Things to Do in Taiwan: City Guides & Audio Tours

Taiwan is an island country in East Asia, known for the contrast between dense western cities and dramatic mountains in the east. The best things to do in Taiwan include exploring historic temples and museums, experiencing lively urban culture, and discovering how the island’s indigenous, Chinese and Japanese influences have shaped its identity. Neywo offers free audio guides for 7 cities in Taiwan, with 643 narrated places in total and 25 walking tours.

What to see and do in Taiwan

Taiwan’s main island was once widely known as Formosa, meaning “beautiful island”. Portuguese sailors placed the name on maps in 1542. Its geography explains much about the country: mountains dominate the east, while broad plains and most of the highly urbanized population are concentrated in the west.

The island is bordered by the East China Sea to the north, the Philippine Sea to the east and the Luzon Strait to the south. It lies on the Tropic of Cancer and has a generally marine tropical climate. The north and center are subtropical, the south is tropical, and the mountains are temperate. The rainy season begins with the East Asian monsoon in May and June, followed by hot, humid weather through September.

Taipei

The largest metropolitan area is around Taipei, New Taipei City and Keelung. Taipei is a useful starting point for understanding Taiwan’s modern urban life, history and political transformation. Neywo’s guide to Taipei includes 251 narrated places, among them the Evergreen Maritime Museum, Kishu An, the Museum of Archives and the South Gate of Taipei City.

Keelung

Keelung lies in the island’s northern metropolitan area and offers a different perspective on Taiwan’s relationship with the sea and its military past. Its narrated places include the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, Kiirun Shrine, the Khóo Tsú-song old house and the Shihciouling Gun Emplacement. Explore the city with the audio guide to Keelung.

Taichung

On Taiwan’s western plains, Taichung combines religious heritage, industrial history and contemporary city life. Its 100 narrated places include the Zhang Family Ancestral Shrine, Dajia Jenn Lann Temple, the Taichung city sugar factory and Fengjia Night Market. The city’s selection makes it possible to move between older traditions, former industry and one of the city’s best-known evening destinations. See the guide to Taichung.

Tainan

Tainan offers some of Taiwan’s richest historical and religious heritage. The city has 155 narrated places, including Kaiji Tianhou Temple, Khai-liông Temple and Chen De-Jiu Family Hall. Its sites reflect the long sequence of migrations, rulers and political changes that shaped Taiwan, from early colonial periods to later Chinese and Japanese influence. The Tainan audio guide helps put those places into context as you walk.

Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung is one of southern Taiwan’s major urban centers. Its narrated places range from religious architecture to museums and civic landmarks. Among the 94 places covered by Neywo are Fongshan Longshan Temple, Shoyoen (Kaohsiung), Holy Rosary Cathedral and Kaohsiung Vision Museum. Discover the city with the guide to Kaohsiung.

Hualien

Hualien is a gateway to the contrast between Taiwan’s urbanized west and its mountainous east. The city guide covers 11 narrated places, including 美崙溪畔日式宿舍, 台灣聖公會花蓮聖路加堂, Cathedral of Our Lady Help of Christians, Hualien City, Hualien County. The selection also reflects the Japanese influence visible in parts of Taiwan’s built heritage. Visit Hualien with Neywo.

Taitung

Taitung provides another perspective on eastern Taiwan and its cultural layers. The guide includes 10 narrated places, such as Taitung Tianhou Temple, Haishan Temple, the National Museum of Prehistory and Moving Castle. The National Museum of Prehistory is especially connected to the island’s much older human history: people have lived in Taiwan for tens of thousands of years, while the ancestors of its indigenous peoples arrived later. Explore Taitung.

Taiwan’s history and culture

Taiwan’s modern story includes successive migrations and changes of rule. Large-scale Han Chinese immigration began in the 17th century under Dutch colonial rule and continued under the Kingdom of Tungning, the first predominantly Han Chinese state in Taiwan’s history. The Qing dynasty later annexed Taiwan. After the First Sino-Japanese War, Taiwan and the Penghu archipelago were ceded to Japan, whose rule lasted until the end of World War Two.

The Republic of China then assumed control. In 1949, after losing mainland China to the Communists in the Chinese Civil War, its government moved to Taiwan. For decades, the island lived under martial law. This period included the White Terror, when people were imprisoned or executed for being seen as anti-Kuomintang or pro-Communist. Democratization in the late twentieth century led to a multi-party democracy and democratically elected presidents.

Taiwan’s culture combines majority traditional Chinese culture with indigenous traditions and Japanese influence, alongside Confucian beliefs and increasingly Western values. Mandarin is the main language of business and education and is spoken by the vast majority of the population. The Constitution protects freedom of religion and religious practice, while education has a particularly important place in society.

For evening entertainment, karaoke is especially popular and is known in Taiwan as KTV. Groups rent private rooms or ballrooms, sometimes in businesses that partner with restaurants and buffets. Baseball is commonly regarded as Taiwan’s national sport and is a popular spectator activity.

Taiwan is also a developed, export-driven economy. Rapid industrialization from the early 1960s became known as the Taiwan Miracle. Technology-intensive work, science parks, electronics, machinery, steel and chemicals are important parts of the economy, while small and medium-sized enterprises play a central role. Scooters are widely used, and railways and highways are concentrated near the coasts, where most people live. Rail services circle the island, and high-speed trains run along the west coast.

Explore Taiwan with Neywo’s free audio guides

Download Neywo to explore Taiwan independently. The app covers 7 cities, with 643 narrated places and 25 walking tours in total. Each story plays as you reach the place, at your own pace: no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages, so you can discover the history and character of Taiwan while walking through its cities.