24 hours to savor the culinary delights of Taiwan.

The island nation of Taiwan is not very large, only about 1/9 the size of Vietnam. Furthermore, getting around Taiwan is extremely convenient with many different modes of transport, from the High-Speed Rail (HSR), Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), buses, trains, and taxis. All are readily available to take you to explore every corner!

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10:00 AM, Taipei – Good morning!

Taiwanese people often start their day quite late. Around 9 or 10 a.m. in downtown Taipei, you can still see people lining up for breakfast. Take the Kuo-Kang bus from the airport to the city center and start your day with a traditional breakfast at the famous Da-An commercial district breakfast spot: Full Want, with dishes like egg rolls with corn and cheddar cheese, scallion crepes with Teppanyaki beef, and a glass of soy milk or green tea.

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These are dishes you can easily find at any Taiwanese breakfast spot. Hot, crispy scallion crepes, with their thin, layered crusts and fragrant baked batter, rolled with spicy pork or beef in Teppenyaki sauce, are sure to whet anyone's appetite at first sight. They're a popular choice for breakfast or a snack whenever you're hungry.

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Alternatively, you can try a peanut butter sandwich. It might sound rather ordinary, but Taiwanese peanut butter is incredibly delicious, a treat that almost every Taiwanese person has been addicted to as a child.

After breakfast, you can take the MRT to Dadaocheng, meaning 'vast field,' Taipei's old town with over 150 years of history. Dadaocheng Port used to be one of Taiwan's busiest cargo ports. Here you can find shops selling tea, traditional Chinese medicine, camphor, and more.

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Dadaocheng boasts a large concentration of ancient architectural structures, including tube-shaped townhouses, offices, and temples. You can read the entire history of Taipei by observing the streetscape and the distinctive architectural styles from each historical period, from the Qing Dynasty and Japanese occupation to the period of trade with Western countries…

12:30 PM, Taichung – Head to a traditional market to eat home-cooked meals.

From Taipei, take the HSR train from Taipei to Taichung in about 54 minutes, and you can immediately visit the traditional Taiwanese market: Taichung Second Public Market to satisfy your hunger. An integral part of Taichung's history, the Taichung Second Public Market was established in 1917 and still exists today, after 100 years. It is famous for selling incredibly delicious traditional dishes such as black tea, handmade dumplings, noodles, vermicelli, and especially Lu Rou Fan (pork rice).

Taiwanese people have a saying: when you come to Taiwan, you absolutely must try "beef noodles and pork rice." Lu Rou Fan is a traditional Taiwanese braised pork belly rice dish. Depending on the region, it's prepared in two different ways: either sliced pork belly with distinct layers of fat and lean meat, or minced pork belly simmered until tender. The pork belly comes from the pig's belly, consisting of layers of meat and fat intertwined. Without this rich layer of fat, Lu Rou Fan would lose its distinctive character.

For many, Lu Rou Fan is not just a delicious dish, but also something special connected to childhood memories, to the image of grandmothers and mothers chopping meat and cooking rice in their small kitchens. Stepping into the middle of the market, choosing the humble Arashi rice stall of 'Mother Lan' (Lan mama) – as the locals call her – my first lunch in Taichung was a bowl of steaming hot, pristine white rice topped with finely minced pork, braised in a brown sauce, and sprinkled with a little scallion. Sitting comfortably on a stainless steel chair, enjoying 'Mom's lunch' is how locals enjoy a relaxing moment in the middle of the day.

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4:30 PM, Tainan – A lazy day for afternoon tea.

From Taichung, it takes about two hours by HSR train to reach Tainan City. Tainan was formerly the capital of Taiwan between 1683 and 1887. Therefore, you'll see many ancient architectural structures here, such as Anping Old Street and the Confucius Temple. Walking through the center of Tainan, you might exclaim, "It seems like nobody here is interested in doing business! The storefronts are all empty!"

Trang thông tin du lịch và phong cách sống Travellive+

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Tainan is a relaxed, nostalgic city perfect for "lazy days," where you can leisurely cycle through narrow streets, queue for a char siu bun, or sip bubble tea with friends on a hot afternoon.

One of the must-visit spots for food lovers is Hanlin Tearoom in Tainan – the birthplace of Taiwan's unique bubble tea. In 1986, Mr. Tu Tsong, the owner of a tea shop, came up with the idea of adding translucent tapioca pearls to a cup of hot black tea with added milk. The fragrant tea, the refreshing taste of milk, and the chewy tapioca pearls created a culinary sensation that spread worldwide. So much so that the Taiwanese government declared it a signature dish of the country.

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At Hanlin Tearoom, you can enjoy the original version of bubble tea: including a pot of hot milk tea, two small cups, and a bowl of black and white tapioca pearls on the side. If you prefer the familiar cold milk tea, be prepared because the cup of milk tea here is as big as a beer glass!

Taiwanese people also like to order a small sweet treat to accompany their bubble tea. One of the ten most popular sweets here is brown sugar mochi with red bean paste filling, or peanut butter mochi. As a side note, if you don't have time to go to Tainan, there's still a Hanlin Tearoom store in Taichung where you can enjoy traditional bubble tea (hot tea).

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8:00 PM – A tour of Taiwan's night markets

A culinary journey in Taiwan would certainly be incomplete without a stroll through its night markets. Taiwan's night markets are a paradise of Asian cuisine; from one end to the other, you'll find countless diverse food choices. If you only ate one dish a day, you'd probably need to stay there for a whole month. Shilin Night Market (Taipei), Feng Chia (Taichung), and Hua Yuan (Tainan) are famous night markets popular with tourists. Beyond shopping and eating, night markets are also a popular spot for young people to date and hang out.

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When visiting the night market, remember to buy pineapple cakes and iron eggs as souvenirs. Pineapple cakes are a traditional gift believed to bring good luck. As for the iron eggs—those tough, black, and rather strange-looking eggs—they're actually quail or pigeon eggs braised in soy sauce until they turn black and chewy. My local friend joked, "You could even play table tennis with these eggs!"

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After a tiring walk, it's time to stop and enjoy beef noodle soup – one of Taiwan's two "national treasures." The fresh noodles, rich brown broth, and tender, fragrant braised beef with a subtle herbal aroma make it a must-try! After your bowl of beef noodle soup, you can continue with a light meal of oyster omelets. Locals often grill oysters over a flame, so they remain plump, fresh, and juicy, not dry like those grilled over charcoal. Finish your meal with a sweet dessert of mango shaved ice or Dou Hua – tofu pudding with rock sugar syrup, served with red beans, green beans, and mochi.

After a day filled with delicious food in this "Asian culinary paradise," what was your favorite dish?

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