Have you ever wanted to get up-close-and-personal with an airplane? Maybe feel the roar as one soars over your head? Well, there are three incredible airplane cafes in Taoyuan where you can do just that.
As the island’s premier airport for international travel, Taoyuan International Airport is Taiwan’s largest and busiest airport. As such, there is an enormous amount of traffic heading in and out, making the surrounding area a popular site for plane spotting in Taiwan.
But where exactly is Taoyuan International Airport and how come there are so many cafes in Taoyuan catering for plane spotting?
Let’s first brief you on the location.
Where is Taoyuan International Airport?
For those of you already in Taiwan, it’s likely that Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) was your first destination. Or, to be more specific, Taoyuan’s Dayuan District 大園區.
Despite Covid measures (ie. quarantine and entry restrictions) and China’s recent “drill”, Taoyuan International Airport is an extremely busy airport, often with a flight arriving and departing every 7 minutes. It is then almost scary to be walking around in the streets of Dayuan District when a plane is heading in.
Contrary to what most airport surroundings look like, Dayuan is nestled alarmingly close to the runway for TPE Terminal 2. It’s so close that planes are practically landing on top of you when in the street!
While this makes for a pretty exhilarating experience and fairly decent photography (minus mine) there are much better places to go plane spotting in Taiwan. Like at airplane cafes in Taoyuan.
Though its likely that most high-rise cafes in Taoyuan will offer some view of the planes – Taoyuan is known as the airplane district, after all – the best area to go is definitely Dayuan District.
Let’s get into where the best airplane cafes in Taoyuan are for plane spotting (and chill).
Terminal 3 Cafe 第三航廈機場咖啡
Terminal 3 Cafe’s outward appearance would not strike you as a cool hangout spot, but don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Situated courtside to the airport and practically in the middle of nowhere, the Cafe offers guaranteed unobstructed views of all planes – save for those coming in behind the umbrellas.
With inside and outside seating, the Cafe is set for all kinds of weather. If weather permits, we recommend taking a spot outside, even though the inside has some quality air conditioning. Why? You’ve come all this way to see the show, you should take front row seats.
If you do choose to stay inside, it’s worth checking out the jet pictures adorning the walls and the mini model area. For any true aviation geeks out there, this will definitely be your scene.
Serving dessert and ‘light’ food, the Cafe has a minimum charge of $120 per person, which is about the price of a drink. It’s therefore best if you arrive looking for a snack – coming hungry won’t do you any good here.
Coming hungry for some amazing view is definitely on the menu though! While there’s no doubt that you’ll be able to see more during the day, night-goers are in for a real treat here too. With their incredibly bright (landing) lights, airplanes are easy to spot from miles away. This is sure to offer enough time to prepare for a picture, or maybe a video.
For those more inclined to venture to Terminal 3 Cafe during the day, we recommend bringing some binoculars with you. Without the defining light, it’s likely that you may strain your eyes to determine what’s out there – which, of course, is unhealthy and not recommended.
FINAL VERDICT: 4.5 / 5
Though it can get crowded, Terminal 3 Cafe truly offers unmatched views of landing aircraft in a relaxed and comfortable environment. It knows exactly what it’s trying to be – a place for people to watch planes and grab a bite – and is not acting as anything else. If you’re ever in the area and willing to head out a little further, we recommend making this stop.
| Address: | 337桃園市大園區海豐坡15鄰6-3號 (Google Maps) |
| Open hours: | Mon, Weds, Thurs, Fri: 3pm-midnight. Sat-Sun: 10am-midnight. Closed Tuesdays. |
| Transport | Car/Scooter. You can take a taxi, but due to the Cafe’s remote location it will be hard to catch a ride back. If this is your favored mode of transport, we recommend planning the return journey before heading out. |
Dayuan 101 大園101景觀餐廳
Named 101 after its large height in comparison to the surrounding buildings (likening it to Taipei 101), Dayuan 101 makes for an interesting evening.
With an entrance nestled beside an electronics store and a gym, the restaurant can be tricky to find. It can be even trickier to gauge what their vibe actually is too. Nonetheless, Dayuan 101 offers excellent views of planes soaring overhead, even if these are slightly obstructed by the roof.
Opened in 2018, the restaurant is made up of a massive indoor space and a smaller partially covered outdoor space. The floor outside is unsteady, but don’t worry, you won’t be able to tell until you step on it, thanks to the green felt. We’re not sure if they wanted to create the appearance of grass or if green was the only color available. Either way, these factors do not exactly create a vibe that encourages visitors to stay longer than necessary.
Nevertheless, Dayuan 101 provides excellent views of aircraft. This is thanks to its height (though still nowhere near Taipei 101’s), allowing visitors to experience amazing views and physically feel the roar of the jets. Yes, the view is slightly obstructed due to the lattice work of the roof, but you can still get some pretty spectacular sights of landing aircraft.
