Chiayi Bucket List
If you're tired of the same old tourist destinations, consider exploring Chiayi, Taiwan. Often overlooked, Chiayi offers stunning natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and delicious cuisine. It's the 6th largest city in Taiwan and is known for the beautiful Alishan mountain and the famous Alishan tea leaves.
Chiayi is a hidden gem of Taiwan, and not many people visit or think of it when they first visit Taiwan because they donโt know about the stunning views, Alishan, the tea leaves, or the beautiful afternoon teahouses. To help people discover more about this hidden gem of a location, I've created a bucket list for Chiayi County, including Chiayi City.
In this bucket list, youโll find different adventures to go on, local and aesthetic food spots to dine at, the best places to stay, and some hiking suggestions.
This will give you a good idea of what Chiayi has to offer and help with your trip planning!
for Adventures
้ฟ้ๅฑฑๅๅฎถๆฃฎๆ้ๆจๅ
Alishan National Forest
Alishan National Forest offers plenty of hiking trails, ranging from beginner to advanced levels.
Even with the long journey to get there, experiencing the beauty of Alishan makes it all worth it.
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Mist Trail
Challenge yourself with a rewarding hike through misty tea plantations and enjoy panoramic views from above.
The name "Mist Trail" comes from the natural mist created by the Sea of Clouds, which helps the tea plantations flourish in these weather conditions.
for Experiences
ๆๆจๅ กๆฐๅฎฟ
Astrea B&B
Astrea is a charming B&B located in Chiayi County, owned by a cute couple.
It feels like a home away from home, offering breakfast from a local shop, breathtaking views of the sunrise over Alishan, and they even have their own tea plantation!
for Foodies
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Chaya Zoy
If you want an incredible afternoon tea experience with a stunning view of the mountains, I highly recommend Chaya Zoy.
This teahouse serves incredible tea, not to mention delicious afternoon snacks that you can nibble and enjoy!
ๆฑ้ๆต่ณ ๅททๅญๆ็
Seanโs Restaurant
Located in Chiayi City, Seanโs Restaurant offers yummy cuisine prepared and cooked by the owner himself, Sean!
Also, the food is INCREDIBLE! ๐จ๐ปโ๐ณ๐๐ค๐ผ
Reservations are required through Facebook, as this is a top spot for both international tourists and locals. Sean doesn't take walk-ins.
โฒ No. 11่, Lane 80, Yuanfu St, East District, Chiayi City, Taiwan 600
more to explore
ALISHAN FOREST RAILWAY (้ฟ้ๅฑฑ็ซ่ป็ซ)
Ride the vintage railway built in 1913 by the Japanese during their colonization of Taiwan. It was used to transport cypress and Taiwania wood from the Alishan forest. Today, you can ride the railway up to Alishan.HINOKI VILLAGE (ๆชๆๆฃฎๆดปๆ)
Built during the Japanese rule, the Hinoki Village is now a collection of small shops with tiny shrines, markets, boutiques, and places to enjoy coffee and delicious desserts. You can spend at least 1-2 hours there shopping for souvenirs.WENHUA NIGHT MARKET (ๆๅ่ทฏ่งๅ ๅคๅธ)
If you're looking for something to do in Chiayi at night, you can visit the Wenhua Night Market for street food and to shop for cute items for yourself or others.CHIAYI PARK (ๅ็พฉๅ ฌๅ)
Relax and take a leisurely walk around Chiayi Park. It's suitable for families with a playground, as well as for couples or solo adventurers.CHIAYI OLD PRISON MUSEUM (ๅๅฎๅค่น-ๅ็พฉ่็ฃ็)
Built in 1922, this historical prison has been converted into a museum that's free to visit. Guided tours require an additional fee.SONG OF THE FOREST (ๆฃฎๆไนๆญ)
Located in Chiayi City, this outdoor green space features a large dome made of vintage wooden railroad tiles. The area looks even more incredible at night.QINGYUN FALLS (้้ฒ็ๅธ)
Located in Chiayi County, you can easily reach this waterfall by driving there. Depending on the time of year, the waterfall's size varies with the amount of rain.BEIMEN CRYSTAL CHURCH (ๆฐดๆถๆๅ )
A crystal "church" that's a popular spot for pictures and weddings. It's a place for a quick photo opportunity, but an admission fee is required to visit.XIAOLIYUANSHAN LOOKOUT (ๅฐ็ฌ ๅๅฑฑ่งๆฏๅฐ)
Located in the Alishan Township in Chiayi County, this spot offers a stunning view of the sunrise and sunset over the mountains and has become an iconic attraction.
Taiwan travel vlog
Last Updated: 01.29.2026
