Best Things to Do in Taiwan: 7 Cities Every Singaporean Must Visit

Best Things to Do in Taiwan Beyond Taipei's Night Markets

Taiwan sits just 4.5 hours from Singapore on a direct flight, yet most Singaporeans barely scratch the surface past Taipei's Shilin Night Market and Din Tai Fung. That's a genuine waste of one of Asia's most rewarding travel destinations. The island packs coastlines, mountain gorges, hot spring towns, and some of the world's most obsessive food culture into a landmass smaller than Ireland — and getting around by high-speed rail is cheaper than an Uber across town in Singapore.

If you've already done Taipei and you're hungry for more, this guide is your permission slip to go deeper. Whether you have five days or ten, Taiwan rewards the curious traveller with experiences that feel nothing like the polished resort circuits of Bali or the tourist conveyor belt of Bangkok. Taiwan is the kind of destination where you eat your way through a city and still feel like you've only just started. Here's where to go and what to do, city by city.

Tainan: Taiwan's Oldest City and Its Best Street Food

Tainan is the food capital of Taiwan, full stop. Locals from Taipei will tell you this themselves, often with a trace of envy. Founded in the 17th century as the island's first major settlement, the city has had centuries to perfect its culinary traditions. The streets here are dense with century-old snack stalls, colonial-era temples, and a pace of life that feels genuinely unhurried. Tainan's coffin bread — a hollowed-out thick toast filled with creamy seafood chowder — is iconic bites in all of Taiwan, and it costs around NT$80 (roughly S$3.30).

Beyond the food, Tainan's old city core is packed with Dutch-era forts, Japanese colonial shophouses converted into indie cafés, and laneway galleries that reward slow wandering. Anping Fort and Chihkan Tower are the headline heritage sites, but the real pleasure is getting lost in the backstreets of the Shennong Street area, where artisan shops and coffee roasters have moved into restored wooden buildings. Budget at least two full days here — one for temples and history, one entirely for eating.

Tainan locals say you need at least 10 visits to truly know the city's food scene. Most Singaporean travellers give it half a day. Don't be that tourist.

Jiufen, Kaohsiung, Hualien and More: A City-by-City Breakdown

Taiwan's diversity is genuinely staggering for such a compact island. Each city has a distinct personality, and the high-speed rail (HSR) makes it easy to string several together in one trip. Here's a quick-reference breakdown of the cities worth your time:

1. Jiufen: The hillside village that inspired Studio Ghibli's aesthetic (the Spirited Away comparisons are slightly overstated but the lantern-lit teahouses are undeniably magical). Go for taro balls and red bean tang yuan at A-Zhu Taro Ball Shop. Best visited on a weekday to avoid weekend crowds.
2. Kaohsiung: Taiwan's second city has a harbour waterfront, the extraordinary Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, and a night market scene that rivals Taipei. The Pier-2 Art Centre is a converted warehouse district worth half a day. Try the local specialty — miso grouper soup at the Liuhe Night Market.
3. Hualien: Gateway to Taroko Gorge, dramatic landscapes in all of Asia. The marble canyon walls drop sheer into a turquoise river — it's the kind of scenery that makes you feel small in the best possible way. Hualien's own food scene centres on scallion pancakes and indigenous-influenced mountain cuisine.
4. Taichung: Home to the Rainbow Village street art installation and the National Taichung Theater — a Toyo Ito-designed architectural marvel that looks like it arrived from another dimension. The Fengjia Night Market here is the largest in Taiwan by vendor count.
5. Kenting: Taiwan's southern beach resort town, popular with locals for surfing and seafood barbecue. Less polished than Bali but genuinely fun for a long weekend with friends.

The HSR connects Taipei to Kaohsiung in under 90 minutes, making multi-city itineraries surprisingly easy to execute even on a five-day trip. A day pass costs around NT$2,500 (S$104) and covers unlimited rides — excellent value if you're hopping between three or four cities.

What to Eat in Taiwan: The Non-Negotiable Food List

Taiwan's food culture runs on obsessive regional pride and generational recipes. Every city has its own version of familiar dishes, and locals will passionately argue about whose is best. For Singaporeans already fluent in hawker culture, Taiwan's street food scene feels like a natural extension — familiar enough to be comforting, different enough to be exciting. Budget NT$500 to NT$800 per day (S$21 to S$33) and you can eat extraordinarily well from street stalls and local restaurants alone.

• Beef noodle soup: The national dish. Order the braised version (紅燒) for a rich, spiced broth — Yong Kang Beef Noodle in Taipei is the benchmark at around NT$280 per bowl.
• Scallion pancakes (蔥抓餅): Flaky, chewy, layered — best eaten fresh off the griddle with a fried egg folded in. NT$40-60 from street carts.
• Oyster vermicelli (蚵仔麵線): A thick, slightly gelatinous noodle soup loaded with oysters and pig intestine. A Tainan and Taipei staple, NT$50-70 per bowl.
• Bubble tea (珍珠奶茶): Yes, it was invented here in Taichung in the 1980s. Spring Onion Milk Tea at Chun Shui Tang, the original shop, is NT$130 and absolutely worth the queue.
• Pineapple cake (鳳梨酥): The definitive souvenir. Sunny Hills and Chia Te are the two brands Singaporeans fight over — buy both and decide for yourself.

Planning Your Taiwan Trip from Singapore: Practical Tips

Singapore Airlines, Scoot, and China Airlines all fly direct from Changi to Taoyuan International Airport. Scoot fares can drop as low as S$120 one-way during sales, making Taiwan affordable long-weekend destinations from Singapore. The best times to visit are October to December for cool, dry weather, or March to May before the summer humidity peaks. Avoid Golden Week in early October and Chinese New Year — hotel prices triple and the major night markets become genuinely unpleasant.

For accommodation, Taipei's Zhongshan and Da'an districts offer the best balance of access and atmosphere. In Tainan, stay near the Anping or West Central District for walkability to the key food streets. EasyCard (悠遊卡) is the equivalent of Singapore's EZ-Link — top it up at any 7-Eleven and use it on the MRT, buses, and even some convenience store purchases. Taiwan's 7-Elevens and FamilyMarts are also genuinely worth visiting for hot food, onigiri, and cold brew coffee at NT$35 a cup.

Chun Shui Tang (Spring Onion Milk Tea — Original Bubble Tea)

📍 No. 30, Simen Road Section 4, Xitun District, Taichung, Taiwan

⏰ Daily 10am–10pm

🗺 View on Google Maps

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do you need to see the best things to do in Taiwan?

A minimum of seven days lets you cover Taipei, Tainan, and one additional city like Hualien or Kaohsiung comfortably. Ten days is the sweet spot for a proper multi-city trip that includes Taroko Gorge and the south.

Is Taiwan easy to travel around without speaking Mandarin?

Yes. Major train stations, HSR terminals, and tourist areas have English signage. Google Maps works reliably throughout the island, and younger Taiwanese in cities are generally comfortable with basic English. A translation app helps in smaller towns and at traditional night market stalls.

What is the best time of year for Singaporeans to visit Taiwan?

October to December offers the most comfortable weather — cooler temperatures, lower humidity, and fewer typhoons. Spring (March to May) is also excellent. Summer months bring heat, humidity, and typhoon risk, though it's still a popular travel window.

Is Taiwan more expensive than other Southeast Asian destinations?

Taiwan sits between Thailand and Japan in terms of cost. Street food is extremely affordable (S$2-5 per dish), but mid-range hotels in Taipei can cost S$120-200 per night. Overall, a well-planned trip costs less than equivalent days in Tokyo or Seoul.