TaitungPlay Recommendations

Lu-Ye High Terrace in Lu-Ye Township, Taitung, is the prime viewpoint for taking in the full sweep of the Hua-Tung Valley. The plateau is ringed by grassland and offers grass-sledding, hot-air-balloon watching and paragliding — a balanced mix for families — and it hosts the annual hot-air-balloon festival, where balloons rise at dawn and glow at night. Picnic zones and portable toilets make family or couple photo stops easy. The drive from Taitung Station takes about thirty minutes; train-and-taxi or festival shuttle routes also work.

Brown Boulevard in Chi-Shang, Taitung, is a ruler-straight lane cutting between rice paddies, framed by distant peaks, with no utility poles blocking the sight line — the recipe for some of the country's most-photographed blue skies and golden rice waves. Spring and summer paint the fields emerald; autumn turns them harvest-gold, and the road is best experienced by bike, on foot, or with a sketchbook. Picking the right hour and dodging tour-bus peaks lets visitors slip into the quiet, rural rhythm.

Jia-Lu-Lan Recreation Area, in Dong-He Township on Taitung's coast, spreads its wide lawns along the Highway 11 shoreline. Wind- and sea-carved rocks define the coast, the stratified cliffs read like contour lines, and the open sight lines take in the Pacific — Green Island appears on clear days. Driftwood installations with names like 'My Good Friends' and 'Sunrise Dance' layer an art-forward mood over the natural scene. Viewing decks, an interpretive station and shaded pavilions make it easy to linger; the site is free, and its family-and-pet-friendly setup has turned it into an east-coast go-to for stargazing, sunrise watching and seaside walks.

Jia-Ming Lake sits at about 3,310 metres in the South Second Section of Taiwan's Central Range — the country's second-highest alpine lake. No streams feed it; rain alone keeps it year-round, and each season paints a different picture: spring wildflowers, summer green meadows and cool water, autumn ridgelines of red leaves, winter snow. The lake lies in Bunun traditional territory, and the indigenous name — 'Mirror of the Moon' — carries the cultural weight that implies. The main trailhead is the Xiang-Yang Forest Recreation Area, and the route runs roughly thirteen kilometres one-way with over 1,300 metres of elevation gain, so it is for fit hikers with altitude adaptation. Single-day pushes or two-day-plus itineraries both work, but summer typhoons and thunderstorms can close the trail at short notice. The reward is one of Taiwan's great photography, stargazing and high-country destinations.

Duo-Liang Station in Tai-Ma-Li, Taitung, is widely called Taiwan's most beautiful train station. Carved into a hillside and facing the sea, the platform's bright-red railing strikes a vivid chord against the blue Pacific, and the moment a train bursts from the tunnel onto the coastal line has become an Instagram mainstay. Service stopped in 2006 but the site reopened for tourism that same year; a small NT$10 entry fee was added in 2021 while the visit itself still feels free. Walk down to the seaside deck for the full sky-meets-sea sweep, or grab indigenous slate-grilled meat and fresh juice from the stalls out front. Tai-Ma-Li Dawn Park and Hua-Yuan Bay sit nearby, suiting half-day or full-day trips.

Fu-Shan Conservation Area in the Shan-Yuan stretch of Taitung is a boardwalk-and-tidal-flat nature spot on the east coast. Full-fare tickets are NT$50 (concession NT$20), the walkway is well maintained, and the route is sized right for family or couple strolls, sea-gazing and photography. Feeding fish, fishing, swimming and removing any creature are all forbidden — staff offer sun protection and tide timing tips at the entrance. A café and snack stands sit nearby for a follow-on rest, making the area a popular summer escape and family-outing pick in Taitung.