Language · 11 published
Country guide
Taiwan is 394 km long and 144 km wide, and mountains take the eastern two-thirds of it — more than two hundred peaks above 3,000 m, the highest of them Yushan at 3,952 m. The 23,299,132 people counted in December 2025 are pressed into the western third, which is where the railway runs and where every city a visitor is likely to open sits: Taipei with New Taipei and Keelung at the north end, then Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung down the plain. The east coast is the other trip entirely, reached by crossing the ranges rather than skirting them.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Heeheemalu · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
8 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
艋舺龍山寺
Lungshan Temple, known locally as 艋舺龍山寺, is a historic Buddhist temple in Taipei's Wanhua District. Founded in 1738 by settlers from Fujian, it stands as one of Taiwan's oldest and most significant religious sites.
指南宮
Zhinan Temple, known locally as 指南宮, stands as a significant religious site in Taipei's Wenshan District. Perched on the slopes of Zhinan Mountain, this Taoist temple complex serves as an important center of worship and pilgrimage.
關渡宮
Guandu Temple, known locally as 關渡宮, is an active place of worship in Taipei devoted to Mazu, the sea goddess.
大龍峒保安宮
Dalongdong Baoan Temple, also known as 大龍峒保安宮, is an active religious and cultural landmark in Taipei’s Dalongdong district. It is a place for worship as well as a meaningful stop for travelers interested in Taipei’s local traditions.
行天宮
Xingtian Temple, or 行天宮, is a prominent Taipei place of worship dedicated to Guan Yu, associated with war and righteousness in Chinese folk religion. It is an active religious site rather than a museum or staged attraction.
松山慈祐宮
Songshan Ciyou Temple, known locally as 松山慈祐宮, is an important religious site in Taipei’s Songshan district. Dedicated to Mazu, the sea goddess widely venerated in Taiwan, it offers travelers a close view of living temple culture within the urban cityscape.
臺北清真寺
Taipei Grand Mosque is Taipei's principal Islamic house of worship and a significant cultural landmark in Taiwan's capital. Established to serve the Muslim community, it represents one of the most important Islamic institutions in the country.
艋舺青山宮
Qingshan Temple, known locally as 艋舺青山宮, is a historic place of worship in Taipei’s Wanhua district. The temple honours the Qingshan King, a deity traditionally associated with protection from plague and illness.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
Seven to ten days can combine three or four days in Taipei with Tainan, Taichung or Kaohsiung on the western rail corridor. The east coast, central mountains and offshore islands require slower connections and should replace, rather than merely extend, that compact route.
Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency provides the current entry and online-arrival requirements. Check passport eligibility and permitted duration there, with consular guidance where relevant; do not assume a transit permission or previous visa exemption covers a different journey.
Taoyuan Airport connects to Taipei by airport metro, and high-speed rail makes western cities straightforward to combine. Conventional rail and buses reach the east and smaller places, but mountain roads take longer and are more vulnerable to weather disruption.
Spring and autumn often suit city and rail travel, while summer brings heat, heavy rain and typhoon risk. Mountain conditions can diverge sharply from Taipei or Kaohsiung, so check the Central Weather Administration outlook for the specific route.
New Taiwan dollar is the recorded currency. Transit stations and urban shops increasingly support electronic payment, yet night markets and small regional businesses may prefer cash; withdraw TWD through recognised banking channels and verify any foreign-card fee.
Use 110 for police and 119 for fire or ambulance; Taiwan uses Type A and B sockets at 110 V. Tap-water guidance is Not recorded here, and typhoon or earthquake instructions should be taken from official alerts rather than social-media summaries.
