Taoyuan Introduction
When you land in Taiwan, Taoyuan is the first city you’ll discover. Beyond the famous X-aquarium park, Taoyuan has loads of cool stuff to explore.
In this article, I’ll tell you about the best attractions and accommodations in Taoyuan, where you can find kid-friendly places to stay, and where to have a tasty meal.
Where To Stay In Taoyuan
Fame Hall Garden Hotel 名人堂花園大飯店
It takes around 30-40 minutes to get from Taoyuan Airport to Fame Hall Garden Hotel. It’s a cool hotel all about baseball, with Snoopy and baseball decorations everywhere. I reserved two deluxe triple rooms. They’re not connected, but I asked for them to be next to each other. I also requested a baby cot in one room, and it comes with free breakfast.
They have a very cool rooftop bar which is also very kid-friendly. I went up during the night, and they have a very big projector screen, screening movies for the guests.
I booked 2 rooms, 3D2N: SGD800 (rates are based on 3A4C and the period I have booked)
We paid about SGD65 to the hotel for transport from the airport to the hotel.
They do provide free shuttle service to the hotel from Taoyuan HSR. You can check out more information here.
Kids-friendly facilities.
As a hotel guest, we get to use the kids’ facilities like the indoor playground, mini golf usage for 1 hour, swimming pool (half indoor, with float provided), tokens to play Peanuts baseball arcade game, free fish feeding and some of the ad-hoc activities both free and paid.
Conclusion: The breakfast options may not be extensive, but the quality is good. The place is certainly very kid-friendly with plenty of activities. I will definitely return.
Leofoo Resort 關西六福莊
If you haven’t experienced Leofoo Village, I suggest enhancing your visit by booking a stay at Leofoo Resort. Even though the rooms looks a bit tired but picture waking up to an incredible view of animals right outside your balcony! Can imagine my kids excitement.
I booked Kenya Greenery Room with Dine (breakfast & dinner) & Joy Package – Theme Park and Safari Tour, 2D1N for SGD$1495 (rates are based on 3A4C and the period I have booked).
The room rates are determined by the number of people, and even though I added one more person, the rates don’t cover an extra bed. Therefore, I recommend booking two rooms if your children are older. Since mine are still quite young, we can manage with a bit of squeezing.
They have quite a few activities in Leofoo Resort, both paid and free. To check and pre-book the activities in advance with the staff on duty.
As mentioned earlier, I purchased a room package that includes a Zoo Safari tour with a designated vehicle to the African Tribe Herbivores Special Area. This allows us to observe animals like tigers and lions up close.
If you haven’t bought the package, you can pay separately. The cost is NT$950 per adult and NT$650 per child (ages 3-11). The entire tour, guided by a professional tour guide, takes approximately one hour.
Tip: schedule the Safari tour either before or after your theme park activities. The meeting place is about an 8-10 minute walk from the Theme Park.
Opting for a package that includes dinner is a good idea since the theme park closes at 5 pm, and there are no nearby eateries unless you’re willing to take a cab. However, if you have specific preferences for food, you can choose to go for individual meals from the menu.
Conclusion: There is a diverse selection of breakfast options, and they even have a kids’ corner. It’s worth experiencing at least once, unless your children are too young to grasp it, and you might want to return for another round.
Novotel Taipei Taoyuan Hotel 台北諾富特華航桃園機場飯店
I stayed in the Novotel Taipei Taoyuan Hotel on the last day of my trip. It is a great option if you don’t want to rush for your flight the next day or if you have a late flight and prefer not to travel late at night. They provide a free shuttle service for pick-up and drop-off, but make sure to book it in advance.
I booked 2 rooms Executive Suite with an airport view for 2D1N: SGD990 (rates are based on 3A4C and the period I have booked). I checked in at 6 pm and the staff told me they were having Happy Hour at the Executive Lounge, which includes alcohol. So, we had our dinner there.
Additionally, the hotel has an indoor playground for kids, with both the pool and the playground closing at 10 pm and 9 pm, respectively. Staying in the hotel is a good idea if you want to enjoy the facilities because there aren’t many nearby attractions or amenities unless you take a cab or shuttle bus.
Conclusion: Overall I love the hotel, especially with the airport view and happy hour. Kids facilities may not be a lot compared to Fame Garden Hotel, but sufficient enough for my kids during the short stay. Since traffic to the airport can be unpredictable, especially during peak hours, I suggest staying at Novotel for a day to relax before departing Taiwan. There is a diverse selection of breakfast options and I will definitely return.
Where To Explore In Taoyuan
Pushin Ranch 埔心牧場
Recommended time spent: 1hr 30mins – 2hrs
Pushin Ranch is quite spacious, but the animal area takes up less than half of the space. Upon entering, you’ll notice it’s divided into two sides. On the left, you’ll find cows and rabbits, while on the right, there’s a small house where you can observe crawling insects. As you proceed, you have the option to purchase a bundle of feeding grass. Walk through the gate and start feeding animals like goats, spotted deer, alpacas, raccoons, and capybaras.
Before you begin your exploration of the ranch, check with the staff if there are any ongoing shows. They host cowboy performances, pig and goat racing, and milking shows. During our visit, we caught both the cowboy and pig racing shows. In the racing show, you can place a bet on which participant will win, and if you guess correctly, you’ll receive a small prize!
I’m unsure if it’s due to winter or a lack of visitors, but some facilities like the boat ride were closed. Nevertheless, we still enjoyed a good hour or more inside the ranch, strolling around and appreciating the scenery. If you wish to try additional activities like bumper cars or go-karting (which require separate payment), you can allocate more time for your visit. You can grab lunch here with a few food options available.
