TaitungPlay Recommendations

Green Island, about thirty minutes by ferry from Taitung, is an offshore getaway that suits families and pet owners alike. The waters are clear with high-visibility dive sites, the beaches are unspoiled, and hot springs line the shore — a great place to put a child in a snorkel for the first time or stargaze after dark. Several pet-friendly homestays throw in BBQ pits and karaoke so the whole family — humans and pets — settles in easily. Ferries handle the crossing, scooters cover the island loop, and the mix of marine life and downtime makes it a classic summer escape.

Taitung Hai-Bin Park runs along a kilometre of Taitung City's eastern edge, hugging the Pacific shoreline. It is free and open around the clock, with broad lawns, a beachside walkway and a cycle path that suits everything from a parent-and-child stroll to a do-nothing sit-down or an easy bike ride. The park's signature international landmark, the 'Sun-Facing Tree', blends public art with landscape and draws the camera crowd, while a connection to the neighbouring Taitung Forest Park extends the green-and-blue space — an ideal spot for sunrises, sunsets and a face full of sea breeze.

Du-Lan Beach on Taitung's east coast faces the open Pacific, with soft sand and clear water that have made it a go-to for surfers and families alike. The shallow shoreline is gentle enough for small children to play in the sand while, just offshore, surfers carve the waves for an impromptu show. Sunset turns the sea gold and the spray to sparkler-light, a gift for photographers, and hidden reef-rimmed coves along the coast reveal see-through tide pools. From the daytime salt-air-and-sunshine to evening light, Du-Lan hands families a slow, scenery-rich day by the sea.

Tie-Hua Village in central Taitung began life as a TRA freight dormitory block and has been reborn as a music-and-slow-market cultural hub. Wednesday through Sunday afternoons bring live music, a market of artist-made goods and a sea of painted hot-air-balloon lights that pull in the after-dark crowd. Beyond the market, a row of small snack shops serves drinks and bites built around Taitung-grown ingredients, with family-friendly open spaces woven through. Parking lots and kerb spaces are plentiful nearby, making it a relaxed fit for parents, couples and the artsy set looking for an evening dose of Taitung culture.

Li-Yu Mountain (Carp Mountain) rises about seventy-five metres on Taitung City's western flank, its profile carp-shaped and the source of its name. The trail is wide and gentle — an easy family walk — and the summit frames downtown Taitung, the Pacific and, on the far horizon, Du-Lan Mountain; clear days even reveal Green Island. The route runs about 0.6 kilometres, or roughly ten minutes one-way, with multiple viewing decks along the way and plenty of plants and insects to inspect, making it an easy nature introduction for small children.

Lu-Si Lake in Taitung County sits beside the Taitung Forest and Da-Hu parks, a quiet pocket where still water mirrors the surrounding green hills. The calm surface suits family walks, picnics and waterbird-watching, and the nearby White-Egret Mountain trail — a flat stone-slab path — delivers walkers to the shore in about forty to fifty minutes, with lake reflections and ridge-line views along the way. The wider lake district also includes Huo-Shui Lake and Pi-Pa Lake, making the area a magnet for cycling, strolling and photography in one of Taitung's most popular family destinations.