Private Family Tour of Taiwan

If you’re going to take a family vacation far from home, Taiwan is surely one of your best options. 

Visitors from the English-speaking world have been raving about this island’s tremendous natural beauty for a century and a half. Among those who recorded their impressions was Dr. Francis H. H. Guillemard (1852–1933), a Cambridge University geographer who referred to Taiwan by its old Portuguese-derived name, Formosa. In 1882 he wrote: ‘Very seldom are precipices more startling than California’s exquisite poetically beautiful land… or the majestic coastal cliffs of Scotland’s Orkney’s Hoy… or Portugal’s Penha d’Águia 2,400-ft coastal cliffs… or Norway’s encircling imposing coastal cliffs. But all are infinitesimal and not worth mentioning next to the enormous broken ridges of Formosa’.

Like other societies in East Asia, this dynamic island now has an alarmingly low birth rate — yet it retains a family-focused culture that makes travelling with children a true pleasure. There’s an expectation that kids are to be integrated into daily life, whether it’s riding public transport, visiting a monument, or dining out. There’s also an enduring respect for the older generation that’s expressed in the form of genuine warmth on top of considerate behaviour. Silver-haired visitors shouldn’t be at all surprised if younger folks wave them ahead in a queue or give up their seats to them.   

Travelling with infants

Becoming a parent doesn’t mean you have to abandon all hopes of visiting exotic locations: You just have to be more careful when it comes to choosing your destination. For families that include young children — for all kinds of travellers, in fact — Taiwan is an exceptionally safe place to visit. Almost every index ranks it among the world’s top-five destinations when it comes to low crime, police reliability, religious tolerance, and social acceptance.

In addition to having stunning landscapes, lively cities, and a fascinating culture, Taiwan scores highly in terms of clean, free bathrooms and toilets and baby changing facilities. Machines that supply free filtered drinking water can be found in metro stations and other transport hubs, department stores, and other public spaces. Most of these machines let you choose cold, warm, or piping hot water, ideal if you want to make a bottle of baby formula.     

There are plenty of parks and green spaces where youngsters can burn off their energy. What’s more, the easygoing tempo of Taiwanese society and the fact that temples serve as informal community centres mean that nobody gets offended if kids play on the steps of a 300-year-old shrine.  

The food situation can be summarised as ‘tasty, inexpensive, and everywhere’. Is there a person on this good Earth who doesn’t adore Taiwanese potsticker dumplings or pan-fried shui-jian-bao? (Pictured here; vegetarian versions are widely available). Developing an addiction to bubble milk tea is a risk you might run. If you want an early dinner, that’s never a problem. If your kids end up napping until late in the afternoon, or you can’t tear them away from the hotel’s swimming pool, consider hitting the nearest night market for some filling delectables.

We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t warn you that in Taiwan’s crowded urban neighbourhoods, many pavements are built up to prevent illegal parking and to ensure that water drains quickly after heavy rain. As a result, they aren’t always convenient for those pushing a buggy or a stroller; a baby carrier might be better. Alternatively, for all or part of the time you’ll be spending on the island, use the services of a driver-guide who’s an expert at getting you as close as physically possible to the entrance of restaurants and attractions. 

Going all out for fun

Taiwan’s mountains are breathtaking, its temples are dazzling, and its museums are engaging. But we understand that getting in touch with nature and understanding other cultures aren’t universal goals. Sometimes you just want to enjoy yourself… 

If theme parks are where it’s at, you’ll be glad to know that Taiwan has several. Leofoo Village is a consistent poll-topper; among its attractions is a safari bus that’ll take you around the animal enclosures. Lihpao Discovery Land is another institution, with 33 fun rides, challenging escape rooms, a karting track, and Mala Bay water park. Down south, the roller coasters and water amusements at Janfusun Fancyworld are a big hit with teenagers.

If you’re thinking of devoting part of your trip to a seaside getaway, the Penghu Islands may be just what you’re looking for. The archipelago has a number of top-notch beaches, some of which offer an enticing level of tranquillity. Midweek, you might have the Shanshui’s strip of sand all to yourselves. Aimen Beach boasts a beautiful mix of white sand, coral fragments, and the remains of foraminifera (five-pointed star-shaped shells of organisms less than 1 mm across). It’s now a hotspot for jet skiing and banana boating.

Away from the beach, fans of turtles, sharks, and other sea life will find Penghu Aquarium both fun and educational. Youngsters always enjoy the pools where they can handle starfish, sea cucumbers, and other creatures.

Why stop at Tongliang, a semi-abandoned village at one end of the long bridge that connects the islands of Baisha and Xiyu? Because amid the photogenic ruins there’s a banyan tree so huge it’s unlikely you’ve ever seen anything quite like it, that’s why! And around it, you can be sure there’ll be a vendor or two selling prickly-pear ice cream. This local speciality is a cooling treat with a subtle flavour, thanks to the purplish flesh of cacti that grow wild throughout the archipelago.

If commitments are going to keep you close to Taipei, we recommend Keelung’s Heping Island as a place to spend a fun-filled afternoon. At dusk, the obvious next step is to explore the city’s famous night market… and instead of returning to Taipei, consider overnighting in the beguiling hillside town of Jiufen. 

Rediscovering heritage 

Dozens of the family tours we’ve hosted were booked by Taiwan-born matriarchs or patriarchs who emigrated decades ago, built successful careers in North America, and now want to introduce their children and grandchildren to the land where they grew up. 

