Besides Taiwan’s traditional cultural center of Taipei in the north, Kaohsiung is now rapidly developing as a vibrant secondary market with the help of its wide range of performance venues. When famed British rock group Coldplay presents two concerts in Kaohsiung this November, it will further embellish the reputation of the southern port city as…

Twenty years ago, live stand-up comedy was a rarity in Taiwan. Now, thanks to the efforts of a committed core of performers, things have taken off – though not necessarily in a direction everyone had anticipated. When I met Brian Tseng more than five years ago at a comedy event in Taipei, he was a…

Nestled in the mountains of Yilan’s Datong County, Cilan Divine Tree Garden is one of Taiwan’s 18 potential World Heritage Sites. STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN CROOK We were still some distance from Cilan Divine Tree Garden (棲蘭神木園區) when I realized that the area’s strict entry requirements protect more than the ecology of this remote…

While they haven’t always been popular vacation options, camping and the more luxurious alternative glamping are seeing a boost in Taiwan. As the sun rises on a brand-new day over the mountains of Hsinchu County’s Jianshi Township, two groups are waking up under widely differing circumstances at the Leisha Dabasi Campground. One group is on…

Lukang, which once served as an important trading port for Taiwan, now sees tourists flocking to enjoy traditional fare and historic sites. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DINAH GARDNER Its name may mean deer harbor (鹿港), but today Lukang (sometimes rendered Lugang) is more a city of birds. In the shifting hours when day becomes night…

TOPICS editors sat down with Lan Tsu-wei, president of the Taiwan Film & Audiovisual Institute (TFAI), to talk about the development of Taiwanese cinema, its relationship to the world and society, and TFAI’s role in preserving films of the past.   What is the Taiwan Film & Audio-visual Institute and how has it developed over the…

The Caoling Historic Trail, which offers some of Taiwan’s most spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, provides hikers with a rare glimpse into Yilan County’s early Chinese colonization.  The Caoling Historic Trail (草嶺古道) is over two centuries old. The path, which today is 10 kilometers long and crosses the border between New Taipei City and…

Freediving, paragliding, canyoning, and rock climbing are exhilarating and easily accessible ways to discover more of Taiwan. Taiwan offers plentiful natural beauty. You can drink in the green just about anywhere here, whether by hiking up a mountain or glancing up at one from the city streets. But if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous,…