Taiwan’s East Rift Valley has some of the most breathtaking scenery in Taiwan. It has towering mountains and vast tracks of flat rice fields. There are also amazing rivers, canyons, and waterfalls to explore. It is also home to Taiwan’s International Balloon Festival. There is something for everyone in this area of Taiwan.
⛰️ Planning your trip to Taiwan’s East Rift Valley? 🌊
Here are some top travel tips for you:
- Best time to visit: Around May when it is not too hot and there are no northeasterly winds or typhoons
- How to get there: Taiwan Railway (TRA/TRB) and Inter-City Bus
- Best places to stay: Papago International Resort or Mountain and Ocean B&B
- Book tours and activities in Taiwan’s East Rift Valley on Klook
- Stay connected with a local SIM
- Rent a car to explore distant sights
Historical Background:
Taitung has been inhabited by the Amis Aboriginal Tribe which has lived there since at least 1500 BC, and over 35% of the people that live there are Taiwan Aborigines. The area is still a center for Amis rituals and traditional ceremonies, as well as aboriginal culture. The East Rift Valley was also settled by aboriginal tribes such as the Puyuma which relocated from Pingtung.
Qing dynasty Chinese farmers started settling there in 1875, as a reaction to the Mudan Incident of 1871 (in which a crew of shipwrecked Japanese sailors were beheaded by Taiwan aborigines) and the Japanese punitive expedition to Taiwan in 1874. After the Japanese took control of Taiwan, Taitung’s main industries were growing sugar cane and rice. The eastern railway line was completed in 1926, linking Taitung to the rest of Taiwan.
After the ROC took control of Taiwan, Taitung Airport opened in 1981, which further improved transportation links to the region, however, Taitung has remained relatively undeveloped when compared to the rest of Taiwan, and the population of about 200,000 has been in decline for years. However Taitung has become an important tourist destination, and the local government has invested heavily in tourism development.
With its untamed and undeveloped landscape, towering mountains, beautiful coastline, and vibrant aboriginal culture, Taitung has become a tourist hot spot in Taiwan.
When to go:
The East Rift Valley is great year-round, but it can get a little hot in the summer, and the Typhoon season and heavy rain season last from about May to October. If you are afraid of the heat and rain then you can visit during winter when the temperatures are mild and the climate is usually dryer.
How to get there:
By Plane:
Traveling to Taitung by plane is the fastest way to get there. The trip only takes one hour from Taipei, and there are planes that leave daily through Mandarin Airlines and Uni Air. From Taitung, where you can switch to Saily Air which will take you the rest of the way to Green Island or Orchid Island. A plane ticket to Taitung takes about one hour and costs about 5000 NT per round trip. You can book discount tickets to Taitung on KKday here. You can also book cheap flights to Kinmen on Trip.com or CheapO Air. You can also search for cheap flights in Taiwan here.
By Train:
The train ride from Taipei to Taitung takes 3-4 hours and costs about 800 NT one way. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here.
By Car/Scooter:
From Taipei, a car ride to Taitung takes about six hours, and a scooter ride takes about eight hours. You can rent a scooter from Taitung Station on Klook or KKday. Scooter rental is about 300 NT per day. You can check out our scooter rental guide here.
How to get around the East Rift Valley:
By Plane:
Traveling to Taitung or Hualien by plane is the fastest way to get there. The trip only takes one hour from Taipei, and there are planes that leave daily through Mandarin Airlines and Uni Air. From Taitung, where you can switch to Saily Air which will take you the rest of the way to Green Island or Orchid Island. A plane ticket to Taitung takes about one hour and costs about 5000 NT per round trip. You can book discount tickets to Taitung on KKday here.
By Train:
The train ride from Taipei to Taitung takes 3-4 hours and costs about 800 NT one way. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here.
By Bus: Busses leave hourly from Taipei to the East Coast. A bus from Taipei to Hualien now only takes about 2.5 hours. You can book tickets to travel to Taiwan’s East Coast via inter-city bus on Klook here.
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here.
By Car/Scooter:
From Taipei, a car ride to Taitung takes about six hours, and a scooter ride takes about eight hours.
You can rent a scooter on Klook or KKday. Scooter rental is about 300 NT per day. You can check out our scooter rental guide here.
You can also rent a car for about 1500 NT per day. You can rent a car on Qeeq here or Klook here. You can hire a driver or taxi, and you can charter a car here.
You can check out our car rental guide here.
Where to Stay:
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the islands.
Hualien:
We also have stayed at and recommend Dream Taiwan Homestay (Agoda / Booking.com), a high-quality hostel for the money in downtown Hualien, Farglory Hotel (Agoda / Booking.com), right next to Farglory Ocean Park with amazing views of Hualien, and Goldenflower B&B (Agoda / Booking.com) in Yuli right next to Sixty Stone Mountain.
You can find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.
Taitung:
We have stayed at and recommend the Papago International Resort in Chishang, which is a five-star hotel with private villas with pools for each room, and Mountain and Ocean B & B in Taimali, which is a quiet and affordable B&B right next to the beach.
Tours:
You can find more tours and activities in Hualien such as Surfing, Paragliding, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Kayaking, Canoeing, River Tracing, River Rafting, Whale Watching, Snorkeling, Diving, ATV / 4-wheeling, Paintballing, Farm Dream Estates Zoo, Water Biking, Oyster Harvesting, Shrimp Harvesting, Indigenous Experience, Glamping, Cycling, Ziplining and much more on Klook here or KKday here.
Please note the following list is a work in progress. We will continue to add to the list as time goes on.
Taiwan’s East Coast 台灣東海岸
Check out our full guide to Taiwan’s East Coast here.
Taroko National Park 太魯閣國家公園
You can check out our full guide to Taroko National Park here.
Hualien 花蓮
Check out our full guide to Hualien here.
Taroko Gorge 太魯閣
If you only have a few days in Taiwan and you want to go somewhere outside of Taipei, you should definitely go to Taroko Gorge. On an island full of mountains, rain forests, beaches, and abounding natural beauty, Taroko Gorge might just take the top spot as the most beautiful scenic area in Taiwan.
Check out our full guide to Taroko Gorge here.
Taitung 台東
Check out our full guide to Taitung here.
Green Island 綠島
Orchid Island (Lanyu) 蘭嶼
This blog is still a work in progress. Check for the most recent blogs on the East Rift Valley by clicking on the category tab here.
You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.