No part of Taiwan is more than 67.5 kilometers from the sea, and because steep mountains occupy much of the interior, the vast majority of the country’s 23.4 million people live in the lowlands. Yet surprisingly few people see the ocean on a regular basis. Of the island’s major cities, Kaohsiung is the only maritime…
Fall is the favorite time of year for many people in Taiwan. In the lowlands, the heat of summer has abated, but there is still plenty of sunshine. In October and November, the weather is superbly comfortable. Taipei’s daytime temperatures average 19 to 25 degrees Celsius (66 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit). In a typical year,…
Taiwan is known as an excellent place to study the Mandarin language and is also home to the world-class National Palace Museum with its breathtaking collection of Chinese treasures. But Taiwan is not a purely Han Chinese society. Prior to the 17th century, the island was dominated by indigenous people of Austronesian origin. Before the…
Taiwan is a densely populated island. Think of a place only slightly bigger than Maryland, but much more mountainous, and with almost four times as many people. Gridlock would result if everyone drove a car, so Taiwan’s government prioritizes public transportation – and not just for commuters. In recent years, a great effort has been…
Everybody agrees that taking a vacation is good for your health. Relaxation, combined with fresh air and a bit more exercise than usual, does wonders for your mental and physical well-being. So why not add a comprehensive physical exam to your itinerary, so you return to work not only refreshed, but also reassured that those…
In their haste to get from the skyscrapers of Taipei to the bucolic backwaters of Hualien and Taitung, many visitors rush through Yilan by train or bus. Yet this county in Taiwan’s northeast offers an intriguing mix of natural and cultural attractions. Since the completion of Freeway 5 and the world’s fifth-longest road tunnel in…
In recent years, Taiwan has emerged as a leading destination for bicycling tourists, and no part of the country is more popular for this activity than the eastern counties of Hualien and Taitung. Separated from Taiwan’s major cities and more than nine-tenths of the country’s people by the imposing Central Mountain Range, Hualien and Taitung…
As the political capital and commercial center, Taipei in northern Taiwan is well-known throughout Asia. Many frequent visitors are familiar with Kaohsiung, the major port and industrial powerhouse in the south. Taichung, roughly equidistant between the two, has long been seen as Taiwan’s “third city.” Population statistics suggest a different pecking order, however. The municipality…
Greater Taipei, home to almost a third of Taiwan’s 23.5 million residents, is a wonderfully diverse yet conveniently compact region. In addition to manmade attractions like Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum, and a fabulous array of restaurants, the cities of Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung boast mountains almost 7,000-feet high (2,133 meters), engrossing coastal…
Over the past quarter century, Taiwan has become a far freer and much more tolerant society. The authorities no longer promote a single culture, that of the Han Chinese people. Instead, the Austronesian culture of Taiwan’s indigenous people and Japanese influences from past colonial rule that have helped make modern Taiwan the diverse and fascinating…
