This guide shares tourist attractions for visitors to Taichung based on personal experiences.
I want to share a bunch of tourist attractions with folks visiting Taichung based on my (and others’) experience.
Is Taichung Even Worth Visiting?
Taichung may not be worth visiting if you’re short on time. It lacks public transport and has spread-out tourist spots.
If you’re in Taiwan for less than a week, focus on other areas, like:
- Taipei
- New Taipei
- Yilan
- Hualien
- Kenting
For less touristy places, you could head to Hsinchu.
I won’t have a guide around Hsinchu for a while. In the meantime, use the Chenghuang Temple Night Market post I wrote for itinerary inspiration.
If you want a city that balances tourist spots and local charm, try Kaohsiung.
Anyway:
If you’re still reading, you’re likely dead set on coming to Taichung. Or researching it.
Here’s a city guide to help you with the basics of navigating Taichung.
Before reading on, you might want to know whether there are any noteworthy souvenirs.
Should I Buy Any Souvenirs?
Here are the souvenirs I’d recommend getting in Taichung:
- Sun cakes from bakeries near places you’re visiting (it’s a Taichung specialty)
- Chun Shui Tang souvenirs
- Wine from Shu-sheng Leisure Domaine
- Their red wine won gold at Vinalies Internationales in France
- Cheese-filled mochi from Pao Chuan Food Company
- Treats from Miyahara
- Items from the National Taichung Theater
I’ll eventually write a guide that dives into the specifics for these items. This guide’s to help you now and dump what I’ll write later.
My wife and I bought sun cakes from the No. 23 Sun Cake Bakery near the original Chun Shui Tang store. This gives you access to many souvenirs in one spot.
To me, they didn’t taste much different from the sun cakes I’ve had in Taipei. But everyone has different taste buds.
When I went to Chun Shui Tang, they had neat postcards you won’t find anywhere else in Taiwan.
Buy them.
Before filling your bags in Taichung, you should consider other noteworthy souvenirs throughout Taiwan.
And let’s dive into places to see.
Top Tourist Spots in Central Taiwan’s City
Here’s what I’ll cover with each spot:
- Basic information (hours, pricing, etc.)
- Who each spot is best for
- Other helpful info
- How to get there
Here’s a map of all these spots:
There’s also the Lavender Cottage, which is popular. But that’s super far away from the city.
Once I visit it, I’ll write a guide, include it in this guide, and help you decide whether it’s worth visiting.
Let’s begin with the first spot.
1. 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan
| Hours | 9 AM – 5 PM |
| Address | No. 192號, Xinsheng Rd, Wufeng District, Taichung City, Taiwan 413 |
| Price to Enter | General ticket: NT$50 |
| Student (6 – 12 y/o): NT$25 | |
| Student (12+): NT$30 | |
| Seniors (65+): NT$25 | |
| Children Under 6: Free | |
| Average Time Spent Here | 2 – 3 hrs |
| Local Name | 921地震教育園區; 921 dìzhèn jiàoyù yuánqū |
This place is best for anyone wanting to learn about the 1999 earthquake’s history.
The museum’s purpose is to bring awareness to earthquakes after the Jiji (or 921) quake. This disaster happened on September 21, 1999.
It led to 2,400 deaths and 8,500 collapsed buildings [1].
You’ll find exhibits here that include:
- Engineering Education Hall: Shows how modern engineering minimizes earthquake damage
- Chelungpu Fault Preservation Hall: Various images of the destruction
- Gallery: Audiovisuals and images showing what happened during the earthquake
- Reconstruction Record Hall: Documents Taiwan’s efforts to rebuild
- Disaster Prevention Hall: Info on how to prevent future earthquake destruction
How to get there…
1. Ride a YouBike to one of these docking stations:
2. Call an Uber or taxi
3. Bus:
- Bus 50: Depart at the Earthquake Museum of Taiwan stop.
- Buses 201 or 107: Get off at Kengkou Village (Guangfu New Village) stop.
Download the Bus+ app to help you track these buses.
