Da'an Beach (aka Daan Beach) in Da'an District of Taichung City may be Taichung's best beach. Here you can find long stretches of sandy beach, a bike path, campground, free public swimming pools, as well as nearby resorts. Popular activities here also include kite flying and surfing. It is a great place to enjoy the coastline of central Taiwan. 

Background:
​Da'an Beach was opened for public recreation starting in 2013 for local residents to enjoy beach activities during the summer. The area includes a well-kept beach, foot washes, showers, swimming pools, a bike path, and a campground.
Swimming is banned in the ocean but is encouraged in the pools. However, surfing in the water is okay. 
The area is popular, especially during the summer months on weekends. 

​Hours:
From June to August: The swimming pool is open from 8 AM to 5 PM
From March to December: The Beach is open from 7 AM to 6 PM
​
Price:
Free entrance (including use of the public swimming pool)
Showers: 30 NT
​
Tours:
There are many tours of Taichung available on KKday here or Klook here, such as an Instagram Day Tour, Historic Downtown and Sun Cake DIY Experience, Taichung Railway Station Walking Tour, Local Market Biking Tour, Aboriginal Food Tour, and much more on KKday here or Klook here. 

Hotels in Taichung:
Most of the accommodation you will find is near the city center.  If you will only visit downtown, you can consider a day trip from Taipei.
We have stayed at and recommend the Norway Forest Travel Hotel, a convenient hotel right in front of Taichung Station (you can book on Booking.com here, Agoda here, or compare prices on Kayak here), and Sin Fu Business Hotel which is also a great value for the money and great quality in downtown Taichung (you can book on Agoda here or compare prices on Kayak here). 
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to get there:
By Bus: From Taichung station, you can take bus 79 to the night market. You can also book a Taichung sightseeing bus on KKday here. ​
By Car/ Scooter: From Central Taichung. take Taichung Avenue East and then turn right on Xitun Road, and later another right onto Wenhua Road and you will see the night market. There is limited scooter parking on the side of the road and some paid car parking nearby. Looking for scooter rental in Taichung? Check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options.
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 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 use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Market Biking Tour in Taichung on Klook here.  
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Map: Please see below:

Dajia Old Street (aka Shuntian Road Old Street) is a historic area in Taichung, including Qing-era and Japanese-era buildings, shops, and Jenn Lann Temple. It is known as one of the oldest settlements in the Taichung. The town is also home to the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage, the largest religious procession in Taiwan. Here you can also find food stalls and restaurants as well as Chinese medicine, clothing shops, and jewelry shops. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taichung.  

Background:
The area where Dajia Old Street stands was originally the land of the Taokas Aborigine Tribe, which was a Taiwan plains tribe that has some members that now live in Puli Township of Nantou. The first Chinese settlers came to this area in the late 1600s during the kingdom of Tungming, and created a settlement known as Dajia, near the Dajia River. During the 1700s, more settlers from Lukang came north and began to settle the land. Soon the area became filled with shops and became the center of commerce for the area and a transportation hub for goods. In the 1800s, a bamboo wall was built around the town creating a city enclosure. 
During the Opium Wars, a British ship called the Brig Ann ran aground nearby and the survivors were attacked by local militia who thought they had launched an amphibious assault, and falsely claimed that they had sunken enemy ships and defeated their army. 
The city of Dajia was also captured during the Daichaochun Incident (戴潮春事件), a rebel uprising during the Qing Dynasty, which was soon quelled by the Qing soldiers. 
During the Japanese invasion of Taiwan, nearby Da'an port was barraged by Japanese ships, but the local people quickly surrendered to the Japanese.
The old street also includes buildings from the Japanese Era with baroque facades. 
Today the old street is still a popular shopping area in Dajia with historical significance. 
The town is also home to the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage, the largest religious procession in Taiwan, which transports the sea goddess Mazu between Dajia and Xingang, Chiayi. 

