Guide to studying abroad in Taiwan
~Guide Around Yuan Ze University~
We would like to introduce some recommended spots around the university that we often visited, divided into three categories: Food, Fun, and Relaxation!
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🍴 Food
We have tried many restaurants, but here are the ones we visited again or want to visit again:
Restaurants:
～Sweets～
🎡 Fun
Visiting nearby spots, night markets, or supermarkets can help you pass the time and have fun:
🛋️ Relaxation
Taking a break from assignments and tests is very important to survive study abroad life. Here are some “chill spots” we often visited to relax:
Team
🥘🍝Food🥟🍖
Zong Nong Noodle Shop (穠農面館)
This is a popular restaurant where you can enjoy Chinese-style noodle dishes.
The best part is that the food tastes authentic but is still affordable!
Recommended dishes:
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Boiled dumplings – bright and colorful, perfect for photos.
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Mapo noodles – a little spicy and very addictive.
Both dishes are delicious and hard to forget once you try them!
The restaurant has only a few seats, so sometimes you may have to wait. But takeout is also available, which is perfect if you are busy or want to enjoy the food at home.
⏰ Opening hours: 11:00–14:00 / 17:00–20:00
❌ Closed: Sundays
Smiling Fish (微笑的魚)
This is a light café where waffles are the main menu.
They have both sweet and savory waffles, so it’s perfect for lunch too!
Recommended combo:
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Oreo waffle + Japanese-style teriyaki waffle
The combination is amazing: the savory teriyaki flavor followed by the sweet and crunchy Oreo waffle… absolutely delicious!
Whether you want something sweet or a more filling meal, this café is perfect for any mood. We highly recommend it!
⏰ Opening hours:
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Saturday & Sunday: 10:30–19:30
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Weekdays: 11:30–19:30
❌ Closed: Monday & Tuesday
Jing Mi Le Korean Restaurant (景米楽韓式料理)
This is the best Korean restaurant near Yuan Ze university!
The food is delicious, very affordable, and the restaurant is easy to stop by anytime.
The menu is not too big, and everything is tasty, so you can enjoy your meal without worrying.
Recommended dish:
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Cheese Bibimbap – full of melted cheese that seems never-ending! It’s so comforting and delicious, and we always order this dish 🧀
This restaurant is popular with both students and locals, so the place is always busy. The friendly auntie who works there with a bright smile also makes the experience even nicer.
⏰ Opening hours: 16:30–21:30
❌ Closed: Saturday & Sunday
Thai Zan Thai Restaurant (泰桟泰式料理店)
If you want Thai food near the university, this is the first place everyone thinks of!
Recommended dishes:
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Jiao Ma Ji Fan (Spicy Crispy Chicken with Rice)
Crispy fried chicken with a spicy sauce made from Sichuan pepper, black vinegar, cooking wine, and soy sauce, topped with lots of chili and garlic. Served with Thai rice and cabbage, it’s very filling!
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Yue Liang Shrimp Cake (Moon Shrimp Cake)
A Taiwanese-style shrimp dish. Minced shrimp is wrapped in spring roll skin and fried. Before cutting, it’s round like a “full moon” 🌕. The outside is crispy, and the inside is juicy. you must try this!
The best part is that you can enjoy delicious Thai food at very affordable prices, perfect for students.
Tips:
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There are no free drinks, so bring a water bottle.
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The restaurant has few seats, so it may be crowded during peak times.
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It has irregular holidays, so check if it’s open before going.
Even with these small notes, this is a restaurant worth visiting. Once you go, you’ll definitely love it!
⏰ Opening hours: 11:00–21:00
Adam Quy Vietnamese Pho (Adam Quy 越南河粉)
This is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant just a 2-minute walk from Taoyuan Station!
It’s always busy, and many Vietnamese customers also eat here. That’s why the pho tastes very authentic and delicious.
But… my favorite dish is not pho. It’s the Bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich) 🥖✨
Bánh mì is like a Vietnamese sandwich with lots of fillings in a crispy French-style bread. I tried it for the first time in Taiwan, and the experience was unforgettable haha. The outside of the bread is crispy, the inside is soft, and the vegetables, meat, and sauce are perfectly balanced.