2. Chun Shui Tang: The Birthplace of Bubble Tea
| Hours | 8 AM – 10 PM |
| Address | No. 30號, Siwei St, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403 |
This spot is best for anyone who wants to try the supposed birthplace of bubble tea.
Taichung’s tea house, the founding place of bubble tea, opened in 1983 and is still serving today.
They offer milk tea, food, and souvenirs.
Also, if you like the tea in the restaurant, consider buying some loose-leaf tea to take home.
Add this to your itinerary, no matter what else you do in Taichung.
A small pearl milk tea starts at NT$80. Their largest size costs NT$180 (price at the time of writing).
Choose whether you want hot or iced tea.
Also, when ordering drinks from anywhere in Taiwan, tell them your sugar level, which includes:
- No sugar
- Least possible: 20% sugar
- Half
- Less: 80% sugar
- Regular: 100% sugar
Or tell them how much ice you want — most, normal, less, or no ice.
To get there, you’ll need to drive or walk from the TRA Taichung Station. I recommend booking an Uber or taxi.
And afterward, head to the Painted Animation Lane.
3. National Taichung Theater
| Hours | Mon – Fri: 11:30 AM – 9 PM |
| Weekends: 11:30 – 10 PM | |
| Address | No. 101號, Section 2, Huilai Rd, Xitun District, Taichung City, 407025 |
| Price to Enter | Free |
| Average Time Spent Here | 2 – 3 hrs |
| Local Name | 臺中國家歌劇院; Táizhōng guójiā gējù yuàn |
The National Taichung Theater is great for anyone wanting to kill a couple of hours in a popular tourist spot.
Opened in November 2016, it offers 5 floors of varying experiences::
- 1st floor: Souvenir shop and café
- 2nd floor: A theater where many performances happen
- 3rd floor: Children’s play area
- 4th floor: Nothing special
- 5th floor: Tutu Gallery with audiovisual and interactive exhibits, and another children’s play area
- Rooftop: An open-air space with greenery, garden, and cool architecture
Explore the second floor — you don’t need a ticket to walk around. There’s a fascinating staircase that’ll take you to the upper floors.
You don’t need to pay anything to get into the National Taichung Theater. It’s another great thing to do on the list of things in Taichung if you’re on a budget.
To get here, drive, walk, rent a YouBike, or take the buses: 27, 75, 324, or the 309 shuttle bus.
Here are the nearby YouBike stations:
4. Rainbow Village
| Hours | Closed on Mondays |
| Every other day: 9 AM – 5 PM | |
| Address | 408, Taiwan, Taichung City, Nantun District, 春安路56巷25號 |
| Price to Enter | Free |
| Average Time Spent Here | <1 hr |
| Local Name | 彩虹村; cǎihóng cūn |
It’s a neat place to check out if you’re really bored. Otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend visiting.
There’s honestly not much to do in this village, though. It’s inconvenient to reach, and when my wife and I went, the alleys were flooded with tourists taking pictures.
Rainbow Village is an old military village in Taichung’s Nantun District. It debuted in 2010.
How did this village appear?
When the Kuomintang (KMT) retreated to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War, soldiers built quick shelters that eventually became villages.
During the 90s, the Taiwanese government began destroying these aging villages. A man named Huang Yong-Fu (黃永阜) was among the troops who retreated to Taiwan, and he owned one of these homes.
After hearing about their demise, he began painting these buildings to preserve them. Petitioning students and Huang managed to save 11 buildings, which became the Village.
Huang died on January 23rd, 2024, at the age of 100.
I got to see him before his passing, but he just sat there in a wheelchair with a sign.
Not much he could do at that age.
To get here, you could take bus 167. Or take bus 27 and get off at Gancheng Village (千城六村站), which is the 6th stop.
You can also take bus 56, which stops right in front of the village.
5. Fengjia Night Market
| Hours | 4 PM – 2 AM |
| Address | Wenhua Rd, Xitun District, Taichung City, 407 |
| Price to Enter | Free |
| Local Name | 逢甲夜市; féng jiǎ yèshì |
Fengjia Night Market, or Fengjia Shopping Town, sits next to Taichung’s Feng Chia University. It used to serve nearby military personnel who lived in dependents’ villages.
