Taichung in Taiwan is changing! Once best known as an industrial city, Taichung has undergone a total transformation in recent years and become famous for its food scene, quirky activities and arts scene.
Taiwan’s second biggest city, there are so many things to do in Taichung with new attractions opening all the time – for instance, both newly opened last year, you can now visit the Taiwan National Museum of Comics or the Bugcat Capoo Foam Cat Cafe at Taichung Station.
Located on Taiwan’s west coast, Taichung is becoming increasingly popular with domestic and Asian tourists with heaps of attractions to suit all budgets and tastes – and we’d also rate its popular student friendly Feng Chia Night Market as one of Taiwan’s best night markets.
On our first visit to Taichung years ago, we were practically the only westerners visiting here during our inaugural Taiwanese adventure but overseas tourism in Taichung is now booming!
This article was originally published on cktravels.com in May 2019.
Taichung, Taiwan Overview
Given the scope of things to see and do in Taichung (and eat) in the city, Taichung should be high on your Taiwan hit-list.
Although not as well known as Taipei, Tainan or Kaohsiung on the tourist circuit, Taichung should definitely be a part of your Taiwan itinerary.
From the Rainbow Village to the gorgeous Gaomei Wetlands, cute cafes to Instagram worthy ice cream at Miyahara and MINIMAL, there are plenty of top Taichung things to do and tourist spots.
Here is our ultimate guide to visiting Taichung, Taiwan’s second city.
You might like – Things to do in Kaohsiung, Taiwan >
Taiwan checklist
We love using agoda.com (use the code TAIWANDERERS for a discount), expedia.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels.
For booking tours, transfers and buying SIM cards/eSIMs we recommend Klook, Get Your Guide, Viator or KK Day.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars. For private drivers and taxis, check out our Transfer guide >
For more recommendations, check out our Taiwan travel booking resources page >
All set for Taiwan? Do one final check with our Taipei first timers guide and our packing list guide. Travelling with kids? Check out our Taipei For Kids eBook >
Travelling to Taichung, Taipei
As Taichung is Taiwan’s second biggest city (after Taipei) plus one of the most populated places in Taiwan, there are many transport options to get here.
Going to Taichung via Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR)
We visited Taichung from Taipei on the Taiwan High Speed Rail train (HSR) which takes around 47 minutes.
You can buy discounted Taiwan High Speed Rail one way tickets between Taipei and HSR Taichung station (plus other stations) via this Klook HSR booking link >
Please note these discounted 2025 Taiwan High Speed Rail tickets are valid until December 31 2025 and exclusive to overseas tourists and you will need to show your passport upon redemption.
There is also a much cheaper TRA train from Taipei that arrives at Taichung station in downtown Taichung (the HSR station is a little further out of town). The journey takes just over 2 hours.
Alternatively, you can take Taiwan’s Sanrio themed train to and from Taichung from cities such as Taipei. Read our Taiwan Sanrio train guide here >
Taichung by bus
You can take a bus from Taipei to Taichung in two hours for as little as NT$304 one way (discounted price on Klook correct as of August 2025 – full price NT$320).
Book your Taipei to Taichung bus ticket here >
If you’d rather just do a day trip from Taipei to Taichung, check out this classic attractions and Gaomei Wetlands tour >
Taiwanderers Tip
Grab a Taiwan EasyCard as a convenient way to use buses and public transport in Taipei and across Taiwan. They can be easily topped up at stations and convenience stores.
Read more about how to use a Taiwan EasyCard, including how to top up >
You might like – 30+ cutest EasyCard designs in Taiwan >
Taichung accommodation
Budget ($)
Hotel Mi Casa
One of the closest hotels to Taichung Station (TRA) and just a 4 minute walk between them, Hotel Mi Casa has been recommended by travellers in our Taiwan Travel Tips (TTT) Facebook group.
