OutdOOr PlaygrOund
Northeast Coast
no. 59, 20139 10
tOP tEn tOurISt tOWnS MEInOng In SOuthErn taIWan
BaCKPaCK BuS tOurS nOrth COaSt trIP
FOOd JOurnEy dragOn FruIt In taOyuan
taitung Balloon FiestaSimakusi in hsinchu
Water Park Fun
/
Welcome to Taiwan!Dear Traveler,
A hot Taiwan summer is drawing to a close, and while it’s considerably cooler in the fall, the outdoors
still beckon. Many people even say that this is the best time for outdoor activities in Taiwan.
In this issue of Travel in Taiwan, we visit the northeast coast, which is a popular playground for outdoor
enthusiasts. Just a one-hour train ride f rom downtown Taipei, this part of Taiwan is a wonderf ully scenic
area where you can take in marvelous views of the wide open ocean, coastal mountains, sandy beaches,
and steep clif fs. There’s a plethora of choices for outdoor activities, f rom relaxed tanning on the beach to
surf ing four-foot breakers, to snorkeling and scuba diving, to bicycling and kayaking, to hiking and rock
climbing. Activities such as snorkeling and rock climbing can be done safely with the help of experienced
and qualif ied local instructors, so that even beginners can explore the underwater world and test their limits
on vertical rock walls.
For our Backpack Bus Trip we head northwest to explore the north coast, which is equally varied and
scenic. There, between the harbor town of Tamsui and the harbor city of Keelung, you can visit f ine sand
beaches such as Baishawan, the amazing Juming Museum, the old town of Jinshan, and the famous Yeliu
Geopark, among other attractions.
We then visit a farm in Taoyuan County for our Food Journey segment to learn more about dragon
f ruit, the juicy, ref reshing f ruit of a cactus-family plant that has a number of health-enhancing qualities –
and a nice taste too! In our Active Fun section we cool down in one of Taiwan’s best-known water parks, and
have f un trying out a variety of water slides and pools with manmade waves.
Finally, we head all the way down the eastern coast to the city of Taitung. There we spend an evening
taking in the warm and cozy atmosphere of the Tiehua Music Village, a live-music open-air venue where you
can listen to music performed by talented local musicians. North of Taitung is Luye Gaotai, a highland area
which in recent years has become the venue of a joy-inspiring event, the Taiwan International Balloon Fiesta.
For more than two months this summer, each day colorf ul giant hot-air balloons, some with amazingly
creative shapes, could be seen taking to the air, and in our Splendid Festivals article we take you on a short
tethered f light.
As you can see, when visiting Taiwan you’ll have the chance to play in the water, on the ground, and
even in the air! On behalf of the Tourism Bureau, I wish you a f un-f illed time here!
David W. J. HsiehDirector General
Tourism Bureau, MOTC, R.O.C.
台 灣 觀 光 雙 月 刊Travel in TaiwanThe Official Bimonthly English Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau (Advertisement)September/October, 2013 Tourism Bureau, MOTCFirst published 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: [email protected]: 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
in TaiWanTourism Bureau Visitor Center; Tourism Bureau; Taiwan Visitors Association; foreign representative offices in Taiwan, Tourism Bureau service counters at Taiwan Taoyuan Int’l Airport and Kaohsiung Int’l Airport, major tourist hotels; Taipei World Trade Center; VIP lounges of international airlines; major tourist spots in Taipei; visitor centers of cities and counties around Taiwan; offices of national scenic area administrations; public libraries
Fun at the Northeast Coast (photo by Jen Guo-Chen)
This magazine is printed on FSC certified paper. Any product with the FSC logo on it comes from a forest that has been responsibly maintained and harvested in a sustainable manner.
PRodUCER Vision Int,l Publ. Co., Ltd.
addRESS Rm. 5, 10F, 2 Fuxing N. Rd., Taipei, 104 Taiwan tEL: 886-2-2711-5403 Fax: 886-2-2721-2790
E-MaIL: [email protected] ManagER Wendy L. C. Yen dEPUty gEnERaL ManagER Frank K. YenEdItoR In CHIEf Johannes Twellmann EngLISH EdItoR Rick Charette dIRECtoR of PLannIng & EdItIng dEPt Joe LeeManagIng EdItoR Sunny Su EdItoRS Ming-Jing Yin, Gemma Cheng, Chloe Chu, Nickey LiuContRIBUtoRS Rick Charette, Joe Henley, Mark Caltonhill, Owain Mckimm, Cheryl Robbins, Paul NaylorPHotogRaPHERS Jen Guo-Chen, Sunny Su, Maggie Song, Fred ChengaRt dIRECtoR Sting Chen dESIgnERS Fred Cheng, Maggie Song, Eve Chiang, Karen PanadMInIStRatIvE dEPt Hui-chun Tsai, Nai-jen Liu, Xiou Mieng Jiang advERtISIng HotLInE 886-2-2721-5412
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/
1028
CONTENTSSeptember ~ October 2013
Travel in Taiwan 3
feaTure10 Northeast Coast — Main The Northeast Coast – Healthy Fun under the (So Very!) Warming Pacific Sun — Stay/Eat Overnighting and Eating on the Northeast Coast – Ocean Views and Fresh Experiences in Food
1 Publisher’s Note4 Taiwan Tourism Events6 News & Events around Taiwan8 Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings
21 Meeting Tourists32 Fun with Chinese 54 Daily Life
BaCKPaCK BUS TriP38 Riding the North Coast Line
— A Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus Trip from Tamsui to Keelung
aCTive FUn50 Water Frolics
— Cooling Down and Having a Blast in a Local Water Park
38
46
TOP Ten TOUriST TOwnS22 Meinong
— Strong Hakka Culture, Bucolic Beauty
SPlenDiD FeSTivalS28 The Taiwan International Balloon Fiesta
— Colorful Balloons Paint the East Rift Valley
inDiGenOUS villaGeS42 Simakusi (Smangus)
— A Charming Village Deep in the Mountains
FOOD JOUrneY46 Cool Fire and Friendly Dragons
— Getting to Know the “Fire Dragon Fruit”
34
MUSiC TOUrS34 Taitung’s Tiehua Village — A Fine Place to Wind Down and Listen to Indigenous Music
Sun Moon Lake International Music Fireworks Festival (日月潭國際花火音樂嘉年華 )Location: Sun Moon Lake, Yuchi Township,
Nantou County ( 南投縣魚池鄉日月潭 )
Tel: (049) 285-5668
Website: www.2013musicfestival.com.tw
Tranquil Sun Moon Lake’s Lalu Island divides the lake
into two sections, sun-shaped on the east and moon-
shaped on the west. Surrounded by forested mountains,
the lake’s smooth emerald-green surface is the perfect
mirror for fireworks spectacles. The fireworks music
festival is one of three grand annual events on the lake
area’s calendar, along with the Swimming Carnival
and the Cherry Blossom Festival. During the day, enjoy
walks and hikes along the lake and in the nearby hills,
and enjoy the lake loop, called one of the world’s 10
best cycling destinations by CNNGo, before settling
in at lakeside for the night-time symphony music and
fireworks fest.
The weather is cooling, and
festivals embracing
the joys of being outdoors are calling. If we tell you
to “go jump in the lake,” we mean no offense, for
there is a big cross-lake swim event coming up at
popular Sun Moon Lake. The lake is also the venue
for a both soothing and pulse-stimulating fireworks-
and-symphony-music jubilee. Elsewhere around this
endlessly stimulating land, enjoy theater in a city
center sitting on a grassy lawn, ancient Confucian rites
at Taiwan’s original Confucius Temple, a celebration
of woodcarving in a high-hill township, and more
fireworks and international-caliber
cultural-arts performances that are
part of Double Ten National Day
celebrations.
Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival (日月潭萬人泳渡 )Locations: Sun Moon Lake, Yuchi Township, Nantou County ( 南投縣魚池鄉日月潭 )
Tel: (049) 285-5668
Website: www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw/English
Nantou is Taiwan’s only landlocked county, but it possesses one of its most beautiful water
pearls, Sun Moon Lake. This famous mountain-surrounded scenic destination is Taiwan’s
largest freshwater lake, and the idyllic setting has made cross-lake swim events, bicycling,
and marathons big draws. The annual Swimming Carnival, started in 1983 and, recognized
by the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2002, attracts tens of thousands of
swimming enthusiasts from around the world. The swim, 3,000 meters long, is open to
everyone with long-distance skills 10 years and older (minors must be accompanied by an
adult with life-saving qualifications), including the mentally/physically challenged.
Sanyi International Woodcarving Art Festival (三義國際木雕藝術節 )Locations: Sanyi Wood Sculpture Museum
(88 Guansheng Xincheng, Guangsheng Village,
Sanyi Township, Miaoli County/ 苗栗縣三義鄉
廣盛村廣聲新城 88 號 )
Tel: (037) 876-009
Website: wood.mlc.gov.tw
Sanyi Township is in the south of hilly Miaoli
County. On the boundary of Taiwan’s north/
south weather systems, oft shrouded in mist November
through March, it is sometimes called “Taiwan’s fog capital.”
Fragrant camphor wood is available in abundance here, and
in 1918 Wu Jin-bao and his son began using it for creative
sculpting, later on passing on their skills to other locals. Today
the area is Taiwan’s wood-sculpture capital, teeming with
shops and studios. The woodcarving art festival, first staged in
2001, brims with local character, and includes static carving-
aesthetics exhibits, dynamic cultural-arts performances, and
DIY woodcarving experiences – both fun and edifying.have
fun during the Yilan International Children's Folklore and
Folkgame Festival.
Sep. Oct.28 13
Sep. 8
Oct. Nov.5 10
Fireworks and Cultural Entertainment Galore
Festivals in the Fall
TAIWAN TOURISM EVENTS
4 Travel in Taiwan
Confucius Temple Cultural Festival (孔廟文化節 )Location: Tainan Confucius Temple (2 Nanmen Rd., Tainan City/台南市南門路 2號 )
Tel: (06) 299-1111
Website: www.confucius-temple.com.tw (in Chinese only)
The elaborate Confucius Ceremony, unchanged since ancient times, is centered around
sacrificial offerings showing respect to the “Supreme Sage and Teacher.” Filled with
auspicious symbolism, it was conducted quarterly (later solely in Spring and Autumn),
and also held to commemorate the establishment of schools by emperors or dukes,
imperial school visits, and emperors’ return from war. The Confucius Temple Cultural
Festival encompasses a wide variety of activities, including the Autumn Confucius
Ceremony, a heritage-site music salon, Confucius Temple ritual musical instrument
exhibit, guided temple tours, Confucian Six Arts theme activities, Minglun Hall
lectures, children’s drawing sessions, and classics readings.
International Fireworks and Arts Festival (國際煙火暨國際藝術季 )Location: Hsinchu County ( 新竹縣 )
Tel: (03) 551-8101
Website: www.hsinchu.gov.tw (Hsinchu City Government)
This is a key event in Double Ten National Day celebrations launched back in 1953, when the
fireworks were released from near Taipei’s Presidential Office Building. With the number of
fireworks growing to tens of thousands, the launch site was moved to near the Tamsui River.
Since 2000, different cities and counties around the country have taken turns serving as host,
each seeking to outdo all previous night-sky spectaculars. Each host incorporates special
local characteristics and folk customs into their presentation. There are myriad cultural-arts
performances, showcasing top troupes from home and abroad, making this also a world-class arts
festival.
Sep. 28 29
Sep. Oct.
Huashan Living Arts Festival (華山藝術生活節 )Location: Huashan 1914 Creative Park ( 華山1914文化創意產業園區 )
Tel: (02) 2707-1336
Website: www.hlaf.com.tw, www.huashan1914.com
This annual event, staged at the Huashan 1914 Creative Park heritage complex, will
feature 400-plus theatrical performances, with free weekend shows in Huashan Square.
The Center Stage program features many hit Taiwan works that have both received critical
acclaim and done well at the box office. The Demonstration program brings together troupes
of widely varying style; you’ll enjoy drama, dance, music, acrobatics, and other artistic
forms. The Outdoor Show program allows visitors to freely roam the Huashan Square lawn,
picnick, and watch shows in a unique theater-viewing experience. In the ARTS Hunting
Ground, you yourself become an artist and stage performer.
Oct. 10 Nov. 3
28 10
TAIWAN TOURISM EVENTS
Travel in Taiwan 5
September ~ October
6 Travel in Taiwan
WHAT'S UP
News& Events around Taiwan
Happening
Giant Rubber Duck in KaohsiungStarting September 19, a giant rubber duck will f loat on the waters
of Kaohsiung Harbor in southern Taiwan. Since it was designed
by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman in 2007 several versions of
this giant yellow duck, which is inf lated with air, have been seen
f loating about in different cities around the world, including Sao
Paulo, Osaka, Auckland and, most recently, Hong Kong. The
artist’s aim in creating the duck has simply been to “spread joy
around the world.” The duck will be on display in Kaohsiung
Harbor near Guangrong Pier for about a month, and is expected to
draw more than 3 million visitors to the harbor.
Travel Guide
101 Tips To Living in TaiwanA couple of expats living in Taiwan recently
released a free online guide for people planning
to visit Taiwan for the first time and who are
considering living and working here. It’s a
comprehensive introduction with numerous
practical tips targeted at foreigners who know
nothing, or not much, about the island, based
on the couple’s own experiences. Download the
guide from: http://acruisingcouple.com/your-
free-ebook-download/.
Tourism
Travel Environment without ObstaclesNot every traveler is young and mobile. With populations in aff luent
countries aging, the percentage of older travelers is constantly
on the increase; families with young children, and the physically
or mentally challenged, are also among those who like to travel
and explore new places. Recognizing the needs of these travelers,
the Taiwan Tourism Bureau is actively working on making local
travel destinations obstacle-free. This year the Bureau has created
five model areas within national scenic areas that are suitable for
travelers with special needs: the seaside beach resort of Fulong on
the northeast coast, Baishawan Beach on the north coast, Sun Moon
Lake in central Taiwan, the hot-spring town of Guguan in Taichung,
and Dapeng Bay in southwestern Taiwan. All of these places feature
special facilities (special toilets, ramps and railings, parking spots
for the handicapped, paths suitable for wheelchairs, etc.), means of
transports (low-floor buses, wheelchairs for rent, etc.), and service
counters with helpful staff that enhance the travel experience of less
mobile visitors.
Exhibition
Pavilion of Dreams ReopenedThe Pavilion of Dreams inside Taipei Expo Park was recently
reopened, featuring a new presentation of a dreamlike world.
Visitors are encouraged to engage in interactive fun with the help
of special handheld smart devices (“The Dream Time Machine”).
Visitors create their own dream story while making their way
through the six halls, marveling at a wonder world created using the
latest technologies. Tickets for adults are NT$100. For more info,
visit www.dreams.tw (at time of issue in Chinese only).
Travel in Taiwan 7
WHAT'S UP
Scenery
Bitan Bridge Light ShowBitan, in New Taipei City’s Xindian District, is a popular spot for relaxed walks,
paddling on the “lake” (which in fact is a widened section of the Xindian River),
and dining on the riverbank. Spanning the river is a well-known suspension bridge,
erected in 1937 and recently listed as a historic site by the city government. In the
evening (every half hour from 7 to 9 p.m.) the bridge is now highlighted with a
special light-and-music show lasting four minutes, with a different theme each day
of the week. Getting to Bitan is very easy. Just take the MRT Xindian Line to the
terminal Xindian Station and walk about 5 minutes to the river.
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.
