Solo Travel In Taiwan – A Girl’s Guide!

After my solo travels in Taiwan, I have a lot to say on the matter. But the first thing I’d say to anyone on the fence is: DO IT!!

In this guide, I’m going to share everything you need to know for a solo trip to Taiwan including where to go, how to get around, the perfect Taiwan itinerary, the best hostels, how to make friends and more!

TAIWAN ESSENTIALS

Accommodation – Booking.com / Hostelworld

Getting around – car hire / bus / train (12Go)

Activities: GetYourGuide / Viator

Guide book: Lonely Planet Taiwan

Staying connected: Taiwan e-SIM card / Asia e-SIM (inc Taiwan)

Read next: the best places in the world for women to travel solo

I felt totally safe as a woman travelling alone in Taiwan. TOTALLY. However, I would say that Taiwan’s suitability for solo travel depends on what type of solo trip you want. I did get a bit lonely at times.

Unlike countries in Southeast Asia like Vietnam and Thailand where hostels are packed with solo travellers keen to explore together, the hostels in Taiwan are a little quieter and frequented more by locals. Overall, I didn’t meet THAT many other travellers in Taiwan but I expect that will change as it grows in popularity.

So, if you’re looking for a party trip akin to travelling solo in Thailand, perhaps Taiwan is not the adventure for you. But as long as you’re happy doing things alone, you’ll easily keep busy. There are so many amazing places on this incredible island!

Read next: the best places to travel solo in Asia

Taiwan is ranked the 32nd safest country in the world by Population Review and even higher – 3rd in the world – by Numeo! Although it’s hard to say which is correct, I wouldn’t dwell too much: Taiwan is incredibly safe!

If the statistics aren’t enough to convince you, I can say with first-hand experience that I felt incredibly safe as a woman in Taiwan. There’s next-to-no crime and the locals are so friendly and helpful. I remember on my first day, someone coming up to ask (in English) if I was lost and needed help. So kind!

Taiwan is safe for solo female travellers at all times of day and night. I never felt unsafe walking alone in the evenings.

Read next: my guide to solo female travel safety

This is worth mentioning! ‘Safe’ is an arbitrary term because, safe for who? Women, People of Colour, LGBT+ travellers? Well, in Taiwan, safety extends across demographics.

Taiwan has a woman president and progressive attitudes to women’s rights.

It’s not a conservative country and I felt comfortable wearing what I would at home.

Although a lack of crime is always a positive thing, it’s even better travelling knowing that the country has genuinely great attitudes to women!

Also, Taiwan was the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2019 making the country safe for LGBT+ locals and travellers.

Is Taiwan ok for first time solo travellers?

Safety-wise – yes absolutely!

Logistic-wise – yes, it’s straightforward to get around with great infrastructure. Things are clean and ordered so it’s not too overwhelming. The only hurdle may be Mandarin… if you’re nervous about communicating, there are easier countries to travel solo in Europe and Asia.

Social-wise: maybe not! If you’ve never travelled alone before, I’d recommend going somewhere with more of a backpacker scene so you have support and company if you need it. I’d suggest solo travel in Thailand or Vietnam.

Good things about solo travel in Taiwan

• Taiwan is safe for women travelling alone – the chances you’ll be victim to a crime are nearly nonexistent so you can relax and enjoy your trip
• It’s an affordable country – aside from accommodation which I found disproportionally spenny, most things in Taiwan are cheap from food to transport. I barely spend £500 ($600) in 3 weeks!
• It’s easy to get around – so you don’t need to worry about hiring a car alone.

Best places to travel alone in Taiwan

Here’s where I recommend solo female travellers go, plus what to do there…

Things to do in Taipei

• Taipei 101 – visit the observation deck inside or hike the Xiangshan Trail to Elephant Mountain for the best views
• Explore Ximending – this modern, vibrant neighbourhood is alive throughout the day and night with street performers, markets, shopping opportunities and bubble tea cafes. It’s safe to wander at any time
• Take a free walking tour with TourMeAway – they have free tours of the Old Town and Longshan Temple, plus food tours at a surcharge (I can highly recommend their food tours!)
• Visit important sites such as Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Longshan Temple and the National Palace Museum
• Soak in bubbling thermal springs in Beitou – visit the museum, sightsee at the Thermal Valley and soak in the Public Hot Springs with the locals
• Songshan Cultural and Creative Park – this refurbished factory is a hub for art, design and events
• Eat at all the night markets – such as Shillin, Raohe, Linjiang and Huaxi.

Shifen and the Pingxi Line – the touristic railway village of Shifen where people release lanterns for luck is just one stop along this train line that connects attractions in the countryside. Although Shifen is a pleasant town and Shifen Falls is worth a visit, my highlight (obviously!) was the stop before: Houtong Cat Village where feline friends rule the roost.

After Shifen, the final stop on the line is Pingxi Village, a more peaceful version of Shifen. The line begins at Ruifang Station.

One option for a solo day out from Taipei is to make all the stops along the Pingxi Line and save Juifen for another day. Alternatively, see Juifen and Shifen during the same day with this tour ($38).

Yehliu Geopark – the weird and wonderful volcanic shapes caused by nature have become tourist attractions, thought to resemble common objects and people’s profiles. Make your own mind up whilst wandering this open-air gallery beside the sea. Take a bus or a day tour (using my guide to Yehliu Geopark).

Related tour ($38) – Jiufen, Shifen & Yehlui during one day

Having enjoyed all the city pleasures of the capital, I didn’t know what to expect from Kahosiung. But I loved it! Sure, it’s not as huge as Tapiei, but it may be better for those who feel overwhelmed by big megacities. It’s a creative, arty city with lots of colourful places to visit.