As well as the free breakfast and location (next door to Taroko Mall), it is a short walk to a bus stop that goes to Sun Moon Lake. Check rates and book on booking.com, agoda.com, expedia.com and hotels.com
Luxury ($$$)
Millennium Hotel Taichung
Modern high-rise 5 star hotel. Facilities include a rooftop bar, outdoor pool, sauna and on-site restaurants. Check rates and availability on booking.com, agoda.com and expedia.com
Check out the best hotels in Taichung via booking.com or agoda.com, or check out our guide to the best hotels in Taichung >
Things to do in Taichung and attractions
1. National Taiwan Museum of Comics Taichung
Taichung’s newest thing to do and major tourist attraction, the National Taiwan Museum of Comics opened in early 2024, located in the grounds of a former prison.
The site has been extensively renovated and it is now a lush green open space with lots of exhibition rooms located across historic buildings.
Chock full of comic-book attractions, exhibitions, archives and cafes, the entire site will continue to expand until it fully opens in 2029.
From children reading comic books in the libraries to families collecting the stamps across the site, it was one of the busiest attractions in Taichung City. It also felt very reminiscent of the nearby Taichung Cultural Heritage Park – but WAY better!
From the history of the prison site to the buildings that are currently open, read our Taiwanderers guide to visiting the National Taiwan Museum of Comics plus photos >
2. Bugcat Capoo Shop Taiwan and Foam Cat Cafes
Chances are if you’ve spent any time in Taiwan, you’ll have spotted the bright blue Bugcat Capoo comic character – so popular, there is even a themed Bugcat Capoo 7-Eleven store in Taipei.
Bugcat Capoo celebrated their 10th anniversary (soooo young) in 2024 so it is a perfect time to do all things Bugcat Capoo whilst in Taichung.
As well as a Bugcat Capoo House 咖波屋 which we’ve written about here, there are also two rather ‘purrfect’ Foam Cat Cafes, the newest of which opened at Taichung Station last summer. Read about our visit the new Foam Cat Cafe here >
Taichung’s Bugcat Capoo House is located in an old traditional Taiwan style building with wooden arches and tiles. It really is a charming set-up and has hundreds of Bugcat Capoo gifts and merchandise including exclusive postcards and even Bugcat moped helmets!
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3. Shen Ji New Village
Push your way through the hardcore hipsters and selfie snappers and this pretty independent retail village in Taichung is actually a rather enjoyable area to explore.
From boutique breweries to cute coffee shops, it is easy to spend an afternoon (and the contents of your wallet) at Shen Ji New Village, a top Taichung tourist spot.
Formerly a 1960’s dormitory complex for the Taiwan Provincial Government, Shen Ji New Village in Taichung retains its historical charm and you can still explore the nooks, crannies and mezzanine staircases to the second floor.
We visited Shen Ji New Village one afternoon during what we think was the last day of school or university as there were lots of students posing for graduation photos all over the village. The local youngsters love it here, especially posing in the British style red phone box.
You might like – our 7 day Taiwan itinerary that includes Taichung >
4. Taichung River Walk
The Da’an River flows through the centre of Taichung and efforts have been made to make the central sections accessible, by creating paved walkways along either side of the river, as well as water sculptures and stepping stones across the river.
It has been really well done, and lots of local people hang out along Taichung River Walk having their lunch or walking with friends (very popular with young mums and their pushchairs). It is certainly one of the best (and most fun) free things to do in Taichung.
You might like – Our 1 day in Taipei guide or our best of Taipei 3 day itinerary
5. Miyahara Taichung
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Miyahara is a beautiful and Instagrammable ‘olde worlde’ red brick building from the 1920s (a former ophthalmology clinic), which now houses an incredibly popular ice cream shop, Miyahara, alongside a retail shop and high-end restaurant.
Taichung’s Miyahara n-’ice’ shop interior resembles Hogwarts from the Harry Potter movies and has to be seen to be believed – it is packed full of wall to-wall large bookcases and gleaming shop counters, with staff all besuited in immaculate uniforms.
At Miyahara, you will find local snacks such as pineapple cakes, plus luxury tea and coffee, cookies and gourmet chocolates, all presented in beautiful packaging and kept (tantalisingly) behind glass.
Upstairs at Miyahara, you’ll find a restaurant called Moon Pavillion which serves up old Taiwanese gourmet cuisine in a retro setting.
Eating one of Miyahara’s ice creams is one of Taichung’s top things to do and the queues are crazy busy.