The restaurant is spacious with many staff, so even when it’s busy, the turnover is quick and waiting time is short. The pho is very filling, so you can eat until you’re full 🍲
If you want to enjoy true Vietnamese flavors, this restaurant is definitely recommended!
⏰ Opening hours:
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Monday–Friday: 10:00–23:00
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Saturday & Sunday: 8:00–23:00
Lai Lai Noodle & Rice
(來來精致飯面館)
This is a popular restaurant where you can enjoy authentic Taiwanese food.
They have both noodle and rice dishes, so you can choose depending on your mood.
Recommended dishes:
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Signature Rou Zao Noodles (Braised Pork Noodles)
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Signature Rou Zao Rice (Braised Pork Rice)
Both dishes are savory and rich in flavor that'll get you addicted!
The rice used here is from Niigata, Japan. It’s shiny, sweet, and really delicious on its own. Because it’s so popular, sometimes the rice dishes sell out before lunchtime!
Although it’s a little far from Yuan Ze University, this is a restaurant you won’t regret visiting.
⏰ Opening hours: 11:30–21:00
❌ Closed: Thursday
Yong Xin Tea Shop (永芯茶檔 茶餐廳)
This is a cute and stylish restaurant where you can enjoy authentic Hong Kong cuisine.
Not only is the food delicious, but the interior is also very photogenic, every corner is perfect for taking pictures ✨.
Recommended dish:
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French Toast – when you cut it, warm egg cream flows out. It goes perfectly with the hot toast 🥰.
The restaurant is often busy during both lunch and dinner, so it’s a good idea to go with a little extra time.
⏰ Opening hours:
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Monday–Friday: 11:30–15:00, 17:00–20:30
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Saturday & Sunday: 11:00–15:00, 17:00–20:30
Hao Zi Wei Noodle Shop (好滋味面館)
For seafood lovers, this is a local favorite that you should definitely try at least once!
It’s about a 5-minute walk from Neili Station, and during peak hours, many people line up to eat here.
Signature dish:
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Seafood Ramen – over 50 clams are piled on top of the noodles! The soup is full of rich clam flavor, and just one sip will make you feel happy.
The best part? All of this costs about 100 NTD—so it’s very budget-friendly!
If you love the taste of clams and local seafood, this is a must-try.
📍 Access: About 5 minutes’ walk from Neili Station
⏰ Opening hours: 11:00–14:00, 17:00–20:00
❌ Closed: Monday
Xing Ren Cafeteria (興仁食堂)
This is a very popular bento shop near Yuan Ze University where almost everyone knows!
The menu has many options, from rice dishes to noodles, and the prices are very affordable.
Our favorite dish:
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Fried Chicken Fried Rice – we loved it so much that we ate it 2–3 times a week haha!
It tastes similar to Japanese fried chicken, and it feels nostalgic and makes you want to eat it again and again.
Tips for students:
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Yuan Ze students get a discount if you mention it when ordering 🎓.
The staff are very friendly, and the warm atmosphere makes it feel like everyone’s favorite spot for meals.
⏰ Opening hours: 11:30–19:30
❌ Closed: Saturday & Sunday
Zeng Shi Bu Shi Bakery (Zeng士不是烘培工作坊)
This is a bakery we love and have visited many times!
They have freshly baked bread and homemade sweets, and everything is delicious, and you can’t go wrong.
Recommended items:
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Egg Sandwich – soft and fluffy, absolutely amazing.
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Mango Series – sweet and seasonal, perfect for feeling the taste of summer.
The best part is the owner’s personality. They are very kind, and you can even feel their warmth when eating the bread.
Bread full of deliciousness and warmth—after eating it, you will surely feel happy!
⏰ Opening hours:
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Monday–Wednesday: 14:30–19:30
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Thursday: 14:30–20:00
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Sunday: 14:00–20:00
❌ Closed: Friday & Saturday
Under the Banyan Tree Shaved Ice (榕樹下綿綿氷)
This is a long-standing ice cream shop with a traditional, nostalgic atmosphere.
They have a wide variety of flavors, from fruit like strawberry and passion fruit to traditional Taiwanese tastes like green beans and red beans.