It goes without saying that Taiwan in 2024 is very different to the island of the 1970s or 1980s. Multi-storey homes have replaced the one-floor redbrick countryside abodes in which many Taiwanese of a certain age grew up. Water buffalo no longer serve as beasts of burden. Nonetheless, our talented guides are able to bring our guests to rural communities that have hardly changed over the past half century and alluring spots where the scenery is timeless.

To those who want to be transported back to the Taiwan of yesteryear, we highly recommend the National Museum of Taiwan History in the former capital of Tainan. Permanent bilingual exhibitions touch on religious traditions, education, medicine, policing, and other aspects of 20th-century life, as well as the island’s prehistoric communities, its indigenous inhabitants, and the competition for productive farmland that caused interethnic conflicts in the 18th and 19th centuries. 

There are several smaller museums with a local focus, such as Yunlin Story House and Wufeng Minsheng House of Microhistory. The former, built as housing for officials during the period of Japanese rule, was saved from demolition and beautifully restored. The latter, formerly a clinic, now celebrates the achievements of notable citizens who grew up in the area. 

Perhaps it’s a certain taste from your childhood that you’re seeking. Some Taiwanese associate congee that contains as much sweet potato as rice with poverty, because in the past many farmers had to sell all their grain and make do with less-desirable tuberous roots. But for others it’s a uniquely satisfying dish they hope to enjoy when they’re back on the island. (In recent years moreover, health conscious individuals have begun to recognise sweet potato’s multiple advantages over polished rice.) Some other comestibles have gone full circle: Once an accepted staple, then shunned in favour of something fancier, but now embraced as an expression of ‘Taiwanese-ness’.  

Our guides can steer you in the right direction for local pastries and candies made using traditional ingredients such as taro, adzuki beans, crushed peanuts, sesame, or maltose syrup. A handful of old bakeries still make tsao-a-guei (草仔粿) by mixing cooked sun-dried cudweed with a glutinous rice paste, then stuffing them with pickled daikon, shiitake mushrooms, pork, and/or dried shrimp.

Not all of the many eateries that advertise gu-zao- wei (古早味, literally ‘ancient flavours’) really deliver on their promise, in part because the modern food industry has accelerated so many processes. As one of Taiwan’s leading banquet chefs has pointed out, ‘The pork supplied to us used to be from pigs 10 to 12 months old. Now we eat pigs at the age of three and a half months. It’s the same with chickens, 12 weeks instead of 12 months. Pickles that were preserved or fermented for 40 days are now “ready” in 10 days. How could the tastes not be different?’

Throughout Taiwan, there are artisans who believe in doing things the way they were done long ago, and we at Life of Taiwan are happy to support these determined individuals and entrepreneurs by giving our clients opportunities to see what they do and sample what they make.  

Of course, we don’t expect everyone to be obsessed with the past and our itinerary planners are adept at balancing the forces of nostalgia with the desire for simple fun. After a few days deeply immersed in the rich culture of central and southern Taiwan, perhaps a night or two at Kenting — the island’s premier beach resort — would be just the thing. Or an excursion to Taitung, a region some call ‘Taiwan’s Hawaii’ on account of its multiethnic character and laid-back tropical atmosphere. Contact us today so we can begin assembling a schedule that’ll please everyone in your group.

What to pack for a family tour

Let’s start by talking about what you don’t need to bring. There’s no need to pack fancy clothes, as Taiwanese dress casually most of the time, even when visiting houses of worship. You needn’t cover your hair or your shoulders when stepping inside a temple. Short trousers are fine, whatever your age or gender. 

Carrying a thin jacket or long-sleeved shirt is a good idea, as some businesses really like to crank up the air-conditioning. A folding umbrella provides protection against strong sun as well as rain but most important of all are comfortable shoes. Even if you don’t plan on doing a lot of walking, at places like Yehliu Geopark you’re likely to spend a good amount of time on your feet. We also advise you to take a hat as there’s a risk of getting sunburnt, especially in the mountains when the sky is clear.  

Many hotels offer USB sockets but you’ll probably need an adaptor so you can charge your devices. Taiwanese appliances use type A and type B plugs. As for toiletries, almost anything you’re likely to want is easy to find in Taiwan. The Watsons and Cosmed chains are always a good bet. For brand-name cosmetics, try one of the many department stores. 

Health and safety

Like every other tropical or semi-tropical destination, Taiwan has mosquitoes, not to mention a good many other insects. Some people come here just to see the amazing butterflies! The way in which the island kept COVID-19 at bay for so long didn’t surprise those of us who’re familiar with its public health achievements. In addition to its much-envied national health insurance system, since the 1960s Taiwan has maintained an excellent record in malaria elimination. Flying bloodsuckers aren’t a big problem in urban areas, or around high-altitude destinations like Alishan. Even so, for the sake of comfort as well as health, it pays to take precautions when outdoors so you don’t get bitten.

At the height of summer the temperature can be an issue, especially as it’s often coupled with high humidity. Air-conditioning is never far away, however, and the stupendous density of convenience stores (most of which have tables and chairs where you can sit for a while) mean refreshment stops can be as frequent as you want them to be. 

If the worst happens and you do feel under the weather, rest assured that you’ll be in good hands, even if you’re travelling without a guide. In hospitals you’ll have no problem finding staff who can speak English. At pharmacies and clinics in smaller towns, communication might be a bit more difficult, but the majority of pharmacists and doctors can read much more English than they can speak, so a pen and paper sometimes come in handy.

Any questions? Or are you ready to start planning the Taiwan trip of a lifetime with the help of our expert itinerary designers? Click here to contact Life of Taiwan today.