My favourite attraction in Kaohsiung is the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas beside the peaceful Lotus Pond. These two huge statues connect the pagoda behind; enter via the dragon’s mouth and exit via the tiger for luck. Before heading back to the city centre, visit other pagodas around the lake: the Autumn & Spring Pagodas and Zuoying Yuandi Temple. 

The Rainbow Church on Cijin Island is another Instagrammable attraction, and you also can’t miss Pier 2 Art Center near the harbour (where you get the boat to Cijin). If you’re feeling energetic, hike Monkey Mountain or take a trip out of town to Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum where a 108-metre Buddha statue awaits.

Foodies travelling alone in Taiwan, don’t miss Liuhe Night Market or the more authentic option of Ruifeng Night Market. These are great places for cheap and informal dining, ideal if you don’t want to dine alone in a restaurant.

Where to stay in Kaohsiung: the best-rated hostel in town is Ahiruyah, which is spotlessly clean with easy access to all the city’s important attractions.

Taiwan has fantastic cities but the nature is also incredible! Especially if you’re not a big city person, a trip to Taroko Gorge is the perfect dose of nature and me-time during a solo trip to Taiwan.

The best place to stay near Taroko is Hualien, a city on Taiwan’s east coast just a 2-3 hour train ride from Taipei. From here, there are a couple of ways to explore the park: hire a car, ride the hourly shuttle service that visits points of interest around the park, or take an organised day tour.

Highlights for your Taroko Gorge itinerary include the Swallow’s Trail where birds swoop in the canyon above picturesque hanging bridges; Changchun Shrine (a beautiful temple cut into the hillside beside a waterfall) and Shakadang Trail, the best place to get off-grid and do some walking.

Hualien is a decent base with great places to eat like Dongdamen Night Market. I stayed at On My Way which is a lovely hostel close to the station. World Inn also has great reviews.

Easily accessed from Kaoshiung or Hualien, this wonderful national park on the southern tip of Taiwan is a place to relax and unwind during solo travel in Taiwan. Stay overnight in Kenting or Hengchun.

The only downside to visiting Kenting Nat Park alone is that the best way to get around is by hiring your own transport, either a car or scooter (an international driving license is required for either). However, there are shuttle buses travelling around the park so DIYing it is possible provided you manage your expectations about seeing everything.

Highlights of Kenting include visiting Longluan Lake, Maobitou Park and lookout, watching sunsets (from Guanshan Sunset Viewing Park or Eluanbi Lighthouse) and hitting the beaches. These aren’t the quality of Southeast Asia but they make for a decent beach break when visiting Taiwan. Beaches worth visiting include Baishawan Beach, South Bay and Kenting Beach.

Although I ran out of time to visit Tainan, this is an important stop for history lovers planning a Taiwan solo travel itinerary. You can stay overnight or visit as an easy day trip from Kaohsiung (just 1 hour on the slow train and 15 minutes on the High-Speed Train).

The historic Qing Dynasty capital from the 1600s-1800s is full of fortresses (such as Anping) and temples (such as Luermen Mazu Temple dedicated to the goddess of the sea). Nowadays, there are a few modern influences, too, like Blueprint Creative Park.

Taiwan is an island located off the east coast of China (separated by the Taiwan Strait), north of the Philippines and southwest of South Korea and Japan.

The train system in Taiwan is incredibly efficient, if a little confusing to understand at first. I got around Taiwan using…

HSR – the high-speed train (Taiwan’s answer to Japan’s bullet train) is the quickest but most expensive way to get around. It connects Taipei to Kaohsiung in just 2 hours. Journeys can be booked up to 29 days in advance and cost up to $35. I used 12Go to book my tickets.

Read next: 25 Taiwan travel tips for a first visit

Getting around Taipei

Kaohsiung also has an efficient MRT system although there are just 2 lines, connecting at Formosa Boulevard station (don’t miss the Dome of Light art installation while there).

There are also LRT overground trains, city buses and the ferry connecting Cijin Island with the mainland. Your EasyCard works here, too.

I loved the food in Taiwan. Not only are there many local delicacies but there’s fantastic Korean and Japanese food, too (for a fraction of the price of food in those countries). The sushi is phenomenal!

During solo travel in Taiwan, I rarely ate in restaurants even though dining alone isn’t something I mind at all. The night market food was just so good I rarely needed to!

Some of my favourite Taiwanese foods are:

• TFC – Taiwanese fried chicken is a popular dish, especially with young people who can be found crowded around Hot Starr in Taipei’s Ximending district
• Bubble tea – this is the birthplace of boba so it would be rude not to drink it everywhere!
• Xiao long bao – soup dumplings are best eaten at Din Tai Fung restaurant. Don’t stop with them: there are so many types of dumplings in Taiwan!
• Coffin toast – a hollowed-out hunk of bread is filled with a creamy stew. A calorific feast!
• Beef noodles – this dish in a rich soup is best eaten on Kong Kang Street in Taipei.

Although Taiwan is safe for solo female travellers, I always recommend getting travel insurance. Although you’re unlikely to be victim to a violent crime, it’s possible that you could fall sick and need emergency treatment, just like you could anywhere in the world.

I use True Traveller: it costs £30 (€40) per month for world coverage for a year. When I’ve claimed, they’ve had the money in my account within days. They cover pre-existing health conditions and will cover you if you’re already travelling and/or don’t yet have your flight home booked. Click to get a quote.

True Traveller is just for European residents (including the UK) so, for other nationalities, I recommend Hey Mundo and for long-term digital nomad travellers, I suggest Safety Wing.