If you do not want to queue for an hour or so, we would recommend going to get your ice-cream early in the morning (ice cream for breakfast needs to become a thing!) or late in the evening.
They also have a smaller venue down the road at Fourth Credit Union dessert hall with smaller queues!
There are over 60 fantastic flavors of ice cream at Miyahara and a sundae with three different scoops with toppings will cost you around NT$355 (Miyahara prices correct as of summer 2025). 3 flavours and a basic Miyahara cone cost NT$275.
Read more in our detailed guide to Miyahara >
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Taichung Night Markets
6. Feng Chia Night Market
Taichung is home to one of the largest night markets in Taiwan – Feng Chia Night Market 逢甲夜市 which is open from 6pm to 1am daily (as of 2025).
Taichung’s Feng Chia Night Market is one fantastic foodie find, located very close to Feng Chia University.
With around 200 pop-up stalls that open every night plus many permanent clothes, tech and amusement arcades lining the street, Feng Chia is a large night market with some incredible foods and fun carnival style games.
There is a wide variety of food stalls, from scallops to sweet potato balls, roasted clams to chicken claws and local students flock here for enjoyable and inexpensive foods.
Read more in our guide to Feng Chia Night Market >
7. Yizhong Street Night Market
Alternatively, you can visit the smaller but more centrally located Yizhong Street Night Market 一中街夜市 for more nocturnal noodles and tasty Taiwanese treats.
A short walk away from all the main hotels and hostels in downtown Taichung, Yizhong Street Night Market runs along both sides of a main street and has a combination of street-food stalls, restaurants and outdoor seating areas with entertainment.
There is a nice range of food stalls at Yizhong Street Night Market, with plenty of choice. Stalls usually open late afternoon until around 11pm. As Feng Chia Night Market is much bigger and stays open later with much more choice, we’d recommend it over Yizhong for yum-yums.
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8. Taichung Rainbow Village – now reopen in 2025
The Rainbow Village in Taichung is a popular tourist attraction and Taiwan Instagram hotspot but possibly also overrated (in our ‘unexpert’ opinion).
After a recent spate of vandalism at the Rainbow Village Taiwan (ironically by those who were paid to look after it), many of the original features and walls have now been painted over or replaced with artwork completed by the local pupils and painters.
Alas, the creator of Rainbow Village died in January last year (2024) at the age of 101 years old.
Still incredibly popular with dozens of tourists filing through during our visit (even complete with a weird, singing ‘Iron Man’), it remains one of the most colourful things to do in Taichung.
From opening times to how to get there plus photos of the new artwork, here is our Taiwanderers guide to visiting Taichung’s Rainbow Village >
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9. Fourth Credit Union
This is a Taichung dessert hall with a difference; you can ‘bank’ on it!
Situated over three floors of a former bank, Fourth Credit Union is an opulent retro setting, really making the most of its historic surroundings.
It used to have lots of different street-foods but is now focused on sweet-treats (as it has been taken over by nearby Miyahara’s ice-cream shop owners)
There are a lot of culinary choices here, (mostly desserts including a second branch of Miyahara Ice Cream). All reasonably priced, so in keeping with your surroundings, it won’t break the bank!
Our tip is that if you want a Miyahara ice-cream but don’t want to stand outside the main shop eating it, head on over to Fourth Credit Union as there are lots of seats and smaller queues. You’re welcome!
10. Animation Alley / Animation Lane, Taichung
Channel your inner anime by visiting Taichung’s animation alley – these are two laneways adorned with paintings of all your favourite cartoon characters including Super Mario, Spongebob Squarepants, Studio Ghibli, the Simpsons and Pokemon (plus loads more that we can’t name!).
We were a little underwhelmed by our Animation Alley / Lane visit to be honest – it takes about one minute to see them all, and the alleyway itself is nothing special plus some of the paintings are peeling and a little slapdash.
If you have limited time in Taichung, we wouldn’t say this is one of the best things to do in Taichung nor a top Taichung tourist spot.
You might like – 20+ instagrammable and colorful Taiwan locations >
11. Gaomei Wetlands
Taichung’s Gaomei Wetlands are a stunning area of natural beauty famous for its wildlife, long boardwalk and stunning sunsets.