Now it’s Taichung’s most popular night market and one of the best things to do if you’re looking for great food.
Unlike some night markets, Fengjia doesn’t have one famous dish. But I do recommend trying Dafeng Stewed Pork. If you’re vegetarian, try the egg pancakes at Ming Lun Dan Bing.
For dessert, try any of the market’s potato balls. They’re pretty dope.
But how do I get there?
YouBikes are a great option. Here are nearby stations:
Or take the following buses to the Fengjia University stop:
- 33
- 35
- 37
6. Miyahara Ice Cream
| Hours | 10 AM – 9 PM |
| Address | No. 20號, Zhongshan Rd, Central District, Taichung City, Taiwan 400 |
| Average Time Spent Here | <1 hr |
| Local Name | 宮原眼科; gōngyuán yǎnkē |
Miyahara is fantastic for folks who love ice cream and want to explore a unique-looking place. It’s also near the riverside, which is great to explore.
They have more than 50 flavors, including Honey Cheese, Alishan Oolong Tea, and Caramel Apple.
Here’s what you’d pay (at the time of writing):
- 1 scoop: NT$100
- 2 scoops: NT$180
- 3 scoops: NT$225
Want a waffle bowl?
That’s an extra NT$20.
And for “Luxury Toppings” like pineapple cakes and other fruit, you’ll need to spend an extra NT$80.
When I visited, they offered a single free topping. I got a pineapple cake.
Unlike most ice cream in Taiwan, Miyahara’s is creamier and sweeter. It reminds me of American ice cream. But it’s not the best ice cream I’ve had in Taiwan.
That title goes to Snow King in Taipei’s Ximending. They have unique flavors like beer and wasabi.
Anyway:
You’ll find a cookie and tea shop next to Miyahara ice cream. It looks like Hogwarts from Harry Potter. Great for photos.
Brief history…
In 1927, when Japan controlled Taiwan, Takekuma Miyahara opened the Miyahara Eye Clinic in Taichung. After Japan left, the building changed hands a few times. In 2010, Dawncake, a Taiwanese pastry company, bought the ruins and turned it into Miyahara Ice Cream.
How to get there:
Take the TRA to Wuquan Station or ride a YouBike to one of these stops:
7. Animation Alley
| Hours | 24/7 |
| Address | Lane 100, Linsen Rd, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403 |
| Price to Enter | Free |
| Average Time Spent Here | 20 min |
| Local Name | 動漫彩繪巷; dòngmàn cǎihuì xiàng |
Animation alley is a maze of alleyways with character paintings on the walls. You’ll see My Neighbor Totoro, One Punch Man, SpongeBob, One Piece, and more.
It’ll probably take you about 20 minutes to see all the paintings. It’s a great way to relax and escape the busy city. And it’s one of the coolest graffiti areas I’ve seen.
There isn’t much to do here besides looking at the art. But you’ll find a comic and souvenir shop and a claw machine arcade.
Sometimes there’s an open café where you can sit and relax.
You’ll want to take bus 25 toward Chung-Shin Elementary School to get here.
Or walk between 15 – 20 minutes from Taichung Station.
8. Taichung Confucius Temple
| Hours | Closed Mondays |
| 9 AM – 5 PM | |
| Address | No. 30號, Section 2, Shuangshi Rd, North District, Taichung City, Taiwan 404 |
| Price to Enter | Free |
| Average Time Spent Here | <1 hr |
| Local Name | 臺中孔廟; táizhōng kǒngmiào |
This place is great for history buffs or anyone who loves Asian architecture.
Builders finished this temple in 1976 during the Song Dynasty. It looks a lot like the Qufu Confucian Temple in Shandong, China.
Now, it’s in Taichung’s North District and teaches visitors about events during the Song Dynasty. Sometimes, you might catch events that promote local culture.
Sometimes, you may encounter events that promote local culture.
Here are nearby YouBike stations:
Or you’ll want to take a bus to these stops:
- Shangshi Junior High School
- Taiwan University of SportStadium
- Wenying Children Park
9. Taichung Second Market
| Hours | Closed Mondays |
| Every other day: 7 AM – 1 PM | |
| Address | No. 87號, Section 2, Sanmin Rd, Central District, Taichung City, 400 |
| Price to Enter | Free |
| Average Time Spent Here | <1 hr |
| Local Name | 臺中市公有第二零售市場; táizhōng shì gōngyǒu dì èr líng shòu shìchǎng |
This area is just a spot where you’ll find restaurants and shops.
One place worth checking out is Mao Chuan, which sells ba-wan — sweet potato stuffed with savory sauce. The Michelin guide gave it a great rating.
I honestly didn’t know I was at the market until Google Maps told me.
Most shops were closed when I went during the day.
It’s not the best tourist spot. But Mao Chuan could be worth a visit.
Some history:
The Japanese colonial government built this market in 1917. It was called Shintomichō Market back then. The name “Second” comes from it being the second of five markets they planned to build in Taichung.
In the past, the Second Market sold fancy clothes and food. Now, it’s all about Taiwanese cuisine.
10. Taichung Martyr’s Shrine
| Hours | 9 AM – 4 PM |
| Address | No. 264, Lixing Rd, North District, Taichung City, 404 |
| Price to Enter | Free |
| Average Time Spent Here | <1 hr |
| Local Name | 臺中市忠烈祠; táizhōng shì zhōngliè cí |
The Taichung Martyr’s Shrine is right next to the Confucius Temple. It could be a great way to spend more time in this area.
During Japan’s occupation, this was a Shinto shrine for Japanese heroes. When the Republic of China (ROC) took over Taiwan, they changed it to honor fallen Kuomintang (KMT) soldiers.
You’d get there the same way as the Confucius Temple.
11. Gaomei Wetlands
| Hours | 24/7 |
| Address | Meidi St, Qingshui District, Taichung City, 436 |
| Price to Enter | Free |
| Average Time Spent Here | 3 hrs |
| Local Name | 高美野生動物保護區; gāo měi yěshēng dòngwù bǎohù qū |
Gaomei Wetlands is a huge mud flat along Taichung’s coast. It’s beautiful. Visit as the sun sets to see one of Taiwan’s most stunning sunsets.
Otherwise:
You can walk along the 800-meter dock and look out at the flats. It’s pretty cool.
Most people drive here, but it costs NT$50 per vehicle to enter. If you’re not driving, take buses 178 or 179 from TRA Qingshui Station.
You can reach this station by taking the local train from the city.
12. National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
| Hours | Weekdays: 9 AM – 5 PM |
| Weekends: 9 AM – 6 PM | |
| Address | No. 2號, Section 1, Wuquan W Rd, West District, Taichung City, 403 |
| Price to Enter | Free |
| Average Time Spent Here | 2 hrs |
| Local Name | 國立臺灣美術館; guólì táiwān měishùguǎn |
This museum hosts all kinds of exhibitions by Taiwanese artists. They have themed, temporary, permanent, and special exhibitions, plus various art collections.
There’s not too much to say about this place. You’ll need to check their website to see if it’s worth visiting when you’re in town.
Here are nearby YouBike docks:
Or take a bus to one of the following stations:
- Cultural Center (Yingcai Rd.)
- Art Museum (Meicun Road)
- Dadun Cultural Centre
- Tuku Parking Lot
The museum has more information on these buses on their website.
How Do I Get to Taichung?
Here’s how you’ll get to Taichung:
- High-Speed Rail (HSR): Take the HSR to HSR Taichung Station
- Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA): Go to any of Taichung’s local train stations
- Bus: Take the Kuo-Kuang or U Bus
- Taoyuan International Airport: Only arrive here if you’re coming from overseas
Once you arrive at the HSR or TRA stations, use the Taichung MRT to reach some places. I have a guide on it in a separate piece.
Let’s find you somewhere to stay.
Accommodation in Taichung
Sources
- 1999 Taiwan earthquake. History. 8/21/2018.