Culture
Tainan’s Great South Gate Now a Cultural VenueHidden in a small park in the heart of Tainan City, the Great South Gate is a national
historic site of the third grade dating back 300 years. This summer the gate has been given
a new purpose, besides being an insider tourist side. Every evening the small half-moon-
shaped plaza in front of the gate, which is encircled by part of the old city wall, becomes
a venue for cultural performances. From Monday to Thursday young amateur musicians
are given the chance to show their talent, while Friday to Sunday established performers
are invited. Friday is “Jazz Night,” Saturday is “Classical Music Night,” and Sunday is
“Taiwan Song Night.” Apart from the musical entertainment, visitors can also sample
local traditional specialties such as shaved ice with fruit toppings, sit down for a fragrant
coffee, and browse stands selling traditional handicrafts. The gate is located inside
Nanmen Park at the intersection of Nanmen Road and Shulin Street.
Travel in Taiwan
E-Magazine AppTravel in Taiwan is also available as an e-magazine edition in the Apple Newsstand. iPad 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!
Airlines
Hong Kong-Tainan FlightsSince July, the cities of Hong Kong and Tainan have been connected by direct f lights
offered by China Airlines, allowing travelers to get from the modern, hustling
metropolis on southern China’s coast to the laid-back old capital of Taiwan and back
in no time. Services are offered on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. China Airlines
currently operates 159 f lights a week to Hong Kong from four cities in Taiwan,
including 88 f lights from Taoyuan, 28 from Taichung, 40 from Kaohsiung, and 3
from Tainan. For more information, visit www.china-airlines.com.
8 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.
Akram Khan: Desh阿喀郎‧汗
September 20 ~ 22Novel Hall
Desh is a full-length contemporary solo work, the most personal
created to date by celebrated choreographer and performer Akram
Khan. Khan, born in London, is of Bangladeshi descent, and Desh
(Bengali for “homeland”) is essentially his attempt to understand
his parents’ country and thereby make sense of himself. The
performance is a combination of extraordinary dance, beautiful
music (by Joscelyn Pook) and lighting (by Michael Hulls),
and astonishing animation (by designer Tim Yip and digital
animators Yeast Culture.
Each year, the National Chiang Kai-shek Cultural
Center chooses a theme country for its annual “World View Series,” giving
local audiences the chance to learn about and connect with international
performing art trends. This fall the focus is on Belgium, and there will be
outstanding music, dance, and theater performances by Belgian artists in
the National Theater/Experimental Theater and National Concert Hall/
Recital Hall. The series will start with Guy Cassiers & Toneelhuis performing
Sunken Red, a lamentation for a deceased mother and a recollection of the
Japanese prison camps of WWII. Next up is Isabella’s Room, performed by
Jan Lauwers & Needcompany. The play is about a blind woman, Isabella,
who lives a withdrawn existence in a room in Paris and becomes a participant
in a scientific experiment in which a camera projects images of a collection
of objects directly into her brain. Following this will be the Concert of Lais,
featuring music by accordion player Didier Laloy and performances by
multidisciplinary artist Jan Fabre and choreographer/dancer Lisbeth Gruwez.
World View Series: Belgium
September 26 ~ December 8National Theater
世界之窗:非常比利時
The future of Hello Kitty, the world famous
fictional character created by Japanese
company Sanrio nearly 40 years ago, is
on display in this interactive exhibition.
Visitors can take part in interactive games
and explore the “Robot Kitty Smile
Technology and Interactive Exhibition”
to earn “K coins” and game points by
passing various tests. Hello Kitty fans can purchase a wide range
of Hello Kitty goods, including love arrows and golden helmets,
and marvel at the drawings of Robot Kitty created by several
Taiwanese celebrities.
Robot Kitty 機械 KITTY微笑科技互動展
July 12 ~ October 20Songshan Cultural and Creative Park
July 30 ~ August 4National Theater
Ballet Nacional de España, founded by legendary flamenco icon Antonio Gades in 1978, is a world-class company
consisting of highly talented dancers, singers, and musicians. Current Artistic Director Antonio Najarro has won
international recognition for the group in recent years. On this visit, Ballet Nacional de España is presenting two
classic dance pieces. Grito, which features live-band music, reveals the variety of f lamenco. Suite Sevilla combines
traditional Spanish dance, ballet, and bull-fighting dance with passionate songs composed by Rafael Riguenti.
Ballet Nacional de España: Grito & Suite Sevilla 西班牙國家舞團《佛朗明哥喝采》
Travel in Taiwan 9
CULTURE SCENE
This exhibition by the National Taiwan Museum
and Fu Jen Catholic University introduces you to
the traditional Chinese qipao. It has five themes
– Women’s Qipao Tales, The Bridal Qipao Collection,
Three Generations of Women, Beauty Is in the Details,
and A Century of Qipao Evolution. A total of 144
traditional dresses are on display as well as three
paintings depicting qipao-wearing women during
the Japanese colonial period and the early period
after Taiwan Retrocession. Visitors also have the chance to virtually “try
on” qipaos in a multimedia-experience zone with the help of a computer.
Qipao Memory, Modernity and Fashion旗麗時代:伊人、衣事、新風尚特展
May 11 ~ November 10National Taiwan Museum
The Killers 殺手樂團光榮戰役全球巡迴演唱會
September 28TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall
The Killers is a highly popular American
rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada,
formed in 2001 by lead singer Brandon
Flowers and guitarist Dave Keuning.
The group’s debut album Hot Fuss (2004),
featuring the singles Somebody Told Me,
Mr Brightside, and All These Things That
I've Done, was a big success worldwide, with 7 million units sold. The
members have produced three more albums since then, with sales of more
than 20 million worldwide. In 2010, after six years of constant touring,
the group took a break, during which the band members pursued solo
projects. They returned to studio and stage in 2011, producing a new
album and touring the world. This September the band will be in Asia,
with concerts planned in Singapore, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan.
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
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
Douglas Lapraik & Co. Building (得忌利士洋行)
Add: 316 Zhongzheng Rd., Tamsui District, New Taipei City(新北市淡水區中正路 316號 )Tel: (02) 2629-9522Website: www.tshs.ntpc.gov.twNearest MRT Station: Tamsui
Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts (關渡美術館)
Add: 1 Xueyuan Rd., Beitou District, Taipei City(台北市北投區學園路 1號 )Tel: (02) 2896-1000Website: www.kdmofa.tnua.edu.twNearest MRT Station: Guandu
Taichung
National 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
Venues
This exhibition focuses on maritime activities
during the Qing Dynasty (1644 ~ 1912). It
is divided into four sections: A Million Miles
of Defense, on the Qing court’s views and
governance of sea affairs; Sailing on the Seven
Seas, on the ships and trade competitions; Those Exotic Foreign Lands, on
the tributary system and Qing China's knowledge of foreign lands; and
Changes in the Coastal Life, on the development of coastal cities and overall
changes in life of those living off the seas. On display are historical
maritime materials from the Qing Dynasty, including various sea charts,
court decrees, palace memorials, imperial comments, official records,
and all kinds of writings about foreign lands and coastal life, as well as
Western reportage on China’s maritime frontiers.
May 3 ~ November 24National Palace Museum
Voyage with the Tailwind: Qing Archival and Cartographical Materials on Maritime History in the National Palace Museum順風相送:院藏清代海洋史料特展
Snorkel ing at Longdong Bay
10 Travel in Taiwan
FEATURE
Healthy Fun under the (So Very!)
Warming Pacific Sun
More
Travel in Taiwan 11
FEATURE NORTHEAST COAST
Text: Rick Charette Photos: Jen Guo-chen
Rock climbing, snorkeling, cape and mountain hiking, river and
sea kayaking, coast-side bicycling, surfing, barbecuing. These
are some of the outdoor-enjoyment options available on the
northeast coast menu. Sound like pleasure? Let’s head out, then,
to the mighty blue Pacific!
It’s a Monday morning, and I’m standing on a
street corner in downtown Taipei. It’s
startlingly early for night-owl me – 0700
hours. The rest of my adventure team
shows up, one by one. With all present
and accounted for, we launch. We’re self-
driving and, just beating the rush-hour
traffic, we’re out of the city and on the
northeast coast in just 30 minutes.
Our quest this trip – outdoor exercise,
myriad ways, in a big natural playground.
The northeast coast stretches from just
south of the harbor city of Keelung to
just north of the town of Toucheng in
the northeast corner of the wide, ocean-
facing Lanyang Plain in Yilan County.
We’re exploring the section that lies
within the Northeast and Yilan Coast
National Scenic Area, from a place called
Nanya to Toucheng.
Taiwan’s shape is often compared to
a tobacco leaf f loating in the sea, leaf tip
on the north, stubby stem on the south.
Long and high mountain ranges run
north-south along its length, the ridges
in the far north veering northeast and
dropping into the sea. This, as you’d
guess, makes for stunning scenery and
really nice photos. There are a few
f lattish indentations on the northeast
coast where farming is attempted, but
fishing is the name of the game in these
parts (along with tourism these days),
and all along the coast here you’ll come
across brightly painted craft packed
in like sardines in nifty little harbors
with cliff-y backdrops at the base of
high, finger-like capes. A single road –
Provincial Highway No. 2, commonly
called the Coastal Highway – is etched
into the base of the high bluffs that jostle
for position along the shore.
DAY 1
Rock cl imbing at Longdong Cape
12 Travel in Taiwan
FEATURE
Rock cl imbing instruc tor Xiao Huzi
One cl imbs, one holds the rope to ensure safet y
Rock cl imbing gear
Travel in Taiwan 13
FEATURE NORTHEAST COAST
Our first stop is Nanya, an area between highway
and coast that features gnarled sandstone
rock formations shaped by patient wind/water erosion. The
sun is still at a nice low angle when we arrive, accentuating the
whimsical nature of the shapes. The rock, underwater long ago,
has been pushed up by tectonic activity. The formations have
dazzling striations of iron that have become eff lorescent with
exposure to sun and air. The best-known formation is a giant
rock that looks – to me, an ice-cream lover fighting his weight
– like a humongous butterscotch custard (the sandstone) lined
with caramel layers (the iron) that is melting. Go verify for
yourself. The boardwalks here make a walk a pleasure.
Next up – rock climbing. Longdong, literally “Dragon
Hole,” has north Taiwan’s best rock climbing, on the sheer
rock cliffs that run along much of the length of Longdong
Cape. According to one of our two climbing guides this day,
Xiao Huzi (“Little Beard”), owner of XHZ Adventure School,
“Dragon Hole” refers to a massive cave at the base; long-ago
folk thought that surely “here be dragons.” The hole was carved
by wave and tide before tectonic activity pushed it up and out
of the sea. We meet up with Little Beard and Zhang Yu-xiang,
one of Taiwan’s top rock climbers, at the tiny fishing village
of Longdong, on the cape’s north side on Longdong Bay, at a
diving/snorkeling gear shop – the Longdong area also has north
Salt water swimming pools at Longdong Bay
Water ac tivit ies are safe with qual -i f ied instruc tors at hand
A puf fer f ish; Longdong Bay has many peculiar f ish
Jumping into the cool sea water
FEATURE
14 Travel in Taiwan
Taiwan’s best diving – just before the end of the village’s one,
dead-end, road. Making our way carefully along the boulder-
strewn shore beyond the village, we come to sheer-rock cliffs,
mostly sandstone, that soar 40 meters high, receive instruction
on climbing basics, and revel in two hours of scrambling up
and down at different locations. Our guides bring all gear, and
one is near you at all times, leading the way and attached to the
same safety rope.
Note: A long-time resident of Taiwan, American Matt Robertson, is the
author of a comprehensive guide to Longdong’s scores of climbing routes. Visit
www.climbstone.com for details.
Following this – sea snorkeling. Longdong Bay
(“Longdongwan”) is one of the northeast’s most popular
swimming spots on the northeast, and one of Taiwan’s top
diving locations, featuring a great variety of marine life in its
cool, clear waters. The recreational facilities within the park
here, Longdong Ocean Park, are centered on snorkeling and
diving. There is a large roped-off area with water up to a man’s
chest on the deep side. There are lifeguards, and if you rent
diving/snorkeling equipment you can swim about on your own
here. Snorkeling and diving classes are also held, and you can
pay, as we do, to have one of the licensed instructors take you
out into deeper water, where currents are stronger and a reef
serves as a natural breakwater. Not all of us are experienced
swimmers or snorkelers, so we do not venture further. (The
park demands everyone wear life jackets and dive suits.)
Though not quite as colorful as Kenting National Park, the
marine-life viewing is nevertheless splendid. Among the most
colorful and/or interesting creatures I see are angelfish, puffer
fish, starfish, clown fish, spiky urchins, f lying gurnards, and
scorpion fish. I repeatedly watch, fascinated, as fevered schools
of small sweetfish attack and eat the small, almost invisible
jellyfish that make it past the reef (your dive suit protects you
from the latter).
Tak ing in the sunset at Bitou Cape
The waters are teeming with f ish in al l colors E xplor ing the sea bot tom
FEATURE
Travel in Taiwan 15
NORTHEAST COAST
After our sea life exploration – cape hiking. We first
tackle the Longdongwan Cape Trail, starting on Longdong
Cape’s south side. There is a large, attractive temple just off the
highway; the trailhead parking lot is just beyond. Our main
interest here is reaching the tip of the cape and taking in the
spectacular views standing on the edge of the sheer cliffs 40-
plus meters high in spots. For this you need just15~20 minutes
one way, passing by informative signboards with good English
and pathways down to the shore. We see scores of long-line
fishermen posed on rocky outcrops far down below, surf
crashing near their feet. Along the trail are grassy areas, one
with a gazebo where we get a great bird’s-eye view of the giant
dragon cave below, looking down past our feet. The dragon
seems to be out for the day, for all is quiet.
To the north, past Longdong Ocean Park, is the next cape,
rugged Bitou Cape. We go back, get our car, and drive to the
highway-side Bitou Cape parking lot. The large cape covers an
area of almost five square kilometers. There are two paths you
can follow, both starting beside the highway, both following the
cape’s south-side contours, one up above the cliffs, one following
the rocky shore, the latter defined by stone platforms and other
strange-shaped eroded landforms. They join above the cliffs about
half-way along to the cape’s tip, where a proud white lighthouse
stands 120 meters above the crashing surf (the structure itself is
12.3 meters). It was put up by the Japanese in 1896, and was given
its present form after being bombed by the Allies in WW II. The
cape’s path-accessed highest point is just before the tip, from
which we enjoy spectacular views of mountains falling into the
sea, north and south, as far as the eye can see.
DAY 2
Heading for the sea at Fulong
Guide Wang shows the proper way to hold a paddle
Kayak ing on the Shuangxi R iver
16 Travel in Taiwan
FEATURE
We overnight at Longmen Riverside
Camping Resort (see our
Feature – Stay/Eat article), and in the morning walk over to
the section along the Shuangxi River. Our host this morning
is John Sun, head of the resort’s kayaking operation. We get
our life-jackets and paddles, are introduced to our guide,
Wang Yu-wei (“Wei Wei”), and receive instructions in
kayaking basics. I note that all the kayaks are open-faced
and are for two people (with a middle seat for kids), and John
informs me that originally all craft were the “Eskimo” kind
that seal around the waist, but that Asian folk are not as
experienced as Westerners on/in water, and customers were
always nervous they could not handle rollovers.
We head out with Wei Wei, first visit the long sand bar that
runs almost completely across the river where it meets the sea,
enjoying the sweeping coastal-mountain panorama, then head
upriver for a run of about 8 km (return), enjoying the egrets,
herons, crabs, jumping fish, and other local inhabitants.