A popular thing to do in Taichung and around a 45 minute drive, bus or tour from downtown, Gaomei Wetlands is over 300 hectares and home to herons, ducks and literally tens of thousands of crabs who crawl in the mud around the boardwalks.
Popular with local birdwatchers, families and tourists, Gaomei Wetlands is a nice natural attraction in Taichung (although it can get busy at peak times). A flat walk, it is suitable for all ages and abilities (and fine to push strollers or pushchairs).
We visited Gaomei Wetlands as part of this sunset shuttle bus via KKDay >
Read more in our guide to Gaomei Wetlands >
12. Taichung train station & Taichung Station Railway Cultural Park
Taichung’s swish modern TRA train station is an unexpected great photo spot in the city. Head over to admire some of the awesome art installations dotted around outside, including the famous and colorful ‘Anticipation’ statue (pictured), which depicts a child excitedly waiting outside the station.
Next door, the old Taichung railway station has been turned into the Taichung Station Railway Cultural Park where you can dine on old carriages and enjoy picnics on the old railway tracks.
At the weekends, the old railway tracks and former station platforms play host to cute crafts markets and bakery stalls – or there are old Taiwan Railway carriages which have been transformed into a cool cafe and cute gift shop full of train merchandise.
The new Bugcat Capoo Foam Cat Cafe (奶泡貓咖啡臺中驛店) also opened in the old Taichung rail station last summer.
Check out our themed 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan guide >
Plus all our individual themed store guides:
• Hello Kitty
• Mofusand
• Snoopy / Peanuts
• Pokémon
• Ultraman
• STARLUX
• Sumikko Gurashi
You might also like our guide to why 7-Elevens in Taiwan are the best in the world!
13. PARK2 Caowu Square
A large restaurant, bar and cafe complex that is part cultural hub, part entertainment center, the architecture here is quite unusual with a square at the top plus more food and drink places located underground in a sort of ‘sunken plaza’.
We visited on a Saturday afternoon and it was busy with groups of friends plus large groups of families.
There are lots of international foods like a Korean BBQ joint (standing only), Toasters Mediterranean restaurant plus the Sunmai Brewery taproom (where you freepour your own beer for only NT$390 an hour – cheers!)
We last visited PARK2 Caowu Square in late October when it coincided with the Taichung Jazz Festival being held in the Civic Square next door. The plaza was bustling with lots of pop-up food stalls, craft beer stands and live music. This place is always busy at the weekends.
You might like – Things to do in Hualien, Taiwan >
14. Fantasy Story Green Ray
A creative area located in old warehouses and packed full of fashion and book shops, craft stores, charming coffee shops, this trendy Taichung neighborhood has sprung up in the old dormitory of the Taiwan Water Corporation.
Home to a mix of permanent places like Taihu Brewing (one of Taiwan’s best craft beer bars) to more temporary pop-up stores, this is one of the best hipster hangouts in Taichung. You’ll also find some restaurants and street food stalls hidden away on the terrace up top.
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15. Chun Shui Tang Original Store
Reputedly the original creator of Taiwanese bubble tea, Chun Shui Tang has gone on to big things with stores and tea-shops all over Taiwan plus branches overseas like in Hong Kong and Japan. However it all started in 1983 with this Taichung Chun Shui Tang Original Store.
We popped into the Chun Shui Tang original store in Taichung for some lunch one weekday to try their bubble tea – the upstairs restaurant was very busy but they found space for us in the downstairs restaurant.
Tick your choices on the paper menu (English versions are available) and then pay at the till – your dishes and bubble tea will arrive shortly.
We ordered 2 small pearl milk ‘bubble’ teas for NT$90 each. We also really enjoyed some kung fu noodles (NT$100) – recommended to us by the Taiwanese couple sitting next to us.
All were super tasty and we would definitely return here again. We also really enjoyed the Chun Shui Tang bubble tea as we could choose our sugar / sweetness levels plus the bubble pearls were quite small
Try this – Alishan 1-day shared tour: Fenqihu Old Street & Alishan Departure from Taichung >
16. UpToy / Taichung Yue Lao Office
One of the coolest toy shops and retro goods stores we visited in the whole of Taiwan, UpToy Taichung (map) is top stuff.
