The Official Bimonthly English Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.Website: ht tp://taiwan. net .t w Advertisement

No. 55, 2013 /

Kending eco TourDiscovering the Natural Attractions of Taiwan’s Far South

BACKPACK BUS TOURS From Chiayi City To Alishan

TOP TEN TOURIST TOWNS Jiufen, Jinguashi, and Shuinandong

Jazz and Saxophones Sun Moon Lake Cycling Climbing Mt. Jade

1 2

The crown jewel of CaotunMajestic combination of fashion with graceful presentation that enlightens your mind

Enjoy a Five-Star Experience at Formosa Hotel in Caotun The Crown Jewel of Caotun

● TEL:+886-49-2304168 ● FAX:+886-49-2300708 ● E-mail:info@hotelformosa.com.tw● Add: 78 Bishan Rd., Caotun Township, Nantou County (南投縣草屯鎮碧山路78號)

Welcome to Taiwan!Dear Traveler,

In this issue of Travel in Taiwan we have a strong eco theme, and you’ll be spending much more time in the hills, in the countryside, and by the sea than in the city. In our Feature we spend three sunny days in Kenting National Park, at Taiwan’s southern tip, enjoying bicycle jaunts, a tidal-zone exploration, a day hike in the coral-terrain hills, a night-time guided forest hike, scuba diving, and other eco-adventures. As always, we also give you ideas on where/what to eat, the best souvenir purchases, and where to stay. Ever stayed in a “bike hotel” before, or one of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek’s former villas?

We head to pretty Sun Moon Lake in the central mountains for Come! Bikeday, one of the many cycling-theme events held around the island during the annual Taiwan Cycling Festival. The round-lake loop here has been called one of the world’s 10 best bike routes by CNNGo. We stay in the soaring central mountains to visit popular Alishan National Scenic Area, going hiking and taking a scenic alpine-railway ride, along the way telling you about the ultra-convenient Taipei Tourist Shuttle Bus service, a coach service that lets you inexpensively zip around the island to major tourist sites. In a separate article we explore a number of tourist-welcoming villages inhabited by the Tsou, an indigenous people for whom Alishan is home. It’s then over to majestic Yushan National Park where we hike up Yushan, northeast Asia’s highest peak.

Back down on the f latlands, Da jia calls. Da jia is a rural area within central Taiwan’s Taichung City that, among other things, is renowned for taro and sweet potato cultivation. We tell you all you need to know about these delicious edibles. We also head to downtown Taichung to soak up the sometimes dulcet, sometimes staccato, always enjoyable notes of the annual Taichung Jazz Festival.

Mountain, countryside, and sea are all prime attractions on a visit to Jiufen, Jinguashi, and Shuinandong, a village triumvirate by the northeast coast collectively chosen as one of Taiwan’s Top 10 Tourist Towns in public polling. Spend a day exploring old mining facilities, quaint heritage teahouses, colonial-era Japanese architecture, and the vestiges of an infamous WW II POW camp.

I wish you a Happy New Year!

David W. J. HsiehDirector General

Tourism Bureau, MOTC, R.O.C.

台 灣 觀 光 雙 月 刊

Travel in Taiwan BimonthlyJanuary/February, 2013 Tourism Bureau, MOTCFirst published in Jan./Feb., 2004ISSN: 18177964 GPN: 2009305475 Price: NT$200www.tit.com.tw/vision/index.htm

Copyright @ 2013 Tourism Bureau. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

PUBLISHER David W. J. HsiehEdItIng ConSULtant Wayne Hsi-Lin LiuPUBLISHIng oRganIzatIonTaiwan Tourism Bureau, Ministry ofTransportation and CommunicationsContaCtInternational Division, Taiwan Tourism Bureau Add: 9F, 290 Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei, 10694, TaiwanTel: 886-2-2717-3737 Fax: 886-2-2771-7036E-mail: tbroc@tbroc.gov.twWebsite: http://taiwan.net.tw

Where you can pick up a copy of Travel in Taiwan abroadOffices of the Tourism Bureau in Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Frankfurt; Taiwan Representative Offices; Overseas Offices of the Ministry of Economic Affairs; Overseas Offices of the Central News Agency; onboard China Airlines, EVA Air and other selected international airways; selected travel agencies in Asia, North America, and Europe; and other organizations

onLineRead the online version of Travel in Taiwan at www.zinio.com . Log in and search for "Travel in Taiwan." Or visit www.tit.com.tw/vision/index.htm

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Time for Celebration-Taiwan Tourism Events

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MagazInE IS SoLd at:1. Wu-Nan Culture Plaza, 6, Zhongshan Rd., Central Dist.,

Taichung City 40043 886-4-2226-0330 http://www.wunanbooks.com.tw/

2. National Bookstore, 1F., No.209, Songjiang Rd., Zhongshan Dist., Taipei City 10485 886-2-2518-0207 http://www.govbooks.com.tw/

1228

CONTENTSJanuary~February 2013

Travel in Taiwan 3

feaTure12 Kending Eco Tour — Main Kending? Ken Do! – Surf and Turf Eco-Fun in Taiwan’s Deep Tropical South — Stay Soaking Up the Sun – Recommended Eco-Theme Hotels — Eat/Buy Kending Specialties – Eating and Buying Well by the Tropical Seaside

1 Publisher’s Note4 Taiwan Tourism Events7 Meeting Tourists8 News & Events around Taiwan

10 Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

32 Fun with Chinese 54 Daily Life

aCTive FUn22 Come! Bikeday

— Scenic Cycling at Sun Moon Lake

HiKinG26 Mt. Jade

— A Must-Hike for Any Mountaineer Visiting Taiwan

SPlenDiD FeSTivalS28 Prayers and Flames

— The Burning of the King Boat at Donggang

TOP Ten TOUriST TOwnS34 Water, Gold, Nine

— Exploring the History and Scenery of Three Attractive Tourist Towns in Northeast Taiwan

MUSiC TOUrS38 Jazzing Up Taichung

— Taiwan’s Third Largest City Is a Center of Saxophone Production and Host of a Great Annual Jazz Festival

inDiGenOUS villaGeS42 Natural Beauty and Indigenous Culture

— Visiting Villages of the Tsou Tribe in Alishan

BaCKPaCK BUS TriP46 Alishan, Here We Come!

— Taking the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle from Chiayi City to the High Mountains

FOOD JOUrneY50 TARO TOWN— Visiting the Dajia Region’s Taro and Sweet Potato Farms

38

4222

A Feast of Celebrations for the International Traveler

• Taiwan Lantern Festival• Taiwan Lantern Festival – Yanshui

Beehive Rockets Festival• Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival

• Tern–Watching Tour, Matsu• Xiuguluan River Rafting Activity• Summer Solstice at 23.5 North Latitude • Lukang Dragon Boat Festival• Taiwan Balloon Festival (June to Aug.)

• 2013 Fulong Sand Sculpture Art Festival (May and June)

Jan

May

feb

Jun• New Year's Eve Celebration (mid-Dec. to Jan.)

TAIWAN TOURISM EVENTS

4 Travel in Taiwan

• Taichung City Mazu International Festival • Song-Jiang Battle Array in Neimen, Kaohsiung (Mar. and Apr.)

• 2013 Dapeng Bay International Regatta (Apr. and May)

• Taiwan Wedding and Honeymoon Photography Activity (Apr. to Oct.)

• 2013 Daxueshan International Bird Watching Competition

• Spring Wave Music & Art Festival • Penghu Ocean Fireworks Festival

(Apr. to June)

• Taiwan Culinary Exhibition • 2013 Keelung Ghost Festival• National Yimin Festival• Kinmen Mid-Autumn Moon-cake

Gambling Game Festival

• 2013 Taoyuan International ACG Carnival (July and Aug.)• Yilan International Children's Folklore & Folkgames Festival

(July and Aug.)• Toucheng Cianggu Grappling with the Ghosts

pole-climbing competition (July and Aug.)• Hohaiyan Rock Festival in Gongliao

Jul Aug

Mar Apr

Each year the Taiwan tourism calendar brims

with international-caliber events that would

each make a fine feather in the cap for you, the globe-trotting

adventurer. Recently the Taiwan Tourism Bureau staged an

online vote to discover which annual events the public enjoys

most. Here’s a selection of the winners for you, matched in pairs

according to themes that we figure will most interest the traveler from afar.

Interested in old-time religious celebrations? The Keelung Ghost Festival features colorful

processions, water lanterns, and various rites to appease “hungry ghosts” released from hell

during Ghost Month; the Taichung City Mazu International Festival is centered around one of

the world’s great religious pilgrimages, with hundreds of thousands escorting Mazu, Goddess of

the Sea, to temples around the central plains.

Old-time folk customs? During the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival thousands of glowing sky

lanterns fill the night skies, carrying blessings; the Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival features a

town alive with fireworks blasted laterally through the streets, used in days of old to dispel evil

spirits bringing pestilence.

TAIWAN TOURISM EVENTS

Sep Oct

Nov DeC

The Hohaiyan Rock Festival in Gongliao

is a multi-day seaside jam showcasing local and

top-f light international acts, with folk, pop,

reggae, and punk thrown in for good measure.

Hakka culture? The Miaoli Hakka Food

Festival supplies an endless table of the proud

Hakka people’s distinctive cuisine, and the

Hakka Yimin Festival, held in various locales,

has colorful processions and rituals honoring

Hakka braves who gave their lives defending

their communities in imperial times.

An honorable mention must be given to the

massive New Year’s Eve Celebration, which

overlaps with some pairings above with its pop-

music extravaganza, traditional Taiwanese

snack foods, and tremendous midnight Taipei

101 Fireworks Show.

There are of course many other travel

themes you can use when choosing, and below

we provide a full list of the most popular events

for you.

• Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival• Sanyi International Woodcarving Art Festival

• Taiwan Hot Spring & Fine-Cuisine Carnival• Huashan Living Arts Festival• 2013 Love in Alishan – Wedding under Sacred Tree• 2013 LPGA Taiwan Championship• International Flower Drum Art Festival (Oct.to Nov.)• Yunlin International Puppet Arts Festival• 2013 Taiwan Open of Surfing

• Purple Butterfly Watching Activities (Dec. to Mar.)• Taipei Marathon • New Year's Eve Celebration (mid Dec.to Jan.1)• Chiayi City International Band Festival

• Kunshen Wangye's Salt for Peace Festival• 2013 Taroko Gorge Marathon• 2013 Taiwan International Festival of Arts • Miaoli Hakka Food Festival• Taiwan Cycling Festival

TAIWAN TOURISM EVENTS

6 Travel in Taiwan

At the Taipei 101 Observatory, one of Taipei’s biggest tourist attractions, Travel in Taiwan asked tourists from Europe about their Taiwan travel experience.

First-Timers’

First Impressions of Taiwan

Dirk & Anja

Eija

from Frankfurt, Germany

from Helsinki, Finland

Travel in Taiwan: Could you please tell us more about your Taiwan trip?

Travel in Taiwan: Could you please tell us more about your Taiwan trip?

Travel in Taiwan: Where do you plan to go next in Taiwan?

Travel in Taiwan: What are your initial impressions of Taiwan?

Travel in Taiwan: What do you plan to do while here?

Travel in Taiwan: What are your initial impressions of Taiwan?

Dirk: This is our first time in Taiwan. We are on a 17-day tour and

this is just our third day here. So far we have only seen Taipei.

Eija: My husband and I just arrived in Taiwan from Shanghai, and we’ll

be here for a few days. It’s our first trip to Taiwan. We are on holiday.

Anja: We have a rough idea, but nothing is planned in detail.

We will be going to Sun Moon Lake, and then follow the western

coast south and the eastern coast back up north, with no fixed

itinerary. We always travel like that. We have done it already in

many other Asian countries as well. We really travel a lot. Once a

year we absolutely have to go on a tour somewhere.

Eija: It’s clean and the people are

friendly. The weather has been

perfect, not too hot, not too cold.

Eija: We will stay in Taipei the whole time,

doing sightseeing. We plan to check out

the hot springs (in Beitou) and the cable

car (Maokong Gondola). Taipei 101 is very

impressive. You can see the whole city. We

wish we had time to see more of Taiwan, and

hope to come back again.

Dirk: It’s been great so far. People are very friendly

and helpful, a bit shy, but kind of friendly shy. Very

pleasant.

Photos: Ivy Chen

MEETING TOURISTS

Travel in Taiwan 7

8 Travel in Taiwan

WHAT'S UP

News& Events around Taiwan

Books

Snakes of TaiwanTaiwan is a paradise for hikers and nature lovers,

and going for a hike in the island’s forests and

mountains is a real treat. There you can explore

unique f lora and fauna, coming across birds,

butterf lies, and SNAKES! It’s not likely that you’ll

step on one during the daytime while ambling

along a wide hiking trail, but they are often not far

away, even in the lowlands close to urban areas.

If you want to know more about these fascinating

reptiles, learn which species can be found in which

parts of Taiwan, and find out which are poisonous

and which harmless, a new book by Hans Breuer,

a German who is a long-time resident of Taiwan

and a serpent expert, is highly recommended. It

gives you a comprehensive overview of the local

snake community, helping you to appreciate them

and teaching you how to protect them. The 246-

page book is available at online bookstores such as

Amazon, and at major bookstores in Taiwan. Cuisine

The Best RestaurantsIn a recent online voting event organized by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, the best

restaurants for group dining around Taiwan were selected by the public. Candidates

were grouped in three categories, according to price range (under NT$2,500,

NT$2,501~4,000, and NT$4,001~10,000). The winner in the first category, receiving

16,652 votes, was seafood restaurant Hai Pa Wang (www.hpw.com.tw), based in

Taipei. Two restaurants were judged to share top spot in the second category, Jin Di

Wang (10,184 votes) and Kizhen (10,147; www.kizhen.com.tw), and the last category

was topped by vegetarian restaurant Lin Chi Ge (10,879; www.lck888.com). These

restaurants, and the other 26 restaurants listed on the event’s Chinese-language

website (tfood.taiwan.net.tw), are all excellent choices for tourist groups from abroad.

They are able to cater to large numbers of guests, and give diners the chance to

experience the widest range of the amazing local cuisine.

TV

Fun Taiwan Challenge 2In the second season of Fun Taiwan Challenge, an adventure-

travel show on Travel & Living Channel, a group of daring

young foreigners are again traveling around Taiwan, facing

elimination-style challenges in each episode. Participants

in the show – the first episode aired in Taiwan at the end of

December – have to find their way through the urban jungle,

demonstrate their skills in an indigenous sports meet, try

their hand at calligraphy, and survive on a beautiful deserted

island, among many other challenges. Those finishing first

will be treated to fine dining, luxury accommodation, and

soothing hot-spring resort baths, while each episode may see

losers sent home. The show is hosted by popular American-

born Janet Hsieh, who has risen to local celebrity status over

the past few years as host of the widely watched Fun Taiwan

travel show, introducing the best Taiwan has to offer as a

travel destination. For more info, visit www.tlc-tw.com/tv-

shows/funtaiwanchallenge.

