Taitung's No 1 Souvenirs & Gift Store

Finally, you’ll need to cross the river to access the hot pools. Lisong Hot Spring (栗松溫泉) is one of the most beautiful wild hot springs in Taiwan. The spring is known for its vibrant 台東必買 green and yellow colors painting the cliff from which it seeps down into riverside pools. This attraction is definitely off-the-beaten-track for international travelers.
Chihpen is located 17km southwest of Taitung city, also known as “the greatest scene in eastern Taiwan”. This place possesses a unique valley topography, with the beauty of the magnificent high mountain slopes, still retains the wild beauty and natural ecosystem because it has not been overexploited. Also, the most popular tourist attraction is the natural hot springs. In the Chihpen hot spring area, visitors can see and enjoy the majestic natural beauty, relieve all the pressure of busy city life. This 66,000 square meter grassland is the perfect place to launch a hot air balloon and see the beautiful Taitung from above.

It’s better to have a bicycle to go around the park than to walk, unless you have a lot of time. You can rent a bicycle at the park entrance or at the train  station. Railway art village is well connected to public transportation and there are parking spots for bicycles and scooters. Art village has dedicated streets for shopping such as jewelry, food, cosmetics, and live performances.
Taiwan is an island country with no shortage of fresh seafood. But be sure to eat Taitung’s local delicacies, such as Kuroshio Current sailfish and flying fish. Aboriginals have their own ways of cooking these rare fishes, too. Many restaurants in Taitung serve QQ rice noodles, typically  served with ground pork sauce and bonito fish flakes.
Here are five of the best locally made souvenirs you can pick up next time you’re in this wonderful west coast city. Green Island - this island located off the east coast of Taitung offers coral beaches, tropical forests, and fresh saltwater hot springs. The night market is well connected to public transportation and it is 2 km apart from the Taitung rail station. The night market has several outlets for nonvegetarian foods and a little for vegetarian lovers.

Nearby, seafood lovers can head to Fugang Fish Harbor to enjoy one of the harborside seafood restaurants. This is also where ferries depart for Green Island (see “Offshore Islands of Taitung” section below). The hot spring is accessed on the remote Southern Cross-Island Highway . After an hour’s drive along the highway from Chishang, you’ll need to park and follow a steep downhill trail for 90 minutes.
Further south in Jinlun is another beach you can seek out, near the impressive Jinlun Bridge. The sea caves on site have produced the oldest prehistoric relics in all of Taiwan. They belong to the Changbin culture, dating back to as early as 25,000 years ago. If you want to visit the beach, continue further north to Douli Beach (都歷沙灘), where you can drive right to the beach or learn how to surf at Torik Ocean Surf (都歷海洋教室).

But you should know that it gets extremely hot and humid, and typhoons aren’t uncommon in these parts. Winter isn’t a bad season to visit, but the weather can be unpredictable. Another thing to note is that if you’re planning to cycle in Chishang during winter, you’ll find many paddies either still barren or busy being planted. Highway 11 runs parallel to Highway 9, but along the coast. There’s no train here, so you’ll need to rent a scooter, charter a car with driver, or rent a car.
Despite being the last county to be populated by Han Taiwanese, the earliest record of human habitation in Taiwan was actually discovered in Taitung County. This bus runs between Taitung Transfer Station and Taitung Station, stopping at various points in Taitung City. This is super convenient for travelers who want to move around in various districts of Taitung City. Stops along the way include Fantasy Tiehua, Taitung MacKay Memorial Hospital, Church of Latter-day Saints, National Taitung Senior Commercial Vocational School, Saint.
In Chishang, I recommend Papago International Resort (see on Booking / Agoda) for a nicer hotel with a pool. Good Harvest B&B (see on Booking / Agoda), where I shot the above photo, and Howhas are local guesthouses close to the rice paddies south of town. So, gifting someone an oil paper umbrella is akin to blessing them with many children. There are car and scooter rentals near the train station if you have an international drivers license.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. You’ve probably heard of the sticky and chewy dessert known as mochi, and you may have even tried some with various fillings such as green tea or red bean. It’s highly unlikely though that you’ve tried anything like Paochuan Food Company’s cheese-filled mochi.