​Hours:
24/7
​
Tours:
You can book a tour of Dajia Old Street on Klook here or KKday here. 

Hotels in Taichung:
Most of the accommodation you will find is near the city center.  If you will only visit downtown, you can consider a day trip from Taipei.
We have stayed at and recommend the Norway Forest Travel Hotel, a convenient hotel right in front of Taichung Station (you can book on Booking.com here or Agoda here), and Sin Fu Business Hotel which is also a great value for the money and great quality in downtown Taichung (you can book on Agoda here). 
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to get there:
By TRA: From Dajia TRA station, the old street is just a short walk away. You can also book a Taichung sightseeing bus on KKday here. ​
By Car/ Scooter: Take Provincial Highway 1 along the west coast until you reach Dajia The old street is in the center of town. 
​Looking for scooter rental in Taichung? Check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options.
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 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 use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Market Biking Tour in Taichung on Klook here.  
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Map: Please see below:

Guanghua Digital Plaza in Taipei is the Mecca for nerds and geeks looking for spare computer parts in Taiwan. The area around the plaza is also filled with countless other electronics stores. It is a one-stop shop for all your electronics needs. 

Background:
Guanghua Digital Plaza first started in 1973 under the old Guanghua Bridge which spanned the old railroad line in Taipei. During the time that Taipei's railroad was moved underground in 1992, Guanghua Digital Plaza also moved to an underground location on Bade Road, and then to a temporary building in 2006. on Civic Boulevard. By this time, many electronics shops had opened in the area. The main Guanghua Plaza building was completed in 2008, which has seven stories and over 196 vendors. Two other buildings were added to the plaza in 2018 and 2021, which added hotel rooms, offices, and restaurants. 
Currently, the area acts as a venue for the reveal of many new products from many big-name companies such as Acer, Asus, Microsoft, and Intel. 
This electronics market attracts thousands of visitors each day. 

Price:
Free

Hours:
​11 AM to 9 PM every day

Tours in Taipei:
There are many tour itineraries that you can enjoy in Taipei that will take you to multiple destinations and arrange transportation. For more information, you can check out KKday here or Klook here which are both great tour websites that can connect you with the right tour and tour guide for you. 

Activities in Taipei:
Indoor Skiing, Rock Climbing, Hiking, Wakeboarding, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Diving, Snorkeling Kayaking, Canoeing, Water Biking,  River Tracing / Canyoneering, ATVing, Horse Riding, Cooking Class, Archery, Ice Skating, Roller Skating, Tree Climbing, Urban Camping, Glamping, Motorcycling, Motorbike Tour, Dragon Boat Racing, Escape Room, Shen'ao Rail Bike, Laser Gun Experience, Batting Cages, Bowling, Paintball, Flight Simulation Experience, Taipei Tram Driving Experience, Rail Simulation Experience, Taipei 101 Observation Deck activity, Strawberry Picking, Professional Photo Shoot, Body Relaxation SPA, Night Tour, Calligraphy Workshop and more on Klook here or KKday here. ​

Hotels in Taipei:
We have stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here, Agoda here, or Kayak here). 
We have stayed at and also recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Agoda here, or Kayak here).
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to get there:
By MRT: Take the green line MRT to Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station and the market is just a short walk away. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. 
By Car/Scooter: From central Taipei, take Civic Blvd. until you reach the plaza. It is hard to miss. There is paid parking nearby. 
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.  
Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? Click here or here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide 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 use Taiwan's many Youbike bike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. ​
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Map:
Please see below:

In 2023, the fertility rate in Taiwan was estimated to be at 1.09 children per woman, making it the lowest fertility rate worldwide. This poses a serious threat to Taiwan’s future economic development.
 
Often Taiwan has been in the news for having one of the world’s lowest birth rates, maybe competing just behind Korea, Hong Kong, or Singapore. But have you ever wondered why?
I feel like I have never come across an adequate answer. I mean some superficial answers have been given, but I have never really heard something that has gotten to the bud of the issue in my opinion.
 