Pushin Information:
Address: No. 439號, Section 1, Youshi Rd, Yangmei District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan 32659
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm
Ticket price:
Adults: SGD$8.60 to SGD$10.80
3-6 years old or above 90cm to 120cm: SGD$6.50
Below 3 years old or 90cm: FOC
You can buy tickets from here.
Goodtimes 好時節休閒農場
Recommended time spent: 2 hours
Goodtimes is a farm designed to let kids get close to nature, relax, and experience the charm of agricultural culture. I highly recommend going during the weekends because weekdays can be quite dull due to the limited activities. Please pre-book in advance via their Facebook.
After lunch and activities, take some time to explore the farm behind the activity area. Along the pathway, you can see the owners’ plantations. If offered by the caregiver, you can also feed some of the animals as you walk further into the area. Advisable to spray mosquito repellent even during winter!
Goodtimes Information:
Address: No. 225號, Section 3, Kangzhuang Rd, Daxi District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan 335
Opening hours: 930am to 5pm, closed on Monday
Leofoo Theme Park
Recommended time spent: 1 full day to 2 days.
Leofoo Resort and Leofoo Theme Park offer a number of activities for visitors. If you’re staying at the resort, be sure to check the schedule of Leofoo Resort activities before heading to the theme park. Some of the activities we participated in included the Leofoo Village animal and plantation tour, an African dance performance, and taking photos with the birds.
The theme park is segmented into four interconnected areas: The Wild Wild West, South Pacific, Arabian Palace, and Africa Tribe. For parents with toddlers or less adventurous kids, I recommend starting with Arabian Palace and Africa Tribe, followed by South Pacific, and concluding with Wild Wild West.
If you have younger or less adventurous children, a full day of exploring the theme park should suffice. However, if your kids are eager to try every ride, consider dedicating two days to the adventure. Keep in mind that some rides may stop accepting queues between 4:00 and 4:30 pm.
We had lunch at the Arabian Palace eating place. Since the kids wanted more playtime, we ordered a family meal and a big box of nuggets. The chicken was surprisingly good—juicy and with crispy skin. The corn even though is juicy but tasteless. A bit disappointed because Taiwan corn supposed to be very sweet!
If you miss out or did not book any Safari tour at the Leofoo Resort, you can take the free shuttle bus ride at ferocious beast zone. Since we had the safari tour, hence we skipped this.
Leofoo Theme Park Information:
Address: 仁安里拱子溝 60 號, Guanxi Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan 306
Opening Hours:
Weekday: 930am to 5pm
Weekend: 9am to 5pm
Ticket Prices: Please refer here for ticket price.
Xinan / Daxi Old Street 新南老街/大溪老街
Recommended time spent: 1-2 hours
Both Xinan and Daxi old streets are just a 6-minute walk away. You can be dropped off at Xinan old street to experience the Baroque-style townhouses that exude a luxurious atmosphere, even though it’s very quiet on weekdays. Most of them have transformed into cafes that open during the weekends or at night.
If you walk further down, you can explore the beautiful scenery of Daxi. Compared to Xinan, Daxi appears more lively. In addition to enjoying the scenery and local delicacies, you can also visit their museum to learn more about Daxi’s culture.
Some of the must-try delicacies here include smelly tofu, braised tofu, beancurd dessert, and rice popper ice cream! Since not many stores were open on a weekday, and we were still full from our lunch, we only tried the smelly tofu and rice popper ice cream!
Old Street Information:
Address: Zhongshan Rd., Xinghe Vil, Daxi Dist., Taoyuan City Taiwan
Opening hours: 24/7, but more stores open on weekend
Zhongli Night Market 中歷夜市
Recommended time spent: 3 hours
Zhongli Night Market is a popular place in Taoyuan. It’s not too big, making it easy to walk around. You can find lots of tasty local foods there. Stalls are set up on both sides of the road and neatly in the middle too.
Besides food, there are also game stores, clothes stalls, and hardware shops. Some food stalls have chairs and tables, but it was a bit hard for my two young kids to sit properly. So, we had our dinner at one of the physical stalls on the side of the night market.
This is our dinner place – 呷牛排. In Taiwan, you’ll come across numerous stalls selling 牛排 (beef steak) dishes. These typically include beef steak served with pasta and egg, often accompanied by a side of corn soup or a complimentary drink.
After our meal, we decided to have some fun playing arcade games. The kids had their first experience with a night market game – pinball. And, unsurprisingly, they got hooked. It’s incredibly enjoyable, a great way to pass the time, and the added bonus of winning a prize makes it even more appealing.
For the kids, winning a prize is almost guaranteed if you spend a certain amount. The stall owners are clever too; they have special “kids” rates, making it feel like we’re buying a toy while the kids get to enjoy playing a game first.
Zhongli Night Market Information:
Address: Between Xinming Road and Zhongyang West Road, Zhongli District, Taoyuan City
Opening hours: Daily, 5 pm -12 mn
Tips: The toilet is located at the entrance of Zhongli Night Market, the train station.
My Itinerary for Taoyuan, for reference
Day 1
0930hrs Pushin Ranch 埔心牧场
1130hrs Good times 好時節休閒農場 (lunch & activities here)
1400hrs Xinan / Daxi Old Street 大溪老街
1600hrs Back to Fame Garden Hotel to enjoy the activities
1800hrs Zhongli Night Market 中歷夜市
Day 2
Leofoo Theme park whole day
You can see a summary of my video below!
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