10 Things to Do in Taitung on a Small Budget

Taitung now has a world-famous building – National Taitung University Library. Since its opening, it has featured on numerous international websites and become a must-see tourist attraction. Landscape architecture was employed in the design of building, which is shaped like a mountain or a pyramid. Its slanted roof is covered with grass, allowing the building to cleverly blend in with its surroundings. Constructed with architectural concrete, this green building also features eye-catching irregular-shaped windows.

National Taitung University Library was named as one of the top 10 must-visit libraries in Taiwan. On the renowned international architecture website Architizer.com, it was selected as one of the 8 most unique libraries in the world. In 2019, it won the FIABCI World Prix d'Excellence Award. Situated on Zhiben campus, the library is about a 10-minute drive from Zhiben Railroad Station. In addition to admiring its beauty, don't miss the opportunity to "reach the summit" of the library. There are stairs leading to the roof on both sides, providing a bird's eye view of the entire campus and its surroundings.

On the north coast of Sanxiantai, there's an Amis tribal village with a unique rustic charm. This village has a beautiful name, Pisirian, and is otherwise known as Pisirian Jimmy Park. In the Amis language, "Pisirian" means "grazing pasture", but as times have changed, the locals no longer rear livestock. Faced with rural flight, the residents decided to collaborate with Jimmy Liao in the hope of giving the village a new lease of life. You'll now find Jimmy's work everywhere in Pisirian, including goats made of driftwood. The most eye-catching of all is the giant goat standing on the shoreline, gazing across at Sanxiantai.

As local artist Rahic Talif once said, "It's important for the residents to remember the past and for the young to remember where they're from." Follow in the footsteps of the little girl in "One More Day With You", or discover the 11 beautiful murals hidden throughout the tribal village.

Beinan Dazhen was the result of the biggest water conservancy project in Taitung. Built during Japanese rule, this comb-shaped 5.6-mile (9 km) canal underwent major renovations. The source of Beinan Dazhen comes from Beinan River, which then irrigates the entire Taitung Plain. The water conservancy project covered a vast area. Weeds grew everywhere before the land on both sides was redeveloped. Since being reconstructed by the Taiwan Taitung Irrigation Association, this riverside park now serves as a flood prevention device, an irrigation canal and one of the attractions along the Taitung Ocean/Mountain Bikeway.

The park is only 0.62 miles (1 km) away from the famous geological landscape "Liji Badlands". From the park you can see the desolate badlands that have been washed and eroded by rainwater. On the other side, you'll find the magnificent cliff landscape "Little Huangshan". The park also has features such as water wheel landscaping, ecosystem pond and stone trail, making this destination a great place for a relaxing afternoon stroll or a bike ride.

Liji Moon World, also known as Liji Badlands, is located next to Beinan River and is a famous landscape on the east coast. Liji Moon World is a mudstone layer created by plate movements. Together with rocks and clay minerals, the stratum forms the unique "Liji Mélange". Owing to the plate movements, orogeny, weathering and rain erosion, the badlands gave birth to rills and gullies where no plants can survive.

Liji Moon World's desolate landscape and Tianliao Moon World in Kaohsiung are two important assets in Eastern Taiwan. This incredible terrain is about 1.2 miles (2 km) wide and 0.62 miles (1 km) deep and is top of many people's bucket lists, so be sure to include this attraction in your itinerary and come witness its wonder in person. You'll find pavilions, a boardwalk and signs that tell you more about the park. If you want to view Liji Moon World from a distance, head to the observatory in Beinan Dazhen Water Conservancy Park or Liji Bridge.

Guanshan is known for its Town Circle Bicycle Path, the first town bike path in Taiwan. This 7.4-mile (12 km) path begins at Guanshan Waterfront Park and consists of water and mountain sections. You'll encounter verdant rice paddies along the way, and as the seasons change the fields turn from green to dazzling gold. Next, follow the path lined with areca palms before visiting the Sun Moon Viewing Pavilion at the highest point, where you'll get an amazing panoramic view of Guanshan Township.

Guanshan Waterfront Park is also the country’s first eco-friendly park. It's worth spending a bit of time here and further exploring the water play neighborhoods, fountains, pavilions, stargazing platforms and birdwatching point. On a clear day, be sure to take a walk around the lake and admire the mountains, the blue sky and the clouds. If you're looking to experience life at a slower pace, a leisurely trip to Guanshan check marks all the boxes.

Though Duoliang Station, hailed as "the most beautiful train station in Taiwan", is no longer in service due to low passenger numbers, its breathtaking scenery still attracts crowds of tourists from far and wide. From the elevated observation deck you get an expansive view of the blue Pacific Ocean sparkling in the sunlight and the white waves set against the rusty red railings and verdant forests. As the train slowly emerges from the tunnel, you're struck by the intertwining of the natural and man-made landscapes here. This magnificent scenery has brought a new stream of tourism revenue to this long-abandoned station.

Since being redeveloped, Duoliang Station is equipped with more milestones between stations, railroad tracks, gravel, the "I Love Duoliang" art installation and a better traffic flow. The authority plans to work with local tribes in the future to help promote community development. It's certainly worth coming here for a visit and exploring the brand-new Duoliang Station.

Every fan of the Japanese anime series "Slam Dunk" must remember the scene where Sakuragi Hanamichi and Akagi Haruko wave to each other at the grade crossing in the title sequence. The series made Kamakurakokomae Station in Japan a popular attraction, attracting huge numbers of fans every year. But did you know there's a similar place near Taimali Station in Taitung? Taimali is the first station in Taiwan to welcome the sunrise as well as a popular checkin spot in Taitung, and is also known by the nickname "Sakuragi Railroad Crossing".

On vacations, you'll see crowds of tourists arriving here to take pictures. You can see people try to reproduce the classic scenes from the anime series, such as the characters waving to each other or the moment the train passes by. So, if you're in the area, why not join in the fun and capture this beautiful view of the sparkling sea and clear blue sky?

Having survived over 50 summers and winters, the small white house on Zhongzheng Road in Taitung City is an old building with many stories to tell. It has gained fame since being featured in an article by Professor Juan Wei-ming from the architecture department of Tunghai University in 2015. It's now dubbed by locals as the "shabby White House" and "Taiwan's Moving Castle" after the anime movie "Howl's Moving Castle".

This one-of-a-kind house is not made of steel beams or high-quality building materials, but of waste materials and recycled items scavenged by Mr. Lee Wen-Chang, a military veteran who came from China's Guangxi Province. He built it brick by brick himself over the years so as to fulfill his wish of building a warm home for his son. Professor Juan Wei-ming likened the self-taught Mr. Lee to Tolstoy’s "Ivan the Fool", who would throw himself into a single task whole-heartedly -- in this case building his own home. Despite the damage caused by Typhoon Nepartak in 2017, particularly on the second floor and above, the four-storey building now attracts more visitors than ever on account of its battered appearance.