Travel in Taiwan (No.88 2018 07/08 )

2018

JUL & AUG

No.

Hualien

Taroko Gorge / East Rift Valley / Pacific Coast

RAIL TRAVEL

TAICHUNG’S COASTAL RAILWAY LINE

ISLAND FEAST

MICHELIN GUIDE TAIPEI 2018

FAMILY FUN

LUODONG FORESTRY CULTURE PARK

TOWN WANDERINGS NANZHUANG VILLAGE IN MIAOLI

Android

iOS

88

Welcome to

Taiwan!

Dear Traveler, The Taiwan summer is a time of endless wonders. And as with local citizens, for international visitors the warm weather means as much time as possible spent out of doors. In this issue we take you “Taiwan window shopping,” presenting an appealing lineup of possibilities for summertime explorations.

In our Feature, it’s off to northern Hualien County in the verdant East Coast region. Dubbed “Taiwan’s wilder side” by our writer, this region is among our most popular with nature-loving travelers. Spend time in three areas with completely different characters: the deep, magnificent Taroko Gorge; the farm-carpeted East Rift Valley; and the breezy, palm tree-swept Pacific Coast.

Still in Taiwan’s east, but now on the Northeast Coast, in our Family Fun section a fine day is spent at the Luodong Forestry Culture Park, a compelling window into Yilan County’s past as an important logging center.

In Adventures the scene shifts to the North Coast, with the focus on flyboarding, a new-trend sport that has just hit Taiwan’s shores. We provide you with all you need to know to soar above the waves, both for beginners and those packing experience.

Time now for west-side adventuring, continuing with the outdoor-fun theme. Our Rail Travel department delivers us to the coastal area of Taichung City, where you can meander through old neighborhood byways and temples, wander windswept wetlands, feast on the freshest fare from the sea, and delve into local history at attractive heritage sites. We remain in Taichung for Hidden Treasures, browsing Shenji New Village, a heritage enclave of government-built dormitory housing transformed into an active cultural-creative hive of distinctive shops, studios, and weekend markets.

By gazing through our Town Wanderings file, you can spend a day in Nanzhuang, a charming Hakka village amid lush mountains in Miaoli County. It’s a place of “cultural, culinary, and historical attractions galore.” And our Must See & Do title is self-explanatory. It features “The Sound of Music Under the Open Sky: Outdoor Music Events Around Taiwan.”

Willing to spend a little time indoors? Our Island Feast report delves into the first-ever Michelin Guide Taipei and its 110 recommended restaurants.

In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air." Enjoy your sunny days on this special island!

Joe Y. Chou, Ph.D. Director General Tourism Bureau, MOTC, R.O.C.

CONTENTS July ~ August 2018

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PUBLISHER Joe Y. Chou EDITING CONSULTANT

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Taipei City 10681, Taiwan TEL: 886-2-2325-2323 Fax: 886-2-2701-5531 E-MAIL: editor@v-media.com.tw GENERAL MANAGER David Hu EDITOR IN CHIEF Johannes Twellmann ENGLISH EDITOR Rick Charette DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & EDITING DEPT Joe Lee MANAGING EDITOR Krista Yang EDITORS Nickey Liu, Jenny Chung CONTRIBUTORS Rick Charette, Joe Henley, Steven Crook,

Han Cheung, Francesca Chang, Richard Saunders PHOTOGRAPHERS Chen Cheng-kuo, Maggie Song, Nick Chiu DESIGNERS Nick Chiu, Maggie Song, Carrie Chang, Erin Chen ADMINISTRATIVE DEPT Hui-chun Tsai, Nai-jen Liu, Xiou Mieng Jiang

ABROAD

PUBLISHING ORGANIZATION

Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications CONTACT

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台 灣 觀 光 雙 月 刊 Travel in Taiwan The Official Bimonthly English Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau (Advertisement) July/August, 2018 Tourism Bureau, MOTC First published Jan./Feb., 2004 ISSN: 18177964 GPN: 2009305475 Price: NT$200 www.tit.com.tw/vision/index.htm 中華郵政台北雜字第1286號執照登記為雜誌交寄

Copyright @ 2018 Tourism Bureau. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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Culture Plaza, No. 6, Zhongshan Rd., Central Dist., Taichung City 40043 886-4-2226-0330 http://www.wunanbooks.com.tw/ 2. N ational Bookstore, 1F., No. 209, Songjiang Rd., Zhongshan Dist., Taipei City 10485 886-2-2518-0207 http://www.govbooks.com.tw/ This magazine was printed with soy ink. Soy ink is said to be more environmentally friendly than petroleum-based ink and to make it easier to recycle paper.

Offices of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Frankfurt. Taiwan Representative Offices; Overseas Offices of the Ministry of Economic Affairs; Overseas Offices of the Central News Agency; onboard China Airlines, EVA Air, and other selected international airways; selected travel agencies in Asia, North America, and Europe; and other organizations.

Hualien Fengbin Sky Trail (photo by Chen Cheng-kuo)

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IN TAIWAN

ONLINE

Tourism Bureau Visitor Center; Tourism Bureau; Taiwan Visitors Association; foreign representative offices in Taiwan; Tourism Bureau service counters at Taiwan Taoyuan Int’l Airport and Kaohsiung Int’l Airport; major tourist hotels; Taipei World Trade Center; VIP lounges of international airlines; major tourist spots in Taipei; visitor centers of cities and counties around Taiwan; offices of national scenic area administrations; public libraries

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FEATURE

10 Taiwan’s Wilder Side – Three Days in Naturally Blessed Hualien County

ADVENTURES 24

– A First-Time Flyboarding Experience on the North Coast

ISLAND FEAST

– First-Ever Taipei Edition Recognizes Taiwan’s Capital as a Global Food Scene

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1 4 6 7

Jet-Packed Like the Iron Man

The Michelin Guide Taipei 2018

Publisher's Note Taiwan Tourism Events Convenient Travel

8 Culture Scene 27 Special Report 32 My Travel Log

News

8

MUST SEE & DO

– Outdoor Music Events Around Taiwan

HIDDEN TREASURES

– Culture and Creativity in Taichung

FAMILY FUN

34

38

42

The Sound of Music Under the Open Sky

Shenji New Village

Luodong Forestry Culture Park

– A Window into Yilan’s Past as an Important Logging Center

46

TOWN WANDERINGS Taking It Easy in Nanzhuang

– A Day in a Charming Village and Lush Mountains in Miaoli County

RAIL TRAVEL

– Taking the Coastal Railway Line in Central Taiwan

50

Old Neighborhoods and Windy Wetlands

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TA I WA N TO U R I S M E V E N T S

The Great Outdoors & Culinary Delights

Taiwan Tourism Events Calendar website

09/27 ~ 10/31

Exciting Events in Late Summer and Fall

The Most Beautiful Bays Carnival and World Congress 世界最美麗海灣年會

This fall Penghu, the sunny and often windy archipelago located in the Taiwan Strait west of Taiwan proper, will be host for this international event, which will be attended by tourism-related delegations from around the world. It is the annual gathering of the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World (world-bays.com), which was founded by three French tourism officials in 1996 with the aim of bringing together the most beautiful bays around the globe and helping to save and preserve each area’s natural heritage and identity. Penghu joined the club in 2014 and this year has the honor of serving as host. A wide range of activities will be staged during the event, including an arts parade, a seafood festival, an ocean-theme conference, a global marketing expo, a charity pageant, an Ironman triathlon, and an international yacht expo.

Location: Magong City, Penghu County ( 澎湖縣馬公市 ) Website: www.facebook.com/penghubaytw

Sep.

Taiwan Braised Pork on Rice Festival 臺灣滷肉飯節

08/10 ~ 08/13

Taiwan Culinary Exhibition 台灣美食展

If you want to eat like the locals in Taiwan, braised pork on rice is definitely a dish you should try on your next visit. This simple dish is widely available, from small eateries to big restaurants and from night-market stands to food courts in modern department stores and malls. Made with ground pork marinated and boiled in soy sauce, it is usually served in a small bowl. Other small dishes are also usually ordered to make a full meal. The goal behind this festival, held for the first time last year, is not only to promote the humble dish itself but also Taiwan’s local food culture. A group of Taiwan’s best eateries selling braised pork on rice in different variations is selected by the organizer, their chefs going on a tour of six cities to present their yummy creations to salivating crowds.

Locations: Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Taichung City, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City ( 台北市 , 新北市 , 桃園市 , 台中市 , 台南市 , 高雄市 )

Since its first edition almost 30 years ago, the annual Taiwan Culinar y Exhibition, held at the Taipei World Trade Center, has presented food lovers with the best of local cuisine. The event has grown significantly over the years, and so has the scope of food-related themes featured along with the number of exhibitors and visitors. Last year more than 200 restaurants and foodrelated businesses occupied more than 800 booths during the four-day event, and more than 160,000 visitors passed through the doors. Among the topics covered, besides local cuisine, were international cuisine, kitchenware and utensils, local produce and ingredients, culinary arts, food-centered travel and souvenirs, and culinary education.

Location: Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1, Taipei City ( 台北市台北世貿中心展覽館 ) Website: www.tcetva.tw (Chinese)

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TRAVEL IN TAIWAN

J U LY - S E P T E M B E R

Aug. ~ Sep.

Orange Daylily Season 花蓮金針花季

Part of the Coastal Mountain Range that separates Taiwan’s East Coast from the long and narrow East Rift Valley between the cities of Hualien and Taitung, Mt. Chike and Mt. Liushidan (Sixty Stone Mountain) are known for their enchanting scenery and vantage points with grand views of the rift valley. While beautiful throughout the year, August is peak season for visits to both mountains – because of one flower, the orange daylily. During the bloom season large swathes of the mountain slopes are painted bright orange thanks to the vast daylily fields.

Another favorite photographer subject is the area farmhouses with roofs and courtyards covered with harvested daylilies spread out to sun-dry. When visiting during the flower season, make sure to order the delicious dishes made with daylilies at local eateries.

Jul. ~ Oct.

Taiwan Cycling Festival 臺灣自行車節

Bicycling has become one of Taiwan’s most popular outdoor activities in recent years, and the Taiwan Cycling Festival is a highlight for many enthusiasts.

Numerous exciting activities are combined in the festival; last year its lineup included a challenging 80km ride from Sun Moon Lake to Tataka (site of a recreation area off Prov. Hwy 21 and a starting point of hikes to Mt. Jade, Taiwan’s highest peak) and two rides around the lake (30km), one more challenging and competitive, the other more relaxed and fun. Among the other bike-related activities are the King of Mountain (KOM) bicycle challenge, which takes professional riders on a grueling climb from the coast of Hualien County up to Wuling (location of the highest highway point in Taiwan), and the Formosa 900, a 9-day round-the-island multiple-group ride.

Locations: Mt. Chike and Mt. Liushidan, Hualien County

Location: Sun Moon Lake, Nantou County ( 南投縣日月潭 )

( 花蓮縣赤柯山六十石山 )

Website: theme.taiwanbike.tw/event/2017/

Website: www.erv-nsa.gov.tw (East Rift Valley National Scenic Area)

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜5

C O N V E N I E N T T R AV E L

Taiwan Tourist Shuttle website

Up the Lower East Coast From Taitung City to Sanxiantai by Tourist Shuttle Bus

Jialulan

Taitung County in eastern Taiwan is one of the most attractive areas for travelers visiting Taiwan. Sparsely populated, the county is strikingly scenic, with a colorful mix of towering north-south mountains, bucolic countryside, and a rugged Pacific Ocean coastline. The coastal highway (Prov. Hwy No. 11), which connects the cities of Taitung and Hualien, is a scenic route especially suited for relaxed road trips, the vast ocean in splendid view much of the time. If you don’t have your own means of transport, make use of the convenient hop-on/hop-off Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus service (www.taiwantrip.com.tw) by taking an East Coast Line bus, which takes you all the way north from Taitung City to a tourist-popular place named Sanxiantai (one-third of the way to Hualien City). Buses leave from the city-center Taitung Bus Station. Note that if you arrive in Taitung by train, you can instead board the bus at Taitung Railway Station; the station is a few kilometers to the northwest of the city center.

