An increase in fatal traffic accidents last year highlights the relative danger of Taiwan’s heavily trafficked roads and the need to implement better safety protocols based on proven international standards. On their first full day in Taiwan in September 2013, Jason and Keiko Jenkins and their two children were given a terrifying lesson in local…
Although insects are not as big a part of Taiwanese food traditions as they are in some other parts of the world, a handful of companies and individuals are trying to bring this fledgling food trend into the mainstream. Crispy fried bee larvae appear on a few menus in the Taiwanese countryside, as do crickets….
While Taiwan’s tourism industry is currently reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, the increasing number of elderly Taiwanese travelers represents untapped growth potential. For Taiwan’s tourism industry, the rapidly aging population presents both challenges and opportunities. Many attractions and accommodations are not adjusted to visitors with physical limitations. On the other hand, the number of people…
By using tactics and technology to avoid overcrowding at popular destinations and involving the input and expertise of local communities, Taiwan can begin to distribute tourist dollars more evenly. The problem exists wherever tourism is a significant industry. During peak seasons, popular destinations look like they might buckle under the weight of visitors. At other…
Travelers in Taiwan these days can expect to find a wide range of unique, modern places to stay. Type the name of any popular resort area or major city into a booking website and a huge list of options for lodging will appear. But if you have slightly unusual requirements – you need wheelchair access,…
Despite its gloomy reputation, Yunlin County – rich in culture and history – can provide a tranquil escape from the bustle of big city life. Photo credit: Steven Crook Situated just over 200 kilometers southwest of Taipei by freeway, Yunlin County suffers from a reputation for being flat, uninteresting, and insignificant. It has none of…
A growing emphasis on social and environmental responsibility among major U.S. corporations has begun influencing the practices and operations of their Taiwanese supply chain partners as well. Last summer, President Tsai Ing-wen announced that starting from the first day of 2021, Taiwan would allow the importation of U.S. pork containing trace amounts of ractopamine. Some…
By Steven Crook and Katy Hui-wen Hung Families across Taiwan continue to engage in an ancient tradition of offering up ritual feasts to their ancestors. One clan has been performing these rites in the northern city of Taoyuan for over two centuries. Ancestor worship is an ancient and persistent custom among Han Chinese. Traditionally, deceased…
Several local startups are developing products aimed at reducing the massive amount of single-use plastics consumed on the island. Taiwan has a dismal recycling rate for single-use plastics. In fact, of the approximately 16 billion plastic bags that Taiwan goes through each year, fewer than 10% are recycled, says Jason Huang, co-founder of Re-Think, a…
Fresh seafood with a side of history and local customs is served up in sleepy hamlets around Taiwan’s coastline. Taiwan’s spectacular mountain scenery is widely appreciated. But with the exception of a few places in the north and the east, the island’s coastline doesn’t receive a great deal of admiration. Much of the seashore is…
