Taiwan’s major cities are remarkable centers of industriousness. People work long hours, yet many also fit in early morning sessions of tai chi in a park near their home, not to mention evening visits to the local night market for snacks. For many visitors, the 24/7 urban energy is part of Taiwan’s appeal. Other Taiwan…
According to many history books, the Chinese Civil War ended in May 1950 with the Communist capture of Hainan Island. By then, Chiang Kai-shek and his Chinese Nationalist (KMT) government had relocated to Taipei, and the world was beginning to refer to Taiwan as “Free China.” For Nationalist soldiers stationed on several islands within artillery…
The onetime place of exile has become a tourist magnet. Like Alcatraz in the San Francisco area, Taiwan’s Green Island was for decades synonymous with the loss of freedom. Unlike Alcatraz, however, it offers much more than penal history. Many visitors to Green Island stay a night or two to escape to a more pristine…
The archipelago of Matsu, which lies more than 90 nautical miles northwest of Taiwan’s main island but less than 10 nautical miles from the Chinese mainland, is attracting growing interest from tourists looking to explore its relatively remote islands and learn about its history and culture. Within the archipelago, one place of particular interest is…
When they find out that the island’s name literally means “seven beauties,” would-be visitors to Qimei could be forgiven for thinking the appellation refers to scenic spots. Qimei is, after all, a spectacular place of rocky coves, basalt cliffs, and undulating grasslands. Qimei (sometimes spelled Chimei or Cimei) is the southernmost link in the chain…
Taiwan’s Penghu County is an archipelago of 90 islands and islets, yet many of the tourists who fly in from Taipei, 275 kilometers to the northeast, never set foot on a boat once during their vacation. From the main airport, four of the county’s six local-government divisions can be reached by rented car or motorcycle,…
As is true for all island nations, Taiwan’s history and character have been shaped by the surrounding ocean. The ancestors of its indigenous people crossed the sea more than four millennia ago. From the 1600s onward, large numbers of migrants sailed from the Chinese mainland and settled on Taiwan’s western lowlands. Nowadays Taiwanese are far…
There is more to Taiwan than just Taiwan – meaning the country consists of more than the main island on which over 99% of its citizens live. In addition to the Kinmen and Matsu archipelagos (which are far closer to the Chinese mainland than to Taipei), the windswept Penghu Islands in the Taiwan Strait, and…
More than 99% of Taiwan’s people live on an island that is often likened to a tobacco leaf in terms of shape, and frequently described as a biodiversity hotspot of global significance. The island of Taiwan also has the lion’s share of the country’s land area, but this does not mean visitors should skip the minor…
When Taiwan was in its geological youth, volcanic activity was a major force shaping the landscape. Fugui Cape, Taiwan’s northernmost point, was created millions of years ago when a volcano in what is now Yangmingshan National Park hurled lava and rocks as far as the coast. Green Island, Lanyu (Orchid Island), and nearly all of…