Here are some of the numerous East Coast Line stops at which you’ll want to hop off: Xiaoyeliu The name Xiaoyeliu means “Little Yeliu,” referring to Yehliu Geopark, a major tourist draw on the North Coast known for intriguing rock formations sculpted by wind, rain, and wave. Xiaoyeliu has equally interesting natural stone sculpturing, and an informative visitor center.

Jialulan This is a seaside park right beside the coastal highway that has a cluster of interesting large-sized installation artworks. The park presents you with excellent views along the coast, especially of the impressive coastal mountains to the north.

Dulan In recent years the village of Dulan has become a popular getaway spot for expats living in Taiwan and for travelers seeking to immerse themselves in the relaxed seaside vibe by the sea the Taitung coastal area is known for. The old Dulan Sugar Factory is today a hub for cultural-creative activities, especially on weekends.

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TRAVEL IN TAIWAN

Sanxiantai

Donghe

East Coast Line

The village of Donghe is known for an always busy highway-side restaurant selling steamed buns and for the scenic Mawuku River, crossed just north of the town. To get a closer look at the huge white boulders in the river here, walk across the old Donghe Bridge just to the west of the highway bridge.

Taitung Hotel Taitung Bus Station ( 臺東轉運站 ) For Teachers and Public Workers ( 公 教 會 館 ) Zhongxing Chuanguang Gengsheng ( 傳廣更生 ) Taitung Sugar Factory Chuanguang ( 中 興 傳 廣 ) Formosan Naruwan Hotel & Resort ( 台東糖廠 ) Taitung Railway Station ( 臺鐵臺 ( 娜路彎大酒店 ) Forest Park ( 森林公園 ) Fugang Bridge 東站 ) Fugang Fishing Harbor ( 富岡港口 ) ( 富岡橋 ) Jialulan Xiaoyeliu Scenic Area ( 小 野 柳 風 景 區 ) Shanyuan ( 杉 原 ) Fushan Fishery ( 加路蘭 ) Water Running Upward Reserve ( 富 山 保 育 區 ) Dulan Sugar Factory ( 都蘭糖廠 ) ( 水往上流 ) Donghe Steamed Buns ( 東河包子 ) Jinzun ( 金樽 ) Donghe Bridge ( 東 河 橋 ) Amis Folk Center Aquarium of Anemonefish ( 小 ( 阿美民俗中心 ) Chenggong ( 成功 ) Sanxiantai 丑魚主題館 ) Recreation Area ( 三仙台遊憩區 )

Sanxiantai This is a small island connected to the coast by the long Sanxiantai Arch Bridge, a pedestrian bridge that is one of the most recognizable landmarks on the East Coast. The bridge is especially photogenic at sunrise.

(For more info about this part of Taiwan, visit the East Coast National Scenic Area website at www. eastcoast-nsa.gov.tw.)

Xiaoyeliu

Fare: The fare is calculated according to distance (NT$192 for the full East Coast Line one way).

Departures: There are five services a day on weekdays. Buses leave Taitung Bus Station at 7:20am, 9:40am, 11:10am, 1pm, and 2:20pm; buses leave Sanxiantai at 9:40am, 12noon, 1:20pm, 3:20pm, and 4:40pm. On weekdays and holidays there is one additional service (Taitung Bus Station 3:30pm; Sanxiantai 5:40pm). The journey from Taitung Bus Station to Sanxiantai takes about 1hr 45min.

NEWS

NEWS & Events around Taiwan

National Museum of History Closed for Renovation

Dadan Island Opens for Tourism

Taiwan on Two Wheels Website

Photo by Yang Yu-zhen

One of Taipei’s most important and long-established museums, the National Museum of History, will be closed for renovation and reorganization starting July 2 this year. The process will take up to three years. The museum, located adjacent to the Taipei Botanical Garden, has been in operation since 1955. Over the years, a great number of fascinating special exhibitions on a wide range of topics related to history and art have been held at the museum, which is known for its large collection of priceless Chinese artifacts.

The islands of Kinmen are a fascinating travel destination, with many tourist attractions on offer.

While the history of military conflict with communist China might come to mind first when thinking of Kinmen, it’s the many old villages with beautiful examples of traditional southern Fujian architecture that give the islands their unique charm. Kinmen visits have long been restricted to its two main islands (Kinmen and Little Kinmen), but this July one of the many other small islands belonging to the archipelago will be opened to tourism as well – Dadan Island. This tiny island was a major battleground and target of shelling during the Cold War. The island will be opened to tourism on July 26, commemorating a major battle on the same day in 1950. For more info about Kinmen, visit www.kmnp.gov.tw (Kinmen National Park).

International Airlines Resume Non-Stop Flights to Taiwan

You might have heard about local cyclists’ “ride of passage” – cycling around the whole island.

Depending on the exact route taken, the distance is about 900 kilometers, and many riders attempting the feat complete the journey in about 10 days. Because of the popularity of this round-the-island journey, the main route has been clearly marked with road signs and there are many sections of dedicated bike lanes along highways. A new website, launched earlier this year by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau in cooperation with FOX Sports, now makes planning and realizing this round-Taiwan bicycle adventure even easier. Taiwan on 2 Wheels provides all the essential info you’ll need for your ride, including a detailed map, information on scenic spots and rest stops, and planning tips. Visit the site at www.taiwanon2wheels.com.

Taiwan Awards for Top 10 Hot Springs

Photo by Air France

Following Air Canada (Taipei-Vancouver route) last year, this year two other major international airlines are resuming non-stop flights to Taiwan. After a 19year hiatus, Air France started flying non-stop (three flights a week) between Taipei and Paris this April. Air New Zealand also announced earlier this year that it will be offering non-stop flights (up to 5 times a week) between Taipei and Auckland starting this November. The flight time will be around 11 hours, significantly shorter than the current indirect options. The airline last offered such flights 13 years ago. While a strong Taiwan outbound market is the main reason behind international airlines’ renewed interest in Taiwan, the new direct links will also make traveling to Taiwan more convenient for foreign visitors.

At this, the height of summer, you are no doubt thinking about ways to cool off than to warm up, but you might be interested in news about hot-spring bathing nonetheless. In a recent public survey conducted by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, combined with an evaluation by a team of experts, the best hot-spring destinations in Taiwan were selected. Topping the list was the popular mud-bath hot-spring resort village of Guanziling in southern Taiwan, followed by Xinbeitou, Jiaoxi, Zhiben, Guguan, Tai’an, Jinshan, Ruisui, and Baolai. To enable soak-lovers to celebrate the survey results, nine hot-spring businesses in Guanziling are now offering a 50% discount (hot-spring bathing/accommodation) until the end of September, on the 1st, 11th, 21st, and 31st day of each month. More info at taiwanhotspring.net.

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜7

C U LT U R E S C E N E

CULTURE Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

07/21 & 08/04

Beihai Tunnel TAIPEI CITY

Matsu Bay Concert 馬祖海灣音樂會 -- 藍眼淚坑道音樂會 Website: www.matsu-nsa.gov.tw

On the islands of Matsu, where once the earth was shaken by exploding mortar shells, there is now peace and quiet. This concert, held in the summer at Beihai Tunnel on Nangan Island, symbolizes the shift from a turbulent past to a tranquil present. While the concert is staged outside and inside a former military tunnel, the music – vocals and unplugged instruments only – is soft and heartwarming, and you might even hear the waves of the neighboring sea.

Photo courtesy of Matsu National Scenic Area Administration

Until 09/25

National Palace Museum TAIPEI CITY

Fineries of Forgery: "Suzhou Fakes" and Their Influence in the 16th to 18th Century 偽好物—十六至十八世紀「蘇州片」及其影響 Website: www.npm.gov.tw

This exhibition presents excellent works of forged paintings created in the late Ming (1368~1644) and early Qing (1644~1912) dynasties, providing much food for thought. Can works of forgery be regarded as art? And why was the demand for such spurious creations so high that commercial workshops in Suzhou would create them en masse? These questions and more are answered, as you are provided with fascinating insight into the role art played in old China.

Until 09/09

World Trade Center Taichung TAICHUNG CITY

4D Trick Art Gallery AR 超有視日本幻視藝術世界巡迴 Website: www.wtctxg.org.tw

Posing in front of a 3D painting for a photo in which you appear to be interacting with a real 3D object has become very popular in recent years. This exhibition

by Tokyo’s Trick Art Museum, however, goes a step further. Not only can you take photos – with the help of a smartphone and an AR (Augmented Reality) app, you can even have videos taken in which you appear in an amazingly realistic 4D virtual world with moving elements all around you.

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TRAVEL IN TAIWAN

C U LT U R E S C E N E

07/27 ~ 08/05

2018/09/07 ~ 2019/03/03

National Concert Hall AND OTHER VENUES AROUND TAIWAN

Yingge Ceramics Museum NEW TAIPEI CITY

Taiwan Ceramics Biennale

Website: public.ceramics.ntpc.gov.tw

臺灣國際陶瓷雙年展 Taiwan’s center for the production of ceramics, the district of Yingge in New Taipei City is home to the modern Yingge Ceramics Museum, the place to visit when searching for superior examples of Taiwan ceramic art. During the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, there is even more reason to visit the museum. This exhibition is a first-rate cooperative effort between local and foreign ceramics artists and museums, and 70 to 80 outstanding creations by more than 40 ceramic artists will be on display this year.

08/16 ~ 08/19

Taipei International Choral Festival

Big City Shopping Mall HSINCHU CITY

2018 Vocal Asia Festival

台北國際合唱音樂節

If the a cappella singing (group/solo singing without instrumental accompaniment) featured in the 2012 Hollywood movie Pitch Perfect and its two sequels piqued your interest in this music genre, you’ll no doubt want to know about the Vocal Asia Festival (VAF). This is a “moving festival” that travels between different cities in Asia (this year’s venue is in Hsinchu City). The activity lineup includes a cappella workshops, master classes, forums, open stages, and concerts.

Website: npac-ntch.org

Each year outstanding choirs from Taiwan and overseas are brought together for this festival to celebrate the heavenly sounds of choral music. Choir s from Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Spain, and Serbia attended last year, performing at venues around Taiwan. This year’s festival will include the first-ever edition of the Taipei International Choral Competition, during which choirs will compete against one another performing pieces by Taiwanese composers.

Until 12/09

YM Oceanic Culture & Art Museum KEELUNG CITY

07/04 ~ 09/19

Website: vaf.vocalasia.com

National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall TAIPEI CITY

Super Seaweed

Treasures of the Natural World

海帶特展

大英自然史 博物館展

07/28 ~ 07/29

Dajia Riverside Park TAIPEI CITY

Unite with Tomorrow land Taiwan 2018

Websites: www.ocam.org.tw

Website: www.cksmh.gov.tw

Website: www.tomorrowland.com

Conveniently located between Keelung Railway Station and Keelung Harbor, the YM Oceanic Culture & Art Museum is the place to go if you want to learn more about maritime culture and myriad matters related to the ocean, such as … seaweed! Find out why seaweed is such a popular ingredient in local cuisine, what types of seaweed there are, and how to prepare onigiri (cooked rice wrapped in seaweed sheets). While visiting, also test your ship-steering skills at the museum’s container ship simulator.

Not everyone can make the trip to England’s capital and visit the fascinating Natural History Museum in London. Luckily, the museum organizes touring exhibitions, the latest of which is currently in Taipei, a great treat for people interested in the science of the natural world. Amongw the many treasures on display are amazing scientific specimens as well as manuscripts and objects used by some of history’s greatest natural scientists, including Charles Darwin.

Everyone is connected, everyone is united. This is one of the core messages of this multinational mega event, to run simultaneously in Belgium (main event), Spain, Italy, Malta, Lebanon, Abu Dhabi, Mexico, and Taiwan. The 10-hour music and dance party will feature international DJs, with the venues in different parts of the world connected by live stream.

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜9

F E AT U R E

HUALIEN

10｜ TRAVEL IN TAIWAN

F E AT U R E HUALIEN

Taiwan’s

Wilder Side Three Days in Naturally Blessed Hualien County

Text: Rick Charette Photos: Chen Cheng-kuo

All roads leading to Hualien County are spectacular ones. And there are but few.

A thick series of north-south high-mountain ranges stand between Hualien (and its sister county to the south, Taitung) and the dense population of urban agglomerations in the north and along the west side of Taiwan. The result for the flatland region called the East Coast is low population density and a comparatively quiet tourist business. This isolation, and the protection of the natural environment it has afforded, engendered the region’s “Taiwan’s backyard garden” brand long before tourism branding became a thing.

