Tainan is a tourist magnet that deserves every bit of attention it gets. In addition to a stupendous number of ancient shrines, the heart of the city boasts imposing landmarks from the 1895-1945 period of Japanese colonial rule, and a maze of alluring alleyways. Even though the city lost its status as Taiwan’s administrative capital…
In terms of economics and population, Taoyuan has become one of Taiwan’s key municipalities. Improved transportation infrastructure has reduced commuting time to central Taipei, about 27 kilometers away, attracting an influx of families. Major projects like the Taoyuan Aerotropolis are helping this bastion of manufacturing reinvent itself. Taoyuan is the location of Taiwan’s principal international…
Southwestern Taiwan is a strong-hold of traditional Taiwanese culture. Many people in this region still speak “Minnanhua,” the local Chinese dialect also known as Taiwanese, in preference to Mandarin. Yet at the same time, the southwest has a corridor of Hakka settlements stretching nearly 50 kilometers from north to south. Taiwanese society is a multiethnic…
Visitors to Taiwan looking for a place to properly unwind often prefer the less developed, less crowded eastern half of the island. But even along the generally highly populated western plain, it is possible to find spots that are relatively unspoiled and can make for a tranquil, relaxing getaway. A prime example is Miaoli County,…
In the Taiwan of yesteryear, there was minimal interaction between places that are now just one hour’s drive from each other. Before the 20th century, the island had few proper roads and just one short stretch of railway. Getting from the island’s north to the south, or from the west to the east, often involved…
Thanks to Taiwan’s network of freeways and expressways, it is usually possible to get from the harbor metropolis of Kaohsiung to Kenting National Park — 110 kilometers away on the island’s southern tip — in a little over two hours. For local people trying to pack as much seaside fun into the weekend as possible,…
The central Taiwan city of Taichung covers just over 6% of the island’s land area and has a little under 12% of the population of 23.6 million, yet it includes a stunning range of landscapes. Near the coast, where visitors flock to the old temple town of Dajia and the wetlands at Gaomei, the terrain…
Visitors eager to get a glimpse of the Taiwan of yore can easily devote an entire day to Lukang and at least two days to Tainan. Lukang, a small town on the west coast, in its 18th-century heyday was one of the island’s foremost centers of trade, while Tainan was Taiwan’s capital for over 200…
No part of Taiwan is better suited to a slow-travel getaway than the East Rift Valley. This lush region stretches from just outside Hualien City to near Taitung City, 167 kilometers to the south by road. None of the townships in the valley has more than 25,000 inhabitants, and most have fewer than half that….
If you have no more than a week to explore Taiwan, and no burning desire to spend an hour on a train or a bus, it makes sense to stay close to Taipei. The capital and its hinterlands are full of places of interest. Whether you have a passion for architecture, culture, ecology, or food,…
