Around the time the Mengjia Longshan Temple (艋舺龍山寺) was founded in 1738, a grim aphorism was circulating on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Cha̍p lâng lâi tâi saⁿ tī la̍k bông chi̍t hôe thâu (the Holo pronunciation of 十人來台 六亡三在一回頭) translates as: “Of every ten people who have reached Taiwan, just three remain; six…
View the plants and creatures of the deep on an undersea adventure at one of Taiwan’s many splendid diving spots. An island nation surrounded by the bounty of the Pacific Ocean, Taiwan doesn’t merit a mention in the world’s top 100 diving lists. This omission comes despite Taiwan’s considerable natural advantages, diverse array of fish…
The chirping of birds amid trees and ponds may not be what first comes to mind when one thinks of Taipei, but thanks to extensive private and public efforts city residents can enjoy a number of oases of nature and serenity. A good way to discover some of the best parks in Taipei is to…
Kenting’s tourist arrivals have plunged amidst complaints about service quality, prices, and litter. Kenting is the closest Taiwan gets to a tropical Arcadia. The small seaside town lies in a secluded peninsula near the island’s southernmost point, about 200 kilometers south of the Tropic of Cancer. White-sand beaches abound. The sun blazes, coloring the temperate…
While evolving from outdoor performances in villages and city neighborhoods to television and the internet, budaixi has maintained its popularity. Puppet theater’s rich history throughout Asia is well known. China boasts several styles of puppetry dating back to the Han dynasty. These include marionette puppetry in which the action is controlled from above by strings,…
The former British Crown Colony offers much more to visitors than just shopping and dim sum. As I prepared for my first Hong Kong visit in October 2005, I asked my ESL students in Taipei for advice on how I should spend my time there. Most of them had been to Hong Kong at least…
Pick a day with nice weather and treat yourself to a walking tour of one of the city’s most diverse and appealing neighborhoods. Offering a diverse mix of sights, sounds, and flavors, the area near the Yuanshan (圓山) MRT Station, which is sometimes referred to as the “Confucius Temple Historic District,” has become one of…
The north-central county may not be on most tourist itineraries, but it contains a number of worthwhile attractions. For Taiwanese eager to explore their country, Miaoli is synonymous with Hakka culture and charming towns in the foothills. But for international tourists, the county is largely unknown territory. Even those foreign travelers who devote a day…
In November last year, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je added a new term to Taiwanese Mandarin: “Miaolization” (苗栗化). Commenting on the tendency of some local government leaders to borrow heavily, Ko said several cities and counties were in danger of ending up in straits as dire as those of Miaoli County. The previous month, just after…
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…