Note: You’re out on open water for quite some time, so if pale-skinned like
myself, cover up well and bring sunblock, which is regularly washed off
exposed skin by paddle-splashing.
Just upriver from the kayaking center you’ll see a
picturesque suspension bridge, for bikers and walkers. This is
part of a long, easy-grade route stretching a few km south of
Fulong town and north to Yanliao village. Most people start
out from Fulong; there are bike-rental shops before the train
station, the daily rate just NT$100 (the Longmen campground
also has rentals for guests).
Our final outdoor challenge before heading home
to Taipei is surfing – well, attempts at
surfing, anyway. We first went to Wushi Harbor, where there
is a decided party atmosphere at the beach near the north-
side breakwater. The narrow road before the beach, with a
wooded area between, is lined with surf-gear shops, cafés, and
other outlets catering to the beach-bum crowd. Our host and
instructor this afternoon, Xiao Gu (“Little Gu”), is owner of
G-Cool Surf, a shop/café/bar selling and renting gear. This
and other shops give group surf lessons on the beach, and Xiao
Gu gives us a private lesson, kindly refraining from chuckling
as we endlessly fumble about and perform comic f lips and
tumbles. Telling us that the crowds at this popular location
make it hard for more accomplished surfers to find much open
water, he takes us a bit north to the less- or undeveloped beach
of Honeymoon Bay where hard-core surfers hang out. It is
at Daxi town, directly across from the highway-side railway
station. There are far fewer people here and waves at the area’s
surf beach are about four feet.
English and ChineseBitou Cape 鼻頭角Coastal Highway 海岸公路Daxi 大溪Fulong Visitor Center 福隆遊客中心Gold Fulong Route 黃金福隆線Honeymoon Bay 蜜月灣John Sun 孫兆鴻Longdong Bay 龍洞灣Longdong Cape龍洞岬角Longdong Ocean Park 龍洞海洋公園
Longdongwan Cape Trail 龍洞灣岬步道Nanya 南雅Ruifang Railway Station 瑞芳火車站Shuangxi River 雙溪河Wang Yu-wei 王玉瑋Wushi Harbor 烏石港Xiao Huzi 小鬍子Xiao Gu 小顧Yanliao 鹽寮Lanyang Plain蘭陽平原Zhang Yu-xiang 張宇翔
XHZ Adventure School (小鬍子冒險學校 )Tel: (02) 2215-9019 / Xiao Huzi mobile: 0939 625 099Website: www.xhz.com.tw (Chinese)
Longdong Ocean Park (龍洞海洋公園 )Add: 85K on Provincial Highway No. 2 (台二線濱海公路 85K)Tel: (02) 2490-9258 / 2457-6378Website: www.surfing.com.tw (limited English)
Paddle Around (舟遊天下 )Add: 8, Aly. 30, Ln. 811, Sec. 5, Zhongshan N. Rd., Taipei City (台北市中山北路五段 811巷 30 弄 8)Tel: (02) 8866-2558Website: www.kayak.com.tw
G-Cool Surf Shop (極酷衝浪 )Add: 93-2, Gangkou Rd., Gangkou Borough, Toucheng Town, Yilan County (宜蘭縣頭城鎮港口里港口路 93之 2號 )Tel: (03) 977-0266Website: www.surfing.com.tw (limited English)
Chinese Taipei Surfing Association (中華民國衝浪運動協會 )Tel: 0933-625-518Website: www.facebook.com/ctsa.surf (Chinese)
Sur f shop owner Xiao Gu
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x
Inside the G - Cool Sur f Shop Catching a wave
Sur fer at Wushi Harbor
Travel in Taiwan 17
FEATURE NORTHEAST COAST
Getting There & Getting AroundA number of stations on the North Link Railway, which runs from Taipei to Hualien, are on the coastal strip we’ve explored here, and trains run often enough that you can use it like a bus to explore the northeast coast. Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (www.taiwantrip.com.tw) buses on the Gold Fulong Route also cover much of this article’s area, running between Ruifang Railway Station and the Tourism Bureau’s Fulong Visitor Center.
Boards can be rented on the beach at Wushi Harbor
When exploring the northeast coast’s long, narrow band of somewhat flat land between Nanya and Toucheng town, your sleep options range from rustic “au naturel” campground accommodations to an upscale spa resort. Since you’re traveling an area dotted like a long necklace with fishing harbors, you won’t be surprised that the main ingredient on local restaurant menus is freshness. And local seafood eateries serve delicious fresh-from-the-boat fare that leave you free of pocketbook heartburn.
18 Travel in Taiwan
FEATURE STAY/EAT
Overnighting and Eating on the Northeast CoastText: Rick Charette Photos: Jen Guo-chen
Ocean Views and Fresh Food Experiences
If you arrive with zero in the way of camping gear, no problem
Nanya Bitou Cape
Longdong Bay
Longdong CapeLongdong Ocean Park
Honeymoon BayDaxi
Provincial Highway
Railway
County Road
New Taipei City
East China Sea
Yilan County
Wushi Harbor
Toucheng
G-Cool Surf Shop
Longmen Riverside Camping Resort
Fulong
Leo Ocean Resort
Wushi Harbor Live Seafood Restaurant
to Keelung
to Yilan/Hualien
Fullon Hotel Fulong
Other fine options to consider are the Fullon Hotel Fulong
(http://fulong.fullon-hotels.com.tw), a villa-style resort not far from
the Longmen campground, and the hot-spring town of Jiaoxi,
just south of Toucheng (next stop on the railway), which has
scores of quality hot-spring hotels in different price ranges.
Eating“Wushi Harbor Live Seafood Restaurant”
is the largest, brightest,
and best of a row of seafood restaurants fronting Wushi
Harbor. The food here, from land and sea, is ultra-fresh
– you’ll see many of your selections-to-be swimming and
crawling in entrance-area tanks. The catch actually comes
from nearby Daxi Fishing Harbor, for much of Wushi Harbor
is now given over to tourist-cruise craft used for popular
outings to within-sight Guishan (Turtle) Island, and island
f ly-by dolphin/whale-spotting excursions.
AccommodationLongmen Riverside Camping
Resort, perhaps
Taiwan’s most popular campground, is between coast and
highway just north of Fulong town. “Longmen” means “dragon
gate,” referring to the debouche of the camp-side Shuangxi
River, the northeast’s largest waterway. According to the
general manager of the sprawling 37-hectare campground,
Chen Chin-ying, the facility was opened in 1991 on the former
site of a massive sand-mining operation, and hosted the
FICC International Camping Rally in that same year, with
participants coming from around the world. Where there was
once a giant open pit, today you find rest and relaxation amidst
a quiet oasis of tall trees.
Well, quiet during the week, anyway. This is very much
a place for families and student groups on weekends. The
campground can handle a total of 1,400 people. There is a
superb range of accommodation facilities, with 231 campsites
(grass, wooden platforms, roofed wooden platforms, and
automobile campsites) and spacious, comfortable wood cabins
available, and a wide range of recreation facilities – swimming
pool, wading pool, sand pool, bike rentals and bikeway,
watersports, basketball court, etc. (see our main Feature for
more on the exercise options). Food is also sold on-site, and if
you arrive with zero in the way of camping gear, no problem –
everything from tents and sleeping bags to barbecues and towels
can be rented.
Leo Ocean Resort is the brainchild and,
quite evidently, the beloved child
of developer John Kao. Just north of Toucheng, it is built
on a rugged slope right up to and onto the rocky shore.
The architecture emulates elements of Yilan’s traditional
courtyard residences, with red brick, white-mortar trim, and
ceramic artworks worked right into the walls. The grounds are
landscaped so anything man-made blends with the upraised
coral, giant boulders, and stratified rock formations. Pathways
curve around the natural “coral art,” and the freshwater
swimming pool is built around upraised “coral islands.”
There are lovely alfresco saltwater hot-spring pools, with
superb ocean views; and rooms, all sea-facing, are outfitted
with Japanese-style tubs. The nature-heated saltwater, which
seeps down through stratified rock layers, picking up minerals,
is piped up from 800 meters below ground. Within the resort is
the Lion’s Kingdom Museum, displaying Kao’s superb private
collection of ancient Chinese treasures, most of which he says
were smuggled out of China during the Cultural Revolution.
FEATURE
Travel in Taiwan 19
STAY/EAT
The food here, from land and sea, is ultra-fresh
Wushi Harbor L ive Seafood Restaurant
On the menu (Chinese) you’ll see six Taiwan banquet-style
feasts for 8~10 diners. The lowest-priced is a 10-course repast
which, though just NT$2,000, features five seafood courses.
Smaller groups and individuals are welcomed, with prices
adjusted according to dish number/type.
The best dishes, in my humble opinion? No. 1, without a
doubt, is the delectable batter-fried neritic squid with garlic and
dried chili peppers, followed by the sashimi platter, clam soup,
and yashang (dried and smoked duck, an Yilan specialty). I’d
better stop there.
Though introduced second in this
article, the
Seascape Café is my favorite area spot for a meal (and two
coffees). Inside Longdong Ocean Park, it has the bright, airy look
and feel of a window-walled café on a quiet Greek island, along
with the requisite majestic, unobstructed sea views. The food is
primarily landlubber fare, and I always have difficulty choosing
between the spicy beef noodles and cordon-blue-style “cheese
pork” (the rosemary chicken is also good), so I usually get my
wife to order the one I don’t and then I eat hers too. Set meals
are just NT$250. There are three tasty specialty items made with
locally harvested seaweed, a peppery seaweed-and-egg soup, agar
jelly, and dried eucheuma seaweed. Agar jelly, popular in Japan
as a health food, is emerging as a local home-made specialty, sold
at more and more northeast coast locations.
It is a rite of passage, so to speak, for travelers to and
through the Fulong area to buy the famed, f lavorful, filling
Fulong railway lunchboxes. The best are sold at shops before
Fulong Railway Station; they were originally sold only from the
platform to hungry passengers on trains stopped at the station.
Each is about NT$60, and typically contains three or four
pieces of meat, a soy-stewed egg and soy-stewed tofu, pickled
cabbage, and rice.
20 Travel in Taiwan
FEATURE
Longmen Riverside Camping Resort (龍門露營渡假基地 )Add: 100, Xinglong St., Fulong Township, Gongliao District, New Taipei City (新北市貢寮區福隆村興隆街 100 號 )Tel: (02) 2499-1791~3Website: http://www.lonmen.tw (in Chinese only)
Leo Ocean Resort (理歐海洋溫泉渡假中心 )Add: 36, Sec. 4, Binhai Rd., Toucheng Township, Yilan County (宜蘭縣頭城鎮濱海路 4 段 36號 )Tel: (03) 978-0782Website: www.leogroup.com.tw
Wushi Harbor Live Seafood Restaurant (烏石港活海鮮餐廳 )Add: 31, Wushi Harbor Rd., Gangkou Borough, Toucheng Town, Yilan County (宜蘭縣頭城鎮港口里烏石港路 31號 )Tel: (03) 977-7972
English and ChineseChen Chin-ying 陳錦營Daxi Fishing Harbor 大溪漁港Fullon Hotel Fulong 福容大飯店福隆Fulong railway lunchbox 福隆火車便當Guishan Island 龜山島Jiaoxi 礁溪John Kao 高建文Lion's Kingdom Museum 河東堂獅子博物館neritic squid 小卷Seascape Café 海景咖啡廳yashang 鴨賞
Wushi Harbor L ive Seafood Restaurant
Café at Longdong Ocean Park
SHILIN NIGHT MARKET
Travel in Taiwan: How long are you staying in Taiwan?
Yannick: Two weeks.
Travel in Taiwan: Which places in Taiwan have you visited so far?
Luc: We have been to a lot of places already. In Taipei, we visited
the National Palace Museum – very interesting, with many
ancient treasures. We also enjoyed the hot springs in Beitou. We
went to Yeliu on the north coast, and had a look at the peculiar
rock formations. We’re now exploring Taroko Gorge, and have
already walked the Shakadang Trail, which we liked a lot.
Travel in Taiwan: What do you think about the gorge?
Annie: The views here are very impressive, really
spectacular. The narrow and winding road through it must
have been very difficult to build. Taroko Gorge is the most
interesting of all the places we have visited in Taiwan so far!
Travel in Taiwan: What is your general impression of Taiwan?
Luc: Our travels in Taiwan have been a huge change for us,
coming from France. The language, the landscapes, and the
climate are all so different! The local people are very kind, and
attentive to your needs. There are a lot of places we’d still like to
visit, and we hope we can come back again in the future. Travel in Taiwan: Where have you been to so far?
Julien: First Taipei, then we took a bus to
Kenting [National Park] and then a train up
to Hualien. We travel by bus and train.
Travel in Taiwan: What made you decide to come to Taiwan?
Remy: We are currently studying in Osaka, Japan, so flying to
Taiwan is cheap and convenient. We were just curious about
this place. The weather is great and the landscapes awesome.
Julien, Remy, and Yannick
Yannick: Sorry, we need to hurry now. We want to take the
next Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus to another stop in Taroko
Gorge. See ya!
We Were
Curious
about
this
Place
At Swallows’ Grottos in Taroko Gorge, one of the natural wonders of the world,
Travel in Taiwan asked French tourists about their Taiwan travel experiences.
Luc and Annie
H i g h w a y t h r o u g h Taroko Gorge
MEETING TOURISTS
Travel in Taiwan 21
MEETING TOURISTS
Meinong
Tradit ional Hakka residence
Strong Hakka Culture, Bucolic Beauty
Meinong’s East Gate
Farmers har vesting wild lotus
Jin Xing Shop owners
TOP TEN TOURIST TOWNS
22 Travel in Taiwan
Text: Rick Charette Photos: Maggie Song, Vision Int'l
Oilpaper umbrellas
Meinong Hakka Culture Museum
Meinong k .c . s . Umbrella
TOP TEN TOURIST TOWNS MEINONG
Sitting on a small plain, a patchwork quilt of well-tended farm plots with a heritage settlement at its center, mountains looking down from three sides, Meinong is an old Hakka-culture enclave that is today a tourist favorite.
Travel in Taiwan 23
daily from shops by the bus station,
and at the attractive visitor information
center at 789 Tai’an Road, on the south
side of Zhongzheng Lake, the local
irrigation-water source, which is ringed
by parkland and viewing platforms.
Yong’an Old StreetThe Hakka take great pride in their
traditions, and these are on vivid display
along Yong’an Old Street, which abounds
with old shops/residences, shrines, and
other representative structures. At No.
177 is the rustic, open-front Jin Xing
Shop, opened in 1929, where master
tailor Shie Jing Lai and his wife craft
tunics and other traditional Hakka
clothing – all bright, lovely, and popular
with tourists. Shie loves to talk about
the rich symbolism incorporated into the
old-style blue-dye attire. One example:
The wide-band collar of men’s tunics
symbolizes the shape of the classic Hakka
fortified village.
At one end of Yong’an is the tall East
Gate, telling of a time when watchtowers
helped protect against bandits, rebels,
marauders from rival ethnic groups,
indigenous warriors and, sometimes,
government troops, always poorly paid
and almost always unwelcome. Beside
is Meinong’s original Earth God shrine,
built when this riverfront area was
opened. Such protective shrines dot the
area, as do jingzi ting or “respect writing
pavilions,” miniature pavilions where any
paper with writing was ritually burned
and sent back to heaven by education-
venerating Hakka, for it was heaven
that had given the miracle of paper and
written character to humankind in the
first place.
