With their street-art-style murals, contemporary furniture and creative crowds, Taiwan’s hostels set the bar
for budget digs. Indeed, when you’re making new friends over happy hour beers and paying just NT$1,000
(£25) per night for a private double room, you’ll wonder why you ever swapped hostels for hotels. Lazy
House Hostel in Hualien and NK Hostel in Taipei are particularly high quality.
The beaches are beautiful
With its big waves and long golden shores, the east coast is wonderfully wild: catnip for surfers, but a
slightly daunting prospect for paddlers. Instead, venture south to Kenting National Park, for secluded soft-
sand beaches and coves the colour of swimming pools. Highlights include Baisha Beach (for tranquil water
and handy facilities) and Little Bali Bay (for snorkelling).
In the island’s oft-overlooked north, head to Baishawan or Fulong: up here, the sand is the colour and
texture of demerara sugar. Both are an easy drive from Taipei, and Fulong hosts the annual International
Sand Sculpting Art Festival (April-August) – where you’ll spy some seriously impressive sandcastles.
You’ve definitely underestimated Taipei
Yes, it’s one of Asia’s top financial hubs, but there’s much more to Taipei than banks and office blocks. This
minded city is stuffed with art galleries, cool bars, dumpling stalls and street markets. Check out Four Four
South Village Simple Market (Songqin Street) for vintage threads and hand-made jewellery; and The Red
House (Chengdu Road) for contemporary art prints and craft beer.
To get your bearings, head to Taipei 101’s observation deck: until 2010, this ornate glass ’scraper was the
world’s tallest building. You can gaze out across downtown Taipei and over to the mountains beyond – but,
for the best city views, you’ll need to lace up your trainers instead. From the summit of Elephant Mountain,
a 40-minute hike from Xiangshan metro station, Taipei’s bright centre unfurls at your feet. Come here at
sunset to see the towers twinkling beneath the blushing sky.
It’s easy to get around
Modelled on Japan’s Shinkansen “Bullet” trains, Taiwan’s high-speed rail network can whisk you from
Taipei to Kaohsiung (almost the entire length of the country) in just 1 hour 45 minutes – all for around
NT$1,490 (£37). The “regular” train network is great too, serving all the big cities as well as further-flung
towns.
Getting around by scooter is cheap and popular (Taiwan drives on the right) – but the roads are often hectic
and traffic etiquette is non-existent. If you do try it, make sure you’re covered by insurance. A safer bet is
hiring a car, though you’ll need an International Driving Permit from the UK Post Office.
Taipei has more to it than meets the eye
(Getty/iStock)It’s hard to blow your budget