Guba Leisure Resort

WHAT'S UP

Travel in Taiwan 9

Tourism

More than 7 Million Visitors in 2012The number of visitor arrivals to Taiwan has been climbing steadily over the past number

of years. While last year the 6-million mark was reached for the first time, this year

the 7-millionth visitor was greeted before year’s end. For Malaysian Lin Swee-chin, 71

years of age and accompanied by four daughters and three grandsons, her Taiwan trip

began with a surprise when on December 18 officials at Taiwan Taoyuan Int’l Airport

approached her and presented her with 70 special gifts for being the 7-millionth visitor

of the year. Gifts included round-trip plane tickets to Taiwan, three free nights at a

Howard Hotel, a tablet computer, a five-day pass for the nation’s two railway systems, an

EasyCard for the Taipei Metro with NT$10,000 on it, as well as other souvenirs. With

Taiwan’s popularity as a travel destination rising, government officials are hopeful that

the number of annual visitors to Taiwan will reach the 10-million mark in 2016 or before.

Accommodation

Alishan House Reopened after RenovationDespite the cold weather in winter, the high-mountain Alishan area

is a popular travel destination during this time of year. Many visitors

come especially to gaze at the beautiful blossoms of the many cherry

trees in the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area. If you opt to

stay at Alishan House, you might see blossoms right outside your

window. The hotel, located in the area, has recently been renovated,

and now offers more guestrooms (141) and facilities than before. It is

one of the best choices for travelers planning to stay in Alishan. For

more info, visit www.alishanhouse.com.tw.

Travel in Taiwan

E-Magazine AppStarting with this issue (January/February), Travel in Taiwan is also available as an

e-magazine edition in the Apple Newsstand. iPad and iPhone users can now enjoy more

content, and a convenient interactive reading experience. The e-magazine contains more

images than the print version, some of which can be shown in full-screen mode, and

also has multimedia content such as audio and video clips. The user-friendly interface

allows for convenient navigation through the magazine. Download the magazine free of

cost from the app store, and read it on you mobile device wherever you go!

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!We, the producers of Travel in Taiwan , wish to improve our magazine with each issue and give you the best possible help when planning – or carrying out – your next trip to Taiwan. Tell us what you think by filling out our short online questionnaire at v-media.com.tw/survey/travelintaiwan.html. Senders of the first 10 completed questionnaires for each issue will receive three free issues of Travel in Taiwan. Thank you in advance for your feedback.

10 Travel in Taiwan

CULTURE SCENE

Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

Taiwan has a diverse cultural scene, with art venues ranging from international-caliber concert halls and theaters to makeshift stages on temple plazas. Among Taiwan's museums is the world-famous National Palace Museum as well as many smaller museums dedicated to different art forms and aspects of Taiwanese culture. Here is a brief selection of upcoming happenings. For more information, please visit the websites of the listed venues.

This year, the Taiwan International Festival of Arts (TIFA) will be held

for the fifth time. Under the theme “Newly Launched Masterpieces Sail

on Accolades Overseas,” eighteen outstanding productions by artists from

Taiwan and overseas will be presented. In total, there will be 49 stage

performances, including the following three:

February 15 ~ March 31tifa.ntch.edu.tw

Taiwan International Festival of Arts台灣國際藝術節

Song of the Wanderers premiered in November 1994, and has

since become a classic in the repertoire of the internationally

acclaimed Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. It was inspired

by Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha, a 1922 novel on a Buddhist

theme, and depicts the journey of pilgrim wanderers fervently

in search of inner peace. Creator Lin Hwai-min has called the

performance “a dance of gold,” referring to the renowned scene

created with 3.5 tons of golden rice, some raining down on the

dancers. The music is provided by the Ensemble Rustavi of

Georgia, singing Georgian folk songs.

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan & Ensemble Rustavi of Georgia: Songs of the Wanderers 雲門舞集與喬治亞魯斯塔維合唱團：流浪者之歌

February 21 ~ 23National Theater

Voyages is the first production of

Salamandrum, a percussion duo

founded in 2011 by two Israeli

percussionists, Tomer Yariv and

Gilad Dobrecki. The music is a blend

of folk tunes from Morocco, Iran,

and Israel with elements of classical,

jazz, and funk music. Both musicians

are well-known internationally. Yariv

enjoyed great success as a member

of the duo PercaDu, which attended

the 2011 Taiwan International

Percussion Convention. Dobrecki has

been called one of the greatest contemporary jazz percussionists.

His works are a dynamic mixture of musical elements from the

Middle East, Africa, and Brazil with classical music and jazz,

capturing the attention of audiences around the world.

Salamandrum Percussion Duo & NSO: Voyages 變色龍擊樂二重奏與NSO

February 23National Concert Hall

The German troupe Volksbühne am

Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz will present

Der Spieler (“The Gambler”),

created by prestigious German

theater director Frank Castorf. The play is based on a short novel by

famous Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821~1881), who was forced to

write the novel in less than a month to pay off gambling debts. In the story,

the main character is drawn to and becomes obsessed with both gambling

and a woman, much in the same way the author himself was obsessed with

playing roulette and a young woman named Polina.

Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz: Der Spieler

February 28, March 2~3National Theater

德國柏林人民劇院：賭徒

CULTURE SCENE

Travel in Taiwan 11

This exhibition presents a collection of

porcelain works with painted enamels

(falangcai) from the reign of the Qing

Emperor Yongzheng (1678~1735).

Falangcai porcelain is decorated with

enamel pigments, and combines Chinese

and Western painting techniques. It

was manufactured in the Qing court’s

Imperial Workshops. Because of their

extremely fine and delicate decoration, pieces have been highly

prized by connoisseurs. During the Qing Dynasty, both Emperor

Yongzheng and his predecessor, Kangxi, were impressed by the

Western technique of using gold as colorant to make gold-red enamel,

and they demanded that their artisans do the same. After a period of

continuous experimentation they were successful, creating 18 other

new enamel colors along the way.

A Special Exhibition of Porcelain with Painted Enamels of Yongzheng Period in the Qing Dynasty 金成旭映—清雍正琺瑯彩瓷特展

December 1, 2012 ~ October 30, 2013National Palace Museum

Taipei

Taipei Zhongshan Hall （台北中山堂）

Add: 98, Yanping S. Rd., Taipei City( 台北市延平南路 9 8 號 )

Tel: (02) 2381-3137www.csh.taipei.gov.twNearest MRT Station: Ximen

Taipei International Convention Center （台北國際會議中心）

Add: 1, Xinyi Rd., Sec.5, Taipei City( 台北市信義路五段 1 號 )

Tel: (02) 2725-5200, ext. 3517, 3518 www.ticc.com.twNearest MRT Station: Taipei City Hall

National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall （國立中正紀念堂）

Add: 21 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City( 台北市中山南路 21 號 )　　

Tel: (02) 2343-1100~3www.cksmh.gov.twNearest MRT Station: CKS Memorial Hall

National Concert Hall （國家音樂聽）National Theater （國家戲劇院）

Add: 21-1 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City( 台北市中山南路 21-1 號 )

Tel: (02) 3393-9888www.ntch.edu.twNearest MRT Station: CKS Memorial Hall

National Museum of History （國立歷史博物館）

Add: 49 Nanhai Rd., Taipei City( 台北市南海路 4 9 號 )

Tel: (02) 2361-0270www.nmh.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: CKS Memorial Hall

National Palace Museum （國立故宮博物院）

Add: 221 Zhishan Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei City( 台北市至善路 2 段 2 21 號 )

Tel: (02) 2881-2021www.npm.gov.twNearest MRT Station: Shilin

National Taiwan Museum （國立臺灣博物館）

Add: 2 Xiangyang Rd., Taipei City( 台北市襄陽路二號 )

Tel: (02) 2382-2566www.ntm.gov.twNearest MRT Station: NTU Hospital

Novel Hall （新舞臺）

Add: 3 Songshou Rd., Taipei City( 台北市松壽路 3 號 )

Tel: (02) 2722-4302www.novelhall.org.twNearest MRT Station: Taipei City Hall

National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall （國立國父紀念館）

Add: 505 Ren-ai Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City( 台北市仁愛路四段 5 0 5 號 )

Tel: (02) 2758-8008www.yatsen.gov.tw/enNearest MRT Station: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Taipei Arena （台北小巨蛋）

Add: 2 Nanjing E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City( 台北市南京東路 4 段 2 號 )

Tel: (02) 2577-3500www.taipeiarena.com.twNearest MRT Station: Nanjing E. Rd.

Taipei Fine Arts Museum （台北市立美術館）

Add: 181 Zhongshan N. Rd., Sec. 3, Taipei City( 台北市中山北路 3 段 181 號 )

Tel: (02) 2595-7656www.tfam.museum Nearest MRT Station: Yuanshan

Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei （台北當代藝術館）

Add: 39 Chang-an W. Rd., Taipei City( 台北市長安西路 39 號 )

Tel: (02) 2552-3720www.mocataipei.org.twNearest MRT Station: Zhongshan

National Taiwan Science Education Center （台灣科學教育館）

Add: 189 Shishang Rd., Taipei City (台北市士商路 189號 )

Tel: (02) 6610-1234www.ntsec.gov.twNearest MRT Station: Shilin

TWTC Nangang Exhibiton Hall （台北世貿中心南港展覽館）

Add: 1, Jingmao 2nd Rd., Taipei City(台北市經貿二路 1號 )Tel: (02) 2725-5200Nearest MRT Station: Nangang Exhibition Hall

Lin liu-hsin Puppet Theatre Museum （林柳新紀念偶戲博物館）

Add: 79 Xining N. Rd., Taipei City( 台北市西寧北路 79 號 )Tel: (02) 2556-8909www.taipeipuppet.com

TaichungNational Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts （國立台灣美術館）

Add: 2 Wuquan W. Rd., Sec. 1, Taichung City( 台中市五權西路一段 2 號 )

Tel: (04) 2372-3552www.ntmofa.gov.tw

TainanTainan City Cultural Center （台南市立文化中心）

Add: 332 Zhonghua E. Rd., Sec. 3, Tainan City( 台南市中華東路 3 段 332 號 )

Tel: (06) 269-2864www.tmcc.gov.tw

KaohsiungKaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts （高雄市立美術館）

Add: 80 Meishuguan Rd., Kaohsiung City( 高雄市美術館路 8 0 號 )

Tel: (07) 555-0331www.kmfa.gov.tw Nearest KMRT Station: Aozihdi Station

Kaohsiung Museum of History （高雄市立歷史博物館）

Add: 272 Zhongzheng 4th Rd., Kaohsiung City( 高雄市中正四路 27 2 號 )

Tel: (07) 531-2560http://163.32.121.205/Nearest KMRT Station: City Council

EDA Royal Theater （義大皇家劇院）

Add: 10, Sec. 1, Xuecheng Rd., Dashu District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市大樹區學城路一段10號 )Tel: 0800-588-887Website: www.edaroyaltheater.com.tw

Venues

The Science of Aliens is a touring exhibition that had its premiere at

the London Science Museum in October 2005, and has been shown in

science museums around the world since. It gives visitors the chance

to learn more about what creatures from outer space might be like,

and “get in touch” with them. Via a touch-sensitive installation about

two meters wide and about

seven meters long, visitors

can not only watch aliens but

also inf luence the creatures’

behaviour and actions. This

exhibition is the largest of its

kind ever staged.

The Science of Aliens 外星人探索特展

November 10 ~ March 3National Taiwan Science Education Center

Music, dance, and a touching

love story are the ingredients of a

good musical à la Broadway, and

this is exactly what Dancing Diva

promises. This Taiwan-produced

musical is the biggest of its kind

ever to be staged on the island, the preparation taking 18 months and

the production costing NT$80 million. It tells the story of a young

woman who starts off as a pole dancer and gradually climbs the ladder

of success before she is betrayed by her manager. Misfortune leads to

romance when she meets a one-legged heartthrob who becomes her

dance partner. The musical will be staged at EDA Royal Theater, in

Kaohsiung’s E-DA Theme Park.

February 9 ~ April 28EDA Royal Theater

Dancing Diva 台灣舞孃

Surf and Turf Eco-Fun in Taiwan’s Deep Tropical South

When the cool of late autumn/early winter settles in around Taipei and the seasonal rains come, and I find my skin looking ever more pasty-white, Kenting National Park (“Kending”) beckons. It takes up much of the southern tip of the island, is in the tropics – the rest of Taiwan island is subtropical – and always seems to be drenched in sunshine.

Text: Rick Charette Photos: Jen Guo-Chen

Kending? Ken Do!

Shadao Beach

FEATURE

12 Travel in Taiwan

KENDING

MoreWanlitong

Guanshan

YOHO Beach Reaortto Kaohsiung

South Bay

Little Bay

Houbihu

Maobitou

Chuanfan Rock

Shadao

Eluanbi Park

Southernmost Tip

of Taiwan

Longkeng Ecological Protection Area

Kenting National Park

Sheding Nature Park

Gloria Manor

Kenting National Park Headquarters

and Visitor Center

Longpan

PacificOcean

Bashi Channel

Fengchuisha

Mt. Dajian

Longluan Lake

Hengchun

Kending

Kenting National Forest Recreation

Area

(YOHO Kids Hotel/

YOHO Bike Hotel)

FEATURE KENDING

Travel in Taiwan 13

It’s also easy to get to, so on a recent

moody day of drizzling rain and high

humidity in north Taiwan I hopped

aboard a High Speed Rail (HSR) train

with a few friends for a 3-day DIY

Kending eco-tour. The trip from Taipei

to Kaohsiung took just 90 minutes,

and as usual once we popped out from

the north’s hills/mountains onto the

central plains near Taichung the sun also

obligingly came out to play. Right outside

HSR Kaohsiung (Zuoying) Station we

boarded a waiting Taiwan Tourist Shuttle

bus, and two hours later our green-theme

frolic on tropical land and sea began.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again

– never visit this park without first

visiting the main visitor’s center, just

west of Kending village by the main

highway, Provincial Highway No. 26.

Kending was the first national park in

Taiwan, officially opened in 1984, and

it’s big, taking up about 20,000 hectares

of land and about 16,000 of ocean. You

can choose from myriad activities,

and park staff can help you set things

up. Here’s a sampling; i.e., everything

we tackled in our three days: daytime

Sheding Nature Park hike, Longkeng

Ecological Protection Area hike, Shadao

eco-preserve beach visit, guided tidal-

zone tour, bike-ride on park’s west side,

Longluan Lake birdwatching, snorkeling

off Maobitou peninsula, guided Sheding

Nature Park night tour, and Kenting

National Forest Recreation Area visit.

I once wrote elsewhere that Kending

is a “giant organic health and fitness

center.” By the way, most every place

you choose to go will be very close

to Highway 26, a wide thoroughfare

with gentle curves, cool breezes, and

appealing scenery that makes it very

popular with bicyclists. Also, note that

the park administration provides English-

speaking guides for tour groups; advance

notice required.

Our first adventure was in Sheding

Nature Park, in the hills behind Kending

village, which – drifting off topic – is

the park’s main settlement, the main

recreational and accommodation center,

and the main nightlife attraction, with

many restaurants, bars, night-market

stalls, and other entertainments along its

main road, the local section of Highway

26.