Probably the highlight of Dayuan 101, aside from the views, is the food. With a fairly comprehensive and diverse menu, this restaurant is sure to fill you up. Offering bbq, hotpot, pizza, and simple set meals, as well as waffles and desserts, you’re sure to leave satisfied. Food prices are also decent, though there is a minimum charge of $150 per person.
FINAL VERDICT: 4.2 / 5
Overall, Dayuan 101 is a pleasant enough place to spend your evening watching the skies. Advertised as the highest restaurant for plane spotting, you certainly won’t be disappointed by the views. It has definitely gotten a bit rundown since opening in 2018 and there’s no doubt that Covid hasn’t helped this. Regardless, you can enjoy a nice meal and catch some planes – what more could you want?
| Address: | 337桃園市大園區中正東路97-2號8樓 (Google Maps) |
| Open hours: | 4:30pm to 1:30am. Closed Wednesday. |
| Transport | Bus/Car/ Scooter. There is no official parking for Dayuan 101, but there are free parking spots for scooters at the nearby PxMart, Poya, and electronics store. |
151 Highland 151高地
Advertised as the highest landscape restaurant in the area by Taoyuan Leisure Agriculture Fanpage, 151 Highland is certainly a majestic place to go plane spotting. Sitting atop DaGu Mountain, this restaurant boasts spectacular night views of both Taoyuan and the airport. Whether you’re into cityscapes or airplanes, this destination has it all!
With an extensive food and drinks menu, the restaurant provides a range of meal options. From dumplings, rice, noodles, fried food, toast, and waffles, there is a lot to choose from. Though there are a few healthy decisions available, like the Thai Green Curry, we have to be honest that the vibe here is more fries and waffles. For this reason, we recommend leaving your diet at home when visiting 151 Highland.
However, with the minimum charge of just $100 per person, you don’t need to order that much. It’s also best to order snacks and the like when the restaurant is extremely busy – you can expect to wait 45 minutes or more when it’s packed. Which is why you should treat yourself and get this delicious waffle.
While it may not be as close as other places, 151 Highland it still produces an unequivocal plane spotting experience. With clear views of Taoyuan International Airport, visitors have obstructed views of both arrivals and departures. Additionally, the flight path for departures appears to be right above the restaurant, so the roar of planes passing by is a pretty common sound.
It should be noted though that is an incredibly popular destination, especially for the night scenery. You should therefore expect both the inside and outside seating area to be fairly occupied when arriving during the evening. Scavenging skills may be required to locate tables and chairs; although alternatively you can of course pressure a couple hogging a 4-seat table to depart early.
If the restaurant seems too busy, we advise taking a stroll through the adjacent flower garden. Adorned with flower lights and luminescent pavement designs, the garden offers visitors a pleasant walk up to or down from the restaurant. It’s not too long or steep a path, so no need for hiking shoes.
The garden is free to enter and open 24hrs everyday.
FINAL VERDICT: 4.8 / 5
With its vibrant but relaxing vibe, 151 Highland is definitely one of the best airplane cafes in Taoyuan for plane spotting and enjoying the night view. While the airplanes may not be shaking the building as they fly overhead, it is a welcoming and pleasant place – although it can take a while to reach.
| Address: | 338桃園市蘆竹區大古路267號 (Google Maps) |
| Open hours: | Mon-Fri: 4pm to 2am. Sat-Sun: 2pm to 2am. |
| Transport: | Car/Scooter/Bicycle (if you really want to). There is free scooter and car parking beside the temple, which is opposite the garden. There is also parking for vehicles further up the mountain, but this may be limited. |
| Extra: | 151 Highland welcomes pets (as long as they’re kept on a lead). For credit/debit card, the minimum charge must be over $600, otherwise the restaurant only accepts cash. |
A note about Plane spotting in Taiwan
Daytime plane spotting in Taiwan is known to cause eye strain. I’m speaking from personal experience when I say you should take care.
The places in this post may be more popular for scenic night time airplane cafes in Taoyuan, but visitors are welcome during the day (dependent on opening time). If you choose to look for planes when the sun is up, we recommend bringing a pair of binoculars to protect your eyes. Which can be challenging to do since finding binoculars in Taiwan proved difficult.
In fact, the only store we found was SunOptics (太陽光學事業有限公司), in Zhongzheng District, Taipei. With different models starting at $500, this telescope store is the perfect place to satisfy your stargazing, birdwatching, and yes, even plane spotting needs. Though the store’s hours are 10.30am to 6pm, it may be closed during this time. If that’s the case when you go, there is a number to call hanging outside the store.
Interested in More Airport Stuff?
Here’s some links fans of plane spotting in Taiwan or just curious individuals may find useful:
- Taoyuan International Airport Official website: https://www.taoyuanairport.com.tw/
- TPE non-official (but English) website: https://www.taipei-airport.com/
- Flight tracking website: https://www.flightradar24.com/
- Plane spotting social sharing of photography website: https://www.planespotting.be/
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Thanks for reading this post. If do happen to visit any of these scenic spots, leave a comment below and tell us how it went! We’d love to hear from you.
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