Although the practice is steeped in Chinese tradition, the most famous practitioner is a Swiss Priest, “Father Wu.” It seems impossible to walk very far in Taipei or other major Taiwan cities before coming across a storefront offering foot massage. The popularity of the practice in recent years is hardly surprising. All forms of massage…
Taiwan’s emergence as a world-class cycling destination is no surprise. The island boasts a fabulous diversity of coastal, lowland, and highland environments. Thanks to the subtropical location, it is possible to go cycling almost every day of the year. The highway network is extensive, and because so many Taiwanese commute by motorcycle or scooter, motorists…
Companies are trying to figure out how best to respond to new and unique challenges, while staying vigilant about the unexpected. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, wreaking havoc on economies throughout the world, companies are struggling to come up with ways to keep business operational, as well as employees and clientele safe. Taiwan,…
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…
Once Taiwan’s second city and a major industrial hub, Kaohsiung has seen better days. Now it hopes to make a comeback by increasing investment in innovative and eco-friendly industries and boosting tourism. Nothing better symbolizes Kaohsiung’s economic ups and downs than its harbor. Thirty years ago, the southern city ranked among the world’s top-three busiest…
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….
The virulent contagion illustrates the need for the sector to be regulated, but pressure from industry incumbents could delay the process indefinitely. Home-sharing giant Airbnb has been operating in Taiwan for more than seven years without a physical presence in the country. Business has grown steadily during that period as both Taiwan and Airbnb’s style…
A sharp decline in the number of cross-Strait flights and foreign visitors has left Taiwan’s tourism industry scrambling to figure out ways to cope with the sudden drop in business. The recent COVID-19 outbreak is causing unprecedented economic disruptions throughout East Asia and beyond. While some Taiwanese and international companies with production bases in China are…
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…
