If three solid months traveling around the island researching a new memoir/ travel book while introducing Taiwan to my partner Stephanie has taught me anything, it’s this: Taiwan marches to its own beat. From a massive spherical shopping mall to a humble countryside church that happens to resemble a gigantic glass slipper, the Taiwanese have a…
The island is a great place to view many different species of snakes. When the temperature rises and rain falls, the life forms that inhabit Taiwan’s forests become more active. Some expatriates might loathe Taiwan’s sultry summers, but for snake aficionados Bill Murphy, Hans Breuer, and Dane Harris, the season has definite advantages. All three…
Taiwan possesses numerous natural advantages when it comes to providing hot-spring resorts, spas, and medical tourism. The big positive to living in a land of volcanoes and earthquakes is the plentiful hot springs they produce. In recent years the springs have become a big draw for tourists to Taiwan. After all, what could be better…
Five of Taipei’s biggest and best temples illustrate the importance of religion to the populace, both in the past and in the present. Their curved roofs and overhanging eaves, gaudy dragons and almost psychedelic imagery, incense and incantations, mark out temples as one of the most distinctive features of Taiwan. For the Instagram generation, temples…
Once the focal point of hostilities between China and Taiwan, the Kinmen archipelago has evolved into a fascinating tourist destination. Wandering Cihu Lake’s secluded beach on the largest of the offshore islands of Kinmen, I am about as close to the Chinese mainland as one can be in Taiwan’s territory. I came to the beach…
This remote indigenous village lives on tourism but is determined to preserve its traditional way of life. The road to Smangus (司馬庫斯) is difficult, especially for a travel writer prone to motion sickness. If the idea of a motion-sick travel writer strikes you as odd, so be it. Smangus is a study in balanced contradictions….
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…
