The Experience of Visiting Taitung During a Typhoon, Taiwan

Sometimes things just don’t break your way. That was clearly the case when I visited Taitung on Taiwan’s east coast last October. This wasn’t because there was anything wrong with the small city. No, it just happened to be in a prime spot to get battered by Typhoon Khanun right during my visit there.

I went from the sweltering heat of Kaohsiung on the west coast to arrive in Taitung hours before the heavens opened. What’s funny is that I didn’t realise it was a “proper” typhoon until it was basically over. Luckily, I was never in any danger, which is not always the case.

Although I only planned on staying two days, it quickly became three as the severity of the weather dawned on me. In the end, my time in Taitung was just as much about waiting the typhoon out as it was seeing the city. Here’s what my experience was like visiting Taitung, before, during, and after Typhoon Khanun.

Sights of Taitung

Before the typhoon had hit, I thankfully managed to do some sightseeing around Taitung. Compared to my other stops in Taiwan, this was a markedly different kind of destination. Places like Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung are all great big, dense urban cities – and that’s simply not Taitung.

A small coastal city, there are no skyscrapers looming, no sign of endless traffic to contend with. Taitung is somewhere where you feel like you can breathe and simply take a moment. The town-like city is linked up by unnecessarily wide roads that are lined by fairly simple houses that look modest, yet comfortable. There’s also a lot of greenery everywhere as if to reassure you that you’re really not in a big city.

Most of all though, Taitung is known for its archaeological sites and aboriginal influences. Sadly these were some of the sights that I did miss, namely because of the weather and logistics, as well as the Zhiben Hot Springs and mountain waterfalls outside the city.

Taitung Beachside

The city is also nicely positioned between the island’s central islands and the coast. That means you have stunning scenery in either direction. While the mountains are a little way away, the city’s beach is much closer. Behind a pleasant stretch of green parkland, you find the vast Philippine Sea.

Like many Taiwanese beaches, it’s a rock beach of a distinct pale grey colour that can seem disappointing to those accustomed to only white sand beaches. And yet, the colours of the coastline, the beach and the shades of blue in the water all come together to create a complex, fascinating scene.

Railway Art Village

Much like in Kaohsiung, Taitung has decided to repurpose its old railway station and has transformed it into a Railway Art Village. Here you have the opportunity to walk the old train tracks and admire art installations here and there like the one above. Several of the neighbouring buildings are also decorated with murals that reinforce that this is a place for artistic expression. Ultimately, the individually painted lanterns that hang between the park’s trees are the coup de grace in making this a must-visit spot.

Temples of Liyushan Park

While at the Railway Art Village, I noticed the tops of temples popping out of trees in front of me. I was looking at Liyushan Park and yet my map wasn’t showing any temples here. So I marched off in the direction of the temples and was quickly in the shade of the park trees. Little carp figurines sat on the street lamps and before I knew it, I was walking around a temple complex.

Rather than the regular grandeur though, the spot felt far more casual and low-key. Locals were even performing what I think was karaoke and the whole area felt more like a community centre than anything else. One of its more noteworthy attractions is Long Feng Tower that offers views of the city. At this stage I was fully aware of the oncoming thunderstorms, so I didn’t get a proper chance to explore the park properly.

Waiting the Typhoon Out

Mid-afternoon on my first day in Taitung it began – unrelenting, bucketing rain. And that was the story of the next 36+ hours. Non-stop heavy rain, strong winds and dark skies. That probably doesn’t sound too bad if you’re safely indoors I suppose, right?

My hotel, while nice, wasn’t particularly well designed for this situation. It centred on an open-air courtyard with balconies leading to the room. This meant the rain just poured through and began to flood the centre of the hotel, with sandbags the only thing stopping it from flowing through into the reception foyer.

When I wanted to head out, to get essentials like food, umbrellas were out of the question with the wind. So instead, I found myself trudging out in my rain jacket and thongs (i.e. flip flops) to the convenience store or restaurant. Often my thongs would float off as I moved through the deeper pools on the road.

In the scheme of things though I was pretty lucky. I had originally considered visiting the Philippines after Taiwan, and had I, I would have had to endure the far more devastating Typhoon Lan/Paolo that struck a week later. I remember reading of bloggers who got stuck there during that time and it sounded far worse than what I had to sit through. All of this is why it’s wise to research the best time to visit Taiwan before you go.

Sightseeing in the Rain

There was a point during my second day where I’d had enough of being cooped up indoors. The weather seemed to have ease off, so I set out to visit the Taitung Tianhou Temple nearby. In reality though, it was still pouring pretty heavily, so I felt pretty drowned by the time I’d walked the several blocks it took to reach the temple.

A temple to the sea goddess Matsu, it was relocated to this spot in 1933 after the older temple suffered at the hands of an earthquake and, you guessed it, typhoon. As with many Taiwanese temples to Matsu, the level of colourful detail on display is really remarkable. I always find it fascinating how places of worship can range from plain, solemn buildings to bright, effervescent celebrations of their faith. Even in the rain, the Taitung Tianhou Temple was clearly the latter.

After the Storm

At some point around noon on my third day in Taitung, it finally stopped. Rainclouds may way for an ethereal glow of sorts. Eager to escape my dry confines, I set off for a walk to Taitung Forest Park which stretches along the Beinan River. It seemed a popular choice for people looking to be outdoors again.

Much of the park, like the city roads were flooded, but the most impressive sight was the surging Beinan River. Thick with mud, rock and all kinds of debris, it was simply raging past. I have no idea how high over its banks it had flooded but it was utterly fearsome. It would be a similar situation up north around Hualien and Taroko National Park. A relapse into light rain snuffed out any further sightseeing and effectively ended my Taitung visit.

Travel Tips for Visiting Taitung

Taitung is about as far as you can get from cities like Taipei and Taichung. Still, it’s just a few hours on regional trains to either Kaohsiung or Hualien. Please note, leaving your ticket purchase to the last minute may leave you standing for the whole journey. And the queues post-typhoon were massive, so get there early so you don’t miss your train.

The city’s train station is a little distance (6 km) from the town centre, so its necessary to take a bus from train station. Thankfully, it’s quite straightforward if you follow the advice set out here.

Of the places I could have been stuck in for this kind of experience, the Norden Ruder Hotel was a pretty good one. I liked its stylish, yet compact rooms and its central location. However there is a huge range of accommodation in Taitung, oddly more than other bigger cities.

One of the few places I’m able to recommend to eat at (because they had an English name) is the Haifa Cafe. Very friendly staff, nice coffee and bagels for breakfast. The other restaurant I recall is 尋飽 on Zhonghua Road, which was fast and filling.

Have you ever had to wait out some extreme weather like a typhoon while travelling? Does this side to Taiwan surprise you? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.