Baiyang Trail

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜11

F E AT U R E

HUALIEN

12｜ TRAVEL IN TAIWAN

Liwu River

F E AT U R E HUALIEN

National park visitor center

Little Zhuilu Trail

T

he roads to Hualien from the north and the west are as follows. First, the Central Cross-Island Highway, which brings you twisting down from the cloud-level heights of the central mountains, and in its last stage slices along the base of mighty Taroko Gorge’s sky-climbing cliffs before spilling you out coast-side at the gorge’s mouth.

The second road is the inexpressibly impressive Suhua Highway, which is etched along cliffs high above the pounding Pacific breakers between the port town of Su’ao in Yilan County and coastal Hualien City, just south of Taroko Gorge. The most dramatic section traverses the face of the 1,000m-high Qingshui Cliff for 20-plus kilometers, the cliff dropping almost vertically down into the sea.

And there is a third, a “railway road.” Your train powers across the green Yilan Plain and plunges into the mountains heading south, popping in and out of tunnels and shooting across a series of gorges and valleys, taking you “behind” the colossal Qingshui Cliff. You then burst forth right on the coast for the last-leg chug to always-at-ease Hualien City, passing the yawning Taroko Gorge mouth and foot-ofthe-mountain indigenous villages.

Travelers concerned about time (and who don’t want to take a domestic flight) choose the railroad – as we did on a recent Travel in Taiwan circuit. After picking up a rental car at one of the numerous operations right outside Hualien Railway Station, we hit the road for a 3-day ramble through the three main tourist regions in the county’s north: Taroko Gorge, East Rift Valley, and Pacific Coast.

TAROKO GORGE Taroko Gorge, though smaller in scale than the Grand Canyon, in my

humble estimation rivals it in grandeur. The centerpiece of Taroko National Park, it is a magisterial river-cut slice right through solid mountain that starts far inland and opens directly onto the Pacific – 19km of unremitting wonder. Visitors moving along the Central CrossIsland Highway and along trails in the main gorge and tributary gorges marvel at the towering cliffs thickly laced with marble.

Upon entering the gorge at its east end, first check out the Taroko National Park Visitor Center – turn right and cross the bridge after passing the Central Cross-Island Highway gate. The facility has firstrate exhibit areas and video presentations (English available with a little advance notice). A special treat is dining alfresco at the snack bar/restaurant, while looking out over an artwork-bedecked grassy lawn and beyond into the gorge. Choose from among a range of savory set meals, including Korean-style spicy pork, curry chicken, and vegetarian tofu. As your drink selection, try the cold Oolong tea laced with local honey.

The Little Zhuilu Trail starts with a flourish, accessed from a pedestrian walkway inside Shakadang Tunnel, a highway tunnel near the visitor center. A short side tunnel, the east-end ventilation tunnel, takes you to the trailhead.

The short trail (650m) hugs the mountainside most of its length, and you overlook the gorge-sculpting Liwu River’s lower reaches from about 60m up much of the time. Pacific views are granted at the lookout spots. There are a few moderately steep stepped sections, requiring a modicum of fitness. After the views, the main trail highlight is its rope bridge spanning a creek-bed. Those less daring can cross via a wood-plank suspension bridge.

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Shakadang Trail

Spacious guestroom

Rooftop pool

Silks Place Taroko A sumptuous place to spend a Taroko Gorge night at the refined Silks Place Taroko hotel, where dark-stain wood is the dominant interior theme, smartly complementing the marble-white facade. It's located at the edge of Tianxiang on a picturesque perch – atop the low-plateau point where the Daci Jili and Dasha rivers meet before the combined waters, creating the Liwu River, rush through the inner gorge for more forceful rock-sculpting. The riverbed here is strewn with massive boulders of widely differing striated artwork – including one of pure marble – and macaques make their way down the steep wooded slopes for a drink in the morning. Though deep in a gorge that is a Mother Nature aesthetic tour de force, a stay at this hotel is time spent in the lap of manmade luxury.

The range of amenities and special activities is too sweeping to cover fully, but a number stand out. There is a full spa, along with two superb pools, one indoor and one outdoor. The latter is on the roof, beside it a Jacuzzi, with both offering a wonderful 360-degree panorama. Indoor and outdoor activities oriented toward both kids and adults are offered. Of special note are the guided tours, Trukuthemed weaving sessions, nighttime indigenous dance shows in the lovely inner courtyard and mini-concerts by the rooftop poolside fireplace, and Moonlight Cinema showings by the rooftop pool, with patio loungers as seating.

The restaurant dinner and breakfast buffets have a delicious range of international and Chinese choices, and Retreat Floor (VIP) guests can choose to take breakfast in the sun-drenched rooftop Retreat Lounge, with Eastern/Western set meals.

(Rooms, all very large, start at NT$8,000) Silks Place Taroko ( 太魯閣晶英酒店 ) No. 18, Tianxiang Rd., Xiulin Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣秀林鄉天祥路 18 號 ) (03) 869-1155 taroko.silksplace.com.tw

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Where this pathway ends, the Shakadang Trail begins.

This easy-grade trail along the tributary Shakadang River, with sections cut right out of the cliffside (low overhangs, watch your head!), began life as a narrow track blazed by the Japanese during the 1895-1945 Japanese colonial period to facilitate hydropower-project work. The walls here feature some of the area’s most impressive evidence of geological folding, in places looking like works of abstract art by immortals. You pass two now-abandoned settlements of the Truku tribe (the local indigenous people), called 5D Cabin and 3D Cabin, and a Japanese-built dam and aqueduct. At the 5D Cabin are Truku-run sales stands; the site’s old red-brick police station and small houses are used for storage. Try the locally grown bananas and delicious figs harvested from Ficus trees along the river. Macaques and colorful birds feed on the fruit early mornings and evenings.

The gem experience of this Taroko visit was a morning spent on another trail, the Baiyang Trail, which starts at a roadside just above Tianxiang, a river-terrace recreational and service area at the upper end of the Taroko inner gorge. Beyond the scenery, Tianxiang’s draws include a few small eateries, a 7-Eleven, and the Silks Place Taroko (see Box).

Note: The length from coast-side mouth to Tianxiang is known as the “inner gorge,” while the stretch from Tianxiang further on toward the high mountains is referred to as the “outer gorge.”

The difference? The outer is impressive, the inner magnificent, drawing most tourist interest.

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The Baiyang Trail begins with a dramatic human-engineering flourish. You dive directly from the roadside into a straight-as-anarrow 380m-long tunnel (bring a flashlight!) that pierces a mountain from the main gorge to a secondary gorge. At the end of the evengrade 2km section of the trail is a golden prize, which bursts into view upon exiting a tunnel. At a footbridge leaping a deep-cut cleft carved by a waterway seemingly too modest for the task, a lofty twin cataract plunges ethereally downward from vertigo-inducing heights. The trail was constructed as a narrow cliff-hugging road by the Taiwan Power Company in 1984 for use in a later-cancelled hydropower project. There is in fact a further section beyond the present trail, currently closed for safety reasons.

The Buluowan Recreation Area is spread over an upper and lower terrace at roughly the inner-gorge midway point, about 160m above the Liwu. It is reached via a short side road.

“Buluowan” is the Truku name of a former tribal settlement here, and most recreation-area staff are tribe members. The word means “echo” – little wonder, considering the area is surrounded by soaring cliffs on three sides.

The site has trails, a sophisticated multimedia tribal-culture intro, a circular theater where traditional dancing is staged, a museum explicating traditional arts and crafts, arts/crafts demos, a gift shop, and nightly song-and-dance performances at the Taroko Village Hotel (www.tarokovillage.com). The latter has indigenousstyle wooden cabins with modern interiors spread out in village style around a grassy square and a restaurant serving up indigenous dishes and stupendous views.

Spending a half or full day in Taroko Gorge, as most visitors do, does not do it justice, especially for those with a taste for trail trekking. Here we’ve focused on the array of trail forays available, but of course you must leave time for its other big draws: the Eternal Spring Shrine, the Tunnel of Nine Turns, and the Swallow Grotto.

Taroko National Park Silks Place Taroko Baiyang Trail

Yilan

Swallow Grotto

Tunnel of Nine Turns

Shakadang Trail 8

Buluowan Recreation Area

Little Zhuilu Trail Eternal Spring Shrine

9D

Taroko National Park Visitor Center Xincheng Taroko

Taiwan

Hualien City

Baiyang Waterfall

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At a footbridge leaping a deepcut cleft carved by a waterway seemingly too modest for the task, a lofty twin cataract plunges ethereally downward from vertigo-inducing heights

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Butterfly at Butterfly Valley Resort

EAST RIFT VALLEY The farm-carpeted, brightly colored East Rift Valley starts immediately below Hualien City, with the Coastal Mountain Range on one side and the Central Mountain Range on the other. It runs almost all the way down to Taitung City. Provincial Highway 9 connects the two cities through the north-south valley, meandering side to side.

Feicui Valley waterfall

Hualien City

Feicui (Emerald) Valley 9C

Liyu (Carp) Lake

11C

Fenglin Township

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Pacific Ocean

Lintian Mountain Forestry Center 9

Jilitan (Jili Pond)

Guangfu 11A Township

Jinlai Huilan B&B

Dotted along Highway 9 as it flows through the East Rift Valley are small farm towns well worth a little of your time. South of Liyu Lake we poked around two, Fenglin and Guangfu. Fenglin was Taiwan’s first locality recognized as a “Slow City” by Cittaslow International (www.cittaslow.org), an Italy-based association which promotes slowpaced sustainable living and provides support for natural, eco-friendly food production. Guangfu is best-known as home of the Guangfu Sugar Factory, a sprawling complex constructed during the Japanese colonial era. Sugarcane was long a leading regional cash crop. Today, tourists come to view the heritage Japanese-style bungalows, worker bathhouse, and other nostalgia-inducing facilities.

The Wanli River exits the central mountains into the valley between the two towns. Just inside the mouth of the mountain valley is a place

Butterfly Valley Resort

Taitung

Liyu (Carp) Lake is in the central-mountain foothills southwest of Hualien City, on Highway 9C. About 104 hectares in area, this is the largest lake in eastern Taiwan. Among the plethora of tourist facilities and recreation options at the lake are a visitor center and pedal-boat, canoe, motorboat (with driver), and bicycle rentals. It has a 4km ring road that offers pleasant walking/cycling routes, camping/picnic areas, easy-challenge trails into the hills, and open-air local-style restaurants at which lake shrimp is the favored delicacy. On non-holiday weekdays, the birds find it quiet enough to come out and sing for you.

North of Liyu Lake, a short riverside road heads inland off Renshou Bridge that crosses the wonderfully monikered Mugua (Papaya) River.

At the road-ending T-intersection is a trailhead. The pathway is less than 1km long and takes you upriver along the Mugua, through an old tunnel with dozing ceiling-clinging bats, and along an up-and-down au naturel exposed-root section to a tributary-stream waterfall with a wadeable rock pool at its base. This is the bottom of the narrow Feicui (Emerald) Valley, increasingly popular with river tracers.

Taiwan

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Jilitan

popular with history buffs, the Lintian Mountain Forestry Center. This is a former timber industry village established by the Japanese. It was once Taiwan’s fourth-largest logging operation, with 2,000 residents at its height.

Many buildings, built with native Chinese cypress, have been beautifully restored. It also hosts a history center, remnants of the extensive rail and cable systems that ran into the hills, and displays featuring trains and machinery.

Directly on the other side of the mountain on which the center is built is another mountain valley, carved by the Ma’an River. This was also logged by the Japanese. Up a tributary stream just inside the mouth you’ll find the placid Jilitan (Jili Pond). It was created by the Japanese as a log pond, and is now cleared. It’s the centerpiece of a new breeze-brushed park with walking paths, Chinese imperial-style arch bridges, and foot-soak facilities.

The Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area is in yet another centralrange valley. The park is between the towns of Guangfu and Ruisui. The latter is best-known as a starting point for whitewater rafting outings to the coast. The focus here is eco-tourism. The Butterfly Valley Resort (www.bvr.com.tw) is managed by a commissioned private enterprise, and most of its amenities are just inside the park entrance. This is near the Fuyuan Stream’s lower reaches, where the terrain is less steep. The resort’s amenities include a small upscale hotel, landscaped gardens, a butterfly museum, and an outdoor hot-spring spa. Guided eco-tours are available.

