The One Surprising Travel Destination in Asia Everyone Should Visit at Least Once, According to Getaway Guru Joseph Rosendo

Whether you’re already a self-proclaimed “wanderluster,” or you simply want to see more of the world this year, then you may be interested in venturing somewhere new and exciting in 2025.

Sound familiar? Well, you might want to consider planning a trip to Asia. According to Statista, Asia’s tourism market is expected to grow annually at a rate of 4.27% between 2025 and 2029. That’s quite the statistic and only goes to show the demand to see the sights the largest continent has to offer.

We spoke with Joseph Rosendo, travel guru and host of Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope and Steppin’ Out on PBS, to find out his favorite travel destination in Asia that should be next up on your itinerary—here’s what he had to say.

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The Surprising Asian Travel Destination Everyone Should Visit at Least Once, According to Joseph Rosendo

Rosendo suggests people visit Taiwan if they’re thinking about planning a trip to Asia in the future.

“Whether it is meeting and celebrating with one of their 14 indigenous groups, participating in the countrywide Matsu pilgrimage, swimming off one of their white sand beaches on islands such as Penghu or trekking through ‘Taiwan’s Grand Canyon,’ the Taroko Gorge, I am always amazed by the never-ending adventures the country has to offer,” he tells Parade.

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Rosendo’s Favorite Restaurant Recommendations for This Trip

Rosendo highly recommends dining at the RSL Cold & Hot Springs Resort Suao’s restaurant during your visit to Taiwan.

“The hotel’s premier restaurant features fusion cuisine, using fresh local produce and fresh just-off the boat seafood,” he explains. “The Chef’s Selection Dinner is a real winner. It was one of the best gourmet dinners I’ve had anywhere in the world.”

Additionally, Rosendo suggests making a reservation at Fu Yue Lou Dim Sum at the the Fullon Hotel in the coastal town of Fulong.

“The restaurant prides itself in preparing local dishes and giving their guests an authentic taste of the region,” he shares. “It’s a real joy to sample as many as you can.”

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Rosendo’s 4 Top Travel Tips for This Asian Destination

1. Visit Toucheng Leisure Farm

For something completely different, Rosendo suggests people visit the Toucheng Leisure Farm while in Taiwan.

“This farm covers 120-hectares of land and provides leisure, wine tasting, classic Taiwanese food featuring locally and sustainably grown ingredients and an assortment of intriguing rural agricultural learning activities,” Rosendo tells Parade.

There’s also a winery and wine tasting room there which utilizes the abundance of fruit in the area.

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2. Go on a hike

If you’re looking to explore Taiwan like both a local and a tourist, Rosendo suggests going on a hike.

“[Individuals] come from all over Taiwan to hike the many trails surrounding the town of Fulong including the Caoling Old Trail, Tamsui-Kavalan Trails, Caoling Train Tunnel, now a biking trail that connects the coastal biking trails and trails throughout Yilan county,” he shares. “The high point of trekking in the area is visiting the Taroko Gorge, Taiwan’s grand canyon, and hiking the many easy to difficult trails which give you access to dramatic waterfalls, rushing rivers and the brilliant marble walls of the canyon.”

3. Take advantage of the trains

According to Rosendo, traveling by trains in Taiwan—including metro, high speed rail, branch rail, and regular trains—is a real pleasure.

“The smaller branch lines take you up into the mountains and to very unique villages while the high speed express can take you 217 miles from Taipei at the top of Taiwan to Kaohsiung in the south in two hours,” he says.

4. Go in the hot and cold springs

One of Rosendo’s favorite things to do in Taiwan is take a dip into the hot and cold springs throughout the country. As mentioned above, the RSL Cold & Hot Springs Resort has springs that you can venture into if you wish. 

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