If three solid months traveling around the island researching a new memoir/ travel book while introducing Taiwan to my partner Stephanie has taught me anything, it’s this: Taiwan marches to its own beat. From a massive spherical shopping mall to a humble countryside church that happens to resemble a gigantic glass slipper, the Taiwanese have a…
This remote indigenous village lives on tourism but is determined to preserve its traditional way of life. The road to Smangus (司馬庫斯) is difficult, especially for a travel writer prone to motion sickness. If the idea of a motion-sick travel writer strikes you as odd, so be it. Smangus is a study in balanced contradictions….
Taiwan is now a mecca not just for bicycle importers but for enthusiasts as well. “Ni Fengle!” (You’re crazy!) I remember fondly those words, spoken by my Taiwanese landlady Ms. Yeh on hearing my plan to cycle to Taipei from our shared home in Shuangshi, a small town on the outskirts of the Hsinchu Science…
Looking for a uniquely Taiwanese cycling challenge but can’t get two weeks off to huan dao (circle the island)? Have you become so good at navigating Taipei’s frequently changing bike-lane system that you’re lacing your coffee with Whisbih just to keep it interesting? Then you, cycling friend, ought to consider joining an organized cycling race….
Long-time Topics contributor, Lonely Planet writer, and all-around travel geek Joshua Samuel Brown returns from a trip to Yilan with four food-themed vignettes. Yuanshan Township: Taiwan’s Best Chicken Vegetarians can’t comprehend the visceral, savage joy of ripping apart a roasted bird with their bare hands, and this is one of several reasons they (and their…