These last 1.5 hours and take you through the gardens, along lower-area trails, and into the more rugged upper area. The upper area offers misty waterfalls, suspension bridges, and a broad camphor-tree stand. A fee is charged for non-hotel guests.

Jinlai Huilan B&B

Jinlai Huilan B&B Located north of Ruisui town on Highway 9, the Jinlai Huilan B&B is run by a delightfully warm and young husband/ wife team who not long ago decided to opt out of big-city living. Its layout is motel-like. Meals are taken in the main entrance area, and the five simple, tastefully appointed rooms, in the rear and along one side, are entered directly from outside (parking is in front). The tableau seen from the rooms is blissfully quaint – across valley-floor farms into the Butterfly Valley (see main text), trains drumming along with percussion-like rhythm in the distance. The meals are another soothing satisfaction. The husband has international-cuisine culinary-arts training, and clearly studied well. (Rooms start at NT$2,200) Jinlai Huilan B&B ( 境籟迴嵐 ) No. 226, Sec. 3, Zhongzheng N. Rd., Ruisui Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣瑞穗鄉中正北路三段 226 號 ) 0960-667-286 comein-bnb.com (Chinese)

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The sky trail hangs you right out over the ocean, breakers and shore fishermen at your feet

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Old highway tunnel

PACIFIC COAST The long coastal strip between Hualien City and Taitung City is framed by the coastal range on one side, with slopes that are sometimes gentle and sometimes steep, and the brilliantblue ocean on the other. The coast offers a medley of arriving waves (breakers great for surfing in some places), unique rock formations, and narrow bands of arable land.

The curvaceous Provincial Highway 11A takes you from Guangfu up and over the low-peak coastal range. It serves up splendid hawk-eye views of the rift valley and central mountains when ascending, and of the coast and ocean on its descent. The descent drops you into Fengbin, a languid mixed Amis/Kavalan indigenous village above a river that melds with the Pacific. Highway 11, which traverses the coastline and takes you back north up to Hualien City, is joined here.

The village of Xinshe, with a sharp-slope mountainside serving as its “back wall,” is perched atop a large flat-topped headland which is espied from many kilometers away while motoring along Highway 11. This is a tribal community, Taiwan’s largest Kavalan settlement. The Kavalan motherland is Yilan County, but most members moved down along the Hualien/Taitung coast in the 1800s to escape Chinese-settler pressure. The headland is beautifully contoured, with sunreflecting rice paddies fitting perfectly together. The blue of the ocean, green of the paddies, and colorful scarecrows combine into a photographer’s dream come true.

The new Hualien Fengbin Sky Trail is a double-thrill attraction. The “sky trail” is a 150m cliff-clinging skywalk that hangs you right out over the ocean, breakers and shore fishermen at your feet. A 20m section is transparent. The trail follows a narrow old path hacked from the cliff face, which connected local villages during the Japanese period. The second thrill is that your access walk is along a retired cliffedge section of Highway 11. Your skywalk return is through an old highway tunnel, today filled with gift and snack stands.

Dashibi Hill Trail

Xinshe rice paddies

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Hualien City

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Jiqi Beach

Dashibi Hill Trail

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Hualien Fengbin Sky Trail

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Pacific Ocean

Xinshe Fengbin

Jiqi Beach offers 3km of soft sandy shoreline in a shallow bay surrounded by mountain on three sides. This is the first good swimming beach south of Hualien City. On the south end is a resort with water- and beach-fun equipment, a snack shop, a retail/gift shop, and a camping area with covered wooden platforms.

The hill on the south side of Jiqi Beach is easily ascended.

It juts out into the sea, and the highway curves around it inland.

The wood-stair pathway to the top, the Dashibi Hill Trail, starts at a highway-side parking lot and takes about 15 easy minutes to conquer. Your reward is splendid views of the rugged coastline north and south, local fishing craft out at sea, and the highway-side indigenous village inland.

Getting There & Around There is regular train service to Hualien City from points around Taiwan’s perimeter on the round-island railway loop. The fastest trains from Taipei take under 2.5 hours. On this trip we rented a mid-sized vehicle from one of the licensed enterprises outside of the Hualien Railway Station (there are also scooter-rental outlets). If you have any questions, staff at the tourism information center outside the station can help. A mid-sized vehicle costs around NT$1,500 per day. For non-self-drive options, check out the ultraconvenient Taiwan Tourist Shuttle and Taiwan Tour Bus services (www. taiwantrip.com.tw / www.taiwantourbus.com.tw).

More Info For much more detail on the three major areas covered here, visit the following websites: Taroko National Park (www.taroko.gov.tw), East Rift Valley National Scenic Area (www.erv-nsa.gov.tw), and East Coast National Scenic Area (www. eastcoast-nsa.gov.tw).

English and Chinese Amis 阿美 Baiyang Trail 白楊步道 Buluowan Recreation Area 布洛灣遊憩區 Butterfly Valley Resort 蝴蝶谷溫泉渡假村 Dasha River 大沙溪 Dashibi Hill Trail 大石鼻山步道 Feicui Valley 翡翠谷 Fengbin 豐濱 Fenglin 鳳林 Guangfu 光復 Guangfu Sugar Factory 光復糖廠 Hualien Fengbin Sky Trail 花蓮豐濱天空步道

Jiqi Beach 磯崎海水浴場 Jilitan 吉利潭 Kavalan 噶瑪蘭 Lintian Mountain Forestry Center 林田山林業文化園區 Little Zhuilu Trail 小錐麓步道 Liwu River 立霧溪 Liyu Like 鯉魚潭 Qingshui Cliff 清水斷崖 Shakadang River 砂卡礑溪 Shakadang Trail 砂卡礑步道 Suhua Highway 蘇花公路 Taroko Gorge 太魯閣峽谷 Tianxiang 天祥 Truku 太魯閣族 Xinshe 新社

Taking in the East Coast scenery

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Pingtung County Advertisement

Mafulufu Craft Studio Mainly produces large pieces of wooden furniture; the work shown is a treasure bowl

Aboriginal Costume Workshop Expertly weaves daily use items from hemp rope, such as the currently-popular water bottle bag

Ren Ren Man Studio Ke Zhen-mei has designed a variety of fine decorative products, from necklaces to earrings to bracelets

Gold and Silver Grandmother Leather Carving Studio Bao Chun-guang uses bright colors, passing on cultural traditions through carved leatherware

The Road Home

Using Design to Revitalize Indigenous V illages After repeated relocations and typhoon disasters, many young people have left Pingtung’s indigenous villages to work elsewhere, leading to the aging of the village population and difficulty in passing on tribal culture to the younger generation. Luckily, in recent years, many indigenous craftspersons dedicated to preserving traditional crafts, community groups that care about village development, and young people who want to make a contribution to their communities have actively sought ways to inject new vitality into indigenous villages. The Pingtung County Government has also, through an indigenous area local revitalization program, formed a consensus between residents with regard to the direction of village development and has successfully revitalized villages.

Traditional crafts are the key to open the door to the culture of the indigenous people of Pingtung. The county government has used distinctive crafts to build indigenous brands and, in doing so, given local industry more possibilities. The people of the local Paiwan and Rukai tribes are

talented artists. From their home decorations to traditional clothes, their highly developed aesthetic sense is displayed in traditional crafts such as wood carving, the creation of colored beads, bead embroidery, Alpinia weaving, ceramic art, leather carving, and iron sculpting.

The results of the program are displayed in traditional indigenous houses.

Everyone is invited to sit down in a house to feel the special atmosphere of the meeting of traditional culture and modern life.

In the future, moreover, the house platform will be combined with local special agricultural products, such as red quinoa, ramie, hyacinth bean, and millet; environmental education and eco-guide services will be provided to open up more possibilities for village development. The aim is, in cooperation with the residents of indigenous villages, to find the way home for the younger generation.

For more information go to:

https://goo.gl/kdqqNX (Living on the Slopes) or https://goo.gl/weR7L1 (Pingtung Dept. of Indigenous Peoples FB) Living on the Slopes FB

Ku Chih Chen Aboriginal Handicraft Studio Jiang Mei-zhen uses a traditional spinning machine to weave beautiful indigenous patterns

Le Ge Yai Studio Visitors can make a painted name card holder DIY style

Syuan Jhin Lin Studio The studio is adept at creating bead embroidery works based on indigenous totems

Woodpecker Wood Carving Studio The studio is renowned for exquisite wood carvings; its small machete was chosen as one of the Top 10 gifts of Pingtung County

Pingtung Dept. of Indigenous Peoples FB

Daughter of the Sun Culture Creative Space Wu Yu-ling is an expert in using a combination of different materials, her inspiration coming from the spirits of ancestors

ADVENTURES

FLYBOARDING

Jet-Packed

Iron M

Flyboarding on the North Coast

A First-Time Flyboarding Experience on the North Coast Text: Francesca Chang Photos: Nick Chiu

Flyboarding is a new trending watersport that requires good balance and an adventurous mindset. Surrounded by the sea and blessed with a subtropical/tropical climate, Taiwan is an excellent place for all types of watersports, flyboarding now one of them!

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T

he island of Taiwan, when first spotted by Portuguese sailors in the 16th century, was dubbed “Ilha Formosa,” meaning “Beautiful Island.” Thereafter the island was long known internationally as “Formosa,” and while outdated now, this remains its nickname, showing that the beauty of Taiwan has withstood the test of time. Among the scenic beauties that impress foreign visitors most is the island’s varying coastline, including its North Coast and Northeast Coast, both characterized by bays and capes, enchanting rock formations, rugged cliffs, rolling green hills and mountains beyond, as well as pristine beaches. Places of warm waters and lush, mountainous backdrops, these two areas, conveniently reached from central Taipei, are ideal playgrounds for adventurous types who love watersports.

On a recent trip to the North Coast I had the chance to learn more about and experience flyboarding for the first time. An unforgettable day!

ADVENTURES FLYBOARDING

Like the

Man

Getting ready

Learning about the gear

French watercraft rider. The new watersport it spawned quickly gained international traction, developing a small yet fiercely dedicated group of enthusiasts, and with a Flyboard World Cup first taking place in Doha, Qatar in 2013, Dubai in 2014 and 2015, Naples in 2016, and Cavalaire-surMer in France in 2017.

A flyboard rider stands on the flyboard – a hydroflighting device – with his/her feet secured in a pair of boots attached to the board. The device is connected by a long hose to a jet-ski, and water is forced under pressure through jet nozzles underneath the boots. The pressure provides enough thrust for riders to fly up to 15m (49ft) into the air and dive headlong through the water down to 2.5m (8ft).

Improvements have been made to the original device, and the LeBay Company currently uses the 2016 Flyboard Pro Series, which is 35% lighter than the original flyboard and has an improved hydrodynamic efficiency of 32%, the enhancements making the board significantly easier to control.

Taiwan’s New Iron Man

Watersports in Taiwan

At numerous seaside beaches around Taiwan you can rent surfboards, kayaks, and other watersport gear. Private and group outings for snorkeling, scuba diving, paragliding, and windsurfing are also offered by reputable enterprises at many locations. The many options for outdoor pursuits have been attracting more and more tourists from overseas in recent years, with ever more businesses popping up to meet the increasing demand.

One outfit that stands out is Taipei-based LeBay Company. It organizes many exciting watersports activities such as dragon-boat paddling, kiteboarding, paddle boarding, jet-skiing, and hoverboarding.

Flyboarding classes are now included among their very popular offerings.

Flyboarding: A Short History

Inspired by the fictional superhero and pop-culture film Iron Man, the flyboard was invented in 2012 by Franky Zapata, a renowned

The LeBay Company was founded in 2016 by Kasa Liu, who was drawn to the sport by its novelty, and “because it was cool.” Before formally opening the company for business, he and his fellow colleagues traveled all the way to Paris, where they were properly trained on usage of the flyboard, spending two full weeks learning about operation and safety.

For two years now, Kasa and his five staff members have been introducing this recreational activity to both locals and foreigners at Wanli Beach on Taiwan’s North Coast, located just to the south of Yehliu Geopark, a very popular tourist attraction.