The ground floor is full of cute and Kawaii goods like gachapon capsule toys, plushies and dolls whilst the upper floor is something even more curious…
One section is dedicated to second-hand vintage goods and classic toys and character merchandise plus nostalgic goods like classic Coke merchandise but the other area is something rather unusual!
What intrigued us the most is the ‘Old Office’ / Yue Lao Office upstairs that was full of large groups of teenagers trying to find ‘true love’ matches via coloured capsules – blue jars with single men’s details and pink jars with women’s details. Yue Lao incidentally is the god of marriage and love.
Who needs ‘Bumble’ when you have Taichung’s Yue Lao Office!
We revisited Uptoy in October 2024 and the former upstairs vintage gifts area appears to be reopening as a cafe but the other area is something rather unusual!
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17. Confucian Examination Hall x Zhong Dao GLAb
Talking of epic transformations, also check out this super-cute coffee shop located in an old school examination hall, the only one left remaining from the Qing Dynasty.
Now school desks and canes have been swapped for cappuccinos and cake in the form of Zhong Dao GLAb coffee roasters and cafe.
The interior is all sleek and modern and looks like a cross between a library and school lab (yep, they are trying very hard to be trendy).
Outside, there is sometimes an artisan craft market held outside the old Confucian Examination Hall on the weekends.
Try this – Sun Moon Lake day tour from Taichung >
18. National Taichung Theatre
Opened in 2015, the National Taichung Theatre is one of Taiwan’s top performing arts centers and its curved interiors make it one of the most unique buildings in Taiwan, up there with the Kaohsiung Music Center.
Even if you aren’t planning on going to the opera here or a live performance, we urge you to still visit the National Taichung Theatre if only to visit the free rooftop garden.
Jump in the lift to the 6th floor and walk out into a green oasis in the middle of the city, complete with benches and ‘Tellytubby’ style dinosaurs – it was a popular photo spot for families when we visited.
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19. Second Market Taichung / Fifth Market
Constantly recommended as the best place for Taiwanese street-food in Taichung in the day-time, Second Market is open six days a week (closed Monday) from 7am to 1pm.
Second Market has been around for over 100 years and many of the food stalls have been passed on from family member to family member – the upper section of the building also has a small museum.
We also checked out Fifth Market which is open 7 days a week and a much smaller neighborhood market, close to the Confucian Examination Hall.
Many of the stalls were selling soups and Taiwanese noodle dishes, with long lines. Fifth Market was OK but probably not worth a trip especially.
You might like – Our guide to Taiwan’s best night markets >
20. Taihu Brewing Taichung
Located in the Fantasy Story Green Ray area of bars and restaurants, Taihu Brewing is one of Taiwan’s top breweries and craft beer bar chains. You can even buy its beer in 7-Eleven stores, although some of it is super strong like their 9.99%(!) Happy Set.
We’ve enjoyed several Taihu Brewing craft beer bars in Taiwan including their Taichung Taihu Brewing taproom, complete with roof terrace and rather magic ‘Back to the Taihu’ / Back to the Future inspired neon sign – all have cracking beer selections.
We visited Taihu Brewing Taichung on a Saturday afternoon and it was packed – both the upstairs terrace and downstairs bar area were heaving with happy drinkers. Ganbei!
You might like – Our guide to Taipei’s best craft beer bars and Taiwan breweries >
21. Calligraphy Greenway
‘Calligraphy Greenway’ Park in Taichung is home to the world’s only* ‘World of Warcraft’ bronze statue designed by Taiwanese artist Steven Wang.
From the hit online game by Blizzard Entertainment, the statue is of Warcraft character Lich King Arthas Menethil – it is a HUGE 4.5 meters tall & like no other sculpture we’ve seen before.
*We think…unless you know otherwise
You might like – our Taichung hotel guide >
22. Taichung Creative and Cultural Industries Park
Taiwan creative parks are frequent in number and vary in terms of the visitor experience – the one in Taichung is OK to visit but nothing outstanding (we preferred Shen Ji New Village above).