Oilpaper UmbrellasTaiwan’s exquisite handcrafted
oilpaper umbrellas are popular souvenir
purchases, and Meinong has long been
the mecca of production. Featuring an
intricate bamboo frame and lacquered
translucent paper, each is a distinctive
work of art painted with bold, colorful
designs. The secret of the art was brought
from mainland China’s Guangdong
Province in the early 20th century.
The family is all-important
to the Hakka, and an umbrella’s
circular perfection symbolizes the
“perfection” of family togetherness.
They are traditional wedding gifts,
for the pronunciation of “paper,” zhi ,
resembles that for “sons,” zi , thus
promoting fecundity.
Meinong has two tourist-oriented
sales centers. I recommend Yuan Xiang
Yuan Cultural Village, an attractive
mall which has live demonstrations. I
specially recommend Meinong k.c.s.
Umbrella, however, for a view into
Meinong’s non-tourist traditions. This
small workshop, run by a charming,
Featuring an intricate bamboo frame and lacquered translucent paper, each oilpaper umbrella is a distinctive work of art painted
with bold, colorful designs
Meinong History
Meinong was settled by members of the Hakka ethnic community in 1736. Taiwan Hakka today number about four million, about 15% of the country’s population. Meinong itself is about 90% Hakka. The group has close-knit communities, arising in large part as a result of discrimination and oppression in imperial times. The term “Hakka” in fact means “guest people.” Rarely enjoying secure title to land, they often settled in marginal areas – notably in mountains and foothills – and placed great emphasis on education (i.e., a non-material, highly mobile form of wealth generation). Meinong was long famed for producing an unusually high number of imperial scholars and, in modern times, PhDs.
Taiwan’s “Top Ten
Tourist Towns”
were declared early last year, chosen with
the help of public voting. Looking at the
list, I quickly settled on Meinong as my
favorite. In the summer I was contracted
by National Geographic to cover the
towns, and was not surprised when the
photographer sent over from the U.S., the
well-known Mike Yamashita, mentioned
that Meinong was one of the winners
that had made an especially favorable
impression on him. Special exhibits of
Mike’s Taiwan photos were later staged
in U.S. cities.
Here’s a shortlist of what visitors
like so much about the place: the lovely,
quiet farmland, with an in-close, mist-
topped mountain backdrop; thriving
old-time culture of the hardy Hakka
people, in a community brimming with
heritage architecture and the aromas of
the distinctive Hakka cuisine; relics of
the old, now defunct tobacco industry
– last century, Meinong was Taiwan’s
richest production area; exquisite hand-
crafted oil-paper umbrellas and inviting
studios; wonderful, leisurely biking
jaunts, through sleepy settlement and
into the country.
Located in southwest Taiwan, last
year Meinong was eaten up by the
broad-shouldered city of Kaohsiung,
becoming Meinong District. In this
article, however, I’ll do as everyone else
in Taiwan still does and call it a town.
BicyclingI promise that an already
guaranteed good time will be pleasure-
enhanced if you rent a bike to jaunt
about. The places you’ll want to visit
are spread out over the valley f loor.
Driving and scooter rentals are two
other options; public transportation is
not. There are seven color-coded bike
routes, totaling 40 km, with themes
including “folk culture,” “religion,”
“historical relics,” and “country.”
Quality bikes are available for NT$80
TOP TEN TOURIST TOWNS
24 Travel in Taiwan
gentle couple, Lin Rong-jun and Wu
Jian-ying, has a nationwide reputation.
It’s in the country just outside town
in the rear of the Lin clan’s venerable
courtyard residence; the couple
inherited the business from Lin’s father.
They’ll make your umbrella to order,
and you can also DIY-decorate your
own mini-umbrella for a few hundred
NT dollars.
TobaccoBetween the late 1930s and 2002,
Meinong was Taiwan’s tobacco-growing
king. After Taiwan’s 2002 WTO entry
the industry quickly withered and died.
Many of the curing barns are now used
as storage sheds, and a few have been
turned into pottery studios.
Be sure to visit the Meinong Hakka
Culture Museum. This pleasant facility
sits in open farm country, with big views
all about. Its shape evokes Meinong’s
tobacco barns, and there is a full-scale
mock-up inside. There are displays on all
aspects of local culture and history; some
have English, and there are free English-
audio guides as well as English tours
(with advance booking).
Hakka CuisineThere are a number of good local
Hakka-cuisine restaurants, but I
especially like Meinong Traditional
Hakka Cuisine, home to friendly staff,
tasty, hearty, inexpensive food, and
intriguing antiques sourced from valley
farmsteads.
Traditionally, isolated Hakka
communities, often in the hills, grew
their own food, with few fresh vegetables
available during cool winters. Preserved
meats and pickled vegetables were
thus common. The culinary style is
characterized by an especially sensitive
way of combining only the freshest of
crisp vegetables, when available. These
are chopped and combined in myriad
manners and stir-fried lightly to evince
the most delicate f lavors. The heavy use
of garlic, oils, and spices is avoided.
The frugal Hakka have a dish for all
animal parts; for example, pig’s intestine
with ginger shreds is a favorite. The
heavy labor of both men and women in
mine, forest, and oft-marginal field –
places of traditional Hakka industries
– led to substantial salt loss, leading
to extra-salty dishes. Most restaurants
these days hold back, however. Be sure
to try the wild lotus, a local specialty,
which many locals report plucking from
Zhongzheng Lake when kids. In lake-
area farms you’ll see workers submerged
in water up to chest and neck.
English and ChineseEast Gate 東門Hakka 客家人jingzi ting 敬字亭Lin Rong-jun 林榮君Meinong 美濃Shie Jing Lai謝景來Tai’an Road泰安路wild lotus 野蓮Wu Jian-ying 吳劍瑛Yong’an Old Street 永安老街zhi (paper) 紙Zhongzheng Lake 中正湖zi (child) 子
The culinary style of the Hakka is characterized by an especially sensitive way of combining only the freshest of crisp vegetables
Getting There High Speed Rail, regular railway, and Kaohsiung Metro services converge at Kaohsiung’s Zuoying Station. Kaohsiung Bus Co. (www.ksbus.com.tw) coaches to Meinong can be caught outside the station; 13 stop here daily, 8:20 am to 8:20 pm (NT$148 one-way; 90 minutes).
Traditional Hakka Three-sided Courtyard Residences You’ll come across many old-style residences, even in the town. The semi-enclosed courtyard style is most common, with a single main entrance and high exterior walls to enable defense. To the courtyard’s center-rear is the ancestral altar. True Hakka residences have white brick and black tile; red brick/tile indicates influence by Taiwan’s Han Chinese majority. Other Hakka features are a door-top house name and three-sectioned walls with white-painted mud brick on top, earthenware tiles in the middle, and round stones at bottom. The white represents the older generation’s white hair, the red-tint earthenware symbolizes the hard-working middle generation’s blood (sweat and tears), and the stones represent the hope for many children.
Jin Xing Shop (錦興行 )Add: 177, Yong'an Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市美濃區永安路 177號 )Tel: (07) 681-1191
Yuan Xiang Yuan Cultural Village (原鄉緣文化村 )Add:147, Sec. 1, Zhongxing Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市美濃區中興路一段 147號 )Tel: (07) 681-0888Website: www.meinung.com.tw (in Chinese only)
Meinong k.c.s. Umbrella (廣進勝紙傘 )Add: 47, Minquan Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市美濃區民權路 47號 )Tel : (07) 681-3247Website: www.urhome.shop2000.com.tw (in Chinese only)
Meinong Hakka Culture Museum (美濃客家文物館 )Add: 49-3, Minzu Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市美濃區民族路 49-3號 )Tel: (07) 681-8338
Meinong Traditional Hakka Cuisine (美濃古老客家菜 )Add: 362-5, Sec. 1, Zhongshan Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市美濃區中山路一段 362-5號 )Tel: (07) 681-1156
TOP TEN TOURIST TOWNS
Travel in Taiwan 25
MEINONG
Text: Owain Mckimm Photos: Maggie Song
For more than two months each summer the Luye Highland, north of Taitung City, is the venue for a marvelous event featuring colorful hot-air balloons, some of which have amazingly creative shapes.
It’s five in the morning, and the sun is
just coming up over Taitung
County’s Luye Highland (Luye Gaotai), in Taiwan’s
mesmerizing East Rift Valley. With the Central
Mountain Range to the west and the Coastal Mountain
Range to the east, the tableland provides stunning
views along the Beinan River system, the river’s many
tributaries giving rise to a patchwork of river terraces
laid out in lush fruit fields and tea plantations. At over
350 meters above sea level, the Luye Highland has, for
many years, been a popular destination for paragliders,
who come to the expansive grassy meadow with its
sloping south-facing hillside to pursue their passion.
Since 2011, however, the site has also been the launch
pad for a grander, more romantic means of f lying – the
hot-air balloon.
Just as dawn breaks over the plateau, a single
small, black helium balloon is released into the sky to
test the winds. Hundreds of pairs of eyes follow it as
it rises at a slight angle, nudged to one side by a light
breeze. Conditions are deemed favorable, and the hot-
air balloons are prepped to f ly. Ten are laid out on
the grass and, one by one, are slowly inf lated with air
until, within minutes it seems, they stand proudly,
gracefully upright, swaying in the breeze.
As we clamber into the wicker basket of one for a
scheduled ballooning jaunt, our vessel struggles against
its tethers as if impatient to get off the ground. “Are
you ready to go up?” our pilot, Edward Oordt from the
Netherlands, asks us, and with an earsplitting blast
from the burner we’re hoisted into the sky.
Colorful Balloons Paint the East Rift Valley
Ballons tak ing to the sk y
The balloon fest ival is a fun event
SPLENDID FESTIVALS
28 Travel in Taiwan
}{From a distance they
are tranquil giants, like
icebergs floating in the
water. But up close, the
roars of their burners
betray their frustration.
They are tethered beasts
yearning to be free
While for many the attraction
of ballooning
might be the serenity, f loating engineless above the clouds,
for Oordt, who sports a fantastic handlebar moustache, it’s
the sense of unpredictability. “In a balloon there’s always
excitement. Twenty-five years ago I was f lying planes, and in
a plane you just go from airport to airport, from A to B. In
a balloon, it’s always different. Sometimes the weather can
change very quickly, or if you’re f lying over woods or over a
city, finding a place to land can be very challenging.”
It’s also surprising just how big the balloons are. The one
we’re flying in has, according to Oordt, a volume of 133,000
cubic feet, and though it’s filled with nothing but hot air the
force the balloon exerts is palpably immense. Eight of the ten
balloons featured today are tethered to giant concrete dolosse in
order to keep them from making a getaway, and will carry groups
of four to a height of 50 meters before returning to the ground.
From a distance they are tranquil giants, like icebergs floating
in the water. But up close, the roars of their burners betray their
frustration. They are tethered beasts yearning to be free.
Two of the ten balloons, however, are to be let off the leash.
In previous years, only tethering was allowed at the festival, but
this year, for the first time, free-f lying trips are being offered to
groups at a price of NT$8,000 per person. Though it may seem
expensive, all available free-f lying sessions right through the
festival have been booked.
Ballons tak ing to the sk y
Baloon pi lot Edward Oordt f rom the Nether lands
SPLENDID FESTIVALS TAITUNG
Travel in Taiwan 29
{ }
Of the ten balloons on-site today, six are from the
Netherlands, adorned in striking sponsorship messages in
Dutch. There is also a checkered light-and-dark-green balloon
from the UK, nicknamed the Hulk by the organizers; an
American behemoth in the shape of a penguin wearing a cap
and shades, a Hawaiian shirt, and a camera around its neck;
and two of Taiwan’s very own, the pride of which is the heart-
shaped, strawberry-and-cream vessel with “Taiwan: The
Heart of Asia” proudly stamped across its chest.
This balloon is one of the lucky two that will take to the
skies today, to soar north along the East Rift Valley until
it finds terra firma in some as-yet-unknown destination.
It lurches slowly back and forth in anticipation of take-off.
And then finally it’s away, spinning slowly in mid-air until it
catches the wind, then streaming forward with silent purpose
over the crest of a hill and out of view.
Held over a period of ten weeks in the summer (this year from June 1 to August
11), the Taiwan International Balloon Fiesta is now in its third
year. “For over ten years we’ve held a Flying Season here at
the Luye Plateau, focused mainly on paragliding,” says Chen
Shu-hui, director-general of the Taitung County Tourism
Department. “After the first few years many other areas in
Taiwan started offering similar experiences, so we eventually
decided that we needed something fresh to attract tourists to
the area.” After deciding on hot-air balloons, and researching
the logistics for such a project, it was discovered that Taiwan
lacked both its own hot-air balloons and licensed pilots.
Consequently, in the festival’s inaugural year the organizer
were entirely dependent on the help of international pilots.
“The first year we staged the festival, we had to return all
the assets – balloons and pilots – and we realized that to lay
a proper foundation for this event we’d need to set down our
own roots. So we set into motion plans to train our own pilots
and obtain our own balloons.”
To date, seven Taiwanese have qualified as licensed
pilots, gaining their certification from the US’s Federal
Aviation Administration, and Taiwan now owns six
“The landscape here is so varied –
mountains, valleys, plains – and if you get
high enough you can even see the Pacific
over the Coastal Mountain Range”
balloons, purchased from Spanish balloon manufacturer
Ultramagic. There are plans to purchase four more after
this year’s festival.
This rapid local development has not stopped
international pilots from returning year after year
to Taitung. “The landscape here is so varied –
mountains, valleys, plains – and if you get high
enough you can even see the Pacific over the
Coastal Mountain Range,” says Chen. “It’s
not just farmland and fields. To be able to see
so much spectacular scenery in one f light is
something quite rare.”
The dramatic landscape is also something
that keeps drawing visitors back too. Only 20%
of visitors are locals from Taitung; the other 80%
come from all over Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia,
Hong Kong, and Japan. Some even come several
times in the space of a few weeks. “This festival provides
a special seasonal attraction in an already well-established
beautiful spot,” Chen states. “The Luye Highland is already a
picture in itself – but when you add in the balloons, it becomes
really breathtaking.”
This year over twenty different balloons are taking part in
the festival, and different novelty balloons are being featured
at different times. This is one advantage of the festival being so
long – the constant variety. While most ballooning festivals last
about a week, Taiwan’s is a marathon at over two months long.
As most balloonists are hobbyists, Chen invites them to
the festival for as much time as they can spare, often stretches
of one or two weeks. “This way we get to show lots of different
balloons in one two-month-plus period,” she says. “And as we
invite different novelty balloons every year, no one visit is the
same. Variety is the spice of life, as they say.”
30 Travel in Taiwan30 Travel in Taiwan
SPLENDID FESTIVALS
Getting There: From Taitung City, a taxi to the Luye Highland costs around NT$660 and takes around 35 minutes. Alternatively, you can take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus to the site. Take the East Rift Valley Line to the terminal stop. For more info about the bus service, visit
www.taiwantrip.com.tw.
English and ChineseBeinan River 卑南溪Central Mountain Range 中央山脈Chen Shu-hui 陳淑慧Coastal Mountain Range 海岸山脈
East Rift Valley 花東縱谷Luye Highland (Luye Gaotai) 鹿野高台
Taiwan International Balloon Fiesta 臺灣國際熱氣球嘉年華
This year the festival features a balloon
shaped like Darth Vader’s head,
an Angry Bird, a giant cake, a baseball-cap-wearing turtle, and
the aforementioned penguin. The classic, inverted-teardrop
balloon is, though, for me, hard to top. As they rise and fall
in the morning light, the orange glow of the burners only
momentarily revealing the human presence within, they are
simply ethereal – a natural phenomenon born of color and air.