Flyboarding has been well received in Taiwan; LeBay has given both public and private demonstrations throughout the island, and the outfit’s customer numbers have increased significantly. The firm’s head coach even gave a performance at a private pool party in Taipei once, where he showed off acrobatic moves to entertain the guests. Taiwan’s first flyboard competition was recently held at the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area, Pingtung County, as part of the annual Dapeng Bay Yacht & Regatta Festival.

My Debut as an Iron Woman

As I had never done flyboarding before, on my recent North Coast trip I was a little intimidated by the new device and the concept of being “suspended” high in the air by a powerful force underneath my feet.

Fortunately, however, the coaches at LeBay each have at least two years of instruction experience, and do a wonderful job indeed of making customers feel at ease.

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ADVENTURES

FLYBOARDING

After a brief general introduction to the sport, a hop, skip, and jump took us to the area where I would be flyboarding. A rest area with a cabana is set up on the beach, where guests can prepare or rest before going out into the water. Several staff members are always at hand to provide assistance.

Safety is a priority at LeBay, and I was suited up with a life jacket and helmet before entering the water. I kicked off my sandals and walked into the water with my coach, toward a jet-ski rider waiting for us. After riding out to open water, away from the shallows, my coach and the jet-ski rider helped me get onto the flyboard, strapping my feet tight into the boots.

falls. Luckily, wearing a helmet and life jacket made my failures to do what I had been told less unpleasant than they might otherwise have been, and I was always completely safe. Being able to hover high in the air above the water, enjoying great views of the coast, made this experience absolutely worth the failed landings.

Exploring Taiwan’s beautiful coastal areas, with their fine beaches and warm waters, through innovative watersports like this is a must-do – especially when you can feel like a superhero doing so! Regardless of your experience, fitness level, or even your ability to swim, flyboarding is sure to take you to new heights on the beautiful island of Taiwan!

Professional flyboarders use a Bluetooth device to control the pressure of the water sent to their flyboard. At LeBay, however, for beginners the pressure is controlled by the trained staff on the jet-ski. You start in the water floating, facing downward with back arched and head out of the water, then right before taking off you straighten your legs with knees slightly bent so that your body is positioned upright. It takes a beginner a few times to get used to this procedure. A bit of balance and coordination is required to successfully get up above the water.

On my first few tries I was unsuccessful in standing up, falling back into the water immediately each time. Thanks to my patient coach’s instructions and support, however, I then managed to stand up and launch into the air after a further five minutes of practice, achieving a total of three flights in a row. There are no words to describe the rush I felt once suspended high up above the water. The feeling was similar to balancing on a snowboard or a skateboard, but the thrill was so much bigger.

Thereafter, the more comfortable I got, the more pressure the coach released and the higher I flew! When I was young, I always wished to have the superpower ability to fly. Standing weightless on a flyboard, suspended high in the air, is the closest feeling I’ve ever had to attaining this superhero dream. It was even better than zip-lining.

Getting There Self-drive: Take National Freeway 3 to Jijin Interchange; turn left onto Provincial Highway 2, and drive to New Taipei City district of Wanli.

Public transport: Take a commuter train to the city of Keelung; transfer to bus 789, 790, or 862 at the bus stop near the blue pedestrian overpass to the right of the station; get off at Wanli Beach bus stop.

Alternatively take Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport bus 1815 from Taipei City Hall Bus Station or Taipei Bus Station to Wanli Beach.

During the 30min session I had signed up for I did not master a smooth landing; I came crashing down each time. The instructors had told me beforehand to try to land on my arms and protect my face during such

Pricing LeBay offers a 30min flyboarding experience for NT$2,000, including 10min of offshore training. For an additional NT$500 you get a drone recording of your experience. If more adventurous and experienced, you can opt for a NT$6,000 course, including 10min of offshore training, a 20min basic-trick session, a 40min session on “fancy” tricks, plus drone footage of your entire experience.

Session availability: Daily 10am~6pm; booking at least 3 days in advance is recommended.

What to Bring Females should wear a conservative bathing suit, or cover up with a pair of shorts and T-shirt (as the water pressure and crashing will alter the fit of your bathing suit).

All partakers should bring sunscreen, flip flops, a towel, and a change of clothes; hot showers are available.

English and Chinese Dapeng Bay 大鵬灣 Dapeng Bay Yacht & Regatta Festival 大鵬灣遊艇帆船系列活動 Jijin Interchange 基金交流道 Kasa Liu 劉信甫

Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport 國光客運 Wanli 萬里 Wanli Beach 萬里海水浴場 Yehliu Geopark 野柳地質公園

Success!

LeBay Company ( 樂趣灣 ) 0966-579790 lebay.co/en

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SPECIAL REPORT FESTIVAL

Art Ocean by

the

The Taiwan East Coast Land Arts Festival Text: Vision Photos: East Coast National Scenic Area

T

he East Coast of Taiwan is well known for its scenic landscapes and indigenous culture.

Combining the region’s splendid scenery and the rich cultural and artistic traditions of its tribal peoples, the annual East Coast Land Arts Festival presents travelers with yet another good reason to visit this charming part of the island. Its organizer, the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration, each year invites artists from around Taiwan and abroad to create installation artworks that symbolize aspects of life in eastern Taiwan and the character of the region’s people while at the same time blending with the natural environment. The artists are encouraged to spend time in this part of the island to get a feel for the land, get to know the local people, and be inspired.

Mother Island was the theme last year, for the third edition of the festival. Artists explored the history of the East Coast region, the interactions of the various ethnic groups that have settled here over the centuries, and their relationships with Mother Nature.

With her red-brick arrangement titled Eye of Life, erected at the Duli Visitor Center in Taitung’s Chenggong Township, Filipina artist Christina “Ling” Quisumbing Ramilo focused on the forces of nature (typhoons) and the role of women in indigenous societies. Artists Lingling and Huang Jin Cheng created Brave Man, a rattan/bamboo work in the shape of the infinity sign that was located close to the mouth of the Xiuguluan River in southern Hualien County; it symbolized the traditional practice of sea fishing with bamboo rafts used by local tribespeople.Another memorable work was The Most Powerful Gentleness by Hana Keliw, a member of the Amis tribe and resident of

English and Chinese Chenggong Township 成功鎮 Duli 都歷 Dulan 都蘭 Moonlit Sea Concert 東海岸月光音樂會 Xiuguluan River 秀姑巒溪

Dulan village in Taitung County. Created using rattan, bamboo, steel, and stone, and displayed at the Duli Visitors Center, the strong lines of her work created a powerful impression. The long strings of rattan symbolized the hair of the native women of Lanyu (Orchid Island), whose traditional hair dance is a way of praying for the safe return of the island’s men when out at sea fishing.

While the size and number of the art objects created for this festival are far from record-breaking, their strong symbolic meaning and harmonious integration into the local environment nevertheless leave a deep impression.

This year, art installations will be added to various spots along the East Coast again, giving visitors numerous new attractions to see. In addition, the Duli Visitor Center will be venue for the Moonlit Sea Concert series (and other activities such as an arts and crafts bazaar), with music performances scheduled for July 9/10 and August 8/9. For more information, including introductions to the artists and maps showing the locations of their artworks, visit the official festival website.

Taiwan East Coast Land Arts Festival ( 台東大地藝術祭 ) 06/29 ~ 11/30 Duli Visitor Center, Chenggong Township, Taitung County ( 台東縣成功鎮都歷遊客中心 ) www.teclandart.tw

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MICHELIN GUIDE

The Michelin Guide Taipei 2018 First-Ever Taipei Edition Recognizes Taiwan’s Capital as a Global Food Scene “Taipei is a city that has an incredibly rich gastronomic history, and the variety of cuisines available is amazing. Taipei has also given birth to a truly dynamic and innovative dining scene – much to the delight of a local clientele that is ever more curious to discover new flavors and different experiences.”

- Michael Ellis, MICHELIN Guides International Director Text: Rick Charette Photos: Vision, Chen Cheng-kuo, Le Palais, Ryugin, The Guest House

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ver its history Taiwan has been a melting pot of people from widely varying places and cultures. Visitors from overseas witness this daily in the tolerance that locals have for outsiders, the tolerance for and often eager acceptance of new ideas, and the thriving culinary world, where traditions are cherished while at the very same time there is an unquenchable thirst – on the part of both creators and those who enjoy their creations – for the taste never before experienced. And as it is in many other facets, Taipei is the “capital” of the Taiwan culinary realm, where the best of the best coalesce.

Taiwan, Land of Diversity “Taiwan is an important stop for [those] who wish to experience Asian culture . . . home to many groups from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, including the island’s indigenous Austronesian population, the Southern Fujianese who migrated from China’s Fujian province . . . the Hakka people who originated from Southern China, and the mainland Chinese who came to Taiwan in the late 1940s, as well as those of East Asian, Southeast Asian and Western origins, who arrived in recent decades. These diverse cultures have demonstrated harmonious co-existence . . . [and] rightfully earned Taiwan an international reputation as a ‘culinary kingdom.’”

Michelin Guide Taipei 2018

ISLAND FEAST MICHELIN GUIDE

Michelin Taipei Guide Press Conference

The Story of the Taipei Guide On the day the Taipei guide was officially unveiled at a standing-room only press conference – Taipei folk, including media members, are passionate foodies – Michael Ellis, the Michelin Guides international director, spoke with Travel in Taiwan:

The arrival of the Michelin Guide in Taiwan is truly a historic event. Taiwan in general, and Taipei in particular, have long had a very strong food culture, and Taiwan’s culinary scene attracts visitors from around the world. Most visitors to Taiwan have a favorite dish – beef noodles, steamed dumplings, or even stinky tofu. But the choice of delicious dishes in Taiwan and here in Taipei is virtually unlimited.

With the Taipei arrival of the Michelin Guide, Taiwanese food now takes its rightful place on the international stage. Taiwan’s food is vibrant, dynamic, delicious. Its products, from sea or soil, meat, fish, vegetables, are all of incredible quality – the subtropical/tropical marine environment and terroir produce a bounty of incredible variation, providing endless inspiration for chefs – and Taiwan has combined many influences from around Asia, and from Europe, to create a truly unique cuisine. And its night markets are unparalleled in their offering of fantastic foods at great prices.

Our inspectors’ choice of 110 restaurants, inviting them into the

Michael Ellis

global Michelin family, means that Taiwanese cuisine has entered the area of being truly recognized as world-class. This has been an incredibly exciting project for our inspectors. The guide will shine a unique international spotlight on the cuisine of Taiwan, and Taiwan will now take its rightful place on the playing field of international gastronomy and be compared to France, Japan, Italy, and other great dining destinations. Each new Michelin edition brings a clear boost both to each place listed and to a city’s overall tourism.

We only very rarely find a new 3-star restaurant – there are just over 100 in the world – of the 20,000 in the family. It’s the pinnacle of cooking, and the ultimate recognition in the Michelin universe. So it has been my great pleasure and honor to have confirmed our 3-star elite corps has gotten bigger, because we found one in Taipei – Le Palais.

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Taipei’s New Starred Stars The Selection Process The first edition of every guide we create is made with international inspectors. We then afterwards recruit and train locals for following editions. We rotate our international inspectors around the world; the food in Paris is much different than in, say, Tokyo, Madrid, or Rio de Janeiro, but it is important that the consistency of quality is something that is comparable.

That is our objective, because the Michelin star stands for quality.

There are 110 restaurants in this guide. We generally inspect a multiple of the number that are finally selected. For this issue we used inspectors from Asia, the US, and Europe. In terms of format, the Taipei guide is very much in keeping with our other guides – we try to capture a “photo” of restaurants that possess the special Michelin criteria.

Inspectors look for five things. First, quality of product; all good food starts with good product. They also look for mastery of cooking technique; are things perfectly cooked? Not undercooked, not overcooked – cooked to perfection? Then they look for taste harmony and equilibrium; is the chef expressing his personality in the plates? Are things not too salty, not too sweet, not too bitter? Is there correct use of seasonings? We also look for regularity and consistency – is everything on the menu of equal quality? We visit repeatedly to see if the quality is matched year-round. Finally, we look for value for money. These unique criteria have been the recipe for Michelin success for over a century.

The inspectors are very much “detectives.” They use a variety of different sources to probe for the very best. For Taipei specifically, they had to be able to function in Chinese. Inspectors use local papers, restaurant guides, blogs – any available media resource, print or digital. If not local, they’ll also do things like go into local butcher shops, bakeries, etc., and say, ‘I’m from out of town, can you recommend a local restaurant?’ Or they’ll ask a waitress, waiter, or chef at a local eatery, ‘Where do you eat when you’re not working?’