Recommended item:
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Mango Ice (summer only) 🍋 – The ice itself is mango-flavored, and it’s topped with lots of fresh mango. One bite will make you feel truly happy!
The shop has a warm, old-fashioned vibe and is loved by locals for a long time.
A fun and memorable part is that muscular young men make the ice haha. It’s a little surprising but part of the shop’s charm!
⏰ Opening hours:
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Monday–Thursday: 10:30–21:30
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Friday: 10:30–22:00
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Saturday & Sunday: 10:00–22:00
⛱️🌉Fun🎠🏞️
Zhongli District Night Market
This night market is very popular and loved by both tourists and local people!
It is busy on weekends, and even on weekdays, you can see many people enjoying it.
There are lots of delicious foods, fun mini-games, and small shops with souvenirs. It is like a place where you can enjoy a little bit of all the “Taiwan night” 🌙.
The night market is not too big and not too small, so it is easy to walk around.
Even if it is your first time, you can enjoy it without any problem!
You can walk around with friends and try different foods, or just take a stroll by yourself. Both ways are fun!
Zhongyuan Night Market
This is a local night market very close to Zhongyuan University!
It is popular not only with local people but also with university students 🙌.
The night market mainly has food stalls, and the size is just right, not too big and not too small.
There are many famous stalls in Taoyuan, so it can be hard to decide what to eat 😂.
Be careful: Some cars are passing by, so watch out when you walk around 🚗💨.
This night market is not really a tourist spot. It is a place where you can feel real life in Taiwan.
If you want to try local B-class street food and enjoy the Taiwanese atmosphere, this place is perfect!
Xpark
Xpark is a new, city-style aquarium that opened in 2020 inside the Huatai Premium Outlet in Taoyuan. It is a large and popular spot where you can enjoy shopping and the aquarium at the same time!
At this aquarium, you can see not only marine animals but also land animals like capybaras and reptiles. The exhibition areas are divided by theme, and if you explore carefully, it can take more than 2 hours to see everything.
One must-see area is the Healing Jellyfish Zone.
The jellyfish float gently in a dreamy, glowing space ✨ It feels like being in a dream! It’s also a perfect spot for Instagram photos.
If you are a university student, you can enter for 430 TWD with a student ID 🎫, which is a nice bonus.
My personal favorite is Penguin Life.
You can watch the cute penguins up close and enjoy their charm 🐧💙.
Inside the aquarium, various environments from around the world are recreated using high-tech technology.
Temperature, humidity, smells, and sounds are all carefully designed, creating a 360° immersive space where you can experience nature with all your senses.
You can visit Xpark while shopping, or go there just to relax and enjoy.
If you want a new and exciting aquarium experience, Xpark is definitely worth a visit 🌊.
Gloria Outlets
Gloria Outlets is near Taoyuan High-Speed Rail (HSR) Station and is Taiwan’s first American-style outlet mall. It is easy to get there from Taoyuan airport, so it’s a perfect spot to visit during your trip!
The mall is very spacious and has over 200 brand shops. You can find famous brands like COACH, Michael Kors, NIKE, and adidas at outlet prices 👗👟. During seasonal sales, you might even find some great bargains!
Not only shopping, but there are also many food options.
You can enjoy local Taiwanese food, Starbucks, burgers, Korean food, and more, something for every mood!
In 2020, a new city-style aquarium by Yokohama Hakkeijima opened here.
Now, you can enjoy both shopping and entertainment, making it a fun spot to spend a whole day ✨.
At night, the mall is beautifully lit, creating a romantic atmosphere.
It’s also a great place for photos, perfect for couples or friends!
📍 Access: About a 3-minute walk from Taoyuan MRT “HSR Taoyuan Station”
🕒 Opening hours: 11:00–21:00 (Weekends until 22:00)
President Plaza
President Plaza is a large shopping mall near Taoyuan Station.
It is always busy with many people from morning to night.
You can go shopping, eat at restaurants, and even watch movies. It’s a place where you can enjoy a full day!
(We often watch movies here🎥🍿)
Around the building, there are also cute cafes and small shops, so walking outside is fun too.