Getting back on topic, Sheding

Nature Park receives fewer visitors than

neighboring Kenting National Forest

Recreation Area, primarily because

the latter is less rugged, with paved

walkways. We found our “Sheding

Nature Park Self-Guidance” brochure,

picked up at the visitor’s center,

invaluable. The terrain is raised coral

rock. Pathways slice through crevices

and small gorges, and there are a number

of limestone caves. You’ll see stalactites,

stalagmites, stone columns, and other

natural structures; it takes five to 160

years for the first two to grow a single

centimeter.

You’ll pass by the pit of an old lime

kiln; there were many here in imperial

days, the exposed coral an excellent

source of masonry material. We were

also lucky enough to spot some members

of the local monkey community, darting

about among the wind-stunted trees on

high coral outcroppings.

Day 1

Kenting National Park Visitor’s Center

I always enjoy the scale model of the park here, which gives you an indelible impression of the terrain. There’s also a video on the park’s scenery and natural resources, photos/specimens/models/videos on the flora and fauna, many useful information brochures, and quality park-theme souvenirs.

Longkeng Ecological Protec tion Area

FEATURE

14 Travel in Taiwan

KENDING

Next up was Longkeng Ecological

Protection Area, at Taiwan’s southernmost

point, on finger-like Eluanbi peninsula. Most

people believe this is in nearby Eluanbi Park,

where the iconic gleaming-white Eluanbi

Lighthouse stands, but ’tis not so. Only 200

people can visit Longkeng each day; sign up

at the main visitor’s center or on the national

park’s website (www.ktnp.gov.tw). Wearing

your identifying wristband (after visiting the

small info center), you walk a shady path

through 20 minutes of tough, wind-defying

cacti-like plants higher than your head, then

emerge quite suddenly amidst a bizarre

moon-like world of raised coral traversed

by shoe-friendly boardwalk. From a high-

point lookout I saw Taiwan’s Qixing (Seven

Stars) Islands for the first time, small bodies

of raised coral about 10km south of Eluanbi

that are, some say, Kending’s best dive site

and, say I, the bane of sailors in the days of

sail, and a major reason why Great Britain

built and manned Eluanbi Lighthouse in the

1880s, the world’s only fortified and armed

lighthouse.

We ended our day’s eco-theme

adventuring with a visit to Shadao, site

of a magnificent stretch of beach almost

300m-long that actually shines. This is said

to be Taiwan’s purest shell sand, with 98%

crushed seashell, coral, and foraminifera.

The coast here makes a dramatic 90-degree

turn, meaning the materials are washed

in but not easily washed back out. Above

the beach, now off-limits, the Shell Beach

Exhibition Hall answered all our questions,

first and foremost being: “What the heck is

foraminifera?”

Kenting National Park

This precious ecological and recreational resource is known for its exposed coral reefs (uplifted through tectonic activity), oceanic natural resources, and coastal tropical rainforest. Ecosystems range from grassland to monsoon rainforest.

Night tour encounters in Sheding Nature Park

Kenting Forest Recreation Area Longkeng

Sheding Nature Park

FEATURE KENDING

Travel in Taiwan 15

After a leisurely breakfast at YOHO

Beach Resort, on the west coast, we joined

the daily 9:30am guided tidal-zone tour.

I’ll never visit a tidal zone again without

looking down every step to avoid crushing

another living being’s house. There was

life everywhere. Among my many unique

thrills was my first face-to-face encounter

with a live sea cucumber, that Chinese

banquet-table favorite, thick skin rough

to the touch, which hides just out of sight

under coral-rock shelves in tidal zones to

escape hunting birds’ notice.

We then almost immediately jumped

on a bike (me) and e-scooters (my

gang) for a Longluan Lake jaunt. Our

machines were rented from a Giant

shop right inside the resort. My bike

ride took just 25 leisurely minutes on

easy-grade, two-lane, mostly tree-

lined backroads with shady, dedicated

bike paths along most of the length.

We stayed on the road much of the

time, for this was a Thursday, most of

Taiwan was at work or school, and motor

vehicles were scarce.

Taiwan lies along a major migratory

route stretching from Siberia to

Southeast Asia, and Longluan Lake

(entry fee) is a premier spot to ogle both

endemic and migratory waterfowl. This

protected water-body is surrounded

by lush wetlands. A fine nature center

overlooks the thriving mini-eco-

environment, telescopes allow close-up

observation, and there’s ample on-site

reference information (with English).

The “Kenting National Park Bird-

watching Guide” brochure, picked up

on our first day, was also a great help.

We identified white-breasted water hens,

cinnamon bitterns, great white egrets,

gray herons, and many other types –

even, we believe, the magisterial and

elusive gray-faced buzzard. Viewing

prime-time is October~May.

In the afternoon we went snorkeling

off Maobitou peninsula, our boat

launching from Houbihu Harbor. I had

a grand time. The variety of marine

life in terms of both color and shape

was far beyond what I’d anticipated.

More systematic, coordinated habitat-

protection efforts over the past six years

have resulted, our guides said, in the

return of many species. Over 40 species

of stony coral (reef-building) have been

recorded off Kending, along with over 40

of soft coral, and 1,105 types of reef fish.

What I know I saw was clown fish, angel

fish, parrot fish, surgeon fish, knife fish

– and, yes, seahorses. What I don’t know

but saw, was much, much more.

Our day’s eco-exploration itinerary

was ended with another extra-special

treat, a guided Sheding Nature Park

night tour (fee). The national park

administration has now transferred many

trained-guide service responsibilities to

Day 2

the local population, and our extremely

friendly guides were from the especially

active village of Sheding (www.shirding.org.tw), which offers numerous different

theme tours, and handles English

tours with advance notice. My night’s

highlights were repeated encounters

with the rare Formosan sika deer, and

an encounter with a fist-sized land crab

which insisted I give way and advanced

in slugging form, claws swinging. I

survived. Certified local guides are also

given access to normally off-limits paths,

and ours brought us to an old charcoal

kiln, among other bonuses.

Snorkeling

Most local outfitters will pick you up from elsewhere in the park. Ask the main visitor’s center which operators can handle English-speaking visitors. Can’t swim? No worry. Experienced guides pull you along on a rope. Your life jacket – literally – won’t let you down.

Snorkel ing of f Maobitou Peninsula

FEATURE

16 Travel in Taiwan

KENDING

We scheduled just one major adventure for our final day, a foray into

Kenting National Forest Recreation Area, in the hills above Kending

village (entry fee). The area’s core is a botanical garden and herbarium

opened as a research station by the Japanese in 1906 when they controlled

Taiwan, in which they gathered specimens from around the globe looking to

enrich their empire. Many of the trees are now giants, and truly magnificent.

When you explore yourself, you’ll find the two greatest, the wondrous

breadfruit tree and looking-glass tree, the latter over 400 years old.

Before heading back to Kaohsiung via the same Taiwan Tourist Shuttle

bus service we used coming in, we rambled this way and that along and off

Highway 26 on bicycles rented in Kending village. Having been careful to

use sun-block my three days away, I came home to Taipei with skin tinted

healthy-brown rather than the usual lobster-red. I type these final words in a

confident, still-somewhat-bronze state, weeks later. It’s raining outside.

Day 3

Kending – Michelin-Approved

Kending does very well in Michelin’s 3-star rating system. In its Taiwan tour guide the park itself gets three stars, and many spots mentioned in this article get two: Sheding Nature Park, Longkeng, Eluanbi Park, Shadao, and Kenting National Forest Recreation Area. Elsewhere, Nanrenshan Ecological Protection Area gets three, and Dawan (Big Bay) two.

INFOA one-way High Speed Rail ticket between Taipei and Kaohsiung is NT$1,490. Buy a Taiwan Tourist Shuttle - Kending Express (www.taiwantrip.com .tw ) bus ticket for NT$356 at the Kending Express kiosk by Exit No. 2 at Kaohsiung 's HSR station; save 15% by using your EasyCard . The same company, Pingtung Bus Lines (www.ptbus .com .tw ), also operates crisscrossing Kending Shuttle Bus routes to points inside and just outside the park ; a one-day ticket (NT$150) brings unlimited rides . There are also high-value HSR/Kending Express/Kending Shuttle Bus combo tickets .

Bike/Scooter RentalsThere is a variety of bike- and e-scooter rental locations in the park (bikes about NT$200 an hour, scooters about NT$500 a day). The main visitor’s center is your best source for guidance.

English and ChineseDawan 大灣 Eluanbi Lighthouse 鵝鑾鼻燈塔Eluanbi Park 鵝鑾鼻公園Houbihu Harbor 後壁湖港Kenting National Forest Recreation Area 墾丁國家森林遊樂區Kenting National Park 墾丁國家公園Longkeng Ecological Protection Area 龍坑生態保護區Longluan Lake 龍鑾潭Maobitou 貓鼻頭Nanrenshan Ecological Protection Area 南仁山生態保護區Pingtung Bus Lines 屏東汽車客運Shadao 砂島Sheding Nature Park 社頂自然公園Shell Beach Exhibition Hall 貝殼沙展示館

Fei laishi Rock

Eco -tour organized by YOHO

Chuanfan Rock

FEATURE KENDING

Travel in Taiwan 17

Soaking Up the Sun in Kending Recommended Eco-Theme Hotels

Kending offers you quality places to stay in all budget categories, accommodating whatever you’ve chosen as your trip theme – eco-touring, beach and water fun, sun-tanning, and loafing.

Text: Rick Charette Photos: Jen Guo-Chen

YOHO Beach Resor t

Glor ia Manor

FEATURE

18 Travel in Taiwan

STAY

Though other facilities

existed, for the

longest time if you told a Taiwan local

you’d been to Kending they’d almost

automatically assume you’d stayed at

the iconic beachfront Caesar Park Hotel

– Kenting (https://www.ezhotel.com.tw/caesar), a fine family-oriented resort

that’s still there and still first-rate. But

in the past decade or so an explosion

of new options have come into being,

and on my most recent Kending foray,

covered in our main Feature article, I

tried out two new spots. My trip theme

was eco-touring, and both facilities have

a strong eco-friendly focus. The YOHO

Beach Resort is a mid-range, family-

targeted option; the Gloria Manor is

decidedly upscale, placing you amidst

trappings fit for a king – or, as you’ll see,

a Generalissimo.

The YOHO Beach Resort is located

near the coast on the quiet west side of

Hengchun Peninsula. It is a multiple-

building complex, featuring the

main lobby/admin building, YOHO

Kids Hotel, YOHO Bike Hotel, and

restaurant/spa facility. You can check

in at the main lobby or at the counters

in each hotel. As we checked in at the

main lobby a Filipino band serenaded

guests in the plaza before a waterfall

pool area, with golden oldies by the

Eagles, Carpenters, and other groups; we

watched part of their gig later that night

at the Rendezvous Bar in the YOHO

Star Plaza, a recreation complex on the

Nanwan (South Bay) beach. The resort

runs regular shuttles to Nanwan and

Kending Town.

At the YOHO Bike Hotel, opened in

2009 – the only bike-theme hotel I’ve ever

heard of – the small check-in counter area

doubles as a Giant Bicycles rental center

and boutique shop. You can also rent

electric scooters here. Giant, dedicated to

Taiwan bicycling promotion, runs rental

and repair shops all around the country.

You can walk your bike right into your

room, and there are special collapsible

wall-mounted frames to hang them on,

up and out of the way. There’s even a

nifty ground-f loor Bike Spa where you

can shower off the dirt of the day. (Prices start at NT$7,300; breakfast included.)

The Gloria Manor’s eco-harmony

mission begins with its very existence. It’s

located in the hills high up behind coastal

Kending Village, right in the Kenting

National Forest Recreation Area,

mighty Mt. Dajian right beside. The

elegant, quiet, and sophisticated facility

was built with one of Generalissimo

Chiang Kai-shek’s former villas at its

core, thoroughly refurbished and now

looking chic and ultra-modern. Earth

tones predominate and local materials

have been emphasized, notably wood and

stone, limiting transport-related carbon

emissions. Over 50% of the hardware

used is green-certified. The chefs also

emphasize locally sourced farm and

marine produce for the same reason (see

our accompanying Eat/Buy article).

Extensive use has been made of

traditional Taiwanese elements, notably

wickerwork, lanterns, and hexagonal

brickwork symbolizing long life. Rooms

are bright and airy, with light woods

prominent, and are green-designed to let

in maximum sunlight and fresh air. From

each room you have a picture-frame view

of sea and Maobitou Peninsula. There

is a large, inviting open-air pool and

expansive lawn on a tier just below the

hotel, and from room balconies and the

dining area you gaze out over pool/lawn

and past a sweeping expanse of treetops

to the coast below and before and

imposing Mt. Dajian beside and above,

the mood of the majestic, pointed bare-

rock face constantly changing. (Rooms start at NT$6,800; breakfast and dinner included.)

INFOYOHO Beach Resort (墾丁悠活麗緻渡假村)Add: 27-8 Wanli Rd., Hengchun Town, Pingtung County (屏東縣恆春鎮萬里路27-8號)Tel : (08) 886-9999Website: www.yoho.com .tw

Gloria Manor (華泰瑞苑墾丁賓館)Add: 101 Gongyuan Rd ., Hengchun Town, Pingtung County (屏東縣恆春鎮公園路101號)Tel : (08) 886-3666Website: www.gloriamanor.com

HomestaysThere are over 20 officially recognized homestays in Kenting National Park, but there are many unlicensed facilities as well. The national park administration suggests you contact it first for guidance.

YOHO Green Explorations

Among the YOHO’s many eco-oriented activities (there are many other theme activities as well) are bike-training classes, kids’ snorkeling, stargazing outings, west coast bike tours, and guided littoral explorations (the last is free).

Near YOHO Beach Resor t

FEATURE STAY

Travel in Taiwan 19

Gloria Manor Eco-OutingsManagement has mapped out a number of local eco-tours, and helps guests with all arrangements. Arrangements are free; the tours themselves involve fees.

At TableRegular expat visitors will tell you

that you have not had the full Kending

experience until you’ve hung out beach-

bum-style at Warung DiDi restaurant/

bar. Opened way back in the ’90s by the

warm, outgoing DiDi, who does much

of the cooking, it’s located off the main

drag in Kending Village, down an alley

toward the beach. On a huge open deck,

there’s a cozy open-faced indoor dining

area toward the rear and a bartender

station in a shack-like structure on one

side. Choose the alfresco seating along

the sides so you can enjoy the sun and/or

stars.

The food is predominantly Thai and

Malaysian Chinese. I can never take a

pass on the Thai boneless chicken with

basil sauce, and a relatively new addition,

Indonesian beef rendang, is also both

hearty and delicious. There is a NT$200

per person minimum, met by ordering

a single dish. I also suggest you try the

special NT$100 appetizer cocktail made

with passion fruit, kiwi, and strawberry –

yummy fresh.

For a nice change of pace, enter

an oasis of tranquility and elegance

at the Mu Restaurant/Lounge in the

Gloria Manor hotel. In keeping with

the management’s eco-focused mission,

earth tones are emphasized and dark

wood is visually dominant. The lounge

section has a line of picture-frame

windows that give a sweeping view of

Kending Specialties Eating and Buying Well

by the Tropical Seaside

After all your hard work during outdoor sessions on the trails and on/under the sea, Kending rewards you with tasty food to replenish yourself – presented in attractive restaurants and in gift-package form at specialty retail outlets.