One of the World's Greatest Cuisines In his work Ellis has sampled the cuisines of the wide world, and he diplomatically admits to Chinese being among his favorite. He has sampled the best throughout the region, including Singapore and Shanghai.

We have guides for Singapore and Shanghai, and we’re launching an edition for Canton (Guangzhou) soon, for example. So I’ve explored widely. Chinese cuisine is among my favorite, whether it’s Fujianese, Sichuanese, Hunanese, Cantonese – for me, Chinese cuisine is one of the great cuisines of the world.

The traveling gourmets and gourmands of the globe have long known that Taipei well deserves the moniker “food capital.” The Michelin Guide Taipei 2018 is, in turn, a well-earned “new star” spotlight turn.

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3 Stars: Le Palais Le Palais is a Cantonese restaurant in the Palais de Chine Hotel, in Datong District.

“Chef Chan moved to Taiwan from Macau nearly 20 years ago . . . . The lavishly furnished dining room feels modern and chic, but with nice traditional touches such as ceramic art, calligraphy and paintings. The . . . Cantonese-style crispy roast duck, the tofu dishes and the baked egg custard tarts [are] especially impressive . . . .”

ISLAND FEAST MICHELIN GUIDE

1 Star Danny’s Steakhouse, Da-Wan (Barbecue), Golden Formosa (Taiwanese), Ken An Ho (Japanese), Kitcho (Sushi), L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon (French contemporary), La Cocotte by Fabien Vergé (French contemporary), Longtail (European contemporary), Ming Fu (Taiwanese), MUME (European contemporary), RAW (Innovative Taiwanese), Sushi Nomura, Sushi Ryu, Taïrroir (Innovative Taiwanese), Three Coins (Cantonese), Tien Hsiang Lo (Hangzhou), Ya Ge (Cantonese)

Night Markets

2 Stars: RyuGin RyuGin is a Japanese contemporary restaurant in Zhongshan District.

“. . . creative, modern Japanese cuisine but uses the best of the island’s ingredients and introduces subtle elements of Taiwanese gastronomy . . . . [T]he contrasts in texture [are] perfectly judged.”

Among the 36 establishments proclaimed a Bib Gourmand recommendation – “inspectors’ favourites for good value” – 10 are from the city’s night markets, which are a key draw with international visitors. The visually thrilling Shilin Night Market, Taiwan’s most famous, had its beginnings in the early 1900s.

Michelin has recognized the popularity of street-food snacking in Asia with a special night-market focus in its Asia editions, including Singapore and most recently Bangkok. Among the iconic Taiwan delicacies offered by the Bib Gourmand night-market vendors are “small sausage in big sausage,” pork-rib medicinal herb soup, blackpepper buns, oyster omelets, and stinky tofu.

English and Chinese “small sausage in big sausage” 大腸包小腸 black pepper buns 胡椒餅 oyster omelets 蚵仔煎

Shilin Night Market 士林夜市 stinky tofu 臭豆腐 pork-rib medicinal herb soup 四神排骨湯

Taipei Guide Format 2 Stars: The Guest House The Guest House is a Chinese restaurant in the Sheraton Grand Hotel, in Zhongzheng District.

“. . . seemingly simple dishes [transformed] into tasteful presentations revealing great textures and taste. The menu is largely Hunan and Sichuan in origin, but with a Taiwanese twist. Signature dishes include . . . chicken rice with sesame oil, pork tail braised in red yeast rice, and millefeuille tofu skin.”

A total of 110 eateries are featured. Among these, one has been bestowed with 3 stars, two with 2, and 17 with 1. There are also 36 Bib Gourmand recommendations (particularly good food at moderate prices). The types of cuisine provided are wide-ranging, from major regional Chinese culinary delights to Taiwanese street/night-market snack foods to international cuisines such as Japanese, French, and Italian (both classical and contemporary). The selections are divided into chapters according to city district to facilitate finding the locations, and each chapter contains two special sections, one on night markets and one on recommended hotels.

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M Y T R AV E L LO G Elephant Mountain vantage point

Enjoying tea at Maokong

tourist attractions in the city. She even featured me in one of her photos!

Taipei:

An Instagrammer’s Dream Text: Francesca Chang Photos: Elise Armitage

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ith a global audience of over 800 million active users, Instagram has quickly become the preferred platform for travel photographers, bloggers, and social media inf luencers. A large following has made some of these creators “Instafamous,” with the ability to sell products for advertisers and/or boost tourism with the help of their picture-perfect photos.

I recently had the pleasure of hosting Elise Armitage, a San Francisco-based travel and fashion blogger with a loyal readership and over 160,000 followers on Instagram.

We toured Taipei seeking to capture the city’s most attractive and photogenic spots for her popular Instagram feed.

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Taipei 101 As it was difficult to capture both Elise and the world’s 8th-tallest building in one frame, we hiked up nearby Elephant Mountain at sunset to get iconic shots from some of the mountain’s vantage points. Turned out we weren’t the only ones. We had to wait in line behind other Instagramming tourists to climb the trailside boulders favored by many a photographer looking for a great shot with the tower in the background.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall For her fashion lovers, Elise wore a blueand-white striped dress to match the grandiose hall, one of the most-visited

Teahouses We took the Maokong Gondola to the hilly Maokong tea-farm area to drink tea in one of the quaint and picturesque teahouses there. We also had tea at the famous A-Mei Teahouse in the mountainside town of Jiufen on the Northeast Coast, a great Instagrammable spot with stunning views of the coastal mountains and sea.

Ximending Elise also went on a shopping spree and gave her fans a tour of Ximending, Taipei’s famous shopping and entertainment district for the young and trendy, using Instagram’s Live and Stories features.

National Palace Museum Finally, Elise made a stop at the iconic National Palace Museum. Not only is the t u rquoise-tile roof ing ext remely photogenic against a backdrop of green, lush mountainside, but photographers can spend hours shooting the priceless Chinese imperial artifacts inside as well.

Elise’s fans enjoyed her presentation of Taipei, as she received an average of 1,400 likes per photo. Check them out on her Instagram (@wtfab), and be sure to read her blog posts at w-t-fab.com.

Advertisement

2018

Keelung Ghost Festival Lively and Colorful Taiwan – Keelung’s 164-Year Old Traditional Festival

Taiwan is an island that exudes passion especially for it's rich culture and history. The 164-year-old Keelung Ghost Festival is a traditional festival that many Keelung people have been taken part in since childhood. It represents an intangible cultural heritage of which the harbor city’s residents are very proud. The festival is also the first one of the twelve Major Festivals listed by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.

Taking place in the seventh lunar month annually, a series of longestablished ceremonies and rituals are held over the entire month, spanning historically-significant folk belief, arts performances, and traditional craft. The festival provides an excellent opportunity to learn about Taiwan and its culture in depth.

The origin of the Keelung Ghost Festival is closely connected to tragic events in Taiwan’s history. In 1851, many people were killed and injured in inter-communal violence between immigrants from Zhangzhou and Quanzhou in China. Influential clan people came forward to work out a solution to the conflict and it was decided that blood relations would replace territoriality and competition between formations would replace violent clashes. The various clan associations agreed to take turns organizing the annual Ghost Festival and also use this festival as an opportunity to pay homage to their own dead from the previous clan clashes. The competition of the Water Lanterns

Parade attracts thousands of spectators from Taiwan and abroad.

Meanwhile, Keelung City Government will stage arts exhibitions and performances. Local businesses will offer various discounts. Everyone is welcome to visit Keelung to feel the unrivalled charm of this fascinating traditional festival!

Now in its 164th year, Keelung Ghost Festival is the most important ghost month event in Taiwan. On the first day of the seventh lunar month, the Kai Kan Men ceremony (symbolizing the opening of the gates to the netherworld) is held. For the Release of Water Lanterns, held on the evening of the 14th day of the seventh lunar month, the whole city mobilizes and clan association lantern floats and decorated floats parade around the packed downtown streets. Large numbers of tourists from Taiwan and overseas view the colorful and lively procession. The excitement rises to a peak when the water lanterns of various clans arrive at Wanghaixiang Fishing Harbor. They are lit and released onto the water at midnight to illuminate the way for the wandering ghosts who are invited to come ashore and enjoy sacrificial offerings. The Pudu universal salvation ritual held the next day, the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, is when these wandering ghosts from the netherworld are treated to a feast. Exquisite sculptures, sacrificial offerings, and every aspect of the traditional art of the Keelung Ghost Festival are on display.

Various Traditional Ceremonies Dates: Aug. 10 ~ Sept. 10 Water Lantern Parade Date: Aug. 24 (PM 7:00) Location: Keelung City Release of Water Lanterns Date: Aug. 24 (PM 11:00) Location: Wanghaixiang Fishing Harbor

Supervising Units: Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Culture Assisting Units: Tourism Bureau, MOTC; Bureau of Cultural Heritage, MOC Organizers: Zhupu Lai Clan Association, Keelung City Government, Keelung City Counci

Festival website

Keelung Cultural Affairs Bureau

Facebook

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MUSIC EVENTS

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The Sound of Music Under the Open Sky Outdoor Music Events Around Taiwan Text: Vision

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usic can be enjoyed in numerous ways. One is through a headset attached to an iPod. (iPod? Are those still around?) Correction. Through a headset attached to a smartphone, on a sofa in the comfort of your living room, in a concert hall, in a church, or … outdoors!

There is something special about sitting under the open sky listening to whatever music you prefer, rock, pop, choir, metal, classical, folk … be it in a spacious park, in a sports stadium, on a sandy beach, or any other place you prefer.

While outdoor music events in Taiwan are not as large in scale or as well known internationally as the biggest happenings abroad – Coachella in California, Splendour in the Grass in Australia, or Fuji Rock in Japan, for example – there are in fact a number of music festivals staged in close-to-nature surroundings that music lovers visiting the island should mark in their calendars. Following are short introductions to a few of them.

Photo courtesy of East Coast National Scenic Area Administration

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Photos courtesy of East Coast National Scenic Area Administration

East Coast Moonlit Sea Concert 東海岸月光音樂會

the festival is an intimate affair that brings musicians, artists, and visitors close together in a celebration of indigenous music, art, and the wonderful East Coast scenery.

Located on the scenic East Coast of Taiwan, the township of Chenggong is the venue for this small-scale music and art festival featuring performers from local indigenous tribes. Focused on a small stage at the center of a grassy park area overlooking the ocean, Time June - August

Venue Duli Visitor Center, Chenggong Township, Taitung County ( 台東縣成功鎮都歷遊客中心 )

Type of Music Folk

Website www.teclandart.tw

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Photos courtesy of Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration

Sun Moon Lake Cycling, Music & Fireworks Festival 日月潭騎響花火音樂嘉年華

This multi-day festival each year features a number of exciting events, including a challenging bicycle race (from the lake to Tataka in Yushan National Park), a more relaxed round-the-lake bicycle ride, a lakecircling marathon run, a cross-country orienteering run, and a tea-culture Time October - November

Venue Shuishe Zhongxing Car Park, Yuchi Township, Nantou County ( 南投縣魚池鄉水社中興停車場 )

festival, among others. The music portion of the festival includes a classical concert featuring the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, a show that is complemented by a spectacular fireworks display.

Type of Music Pop, classical

Website www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw/ activities/2017comebikeday/

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Picnic and Music Festival 池上稻穗藝術節

4 Photo courtesy of Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau

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Alishan Sunrise Impression Concert

Tainan Summer Music Festival

阿里山日出印象音樂會

台南夏日音樂節

Photo courtesy of Lovely Taiwan Foundation

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The Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, in the high mountains of south-central Taiwan, is well known for its breathtaking sunrises, the glowing orb appearing suddenly from behind the towering peaks of the Yushan Mountain Range. While the sunrise can be enjoyed every day of the year (weather permitting), each January 1 the spectacle is especially endearing. To warm up the visitors braving the early-morning low temperatures (the sun rises at around 7am this time of the year), a rich mix of classical, pop, and folk music is performed live on a stage at the Zhushan Sunrise Viewing Platform.

