. Many Japanese tourists come here to pay their respects every year.

The temple includes the old temple surrounded by a new structure and the 7-storey giant golden laughing Buddha .

7. Chun Shui Tang (春水堂) 

If you are a bubble tea fan, don’t leave Taichung without trying THE original bubble tea at Chun Shui Tang , the original home of this Taiwanese specialty drink.

There are many types of bubble teas to choose from. But try the classic pearl milk tea, which was first created in 1987. Or if you prefer the signature black tea , that’s a favourite too.

Chun Shui Tang also has a food menu at their original tea shop. Try their vegetarian noodle and a lotus wrap sticky rice—both delicious and satisfying.

8. Painted Animation Lane (動漫彩繪巷)

Painted Animation Lane is a small alley full of graffiti of anime and popular cartoon characters . You might recognize cartoon characters like Super Mario Brothers, Popeye, Dragon Ball, etc.

These colourful murals are painted on both sides of the alley, and it is best to appreciate this delightful art scene during the day entirely.

9. Zhongxin Market (忠信市場)

Zhongxin Market is a small retro market with local restaurants, coffee shops and quirky shops . The market is dark and tucked away in a block of old vintage buildings.

Walk through the corridors between the shops and restaurants; you might find more shops and people taking photos for their Instagram. The market is across from the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts.

10. National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (國立台灣美術館) – temporarily closed

The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA) showcases many types of modern and contemporary artwork by Taiwanese artists . The museum’s mission is to encourage art exchange with overseas organizations and promote art education.

The museum includes all the outdoor exhibits in the courtyard and the main building spanning over four floors. Admission is entirely free.

11. Shen Ji New Village (審計新村)

Shen Ji New Village was originally built as a government dormitory. Still, it has since been converted into a creative hotspot where young entrepreneurs come together and transform the area into a lively neighbourhood.

There are boutique shops, cafes and restaurants around the small streets of Shen Ji New Village. The area is busy on the weekends as a creative marketplace, and many people are taking Instagram photos.

12. CMP Block Museum of Arts (勤美術館) – temporarily closed

CMP (China Metal Products) Block Museum of Arts is indeed one-of-a-kind! It is the first museum in Taiwan to use outdoor spaces to display contemporary art installations . The structure-less museum is next to Calligraphy Greenway , where all the exhibits seamlessly integrate into nature.

However, CMP is currently closed for renovation. Check their website and see when they open again.

13. National Taichung Theatre (台中國家歌劇院)

While the primary purpose of the  National Taichung Theatre  is to promote art, incubate creative ideas, and host various live performances, many people visit the theatre to see the  futuristic modern architecture .

While you are there, walk through the entire theatre and enjoy all the architectural details and exciting spaces . The performance stages are on the second through the fourth floor, a restaurant on the fifth, and a cafe, shop and “art corner” on the main floor. And don’t forget to take the elevator to the  Sky Garden  on the rooftop (see the main photo). It is an excellent spot to rest.

Plus, there are outdoor concerts and screenings, so check the theatre’s website for upcoming events .

14. Feng Chia Night Market (逢甲夜市) 

Feng Chia Night Market is the biggest night market in Taiwan. Located at the city’s north end in  Xitun District , the market has over 30,000 people visiting during the weekend. And it is popular with locals as the night market is right by  Feng Chia University .

I found some of the best Taiwanese food at Feng Chia Night Market. I really liked the Taiwanese hot dogs made with sticky rice, a thin scallion pancake with different flavours, and an egg waffle that looks like mini chickens .

When you’re not eating at Feng Chia, there are many shops in the area too. The stores around the neighbourhood sell many things, including clothing, accessories and souvenirs.

15. Eat your way around Taichung

Besides all the food recommendations suggested in this post, there are many more places to eat in Taichung.

Below are some restaurants and coffee shop recommendations. You can find more information about each location in each pin in Google Maps.