Text: Rick Charette Photos: Jen Guo-Chen

Houbihu Harbor

Another location offering superb value is the tourist center at Houbihu Harbor, with numerous simple seafood eateries inside. Almost everything is fresh off the boats, with many Kending specialties. How can you beat sashimi at just NT$100 a plate?

Mu Restaurant

Bar of Yoho Star Plaza

FEATURE

20 Travel in Taiwan

EAT/BUY

Tumi House

A special mention must also be given to Tumi House in Kending Village, where David, hailing from Peru, sells stylishly dynamic hand-made jewelry and accessories with eclectic Peruvian and other indigenous themes.

the sea and Maobitou Peninsula before,

majestic Mt. Dajian right beside. The

emphasis of the eco-friendly menu is on

locally sourced, in-season produce. At

dinner, among the many delicious local-

theme dishes dreamed up by the head chef,

those that most tickled my palate were the

short rib and shrimp with deep-fried rain

mushroom, dried oilfish roe, seared lobster

with honey mustard sauce, seasonal

fish sashimi, and pan-roasted duck with

Chinese cabbage stew

At breakfast, taken outdoors on the

sunken terrace directly before the lounge-

area windows, among the many treats of

the filling set menu are the eggs Benedict,

the rich sauce approaching pudding

consistency, and the various European-

style breads delivered hot from the ovens.

On Display RacksDuring your Kending stay you’ll see

fishing boats out at sea, bright-painted

sides ref lecting the sun by day, lights

INFOMu Restaurant/Lounge (Gloria Manor) (沐餐廳)Add: 101 Gongyuan Rd ., Hengchun Town, Pingtung County(屏東縣恆春鎮公園路101號)Tel : (08) 886-3666Website: www.gloriamanor.com

Tumi HouseAdd: 178 Kending Rd ., Hengchun Town, Pingtung County(屏東縣恆春鎮恆春鎮墾丁路178號)Tel : 0927-575-717 Website: tumihouse.myweb.hinet .net (Chinese)

Master Tom (唐師傅)Add: 151 Kending Rd ., Hengchun Town, Pingtung County(屏東縣恆春鎮墾丁路151號)Tel : (08) 886-3845Website: master-tom .inks .com .tw (Chinese)

Warung DiDi (迪迪小吃)Add: 26 Wenhua Lane, Kending Rd ., Hengchun Town, Pingtung County(屏東縣恆春鎮墾丁路文化巷26號)Tel : (08) 886-1835

twinkling at night. So it’s no surprise

that seafood treats are the main local

specialty-item gift purchases. At

Master Tom, in Kending Town, buy

delicious mochi in which Kending-

sourced seaweed is the f lavoring for

the gummy skin. At the Houbihu

Harbor gift shop you’ll find – this is

just a sampling – abalone paste, f lying

fish crisps, and dried charcoal-baked

octopus and squid.

Warung DiDi Seafood at Houbihu fish market

Tumi House

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錫安_自_1-3W_E_20130107.pdf 1 2013/1/7 下午 05:27:38

FEATURE EAT/BUY

L

“Life is pretty good,” I thought

to myself as I looked

out over the rippling waters of the still-

sleeping lake at my feet and up at the

brightening mountain peaks all around

me, just waking up. It was 6:50 a.m. on

November 11, 2012, a Sunday. In my

childhood I dreamed and day-dreamed

constantly of adventuring in faraway

places, and here I was, 10,000 kilometers

from eastern Canada and home, up in

Taiwan’s central mountains, a part of the

loveliest of settings. The air was cool and

crisp and perfect for bike-riding.

I was here to play a part in the first

Come! Bikeday at Sun Moon Lake, one

of the many cycling-theme events being

held all around the island during the

annual Taiwan Cycling Festival, which

is staged each November. With air horns

blasting and a thumping “Everybody

go!” in Chinese from the event’s on-stage

emcee, I headed out from the grounds

of the aesthetically dynamic Xiangshan

Visitor Center along with 500 new

friends on a 9-kilometer family-fun ride

up and down the west side of the lake,

one of Taiwan’s most famous and popular

tourist destinations. At this hour there

were no other tourists out and about save

for us bike-riders, and after the air horns

died down the quiet whir of a thousand

turning wheels filled me with a pleasant,

peaceful feeling. “Great to be out of the

city, out of doors, and up in the hills,” I

thought.

Up with the Dawn - Meeting All My New Buddies

Interested in cycling along what has been called one of the world’s 10 finest bike routes – with 2,000 friends? Come! Bikeday was tailor-made for you.

Text: Rick Charette Photos: Maggie Song

Scenic Cycling at Sun Moon Lake

Come! Bikeday

Xiangshan V isi tor Center v iew

There were two Come! Bikeday rides.

The 1,500 entrants for the 30-kilometer

round-lake jaunt on the pretty highway

loop had left 20 minutes earlier, at 6:30.

They took part in the Challenge Ride,

for more serious bikers, with two hilly

and twisting sections on the route. A chip

attached to their helmets would keep track

of their times. I was heading out on the

family-oriented Joy Ride, featuring easy

grades throughout. Part of the excursion

would be on the highway, with one lane

closed off much of the way and with very

little vehicle traffic at this time of day, and

part would be on the attractive boardwalk

that runs along the lake’s western side,

sometimes beside it and sometimes –

bringing a pleasant sensation of f loating in

the air – right above it.

ACTIVE FUN

22 Travel in Taiwan

SUN MOON LAKE

Leading our giant,

slow-moving

pack was the director-general of the

Taiwan Tourism Bureau, David W. J.

Hsieh, and three celebrated professional

racers, Anthony Chartreau and Jérémy

Roy of France and Francisco Mancebo of

Spain. They had competed the day before

in the Taiwan KOM Challenge, which

one racer has blogged is “up there with

the world’s most epic climbs, for sure.”

This demanding race is from sea level

on Taiwan’s east coast, up through the

famed, awe-inducing Taroko Gorge, and

up, up, up to Taiwan’s highest highway

point at Wuling, not far from Sun Moon

Lake by vehicle, where the eye-level view

of mountain peaks running off into the

distance is stunning.

Chartreau mentioned, during a short

Joy Ride stop where I had the chance

to chat with him, how enjoyable the

short ride was because he could take his

time to look around and soak in what

he called Taiwan’s inspiring and unique

mountain/lake/river combination.

Talking with Roy after wading through

a thick crowd of admiring riders waiting

to have their pictures taken with him,

the racer commented on how friendly

and welcoming the people of Taiwan are

– something I’ve heard countless times

from first-time visitors during my two

decades here.

After riding over it, many riders

stopped at the lookout beside the Shuishe

Dam to take in the wide-open views

of the lake and backdrop mountains.

I talked with Julie, who was riding

with a group of middle-aged travelers

from eastern Canada. Looking across

the water at a mountainous peninsula

directly before us, which would have tour

boats docking at its foot in great number

starting in a few hours, she said “It’s

really lovely how Lalu Island, the two

temples (Xuanguang and Xuanzang),

and Ci’en Pagoda on the peak all line up.

We were told they line up exactly with

the Hanbi Peninsula, where Chiang Kai-

shek had one of his favorite villas (now

the location of the The Lalu hotel), and

that the perfect line-up brings powerful

fengshui. Our guide also told us you get a

year’s good luck if you climb the pagoda

and bang the giant gong.”

Just north of the dam we came across

Englishman Bill Barrie staring down

into a huge round water-intake hole just

offshore. When the lake’s waters reach a

certain level, excess automatically drains

into the hole. “I’m an engineer,” said Bill,

“and after reading how CNNGo described

Sun Moon Lake as one of the world’s 10

best bike routes I began reading more, and

found the lake is also the centerpiece of

Taiwan’s first great hydroelectric project.

The Japanese dammed and flooded the

basin in the 1930s, creating Lalu Island,

the top of what was an exposed high hill.”

This hill/island was/is sacred to the local

indigenous tribe, the Thao, whose main

settlement was moved twice, the second

time to the site of today’s Ita Thao village,

a prime tourist draw on the lake’s south

side.

Foreign Encounters - Other Riders from Faraway Lands

Come! Bikeday1. At the s tar t l ine2 . Foreign r iders3 . Family fun4 . Sun protec tion

1

3

42

ACTIVE FUN SUN MOON LAKE

Travel in Taiwan 23

This Joy Ride OverThe Lake, However, Always “Open”

Back at Xiangshan Visitor Center after the ride,

Challenge Riders, who had finished circling the lake,

confirmed their times and received their official

certificates of completion. There was a grand prize

draw for all registered riders (with top-end Merida

bikes as the big prizes), stage performances, and an

autograph/photo session with the aforementioned

celebrity pro riders, which generated great excitement.

Sadly, I won no prizes in the draw, but I still had

my free blue Come! Bikeday jersey, a set of commemorative stamps, a box of

oranges, and a breakfast snack (in my tummy) – plus a new set of fine memories.

Thereafter, all day long I saw Come! Bikeday riders rambling around the lake’s

highway and bikeways, along with many other later-arriving tourists. You’ll find

bike-rental outlets along the highway in both major settlements, Ita Thao and

Shuishe, and diagonally across from Xiangshan Visitor Center.

For more information on Come! Bikeday and the lake’s other draws, visit

the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area website (www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw).

There’s also a Taiwan Cycling Festival site (taiwanbike.tw). Note that the ninth

edition of the annual “Merida Cycling Day” will be held in late April this year

(2013), with the Xiangshan Visitor Center as the start and end point. In addition

to runs just like Come! Bikeday’s Challenge Ride and Joy Ride, there’s a scenic

60-km run through the nearby towns of Checheng and Shuili, with 18 km of

climbing (sport.promos.com.tw/merida; Chinese).

1. At the south end of Sun Moon Lake2 . Stopping for a rest3 .Cer t i f icate and medal for completing the lake loop

1

3

2

Crossing Wedding Photo Br idge

ACTIVE FUN

24 Travel in Taiwan24 Travel in Taiwan

INFO

Getting There: Visit the Taiwan Tour Bus website (www.taiwantourbus.com.tw ) for information on English-language Sun Moon Lake outings provided by local tour agencies, launching from Taipei and central Taiwan. Alternatively, take a High Speed Rail train to Taichung Station, then catch a bus direct to Sun Moon Lake from the ground-level bus station. The ticket counter is right by the door, and the destination is marked in English on the bus.

Getting Around: The bus stops at the Visitor Information Center in Shuishe Village. From there, comfortable local buses round the lake, stopping at/near major attractions and a number of trailheads. Service is 9 to 6; a one-day unlimited ticket is just NT$80, and you can get on and off as you please.

Where to Stay: Sun Moon Lake accommodations run the gamut. At the extreme upper end are The Lalu (www.thelalu.com.tw) and The Wen Wan Resort (www.thewenwan.com), on the Hanbi Peninsula. In the mid-range is the Sun Moon Lake Hotel (www.smlh.com.tw). A cozier mid-range option is the Sun Moon Lake Full House Resort (www.fhsml.idv.tw), a log-theme chalet in the Rockies style. In the inexpensive range is the Assam Dream (www.assam-dream.com), a wood-theme homestay amidst a betelnut-tree plantation just a few minutes north of the lake, and at the lowest end campsites (contact the National Scenic Area Administration).

English and ChineseCi'en Pagoda 慈恩塔Checheng 車城David W. J. Hsieh 謝謂君Hanbi Peninsula 涵碧半島Ita Thao 伊達邵Lalu Island 拉魯島Merida Cycling Day 美利達單車好行Shuili 水里

Shuishe Dam 水社壩Shuishe 水社Sun Moon Lake 日月潭Thao Tribe 邵族Toushe Basin 頭社盆地Xiangshan Visitor Center 向山遊客服務中心Xuanguang Temple 玄光寺Xuanzang Temple 玄奘寺

Before Wenwu Temple

ACTIVE FUN SUN MOON LAKE

A Must-Hike for Any Mountaineer Visiting Taiwan Text & Photos: Stuart Dawson

JadeMt.

The single-day ascent is a challenging 12-

hour hike, but it does have some advantages,

one of which is not having to carry a heavy

backpack

HIKING

26 Travel in Taiwan

MT. JADE

turns sharply to the right and climbs even

more steeply to the peak. Exhausted,

some six hours after we began the hike,

we arrived at the top and were treated to

stunning views.

We could have easily spent hours at

the top admiring the world below us, but

the looming clouds began to close in and

we knew that we had to get off the peak

before an afternoon thunderstorm might

begin. We arrived back at the trailhead as

the heavens opened, completely soaking

us, but even that couldn’t dampen our

spirits after our successful single-day Mt.

Jade ascent.

By the time we reached the trailhead,

the sun was already on its way up,

revealing a cloudless sky. We stopped

for a moment, gratefully soaking up

its rays before heading along the trail.

The single-day ascent is a

challenging 12-hour hike,

but it does have some

advantages, one of which

is not having to carry a heavy backpack.

Without the weight, we made great

progress. We reached the Paiyun Lodge

in no time, and stopped for a quick rest.

The real hiking began after the lodge.

There are steep, seemingly never-ending

switchbacks, and the solid rock of the trail

gives way to loose scree. We all began

to feel the altitude, and our pace slowed

considerably as we gasped for air. However,

not far up the mountain the tree line

awaited us, and the promise of even more

spectacular views pushed us onwards.

Along the way we passed a point

named Fengkou (“Wind Gap”). Many a

hiker has been turned back at this point

by strong winds, but fortunately on this

day the air was still. From here the trail

Stuart Dawson is one of the partners at Taiwan Adventures (www.taiwan-adventures.com), an outdoor adventure and hiking company dedicated to helping the adventurous explore Taiwan’s beautiful natural areas.

English and ChineseAlishan National Forest Recreation Area 阿里山國家森林遊樂區

Dongpu 東埔Dongpu Hostel 東埔山莊Fengkou 風口Paiyun Lodge 排雲山莊Tataka 塔塔加Yushan (Mt. Jade) 玉山Yushan Mountain Range 玉山山脈 Yushan National Park 玉山國家公園

At 3,952 meters, Yushan (Mt.

Jade) is not only Taiwan’s tallest

peak; it is also the tallest mountain in

Northeast Asia, and one of the most

prominent peaks in the world. On a

clear day the views offered are quite

exceptional. The star of the Yushan

Mountain Range, Yushan is located in

southern Taiwan’s Chiayi County, close

to the well-known Alishan National

Scenic Area (www.ali-nsa.net).

Typically, Yushan is climbed in two

days, with hikers spending one night in

the Paiyun Lodge (8.5km from the trail

entrance), getting up in the very early

morning next day, making the ascent to

Mt. Jade Main Peak (2.4km from the lodge)

to see the sunrise, and then hiking all the

way back to the trail entrance. The lodge,

however, has been closed for some time

now and is currently (early 2013) still under

renovation, which means for the time being

the best way to bag the peak is to do the

single-day ascent.

For most people, the Yushan hiking

adventure will entail a stay at the Dongpu

Hostel – and that’s just what I did when I

took on the one-day climb with friends in

the summer of 2012. The name of the hostel

can be misleading, as people often assume

it’s in the hot-spring village of Dongpu, a

two-hour drive away. It is in fact located

at Tataka, a hamlet close to the Yushan

trailhead. It’s a very basic hostel, with a

grubby kitchen and showers, but at an

altitude of around 2,500m it’s the perfect

place to get some sleep and acclimate

before beginning the hike.

The Yushan National Park

(www.ysnp.gov.tw)

authorities stipulate that hikers need to

reach the Paiyun Lodge before 10 a.m.

when doing the single-day ascent, and so

we hit the trail before sunrise at 4 a.m. It

was chilly compared to the heat of Taipei,

but we soon warmed up as we headed up

the road to the trailhead proper. Along the

way we spotted an unusual-looking worm,

which turned out to be the predatory

hammerhead worm – a first for me!

On the trai lAt the top

Tak ing in the scener y

Hik ing up Mt . Jade

HIKING MT. JADE

Travel in Taiwan 27

Taiwan wasn’t always the safe, healthy place it is today. Until the early 20th century, malaria was a constant threat and cholera epidemics were frequent. Lacking medical knowledge and influenced by traditions they had brought from mainland China’s Fujian and Guangdong provinces, Taiwanese of Han descent lived in fear of plague-spreading demons. Naturally, they sought divine protection from these malevolent spirits, whom they called Wang Ye, or “royal lords.”

Text: Steven Crook Photos: Rich Matheson

The Burning of the King Boat at Donggang

SPLENDID FESTIVALS

28 Travel in Taiwan

DONGGANG

The moment the King Boat

left Donglong Temple, the

exodus began. The vessel wouldn’t be set

afire for at least three hours, but Taiwan’s

most famous conflagration happens only

once every three years, so we wanted to

snag a good spot. Judging by the crowd

that swept us through Donggang’s

narrow streets, everyone else had the

same idea.

Getting to the burn site was more like

a mass escape than a religious parade.

Because the crowd was so dense, I found

myself taking short, shuff ling steps.

Every few minutes we were jostled aside

so a deity-bearing palanquin, or a team

carrying one of the ship’s masts, could

pass. But when we reached the beach

we got clear views as the sails were

unfurled and the anchors raised. A king’s

ransom in “spirit money” (yellow paper

rectangles especially made for burning

during folk-religion ceremonies) was then

piled around the hull. Finally, volunteers

laid long strings of firecrackers across

this mountain of combustible material.

Around 5:30 am, it was announced

that “all are aboard.” The signal meant

that every spirit on the passenger list was

in place and the firecrackers could be lit.

Within 60 seconds, f lames were licking

the boat on all sides. Flying embers soon

burned holes through the sails. The

large doll-sized figurines on the main

deck were shedding limbs. As the sky

lightened, the hull blackened. Gaping

holes appeared fore and aft. Confident

that misfortune had been dispelled and

prosperity was assured for another three

years, most of the locals in the crowd set

out for home.

In terms of visual impact, one of the

few equivalents in the Western world

to the Donggang boat sacrifice is the

annual Burning Man event in Nevada.

But there’s nothing countercultural about

the Donggang King Boat Festival. The

event is rooted in ancient beliefs about

the powers of Wang Ye – a category that

includes not only supernatural fiends

but also certain much-admired but long-

dead humans. The festival’s Chinese title

literally means “welcoming the kings

with peace offerings.”

Within 60 seconds, flames were licking the boat on all sides. Flying embers soon burned holes through the sails. The large doll-sized figurines on the main deck were shedding limbs

The burning of the K ing Boat begins

SPLENDID FESTIVALS DONGGANG

Travel in Taiwan 29

Donglong Temple in Donggang, a port town in Taiwan’s far

southwest, is among the liveliest of Taiwan’s more than

600 Wang Ye shrines. The temple’s principal deity is Marshal Wen, commonly called

Wen, Lord of a Thousand Years. He’s a good-guy Wang Ye, a scholar born in 609 A.D.

who is said to have saved his emperor’s life.

For at least a century, Donglong Temple has been hosting a spectacular festival

featuring Marshal Wen (who doesn’t board the King Boat) and an array of other Wang

Ye (who do). In some ways, the event is similar to other large-scale expressions of

Taiwanese folk religion. The pious, who believe participation staves off bad luck and

brings blessings, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with agnostic gawkers. Visitors can expect

to see zhentou (pronounced “din tao” in Taiwanese) troupes perform lion dances, stilt-

walking stunts, and other forms of visual artistry to a soundtrack of gongs, drums,

and trumpets.

What distinguishes the eight-day-long King Boat Festival from other da bai bai (“big

worship ceremonies”) is that the center of attention isn’t a deity or a temple, but a

stunningly decorated wooden junk which costs as much as a Lamborghini sports car.

The 2012 vessel was 13.82m long; all dimensions are decided by means of divination.

The festival is big, colorful, energetic, and steeped in tradition

“It's by far my favorite of Taiwan's

festivals,” said Chris Nelson, an

American who has attended the 2006,

2009, and 2012 events. “It's big, colorful,

energetic, and steeped in tradition. It's

both an all-night party and a glimpse into

the coolest aspects of Taiwanese culture:

mysterious Daoist rituals, spirit mediums

in trances, decked-out temples, fireworks,

and a mile-long procession to the beach.

All in a quaint little fishing town in

Taiwan's deep south!”

Nelson also likes the palanquins in

which deities are carried from the town's

less-well-known shrines to Donglong

Temple and the beach. Unlike traditional

palanquins, which are made of wood

and hoisted on devotees' shoulders, the

ones used in the King Boat Festival

are wheeled contraptions covered with

f lashing LEDs and equipped with

loudspeakers through which liturgical

music is blasted.

“Best of all, this festival is real.

There’s nothing contrived about it,”

Nelson added. “Plenty of tourists come

to see it, but it's not put on for tourists.”

Unlike the Burning Man in Nevada,

no one has to buy a ticket to see the

King Boat go up in f lames. Other boat

burnings in Taiwan are also free.

The custom of burning

specially-built boats as a

way of expelling plague and other evils

is perhaps 1,000 years old, and some

scholars think it may have been inspired

by the discovery that fire is effective at

destroying pathogens.

Member of a j iaotou (rel igious

associat ion)

SPLENDID FESTIVALS

30 Travel in Taiwan

DONGGANG

Communities along mainland

China’s southeast coast would build

boats, load them with religious icons,

and push them out to sea. Some of these

vessels were set alight, but others were

allowed to drift wherever the currents

took them. The boats would carry off

evil and pestilence with them. Many

reached Taiwan’s southwestern coast,

where they were received with a mixture

of awe and fear by Han Chinese settlers.

Wang Ye icons that were found on such

boats are today revered in various houses

of worship, most notably Nankunshen

Daitian Temple in Tainan City’s Beimen

District.

Each King Boat is a work of art, and

worth seeing even if you can’t make it

to the festival. Completed months in

advance, the Donggang boat is put on

display in a storage facility at Donglong

Temple so pilgrims can pay their respects

and at the same time appreciate the

delicate paintings of dragons, elephants,

and sages that decorate its hull.

The first and final days of the week-

long festival are especially interesting;

the inferno happens on the latter. At the

start, during elaborate rituals – including

a procession to the shore – a group of

Wang Ye are invited to the town, and

one is identified as the chief. In 2012,

the leader was Lord Geng; his name was

painted on the prow of the King Boat and

onto a lantern dangling from the vessel’s

main mast.

Before dusk on the final day,

volunteers push the vessel through

Donggang’s streets. The small ship

is believed to act like a supernatural

magnet, drawing disease and malevolence

on board. When it is returned to

Donglong Temple, offerings and supplies

are loaded on to placate the supernatural

entities that have been hoodwinked

into boarding. Among the items placed

on board are dice for gambling, pipes

for smoking, calligraphy brushes and

inkstones for writing, and woks, spoons,

and condiments for cooking.

The loading and many other

rituals are conducted by

members of local religious associations

known as the seven jiaotou. Each group

(which is overwhelmingly male and includes

a good many young people) represents

a different part of Donggang Town.

Recruits are primarily from each respective

neighborhood, but also come from families

that have moved away yet maintained

ancestral ties with Donggang

Distinguishing one crew from another

is easy because each wears a different-

colored uniform. The color doesn’t belong

to that jiaotou, but rather indicates the

group’s duties during the festival. This

year, for instance, the members of the

Dingtou Jiao(tou) wore yellow, as they

had done three years before, because they

were responsible for the hull. Dingzhong

Street Jiao(tou) members wore white, and

carried the anchors. Three years earlier

they donned green outfits and took care

of the rear mast and sail.

Randall Liu, a Donggang native

who attended the final day and night

of this year’s festivities along with four

co-workers – all outsiders, all first-

timers – said he is neither religious nor

particularly traditional, but has been to

four editions of the festival. “What I love

about the burning of the King Boat is

that it has made my hometown famous,”

said the 27-year-old. “And not just in

Taiwan – there are so many foreigners

here!”

At least one of those foreigners plans

to return – Chris Nelson, whose parting

words were: “See you in 2015!”

Good news: You needn’t wait that

long to witness a boat-burning, as a few

other places in the south hold similar

if less extravagant rites each year. If

you happen to be near Chiayi County’s

Dongshi Township at the start of the

fourth month of the lunar calendar

(usually late April), head to Wengang

Village to see the fiery sacrifice of a

bamboo-and-paper vessel. To find out

about other Wang Ye festivals, contact

the Tourism Bureau or ask at one of its

visitor information centers.

English and ChineseBeimen District 北門區da bai bai 大拜拜Dingtou Jiao 頂頭角Dingzhong Street Jiao 頂中街角Donglong Temple 東隆宮

Donggang 東港Donggang King Boat Festival東港迎王平安祭Dongshi Township 東石鄉Lord Geng 王耿Nankunshen Daitian Temple 南鯤鯓代天府

Randall Liu 劉仁杰seven jiaotou 七角頭Wang Ye 王爺Wen, Lord of a Thousand Years 溫府千歲Wengang Village 塭港村

The boat is burned in the ear ly morning hours

SPLENDID FESTIVALS DONGGANG

Travel in Taiwan 31

FUN WITH CHINESE

32 Travel in Taiwan

Chinese characters can look quite intimidating at first glance. Considering, however, that a billion people or so

are able to read them, mastering them can’t be that difficult, can it? It's always best to start with the easy

ones, and those you are going to encounter most frequently when traveling in Taiwan. Take the character 木 (mu), for example.

Very simple and easy to recognize, it means wood; notice how it looks like a tree. It can appear as a single character, usually used

in multiple-character words such as 木馬 muma (wooden horse). It is also an important part, called a “radical,” of many more

complicated characters – located on the left side (村; cun; village), at the top (杏; xing, apricot), or at the bottom (果; guo; fruit).

Put two 木 together and you get the character 林 (lin; grove). Add one more and you get 森 (sen; forest). These two characters

also appear as one term 森林 (senlin; also meaning forest). Very logical, right?

However, next time you go for a walk with some friends in downtown Taipei and spot a road sign with the characters 林森路

(linsen lu; Linsen Rd.), don't start talking about walking on “Forest Road.” The characters in this order refer to Mr. Lin Sen, who

was head of state of the Republic of China from 1931 to 1943.

Wood

Trees

Forest

Forest at Al ishan

Banana farmer Lu Ming in Qishan

TOP TEN TOURIST TOWNS

34 Travel in Taiwan

SHUI-JIN-JIU

Water, Gold, NineTOP TEN TOURIST TOWNS

34 Travel in Taiwan

Teahouse in J iufen

Touris ts in J iufen Old school in Shuinandong Eating taro balls

Exploring the History and Scenery of Three Attractive Tourist Towns in Northeast TaiwanFine food, fascinating traditional Chinese culture, and outstanding natural beauty are three things for which Taiwan is justly renowned among visitors. These are perhaps the three biggest reasons why few places within easy reach of the capital city are quite as popular as the little villages of Jiufen, Jinguashi, and Shuinandong. Text: Richard Saunders Photos: Vision Int’l

TOP TEN TOURIST TOWNS SHUI-JIN-JIU

Travel in Taiwan 35

Water, Gold, NineSHUI-JIN-JIU

Old-st y le café

Golden Water fal l

Museum of Gold

Souvenirs Mt . Keelung seen f rom the Thir teen Levels mine

Typical al ley

Sitting down for a pot

of Chinese tea and

perhaps a light lunch

while admiring the

magnificent view is an

essential part of the

Jiufen experience

These quaint settlements,

seemingly locked in

a time warp, are atmospheric open-air

museums highlighting one of Taiwan’s

most fascinating eras. Factor in an

outstanding setting – clinging to the steep

slopes of a cluster of extinct volcanoes

overlooking a wide sweep of the Pacific

Ocean – and marvelous old teahouses

and restaurants, and a visit to the area

makes for one of the most interesting

and scenic days possible exploring north

Taiwan.

It’s just a quick zip along the freeway

from Taipei to the town of Ruifang, from

where County Highway No. 102 winds

up into the hills towards the pyramidal

bulk of Mt. Keelung and to Jiufen, which

spills down a steep hillside opposite the

mountain. No vehicle traffic is allowed

along the narrow alleyways of the

village, so park your car (or leave the bus)

at the lower edge of the village, and take

the stairs beside the visitor center, which

climb up into the heart of this deeply

atmospheric place.

Jiufen owes its existence

to gold (which was

discovered in the hills behind the village

in the late 19th century), and later to

copper. The area around Jiufen and

neighboring Jinguashi was discovered

to hold one of east Asia’s richest sources

of precious metals, and there was a huge

inf lux of islanders to work the mines,

which gave the area such prosperity

that Jiufen became known as “Little

Shanghai.” It boasted bars, a movie

theater, and even performances of

Chinese opera. It’s estimated that the two

villages attracted over 100,000 workers

during the 1920s.

Although the last ore was extracted

in the 1980s, there’s still plenty to remind

the visitor of the area’s mining heyday,

including the atmospheric entrance to

Number Eight Mine, a popular place

for shooting TV or movie scenes, below

the main road near the visitor center.

Higher up, off Qingbian Road, one of the

main (pedestrian-only) drags through

the village, Number Five Mine is today

home to a colony of bats. A couple of

minutes down the road from the mine

entrance is Sky Castle Teahouse, one of

Jiufen’s most famous, in one of its finest

remaining old red-brick residences.

Jishan Street is contoured to the

hillside a couple of minutes up the steps

from the visitor center, and affords

some fine views over the village section

below, the steep coastal slope, and the

ocean beyond. The alley-like road is

lined with shops and eateries selling an

extraordinary selection of edible treats.

Especially famous are Mother Lai’s

Taro Balls, at number 143, one of the

best of many places that sell this, Jiufen’s

signature snack, which is made with

powdered taro (a potato-like vegetable).

Perhaps the most famous establishment

along the street is at number 142: the

famous Jioufen Teahouse, occupying

an atmospheric old residence. Sitting

down for a pot of Chinese tea and

perhaps a light lunch while admiring

the magnificent view is an essential part

of the Jiufen experience, and there’s no

more authentic place to enjoy it than

here.

TOP TEN TOURIST TOWNS

36 Travel in Taiwan

SHUI-JIN-JIU

War History

Kinkaseki POW Camp at Jinguashi was one of 14 built in Taiwan during the Second World War to house POWs captured by the Japanese as they spread through Southeast Asia. The number of POWs at Kinkaseki (many captured in the fall of Singapore in 1942) rose to over 1,100, and many died under appalling conditions, forced to work in the gold- and copper-rich mines. The survivors were liberated in 1945. A small park now stands on the site of the camp, with a monument to the prisoners. The prisoner-of-war camp was long ago razed to the ground; however, next to the stream at the entrance of the park, on the left, a fragment of wall and gatepost from the original compound remains as a somber reminder.

Museum of Gold Drinking tea at J iufen

While Jiufen, sitting high

on a hillside, has

perhaps the best setting and the most

popular teahouses, Jinguashi, in a valley

on the south side of Mt. Keelung is the

best place to find out what got the whole

gold and copper mining era here started,

well over a century ago. The Gold

Ecological Park (www.gep.ntpc.gov.tw), which opened in 2004, has turned

Jiufen’s once almost forgotten twin into

a hugely popular tourist attraction. The

park is centered on Jinguashi village, a

place of narrow alleys lined with quaint

old houses that are themselves well worth

exploring.

There’s lots here to see and do, but

if time is short, be sure at least to visit

the elegant Crown Prince Chalet, built

in 1922 for the visit to Taiwan of Crown

Prince Hirohito two years later, though

in the end, the crown prince did not stay

here. Set in pretty gardens, the interior

isn’t open to the public, but some of

the beautiful rooms are clearly visible

through the glass windows. Look for the

beautiful Mount Fuji design above the

main entrance. Round the back of the

chalet is a concrete mini-golf course and

an archery range, intended for use by the

royal visitor!

Climb the steps beside the chalet

and turn left at the top onto the wooden

platform that supported the tracks of a

narrow-gauge push-cart railway, once

used to transport ore and minerals. A

few minutes’ walk along the tracks is the

Museum of Gold, which recounts (on

two f loors, with English translations) the

history of gold and gold mining both here

in Taiwan and elsewhere around

the world. The undisputed highlight

of the small museum is the huge

220-kilogram ingot of 99.9% pure gold

on the second f loor, which visitors can

touch.

After visiting the museum, if energy

allows, make the short but stiff climb up

the wide, stepped path behind the museum

to the photogenic ruins of the Jinguashi

Shinto Shrine. Two torii (Japanese

ceremonial gates), pillars, and stone

foundations are all that remain today of

the temple, built by the Japan Mining

Company in 1933, which is dedicated to

the three Kami spirits of metallurgy, but

it’s worth clambering up there if only to

admire the breathtaking view.

Jinguashi is just a short distance

from Jiufen. Regular buses link the two

villages and, further down the winding

road toward the coast past Jinguashi, the

small settlement of Shuinandong. This

village is dominated by one of the area’s

most impressive industrial relics, the

Thirteen Levels building (built in 1933),

which was once used for refining copper.

From the massive building hulk high up

on the mountain slope you have splendid

views of the coast. Close by is also the

extraordinary Golden Waterfall, a series

of small cascades plunging over a tufa

dam built up from minerals dissolved in

the water. Some of these minerals have

stained the rock a bright sulfur-yellow,

hence the name. It’s a favorite spot for

photographers and a great place for a

break on a tour of the Jiufen/Jinguashi,

Shuinandong triumvirate – a truly

remarkable group of villages.

TOP TEN TOURIST TOWNS SHUI-JIN-JIU

Travel in Taiwan 37

How It All BeganConsidering its isolated position clinging to a steep mountainside facing the Pacific, and exposed to the full force of the elements, it’s hardly surprising that Jiufen was originally settled by just nine families. At that time, almost all daily necessities had to be brought in from outside, the village’s residents requesting nine portions (jiu fen) each time, hence the name. All this changed dramatically in 1889, when gold was accidentally discovered by a worker washing dishes in the Keelung River near Badu, twelve kilometers west of Jiufen. When the source of the glittery stuff was eventually traced to the slopes of Mt. Xiaozukeng above Jiufen, gold fever gripped the area. And the rest, as they say, is history.

English and ChineseCrown Prince Chalet 太子賓館Gold Ecological Park 黃金博物園區Golden Waterfall 黃金瀑布Jinguashi 金瓜石Jishan Street 基山街Jiufen 九份Mother Lai's Taro Balls 賴阿婆芋圓Mt. Keelung 基隆山Museum of Gold 黃金博物館Number Eight Mine 八番坑Number Five Mine 五番坑Qingbian Road 輕便路Ruifang 瑞芳Shuinandong 水湳洞Thirteen Levels 十三層

INFOJioufen Teahouse (九份茶坊)Add: 142 Jishan St.., Jiufen, Ruifang District, New Taipei City (台北縣瑞芳鎮基山街142號)Tel : (02) 2496-7767Website: www.jioufen-teahouse.com.tw

Artist Teahouse (水心月茶坊)Add: 308 Qingbian Rd., Jiufen, Ruifang District, New Taipei City(新北市瑞芳區九份輕便路308號)Tel : (02) 2496-7767

Museum of Gold (黃金博物館)Add: 8 Jinguang Rd., Jinguashi, Ruifang District, New Taipei City(新北市瑞芳區金瓜石金光路8號)Tel : (02) 2496-2800Website: www.gep.ntpc.gov.tw

The coast at Shuinandong

Taiwan’s Third Largest City Is a Center of Saxophone Production and Host of a Great Annual Jazz Festival Text: Joe Henley Photos: Maggie Song

If you've ever seen a jazz band perform or tried your hand at playing a saxophone, there is a good chance that the instrument you've seen in action or handled yourself came straight from the township of Houli, the musical-instrument capital of Taiwan.

Jaz z great El l is Marsal is per forming in Taichung

MUSIC TOURS

38 Travel in Taiwan

TAICHUNG

Houli is home to more than 10 factories that collectively churn out several thousand saxophones of all kinds every year

Today, Houli is home to more

than 10 factories that

collectively churn out several thousand

saxophones of all kinds every year, be they

alto, tenor, soprano, or baritone. At its

peak in the 1970s, the Houli instrument

industry was producing 30,000 saxophones

per annum in 30 factories, accounting for

no less than one-third of the global output.

Taiwan's contribution to music went largely

unnoticed, however, as the factories of

Houli focused on producing instruments

for well-known international brands rather

than making a name for themselves with

their own. That began to change after 2000,

thanks to the decades-long effort of the

Lien-Cheng Saxophone Company.

This company, the first saxophone

manufacturer in Taiwan, was the vision

of Chang Lien-cheng, the stylish, modern-

minded son of Houli farmers who from

a young age showed little interest in

agriculture. He wanted to pursue a life in

the arts and started out as a painter in the

early 1940s, beautifully depicting traditional

Taiwanese religious scenes. But when a

friend managed to procure a saxophone,

an expensive and rare commodity at that

time available only via import from Japan,

Chang turned to music, forming a jazz band

aptly named Jazz Band that toured all over

Taiwan. Sadly, the group’s success ground

to a halt when the saxophone was damaged

beyond repair in a fire. Chang managed to

disassemble the badly burned instrument

and figured out how its 400 separate parts

were put together. It was then that he

decided to attempt the

The design process was fraught with

peril for Chang. At one point, a ricocheting

piece of metal permanently blinded him in

one eye, but still he persevered. It took three

years to complete his first saxophone, using

such found materials as copper from door

hinges, silver from coins, and various metals

from discarded World War II munitions.

The design was a success, and he managed

to sell the instrument to a musician from the

Philippines for a sum handsome enough for

him to take on his first apprentices, and start

his own business, in 1948.

The business would be passed on to his

son and then his grandson, Chang Tsung-

yao, who made his first saxophone when

he was just 13 and continues to run the

company today. It is an oft-repeated piece

of family lore that when Tsung-yao was just

a few months old and played his part in the

Taiwanese custom of having a child choose

between numerous different items placed in

front of him to indicate his destined path in

life, he chose a saxophone engraved with the

detailed image of a dragon. This was a gift

from his grandfather. His wife Wang Tsai-

jui, who helps her husband run the business,

teasingly suggests that the saxophone may

have in fact been the only option put before

him.

It is Tsung-yao who has overseen

the company during its transition

from making saxophones for other

companies to marketing its own brand

overseas, drawing visits from such famed

saxophonists as Kenny G and Antonio

Hart. Unsurprisingly, he has passed on his

family's love of music to his four daughters,

who have formed their own saxophone

quartet.

Tsung-yao has also opened up the

doors of his factory to the public and

curates a small museum filled with

artifacts from the company's earliest days,

including machinery used in the forming

of saxophones, from stamping to testing. In

the museum, kids can give key design a try,

sandblasting their own designs onto key

chains they can take home. On weekends,

the attached Chang Lien-Cheng

Saxophone Hall features performances

beginning at 2 p.m., and a small snack

and drink counter offers moderately-

priced beverages and foods. The price of

admission, NT$100, includes a NT$50

voucher for a drink or something to eat.

Guided tours begin in the hall and wind

through the modest museum, with guests

learning all about the saxophone from its

invention to the present day, and getting

a chance to toot away on a saxophone

themselves.

It is also possible to see the factory

works in action, but it is recommended that

you call ahead to make sure this option is

available, as at certain times the facility is

closed to the public. It is a rare opportunity

to see exactly how one of the world's most

beloved musical instruments emerges

from a simple tube of perforated metal

as a shimmering, curvaceous instrument

of precision – an opportunity for which

this pioneer family of Taiwan's music

industry must be thanked. The factory is

just a 30-minute drive from Taichung City

proper.

Tr y ing out saxophones

MUSIC TOURS TAICHUNG

Travel in Taiwan 39

If you happen to be visiting Taiwan in

October this year (2013), don't miss

out on another highlight of the Taiwanese

music scene, the Taichung Jazz Festival,

which celebrated its 10th anniversary last

year. From its humble beginnings a decade

ago, the nine-day event has skyrocketed

in popularity to the point where the latest

edition drew approximately 850,000

spectators. They came to watch the

greats of Taiwan jazz rub shoulders with

international jazz stars.

According to the director-general of

the Taichung Cultural Affairs Bureau,

Susan Yeh, a former TV news anchor

and herself a classically trained pianist,

the festival's reputation has grown year

on year to the point where international

stars are telling their famous friends that

Taichung is a can't-miss stop on their tour

itineraries. This is how the Taichung Jazz

Festival managed to score a performance

from the legendary patriarch of the first

family of American jazz, Ellis Marsalis, in

2012, who came on the recommendation

of his youngest son Jason, a jazz musician

alongside his brothers Wynton, Branford,

and Delfeayo.

Yeh first attended the festival six years ago

on a personal invitation from the mayor of

Taichung, and never imagined that one day she

would be the official host. The event's success

means just as much to her as it does to the city,

and the importance of presiding over the tenth-

anniversary edition wasn't lost on her. In her eyes,

jazz is the perfect musical embodiment of all that

Taichung stands for, and although the average

man on the street may still have a thing or two

to learn about jazz, Yeh explains, the citizens

of Taichung always have an open mind when

presented with something new.

“Jason Marsalis came to Taichung in 2011,

and he told his father this is an amazing festival,”

says Yeh, “so Ellis, who today seldom performs

in public, consented to come to our festival.”

(Jason accompanied his father on stage.)

“It's a milestone for the city and especially

for the continuing jazz movement. I think

that at the time of the first festival most of our

citizens didn't know much about jazz. They just

liked the feel – laid back, relaxed. This matches

the atmosphere of this city. Taichung is a city

of fusion, a city of recreation, and a city of

innovation. The spirit of jazz matches our own

spirit.”

“Taichung is a city of fusion, a city of recreation, and a city of innovation. The spirit of jazz matches our own spirit.”

El l is Marsa l is Tr io & Jason Marsal is

MUSIC TOURS

40 Travel in Taiwan

TAICHUNG

In 2012 three stages were spread out over

Civic Square, which is a sprawling

outdoor park, and the grounds next to both

the CMP Block Museum of Art and the

Calligraphy Greenway. Visitors lounged in the

mild October weather, enjoying drinks and

food from over 40 different vendors and jazz

music from 10 different countries. The Jazz

Festival is actually part of a larger initiative

known as Jazz Month, which includes master

classes, an instrument carnival in Houli, and

an international saxophone competition in

which competitors select from instruments

made by Taiwan's many acclaimed

manufacturers and square off in front of

a panel of esteemed judges, which in 2012

included American free jazz virtuoso Greg

Osby.

As for the future of jazz in Taichung, Yeh

would like to see more companies follow Lien-

Cheng Saxophone Company's lead and develop

their own brands, and she looks forward to

inviting more big-name international acts

to the Taichung Jazz Festival. For those

venturing in from outside Taichung, there

is free shuttle service to the festival grounds

from both the Taichung Railway Station and

Taiwan High Speed Rail Taichung Station.

Be sure to stick around for at least a few days

to soak in the aural ambiance of what is fast

becoming one of Taiwan's most artistic and

musical cities. Do so and you'll quickly find

out why, as Yeh says, “An open mind and open

heart is the spirit of jazz – and the spirit of

Taichung's citizens.”

INFOLien-Cheng Saxophone Company (張連昌薩克斯風有限公司)Add: 330-1 Gong'an Rd., Houli District, Taichung City (台中市后里區公安路330-1號) Tel : (04) 2557-8989

English and ChineseCivic Square 市民廣場Calligraphy Greenway 草悟道Chang Lien-cheng 張連昌Chang Tsung-yao 張宗瑤

CMP Block Museum of Arts 勤美術館Houli 后里Susan Yeh 葉樹姍Taichung Jazz Festival 台中爵士音樂節Wang Tsai-jui 王彩蕊

Assembling saxophones

Finished produc ts

Edison Travel Service specializes in Taiwan toursand offers cheaper hotel room rates and car rental services with drivers .Edison welcomes contact with other travelservices around the world.

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宏祥旅行社_1-3_E_2013.01.pdf 1 2013/1/7 下午 05:33:42

MUSIC TOURS TAICHUNG

Travel in Taiwan 41

Visiting Villages of the Tsou Tribe in Alishan

When visiting Alishan, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Taiwan, it’s worth spending a few days to learn about the indigenous people living in mountain villages scattered around the area, and take in the marvelous scenery.

Text: Cheryl Robbins Photos: Maggie Song

Laij i V i l lage

Member of the Tsou with tradit ional headdress

Indigenous ar t

INDIGENOUS VILLAGES

42 Travel in Taiwan

ALISHAN

The Alishan National Scenic

Area, located in the

mountains of Chiayi County in southern

Taiwan, was established in 2001. This

region has long been drawing tourists

with its tea plantations, glorious sunrises,

and pristine forests. There is often fog,

especially in the afternoon, creating a

cloud and mist effect that is romantically

depicted in Chinese landscape paintings.

With more than 41,000 hectares,

this national scenic area is quite

large, but most tourists stay close to

the main road, the Alishan Highway

(Provincial Highway No. 18), visiting

such attractions as the Alishan National

Forest Recreation Area. Those who take

a detour to visit one of the eight villages

inhabited by members of the Tsou tribe,

however, will be rewarded with a unique

experience of tranquility, natural beauty,

and cultural learning.

Visiting one of the eight Tsou villages

you will be rewarded with a unique

experience of tranquility, natural beauty,

and cultural learning

South along County Road No. 169 – Dabang and Tefuye Villages

Follow the Alishan Highway to

Shizhuo, and then take County Road No.