Put simply, the answer is Taiwanese culture, specifically traditional family expectations with a backdrop of increasingly economically independent women in an affluent society. I will discuss this in detail below, but first, let’s get the superficial reasons out of the way.

Nantun Old Street is a historic area in Taichung, including historic buildings, shops, and Wanhe Temple. It is known as the oldest settlement in the Taichung Basin. Here you can also find food stalls and restaurants as well as Chinese medicine, clothing shops, and jewelry shops. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taichung.  

Background:
The area where Nantun Old Street stands was originally the land of the Babuza Aborigine Tribe, which was a Taiwan plains tribe that has some members that now live in Puli Township of Nantou. The first Chinese settlers came to this area in 1684, and created a settlement known as Litoudian (犂頭店 literally plough shop) that sold mainly farming tools to local settlers. Soon the area became filled with shops and became the center of commerce for the area and a transportation hub for goods moving north and south. 
There is a tradition during every Dragon Boat Festival for local residents to wear clogs and stomp on the streets. This is because in the olden days, Pangolins would hide near houses and hibernate, but if they were woken up, they could help to till the earth and provide a good harvest for the local farmers. 
The old street also includes buildings from the Japanese Era with baroque facades. 
Like many other old streets in Taiwan, it became obsolete with the completion of Taiwan's railway system. 
Today the old street is still a popular shopping area in Nantun with historical significance. 

​Hours:
24/7
​
Tours:
You can book a tour of Nantun Old Street on Klook here. 

Hotels in Taichung:
Most of the accommodation you will find is near the city center.  If you will only visit downtown, you can consider a day trip from Taipei.
We have stayed at and recommend the Norway Forest Travel Hotel, a convenient hotel right in front of Taichung Station (you can book on Booking.com here or Agoda here), and Sin Fu Business Hotel which is also a great value for the money and great quality in downtown Taichung (you can book on Agoda here). 
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to get there:
By Bus: From Taichung station, you can take bus 290 to the old street. You can also book a Taichung sightseeing bus on KKday here. ​
By Car/ Scooter: From Central Taichung. take Nantun Road East until you come to Wanhe Road. The historical area sits around that intersection. There is limited scooter parking on the side of the road and some paid car parking nearby. Looking for scooter rental in Taichung? Check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options.
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 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 use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Market Biking Tour in Taichung on Klook here.  
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Map: Please see below:

Taipei Arena is one of the few places in Taiwan that offers both ice skating and roller skating indoors all year round. For many people in Taiwan who have never seen snow, this is a unique experience and opportunity. It is definitely worth a trip during your next visit to Taipei. 

Background:
Taipei Arena was built over the former Taipei Baseball Stadium (1959-2000). 
Taipei Arena was completed in 2005 and is able to host many international sporting events such as ice skating, hockey, basketball, tennis, badminton, indoor soccer, concerts, and many other events.
The arena is home to the Chinese Taipei Ice Hockey League. 
 The place can get a little crowded during weekends and during summer and winter break, so come on weekdays during school times to avoid the crowds. 
​
​Hours:
10 AM to 9 PM every day

Price:
Ice skating:
Ice skating rink entrance: 200 NT per person (children under 6 are free)
Ice skate rental: 80 NT per time for skates, and 20 NT per time for protective gear
Roller Skating: 190 NT - 450 NT depending on the length of time.
Discounts are given on weekdays. 

Tickets:
​You can book tickets for a discount on KKday here. 

Hotels in Taipei:
We have stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here, Agoda here, or Kayak here). 
We have stayed at and also recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Agoda here, or Kayak here).
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to get there:
By MRT: Take the green line MRT to Taipei Arena Station. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. 
By car/scooter: From central Taipei, take Nanjing East Road until you reach the arena. It is hard to miss. There is paid parking nearby. 
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.  
Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? Click here or here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide 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 use Taiwan's many Youbike bike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. ​
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Map:
Please see below: