The Absolute Best Things to do in Taitung

It was quite entertaining for me to guess the ingredients. With the indigenous tribes in the region, these deep ocean fishes are cooked in their traditional ways. It looked like the chef had stuffed fish with cloves of garlic and other condiments, then doused in a thick layer of sea salt to bake. I worried about having the fish covered in salt, but the skin came right off.
There are plenty of places where you can sample this delicious food. It usually consists of wild boar and local plants. One of the most popular aboriginal food in Taitung is Ah-Bai . You also have the possibility to visit some more remote villages, less touched by tourism but you’ll need to go through an agency 台東 伴手禮 and hire a local guide. Some tribes can have different social codes than what foreigners or even locals are used to, always exercise caution when visiting aboriginal villages. The island is pretty small but there are a lot of sea caves and rock formations to see, as well as several seashore plant species.

A deep fried ball of dough filled with fresh oysters, egg, green onions, and sometimes shrimp. Beware of burning hot steam inside, and don’t forget to add soy and/or spicy sauce before you walk away from the stall! The picture above is a model showing what’s inside before being rolled into a ball and cooked. Being an island nation, it comes as no surprise that seafood is a fundamental part of Taiwanese cuisine.
Make sure you book a hotel room a few weeks in advance. Find thebest hotel dealshere, or see  my top picks below. Despite the challenging journey up there, I recommend visiting at night for its breathtaking view. And don’t get disappointed by the humble appearance of the place.
Sanxiantai is is a good place to watch the sunrise and a great spot for photographers. Located north of Taitung is Sanxiantai, an area containing a beach and several islands. It’s about an hour by car from Taitung city center and the drive along the coast is a beautiful one. Note that while signs upon entering the park will direct you to a scenic lookout, you should continue to walk the trail after visiting the first viewpoint. As you scour the web for places of interest inTaitung, you’ll notice that many are in Taitung County, rather than in the city center.

The Hot Air Balloon” hand crafted by locals hang across the whole park offering a spectacular view when they were all lit at night. Copyright © Formosan Naruwan Hotel & Resort Taitung. Taitung, to me, is a place you should only spend 10% of your time in the city and 90% outside of the city. Natural Tasty was established in Taitung of Taiwan in 2013. Natural Tasty aims to seek ancient recipes of classic confections, make them with natural ingredients and ancient way, in healthy living and sustainable direction.
All that to say, even if mochi is not your thing, give it a try in Taitung. I’ve been looking forward to visiting Taitung since coming back from Hualien in February because the east coast just really grabbed my heart. Visit this place late afternoon or early evening, so you get to enjoy the changes of day and night sceneries. A variety of fish cakes, meats, vegetables, egg, kelp, and tofu stewed in a fish flake broth. They are ubiquitous in 7-Elevens but also served in some restaurants and night markets. Similar to Tianbula (#41), but with more varied ingredients and without the addition of red sauce.

Domestic visitors and those from nearby countries stay for three to four nights on average. I love hot air balloon festivals so I’d definitely love to check that out. The easiest is to stay in Taitung City and take day trips to explore the county, but there are also a couple of nice accommodation options in the countryside. You should also check out the Taitung Night Market on on Zhengqi Road. During the day, it’s a fruit market, then it turns into a night market serving mostly snacks on the evenings, from Thursday to Saturday. During summer, boats leave frequently so you can plan a day trip from Taitung.
Taiwan International Balloon Festival is one of the most anticipated annual summer events since its launch in 2010. Decorated hot air balloons from all over the world float in the Luye Highland air. The Night Glow Concert series is held throughout the 2-month-long festival period at night. Note that there isno Uber in this part of Taiwan.
Sightseers looking for the perfect souvenir to take home should consider a local snack like sweet potato chips or a dessert flavored with roselle berries or lily petals. Glutinous rice that has been pounded into super QQ (gooey/chewy) balls and eaten as a sweet dessert. There are different Taiwanese varieties as well as Japanese style mochi introduced during the Japanese colonial period. Hakka versions are usually coated with peanut or sesame powder, while Taiwanese ones sometimes contain red bean paste. It can also be grilled (#61) or served on shaved ice .