Among the most alluring scenes in the long and narrow East Rift Valley, on the east side of Taiwan, are golden-brown rice fields with ready-for-harvest rice stalks swaying in the breeze. The organizers of this festival take full advantage of the enchanting tableaux that exists before the year’s second rice harvest, in November. Performers entertain the crowds on a stage set up on the edge of a vast carpet of paddy fields in Taitung’s Chishang Township.

Since 2009, some of Taiwan’s biggest acts, including Wu Bai & China Blue, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, and A-mei (Kulilay Amit) have graced the stage.

Once a year, sleepy Jiangjun Fishing Harbor in southern Taiwan comes to life with youthful rock, pop, and rap music. This event’s stage is set up in a parking lot right by the harbor.

The festival gives you the chance to get to know lesser-known local performing artists in a lesser-visited part of Taiwan. Combine your visit with time playing at Mashagou Beach, just to the north of the harbor, and make sure to taste the ultra-fresh seafood the coastal area of the south is known for.

Time January 1 Venue Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, Alishan Township, Chiayi County ( 嘉義縣阿里山鄉阿里山國家森林遊樂區 ) Type of Music Classical, pop, folk Website www.ali-nsa.net

Time October Venue Chishang Township, Taitung County ( 台東縣池上鄉 ) Type of Music Folk, rock, pop Website www.facebook.com/Chishangarts.org/

Time August Venue Jiangjun Fishing Harbor, Jiangjun Dist., Tainan City ( 台南市將軍區將軍漁港 ) Type of Music Pop, rock, rap Website www.tainanmusic.org.tw (Chinese)

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Ho-Hai-Yan Gongliao Rock Festival

Taichung Jazz Festival

貢寮海洋音樂祭

台中爵士音樂節

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Photo courtesty of Taroko National Park Administration

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Photo courtesy of Tourism and Travel Department, New Taipei City Government

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This open-air music festival, being held for the 18th time this year, is one of the largest and best-known in Taiwan. The venue is Fulong Beach on the Northeast Coast, a golden-sand beach that draws many visitors during the hot summer months. With a large stage right on the beach, revelers can listen to the performances of some of Taiwan’s foremost rock and pop stars, along with notable international acts, while sitting in the sand and playing by and in the water.

First held in 2002, this festival's organizers wanted to combine the visual splendor of Taroko Gorge, arguably Taiwan’s most attractive scenic and natural wonder, with the beauty of music. Over the years, different locations have been chosen for the music performances, including the grassy area beside the Taroko National Park Visitor Center, the bed of the Liwu River near the Eternal Spring Shrine, the grassy terraces at Buluowan, and even a beach near the coastal Qingshui Cliff (outside Taroko Gorge, but not far from its eastern entrance).

First held in 2003, this annual happening has grown significantly over the years, now attracting over one million visitors each time it takes place. The event, which in 2017 lasted nine days with concerts at five different Taichung venues, features leading jazz musicians from Taiwan and overseas. The festival is a cornerstone of the city’s ambitious drive to become one of the leading cultural hotspots in Asia.

Time July Venue Fulong Beach, Gongliao Dist., New Taipei City ( 新北市貢寮區福隆海水浴場 ) Type of Music Rock, pop Website tour.ntpc.gov.tw/en-us/ (click “Festivals”)

Time October Venue Taroko National Park, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣太魯閣國家公園 ) Type of Music Folk, pop, classical Website www.facebook.com/tarokomusic/

Time October Venue Various venues in Taichung City, including Civic Square ( 台中市民廣場及其他場地 ) Type of Music Jazz Website www.taichungjazzfestival.com.tw

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TAICHUNG

Shenji New Village Culture and Creativity in Taichung Text: Han Cheung　Photos: Maggie Song

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Outdoor milk truck

HIDDEN TREASURES TAICHUNG

Puff and almond milk shops

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Blossom

In recent years a major trend in cities around Taiwan has been the restoration of old houses, industrial sites, military dependents’ villages, and other heritage treasures. The aim has not just been to preserve these gems, but also to transform them into centers of culture, creativity, and small-scale businesses. Shenji New Village, in Taichung City’s urban core, is a great example of this type of successful transformation.

elfie lovers, rejoice. From giant cream-puff helmets to a room with a faux merry-go-round that is eerie and cute at the same time, Taichung’s Shenji New Village is tailor-made for taking pictures both atmospheric and whimsical. And it’s not just the gimmicks – this cluster of light-yellow concrete-and-brick buildings in the city’s West District has been preserved and renovated well, transporting visitors back to the late 1960s when the complex was built to serve as dormitory housing for the Taiwan Provincial Government.

With a pebble-stone and red-brick main street and plenty of footpaths to wander along, as well as wooden staircases allowing you to climb to tree-brushed second-floor balconies, there’s a whole lot packed into this relatively small city space. It’s grown so popular that even on a weekday afternoon visitors can be seen waiting for their turn to snap group photos with their friends on the main plaza, laid with subtle and tasteful geometric tiles that match the surrounding buildings.

Even if taking photos is not your thing, you could still easily spend a whole day here, browsing shops, eating pasta, and ending the day with a nightcap at a craft-beer bar. The village’s two-story concrete structures are jam-packed with intriguing businesses, about a quarter established through the “Catch Star Youth Dream Taichung” program (www.tcdream.taichung. gov.tw; Chinese), under which the city government selected a first batch of young creative entrepreneurs to start ventures here three years ago.

The others have arrived over the past year under a new village management team led by Steven Wu, founder of the Red Dot Hotel (www. reddot-hotel.com). The hotel, located in Taichung’s Central District, is in

a restored building and is best known for a 27m-long indoor slide. Wu has expanded the original enterprise demographic of the village by extending invitations to owners of old shops and other established businesses elsewhere with an interest in opening a new branch and/or trying something new.

“We’ve noticed that many cultural-creative complexes feature the same kind of businesses,” Wu says. “We want to have things one can’t find at other such places. Also, variety is important – a barbershop could be next to a traditionalsweets store, which could be next to a record shop or maybe a fountain-pen boutique.”

In addition to the shops and photo ops, Wu says, there is also an attractive range of activities, such as monthly markets and Taiwanese-style roadside banquets. The theme is changed every few months, and can include art festivals, picnics, and concerts. Wu hopes to eventually ply his old trade once again here by adding a youth hostel to the village late this year or early next year.

"We intend to make the hostel different from just finding a piece of land and building something on it,” Wu says. “We want to have a complete package that is integrated with Shenji New Village, with various workshops or activities as well as collaborations with the stores in the complex.”

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TAICHUNG

Still Light

Lin Jie-yu did not expect Shenji New Village to become as popular as it is today. When, about three years ago, she established Blossom, a creative studio that draws inspiration from window-grille patterns, much of the village was still under restoration and was not attracting many visitors.

Responding to increased numbers since then, however, the two-person team that runs the studio has recently amped up production, and what was once a design school graduation project is now a full-fledged shop with ceramic wares, masking tapes, pins, coin purses, lights, and other practical items on display, each creation inspired in one way or another by window grilles from Taiwan and around the world. The patterns are used in carvings, pottery, stitching, printing, and paper debossing. Lin says one of their more popular items is a ceramic chopsticks holder resembling a piece of window grille, colored in a way that mimics the often rusty surfaces of actual grilles.

Tim Lin of Protest Studio, which shares a floor with Blossom, has made an even larger adjustment. This was originally a design studio with an art focus that mostly operated on a case-by-case basis; production has now been expanded and the focus is more commercial.

“Before, people who came were mostly interested in arts and culture,” he says. “But now we have all kinds of visitors packing the village, especially on the weekends. It’s a whole different ecosystem compared to two years ago – and it would be a waste not to capitalize on the increased traffic. So we’ve shifted our focus to commercial products.”

Animals are all the rage here, with earrings, pins, stickers, and necklaces of different sizes crafted in the shape of Shiba Inus, sloths, owls, and even blobfishes. The studio has also designed bags with graphics that go with the pins. Everything is handcrafted and painted, with the paint details customizable.

Hsu Chen-hao has used a different approach. While he still runs his design studio Chaiwood, which makes products that feature leather stitched onto solid wood, he has taken advantage of the village’s popularity by opening Groceries Wood, a cramped room on the second floor of a café that sells various handcrafted designer products made of wood and has a tiny rotating exhibition space for featured artists. From coasters made of different types of wood to stick pencils, vases, and earrings, the possibilities for wood seem endless.

Still Light, a fountain-pen store, and Nikai Library, a Japanese and Taiwanese zine shop, are among the more recent arrivals recruited under Steven Wu’s “maximum variety” concept.

Customers can often be seen standing around a table at Still Light scribbling in the many notebooks using selections from the almost overwhelming variety of pens. This is the second Still Light store, but it’s 40

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Chaiwood

not just a replica of the original – manager Shih Chang-hui says the aim at the Shenji New Village outlet is to introduce the casual visitor to the art of fountain-pen calligraphy.

“We won’t have items that are too expensive or difficult to use here,” he says. “This place is more introductory, and if you’re interested in more upscale products you can visit our flagship store.”

Shih says that it was a gamble setting up here, as the village was not nearly as popular today when they first moved in about a year ago. The decision has paid off, he adds. Still Light is working on creating its own branded products for each of the three major components of fountain-pen writing – the pens themselves, the ink, and the paper. Building on each person’s writing habits, techniques, and color preferences, the store will fine-tune the materials to create a unique calligraphy experience.

Nikai Library also moved here about a year ago from another culturalcreative park after receiving an invitation from Wu’s team. Now enjoying three times their former space, the owners have an exhibition room as well as a multi-purpose room they usually use as a workshop for in-house zines, but which they also use to host collaborations, such as a recent one with a Japanese café.

“It’s an experimental space,” says co-owner Kuo Shih-hsien.

“It’s not just a zine shop. We hope that people can see different things each time they visit.”

Kuo hopes that Nikai Library can introduce people to the zine culture.

HIDDEN TREASURES TAICHUNG

Nikai Library

Grass

The outlet also has intriguing stationery items from Japan, and the management team also travels to Japan to present interesting items from Taiwan.

“Our mission is to bring the good stuff from Japan to Taiwan, and vice versa,” Kuo states.

The exhibition space is being used to display works by a Japanese illustrator in July and August, with the following month showcasing a Japanese stationery brand.

From a full-service Italian restaurant to craft-beer bar to an outdoor milk truck, food and beverage options abound at Shenji New Village.

One shop of particular interest is Grass, a sandwich joint where visitors can put on rubber animal masks and take photos with the large circusstyle merry-go-round rabbits and squirrels.

There’s no seating here, and beyond the counter area the space is tailormade for impromptu photoshoots. After concluding that the building is too small to put in seating, owner Sam decided to focus solely on takeaway food. Even the menu is animal-themed, with “hedgehog” (roasted pork panini), “squirrel” (black truffles with mushroom panini), and “reindeer” (cherry sauce and cheese sandwich) creations, and “hippo” donuts with Hawaiian nuts and maple syrup.

The most popular item is the “polar bear” sandwich, a fried lobster salad concoction with rich layers of cheese. In the afternoon, there’s a pop-up stand outside the shop from which donuts and other sweet pastries are sold.

“Our food is made for takeaway so people can eat while they wander the village grounds, or they can even have a picnic,” Sam says. “We

remove some vegetables typically found in sandwiches so they don’t drip.

Everything is animal-themed, because we want people to eat in a fun and relaxed manner.”

If you still have time for exploration after you’re done with Shenji New Village, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (www.ntmofa.gov. tw) is a short walk away, and you can also walk along the Calligraphy Greenway, browsing other intriguing cultural-creative establishments all the way to the CMP Block Museum of Arts (cmpblockmuseum.tw) and the National Museum of Natural Science (www.nmns.edu.tw).

Getting There From Taichung Railway Station, take bus no. 11, 71, or 89 to Hsiang Shang Junior High School bus stop; from there, head north, turn right onto Minsheng Road, and find Shenji New Village on the left-hand side (5 minutes from the bus stop).

