Taiwan
Taiwan Province, referred to as "Taiwan", is a provincial-level administrative region of the People's Republic of China. Its capital is Taipei. It is located on the continental shelf off the southeast coast of China, bordering the Pacific Ocean to the east, facing Fujian Province across the Taiwan Strait to the west, the East China Sea to the north, and the Philippine Islands across the Bashi Strait to the south. Taiwan Province consists of China's largest island, Taiwan Island, and its affiliated islands such as Lanyu, Green Island, Diaoyu Island, and the Penghu Islands, spanning the temperate and tropical zones. The population is about 23.41 million, with more than 70% concentrated in the five major metropolitan areas in the west, of which the Taipei metropolitan area is the largest. The administrative divisions of Taiwan Province include: 6 "municipalities" of the Taiwan authorities: Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Taichung City, Tainan City, and Kaohsiung City, 3 cities: Keelung City, Hsinchu City, and Chiayi City, and 11 counties: Hsinchu County, Miaoli County, Changhua County, Nantou County, Yunlin County, Chiayi County, Pingtung County, Taitung County, Hualien County, Yilan County, and Penghu County. Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. The compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits share the same roots, culture and ethnicity. During the Three Kingdoms period and the Sui Dynasty, more than 10,000 people were sent to Taiwan. Since the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, a large number of residents from southern Fujian and eastern Guangdong have migrated to Taiwan, eventually forming a society dominated by the Han nationality. The main ethnic minority, the Gaoshan people, share the same origin with the Zhuang-Dong people in southern China. Successive Chinese governments have exercised jurisdiction over Taiwan. The Taiwan region of China refers to the Taiwan Province under the control of the Taiwan authorities (including the main island of Taiwan and its affiliated islands such as Lanyu, Green Island, Diaoyu Island and the Penghu Islands), as well as the islands of Kinmen, Matsu and Wuqiu in Fujian Province, with a total land area of 36,000 square kilometers.
One-Day Taiwan Tour Itinerary Recommendations
Theme:
Island Charm + Food Paradise + Cultural Stroll
Suitable for:
Urban escapes in Taipei/Taichung/Kaohsiung, flexible with MRT + HSR/YouBike
Practical Tips
Transport Card:
EasyCard works on Taipei/Taichung/Kaohsiung transit (buy at convenience stores)
Ticket Prices:
Palace Museum NT$350 | Taipei 101 NT$600 | British Consulate NT$99
Must-Try Foods:
Taipei: Ah Zong noodles, pepper cakes
Taichung: Sun cakes, hemp leaf soup
Kaohsiung: Dan Dan Burger, sugar rice cakes
Optimization Tips:
Short Taipei trip? Skip CKS Hall for Songshan Cultural Park
Taichung combo: Audit Village (hipster shops)
Kaohsiung alternative: Love River night cruise
(Note: Taipei→Taichung high-speed rail 1hr | Taichung→Kaohsiung high-speed rail 45mins)
Option 1:
Taipei Must-See Highlights
Best for:
First-time visitors, food & culture lovers
Transport:
Taipei MRT + walking
08:00-10:00 Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Hourly guard-changing ceremony | Symmetrical architecture photography
10:30-12:30 National Palace Museum
Must-see: Jadeite Cabbage + Meat-shaped Stone | AR guide recommended (closed Mondays)
12:30-14:00 Yongkang Street Lunch
Din Tai Fung xiaolongbao + Smoothie House mango shaved ice (summer only)
14:30-17:00 Ximending + Longshan Temple
Trendy souvenir hunting | Pray for love at Mengjia's Matchmaker God
18:00 Taipei 101 Observatory
City views from 89F | Experience world's fastest elevator
Option 2:
Taichung Artsy Vibes
Best for:
Instagrammers, couples/families
Transport:
Taichung bus + YouBike
09:00-11:00 Rainbow Village
Grandpa Rainbow's hand-painted murals | Creative photo ops
11:30-13:00 Miyahara Ice Cream
Luxury ice cream in colonial building | Buy pineapple cakes
13:30-16:00 Gaomei Wetlands
Sunset windmill silhouettes | Check tide timetable
16:30-18:30 Fengjia Night Market
Sausage wrapped in sticky rice + Minglun egg crepes | Try giant gachapon
Option 3:
Kaohsiung Harbor Tour
Best for:
Maritime lovers, history buffs
Transport:
Kaohsiung MRT + light rail
08:30-10:30 British Consulate at Takao
Red-brick colonial views | Qing Dynasty port history
11:00-13:00 Pier-2 Art Center
Warehouse-turned-art zone | Giant Transformers + railway park
13:30-15:00 Cijin Seafood Lunch
Wan San Restaurant (NT$100 stir-fry + grilled squid)
15:30-18:00 Sizihwan + NSYSU
Ferry to Cijin | Lighthouse sunset
18:30 Ruifeng Night Market
Angel fried chicken + papaya milk | Local Taiwanese vibe