I visited Taiwan in April 2025 and immediately fell for the herbal medicine shops on Taipei’s Dihua Street and the tiny herb-filled lanes near Lungshan Temple. Stacks of raw herbs and granules felt nostalgic and grounding. The foodie in me lit up with beef noodle soup, breakfast soymilk, and night market snacks that tied back to my Malaysian-Chinese roots. Using my rusty Mandarin and picking up bits of Hokkien felt surprisingly familiar after living in Shanghai and Malaysia.
Jiufen at night was pure magic. Red lanterns, the A-Mei Teahouse, stinky tofu, and taro balls created the ancestral foodie hit I didn’t know I needed. Yehliu Geopark, Shifen’s railway streets, and Taiwan’s blend of culture, coastlines, and community made the trip unforgettable. This page gathers my Taiwan guides, itineraries, and on-foot finds to help you plan a trip full of good eats, culture, and easy day trips. I’ll be back for sure.
