Time for Taiwan

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“A train pulls through every 15 minutes, scattering away the shoppers and shopkeepers in a jiffy....”

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Time for Taiwan Smoking springs, a sky full of lanterns and a sea of lilies against lush mountains—Taiwan is a candy store of sensory treasures, says Siddharth Birla.

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A

s Indian tourists warm up to the Far East— China, South Korea and Japan—Taiwan is often left out in the cold. Some confuse it with Thailand, and many dismiss it as a giant mass production factory somewhere in China.

So, when I received an invitation to visit Taiwan, I was both excited and a bit doubtful about what to expect. But now that I am back, I can tell you why you should go to there.

This sweet-potato-shaped island off the coast of China has a soft, beating heart within its industrial shell. Even in business-like Taipei, which offers free Wi-Fi for tourists, you’ll stumble upon street markets, pagoda-crowned temples, and factories turned into cultural hubs. The transport system is smooth, crime rates are low, and the exchange rate (Currently, 1 Taiwan Dollar (TWD) = 2.06 INR) makes food, shopping and stay quite affordable.

You may struggle with the language—Mandarin and Taiwanese dominate, and English is limited to the front desk of hotels and some prominent shops. But to me, that is part of a new cultural experience.

Let me pick out my favourite gems from the trip:

FEAST AT TAIPEI’S NIGHT MARKET The air is filled with an aromatic mix of soy, rice wine, and spices.

Clouds of smoke waft from the sizzling cookers as vendors invite me to taste pork ribs, vermicelli, oysters, and steamed buns. I call myself an adventurous eater, but eyeing the spread, I wonder if I qualify for the badge. There’s duck’s head, boar cooked in bamboo pipes, pig’s blood cake, frog’s eggs, octopus balls and penis-shaped sausage cakes called gayke. Right now, I don’t have the stomach for them, so I buy myself a bottle of Taiwan’s famous Bubble Tea, find a bench to people-gaze and enjoy the rest of the glorious Taiwanese night.

Note: Food at the night markets looks hygienic and costs little. My bubble tea is about Rs 100 (50 TWD). Shanghai-style pan-fried pork buns cost Rs 20 a plate, and you can buy a filling portion of oyster omelettes and grilled mushrooms seasoned with pepper for Rs 120. Can’t communicate in Taiwanese? Simply stand in front of the stall and point at what you want.

GAWK AT THE SMOKING FUMAROLES OF YANGMINGSHAN A 40-minute drive along the zigzag Zhu Zi Hu Road on the northeast borders of Taipei takes us to the mountainous Yangmingshan National Park. The pungent stench of sulphur grows stronger as we ride uphill, signalling we have almost arrived.

A few steps inside the park and I am face to face with the giant smoking fumaroles of Xiaoyoukeng. These natural chimneys are a remnant of the volcanic activity that existed here some 20,000 years ago. An elderly group of Chinese tourists clad in red jackets stand beside me, just as fascinated with the sheer scale of this phenomenon.

Once, these grasslands were valued for their vast sulphur deposits, used in gunpowder. Today, they are a popular picnic spot for Taipei locals. The rugged mountain trail attracts adventure lovers.

Can’t communicate in Taiwanese?

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Post volcanic activity has also left this place dotted with numerous hot springs, and it would be a crime to leave without experiencing one. As your lungs fill up with the fresh mountain air, and your eyes rest on miles of lush green hills, let your stresses melt away in a milky sulphur bath. Pure Bliss!

PLUCK CALLA LILIES AT ZHUZI HU A stone’s throw from Yangmingshan National Park is the picturesque and serene Bamboo Lake (Zhu Zi Hu) with rich, green fields of white trumpeting calla lily blossoms.

A buzzing farmer’s market by the day, Zhu Zi Hu is lined with rusty, wooden shops on either side of the road, displaying colourful Chinese signboards and decorations that invite you inside. Shopkeepers dressed in bright blues and pinks greet you with sweet smiles as they hawk locally farmed fresh fruits and flowers. I amble around, tasting handpicked fruits and revelling in the scenery painted by rows of calla lilies blooming against mist-shrouded mountains. You can pluck a few stalks—they cost about Rs 20 (10 TWD) a piece.

