For families traveling with kids, Taitung is an exceptional natural playground. From the green rice paddies of Chishang, to the geological wonders of Sangshu Creek and the various coastal recreation areas, Taitung’s slower pace of life and healthy outdoor activities are relaxing for the body and mind.
📍 Route 1: East Rift Valley
Mr Brown Avenue and Dapo Pond
Mr Brown Avenue is an idyllic farm road that runs diagonally through the rice fields of the East Rift Valley. The landscape of the road changes throughout the year. During spring and fall the road is surrounded by blooming fields of rice, while during the summer and winter, rapeseed, planted a cover crop, blooms just as brightly. The roads here are closed to automobile traffic and as a result are particularly suitable for families with young children.
Taiwan International Balloon Festival (July to mid-August)
Named one of the “Top 12 Hot Air Balloon Festivals in the World” by the Travel Channel, the Taiwan International Balloon Festival is one of the most anticipated summer events for families with children in Taiwan. Visitors can observe themed hot air balloons taking off and landing, enjoy the verdant grasslands, and the more adventurous can even book a morning hot air balloon experience (weather dependent, book in advance). If you wish to see a particular balloon, make sure to check the schedule in advance as balloons rotate daily.
Bunun Tribe Leisure Farm
The Bunun Tribe Leisure Farm is an authentic indigenous experience located in Taiyuan Village in the East Rift Valley. It is one of the best destinations to visit for families with kids who are looking to experience local indigenous culture. The Bunun are one of the seven indigenous tribes that call Taitung their home. The village itself is decorated in beautiful multi-colored Bunun woven cloth and offers many DIY activities that kids will enjoy including soap-making, archery and leather carving.
📍 Route 2: Taitung City
Sangshu Creek
Sangshu Creek is one of Taitung’s best kept secrets when it comes to outdoor adventure. Located behind the Bunun village of Taromak this small creek features deep pools of pristine azure water, and plenty of waterfalls and swimming in a hidden canyon section. In the summer, local families from Tamorak will come here to barbecue, swim, river trace, and families from Taitung will bring their kids to this small creek to cool off in the summer. Exploring further up river on a trip with a qualified canyon guide is highly recommended.
Jhihben National Forest Recreation Area
Jhihben (or Zhiben) National Forest Recreation Area is one of Taitung’s most accessible yet often overlooked nature retreats. Located at the end of the road several kilometers up the Zhiben River valley, this isolated and serene tropical forest not only features Taiwan’s largest species of butterfly, the ‘Heng-chun Birdwing Butterfly’, but is also home to countless century-old Banyan trees and several birds endemic to Eastern Taiwan. Experience Taiwan’s wilderness with minimal effort, and on your drive out, be sure to stop by one of the many hot spring hotels in Zhiben. The largest public hot spring can be found at the Dong Tair Spa Hotel and features multiple hot spring fed pools, jacuzzi-like pressure massage stations, and private bathing areas that overlook the Zhiben River.
📍 Route 3: Coastal Attractions
Fushan Fish Recovery Area
Located a short drive up the coast from Taitung City, the Fushan Fish Recovery Area is a great place to take the kids for a walk through a rich tidal ecosystem. Specially designed non-slip walkways are suitable for parents and children alike. Walk out over 200 feet into the crystal clear water of the intertidal zone where protected coral, seashells and endemic species have started to thrive again.
Xiaoyeliu or Little Yeliu (also known as “Fugang Geopark”) & Jialulan
Fugang Geopark is a stretch of coastline just outside of Taitung with uniquely shaped rock formations. An easy hike down to the ocean from the Visitors Center is suitable for families with young children. The sandstone rock formations here have been compared to mushrooms and even tofu by locals.
Sanxiantai
Sanxiantai used to be a headland, meaning a piece of hardened rock that jutted out into the ocean. After thousands of years of weathering, the rock that connected it to the mainland was eventually weathered away and it turned into an island. Today, an iconic and photogenic arch bridge connects the island with the mainland. Comprising 8 colorful arches, the imaginative Sanxiantai Arch Bridge is a favorite subject for photographers looking for iconic shots of Taiwan’s Eastern Coast. As Sanxiantai is surrounded by coral, the entire seashore enjoys a rich marine ecosystem and the adjacent beaches are abundant in ocean life.