169 southward to Dabang and Tefuye

villages. These are the only Tsou villages

to possess a kuba (pronounced “koo

ba”), a wooden hut-like structure on

stilts covered with a thatch roof. This is

a meeting hall where the men will meet

to make political decisions and to train

the young males in hunting and warring

techniques, as well as teach them the

history and traditions of the tribe.

Women are prohibited from entering or

even touching this structure.

In Dabang visitors

can hike the Bird

Worship Trail, which

leads through the forest

surrounding the village.

The name comes from

the many Tsou legends

and traditions that are

associated with birds.

The Keupana

Guesthouse in Dabang

has four rooms, and a

large garden area where

it is possible to pitch

tents. It is run by Luo

Yu-feng, also known by

her Tsou name Yangui.

Yangui is a knowledgeable tour guide

regarding local attractions and culture.

Between Dabang and Tefuye villages,

you can enjoy a walk over the brightly

colored Dabang Suspension Bridge,

the starting point of the Tefuye Trail,

which leads to Tefuye village about two

kilometers away. In Tefuye, below the

kuba, is the head of another trail that

takes hikers to a cluster of giant camphor

trees.

It is possible to reach Dabang by

bus. Chiayi County Bus offers service to

Dabang from Chiayi Railway Station; get

off at the last stop. This route has a stop

at a point where the road forks, the other

branch leading to Tefuye, but it is still a

few kilometers’ walk from here to reach

the village. (Note: If you plan to stay in a guesthouse in the area, call in advance to inquire about pick-ups.)

The Tsou are one of Taiwan’s 14 officially

recognized indigenous tribes, and has a

population of around 6,200, most of which

is concentrated in the Alishan area

Several artisans reside in Laiji, including

the multi-talented Paicu Tiaki’ana, who

is a singer, rattan and bamboo weaver,

woodcarver, painter, and leather engraver

The kuba at Tefuye

Dabang Suspension Br idge

INDIGENOUS VILLAGES ALISHAN

Travel in Taiwan 43

Traditional Clothing

During major ceremonies, the Tsou are

dressed in traditional clothing. The men’s

headdresses consist of a red headband

lined with shells, with the fur of the black

bear and eagle feathers for adornment.

This can be placed over a leather cap.

Males also wear a bright red shirt and

leather leggings. The Tsou learned leather-

tanning processes early on, and leather

traditionally played an important part in

protecting them against the elements. The

use of shells points to the tribe’s much

larger area of activity in times past, which

extended to the coast. The females of the

tribe wear brightly colored outfits that

include a diamond-shaped chest piece,

skirt, leggings, and headdress.

North along County Road No. 169 – Laiji Village

To reach Laiji village, head north from

Shizhuo along County Road No. 169. Pass

the old forestry town of Fenqihu, then turn

onto County Road No. 149. Laiji is soon

reached. There is no bus service to the

village (the closest bus stop is at Fenqihu),

but you can arrange for pick-up at Fenqihu

if you plan to stay at a guesthouse in Laiji.

The entrance to this village is marked

by a painted-stone wild boar. According

to legend, this site was discovered during

the hunt for a wild boar by hunters from

Tefuye village, and this animal has become

a village symbol.

Start your tour of Laiji at the visitor

center, managed by the Laiji Community

Development Association. Here you can

find travel information and buy locally

made handicrafts, such as hand-carved

wild boars and owls.

There are several artisans who reside

in this village, such as the multi-talented

Paicu Tiaki’ana, who runs the Tashan

Chashan

Xinmei

Shanmei

ChukouShizikou

HSR Line

Lijia

DabangTefuye

Alishan National Forest Recreation Area

LaijiFenqihu

Ruili

LeyeShizuo

129

169

169Chiayi Interchange

Rai

lway

Lin

e

13

Warring Ceremony (Mayasvi)

In Tefuye, the sloping road that leads

past the village’s kuba allows for direct

views inside this structure. Below the road

and next to the kuba is a plaza for holding

important ceremonies, such as the Warring

Ceremony, called Mayasvi in the Tsou

language.

Mayasvi usually takes place in mid-

February, but the timing can change from

year to year. It is held either in Dabang or

Tefuye. This originally was a ceremony

to honor the gods and to welcome the

return of warriors, as well as to recognize

important achievements such as the

construction of a house. However, during

their occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945)

the Japanese discouraged warring by the

indigenous tribes, and any references to it,

and this ceremony was transformed into an

event held just once a year.

Next to the kuba is a ficus tree that is

considered sacred. To begin the ceremony,

a piglet is sacrificed. Tsou males take turns

inserting the tip of their spears into the

piglet and wiping its blood on the trunk

of the sacred tree to attract the attention

of the deities. Most of the tree’s branches

are then pruned to make a ladder for the

gods to descend from Heaven. After this,

the men go into the kuba to carry out

blessings of newborn boys and coming-of-

age rites for older boys. From time to time,

warriors run out from the kuba and return

with food and drink. This is distributed

among the men by the elders. Later, men

and women join in a session of singing and

dancing outside the kuba. In the evening

the singing and dancing starts again and

continues to dawn, to provide the deities

with a proper send-off.

Wooden wild boars

Tsou family

Indigenous fare at Lanho Guesthouse

Chiayi

INDIGENOUS VILLAGES

44 Travel in Taiwan

ALISHAN

INFOLanho Guesthouse (來吉蘭后渡假民宿)Add: 11, Neighborhood 1, Laiji Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣阿里山鄉來吉村一鄰11號)Tel : (05) 266-1172; 0978-208-137

Laiji Community Development Association (來吉社區發展協會)Add: 32-1, Neighborhood 1, Laiji Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣阿里山鄉來吉村一鄰32-1號)Tel : (05) 266-1002; 0921-668-033

Paicu Tiaki'ana/Tashan Gallery (白紫。迪雅奇安娜/塔山藝廊)Add: 54, Neighborhood 2, Laiji Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣阿里山鄉來吉村2鄰54號)Tel : (05) 266-1351

Keupana Guesthouse (給巴娜民宿)Add: 108, Neighborhood 5, Dabang Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣阿里山鄉達邦村5鄰108號)Tel : (05) 251-1688; 0912-752-650

English & ChineseAlishan 阿里山Bird Worship Trail 鳥占亭步道Chiayi County Bus 嘉義縣公車Dabang 達邦Dabang Suspension Bridge 達邦吊橋Fenqihu 奮起湖

Laiji 來吉Luo Yu-feng 羅玉鳳Shizhuo 石棹Tashan 塔山Tefuye 特富野Tefuye Trail 特富野步道Tsou tribe 鄒族

Gallery. She is a singer, rattan and bamboo weaver,

woodcarver, painter, and leather engraver. Her works

incorporate themes related to Tsou culture. The village

also features an organic farm and a cooperative for

growing and roasting coffee beans.

The Lanho Guesthouse provides accommodation and

tours of the village. Its entrance is marked by a traditional-

style watchtower and a one-room museum housing Tsou

cultural artifacts.

With advance notice, this guesthouse can prepare a

banquet featuring local ingredients called the Tashan

Wedding Banquet. Tashan refers to the sacred mountain

of the Tsou tribe. Dishes include stone-grilled pork,

chicken stewed with plums, Tashan Bride (mashed taro

root steamed and kneaded with wild mountain honey

and decorated with dates), Tashan Groom (millet, sticky

rice, and banana steamed inside leaves), and Tashan Gold

(deep-fried pumpkin strips, wild celery, and perilla leaves).

This is washed down with a glass of millet liquor.

A good time to visit Laiji is between March and

May, during firef ly season. No matter the time of year,

however, there is always a rich trove of natural beauty and

indigenous culture to explore in Alishan’s Tsou villages.

Wooden owl

INDIGENOUS VILLAGES ALISHAN

Taking the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle from Chiayi City to the High Mountains

There's nothing quite like throwing a few bare essentials in a backpack and taking off on an adventure to a place you've never been – a place where customs you've not yet experienced, a language you cannot speak, and sights both beautiful and mysterious combine for an unforgettable journey.

Text: Joe Henley Photos: Maggie Song

Of course, planning such a trip

can be a major challenge, but

something that is a major help in Taiwan

is a bilingual transportation service that

aids tourists in seeing the island without

much guesswork and hassle. It's called

the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus (www.taiwantrip.com.tw).

A total of 22 bus routes have been

established all over Taiwan as part of this

service, with buses usually leaving from

major railway stations every hour daily

(sometimes every half-hour on weekends

and holidays). From New Taipei City

in the north all the way to Pingtung

County in the far south, the trouble of

deciding what is worth seeing and how

long you should spend at each stop has

been greatly eased by this service. You

can simply hop on and off a shuttle as

you please at the various stops along

the way. One hour, two, three – how

long you stay in one place is up to you.

Another bus will come along promptly

on the hour/half-hour, usually between 8

THRS Chiayi

Station

Ding-liou Elementary

School

Wu-feng Temple

Li-mingElementary

School

TRA Chiayi Station

Hugging trees at Alishan

Longmei

BACKPACK BUS TRIP

46 Travel in Taiwan

ALISHAN

a.m. and 5 p.m., to take you to your next

destination. This combines the thrill of

backpacker travel with the reliability of

knowing you'll never be stuck without

transportation.

One of the most stunning Taiwan

Tourist Shuttle routes is the one that

takes you from Chiayi City to Alishan.

Alishan is not a single mountain, but

a range of peaks averaging about 2,500

meters in height located in southern

Taiwan’s Chiayi County. Shuttle buses

leave from both Taiwan High Speed

Rail Chiayi Station (twice a day at 10:10

a.m. and 11:40 a.m.), just outside Chiayi

City, and from Chiayi Railway Station

downtown (between 6:10 a.m. and 2:10

p.m., each hour with some exceptions;

for more info, check the schedule on the

official website). Tickets for the service

from the THSR station cost NT$255 for

a one-way trip along the entire route;

tickets from the Chiayi Railway Station

are slightly cheaper, at NT$221.

Your bus follows a winding mountain

road through a number of small

mountain towns and villages all the

way up to the Alishan National Forest

Recreation Area, inside Alishan National

Scenic Area. But what would be the fun

in just heading from point A to point

B and back again? For this particular

sojourn I was tasked by Travel in Taiwan

with a series of challenges along the

route, testing my travel mettle by having

me locate a selection of the many notable

attractions along the way without the aid

of a guide or translator.

My first mission was to find

two suspension bridges at

Chukou, a town known as the gateway

to Alishan. Watching out the window as

the bus made its way along the mountain

switchbacks, rising in elevation with

every turn, I kept an eye out for any sign

as to where I was supposed to get off.

Thick vegetation whipping by the glass

told me that though I was not more than

an hour from the modern conveniences of

Chiayi City, I was already in a different

world altogether – a world dominated by

the awesome power of nature. Craning

my neck to look out through the broad

front windshield, I saw Chukou come

into view and got off the bus to have a

look around.

Walking a short distance down the

road, I found what I was looking for –

Dijiu Suspension Bridge. This bridge,

along with Tianchang Suspension

Bridge just a short distance upstream

along the Bazhang River, dates back to

1937 – a time when Chukou was a major

regional commercial center. Crossing the

river was then a dangerous enterprise, so

the Japanese, colonial rulers of Taiwan

at the time, built the two bridges. Their

names together mean “everlasting”

(tianchang dijiu), and today the bridges

are a popular backdrop for couples

having wedding photos taken. At one

end of Dijiu Bridge, heading away from

the town, is Longyin Temple, an ornate

place of worship that's well worth a stroll

across for a photo opportunity.

Dij iu Suspension Br idge

BACKPACK BUS TRIP ALISHAN

So, with my first mission

accomplished, my confidence was

running high, and I boarded the next

shuttle that came along, an hour later,

bound for Shizi Village. I was to find

this village’s old train station, active

until Typhoon Morakot took it out of

commission in 2009 and trains from

Chiayi stopped chugging through. I got

off the bus at a rest area and took in the

amazing vista below the tiny hamlet,

seeing tiered tea farms carved out of

the mountainside. Not knowing exactly

where to find the train station, I poked

my head into a tiny shop across the

street, where some elderly locals were

in the midst of a lively conversation.

They were only too happy to welcome

a foreign friend, and through a series

of pantomimes and gestures I was able

to make it known exactly what I was

trying to find. I was pointed in the right

direction.

Walking up a set of steps cut out

of the mountain a short distance from

the shop, I made my way to the station

platform, moving along train tracks being

reclaimed by a forest of ferns, bamboo,

and pine trees. Above the old station

is an observation deck overlooking yet

another unspoiled, sprawling valley, and

for the first time I felt a refreshing chill

in the air. I was reminded that Chiayi

County is one of those precious places

where in the course of a single day you

can experience three different climates

– subtropical, temperate, and alpine –

as you climb higher and higher into the

heart of the verdant mountain range.

Two for two; not too shabby for

a first-time visitor to the

area. My final task was to take the short,

relaxing Alishan Forest Railway journey

through the Alishan National Forest

Recreation Area from Alishan Station

to Sacred Tree Station, snap a shot of the

tree for which the latter is named, and

take a walk along a hiking trail, Giant

Trees Boardwalk. The trail takes visitors

past 20 giant red cypress trees ranging in

age from several hundred years to over

two millenia. The Sacred Tree, or Divine

Tree, is thought to be around 3,000 years

old, and although it fell in 1997 its huge

remnant trunk section has been left

where it toppled. People stand in awe of

the natural world's immense and almost

indescribable beauty.

At times I had long stretches of

boardwalk all to myself as I meandered

through the forest, standing below

towering trees tens of meters high and

several in diameter, their thick trunks

humbling me. Later I stopped to get

a shot of the Three Generation Tree,

which is actually three trees that have

grown together to become one over

hundreds of years. Just imagine that in

the lifespan of one of these giants, as

many as 30 generations of people could

come and go. It's an amazing place to

stand and ponder such thoughts in the

midst of this inspiring natural splendor.

Amidst the collection

of shops,

restaurants, and hotels at the entrance

to the forest recreation area, tired yet

elated and calmed by my surroundings, I

hopped on a shuttle (note: the last tourist

shuttle bus back to Chiayi leaves Alishan

at 5:10 p.m.) headed back downhill and

got off at the village of Shizhuo, where

The Giant Trees Boardwalk

takes visitors past 20 giant red

cypress trees ranging in age

from several hundred years to

over two millenia

Xiding Longtou ShizhuoShizi Village Youth

Activity Center

Alishan

Forest walk

Sacred tree at Al ishan

BACKPACK BUS TRIP

48 Travel in Taiwan

ALISHAN

a room at the mountainside Yun Min Ju

Homestay awaited. It has been run for

over 25 years by Mr. Liu Ning-yuan, who

was born and raised in the farmhouse-

turned-guesthouse, along with his wife.

The homestay sits amidst a tea plantation

and a bamboo/cypress plantation, started

by the proprietor’s great-grandfather

over 100 years ago. Today, Mr. Liu has

opened up his extensive property, sitting

at an elevation of about 2,000 meters,

to anyone who wishes to visit, and has

allowed the government to create hiking

trails on his land. The affable Mr. Liu,

who speaks both English and Japanese,

heads out on the trails daily, and is only

too happy to educate guests about the

area's edible plants and the history of the

region, or just engage in some good old-

fashioned friendly banter. Join him at the

house for a nighttime cup of tea under

the stars as the mists that form year-

round settle in for the evening, the tea

leaves picked fresh from his own farm,

and he'll fill your ear with good-natured

advice about how people need to get back

to the land and live a healthy lifestyle.