The balloons fly only at dawn and dusk – a limitation
stemming from the fact that during the day the sun’s heat creates
thermal updrafts that make ballooning dangerous. Two hundred
tickets for the tethered flights go on sale daily at 5 a.m. and 3
p.m., with an extra two hundred going on sale after the first two
hundred passengers have flown. A tethered flight usually lasts
around ten minutes, and costs NT$500 per person. In addition,
the area has eateries, food stalls, and funfair rides for the kids,
and in the evenings there are barbecues and other events.
Pe n g u i n - s h a p e d b a l l o o n f rom the U.S .
Classic inver ted-teardrop balloon
H e a r t - s h a p e d b a l l o o n f rom Taiwan
Travel in Taiwan 31Travel in Taiwan 31
SPLENDID FESTIVALS TAITUNG
Woman in the House = PeaceIn the last issue of Travel in Taiwan we learned that the Chinese character for “man” is 男 (nan), consisting of the
two characters 田 (tian, field) and 力 (li , strength). Let’s now turn our attention to the character for “woman,”
which is 女 (nu, or more correctly, nü). It is said to have been derived from the image of a kneeling women, which when looking at
its present form requires a stretch of the imagination.
Pair 女 with子 (zi), the character for “child,” and you get 好 (hao), the character for “good,” which most people will agree
makes perfect sense, for a woman with a child is generally regarded as something good. The character 好 is, by the way, part of the
most common greeting in the Chinese-speaking world, 你好 (ni hao; lit. “you good”).
If you place the common radical 宀 (mian; roof) over 女 you get the character 安 (an; peace). A male chauvinist might smirk
when learning this character, feeling confirmed in his belief that women should stay at home to bring peace in life. Others might
instead say this character symbolizes that there is no peace without women in general.
So what if you put a roof over a pig – that is, you put the radical 宀 over the character 豕 (shi , pig)? What is the meaning of the
character you get? A pigpen? Or perhaps war, the opposite of peace?
Answer: You get the character 家 (jia), which means home. Some say that, in times past, having pigs and thus “wealth” under
your roof made a home. A female chauvinist might smirk when learning this character, however, feeling confirmed in her belief
that in many homes there is indeed a “pig” [man]...
FUN WITH CHINESE
nü hao an
Illustration: Fred Cheng
32 Travel in Taiwan
Taitung County is home to many a talented musician with indigenous background. Tiehua Village, in Taitung City, provides these musicians with a stage to perform and interact with visitors from afar.
Text: Owain Mckimm Photos: Maggie Song
Dusk falls, and the
village
comes alive. A cool breeze blows
through, bringing a welcome respite
from the fierce afternoon heat. Bats dart
above our heads, silhouetted against
the twilight. The cicadas in the trees
across the way chirp rhythmically, their
sound matched in sync with the bustle
and chatter coming from the market that
borders the village. Groups lay picnic
blankets on the grass, order drinks
from the bar, and sit back to soak in the
evening. The clang of an iron bell rings
out. A band starts to play.
Hosting live music from Wednesdays
to Sundays, as well as a local food and
handicrafts market on weekends, Tiehua
Village is not, as its name might imply, a
municipal entity. It is, however, the home
of a small, distinct community, a gathering
point for local musicians and artists, and
a platform for them to perform in a city
strangely lacking in live-music venues.
“In Taitung there have always been a lot
of talented composers and musicians, but it’s
always lacked a good, stable performance
venue where these musicians can play,” says
Xiao Lu, the bassist in tonight’s summer-
jam performance.
The east coast, and Taitung City/County
in particular, is known as a hub of Taiwan’s
indigenous culture. Seven of Taiwan’s
fourteen recognized indigenous tribes
have a significant presence in the county,
representing 15% of the area’s population
– a substantial amount when you consider
that Taiwanese aboriginals only make up 2%
of the island’s entire population.
“Here in Taitung, many of the musicians
are indigenous people, and the music we
write tends to reflect the special qualities of
our tribes. Because of this, the musicians
here, their music, and their opinions about
music are very different from those in
Taipei, and Tiehua Village has provided
a place where the musical community
can come together and develop our own
perspective on music,” Xiao Lu adds.
Taitung’s Tiehua Villagei
t
Playing a nose f lute
A Fine Place to Wind Down and Listen to Indigenous Music
MUSIC TOURS TAITUNG
34 Travel in Taiwan
Built in 2010 on the site of
old railway workers’ dormitories next to the former, now dilapidated, central station, Tiehua Village stands in the middle of the Taitung City like an enclosed bastion of bohemianism. Though Taitung, with its open sky, broad and uncluttered sidewalks, and relaxed coastal vibe, is a far cry from the congested urban headache that is Taipei, Tiehua Village nonetheless gives the impression of being an oasis of calm amidst chaotic bustle, an enclave of peace and love amongst the 24-hr convenience stores, coffee chains, and KTV complexes.
The village comprises a large grassy
area, with one side bordered by a bar and
two permanent shops – Good Buy and
the Lovely Taitung Shop, which sell local
produce and crafts. On the opposite side
is a line of gazebos, which on Fridays,
Saturdays, and Sundays shelter a local
handicraft market, the Slow Bazaar. On
the northeast side is a newly constructed
small exhibition hall, where local
sculptors and artists can display their
work, while on the southeast side there
is an outdoor stage area, and next to it
an indoor venue where gigs are relocated
if the weather turns. In accordance with
the village’s go-with-the-f low approach,
however, performances are often staged
wherever the mood of the day dictates –
on the grass, under the eaves of the shops,
next to the bar.
“For indigenous music, you don’t
need many instruments or fancy
equipment, just people together and a
few drinks, and the singing starts,” says
a laughing Fong Cheng-fa, the village
manager and a member of the Amis tribe.
Fong epitomizes the spirit of Tiehua
Village. Despite standing over six feet
tall, being built like a small house, and
having the hair of a seasoned mosher, he
is remarkably polite and soft-spoken.
“Around 70% of the bands that play
here consist of local and/or indigenous
musicians,” Fong says, “but it’s not just
about the music. Here we have the local
market, workshops, exhibitions, theater
performances – we’re trying to get the
whole community involved. This place is
a sharing space.
“Many people who come here ask
why we haven’t got more indigenous
artifacts or exhibitions, but we feel
a
uh
e
i“Here in Taitung, many of the musicians are
indigenous people, and the music we write tends to reflect the special qualities of our tribes”
Local musician play ing the saxophone
Old Taitung Rai lway Stat ion Market at T iehua V i l lage
Vil lage manager Fong Cheng-fa
MUSIC TOURS
Travel in Taiwan 35
TAITUNG
that’s too old-fashioned, too much like
a museum. We’re not like the Formosan
Aboriginal Culture Village, with model
villages and the like; we’re here to focus
on modern indigenous culture.”
While th e village is certainly not an anthropological museum, it has a definite feel of being a world apart from Taiwan’s dominant, Chinese-inf luenced culture – whether it be the hand-made indigenous crafts available in the shops, the bracelets and patterned bags on sale at the Slow Bazaar, or the millet wine f lowing at the bar.
“For a lot of musicians, the fact that
this place has a lot of indigenous color
is very reassuring – it allows indigenous
musicians to feel like they’re performing
at home, and not feel so ill at ease,” Xiao
Lu says. “If you were to ask us to perform
this music somewhere else, I think we’d
feel very different.” Many of Taiwan’s
indigenous artists have developed a warm
sense of familiarity with the village, and
feel a special kinship. In June, Mandopop
superstar A-Mei, a member of Taitung’s
Puyuma tribe, played at the village along
with mellowed-out rocker Chang Chen-
yue of the Amis, with stripped-down sets
and ticket prices of just NT$500 (a fraction
of their usual concert-ticket prices).
While a few indigenous performers
like A-Mei achieve national and even
international fame, causing their
music to become more mainstream,
many of the local musicians still
experiment with blurring the line
between traditional and modern
music. Songs are sung in the language
of the musician’s tribe, and traditional
melodies, ballads, and chants are
mixed with rock, metal, and punk in
a spirit of experimentation that, while
it may not yield perfect results every
time, is gradually making indigenous
elements a mainstay of the area’s
popular music scene.
“For us personally, if we’re writing a
modern song, it feels safer, more natural
to include indigenous elements in some
way,” says saxophonist Kabudayang, also
from the Puyuma tribe. “It’s difficult to
explain why. Perhaps it has something
to do with this music being a part of our
DNA – we hear it while we’re growing
up, from when we’re very young. It’s like
when African-Americans play the blues
or when the British play punk rock; it’s
not the same when others do it. It may
be something to do with history, and
indigenous music is also an accumulation
of history, so including it has this feeling
of being right.”
But can such diverse musical
traditions coexist in one song?
“Indigenous music tends to be simpler,
less aggrandized, less adorned with skill
and technique than modern Western
music,” Kabudayang says. “It very
directly tells you a story. But the songs
aren’t simply love ballads. There are
songs that express anger, the warrior
spirit, sadness, heartbreak, joy. The
themes, in fact, are quite similar to those
of Western music.”
Xiao Lu adds, “Nowadays, a lot of
young indigenous people are very skilled
at mixing modern music and their own
traditional songs. And the songs they
write clearly have their roots in Taiwan.
If we sing English songs, it’s clear that
they’re not our own. But if we create
songs with elements of indigenous
music, they very clearly convey a unique
Taiwanese identity.”
al liv
Building for indoor per formances Guitar player per forming on stage
MUSIC TOURS
36 Travel in Taiwan
INFOTiehua Village (鐵花村 ) Add: 26, Lane 135, Xinsheng Rd., Taitung City (台東市新生路 135巷 26號 ) Tel : (089) 343-393 Website: See http://tw.streetvoice.com/users/tiehua/ for details on upcoming performances (in Chinese only)Admission: Normal entry is NT$250 (including one drink). Tickets can be bought at the entrance.
Opening Hours & Performance Times:Tiehua Bar, Good Buy, Lovely Taitung Shop: Tue-Sun 14:00-22:00Slow Bazaar: Fri 18:00-22:00 / Sat-Sun 15:30-22:00Performances: Wed-Sat 20:00-22:00 / Sun 17:00-18:00
Getting There: From Taipei, take a train to Taitung City. From Taitung Railway Station, then take a Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus to the Visitor Center stop – you can take either the East Coast Line or the East Rift Valley Line. Tiehua Village is a short walk down the road.
English and ChineseA-Mei 阿妹Amis tribe 阿美族Chang Chen-yue 張震嶽Fong Cheng-fa 豐政發Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village 九族文化村Good Buy 好的擺
Kabudayang 卡布達漾Lovely Taitung Shop 台東好店Puyuma tribe 卑南族Slow Bazaar 慢市集Taiwan Tourist Shuttle 台灣好行Tiehua Village 鐵花村Visitor Center 服務中心Xiao Lu 小陸
eg
“Nowadays, a lot of young indigenous
people are very skilled at mixing modern music and their own traditional songs. And the songs they write clearly
have their roots in Taiwan”
T iehua V i l lage in the evening
MUSIC TOURS TAITUNG
Travel in Taiwan 37
Riding the North Coast
Line Text: Joe Henley Photos: Sunny Su, Fred Cheng, North Coast & Guanyinshan National Scenic Area
A Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus Trip from Tamsui to Keelung
Another issue of Travel in Taiwan, and once again I was on a backpack bus trip assignment. For those of you not yet in the know, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau has set up
numerous tourist-shuttle bus lines around the island, designed to make the highlights of any particular region more accessible for self-help travelers. Buses leave regularly from
major public-transportation points throughout Taiwan, with schedules clearly posted and English signage pointing you in the right direction.
One of Ju Ming's famous Tai Chi sculptures
Baisha Bay Visitor Center
New 18 Kings Temple (Shimen Wedding Plaza)
Juming Museum
MRT Tamsui Station
Yeliu Geopark
Jinshan Old Street
Keelung Railway Station (Visitor Center)
BACKPACK BUS TRIP
38 Travel in Taiwan
Sur f ing at Baishawan
This time I was taking the Crown Northern Coastline route, with six
sites laid out by the Travel in Taiwan editorial team for me to
seek out and explore. A sealed package was handed to me before the trip, much in the
fashion of some black-and-white film noir spy thriller, and inside I found five silhouette
images of landmarks I was to locate. Should I be successful, I was promised a bountiful
night-market feast in the northern port city of Keelung at the end of the trip.
Baishawan is a good, if sometimes crowded, spot to
get some sun, and has warm, shallow water
Stop IAfter purchasing a one-day pass for
just NT$100, I caught the first shuttle
leaving from MRT Tamsui Station at
9 a.m. The first image in the package
depicted a surfer riding a wave. Perusing
the stops along the shuttle line, I saw that
the bus drops people off at the Baisha Bay
Visitor Center at Baishawan, or “White
Sand Beach,” less than an hour’s ride
from Tamsui. Baishawan is a good, if
sometimes crowded (on weekends), spot
to get some sun, and has warm, shallow
water. It also has some fairly tame waves
that are great for beginners to gain a
bit of confidence their first time on a
surfboard. Luckily for me, I was able
to locate the sole surf enthusiast out on
the water this day, lazily bobbing up and
down on the modest swells, waiting for
the right wave to come along. Snapping
a picture as proof of my find, it was back
to the shuttle and on to locate the scene
depicted in picture number two.
Stop IIThe second silhouette: a majestic
archway. Not a lot to go on, but
fortunately I didn't have to wait long
to lay eyes on my architectural quarry.
Just a few minutes from Baishawan, the
next bus I took stopped at the Shimen
Wedding Plaza, a collection of pristine
white arches overlooking a calm blue-
water bay. This is a very popular place
for couples headed to the altar to take
wedding photos. It also presents a perfect
opportunity for playful editors to have
a spot of fun with their writers, as the
accompanying photo of yours truly
sporting a white wedding veil prove.
Stop IIITwo down, four to go. This is where,
sadly, I must confess to a bit of cheating.
Silhouette three should have presented a
challenge, but I had seen such an image
before and immediately knew what it
was. The silhouette was of one of the
famous Tai Chi sculptures created by
well-known Taiwanese artist Ju Ming,
and the Juming Museum was two
stops along on my route. The museum
offers a walk through the artist’s full
career, from many decades past to the
present. Starting off as a woodcarver's
apprentice in his mid-teens, Ju Ming
had the courage to forego the predictable
demand for copies of traditional temple
carvings and choose his own artistic
path, moving into abstract sculptures
that would come to be celebrated by
the worldwide artistic community. The
exhibition of the museum that bears
his name is 80 percent outdoors, so you
can lounge about and enjoy the weather
amidst approximately 3,000 of the great
artist's works. After locating the specific
Tai Chi sculpture shown in my silhouette
package, one of many laid out across a
small plateau overlooking the coastal
town of Jinshan, I did my best to emulate
the frozen movements of the black blocks
of styrofoam locked in bronze, trying not
to pull a hamstring in the process.
Wedding Plaza arch Juming Museum
BACKPACK BUS TRIP
Travel in Taiwan 39
NORTH COAST
Stop IVGood times so far on the Crown
Northern Coastline route, as expected,
but then I saw the fourth silhouette, and
feared this was to be a much greater
challenge. It was like some kind of
abstract painting crossed with a maniacal
Rorschach test. Random happenstance
plays a large role in many of my journeys
to Taiwan’s corners, and Lady Fortune
has smiled upon me many a time. This
was to be one of those instances. I had
an inkling the picture resembled some
sort of featherless cooked fowl, and so
when the bus arrived in the coastal town
of Jinshan and stopped along Jinshan
Old Street, I got out to explore the
historic artery and its many eateries and
food stalls. One place was more crowded
than most. Jin Bao Li Duck is located
right in front of Guang’an Temple, and it
was here that the source of the silhouette
suddenly appeared before me. This
well-known restaurant has been serving
juicy boiled duck since 1960, in front
of a temple that is now over a century
old. After snapping a picture with the
owner holding up one of the restaurant’s
signature birds, I was off again.