• Arashi Braised Minced Pork Shop (嵐肉燥專賣店) – this food vendor inside Taichung Second Market makes a delicious soup with wonton, meat roll, fish balls and radish
• Bashi Bao (盛橋刈包)  – they serve fusion gua bao (steamed bun with pork and pickled vegetable with peanut sauce), and they keep reinventing their menu to create new fusion gua bao’s. And they serve breakfast gua bao for guests of Shin Sei Bashi Hostel (which is just upstairs)
• Gubami – order their Michelin-level beef noodle soup. Not cheap but really delicious!
• Mei Jian Tea (小庭找茶) – try their signature dessert which has a traditional cookie and ice cream inside. You can find this dessert shop on the perimeter of Taichung Second Market.
• Workshop – a coffee serving the most Instagrammable blue butterfly tea latte
• Mezamashikohi Coffee – a Scandinavian design-inspired cafe with excellent coffee and a great spot for remote work

Other things to do in Taichung: Outside of the Central District

Below are some of the best things to do outside the Central District in Taichung. You can see some of these attractions as half-day trips or plan a full-day excursion. Follow the purple pins on the interactive map.

16. Rainbow Village (彩虹眷村)

At the west end of Taichung, you will find the whimsical and colourful Rainbow Village . The popular tourist spot re-opened in June 2023 and is one of the best places to take Instagram photos. There are tons of photo ops in a small block of colourful houses.

Walk through all the narrow pathways and find colourful surprises around each corner. And if you are lucky, you might even meet Rainbow Grandpa , who painted the houses to help save the village as it was about to be demolished by the government.

17. Luce Memorial Chapel (路思義教堂)

The Luce Memorial Chapel is part of Tunghai University in Taichung. It is a Christian chapel to honour Rev. Henry W. Luce, an American missionary in China during the late 19th century.

Most people visit the chapel because of its architectural design . The chapel is on an irregular hexagonal base, with a curvy tent-like structure acting as the walls and roof for the chapel. The continuous external structure comprises of repeating yellow glazed diamond-shaped tiles, which resemble the diamond-shaped lattice interior walls.

18. Wuqi Fisherman’s Harbour (梧棲漁港)

Wuqi Fisherman’s Harbour  is a  fishing harbour with a seafood market and various seafood restaurants.  There are even boat tours if you feel like touring around the port.

In the wet market, walk through aisles of seafood vendors and see fishermen’s daily catches. I saw many types of fish, crabs, lobsters, and the most gigantic shrimp I’ve ever seen! And they also sell sashimi if you want to try some raw fish at the market.

Before you leave the harbour, take a stroll around the  short promenade  and see  fishing boats  unload their catch of the day.

19. Gaomei Wetlands (高美濕地)

At the mouth of the Dajia River, you will find Gaomei Wetlands . The grassy and muddy wetland spans over 1,500 acres of land , and you can walk on the long boardwalk to enjoy the scenery. Also, it is an excellent spot for bird watching during winter as many migratory birds stay over winter. And it has one of the best places to catch the sunset .

Gaomei Wetlands is a popular spot for locals and tourists on the weekends. There are food stalls where you can try some of the best Taiwanese food. Just make sure to check the tide times before going. When it is high tide, you may not be able to walk around as freely.

You can easily spend a day at Gaomei Wetlands , Wuqi Fisherman’s Harbour and Luce Memorial Chapel.

20. Carton King Creativity Park (紙箱王創意園區) – temporarily closed

Carton King Creativity Park  is the first paper-based theme park in Taiwan , where almost everything is made of cardboard . The cardboard park is 1,600 square meters big and ideal for anyone who wants to have a fun afternoon seeing replicas of famous structures made entirely from sturdy cardboard.

The park has several cafes, and you can dine at an all-cardboard restaurant. Yup, everything in Carton King’s restaurant is made of cardboard! The tables, chairs, shelving, lighting, etc. Even the hot pots are made of paper!

21. Da Keng Scenic Area (大坑風景區)

I always try to include some outdoorsy outfits and shoes in my minimalist packing list because I know of many excellent opportunities to hike in Taichung’s vicinity.

One of the most popular hiking spots is in Da Keng Scenic Area . Da Keng has ten trails; the first four are the most difficult . Each trail is slightly different but has many lumber bridges connecting different park areas.

The easiest way to get there is by Uber. Go early in the morning and start at trail #4 (which is the hardest and the most scenic). Continue onto trail #5 and take either trail #2 or #1 back to the main road and hop on a local bus #66 back to Taichung.

Want to pack minimally for your next trip? Check out my post on how to pack 7kg carry-on luggage

22. Xinshe Sea of Flowers (新社花海)

Xinshe Sea of Flowers  is an annual agriculture event showcasing the prettiest flowers in Central Taiwan . Visitors can see hectares of flower fields, including many colours of cosmos and marigolds. It is one of the most popular Taichung flower expos!

