Taroko National Park is located in Hualien and centers around the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park. Several   of  the   park's  most breath-taking attractions are located here with sights of majestic mountain streams, the Spring Shrine, Swallows' Grottoes, Tunnel of Nine Turns, and other scenes of outstanding beauty. The famous Paiyang Waterfall and the Qingshui Precipice are perfect expressions of the precipitous natural wonders of Taroko National Park. The Taroko Gorge area is also excellent for catching sight of butterflies and for bird watching. Butterflies are especially abundant in the months of July and August along the four trails in the gorge area: Mystery Valley, Baiyang Waterfall, Plum Garden-Banboo Village, and Lotus Lake. It is estimated that eighty-nine different species of birds make their home in the park.

Yang Ming Shan Park is located in the north of Beitou. Yang Ming Shan was called Tsaoshan (Grass Mountain) during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, because it was covered with grass and seldom visited. It is next to Sha Mao Shan and Chi Hsing Shan with Ta Tun Shan on the right and Kuan Yin Shan in front. The magnificent mountainous scenery and comfortable weather have made Yang Ming Park a perfect summer resort. The total area of the park is 125 hectares, designed in traditional Chinese style. The natural beauty of the park has won it a reputation as an urban forest and a Taipei garden.

Yang Ming Shan National Park

Taipei 101 and other city attractions:

Taipei 101 is the second tallest building in the world, with a number of shops on the lower floors, incorporating many well-known brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Celine, etc. The fourth floor houses the Page One bookstore from Singapore, with the highest-roofed coffee house in Taipe, and many fine restaurants. The name of the building reflects not just its home city and floor count, but its location in Taipei's 101 postal district, a rapidly developing hub of international activity.

Other city attractions:

• Taipei Fine Arts Museum is the first and only musuem in Taipei to showcase modern art and contains twenty-four galleries.
• Miramar Entertainment Park is a department store with a 70m ferris wheel on its rooftop and an IMAX theatre. Core Pacific City Living Mall is a shopping center with a fifteen-story spherical center that houses hundreds of stores, thirteen movie theatres and numerous night clubs on the top floor.
• The Maokong Gondola is a gondola lift transportation system in Taipei, Taiwan. Opened on July 4, 2007, the Maokong Gondola is operated by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) and is part of the Taipei Rapid Transit System. It runs between Taipei Zoo and Maokong. The total length of the line is 4,030 meters. The facilites of the gondola are made by the French company Poma.
• Shilin Night Market is a night market in the Shilin District of Taipei City. Shilin Night Market has become one of the largest and most well known night markets in Taiwan, especially with regards to food, and is a favorite focal point for Taipei's night life among residents and visitors alike. The night market encompasses two distinct sections sharing a symbiotic relationship: a section formerly housed in the old Shihlin Market building containing mostly food vendors and small eateries; and the surrounding businesses and shops selling other nonfood items.

Finally, visitors will find a trip to the Danshui Old Street and the Fisherman's Wharf well worth the short ride via the MRT. Danshui is a sea-side town named after a river whose name means "Freshwater." The town is also popular as a site for viewing the sun setting into the Taiwan Strait. There are three universities in this small town (population 130,105): Aletheia University, Tamkang University, and St. John's University.

Danshui Old Street

Source: Wikipedia