For you expats or foreigners who have never left Taipei, Changhua is a large mostly rural county in central Taiwan. For years I myself never visited, because I didn't know what was there and had no reason to go. It turns out there are quite a few attractions here in this secret paradise.
Below I will list some of the best places in Changhua that I have visited. I will be sure to update this blog as I visit more places later. Historical Background: Before Han settlement, Changhua was inhabited by native peoples. During the Dutch era in Taiwan, a well was made to tap into the Zhuokou River water table. The Red Hair Well was made around 1611 by Dutch colonizers and was often used by Dutch soldiers and missionaries, During the Qing Dynasty, the city of Lukang became an important trading port, because of the depth of the water and the fact that it was closer to Fujian province than other cities in Taiwan. The main product shipped to Fujian was rice. In the 1800s, Lukang was Taiwan's second largest city, with as many as 20,000 residents, even more than Banka (modern day Taipei) and second only to Tainan. Later on, the port began to silt in, and the railroad bypassed the city, meaning that economic activity here went downhill. However because the city has changed so little in the past 200 years, it has become a cultural relic preserved from the past. The city also has over 200 temples. After the railroad was moved to Changhua City, it became the most important economic region in the county. Despite being the smallest county in Taiwan by area, Changhua County is the most populous county in Taiwan. It is often described as being part of the Taichung-Changhua metropolitan area. How to get around in Changhua? As always, we recommend renting a scooter as the best way to see Taiwan. However, you can also a great deal of Changhua by taking the train, inter-city bus, or local bus. Getting around in a car is also a convenient option as there is plenty of parking pretty much everywhere in this less crowded county. By Scooter: Looking for scooter rental in Changhua? Check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. By Car: If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bus/Train: You can book tickets to travel to Changhua via inter-city bus on Klook here. You can book tickets to Changhua via high speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. Accommodation: We have stayed at and recommend Guide Hotel Changhua Jhongjheng, which is one of our favorite hotels in all of Taiwan, with great quality and service right in downtown Changhua. (book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Hotels.com here, Expedia here, or Trip.com here) Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the islands. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Gigago here. Need travel insurance? Compare prices on Insubuy here. Tours: Tours and activities in Changhua include Magical Mushrooms Leisure Farm, Cheng Mei Cultural Park, Changhua Love Farm, Gushengwu Paleontology Park, Taiwan You Good School of Cookie, Baiguoshan Amusement Park, Yunhe Starry Sky View Restaruant , Tianzhong, Yakuta Experience , Qingshui Hot Spring Glamping, Fruit Picking , Tonight Star Leisure Farm, Tianweiwang Scenic Spot, and more. You can find more tours of Changhua on Klook here or KKday here. Just to let you know, if you book using the links above, we get some commission at no cost to you, and you can help support our blog. You can click here to receive $5 USD on your first Klook purchase. Map: You can see a map of all the places that we will visit in this blog below: Places/things we will cover in this blog:
Let's get started! Baguashan 八卦山 
Baguanshan is perhaps the most famous religious site in Changhua, and has the best views of the city and the surrounding area. It is also known for its large buddha statue and viewing platform. There are also hiking trails and historical sights nearby. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Changhua...(read more)
For a full view of the area, see our drone video above.
Looking for scooter rental in Changhua? Click here or here to search for options. Red Hair Well 八卦山紅毛井 
Baguashan Red Hair Well is one of the few surviving wells from the Dutch rule of Taiwan. It was an important place to get fresh water in the region and was used as a communal washing area for many local residents. Now it stands as a cultural heritage site for the citizens of Changhua...(read more)
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search here. Fountain of Youth 不老泉 
Also near Baguashan, a water treatment facility was built by the Japanese in 1907 is known as the Fountain of Youth. It is only open on weekdays from 8AM - 5PM.