But check the calendar before going to Xinshe to see the flower gardens. The annual event opens from late November to early December . It is worth returning even if you have been before because they have a different theme each year.

23. Xinshe Castle (新社莊園古堡) – temporarily closed

Xinshe Castle or Summit Castle Resort  is located east of Taichung City in the mountainous region of  Xinshe Township in Taiwan . It has a European castle, winery, gardens, fountains, ponds, waterfall, restaurants, souvenir shops, and hiking trails . 

Many visitors go to Taichung Xinshe Castle during the spring to catch cherry blossom s, while others visit during late autumn to see all the  

And if it is possible to see Carton King, Xinshe Sea of Flowers and Xinshe Castle all on the same day . I included the one-day itinerary at the end of each of these posts.

24. Zhongshe Flower Market (中社觀光花市花海)

Zhongshe Flower Market is another flower market that you should visit. Different types of flowers bloom throughout the year. The flower market is especially popular during tulip season , where up to 300,000 tulips bloom.

The flower farm is also known as Chungshe Flower Garden or  Houli Flower Farm , just in case you have any confusion finding different information online.

Where to stay in Taichung as a solo traveller

There are many excellent affordable hotels and hostels in Taichung . Most of them are around Taichung Railway Station , which is a good location because of its accessibility to major attractions.

Another option is to stay in Xitun District (西屯區) further north of the city. But the location is also quite good because it is close to shops, restaurants and Feng Jia Night Market .

Here are my top suggestions for a solo traveller:

• Check prices & reviews: Agoda
• Check prices & reviews: Agod a

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Which of these Taichung attractions will you see?

I hope all of them because they are all worth visiting. But if you have limited time, you can still see most of these Taichung attractions in one day . Whether you are a solo traveller or someone local doing a solo staycation, follow my itinerary so you don’t have to work out all the details yourself.

Let me know in the comments which attraction you like or if I miss other things to do in Taichung, Taiwan.

Thank you for reading my solo Taichung travel guide

You might also like these other posts on solo travel in Taiwan:

Introduction to Taiwan

• Things to know before visiting Taiwan  
• How and where to buy a Taiwan prepaid SIM card
• How to spend 3 weeks in Taiwan  
• 22 must-eat food in Taiwan  
• Top 10 must-try Taiwan 7-11 Food

Central Taiwan posts

• Taichung 1-day itinerary
• Where to stay in Taichung for solo travellers  
• Miyahara Taichung: best ice cream and food souvenirs
• Taichung Second Market
• Top 3 Taichung Night Markets
• SOF Hotel: best boutique hotel in Taichung
• Norden Ruder Hostel: best minimalist hostel in Taichung
• Zhongshe Flower Market near Taichung
• Carton King Creativity Park: 1-day itinerary  
• How to spend 1 day at Gaomei Wetlands
• Xinshe Sea of Flowers near Taichung: 1-day itinerary  
• Xinshe Castle near Taichung
• What to do in Sun Moon Lake: 2-day itinerary  
• Sun Moon Inn: hotel review

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queenie mak

Hi, my name is Queenie, and I've been a solo traveller for 20+ years and currently based in Hong Kong. Follow me on my adventures through Instagram and my blog!

Further Reading...

HK Express Review: My Honest Opinion of Hong Kong Express

Taichung Accommodation: Where to stay in Taichung, Taiwan as a solo traveller

17 Best things to do in Chiayi Taiwan as a Solo Traveller

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17 best things to do in kaohsiung taiwan for solo travellers, ms travel solo.

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Places to Visit in Taichung

• Places To Visit

Taichung Places to Visit

Here is the list of best places to visit in taichung:, rainbow village.

Carton King Creativity Park

Xinshe Sea Of Flowers

Dakeng No.5 Trail

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Huanshan Tribal Village

Chungbuk Fall Pine

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Wufeng Nonghui Jiuzhuang

Wufeng Nonghui Jiuzhuang is a famous winery in Taichung and it is one of the most fascinating Taichung places to visit. The city of Taichung has quite a few wineries but Wufeng Nonghui Jiuzhuang is particularly famous due to the special flavors and wonderful taste they infuse in their drink.

National Taichung Theater

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Daliart Art Center

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921 Earthquake Museum Of Taiwan

Lihpao Land

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National Taiwan Museum Of Fine Arts

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Gaomei wetland.

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