Taitung is Taiwan’s least-rushed corner: the sunny southeast coast, a green rift valley of rice terraces, and the jumping-off point for two of the country’s most distinctive islands. The single hardest part is the train there; the Puyuma express (NT$783, about 3.5 hours from Taipei) sells out the moment its 28-day booking window opens, so set an alarm. This summer’s balloon festival runs at Luye Highland through August 20, 2026. This is a two-or-three-day region, not a day trip.
Taitung county runs down Taiwan’s Pacific-facing southeast, hemmed between the Central Mountain Range and the ocean. It’s the part of Taiwan that stayed rural, and the pace matches: people come here to cycle the rift valley and watch the sun come up out of the Pacific, not to work through a sight list. The trade-off is distance. Getting here takes commitment, and once you’ve made it, the worst mistake is rushing.
Getting there: book the train early, seriously
Two ways from Taipei:
- TRA express train: the Puyuma and newer EMU3000 Tze-chiang trains run Taipei to Taitung in about 3.5-4 hours for NT$783. These are the fast, comfortable, reserved-seat services, and they are the bottleneck of the entire trip. Booking opens 28 days ahead (29-30 days for weekend departures) at midnight, and popular departures sell out within minutes. Set a calendar reminder for the exact window; our HSR and rail booking guide covers the mechanics.
- Flights: UNI Air and Mandarin Airlines fly Taipei Songshan to Taitung in about an hour, several times a day. When the trains are gone, this is the save, and it’s often not much pricier.
Within Taitung, distances are real and public transport is thin. A rental car, or e-scooter for the confident, unlocks the valley and coast; otherwise the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle buses hit the main sights on a limited schedule.
The islands
Two islands sit off Taitung, both reached by ferry from Fugang Harbor just north of the city, and both worth the effort if the season and your stomach cooperate.
Green Island (Ludao) is the accessible one: about 50 minutes by ferry (NT$600 each way, NT$1,200 round trip after a recent fare rise), snorkeling over coral, one of only a handful of saltwater hot springs on earth, and a chilling former political prison from the martial-law era. One current caveat: typhoon damage has closed the Zhaori hot spring’s lower seaside pools, with the upper pools running evening hours only; check status when booking. Ferries run frequently April-September and thin out sharply in winter, with weather cancellations common. Daily Air also flies over in about 15 minutes on a tiny plane.
Orchid Island (Lanyu) is the wild one: two hours by ferry (around NT$1,200 each way), home to the Tao people, flying-fish culture, and a coastline most travelers never reach. It’s the more rewarding island and the harder trip. Be warned about the ferry: its seasickness reputation is legendary and earned. Take medication 30 minutes before boarding, sit low and toward the rear, and plan to overnight rather than day-trip.
One correction, because guides get it wrong: Xiaoliuqiu, the popular sea-turtle island, is not reached from Taitung. Its ferry leaves from Donggang in Pingtung county on the west side (NT$450 round trip, 25-30 minutes), so pair it with Kaohsiung or Kenting, not this trip.
The East Rift Valley
Inland, the valley between the mountain ranges is the part of Taitung people come back for: a corridor of rice paddies, hot springs and cycling roads.
- Chishang is rice country, and its Brown Boulevard is the icon: a tree-framed farm road running through open paddies, made famous by a tea commercial and best seen from a rented bike (NT$100-200 pedal, more for e-bikes, from shops by the station). The boulevard is free and always open; go early for the light and the quiet.
- Luye Highland is the balloon-festival plateau (see below) and a paragliding launch the rest of the year.
- The valley strings together small hot-spring towns and roadside farm stands; it’s built for a slow driving or cycling day, not a checklist.
The balloon festival (July 4 to August 20, 2026)
The Taiwan International Balloon Festival runs July 4 to August 20, 2026 at Luye Highland, so if you’re reading this in that window, it’s happening. Hot-air balloons launch in the calm hours (roughly 05:30-07:00 mornings and 17:00-18:30 evenings), with tethered rides, occasional free-flight sessions, and evening “night glow” concerts where the balloons light up to music. Some days close mid-week and sessions shift with weather, so check the official festival site before building a day around it. Accommodation across Taitung books out during the festival; reserve well ahead.
About those beaches
Taitung’s coast is for looking, cycling and watching the sunrise, not for swimming. The shoreline is black sand with strong currents and riptides, and swimming is inadvisable along most of the open coast, including Taitung Seaside Park. That park earns its place instead as a cycling and public-art stretch linking into the Forest Park, best at dawn when the Pacific lights up.
FAQ
How do I get to Taitung from Taipei?
The Puyuma or EMU3000 express train, about 3.5-4 hours for NT$783, is the main way, but it sells out fast, so book the instant the 28-day window opens. Flights from Songshan take about an hour and are the reliable backup.
Is the Taiwan balloon festival worth it?
If your dates land in the July-August window at Luye Highland, yes. The morning launches over the rift valley are genuinely beautiful. Just plan around the early hours, possible weather cancellations, and booked-out hotels.
Green Island or Orchid Island?
Green Island is easier: shorter ferry, more services, snorkeling and a saltwater hot spring. Orchid Island is wilder and more culturally distinct but demands a rough two-hour ferry and an overnight. Do Green Island if you have one shot; Orchid if you have time and sea legs.
Can I visit Xiaoliuqiu from Taitung?
No. Xiaoliuqiu’s ferry leaves from Donggang in Pingtung on the west coast, so it belongs with a Kaohsiung or Kenting trip, not Taitung.
How many days do I need for Taitung?
Two or three minimum. The travel time in and out is significant, and the region’s whole appeal is not rushing. Add a night if you’re ferrying to an island.
Keep planning
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Prices, schedules and closures change. If you spot something stale, email us and we’ll check it.