What better way to end a fulfilling day

roaming the mountains of Alishan?

English and ChineseAlishan 阿里山Alishan Station 阿里山站Bazhang River 八掌溪Chukou 觸口Dijiu Suspension Bridge 地久吊橋Giant Trees Boardwalk 巨木群棧道Liu Ning-yuan 劉寧源Longyin Temple 龍隱寺Sacred Tree Station 神木站Shizi Village 十字村Shizhuo 石棹Tianchang Suspension Bridge 天長吊橋Three Generation Tree 三代目tianchang dijiu 天長地久

INFOYun Min Ju Homestay (淵明居山庄)Add: 4 Shizhuo, Zhonghe Village, Zhuqi Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣竹崎鄉中和村石棹四號)Tel : 0912-192-948 (05) 256-1066Website: www.yunmingi .com .tw

The famous Alishan

Forest Rai lway

Yun Min Ju Homestay

Ambassador Hotel HsinchuAdd：No.188, Sec. 2, Zhonghua Rd., Hsinchu City, Taiwan R.O.C. TEL：+886 (3) 515-1111FAX：+886 (3) 515-1112

Ambassador Hotel KaohsiungAdd：No.202, Mingsheng 2nd Road, Kaohsiung City,Taiwan R.O.C.TEL：+886 (7) 211-5211FAX：+886 (7) 201-0348

Ambassador Hotel TaipeiAdd：No. 63 Chungshan North Road, Section 2, Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C.TEL：+886 (2) 2551-1111FAX：+886 (2) 2531-5215

Ambassador Classic Pineapple CakeIn Taiwanese the words for “pineapple” sound like the words for “prosperous future.” Pineapples are therefore often used as auspicious symbols. Resembling little gold bars, pineapple cakes make for a delicious gift with symbolic meaning to friends you want to wish well. The Ambassador Hotel Classic Pineapple Cakes, the finest quality, are made with soft & light outer shell and delicious sweet & sour pineapple paste as filling. By sharing these flavorful cakes with you, we hope to wish you and the people close to you good fortune and prosperous times ahead!

NT$270 Pack of 6NT$450 Pack of 10NT$880 Pack of 20

BACKPACK BUS TRIP ALISHAN

Visiting the Dajia Region’s

Tar

o an

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Taro farmer Zhang Jin-y i

FOOD JOURNEY

50 Travel in Taiwan

TAROS/SWEET POTATOES

Text: Steven Crook Photos: Sting Chen, Sunny Su

Thanks to Taiwan’s fabulously diverse landscape and climatic variations, the country’s farmers are able to grow almost every kind of fruit and vegetable, including many which aren’t native to the island.

If you’ve spent your life in cool

climes, you’ll be excused for not

knowing what taros (yutou) and sweet

potatoes (fanshu; also known as digua)

look like, or how they taste. Every

Taiwanese can tell you in some detail

how taros differ from sweet potatoes,

however, and not only because they have

grown up eating them. The Chinese

names of these root vegetables are used

as cultural code words: “Sweet potato”

is shorthand for a Taiwanese person

whose ancestors came to this island from

mainland China before 1945, generally

from the early 1600s through the mid-

1800s, while a “taro” is someone who

(or whose parents/grandparents) arrived

after 1945.

The taro has its origins in Southeast

Asia, but these days is grown on a

significant scale from Nigeria in the

west to Polynesia in the east. No one

knows when taros were first cultivated

in Taiwan (long before 1945, that’s for

sure), but there’s no doubt which part of

the island is the Republic of China’s taro

capital: Dajia, a bustling town of almost

80,000 people, which is part of a district

of Taichung City.

Downtown Dajia, just 6km from

the sea, is home to one of Taiwan’s

preeminent places of worship, Zhenlan

Temple (also spelled Jenn Lann Temple;

www.dajiamazu.org.tw). This shrine

is the starting and ending point of an

annual nine-day pilgrimage that honors

Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea and

Empress of Heaven.

It was near Zhenlan Temple, at the

Dajia Farmers’ Association office, that

Travel in Taiwan met up with Huang Rui-

yang, who works for the association. Mr.

Huang started by giving us a few facts

and figures. Dajia produces more taro

than any other area in Taiwan, he said,

with around 400 of the district’s 2,100

hectares of irrigated farmland devoted

to the crop. Dajia’s well-drained, sandy

soil is highly suited to taro cultivation,

he explained. The weather – neither too

warm nor too wet – is ideal.

Like many other farmers’ associations

around Taiwan, the Dajia cooperative helps

farmers by adding value to what comes out

of local fields. During the September-to-

June taro-harvest season, the association’s

processing center handles around 1,500kg

of the tubers each day.

Much of the work – scraping off the

soil, washing, and dicing – is done by

hand. Cleaning reveals the vegetable’s

distinctive ridged, pale-brown skins. The

white insides are flecked with short strands

of purple fiber, the stuff which gives

processed taro products their distinctive

hue. Then, using machinery too costly

for an individual farmer to buy, the center

turns the chunks of taro into tasty products

sold in supermarkets and via the Internet

(www.tachia.org; Chinese only). Near

Zhenlan Temple are shops full of candies,

cookies, and other beautifully packaged

taro-flavored goodies you can take home

for your friends and relatives.

Among these goods are cans of soft,

processed taro – it makes a delicious dessert

when served with ice cream – and bags of

frozen taro chunks for adding to hotpots.

Mr. Huang told us the latter are deep-

fried briefly before freezing; otherwise,

they would likely break up while being

simmered. For tourists without access to a

kitchen, the easiest way to sample Dajia’s

most famous foodstuff is to buy a bag of

taro chips. They’re like potato chips, but

slightly chewier and without the salt.

No investigation into Taiwan's

taros would be complete

without visiting a taro farm and

talking with a man who knows a thing

or two about growing the vegetable.

Mr. Zhang Jin-yi clearly knows a lot

about cultivating the tubers: A former

firefighter, he won second prize in

the competition section of last year’s

Dajia Taro Festival, which was held

on September 22, 2012 – no mean

achievement when you consider 62

farmers joined the contest.

Dajia has been holding annual taro-

themed celebrations for the past 12 years,

and if you attend one you’ll find not only

taro delicacies but also other special

products from every corner of Taichung.

Dajia’s relationship with the taro is also

celebrated inside the town’s railway station,

in the form of giant fiberglass taros on

which waiting passengers can sit.

Mr. Zhang is also a rice farmer. He has

to be, he explained, because if he were to

repeatedly cultivate taros on the same piece

of land, the plants would likely suffer from

fungus. To avoid this, each time taros are

harvested from one of his plots, he plants

rice seedlings. Once the rice has been

gathered, the land is once again used for

taro production.

At his invitation, I pulled out a taro

that was ready to harvest. It came out

surprisingly easily, unlike some of the

weeds Taiwanese farmers have to deal

with. But there was disappointment when

we examined the tuber. It had a cavity

the size of a coin, which Mr. Huang told

me was caused by a pest called the golden

apple snail.

Dajia produces more taro than any other area in Taiwan. The well-drained, sandy soil is highly suited to taro cultivation

Visiting the Dajia Region’s

Tar

o an

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otat

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s

FOOD JOURNEY TAROS/SWEET POTATOES

Travel in Taiwan 51

These gastropods, known as fushouluo in Chinese, are not native to Taiwan. They

were introduced to the island from Latin

America in the early 1980s by farmers

who hoped they'd become a lucrative

export. Things didn't work out as planned,

because the snails are considered far from

delicious (which perhaps explains why

those Taiwanese who do collect and eat

wild snails leave golden apple snails alone).

Discarded snails spread quickly, and now

infest a great many fields. Youngsters feed

on young rice plants as well as taro shoots;

adult snails adore taros that are almost

ready to harvest.

Taros are generally harvested between

the Mid-Autumn Festival (sometime in

September) and Tomb-Sweeping Day (in

early April). As Mr. Huang explained,

quality is usually best in the first third of

the harvest season, when the tubers are at

their healthiest, but prices are often higher

later on. Some farmers postpone harvesting

so they can sell at a higher price, but doing

so brings the risk of losing a significant part

of the crop to pests or extreme weather.

Also, if too many farmers decide to wait, a

glut could drive prices down.

Mr. Zhang sticks to what he knows

best: with the help of his wife, cultivating

high-quality taros, washing them as soon

as they’re out of the ground, and then

without delay sending them off to markets

as far away as Taipei. Each taro that leaves

his farm bears a quality sticker copyrighted

by the Dajia Farmers’ Association, plus

a code number unique to Mr. Zhang.

Consumers can therefore be certain where

the taro they’re buying was grown.

Annie Lee’s approach

to agriculture is

altogether less traditional. Eleven years

ago she and her parents transformed

their land into Annie’s Sunflower

Farm. It’s within sight of some of the

many wind turbines that dot central

Taiwan’s coastline, and conveniently

close to Provincial Highway No. 61, an

expressway that runs along almost the

entire west coast.

Annie’s Sunflower Farm offers

tourists more than fresh air and a chance

to wander through fields where taros,

cabbages, and sunflowers thrive. If

they give Annie advance notice, groups

can slow-cook a feast in a kongtuyao

(NT$2,500 for 10 people; all food and

materials included). Roughly translated,

this term means “dirt oven,” and it’s a

fitting description. A fire is set in an

oven made of dried mud, and when it’s

hot enough, the f lames are extinguished.

Food (typically sweet potatoes and

mushrooms wrapped in aluminum foil,

plus a chicken placed in a tin canister so

it cooks in its own juices) is packed inside

and cooked by the heat coming off the

oven walls and f loor.

If you don’t have time for a kongtuyao,

try some of Annie’s excellent home

cooking. The menu includes taro rice,

Delicious and Healthy : Taro is filling yet low in calories; both taros and sweet potatoes are fibrous and thus good for the digestive tract. Taro is a good source of vitamins A, C, and E. Although sweet potatoes contain five times more sugar than regular potatoes – they wouldn’t be sweet otherwise – they’re also extremely low in fat and fatty acids. They have more vitamin B6 and slightly more calcium than white rice, but just a quarter of the carbohydrates.

Sweet potato farmer Chen Ji - qing

Prepar ing food in kongtuyaos

Diced taroCleaning taro

FOOD JOURNEY

52 Travel in Taiwan

TAROS/SWEET POTATOES

which is a meal in itself – small chunks of steamed taro, minced

pork, tiny shrimps, and garlic added to wholesome white rice. The

burger-like fish cakes are another must-eat. These savory delights

are made according to a traditional recipe.

Annie asks that groups and weekday visitors contact her by

e-mail at least two days before visiting; her English is good enough to

handle foreign tourists.

Several other leisure farms in the rural northwest of Dajia

District offer fun activities and variations on kongtuyao. For more

information about these farms, visit the website of the Dajia Farmers’

Association at www.tachia.org.tw/artisan (Chinese).

Dajia has taros, but for sweet potatoes the place to

go is Shalu, less than 20km due south. Shalu’s

uplands, near Taichung Metropolitan Park and the city’s airport,

are notable for well-drained Mars-like red soils in which sesame

and peanuts, as well as sweet potatoes, thrive.

Travel in Taiwan sat down with Mr. Chen Ji-qing, a farmer whose

sweet potatoes are widely enjoyed in Taichung’s night markets,

usually baked and eaten hot (kao digua). He told us that each sweet-

potato season begins with the planting of various kinds – some are

white or purple inside instead of the usual yellow – around the time

of the goddess Mazu’s birthday, which falls around mid-April.

If the June and July rains fall as normal, the sweet potatoes are

ready for harvesting three or four months after planting. Unlike Dajia’s

taro farmers, Mr. Chen doesn’t grow other crops on his land. Rather,

during the colder months, his fields are full of yellow-flowered Indian

Sesbania. These plants, which are also grown in fallow rice fields, fix

nitrogen in the soil and hinder the growth of weeds.

What are fans of sweet potatoes to do when it isn’t the right

season? Mr. Chen is well aware that demand doesn’t let up

throughout the year, so he cooperates with farmers in other

parts of Taiwan to ensure his customers don’t run out. That’s

good news, as few things go down better on a chilly January

evening than a baked sweet potato!

Getting to Dajia: Dajia is on the coastal railway line, and served by 20 express trains each day, plus dozens of local trains. Only a few local services link Dajia with downtown Taichung, however, so if you’re coming from that direction it makes better sense to take a bus from either Taichung Railway Station, Taichung High Speed Rail Station, or one of the many stops on Taichung Harbor Road; expect the journey to take about an hour. Several buses per day between Hsinchu City and Dajia follow a coastal route which is scenic but not especially quick.

Cleaning reveals the taro’s distinctive ridged, pale-brown skin. The white insides are flecked with short strands of purple fiber, the stuff which gives processed taro products their distinctive hue

Annie's Sunflower Farm (向日葵農場)Add: 1-1, Lane 27, Ruyi Rd., Dajia District, Taichung City(台中市大甲區如意路27巷1-1號)Tel : 0910-599-258, (04) 2681-1196Email : aannie.lee@msa.hinet.netWebsite: http://0426811196.tranews.com

INFO

English and ChineseAnnie Lee 李安妮Chen Ji-qing 陳吉慶Dajia 大甲Dajia Farmers' Association 大甲區農會Dajia Taro Festival 大甲芋頭節digua 地瓜fanshu 番薯fushouluo 福壽螺Huang Rui-yang 黃瑞洋

Indian Sesbania 田菁kao digua 烤地瓜kongtuyao 焢土窯yutou 芋頭Mazu 媽祖Shalu 沙鹿Taichung Metropolitan Park 台中都會公園Zhang Jin-yi 張進義Zhenlan Temple 鎮瀾宮

Taro dishes at Annie’s Sunf lower Farm

Taro chips

FOOD JOURNEY TAROS/SWEET POTATOES

Travel in Taiwan 53

Wait ing in lineHave you seen the long lines in front of certain

snack-food stalls in Taiwan? This is a sign of

something unusually yummy on offer. Many

Taiwanese don’t trust empty eateries, so they will seek

out the ones where people are already lining up. They

don’t even mind standing for quite some time, even in

the blazing sun or pouring rain. We recently tested this

culinary rule of thumb at a popular milkshake joint

in Taipei’s Gongguan area, and after waiting about

20 minutes we were rewarded with a refreshingly

cold and sweet shake containing some strange and

pleasantly chewy soft starch balls. Now, where’s the

next line? We’re hungry for more!

Do I have enough change?

You're next!

Was the waiting

worth it? YES!!!!

There's a system here...54 Travel in Taiwan

DAILY LIFE

Photos: Maggie Song

Longkeng Ecological Protection Area

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Kenting Forest Recreation Area

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Longkeng Ecological Protection Area

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YOHO Kids Hotel

YOHO Bike Hotel

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YOHO Beach Resort

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Exploring the coast of Kending

Snorkeling of f Maobitou Peninsula

Learning about snorkeling at Kending

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