10 spontaneous travel trips you could take while teaching in Taiwan
Whether it’s beach hopping or bathing in hot springs, mountain climbing or exploring old goldrush towns, this list of spontaneous travel trips you could take while teaching in Taiwan is sure to have something for our TEFL-ers in the ROC…
Explore Taroko Gorge
There’s arguably no more famous natural wonder in all of Taiwan than the rugged heights of the Taroko Gorge. Set deep in its very own national park, this deep-cut canyon spans several counties and comes packed with fascinating monasteries and religious sites to boot. Don’t miss the gushing waterfalls of the photogenic Eternal Spring Shrine, and prepare to cross some seriously spine-tingling rope bridges as you hike beneath the cliffs!
Bathe in the Wulai Hot Springs
The perfect break for any TEFL-ers teaching in Taiwan’s throbbing capital, the small town of Wulai comes perched up on the mountain ridges just a 40-minute drive from the center of Taipei. Between its steep-sided gorges, you’ll get to see traditional aboriginal houses, and bathe in the famous hot springs that pop up on the riversides. Talk about de-stressing after those tricky grammar sessions!
Boating on Sun Moon Lake
Nestled deep in the heart of Taiwan island, south of Taipei, the Sun Moon Lake is one of the country’s designated National Scenic Areas. It certainly lives up to the rep, with boating tours across its mirror-like surface giving sweeping panoramas of the forest-dressed peaks of Nantou County, and linking the beautiful gabled tops of Wen Wu Temple with the soaring Ci En Pagoda – both must-sees!
Wonder at handsome Jiufen
After navigating the wiggling mountain roads that weave into the Taiwanese peaks east of Taipei, you might just happen upon the erstwhile goldrush town of Jiufen. Famed for its quaint stone houses and traditional gabled cottages, it’s a patchwork of historic tea shops and overhanging temples. There are also beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean to be had while wandering the tight-knit alleys.
Go off-the-beaten-track in Shei-Pa National Park
Wax down the walking boots and have the hiking poles at the ready for that spontaneous trip to the Shei-Pa National Park, because this medley of chiseled bluffs and babbling creeks, sweeping fir forests and winding trails in the middle of the Xueshan Range is one of the more off-the-beaten-track outdoorsy spots in the country. You’ll clamber up tricky rock slopes, scale thin ridges, and get to wonder, wide-eyed, at the sculpted summit of Dabajian Mountain.
Hike the Qixing Mountain
If the heat and hectic streets of Taipei city are getting just a little too much, then you could opt to break away from the Taiwanese capital and make for the so-called Seven Star Mountain that shoulders above the horizon on its northern edge. A place of undulating green ridges and grassy slopes, it’s got some excellent marked hiking trails, while the summit promises sweeping panoramas of the metropolis and the Pacific below.
Laze on the beaches of Kenting
When you’re feeling a little hemmed into the city while teaching in Taiwan, it’s worth remembering that this island’s not only about pulsing megalopolises and mist-topped mountains. It’s also got beaches. Some of the best lurk around the coastline of Kenting in the south, where you’ll discover wide stretches of glowing yellow sand, lush sub-tropical airs, oodles of watersports and plenty of relaxing beach bars.
Hop across to the Penghu Islands
Talking of beaches, there’s always the beautiful Penghu Islands. This peppering of places in the middle of the Taiwan Strait is accessible by both plane and boat from the mainland, and is a regular favorite for those looking to escape the big cities. You can delve into the curious intermingling of Japanese and Chinese cultures, snorkel atop glowing coral gardens on Qimei Island, see centuries-old hamlets on Wangan Island, go water skiing on Ji-bei – the list goes on!
Go skiing on Hohuan Shah
While Taiwan’s mountains tend to be just a tad too tropical to host any major ski resorts, there is one place to don the salopettes: Hohuan Shah. Topping out at 3,400 meters, the resort has just a single cable lift and a solitary groomed run. There’s also a couple of places to stay, and even some small apres bars. Granted, it not going to be the Alps, but it’s the best you’re likely to get in these sultry climes!
Drink some tea in Maokong
You won’t have to strike out far from the center of buzzing Taipei to immerse yourself in the cascading tea fields of Maokong. Draped over the hillsides just south-east of the capital, you could head here in the morning for tasting sessions in the teahouses, or to meet the local leaf pickers in person. Don’t forget to take the camera along – those plantations positively glow in 10,000 shades of green!
If you can think of any more awesome spontaneous trips to take while teaching in Taiwan, we’d sure love to hear about them in the comments below. Or, if you’d love to explore this wondrous island and go teaching in Taiwan yourself, take a look at all the courses myTEFL have to offer!