And if you gauge Taiwan’s creative parks mainly by their Instagram opportunities and selfie spots, Taichung Creative and Cultural Industries Park doesn’t really have many vibrant murals or wall paintings like the others – but there are still lots of things to do here.
We liked Taichung Creative Park as it was easy to walk around, fairly quiet and is home to regular pop up exhibitions plus visit a rather interesting brewery shop (it felt like stepping back 50 years into a time-warp).
The presence of the Taichung Creative Park brewery shop is a nod to the fact this 6 acre site used to be the largest brewery in the whole of Taiwan. Cheers!
2025 update – the brewery section appears to have been closed down on our last visit. Other than a weekend flea market we stumbled upon, there doesn’t appear to be all that much going on these days at Taichung Creative and Cultural Industries Park.
Try this – Lavender Cottage Ticket in Hsinchu & Taichung >
23. National Museum of Fine Art
Taichung is blessed with several renowned museums and arts venues including The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts which has over 20 different galleries and exhibition spaces – it is famous for its Western art exhibitions and sculpture collection.
It is open 6 days a week (closed Mondays) and also has gorgeous grounds with lots of alfresco artwork and temporary installations.
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24. 7-Eleven Bar in Taichung
We’ve been asked about 7-Eleven bars in the past in our Taiwan Travel Tips Facebook group and it turns out one of the biggest in Taiwan is in Taichung.
Local students and night owls congregate here for cheap beers and this boozy 7-Eleven has a huge indoor seating area – inside, you’ll even find chandeliers plus a Pokemon Go machine!
This thirsty Taichung 7-Eleven can be found here on Google maps >
Read our guide to 7-Eleven bars in Taiwan or 15+ reasons why 7-Elevens in Taiwan are the best in the world!
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25. Taiwan Connection 1908
Call it a ‘high-line’ or a ‘sky garden’, the ‘Taiwan Connection 1908’ is a small area of reclaimed railway line that runs north from Taichung Station for just over 1km, parallel to the canal.
Popular with joggers, photo shoots and the odd romantic couple, we’d only recommend this as an easy walk way from Taichung station to Taichung Creative and Cultural Industries Park.
Otherwise, it is just a semi-interesting walk-way where you can still see some of the old sidings left over from the old railway.
You might like – Our guide to the ‘free’ Taiwan Receipt Lottery, which tourists can enter >
26. MINIMAL Ice-Cream
Tasty Taiwan! ‘MINIMAL’ in Taichung recently became the first-ever ice cream dessert shop to receive a MICHELIN Star globally!
We tried to get a reservation when we visited Taichung late last year but little did we realise you had to book weeks in advance (stupid us – they did send us these n-‘ice’ pictures though!).
Since then, MINIMAL Taichung got so busy after the Michelin award and things went a little crazy ( a bit like some of their fantastic flavor combinations)! As of December 2025, they are still doing take-out only (so not sit-in dining experience) whilst they look to rework their model.
MINIMAL is usually open for desserts to go Fridays through Mondays from 1pm to 6.30pm – our Taiwan Travel Tips Facebook group members have reported short queues and quick serving times. Please do check MINIMAL’s Instagram feed before you visit in case of any new flavors or changes to opening hours.
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27. Taichung Park
Taichung has lots of top tourist spots and open green spaces but the most frequented and loved by locals is the eponymous Taichung Park (also the oldest park in Taichung).
You could easily spend a whole afternoon in Taichung Park wandering around the lake and exploring the large Japanese style pagoda, the main feature of the park.
We were amazed by the sheer number of large fish (likely koi carp) in the lake. In fact, a family next to us were feeding the fish with bread and the carp were battling the ducks for the bread (kam-’koi’-kaze?).
To get up close to the wildlife or the huge fountain in Taichung Park, pedalos can be hired to take out on the lake here. Taichung Park is open 24 hours.
You might like – Alishan 2-3 day itinerary >
28. Don Don Donki Taichung
Japan’s most delightful discount store is now open in Taitung, on the lower levels of Tiger City Mall.
Originally known as Don Quijote in Japan where it has dozens of stores all over the country, Don Don Donki (as it is branded in Taiwan) opened their first Taiwan store in Ximending in 2021.