It’s a perfect place for a weekend outing!
Carrefour
Carrefour is a big supermarket you can find almost anywhere in Taiwan!
They sell everything, such as food, daily necessities, furniture, and electronics.
So if you think, “I need this,” you can just come here and usually find it 🙌
We go here almost every week to buy groceries 🍅🥬
It is very close to Yuan Ze University, and there is a bus stop and U-Bike station nearby, so it’s easy to get to 🚲🚌.
Inside the supermarket, there are also Starbucks and restaurants, so you can take a break at a cafe while shopping ☕
Daxi
Daxi is one of the most popular tourist spots in Taoyuan.
There are many things to see and do nearby: relaxing leisure farms, colorful gardens, a romantic rose garden, and local food!
It is a place that children and adults can enjoy together.
You can also visit the beautiful Shimen Dam nearby, which makes your trip even more fun.
One highly recommended spot is the Zhongzhuang Suspension Bridge.
It is surrounded by green mountains and a flowing river, perfect for a relaxing walk in nature.
The bridge is about 200 meters long, and it moves slightly when you walk, giving a fun little thrill!
From the bridge, you can see the clear waters of the Dahan River and the surrounding mountains. On a sunny day, the blue sky and green scenery make it a beautiful spot for photos 📸
After crossing the bridge, there are walking trails and rest areas, making it a great spot for families and couples.
If you also visit Daxi Old Street and Shimen Dam, you can enjoy a full day combining nature, history, and relaxation!
Yongan Fishing Port
Yongan Fishing Port is a fishing harbor in Taoyuan.
You can find lots of fresh fish, sushi, and sashimi here 🐠
We love seafood, and we visited for the first time when we were 4th-year university students. The fish was so fresh and delicious. We were really impressed 🤤
If you are good at negotiating, you might even get a better price. We were surprised to see the person next to us successfully bargaining, haha.
At the port, you can also enjoy the sound of the sea and the fresh ocean smell, which is very relaxing 🌊✨This place is perfect not only for seafood lovers but also for anyone who enjoys the atmosphere of the sea.
Guanyin Caotuo Sand Dunes
A little far from Yuan Ze University, the Guanyin Caotuo Sand Dunes are located in Guanyin District. This spot is known as Taiwan’s first designated sand dune geological park!
The sand dunes stretch for more than 8 kilometers, looking like a “small desert in Taiwan”. It’s a place where you can really feel the power of nature.
On top of the dunes, wind turbines line the horizon, creating a vast and special view. The sunset here is amazing, the orange sand, the sea, and the silhouettes of the wind turbines make a scene that will take your breath away ✨
It’s a popular photo-taking spot, but on weekdays, it’s quieter. You can enjoy the wide open sea and refresh your mind and body while walking along the dunes 🍃 Feeling the sea breeze and the hills of the sand is a great way to forget the stress of everyday life.
There are also cafes and parking nearby, so it’s perfect for a relaxing walk and photo-taking.
It’s really a large and magical spot🌅 The sunset is the most recommended time to visit, but mornings and afternoons have their own unique views too!
🎧🪷Relaxation☕🌳
Longshan Pond Ecological Park
Longshan Pond Ecological Park is a new park near Yuan Ze University.
Because it’s still new, the paths are nicely paved and the design is stylish, so just walking around can make you feel good 🌤️
Interestingly, the park was built on an old pond! You can still feel a bit of the natural atmosphere, and the park is quiet and relaxing 🍃
It’s perfect for people who want to take a short break near the university or go for a relaxing walk.
It’s one of our favorite parks, and we often stop by.
If you are nearby, it’s a great place to walk and refresh your mind 🚶♀️🌳
Yokoyama Calligraphy Park
Yokoyama Calligraphy Park is a great place to escape the busy daily life and relax.
In the morning and afternoon, families come here for picnics, and some people come to exercise alone.
In the evening, the park is lively with people walking or watching the sunset 🌇
It’s not too crowded, so it stays peaceful and calm.
With the gentle breeze and the slow flow of time, it’s easy to feel relaxed and refreshed 🍃
This park is perfect if you want to reset your mood or think quietly for a while.