Coworking Review
Chishang - Taiwan
Roots
A tiny coworking tucked in a rice-paddy valley on Taiwan's east coast, run by a friend I met on the road. No nightlife, no big crowds, just good wifi, real food, and the kind of quiet that resets you.
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Why Chishang, why Roots
I met Cindy, who now runs Roots Coworking, at my very first coworking (Hub Hoi An), in Hoi An, Vietnam. She’s a nutritionist and traveler originally from Taiwan, and she’d just started dreaming up a small coworking space in her hometown of Chishang. A year and a half later, on my way from Japan to Hawaii, I finally made it there to see what she’d built.
Getting there is easy. A direct train from Taipei, about 4 hours, hugs the coast with mountains on one side and ocean on the other. It brings you to Chishang, a peaceful town tucked into the mountains on Taiwan’s east coast, surrounded by rice paddies. Cindy makes the logistics simple too. You can book your coworking spot ahead of time, and she sends over vetted accommodation options (hostels or homestays) and handles the booking and introductions, a real help if you don’t speak the language. I stayed with a lovely local host who lent me a bike for the week, alongside my coworking access.
Wifi
Workspace
Community
Value for Money
Wifi & Connectivity
No issues at all. Fast, stable, handled calls and heavy work without a single hiccup.
Workspace & Productivity
The space itself is small, in keeping with the town, but it makes good use of what it has. A few small two-seater tables for solo focus or quiet pair work, a big communal table seating 6 to 7 people if you want to spread out or work alongside others, several chair styles (simple chairs, armchairs, even an inflatable cushion if you want to switch things up), and a phone booth at the back for calls or video meetings without disturbing the room. You take your shoes off at the entrance and borrow house slippers, which sets the tone: it genuinely feels like working from home.
There’s also a rooftop terrace above the coworking space, perfect for fresh air, a change of scenery, yoga, or just watching the stars over the valley in the evening.
Community & Social Life
This one really depends on timing, season, and who happens to be around. Chishang is touristy in a small-town way, but it’s not yet on most digital nomads’ radar, so some weeks you’ll find locals stopping by to chat or work, friends of Cindy’s passing through, or travelers staying just a few days before continuing their trip. It’s unpredictable, but whenever Cindy or the person running the space that day is around, it’s more than enough to make for good moments.
During my week, I shared a New Year’s Eve mixing dishes from our home countries, board game nights, and impromptu shared meals. It was also just as easy to have a quiet day of focused work and feel completely at home doing it.
A Nice Touch
One detail that makes Roots genuinely original: when Cindy isn't there, she hands the space over to someone who wants to try running a coworking, and often that person brings their own passion into it. During my stay, that was Kai, a Taiwanese remote worker and serious tea and coffee enthusiast. He'd bring in a huge range of teas, brew pots throughout the day for anyone who wanted to try something, and make coffee or tea to order. You just leave a tip if you'd like, nothing expected.
Depending on who's hosting that day, the offering changes too. Some days Cindy takes orders for healthy home-cooked dishes; other days, someone else might lead a yoga session on the rooftop instead.
Comfort & Amenities
A café-style counter greets you at the entrance, with tea and coffee available throughout the day. There’s also a separate kitchen in the back, with a fridge you can use to store food, prep something quick, or put together a shared dinner with other coworkers in the evening. It’s a small space, but it never feels like it’s missing anything.
Location & Access
Right in the heart of town, an easy walk from anywhere in Chishang, and even easier by bike. Plenty of cafés, restaurants, and takeaway spots within a couple of minutes’ walk, and Cindy has good recommendations for every time of day and every taste. The train station is a short walk away, the lake is about 20 minutes on foot, and you’re two streets from being surrounded by rice paddies.
Chishang itself deserves a mention here too: it might be the easiest place I’ve been to eat well as a vegetarian or vegan. Local rice, tofu made on site, kombucha, even veggie burgers with house-baked buns, all at very low prices. It’s also a genuinely calming place. Everything happens by bike, between your accommodation, the coworking space, wandering the paths through the rice paddies, or circling the small lake.
Value for Money
Roots is genuinely affordable, with several ways to access the space depending on how long you’re staying:
- Co-Work 3-Day Pass: $18
- Co-Work Weekly Pass: $35/week
- Co-Work Monthly Pass: $105/month
- Cafe-Style Plan (first come, first served, limited seats): $5 minimum for 2 hours, or $14 to stay as long as you like until closing
That flexibility is a real strength: drop in for a couple of hours between orders at the counter, or commit to a full month if you’re settling in for a while. Officially open from 10am to 7pm, though hours flex depending on who’s hosting and what people need.
What Works / What to Know Before You Go
- Excellent, stable wifi
- Genuinely flexible passes
- Warm, home-like feel,
- Unique rotating hosting system
- Rooftop terrace for fresh air, yoga, or stargazing
- Unbeatable setting for vegetarian and vegan food
- Phone booth available
- Small space
- Social vibe is unpredictable, depends entirely on who's passing through
- A bit removed from Hoi An's Old Town and the beach (10-15 min by scooter)
After two weeks in the noise and pace of Taipei, Roots was exactly what I needed. Slow mornings, real conversations over tea Kai had just brewed, board games that turned into New Year's Eve with people I'd just met. It's the kind of week that resets you without you noticing it happening."
Practical Logistics
What you need to know before traveling to Roots Coworking in Chishang, Taiwan.
Taiwan offers visa-free entry for stays under 90 days to citizens of around 170 countries, including most of Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan. You'll need to fill out an online arrival card within seven days before landing (via the National Immigration Agency's website).
My homestay room for the week came to about $340 (converted from €314.10). Cindy sent over a shortlist of vetted local hosts or hostels and handled the booking directly, a real help if you don't speak the language. I ended up with a lovely local host who also lent me a bike for the week.
Direct train from Taipei, about 4 hours, scenic coastal route.
Chishang is very affordable overall, aside from accommodation, which is the one cost that runs a bit higher.
Who is Roots & Chishang for?
If you want a real break in pace, time close to locals, meaningful connections, a chance to learn the language, or simply space to focus on your work and yourself, Chishang and Roots Coworking are exactly right. Just don't come here chasing nightlife or a big digital nomad scene, that's simply not what this place is about.
Booking details
Space tested
Co-working access, cafe-style and pass options
Price
$5 for a 2-hour cafe-style visit, up to $105/month for the full Co-Work Monthly Pass. Weekly pass at $35, 3-day pass at $18.
Minimum stay
None. Drop in any time during opening hours.
Website & Booking
Get more information about Roots Coworking or contact on Instagram.
Transparency
This stay was paid for in full, at standard rates.
