For many Taiwanese, as well as for thousands of international visitors and foreign residents, the east coast is their favorite region of Taiwan. On the western half of the island, the bustle is nonstop. The east, by contrast, is the very definition of bucolic. With 652 people per square kilometer, Taiwan is one of the…
By the standards of Taiwan’s vertiginous interior, neither Greater Taipei nor neighboring Yilan County are especially mountainous. Even so, visitors who confine themselves to the north never lack opportunities to hike, mountain bike, or simply enjoy scenery through the window of a car or a bus. At 1,120 meters (3,675 feet), Mount Qixing, the no….
When the Japanese conducted the first comprehensive topographical survey of Taiwan, shortly after seizing control of the island in 1895, they were stunned to discover that their new colony had at least three mountains higher than their own beloved Mount Fuji. The island’s tallest point was given the Japanese name Niitakayama (“New Highest Mountain”), and…
Any traveler with the good fortune of a window seat when flying through clear skies into Taiwan will catch alluring glimpses of the island’s dramatic topography. Rugged mountain landscapes more than 1,000 meters above sea level account for 32% of Taiwan’s land area. A similar proportion is taken up by hills and other uplands at…
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,…