We stop for lunch at the busy, beautiful Miao Bang Garden restaurant. Conversation flows as I relish the rich spread: Mushrooms, beef noodles, pork, fried prawns, steamed buns and ostrich!

Conversation flows as I relish the rich spread: Mushrooms, beef noodles, pork, fried prawns, steamed buns and ostrich!

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SOAK IN THE MYSTIC BEAUTY OF THE SUN MOON LAKE A three-and-a-half-hour drive from Taipei, the Sun Moon Lake draws in more than six million visitors every year, making it Taiwan’s most famous tourist attraction.

“This is where Chiang Kai-Shek dreamed of one day retaking mainland China,” our guide recounts as we gape at the two huge lakes. The sky is overcast, giving the scene a somewhat surreal feel. I am told that on clear days, the radiant blue water rimmed with picturesque mountains creates a full-size version of a romantic landscape painting.

Two small resort towns, Shueishe and Ita Thao have sprung up on either side of the lake, and you can explore both in about 20 minutes flat. The visitor’s guide tells me that the local authorities have put a limit to hotel development here, saving it from commercialisation.

Shopping for artefacts and sailing in the choppy waters of Sun Moon Lake are the most tourist-y things to do. But if you are not a fan of sailing, take a leisurely stroll down the scenic Shueishe Lakeside Trail. The view of the dense forest with the sound of water lapping against the shore will ease your stresses away.

Chiang Kai-shek was a Chinese political leader and a major figure in Chinese history from 1927 to 1948. He led the Chinese Republic during World War II (1939–45) but was eventually forced from power by the Chinese Communists.

From 1949 until his death, he served as the president of Taiwan.

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RELEASE A SKY LANTERN AT SHIFEN STREET Just 45 minutes from Taipei lies the storybook village of Shifen. If you visit during the Chinese New Year, be prepared for a visual bonanza.

Thousands of sky lanterns, each inscribed with a wish for the New Year, are released into the heavens, decorating the night sky like beautiful zari work.

Of course there is a story behind the tradition. Once upon a time, Han Chinese immigrants of Pingxi Valley hid in these mountains to escape bandits. Later, the village watchmen would send out “fire balloons,” a signal to those hiding that the place was safe again.

The bandits are long gone, but the tradition has continued, both as a mark of peace and a purely sensory delight—in some ways, it’s Taiwan’s version of our Diwali. The ritual is simple. Buy a lantern from one of the shops lining Shifen Old Street and jot down your wishes on all four sides. Made of oiled rice paper, the lanterns have a large candle at the bottom. I buy a blue one, which is meant to denote success. We take our lanterns out on the street and the shopkeeper lights the candle. As the lamp heats up, I gradually release it in the air. It takes a smooth flight and slowly vanishes from view. I am told it lingers as long as the flame flickers, then gently sways back to earth.

Shifen itself has a movie-like setting. Amble around the busy, ancient marketplace standing against lush green mountains.

Hundreds of lanterns queued on the sides with quirky messages and drawings add a colourful palette to the street which is bisected by a fully functional railway track. Couples, friends and families line up on the track to get clicked as they release their lanterns. A train pulls through every 15 minutes, scattering away the shoppers and shopkeepers in a jiffy. Fascinating scenes!

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COVER STORY Where exactly is Taiwan?

Taiwan lies 180 kilometres from mainland China, inside the South China Sea. It is bookended by Japan to the north and the Philippines to the south.

How’s the weather?

Taiwan enjoys a mild climate, making it a year-round destination. Just avoid the June to August window when typhoons hit.

Getting in: Flights from Delhi to Taipei are all under 50,000 INR and the flying time varies from 6 to 20 hours, depending on which airline you pick and where it halts. I flew Cathay Pacific flight CX 694, which got me there in a little over 8 hours, with a one-hour layover in Hong Kong. The flight was relatively empty during the first leg, allowing me to stretch my back and relax for a few hours. The best part though was the in-flight entertainment system. Packed with the latest blockbusters, it ensured that I was never bored on-board.

The flight landed at Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport. It’s a good 40-minute drive from the heart of Taipei, so a taxi can be expensive: At least TWD 1,200. I’d recommend taking a bus instead. Cheap and comfortable!

TS writer Siddharth Birla’s trip was hosted by the Tourism Bureau of Taiwan.

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