Nowhere is this more evident than in Taipei, the nation’s capital and largest city, located in the north. Experience Taipei’s cultural renaissance on Chifeng Street, where hip cafés, vintage clothing stores, and art galleries now inhabit the area formerly known for selling automotive parts and hardware. Another avenue worth strolling is Dihua Street in Dadaocheng, the cultural heart of one of Taipei’s oldest districts, where traditional Chinese medicine shops stand alongside antique purveyors, art studios, and upscale ceramic stores. Night markets are woven into the culture here, with more than 100 spread across the island (20+ of those in Taipei alone). One of Taipei’s largest and most famous is Shilin Night Market, where you can find countless food vendors, clothing merchants, street performers, and arcade games. For a food-focused market with a throw-back feel, visit Ningxia Night Market.

About a half-hour north by express train lies Taiwan’s oldest city and its cultural capital, Tainan. Ancient temples, historic buildings, and colonial architecture reflect the city’s history under various rulers, including the Dutch, the Qing Dynasty, and the Japanese. Tainan is best explored slowly and on foot. Along the way, the city’s abundance of cafés and dessert shops will keep you satiated. Stop to snap a photo at the Museum of Taiwan Literature, a beautiful Japanese colonial building constructed in 1916. On Shennong Street, duck into boutiques and browse the handmade crafts sold in the art village. The art deco details, cafeteria, and rooftop observation area—complete with a Shinto shrine and views—make Hayashi Department Store a worthwhile stop.

For those interested in Taiwan’s indigenous peoples, there is much to learn about the island’s 16 recognized indigenous tribes. A good place to start is the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines in Taipei. You can also see indigenous paintings and art installations at the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, or listen to poetry readings at Tainan’s Museum of Taiwan Literature. Tjuvecekadan Village offers an opportunity to experience indigenous culture firsthand, where guests can learn about the traditions, crafts, and history of Taiwan’s aboriginal people in a village setting.

In Taipei’s Dadaocheng district, Xia Hai City God Temple is famous for its 600 deities and holds the highest statue density in Taiwan. Built in the 1800s, it has been maintained by a single family through the generations. Another notable site, the UNESCO-listed Bao’an Temple, dates to 1742 and was erected to honor the god of medicine. Its dragon pillars, intricate wood carvings, and murals serve as a backdrop for annual spring festivals and traditional performances. Longshan Temple, established by settlers from China in 1738, incorporates elements of Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese folk religions.

In Tainan, turn bad fortune into good at the Altar of Heaven, dedicated to the supreme Taoist deity, the Jade Emperor. See the red walls of Taiwan’s first Confucius Temple, originally built in 1666. On Shennong Street, temple hopping takes you between the Wind God Temple, the Water Fairy Temple, and the King of Medicine Temple.

Though sometimes overshadowed by the country’s bustling cities and mountainous landscapes, Taiwan’s beaches are well worth a visit. In Kaohsiung, take a ferry to reach Cijin Island, where you can relax on the sandy shores (located just a few minutes’ walk from the ferry terminal), visit the 17th-century Cijin Tianhou Temple, explore the Cihou Fort and lighthouse, and grab a bite on Hǎichǎn Jiē, a frenetic street with cheap seafood. From Taipei, you can take a day trip to Fulong Beach where there’s soft golden sand, an annual sand sculpture festival, and excellent swimming and surfing.

If you fancy a soak over a swim, Beitou, a short trip from Taipei, has a series of natural hot springs nestled in the hills veiled in sulfur mist. Guanziling Hot Springs in the country’s south is unique for its “mud springs”, with mineral-rich, gray-colored water believed to benefit the skin. Lushan Hot Springs in central Taiwan offers a remote and rustic retreat.

The tea fields and trails of Alishan are another peaceful retreat, explorable on foot or via the scenic Alishan Forest Railway. For those seeking an adrenaline rush, the East Rift Valley’s biking routes offer unforgettable scenery, while the Pacific Coastline between Yilan and Hualien provides breathtaking coastal views for cyclists and road-trippers alike.

Some of Taiwan’s most iconic hikes are in Taroko Gorge, where misty cliffs, lush greenery, and waterfalls cascading down rock faces create an almost mythical landscape. The Swallow Grotto Trail offers dramatic views without much hiking experience necessary, while the challenging Zhuilu Old Trail leads you high above the canyon floor, offering dizzying and exhilarating perspectives.

For a beautiful hike with a side of history, trek the Jinshueiying National Trail, a path winding through verdant mountain landscapes that dates back to Taiwan's Japanese occupation in the early 20th century. Nearby, the Alangyi Historic Trail—a centuries-old route originally used by Taiwan’s indigenous Paiwan and Amis tribes—traverses coastal cliffs and sandy beaches, offering hikers a firsthand encounter with the island’s biodiversity and cultural heritage.

Some of these flavors have made their way into American diets. Most famously: bubble tea (or boba), a drink, at its most basic, consisting of black tea, milk, sweetener, ice, and springy tapioca pearls. Created here in the 1980s, bubble tea has since spread worldwide with endless topping and flavor variations.

Beef noodle soup, with its slow-braised beef and noodles swimming in a hearty stock and topped with pickled mustard greens, is considered the national dish of Taiwan. Other honorable mentions include gua bao (the Taiwanese hamburger with pork belly), hot pot (a communal dining experience where diners dip and cook raw ingredients in a simmering broth at the table), and scallion pancakes (flaky, savory flatbreads often found at street stalls).

While Taiwan’s tea tradition spans centuries, with tea cultivation beginning in the 1800s after plants were imported from China, the country has recently earned the title of "Asia's Coffee Mecca,” gaining international acclaim for its high quality beans, with flavors that range from nutty to tea-like. Today, it's not unusual to find small third-wave cafés roasting their own beans in the hip enclaves of Taipei.

Tea remains deeply rooted in Taiwanese culture, and visitors can experience this firsthand by visiting a tea farm, like Hugosum Tea Garden. Here, you can immerse yourself in the tea-making process, from hand-picking to tasting, gaining insight into Taiwan’s time-honored tea traditions. It’s also a perfect spot to grab a souvenir for a friend or yourself.