Kenting would be my top pick if I can ride a bike and the waves
I love Taiwan, it's easy to see how much. I've been there twice for almost 30 days. It's safe, easy to get around, has the mountains, the seas, the hotsprings, the food, and all the perks of modern living. By virtue of its geographical location on the Pacific Ring of Fire at the edge of the Philippine Sea Plate, it is susceptible to earthquakes, but this also results in seismic activity that give rise to the many geographical features of the island.
I would recommend it as a good place of travel for any solo female traveler, though it will be much, much easier for you if you can speak Mandarin (and Hokkien) and read Chinese characters. The winters can be quite cold if you are ill-prepared, but much better than the hot summers or wet monsoons. Taiwan was under Japanese rule for some time, so some traces linger - such as the giant department stores, the service and the love for hotsprings.
My personal top picks (there are many, many factors involved in deciding on these, the company and the unique experiences, which you might not be able to replicate, make a big difference):
- Near Taipei: Jiufen 1, Jiufen 2 (which inspired Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away), Houtong 1, Houtong 2, Houtong 3 (only if you like cats)
- Hualien's Taroko Gorge (see the engineering feats of Nature and Man)
- Kaoshiung's Rueifang Night Market (because it has food, shopping and carnival games)
- In Taipei, Beitou Public Hotsprings (or Wulai's Free Hotspring) (I like mingling with locals and at a good price)
- Taichung's Alishan 1, 2, 3, 4 (see the engineering feats of Nature and Man)
My December 2011 is fully complete and compiled below. (My writing and photography style is constantly changing.) I will start on my June 2013 trip soon and will update the links when I do.
Click link and pictures to link to the posts.
December 2011
6 December 2011_cool_Taipei
Taiwan Day 1 - Taipei, Day 1:
Taipei (Longshan Temple, Huasi Tourist Night Market, Ximending)
Taipei (Longshan Temple, Huasi Tourist Night Market, Ximending)
7 December 2011_cool_Hualien
Taiwan Day 2 - Hualien, Day 1:
8 December 2011_cool_Hualien
Taiwan Day 3 - Hualien, Day 2:
9 December 2011_cold_Jiufen
Taiwan Day 4 - Jiufen:
10-11 December 2011_cool_Taipei
Taiwan Day 5 - Taipei, Day 2:
12 December 2011_cool
-
13 December 2011_cool_Puli
Taiwan Day 7 - Puli, Day 1:
14 December 2011_cool_Nantou
Taiwan Day 8 - Puli, Day 2:
15 December 2011_cool_Kaoshiung
Taiwan Day 9 - Kaoshiung, Day 1:
16 December 2011_cool_Kaoshiung
Kaoshiung, Taiwan - Cijin Island
Kaoshiung, Taiwan - Rueifang Night Market
Taiwan Day 10 - Kaoshiung, Day 2:
17 December 2011_cool_Hengchun
19/20 December 2011_cool
cheap and long train ride
21 December 2011_cool_Taipei
Taiwan Day 13 - Taipei, Day 3:
22 December 2011_cool_Taipei
Taiwan Day 14 - Taipei, Day 4:
23 December 2011_cold_Taipei
Taiwan Day 15 - Taipei, Day 5:
Yangmingshan *Same post as Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall
Beitou Hotsprings*Same post as Wulai
24 December 2011_cool
Taiwan Day 16 - Taipei, Day 6:
June 2013
14 June 2013_hot
Taipei
Taiwan Day 1 - Taipei, Day 1:
Ximending
15 June 2013_hot
Taipei, Taiwan: Along the Pingxi Line - 7 Reasons to Visit Houtong
Taipei, Taiwan: Along the Pingxi Line - The Sleeping Cats of Houtong
Taipei, Taiwan: Along the Pingxi Line - Jingtong
Taipei, Taiwan: Along the Pingxi Line - Pingxi
Taiwan Day 2 - Pingxi Line Daytrip:
Huashan Market (for Fu Hang Dou Jiang 阜杭豆漿)
Back to Taipei
Shilin Night Market
16 June 2013_cool
Cingjing Farm by bus
17 June 2013_hot
Taiwan Day 4 - Taichung:
18 June 2013_cold
Alishan
Taiwan Day 5 - Alishan, Day 1:
19 June 2013_cool and hot
Taiwan Day 6 - Alishan, Day 2, Kaoshiung, Day 1:
Dream Mall
Ruohe Night Market
20 June_hot
Taiwan Day 7 - Kaoshiung, Day 2:
Rueifang Night Market
21 June_hot
Taiwan Day 8 - Taipei, Day 2:
22 June_hot
Taiwan Day 9 - Taipei, Day 3:
*Food and Shopping not included
I hope this guide is useful for you when planning your trip and you'd enjoy Taiwan as much as I did.
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