Changhua Confucius Temple 彰化孔子廟 
Changhua's Confucius Temple is one of the oldest Confucius Temples in Taiwan and one of the first Academies in Taiwan, dating back nearly 300 years ago. Today it is an important place for Confucian learning and a popular tourist attraction in Changhua...(read more)
You can book tickets to travel to Changhua via inter-city bus on Klook here. Changhua Roundhouse 彰化扇形車庫 
The Changhua Roundhouse is perhaps the last of its kind in Asia. It was originally made to turn steam locomotives around that could not reverse and repair/service them in the fan-shaped building. It is still in operation and is open to the public to visit for free...(read more)
Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here. Changhua TRA Dormitory Village 彰化台鐵宿舍村 
The Changhua TRA Dormitory Village is an abandoned village near Changhua Station that was used as housing for TRA employees and their families until 2004. It was originally set for demolition, but this did not happen due to local backlash. It still stands today abandoned, waiting to be renovated someday. It is the best preserved TRA dormitory area in Taiwan...(read more)
You can book tickets to Changhua via high speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here. Changhua Anti-Aircraft Gun Towers 彰化防空古砲台 
The Anti Aircraft towers in Fanpo/Waipu Villages of Fuxing Township, Changhua County have stood the test of time to tell a tale of an earlier era when the Japanese were trying to ward off American air raid attacks in Taiwan. Quite a few towers still exist in what is now farmland in rural Changhua county, free for all passersby to see...(read more)
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the islands. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. The Old Walled City of Changua 彰化舊城 
The walled city of Changhua was the first walled city in Taiwan to be built from brick. It was completed in 1734 and had four city gates. All of the original gates and walls have been destroyed. Currently there are four temples near where the four gates once stood, one for the north, south, east, and west. Pictured above is the South Gate Fude Temple, which has a small replica of the south gate in front of it.
You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Gigago here. 
Another view of the south gate temple.
Papaya Milk 木瓜牛奶 
Papaya milk is a popular local drink in Changhua, and there is a chain store here dedicated to this drink (see photo above).
Bawan/Rouyuan 肉圓 
Rouyuan is also a popular local delicacy here. It is usually pork wrapped in gelatinous rice and savory sauce.
Lukang Old Street 鹿港老街 
Lukang Old Street is one of the biggest and best old streets in Taiwan. Not only is it full of historical buildings, but it also has some of the most distinctive shopping and food choices. During the Dutch and Qing eras of Taiwan, it was the most populous city and most important trading port in central Taiwan. There are more historical buildings here than anywhere in Taiwan except Tainan. Now the area is a tourist shopping district, famous for traditional crafts and foods such as oyster omelets, shrimp balls, taro cakes, and meat buns...(read more)
Ice jelly is the specialty here.
Taro smoothie.
Famous taro cakes and other confections here.
You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Klook here or KKday here. Ershui Songbo Temple Trail 二水松柏廟步道 
The Songbo Temple Trail runs through the forest that goes from Ershui Village in Changhua County up the mountain to Songbo Temple in Nantou County. Along this trail one can spot lots of Formosan Macaques which are indigenous to Taiwan. If you come, you can enjoy a sure sighting of monkeys, but for your safety do not feed them or get close to them...(read more)
You can book a tour to Jiji and Nantou Sky Bridge on Klook here. Houtanjing Sky Bridge 猴探井天空之橋 
Houtanjing Sky Bridge (aka just Sky Bridge) is a tourist attraction near Nantou City, which features great views of Yuanlin and Changhua county. If you visit Nantou, this place should definitely be on your list...(read more)
You can book a tour to Jiji and Nantou Sky Bridge on Klook here. 
View of the Sunset over Yuanlin.
Places we missed:
You can find more tours of Changhua on Klook here or KKday here. You can check out our full guide to Nantou here. You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
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Author 作家We are US Expats that have extensive experience living, working, and travelling in Taiwan. In our day, we had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But we have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. Our blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. We are just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Archives 檔案
December 2023
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