Stop VHome stretch. I pulled out the
second-to-last silhouette and... what
was it? It looked something like a bust
of Nefertiti, but since there aren't any
museums specializing in Egyptian
artifacts nearby, I just assumed it must
be a rock formation in Yeliu Geopark,
the next stop along the route. Arriving
at the park, I set out along the pathway
laid out along the smooth, alien seaside
landscape, which resembles the badland
areas of North America. Beautiful sea-
urchin fossils are preserved in the rock,
but they did not distract me from finding
Nefertiti's Taiwan twin. When in doubt,
follow the crowd, and indeed it led me to
my prize: Queen's Head Rock. Posing
for a quick picture with Her Royal
Majesty, it was then back on the bus to
seek out the final cryptic location.
Stop VI
It was now getting toward late
afternoon, and the sheer process of
elimination meant I was on the verge of
locating my final silhouette source, for
there only one stop left along the route,
Keelung Railway Station. The silhouette
rather resembled a temple entrance. But
where is it that people in Taiwan prefer to
go in the late afternoon? Yes, they pursue
that great Taiwanese passion, food. I
was sure I'd find what I was looking
for at Keelung’s famed Miaokou Night
Market, which runs down a couple of
long, intersecting lanes not far from the
city’s harbor. There you'll find food stalls
with English signage advertising what
each specializes in. The evening crowds
get pretty thick, with local foodies and
visitors from abroad keen to fill their
bellies.
Ding bian suoJuic y boiled duck
At a duck restaurant in J inshan
Queen’s Head Rock
At Miaokou Night Market
Yel iu Geopark
BACKPACK BUS TRIP
40 Travel in Taiwan
Refreshing pao -pao ice!
English and ChineseBaishawan 白沙灣ding bian suo 鼎邊趖Guang'an Temple 廣安宮hong shao man geng 紅燒鰻羹Jinshan (Old Street) 金山 (老街 )Ju Ming 朱銘Keelung 基隆Miaokou Night Market 廟口夜市pao-pao ice 泡泡冰Queen's Head Rock 女王頭Shimen Wedding Plaza 石門婚紗廣場Tamsui 淡水Yeliu Geopark 野柳地質公園
Juming Museum (朱銘美術館 )Add: 2, Xishihu, Jinshan District, New Taipei City (新北市金山區西勢湖 2號 ) Tel: (02) 2498-9940Website: www.juming.org.tw
Jin Bao Li Duck (金山金包里鴨肉 )Add: 104 , Jinbaoli St., Jinshan District, New Taipei City (新北市金山區金包里街 104號 )Tel: (02) 2498-1656
More info about the Crown Northern Coastline Route at: www.taiwantrip.com.tw/Besttour/Info/?id=41.
In the midst of this gastronomic
madness was, as my luck would have it,
a temple – “Miaokou” means “temple
mouth” – the archway of which bounded
from my black-and-white printout and
manifested itself before me. Sweet,
sweet victory, and my reward followed
forthwith: a feast fit for a hungry
backpacker fresh from the north-coast
trail. True to their word, my Travel in Taiwan companions carted me about
to one food stall after another, treating
me to ding bian suo (fish ball soup with
rice noodles), a toasted bun filled with
nutritious veggies appropriately dubbed
the “nutritious sandwich,” a sweet, finely
shaved passion-fruit ice concoction
known as pao-pao ice, bite-sized round
pieces of tempura, hong shao man geng (eel
head soup cooked in Chinese medicine)
and, finally, some almond ice jelly to
draw the feeding frenzy to a close. It was
a filling end to a fulfilling day riding
the north coast on the Crown Northern
Coastline shuttle.
Pao -pao ice
Tempura
Hong shao man geng
Nutr it ious sandwich
Almond ice je l ly
BACKPACK BUS TRIP NORTH COAST
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.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
宏祥旅行社_1-3_E_2013.01.pdf 1 2013/1/7 下午 05:33:42
Simakusi
Text: Cheryl Robbins Photos: Simakusi Visitor Center
If you really want to get away from it all, deep, deep into the
mountains, the Simakusi (Smangus) Community in Jianshi
Township of Hsinchu County is where you will want to be. This
small settlement is made up of fewer than 30 households and
less than 200 people, mostly from the indigenous Atayal tribe.
A Charming Village Deep in the Mountains
In the Atayal language, the
village is referred to as
Smangus. According to the elders of the
tribe, Mangus was one of their ancestors,
and the name Smangus was given to
commemorate and honor him. Simakusi
is the Chinese transliteration of the name.
To make things even more confusing,
the name Smangus actually refers to the
mountain on which Simakusi is located,
and other villages also located on this
mountain may be referred to as Smangus
as well. So, to avoid confusion, you might
want to stick with the name Simakusi, as
has been done in this article.
Although Hsinchu County is not
far from Taipei, visiting Simakusi is no
day-trip. This is one of the more remote
settlements in Taiwan, located at an
elevation of about 1,500 meters above
sea level. After getting off National
Freeway No. 3 near Hsinchu City it is
still a 60-kilometer, three-hour drive
along winding mountain roads. The
last 16 kilometers require almost an
hour, as the road is narrow, with heart-
stopping hairpin turns. As the tops of
several mountains come into view in
the distance, you will feel that you are
literally on top of the world.
The road into and out of Simakusi
was completed less than 20 years ago,
in 1995. Before that, if the residents
wanted to buy supplies or connect with
the outside world they had to walk many
hours and cross a river gorge.
The residents have a close connection
to the land, and have made the conscious
choice to live here. The Atayal consider
Ren’ai Township in Nantou County to
be the place of origin of their tribe. As
the population of the tribe expanded
groups moved northward and eastward,
including to Simakusi.
Smangus
42 Travel in Taiwan
HSINCHU COUNTYINDIGENOUS VILLAGES
During the Japanese occupation
of Taiwan (1895-1945), the colonial
authorities forced the people of Simakusi
to move to another part of the township.
After the Japanese left Taiwan the people
returned to rebuild their homes, farms,
and lives. Although life was hard at first,
without a road to connect them to the
outside, their priority was on reclaiming
the place where their ancestors had once
dwelled.
As Simakusi is located
high
in the mountains, there is less worry
about insect infestation, and homes can
be built from wood. Walking through
the village, you will see these rustic-
looking buildings lined up in a row. The
elementary school, which has only about
a dozen students, looks very much like a
log cabin. The residents have also built
some traditional structures, including
a watchtower and granaries. These are
some of the elements that give Simakusi
its charm.
All of the residents are involved in
some aspect of tourism, and thus there
are many opportunities to interact
with them. In addition, this tight-knit
community is working to preserve its
traditional tribal culture. There are
regularly scheduled tours of the village,
and those leading these tours dress
in traditional Atayal clothing. In the
evenings there are gatherings at the local
church, during which elders are invited
to speak in the Atayal language, with
translation into Chinese, and traditional
Atayal songs along with more modern
selections are performed by the youth of
the village.
There are several trails to hike here,
the most popular being the one that leads
to a group of nine very old cypress trees
– “old” meaning thousands of years old.
It is a walk of about 5.2 kilometers from
the village to reach the trees. Most of
the trail is fairly f lat, but parts can be
muddy, so shoes with good traction are
recommended. Allow four to five hours
to make it to the trees and back.
According to the Forestry Bureau, the
second- and third-largest cypress trees in
Taiwan are located close to Simakusi
Old c ypress tree
Mil let har vest
Simakusi in the winter
HSINCHU COUNTYINDIGENOUS VILLAGES
English and ChineseAtayal tribe 泰雅族Baling 巴陵Fuxing Township 復興鄉Jianshi Township 尖石鄉lin 鄰lin zhang 鄰長Naluo 那羅Ren'ai Township 仁愛鄉Smangus 司馬庫斯Taigang 泰崗Tianpu 田埔Xiuluan 秀巒Zhulin 竹林
Getting ThereThere is no public bus service to Simakusi, so you will need to have your own transportation. From National Freeway No. 3, exit at Zhulin (toward Zhudong and Chonglin) and connect to County Road No. 120. After connecting to County Road No. 60 you will head into the mountains, passing the villages of Naluo, Tianpu, and Xiuluan. At Xiuluan you will come to a police checkpoint. You must stop here to fill out a simple form and show some identification, such as a passport or ARC (Alien Resident Certificate). This enables the police to make sure that everyone that heads into the mountains from here is accounted for. Just before Taigang Village, there will be a fork. Take the left fork toward Simakusi.
The visitor center in Simakusi can also arrange transport between the village and HSR Hsinchu Station/Hsinchu Railway Station (charges are made per vehicle; see contact info below).
Simakusi (Smangus) Visitor CenterAdd: 2, Simakusi, Lin 14, Yufeng Village, Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County (新竹縣尖石鄉玉峰村 14 鄰司馬庫斯 2號 )Tel: (03) 584-7688; 0928-804-983Hours: (03) 584-7688; 0928-804-983Website: www.smangus.org (in Chinese only)
According to the Forestry Bureau, the
second- and third-largest cypress trees
in Taiwan are located close to Simakusi,
measuring 20.5 meters and 19.7 meters
in circumference, respectively. These
trees were not discovered by accident,
but rather through a long-term search
by the residents. In 1991, a lin zhang
(borough/neighborhood head) visited
the Baling area of Fuxing Township in
Taoyuan County and witnessed how the
discovery of old trees there had increased
tourism. That night he dreamt that there
were sacred trees in Simakusi, and he
remembered a story told to him by the
elders about a place with big trees. Upon
his return to the village he inspired the
residents to help him search, and after
three months they found the place the
elders had described.
Even if you do not have the time or
the stamina to finish this trail, any part
that you do see will be spectacular. The
trail features wooden bridges, small
waterfalls, bamboo thickets, and a forest
of trees that steadily increase in size
as you near the end. There are also a
couple of places where there have been
landslides, startling reminders of Mother
Nature’s sometimes fickle disposition.
Thus, although this trail is not difficult,
do pay attention to the surroundings
and do not attempt the hike if there has
recently been severe weather in the area.
To be able to enjoy
all of the
attractions of Simakusi, it is necessary
to stay overnight. If you do so, you will
discover the unique model for tourism
developed by the residents of the village.
Reservations for accommodation and
food are all made through a single
window, the Simakusi (Smangus) Visitor
Center. This center is operated and
managed by the village’s Presbyterian
Church. The money that is brought into
the community through its tourism
activities is distributed among all of
the households, so that everyone in the
community benefits.
The accommodation is somewhat
rudimentary, and more dormitory-style
than homestay. Rates start at NT$1,600
for a two-person room with shared
bathroom. There is a slightly more
upscale four-person room with own-
bathroom option (NT$5,000). Since it is
mostly groups that come here, the only
restaurant in the village has been set
up to serve round-table groups. Those
traveling with less than seven persons
pay NT$250 per person for lunch or
dinner. Breakfast is included in the room
rate. The fare is mostly Chinese; thus,
those wanting to try Atayal specialties
may be a bit disappointed.
The community maintains a website
with all of the basic tourism information
about the village, including maps and the
process for making reservations (www.smangus.org). There is currently only a
Chinese version, so you will need the
assistance of a Chinese speaker.
Tradit ional wooden house
INDIGENOUS VILLAGES
44 Travel in Taiwan
INDIGENOUS VILLAGES
Dragon fruit farmer Zhang L ai -t ian and his wife Hong Su - l ian
Cool Fire and Friendly DragonsText: Mark Caltonhill Photos: Sting Chen
The fire dragon fruit is a refreshing, nutritious, and healthful fruit that is available in Taiwan throughout the year. The fruit of a cactus plant, it is cultivated in areas with lots of sunshine and dry soil.
46 Travel in Taiwan
FOOD JOURNEY
Har vesting the f ruit
The next time you go for a check-up for diabetes,
high blood pressure, or constipation in
Taiwan, don’t be surprised if the doctor
recommends eating “fire dragon fruit” (huo long guo). Pitahaya – the fruit’s official
name – is rich in vitamin C and phyto-
albumin antioxidants, and its seeds are a
good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The fruit has a mild flavor, and serves as a
refreshing snack on a summer day.
Introduced from Central America to
Asia by European settlers, dragon fruit
were possibly brought to Taiwan as early
as the 17th century by Dutch colonists.
Nevertheless, it is only over the last few
decades that they have exploded in popularity
with both farmers and consumers, as well as,
more recently, with doctors.
Like other members of the cactus
family, the pitahaya is adapted to hot,
dry climates, and so thrives in areas of
exposed, low-altitude soils, which are
common around Taiwan’s coastline.
Like many related species, it grows year-
round, alternating between extending
its green, photosynthesizing stems and
producing f lowers and then fruit. These
vegetative/reproductive phases repeat
up to six times per year, producing six
harvests, meaning the fruit is available in
markets at almost all times.
Rather than
simply picking up this healthy food
in a market, however, it is more
interesting, more fun, and certainly more
educational to visit one of the country’s
growing number of leisure farms. Local
farmers teach visitors about the fruit’s
characteristics, the processes involved
in its production, and the labor involved
in harvesting it, and then invite them to
relax over some tasty dragon-fruit dishes.
Make sure, of course, to call ahead to
confirm that the fruit is in season.
One such destination, near Taipei City
and perfect for a half-day outing, is Xiang
Hao Farm. It is near Xinpo in Taoyuan
County not far from the coast, and is
owned and operated by Zhang Lai-tian and
his wife Hong Su-lian, who provide visitors
with a warm welcome and an informative
tour. Moreover, since Zhang worked as a
chef for 40 years before taking up farming,
a visit ends with a feast of delicious home-
cooked dishes.
“I planted these dragon-fruit plants
more than a decade ago,” says Zhang (in
Mandarin; visitors should make sure to
have a speaker of Chinese in their group).
“They’ve been producing fruit every
couple of months since they were half
a year old. It takes about 45 days from
f lowering for the fruit to develop. When
they’re not f lowering or fruiting, their
stems are growing; and although most
people don’t know it, you can eat those
too. They are good for stomach problems,
and taste a bit like seaweed.”
“Women on a diet should try the fruit
with a little salt,” Hong suggests, adding
that “My husband’s original recipe for a
dragon-fruit stem delicacy won second
Red-f lesh dragon fruit
Travel in Taiwan 47
DRAGON FRUITFOOD JOURNEY
The pitahaya is adapted to hot, dry climates, and so thrives in areas of exposed, low-altitude soils,
which are common around Taiwan’s coastline
Dragon f ruit f lower Ripe dragon f ruit
place at a cooking competition in Taipei’s
Grand Hotel a few years back.”
Zhang likes to eat them with a little
wasabi and thick soy sauce, whereas
Hong prefers them chilled on ice in the
summer months.
Another part of the plant rarely eaten
by non-growers is the f lower, Hong says.
These long tendrils, up to 10 centimeters
in length, can be infused as a tea, added
to stews, or even deep-fried.
A variety of itineraries are offered
to visitors: from simple pick-your-own produce experiences featuring a Zhang and Hong tag-team introduction to the culinary and health features of the fruit (produce paid for by weight), to full tours of the farm, including its other crops – among them passion fruit, lemons, lotus (the f lowers of which are admired and seeds and other parts of which can be eaten), and roselle, with f lowers that can be used to make hibiscus tea – to opportunities to learn the cultivation and harvesting technicalities, all rounded
off with a sit-down meal starring a wide range of vegetarian dishes. Some of these are prepared by Zhang, donning his chef’s hat, but visitors are encouraged to cook too, using the half-dozen open clay ovens erected near the homestead.