This is a fairly new Don Don Donki store in Taichung that is open from 10am to 11pm daily (alas not 24 hours like Ximending).
Combined with its big fresh food area (with lots of Japanese food like takoyaki and sashimi / sushi), Don Don Donki is a great place for late night shopping in Taichung.
You might like – Guide to Taiwan supermarkets and convenience stores including Carrefour
29. Eslite Spectrum Taichung 480
Some of the most beautiful bookshops you’ll find in Taiwan (and across Asia), Eslite (誠品) is one your one stop shop for unique gifts, cute collectibles and travel reading.
We were lucky enough to visit the newest (and HUGE) Eslite Spectrum 480 Taichung branch on its opening weekend in spring 2024.
With several floors of food courts, book shops, restaurants and home furnishings, this was one of the best shopping malls in Taiwan we experienced.
The bookstore part and gift section at Eslite Spectrum Taichung 480 was particularly good plus it is great to go shopping then eat at one of the cafes or restaurants inside.
Check out our guide to Eslite Bookstores: Taiwan’s most beautiful department stores >
30. National Museum of Natural Science
One of Taiwan’s biggest and most popular museums, the National Museum of Natural Science in Taichung is spread over six huge buildings, and starts from just NT$20 admission (you can visit individual buildings like the Science Center or buy a pass to visit them all).
Busy with children and local families on the weekend we visited, the museum has lots of hands-on experiences plus demonstrations and shows – the Space IMAX Center had a huge queue outside.
Book your National Museum of Natural Science tickets here >
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31. Taichung’s HUGE NET Fashion shop
Looking to do some fashion shopping in Taiwan? One of the main Taiwan fashion shops that gets mentioned in our Taiwan Travel Tips group is NET.
With over 150 NET fashion stores around Taiwan, it is a clothing chain that is similar in style to UNIQLO and GAP…but much MUCH cheaper.
Near to Feng Chia night market, we think we’ve located one of Taiwan’s biggest NET fashion stores with several floors of clothing, accessories and garments.
Often with late store opening hours and several floors of fashion, here is our guide to Taiwan’s NET clothing stores >
32. Taichung Totoro Bus Stop (Closed)
2024 update – this Taichung Totoro Bus Stop has now been moved by its owner – however, there is another mural Totoro bus stop at Taichung’s Animation Alley / Lane; more on this later.
Although not totally legit (and not approved by Studio Ghibli), this recreated bus stop from the movie ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ (when Satsuki waits at the bus stop for her parents and Totoro shelters her from the rain) is a little away from Taichung’s attractions, but ‘Totoro-y’ worth your time!
Although not an actual bus stop (just in case you spend hours waiting for a bus), this has been created by a local resident, whose workshop is to the left of the Totoro bus-stop.
When we visited, he beckoned us in to see his latest creation, a Harry Potter trolley disappearing into the wall on platform 9 3/4 (like the one at King’s Cross Station, but without the two hour queue to get your photo taken).
There are lots of awesome anime inspired photo opportunities and it is free to visit, but it located on the side of a very busy road, so you have to weave through the traffic to get the best shots from across the other side of the street.
33. Panding Church
Wow, this is one Taichung church that looks ship-shape; literally! Nautical but nice, the Panding Church is a popular place to visit and the blue and white theming also look quite similar to a sailor’s outfit.
Located a little way out in the Longjing District, this basically looks like a real Noah’s Ark (but without all the animals).
Our final thing to do in Taichung
34. Qianyue Building
A quick mention of one of Taichung’s most unusual sights, ideal for URBEX enthusiasts (although the old building is all sealed up now).
The abandoned Qianyue Building (very UFO like) can be seen from all Taichung and is very close to Miyahara and the little stream / Green River.
The 1970s 13 storey building started to decay and became unsafe after a fire in a night-club on the middle floors around 20 years ago – it has gradually decayed more and more over time.
From afar, it looks like a UFO has landed on the building and this used to be a former revolving restaurant in Taichung.
The abandoned Qianyue Building is now all boarded up with graffiti all over the exterior – maybe one just to look up at when exploring downtown Taichung.
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