Two trips are planned to the Alps. Taiwan My biggest takeaway in three months is to book early. Otherwise, you too might fight yourself taking five trains in one day just to chase your dream—namely, riding the dessert train and still making it to the final night of the Taiwan Lantern Festival.
Stressful? Yes. Yes. Next time, I would ride seven trains. Maybe even sacrifice my pinky toe. How important are they, really?
Officially titled Haifeng—meaning “Sea Breeze”—this train debuted in December 2024 and carries just 60 passengers on a curated journey along Taiwan’s scenic western coast in Tiffany-blue train cars with upholstered sofa-style seats facing out, oversized windows, and gold trim everywhere.
The precisely curated retro-lux aesthetics and over-the-top elements left me wary—I boarded in Taichung with a healthy dose of skepticism. As it has happened so many times in Taiwan, my cynicism was thrown out the window as I embraced the sheer joy of the experience. The train was not just about dessert. It was also about slowing down to see Taiwan through a scrumptious, artistically composed lens.
Lion Travel
We stopped at the sleepy seaside village of Xinpu after 20 minutes, soft piano music tinkling in the cabin. The town’s claim to fame is that it is the closest station to the ocean on Taiwan’s western coast, but it’s the 1922 cedar station house—a relic from the Japanese occupation, its peeling paint worn thin by decades of ocean air—that captivated me more than the rocky shore. Haifeng, with 60 passengers, more than doubled Xinpu’s daily foot traffic.
The train then slowed down to 20 miles per hour, allowing passengers to fully enjoy the views of Taiwan’s coastline and shoreline. The moment the uniformed attendant appeared with a Tiffany blue box containing desserts, along with a pop-up menu, was unbeatable.
I pulled the gold knob on the top drawer and dove into the trio of savory bites, featuring upscale renditions of classic Taiwanese dishes: a sweet potato ball stuffed with duck, a mustard seed seafood salad sandwich, and my favorite—a taro and scallion scone, made with locally grown taro and served with lemon-kumquat jam and a dollop of creamy, salty butter.
From the bottom drawer, I grabbed a macaron bearing the train’s name and logo, topped with a vivid strawberry from the town of Dahu—home to 80 percent of Taiwan’s strawberry industry and just inland from where I sat—and spread with yuzu cream cheese. My second bite was rice whiskey canelé Topped with a crispy puffed-rice and flavored lei cha, a traditional green tea-flavored, porridge-like drink considered to be a hallmark of Taiwan’s Hakka community, the second largest ethnic group on the island—many of whom live in Hsinchu, the route’s terminus. I also indulged in a shot-glass parfait of chiffon cake layered with razor-thin grape and cantaloupe slices, custard, and Chantilly cream—all while enjoying the seaside views.
We arrived at Houlong not long after I had removed my box. This time, we debarked to visit the 250 year old Ciyun Temple. It was built in honor of Mazu, an ancient sea goddess that protects seafarers like fishermen and sailors. A guided tour was offered, but only in Chinese. Haifeng, at least for the moment, is primarily designed for domestic travel. English signage is minimalTypically, booking requires using Lion Travel’s U.S. website Or a little Google Translate finesse.
The final dessert on the train was a tiny box of icecream from MinimalThe Michelin-starred shop The spoon is shaped like a seashell and comes with a keepsake souvenir in Taichung. The flavor rotates, just like all foods. According to the information card, it is flavored with lactic acids and purple shiso. After a quick translation of the Chinese on my phone, I realized that something was missing. It was intended to be a copycat version of Yakult.
Haifeng’s experience was brilliant. I was able to explore two towns that I never would have visited otherwise, enjoy a tasty tasting menu featuring local specialty ingredients and learn about Taiwanese cuisine, history and spirituality. The desserts were the best I’ve ever eaten in Taiwan.
The whole 3-hour trip costs NT$3,600 ($110). There are faster ways to get around—a direct train on the same route would have taken just 75 minutes, and the high-speed rail covers it in 25 minutes—but as the saying goes, this train is about the journey. It’s touristy—literally designed to show off Taiwan to tourists. It’s not only the opposite to touristy, but also a slow introduction of destinations that aren’t usually included in guidebooks.
The menu and itinerary change according to the season. In April began departing Nangang on the edge Taipei to Yilan in the east. Now, what is my biggest regret? My only regret is not booking early enough to take advantage of the new route.