If visitors wish to cook meat, they
must mention this in advance, since not
only is Zhang a vegetarian, but he also
spent his four decades as a chef cooking
in Yiguandao restaurants. Yiguandao
is a syncretic religion, drawing on
elements of Confucianism, Taoism,
and Buddhism, and there are many
Yiguandao vegetarian restaurants around
the island, known for quality.
Near the end of their working lives
as a cook and a beautician, and already
with grown children, Zhang and
Hong obtained this land and, instead
of heading into a quiet retirement
playing with their grandchildren, found
themselves embarking on a new career as
fruit farmers.
“The soil in this strip of coastal land
is well-drained,” Zhang says. “This
suits cacti like the dragon-fruit plant. In
addition, the land is f lat and strong winds
are common, which prevents moisture
building up.” The only exception is at the
back of his property, where trees provide
shelter from both sun and wind, and
where he grows roselle.
This also means that irrigation is
light; Zhang hadn’t watered his crop in
three months. In fact, over-watering is a
danger to all cacti, and is one of the main
reasons why people often fail to produce
healthy dragon fruit at home, he says. It
is a relatively easy plant to grow, and can
be started simply by immersing a piece of
stem in wet soil.
Since few insects damage dragon
fruit, no spraying with pesticides is
needed. This makes it an attractive crop
for the couple, and also accords with
their religious belief to not take life.
Similarly, Zhang says that it is acceptable
for squirrels and birds to eat the fruit:
“They get hungry too.”
Does this make their farm organic?
“Well, we have not registered for
certification, so cannot openly claim our
fruit is organic,” says Hong. “In any case,
what we are focused on is producing
healthy and good-tasting fruit.”
“In any case, what we are
focused on is producing healthy and good-tasting fruit.”
Red-f lesh dragon f ruit
Dragon f ruit s tems with wasabi
48 Travel in Taiwan
FOOD JOURNEY
English and Chinesefire dragon fruit 火龍果Hong Su-lian 洪素蓮Xinpo 新坡Yiguandao 一貫道Zhang Lai-tian 張來添Zhongli 中壢
Xiang Hao Farm (翔豪農場 )Add: 37, Neighborhood 11, Tajiao Village, Guanyin Township, Taoyuan County (桃園縣觀音鄉塔腳村 11鄰 37號 )Tel: 0922-586-339 / 0975-402-921Getting there: Take a train to Zhongli Station, transfer to Taoyuan bus 5042 and get off at Xinpo (新坡 ) bus stop. Visitors are welcome on weekends but should call in advance to arrange pickup from Xinpo.
Two main varieties are
grown here.
Both have bright pink or red “fiery”
skins, which are inedible, while inside,
one has white f lesh and the other red.
“The white-f leshed variety is easier
to grow because its f lowers are more
likely to produce fruit,” Zhang says.
This might be the result of pollination,
since some varieties are capable of self-
fertilization, while others require cross-
pollination, aided by bees and perhaps
even moths and bats.
Nevertheless, it is the red-f leshed
pitahaya that the couple prefers, as do
those touting the pitahaya’s medical
benefits. It has higher doses not only of
vitamin C and almost no saturated fat,
but perhaps also of anti-oxidants, those
prized chemicals, which devotees claim
make pitahaya a “super fruit.” These
are credited with a wide range of health
benefits, from preventing hardening
of arteries, and so lowering blood
pressure and preventing heart attacks,
to removing free radicals and slowing
aging. Some even claim it inhibits the
progress of Alzheimer’s disease and can
help improve eyesight.
Whatever the truth of these claims,
dragon fruit is, ultimately, a foodstuff.
At the end of their tour, visitors to Xiang
Hao Farm sample plates of both white
and red fruit, freshly sliced by Zhang,
and try Hong’s delicious freshly squeezed
dragon-and-passion-fruit cocktail,
sweetened with a little honey. The couple
also cooperates with a local factory
to combine red-f leshed pitahaya with
milk to make dragon fruit ice-cream,
a Taoyuan specialty. Now there’s a
medicine that even children will be keen
to take dose after dose of.
Dragon f ruit ice cream and juice
Travel in Taiwan 49
FOOD JOURNEY DRAGON FRUIT
Smoothie House Chang'an Branch ~ Breakfast ShopAdd: 55 Chang'an W. Rd., Taipei City Tel: +886-2-2552-3250
Groups are welcome. Looking for cooperating travel agencies and representatives Contact: [email protected]
The Most Popular Ice Shop in Taiwan
Colorful, Sweet, and Delicious
The ice treats of Smoothie House are made with fragrant aiwen mango cultivated in Taiwan. This type of mango has a firm texture and is very juicy. The fruit meat melts in your mouth and creates an amazing sweet and sour sensation. No one seems to be able to resist this unbelievable treat.
For many tourists coming to Taiwan, visiting
Smoothie House is a must. Eating mango ice
simply is a joy and makes everyone happy.
Selling More than 1,000 Portions a DayMango ice is one of the most popular refreshing foods during the summer months in Taiwan. Try the mixed mango shaved ice, made with fresh mango, strawberry, and kiwi, a sublime combination of ice and superb fruit flavor! This is the best-selling item on the menu.
Smoothie on Facebook: www.facebook.com/smoothie151F, 15 Yongkang St., Taipei City2F, 15 Yongkang St., Da'an District, Taipei CityTaipei University Shop: 82 Guoxue St., Sanxia District, New Taipei CityTel: +886-2-2672-5078Longmen Shop: 52 Guo’ai St., Sanchong District, New Taipei CityTel: +886-2-2972-0758Beitou Shop: 294 Zhonghe St., Beitou District, Taipei CityTel: +886-2-2894-5511
Tel: +886-2-2341-8555Tel: +886-2-2395-8770
50 Travel in Taiwan
I am going to
Formosa
Fun Coast in the Bali District of New Taipei
City, one of the largest and, I hope, the most
exciting water parks in Taiwan. I am not to be
alone; some friends hop on as the train runs through
its stops. We get off at MRT Guandu Station and
transfer to bus R22 (Red 22), which has the water park
as its terminal station. Mt. Guanyin comes into view as
we cross Guandu Bridge over the Tamsui River, and we
then follow the highway along the river’s left side to the
coast. This really has the feel of a grand adventure!
We spot a large array of twisting, spaghetti-like
tubes standing out against the skyline; this is the
Formosa Fun Coast water park. In high season
(July and August) the park attracts 3,000
people on weekdays, and up to 7,000
per day on weekends. We
have come early to avoid the crowds,
but as we pass through the turnstiles the air
is already filled with the sounds of splashing,
laughter, and excitement.
Changed into our swimwear, our first stop is the
UFO Expedition. This year, in a poll of water-park
users, UFO Expedition was voted Taiwan's best ride.
We have high expectations and, climbing the 20-meter-
high staircase, a few nerves. Each f lying-saucer-like
inf latable holds up to five people, so however scary this
is going to be, we are all in it together....
We get off to a very fast start, coasting up
and down the sides of the wide slide like
skateboarders on a half-pipe. Thoroughly
soaked by the intermittent screens
Text: Paul Jacob Naylor Photos: Maggie Song, Sunny Su
It's 8 a.m. on a Thursday morning. On an MRT train full of sleepy
commuters, one young writer is wide awake — no doubt because
he is the only person on his way to a water park!
Cooling Down and Having a Blast
in a Local Water Park
ACTIVE FUN
We fly out of the tunnel and off
the end of the slide and land in a
plunge pool with a splash.
of water, we
enter a tunnel and the lights go
out. Disoriented by the dark and the
spinning of our saucer, we could well be
traveling blind through outer space! We f ly out
of the tunnel and off the end of the slide – for a
moment it is really a f lying saucer! – and land in
a plunge pool with a splash. Could there be a more
exciting 30 seconds?!
Invigorated by the UFO Expedition, we battle across
the Seattle Floating Bridge, an American Gladiators-style
assault course of f loating round and cylindrical pads. A
short stretch of swimming and a quick march up some
stairs brings us to the Tarzan Jump, a single rope swing
dangling 5 meters above a deep plunge pool.
Next we head to the Journey of Sky Pond, the
longest water slide in Southeast Asia. After climbing
into our pink number 8-shaped inf latable, we are
propelled down a twisty-turny slide and land in
the first of five “sky ponds,” all suspended above
the ground. The whims of the current – and the
slide attendants – dictate our crash course
from one pond to the next. At 400 meters
long, this is a real journey, and when we
are not busy handling the buffeting
against the sides of the slide
or overturning
in the sky ponds, we catch some
glorious views of Mt. Guanyin and the
ocean in the distance.
After lunch – Formosa Fun
Coast has a wide
array of eateries, serving everything from burgers
and fries to Taiwanese, Korean, and Italian specialties
– we feel it is time for something a little less active.
The Amazon River Voyage sounds like a safe bet. With
one rubber ring each, we drift sedately here and there,
following the river's winding course.
To our left and right we see children splashing
around in the Madagascar Adventure. While children
under 120cm cannot go on the big slides, there are
plenty of child-friendly play areas. Each space is f lanked
with several fun water cannons and, on top of the
climbing frames and small slides, is a large bucket,
which slowly fills with water and which at any given
moment can overturn, soaking everyone within a
10-meter radius!
Feeling a sense of complete relaxation,
my eyes are almost closed when Joanne,
a friend who is usually glamorously
demure, decides to start a
ACTIVE FUN WATER PARKS
Travel in Taiwan 51
52 Travel in Taiwan
Plunging downwards an
80-degree angle, I can do
nothing but close my eyes and
scream!
water fight. The
peace and calm of the Amazon
River is broken, and a battle royale
ensues...
We leave our rubber rings to continue down
the river on their own, and bound off to catch some
surf at the Formosa Fun Coast. The wave machine
is turned on and the waves, gently lapping the sandy
shore of the artificial beach, quickly turn into large
swells, almost sweeping me off my feet as we walk
into the water. After a short and restful sunbath on the
beach, we head off to find our next thrill, Aladdin's
Flying Carpet.
Laying on my belly, gripping the handholds of my
foam “carpet,” I f ly head-first down the steepest slide
of the day. This slide is covered, but a sea of twinkling
stars above – an Arabian Night? – gives off just enough
light to help me see that I am traveling very fast
indeed, my carpet zipping up and down the walls of
the slide. Suddenly, a bright light, and a big splash.
Approaching our last slide of the day, the
Bermuda Triangle, we all agree that Aladdin's
Flying Carpet has been the most thrilling so
far. At the stairs, we have three choices:
Mount one f light for The Twister, or
go right up to the top for the
Extreme Free-
Fall Slide. I think you can guess
which one we opt for.
“This is not very extreme,” I say to myself,
getting off to a slow start. Then I look past my
feet and see, with horror, that the slide is about to
run out. Plunging downwards an 80-degree angle, I
can do nothing but close my eyes and scream! I am
deposited into the plunge pool a shaking wreck. I get
out and go straight back up to the top. The feeling of
sheer terror as I see the end of the slide approaching
does not disappear the second time round. Five seconds
of near zero-G force later and I am back in the plunge
pool. Up to the top again; certainly, and inadvertently,
we have saved the best till last!
After September, the fun does not stop at
Formosa Fun Coast even though the slides are
closed. Instead, the Tang Spa offers some winter
warmth and relaxation. Decorated in the style of
the Tang Dynasty, the 4000m2 spa-hotel-restaurant
complex boasts a wide range of outdoor pools as
well as saunas, water jets to treat muscle pain,
and private baths. If you fancy playing at
Adam and Eve pre-temptation there is also a
nude spa.
ACTIVE FUN
English and ChineseAladdin's Flying Carpet 阿拉丁飛毯Amazon River Voyage 漂流亞馬遜Bali District 八里區Bermuda Triangle 百慕達禁區Formosa Fun Coast 歡樂海岸Guandu 關渡Journey of Sky Pond 天池之旅
Madagascar Adventure 勇闖馬達加斯加Mt. Guanyin 觀音山Seattle Floating Bridge 西雅圖浮橋Tamsui River 淡水河Tarzan Jump 泰山跳水UFO Expedition 幽浮迷航Zhongshan Road 中山路
Getting ThereTo get to the Formosa Fun Coast water park, take bus no. 13 or Red No. 22 from MRT Guandu Station. If self-driving, the park is easy to find, just off Highway No. 15 (Zhongshan Road) a little west of the raised Expressway No. 64. The park is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in June and September, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in July and August, except weekends, when it closes at 10 p.m. General admission is NT$$650 (NT$$550 for children). If you arrive after 5 p.m. you pay only NT$450 (NT$360).
Other Water Parks in TaiwanFormosa Fun Coast is not the only water park in Taiwan. Cooling water fun also awaits at Leofoo Village’s Leofoo Water Park in Hsinchu County, at Lihpao Land’s Mala Bay Water World in Taichung City, and at Janfusun Fancyworld’s Vicky the Viking water park in Yunlin County.
Leofoo Water Park is located next to Leofoo Village Theme Park and Leofoo Resort Guanshi. It has a distinct Greek style, and features a variety of water slides. There are a total of 16 water attractions, including eight water rides with unique shapes, a pool with man-made waves, a water cannon area, a fountain area, a sand area, and a family water-play area.
Mala Bay is the largest water park in Taiwan. It features a variety of water attractions, including a huge open-air artificial wave pool, a water-fun house, hydro slides, children's pools, the Lazy River, and much more.
Earlier this year, the Vicky the Viking Pirate Village opened at Janfusun Fancyworld amusement park. The village features multiple amusement facilities, such as the Magical Mirror Maze, the Vicky Lazy River, and Viking Waves. There is also a Pirate Stomp Show performed by professional Taiwanese and foreign dancers, exclusive Vicky the Viking merchandise, and pirate-themed meals.
Formosa Fun Coast (八仙海岸水上樂園 )Add: 1-6, Xiaguzi, Xiagu Borough, Bali District, New Taipei City (新北市八里區下罟里下罟子 1-6號 ) Tel: (02) 2610-5200Website: www.formosafuncoast.com.tw (in Chinese)
Leofoo Water Park (六福水樂園 )Add: 60, Gongzigou, Ren’an Borough, Guanxi Township, Hsinchu County (新竹縣關西鎮仁安里拱子溝 60號 )Tel: (03) 547-5665Website: www.leofoo.com.tw/village/waterpark/en
Mala Bay (馬拉灣 )Add: 8, Furong Rd., Houli District, Taichung City (台中市后里區福容路 8號 )Tel: (04) 2558-2459Website: www.lihpaoland.com.tw/mala/ (Chinese)
Vicky the Viking Pirate Village (小威の海盜村水樂園 )Add: 67, Dahukou, Yongguang Village, Gukeng Township, Yunlin County (雲林縣古坑鄉永光村大湖口 67號 )Tel: (05) 582-5789Website: http://fancyworld.janfusun.com.tw/webc/html/facility/facility04.aspx (Chinese)
Travel in Taiwan 53
WATER PARKSACTIVE FUN
Getting a Good Luck Charm at Xingtian Temple
Photos: Fred Cheng
Sometimes you just have a run of bad luck, or
you worry that you might be about to.
What to do if none of your “logical” actions seems to help? How
about seeking heavenly protection?
In Taiwan this is a very common practice, and most of the
faithful you see in local temples are doing exactly this when,
incense sticks in hand, they stand in front of the statue of a deity.
