Summer Moonlight Vacation House

The owners were friendly, and the bathroom was nice. It’s outside town, so you’ll need a car to get downtown, and there was some nighttime traffic noise from the nearby road. The place itself is clean and brand new, with excellent beds. Breakfast was a highlight: several kinds of homemade bread and cake, plus bacon and eggs, organic local fruit, and good coffee.

The hostess was so welcoming and friendly, and it was clear how much care she put into making our stay enjoyable. We stayed one night. The rooms were quiet and clean, the beds were comfortable, and there was plenty of coffee. Breakfast was memorable, with lots of homemade food and vegetables from the garden. I’d stay again, it was much better than some hotels.

Taitung isn’t a big tourist destination, but it has quiet beaches and plenty of tropical forest trails. We enjoyed the local fish market and several easy hikes, from one to four hours. Street food is affordable, and there are plenty of restaurants in the city center. If you don’t want to rent a car, Candy can connect you with a local tour guide who drives for 8-12 hours a day to hidden spots for US $100-120. You can also rent a bike to reach nearby beaches, or a motorcycle with a valid license. A US license isn’t accepted, so get an IDP. Taitung hosts a few triathlon races, and the race site is less than 2 miles from Candy’s BnB. We stayed for an extended week in March, and the house felt spotless throughout, with five star hotel quality housekeeping in the rooms and shared areas. It’s a lovely three story house with nine guest rooms, each with a balcony, plus a shared second floor balcony for small gatherings. The garden is a beautiful place to sit, and you can hear birds while having breakfast or coffee there. Breakfast depends on how many guests are staying. With more than two, it’s a Western and Chinese style buffet. Candy, the wife, makes artisan bread each day and bakes other sweet treats. Tony, her husband and a food lover, serves organic vegetables, fruit, and other produce from their garden. We were the only two guests for the last two days, so we had a five course breakfast cooked one course at a time at our pace. It was unforgettable, though you’d need to be lucky to visit when that breakfast is offered. We talked with them about starting, designing, building, and running the BnB. They began the venture when their second daughter was born, ten years ago. Their family style hospitality made the stay feel especially warm.

I was there for one night, and the breakfast was a real treat, six courses, thoughtfully presented. The room was spacious, with a balcony facing the mountains, and the linens and toiletries were good quality. Highly recommend it when you’re visiting Taitung.