Many people in Taiwan always have good luck charms
around. Some put them in their purse, some attach them inside
their vehicle. These charms are obtained at temples, including
Taipei’s Xingtian Temple, a very popular place of worship which
always seems to be thronged with people.
After entering the courtyard of this temple you first go to one
of the volunteers handing out incense sticks. You take two and
first pay reverence to the Lord of Heaven (the Jade Emperor) and
the saints and sages of old, facing the front entrance of the temple
with the incense sticks in hand. Using your left hand, you put
one of the sticks in the incense burner there. You then walk to
the other side of the courtyard and, facing the temple’s main hall,
pay reverence to the Five Saviors and the other deities inside the
hall, putting the second incense stick, again with your left hand,
in the incense burner there.
Then take two half-moon-shaped divination blocks out of
the containers provided, hold them in your hands, and ask the
deities for permission to receive a good luck charm. Silently give
the Saviors your personal details (full name, address, age, and
date of birth), ask your question, and throw the two blocks on
the ground. There are three possible answers: Undecided (the
f lat side of both blocks face up), Negative (f lat sides face down),
and Positive (one f lat side faces up, one down). If the answer
is Undecided, you can throw the blocks again, until you get a
different answer. If the answer is Negative, your wish is not
granted, and you have to come again another day. If the answer
is Positive, you are granted permission to take your good luck
charm home.
After receiving a positive answer, go to the temple’s
information desk and ask for a good luck charm. Return to the
incense burner before the deities in the main hall and, holding
the good luck charm in your hands, move your hands clockwise
three times above the burning incense sticks in the incense
burner. This way you’ll make sure that the good luck charm is
blessed, and will thereafter protect you.
Xingtian Temple is easily reached by taking the MRT Zhonghe-Xinzhuang/Luzhou Line (Orange Line) and getting off at Xingtian Temple Station.
54 Travel in Taiwan
DAILY LIFE
Heavenly protec tion guaranteed
Moving the good luck charm in the incense burner
Paying reverence to the Five Saviors
1.
2.3.
4.
5.
Put t ing the joss s t ick s in the incense burner Throwing the hal f-
moon-shaped div ination block s
Travel in Taiwan 55
HOTEL ÉCLAT怡亨酒店 Taipei 台北
370, Sec. 1, Dunhua S. Rd., Da-an District, Taipei City 1061 0 6 台北市敦化南路一段37 0號
Tel: 02.2784.8888 Fax: 02.2784.7888Res. Hotline: 02.2784.8118
www.eclathotels.com
No. of Rooms: 60
Room Rates: Deluxe Room NT$ 12,000 Grand Deluxe Room NT$ 12,500 Premier Room NT$ 13,000 Premier 9 NT$ 15,000 Éclat Suite NT$ 35,000(All rates are exclusive of 5% VAT and 10% service charge)
Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:English, Taiwanese, Chinese, Japanese, Cantonese,
RestauRaNts: Éclat Lounge, George Bar
sPecial featuRes: Member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World; strategically located in the most fashionable and prestigious district of Taipei; offers guests great convenience for business and entertainment; Wi-Fi connectiv-ity and in-room business facilities; variety of meeting rooms providing the ideal venue for professional meetings, corporate functions, and social gatherings.
COSMOS HOTEL TAIPEI台北天成大飯店 Taipei 台北
43, Chunghsiao (Zhongxiao) W. Rd.,Sec. 1, Taipei City, 100
(MRT Taipei Main Station, Exit M3)1 0 0台北市忠孝西路一段4 3號 (捷運台北車站M 3號出口)
Tel: 02.2361.7856 Fax: 02.2311.8921Reservation Hotline: 02.2311.8901
Reservation Fax: 02.2311.8902 E-mail: [email protected]
www.cosmos-hotel.com.tw
No. of Rooms: 225Room Rates: SUPERIOR SINGLE NT$ 4,500 SUPERIOR TWIN NT$ 5,000 EXECUTIVE DELUXE NT$ 5,200 DELUXE TWIN NT$ 5,500 FAMILY TRIPLE NT$ 5,600 DELUXE TRIPLE NT$ 5,800 FAMILY QUAD NT$ 6,200 DELUXE QUAD NT$ 6,800 VIP ROOM NT$ 6,800 JUNIOR SUITE NT$ 8,000 DELUXE SUITE NT$ 16,800 COSMOS SUITE NT$ 20,000Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: Chinese, Japanese, English, Cantonese
RestauRaNts: Cantonese Dimsum, Shang-hai Cuisine, Buffet Breakfast, Lily Café, Ditrevi Ice Cream Shop, La Fusion Bakery
sPecial featuRes: Conference Room, Banquet Hall, Gift Shop, Barber Shop, Flower Shop, Parking Space, Gym
No. of Rooms: 220
Room Rates: Deluxe / Single / Twin & Double NT$ 7,800~8,500 Suite NT$ 9,500~20,000
Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: Chinese, English, Japanese
RestauRaNts: La Fontaine (Western), Chiou Hwa (Chinese)
sPecial featuRes: Coffee Shop, Fitness Center, Business Center, laundry service, meeting and banquet facilities, non-smoking floor, parking lot, airport transfer service
GLORIA PRINCE HOTEL TAIPEI華泰王子大飯店 Taipei 台北
369 Lin-sen (Linsen) N. Rd., Taipei City, 1041 0 4台北市林森北路3 6 9號
Tel: 02.2581.8111Fax: 02.2581.5811, 2568-2924
www.gloriahotel.com
HOTEL SENSE伸適商旅 Taipei 台北
No. of Rooms: 79Room Rates: Superior Room NT$ 7,500 Business Room NT$ 8,500 Deluxe Room NT$ 9,500 Executive Deluxe Room NT$ 9,000 Executive Suite NT$ 10,000 Sense Suite NT$ 15,000 Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Chinese
sPecial featuRes: Business center, fitness center, meeting rooms, Club House with luxury furniture and advanced media facilities for private meetings and gatherings, wood-floored open-air Sky Garden, parking tower, close to the MRT system near Zhongshan Elemen tary school MRT station and key commercial and entertainment districts.
477 , Linsen N. Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City 1041 0 6台10 4台北市中山區林森北路47 7號
Tel: 02.7743.1000 Fax: 02.7743.1100 E-mail: [email protected]
www.hotelsense.com.tw
No. of Rooms: 203Room Rates: Deluxe Room NT$ 8,000 Business Room NT$ 9,000 Executive Deluxe Room NT$ 10,000 Boss Suite NT$ 15,000 Premier Suite NT$ 20,000
Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Cantonese
RestauRaNts: Rain Forest Café, Garden Terrace, Lounge 81
sPecial featuRes: Business center, Pyramid Club - luxury executive floor, multifunctional room, Internet service, 32-inch LCD TV, garden terrace, bar, fitness club, outdoor pool, sauna, spa, aromatherapy, car park
MIRAMAR GARDEN TAIPEI美麗信花園酒店 Taipei 台北
83 Civic Boulevard, Sec. 3, Taipei City, 1041 0 4台北市市民大道三段8 3號
Tel: 02.8772.8800 Fax: 02.8772.1010E-mail: [email protected]
www.miramargarden.com.tw
Hotels of Taiwan
*Hotel list in alphabetical order from Northern to Southern Taiwan.
Visitors to Taiwan have a wide range of choice when it comes to
accommodation. From five-star luxury hotels that meet the highest
international standards, to affordable business hotels, to hot-spring and beach
resort hotels, to privately-run homestays located in the countryside there is a
place to stay that satisfies every traveler’s needs. What all hotels of Taiwan —
small and big, expensive and affordable — have in common is that serve and
hospitality are always of the highest standards. The room rates in the following
list have been checked for each hotel, but are subject to change without notice.
Room rates at the hotels apply.
56 Travel in Taiwan
ALISHAN HOUSE阿里山賓館 Chiayi 嘉義
No. of Rooms: 139
Room Rates: Scenery Suite Room/Twin Room NT$ 6,600 Double Suite NT$ 10,000 Fragrant Suite Room/Quad Room NT$ 12,000 Superior Suite NT$ 16,000 VIP Suite NT$ 16,000 Executive Suite NT$ 26,000 Handicapped Suite(Free Space Room) NT$ 26,000 President Suite NT$ 300,000
(Prices above not including 10% Service Charge)
GeNeRal maNaGeR: Mr. Jen-Shing Chen
Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:Chinese, English, Japanese
RestauRaNts: Chinese, Café, Courtyard
sPecial featuRes: Broadband Internet access in guestrooms, business center, Souvenir Shop, Gazebo, 1950’s dance hall, foot massage
16 Sianglin Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County, 605
6 0 5嘉義縣阿里山鄉香林村16號 ALISHAN Tel: 05.267.9811 Fax: 05.267.9596 TAIPEI Tel: 02.2563.5259 Fax: 02.2536.5563
E-mail: [email protected]
www.alishanhouse.com.tw
THE GRAND HOTEL圓山大飯店 Taipei 台北
No. of Rooms: 487 (Suites: 57)Room Rates: Single/DBL NT$ 5,700 – 11,000 Suite NT$ 15,000 – 28,000
Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, French, Spanish, and Japanese
RestauRaNts: Western, Cantonese, Northern China Style Dumplings, tea house, coffee shop
sPecial featuRes: Grand Ballroom, conference rooms for 399 people, 10 breakout rooms, business center, fitness center, sauna, Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, billiards
1 Chung Shan N. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City, 10461 R.O.C1 0 4 6 1台北市中山北路四段1號
Tel: 886.2.2886.8888Fax: 886.2.2885.2885
www.grand-hotel.org
REGENT TAIPEI台北晶華酒店 Taipei 台北
No. of Rooms: 538
Room Rates: Superior Room NT$ 12,000 Deluxe Room NT$ 13,000 Junior Suite NT$ 20,500 Corner Suite NT$ 30,500 Residence NT$ 17,000 Elite Suite NT$ 24,500Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:English, Japanese, Chinese
RestauRaNts:Szechuan & Cantonese Cuisine, Japanese Cuisine, Steak House & Teppanyaki, Lounge Bar, Buffet, Café
sPecial featuRes: Executive business center, fitness center, sauna, rooftop swim-ming pool, SPA, ballroom and convention facilities, parking, laundry service, 24-hour room service, wireless Internet, airport transportation service
No.3, Ln.39, Sec.2, Zhongshan N. Rd., Taipei City, 1041 0 4台北市中山北路二段3 9巷3號
Tel: 02.2523.8000Fax: 02.2523.2828
www.regenttaipei.com
TAIPEI GALA HOTEL慶泰大飯店 Taipei 台北
186 Songjiang Rd., Taipei City,1041 0 4台北市松江路18 6號
Exit 1 of MRT Xingtian Temple Station on the Luzhou Line.
Tel: 02.2541.5511 Fax: 02.2531.3831Reservation Hotline: 02.2541.6888
E-mail: [email protected]
www.galahotel.com.tw
No. of Rooms: 160
Room Rates: Single Room NT$ 5,800 Deluxe Single Room NT$ 6,200 Deluxe Twin Room NT$ 6,800 Suite Room NT$ 9,800
Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:English, Japanese, Chinese
RestauRaNts: Golden Ear Restaurant (Western semi buffet); Golden Pot (Chinese Cuisine)
sPecial featuRes: Business Center, meeting rooms, airport transfer service, parking lot, laundry service, free Internet access, LCD TV, DVD player, personal safety box, mini bar, private bathroom with separate shower & bath tub, hair dryer
11F (Lobby) No. 495, Guangfu S. Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City 11074
1 1 0 74台北市信義區光復南路49 5號 1 1樓
Tel: 02.8780.8000 Fax: 02.8780.5000 E-mail: [email protected]
www.businesscenter.com.tw
PACIFIC BUSINESS HOTEL太平洋商旅 Taipei 台北
No. of Rooms:
95 rooms, 28 instant offices, 4 conference rooms Room Rates: Boutique Room NT$ 7,700+10% Business Room NT$ 8,400+10% Junior Room NT$ 9,800+10% Executive Room NT$ 11,000+10% Family Room NT$ 12,000+10% Pacific Room NT$ 12,000+10%
Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Chinese
RestauRaNt: Ju-Yi RestaurantsPecial featuRes: Free wireless access, Hi-speed ADSL broadband internet, VIP lounge, Business Center, safety deposit box, private conference rooms, private of-fice rental service, secretarial service, gym, plane parking lots, launderette, airport pick-up and limousine service
No. of Rooms: 121Room Rates: Cozy NT$ 7,200 Deluxe NT$ 7,800 Premier NT$ 8,500 Premier City View NT$ 8,800 Dual Queen NT$ 10,800 Premier Dual Queen NT$ 11,800 Executive Suite NT$ 12,800 Grand Suite NT$ 12,800 Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Chinese, JapaneseRestauRaNts: Unwind Bar & Restaurant sPecial featuRes:
Located in the heart of the energetic Xi-mending; 1 minute on foot to MRT Ximen Station; free wireless Internet access; fitness center; business center; laundry; meeting room; complimentary Chinese/Western buffet breakfast; safety deposit box; express laundry service; limousine service; airport pick-up.
TAIPEI WESTGATE HOTEL永安棧 Taipei 台北
No.150, Sec. 1, Zhonghua Rd., Wanhua Dist., Taipei City, 108
(MRT Ximen Station, Exit 6)
1 0 8台北市中華路一段15 0號
Tel: 02.2331.3161 Fax: 02.2388.6216Reservation Hotline: 02.2388.1889
www.westgatehotel.com.tw
TAICHUNG HARBOR HOTEL台中港酒店 Taichung 台中
388, Sec. 2, Dazhi Rd.,Wuqi District, Taichung City 4354 3 5台中市梧棲區大智路二段3 8 8號
Tel: 04.2656.8888 Fax: 04.2656.8899 www.tchhotel.com
No. of Rooms: 200Room Rates: Superior Single NT$ 5,600 Deluxe Single NT$ 6,200 Family Twin NT$ 7,600 Corner Semi-Suite NT$ 8,800 Harbor Suite NT$ 10,800 Executive Suite NT$ 12,800 Presidential Suite NT$ 38,000
Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Chinese
RestauRaNts: Gladden Restaurant, Fukumi-nato Japanese Restaurant, Pier 88 Lounge Bar
sPecial featuRes:
SEA SPA, Fortune Boutique Shop, Gym, Conference Room
Taichung Harbor Hotel will make you feel at home with its newest and complete facilities and a tranquil environment.
CHATEAU DE CHINE HOTEL KAOHSIUNG翰品酒店高雄 Kaohsiung 高雄
No. of Rooms: 152Room Rates: Standard Single Room NT$ 6,000 Standard Double Room NT$ 6,700 Standard Triple Room NT$ 7,500 Standard Family Room NT$ 8,000 Standard Suite NT$ 9,000 Executive Single Room NT$ 8,000 Deluxe Single Room NT$ 7,000 Deluxe Double Room NT$ 7,200 Deluxe Family Room NT$ 9,000 Deluxe Suite NT$ 14,000 Chateau de Chine Suite NT$ 50,000
Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Chinese, Japanese
RestauRaNts: Japanese, Chinese, Cantonese Dim Sum, Lounge Bar
sPecial featuRes:
Multi-functional meeting room, banquet hall, business center, wedding planning center, gym, free use of wired/wireless Internet, silent refrigerator, electronic safe, personal bathrobe/slippers, free cable TV, free use of laundry room, all-new TV-sets
43 Daren Rd., Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City8 0 3高雄市鹽埕區大仁路4 3號
Tel: 07.521.7388 Fax: 07.521.7068 kaohsiung.chateaudechine.com