English and Chinese Blossom 布菈瑟 Calligraphy Greenway 草悟道 “Catch a Star Youth Dream Taichung” 摘星青年築夢臺中 Central District 中區 Chaiwood 柴屋 CMP Block Museum of Arts 勤美術館 Grass 艸水木堂 Groceries Wood 雜貨屋 Hsiang Shang Junior High School 向上國民中學 Hsu Chen-hao 許宸豪 Kuo Shih-hsien 郭士賢 Lin Jie-yu 林杰妤

Minsheng Road 民生路 National Museum of Natural Science 國立自然科學博物館 National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts 國立臺灣美術館 Nikai Library 二階圖書室 Protest Studio 抗議工作室 Red Dot Hotel 紅點文旅 Shenji New Village 審計新村 Shih Chang-hui 施長輝 Steven Wu 吳宗穎 Still Light 覓靜拾光 Tim Lin 林益廷 West District 西區

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜41

F A M I LY F U N

LUODONG

Luodong Forestry Culture Park Text: Joe Henley Photos: Maggie Song

At Luodong Forestry Culture Park

A Window into Yilan’s Past as an Important Logging Center Yilan County, situated in the northeastern corner of Taiwan, is today known by many visitors for its agricultural and leisure/ recreation resources. Far fewer travelers, however, are aware of the fact that the county was home to a thriving logging industry in the first half of the last century. If you want to find out more about this fascinating chapter of the local history, head to the town of Luodong!

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T

he townships located on Yilan County's Lanyang Plain, an alluvial fan formed by the Lanyang River and other waterways in northeastern Taiwan, provide a quick country getaway for urbanites living in the western half of northern Taiwan looking to escape the city. The town of Luodong was once an important base for the local logging industry, but had to find ways to adapt when the area’s forestry resources, once abundant, became too sparse to provide an attractive return on capital investment. Changes in central government policy also led to adjustments.

Luodong Forestry Culture Park For those seeking a window into Luodong’s history and a rewarding “window showcase” of remnants from the logging era, the

F A M I LY F U N LUODONG

Forestry Exhibition Hall

Luodong Forestry Culture Park is a perfect day-trip choice. The park is located about a kilometer north of Luodong Railway Station.

You can either walk (about 20 minutes) or take a taxi (NT$100).

Opened in 2009, the park is centered on a former timber-processing center dating back to the early part of the Japanese colonial era (1895~1945). The Forestry Bureau of Japan set up the infrastructure to facilitate the harvesting of valuable trees, including red cypress, Taiwan cypress, and Japanese cedar, in the Taipingshan region in the southern part of today’s Yilan County. The timber was transported from the mountains to the Lanyang Plain via a network of cableways and a narrow-gauge railway line. After processing in Luodong,

the lumber was then shipped to other parts of Taiwan and abroad.

By 1924, after the completion of the forestry railway, the number of workers employed in Luodong’s timber-processing industry, combined with their family members, was around 3,000. Operations grew further after Japanese colonial rule ended following World War II. By the 1960s, the number of workers alone had swelled to 10,000, a full third of Luodong's total population.

Over the decades, the widespread deforestation of the Taipingshan region went on relatively unchecked. At the height of the boom, no fewer than 17 sawmills were in operation in Luodong. Starting with new government policies in 1982, however, the

industry declined and the sawmills fell silent.

The site of today’s Luodong Forestry Culture Park was preserved, but it would take years before it was reborn as a park dedicated to leisure and educational purposes.

The park is spacious and green, ideal for visits by families with kids. Strolling through the 1.5-acre grounds, you are presented with a wide variety of attractions, including old steam locomotives that were once used in the transport of logs.

The locomotives stand stoic next to the Wood Sculpture Square, where a number of tall works of wood art are on display.

One, entitled Ethnicity Merging, is a creation carved from Taiwan cypress that is meant to convey a sense of the varied peoples that TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜43

F A M I LY F U N

LUODONG

Souvenir store

Old locomotive

Luodong Forestry Culture Park ( 羅東林業文化園區 ) No. 118, Zhongzheng N. Rd., Luodong Township, Yilan County ( 宜蘭縣羅東鎮中正北路 118 號 ) (03) 954-5114 culturalpark.forest.gov.tw/rodong_guide. aspx (Chinese) Luodong Cultural Working House ( 羅東文化工場 ) No. 96, Sec. 1, Chunjing Rd., Luodong Township, Yilan County ( 宜蘭縣羅東鎮純精路一段 96 號 ) (03) 957-7440 lcwh.e-land.gov.tw (Chinese)

Wood Sculpture Square

shaped the land and gave birth to the town of Luodong.

To the east of the square is the old Log Pond, where you’ll see trunks still preserved in various states of submersion near the former Unloading Platform, as well as tracks of the forestry railway that were once used to bring the timber from the mountains to the mills.

Surrounding the pond is a boardwalk, along which you will pass info boards providing historical facts regarding the logging industry. When the sun is shining and the birds are singing, a walk around the pond is highly recommended for all visitors, young and old.

Speaking of birds, the pond also serves as a small sanctuary for waterfowl species such as white-breasted waterhens, little egrets, kingfishers, and eastern spot-billed ducks. Birdwatchers often gather here for a glimpse of the feathered visitors that can be seen here during the different seasons as they feed, nest, and rear their young.

Many of the old dorms, offices, and other buildings inside the park that were once used by workers and for housing heavy machinery have been converted into mini museums, with plenty of information in English and Chinese provided. At the Forestry Exhibition Hall, for example, you can go on a quick tour through the history of the logging industry in Luodong. There is also a locomotive repair shop where you have the chance to see how the steam engines were tuned up and fixed, and where examples

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of products made with the wood processed on site, from chessboards to furniture to musical instruments, are on display.

At the Lanyang Trails Exhibition Hall you are presented with information about the many hiking trails in the mountainous south of Yilan County. Routes in the Taipingshan area take trekkers along old forest roads, past high-mountain lakes (including magical Jialuo Lake), and areas with transplanted forest – reforestation became a high priority for the local government in the years after the mills fell quiet.

On the grounds of the park there are also snack bars, restaurants, and an ice-cream shop, which is located near the Trestle Bridge at the northern entrance. The shop is a nice spot to cool off on a hot day. Close by is a souvenir store with a variety of food products, wooden children's toys, books, and other items on offer.

Luodong Cultural Working House If, after visiting the Luodong Forestry Culture Park, you still have an appetite for learning about Yilan’s history and culture, consider visiting the Luodong Cultural Working House. It’s about a kilometer from the park as the crow flies, in the southern part of central Luodong. The uniquely shaped building, loosely resembling an airplane or spaceship, is worth stopping at for its whimsical, airy design alone. The open concept of the facility means that, even when one is inside, the sky above is rarely out of view.

F A M I LY F U N LUODONG

Make your way up to the viewing deck on the top floor for panoramic views of Luodong and the mountains in the distance.

Cultural exhibitions, changed from season to season and featuring the works of local artists and writers, can be visited in the Sky Gallery. At ground level is a plaza and open space for events and live theatrical, dance, and musical performances.

Luodong Forestry Culture Park

196 9

Luodong Township

Luodong

Luodong Farmers' Association While in Luodong, also pay the Luodong Farmers' Association retail facility a visit.

There you can stock up on local produce – Yilan is well-known for its agriculture – and you can take part in a variety of DIY activities to learn how to create local specialties, such as tofu. Instructors will take you through the process of tofu making, from the mixing of the various ingredients to the hand-pressing of the final product, using a wooden press and a thin cloth to get rid of any excess water.

Those who want something a bit sweeter can try their hands at the making of douhua (tofu pudding). It's a simple process, more educational than physically or mentally challenging, involving the adding of soy paste to water, followed by hot soy milk, then leaving the mixture to set for 15 minutes. After that, all that's left to do is enjoy the treat, augmented with some sweet adzuki beans.

During the DIY sessions, the instructors play games with the do-it-yourselfers, asking questions based on an introductory video, and giving out prizes such as complimentary soy milk and decks of playing cards decorated with the association’s mascot. The DIY experiences are especially fun for children.

7C Luodong Cultural Working House

Luodong Farmers’ Association

Taiwan

Tofu pudding DIY

Luodong Farmers’ Association ( 羅東鎮農會 ) No. 109, Sec. 1, Chunjing Rd., Luodong Township, Yilan County ( 宜蘭縣羅東鎮純精路一段 109 號 ) (03) 951-8667 www.lotungfa.org.tw (Chinese)

Luodong Cultural Working House

Getting There Public Transport Getting from Taipei to Luodong is very convenient by public transport. From the Taipei City Hall Bus Station take Capital Bus 1570 to Luodong (full ticket NT$128 one way; buses leave every 5~15 minutes between 6am and 11:30pm, and the trip takes about 70 minutes) (www.capital-bus.com.tw ). From the Taipei Bus Station (north of Taipei Main Station) take Kamalan Bus 1917 to Luodong (full ticket NT$141 one way; buses leave every 10~20 minutes between 4:35am and 1:15am, and the trip takes about 70 minutes) (www.kamalan.com.tw ).

From Taipei Main Station take an eastbound train to Luodong (Local Train: NT$153 one way, trip about 2hrs 30min.; Tze-Chiang Limited Express: NT$238, about 2hrs; Taroko/Puyuma: NT$238; 1hr, 15min.).

Self-Drive From Taipei, take National Freeway 3, then Freeway 5 via the town of Pinglin and the Xueshan Tunnel to Yilan. Exit at the Luodong Interchange and follow the signs to central Luodong.

English and Chinese douhua 豆花 Forestry Exhibition Hall 森產館 Lanyang Plain 蘭陽平原 Lanyang River 蘭陽溪 Lanyang Trails Exhibition Hall 森動館 Log Pond 貯木池 Luodong 羅東 Sky Gallery 天空藝廊 Trestle Bridge 木棧橋 Unloading Platform 卸木平台 Wood Sculpture Square 木雕廣場

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜45

TOWN WANDERINGS

NANZHUANG

TAKING

IT

EASY

IN NANZHUANG A Day in a Charming Village and Lush Mountains in Miaoli County Text: Richard Saunders Photos: Vision

Lying in a hilly corner of Miaoli County, at the junction of two rivers, the village of Nanzhuang has an exceptionally attractive setting. It’s a perfect destination for weekend excursions, with cultural, culinary, and historical attractions galore.

M

iaoli County in north-central Taiwan is Hakka country, and the village of Nanzhuang boasts a distinctive Hakka character, including authentic traditional cuisine, that makes it well worth a visit. Between 15 and 20 percent of Taiwan’s Han Chinese population is of Hakka descent. The majority of Hakka pioneers (“Hakka” means “guest families/people”; i.e., “outsiders”) came to Taiwan in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties from Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, and several other provinces in southeastern China. Apart from having their own language, the Hakka also have their own distinct cultural traditions, of which the most immediately apparent is the delicious food. During the early imperial era there was almost constant struggle over land on the fertile lowlands of the west between the Hakka and members of other Han Chinese majority groups, and the Hakka were either absorbed or pushed further inland, making their homes in less advantageous areas, notably the foothills of the central mountains.

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Kangji Suspension Bridge

TOWN WANDERINGS NANZHUANG

Zhangmuniang Dried Tofu

NANZHUANG VILLAGE Since both Nanzhuang’s bus station and visitor center are not far from the junction of the two rivers, you will likely start your exploration of the village from this area. It’s just a minute or two from here to the lower end of Osmanthus Alley, where you can see spring water flowing through a stone channel, in the past used by the women of the village to wash clothes. Today, however, you’re more likely to see cooks from the village’s eateries washing pots here. Osmanthus Alley is a narrow, atmospheric old pedestrian thoroughfare lined with stalls selling all manner of edible goodies flavored with guihua niang (honey flavored with osmanthus flowers): cakes, tea, ice cream, and even vinegar. Look out for bottles of the delicious flower-infused nectar for sale in shops both here and elsewhere in the village.

The most famous store in the alley (and a must-visit!) is Jiangji Flower Honey Osmanthus Alley Tang Yuan Ice. The house specialty is a concoction of tangyuan (sweetened glutinous-rice balls) served with crushed ice and flavored with osmanthus-steeped honey and pieces of apple, banana, and watermelon. Also try ice topped with honey steeped in the flavor of roses or lavender.

Nanzhuang Old Street (Zhongzheng Road), which runs parallel to Osmanthus Alley, has lots of eateries selling delicious Hakka foods such as dried-radish omelets, Hakka stir-fry, and braised pork with plum leaves. One of the street’s best-known eateries is Zhangmuniang Dried Tofu, which has a vendor stall set up in its storefront, where they’ve been making and selling dried beancurd for 50 years. The beancurd is available in several variations, stewed in flavorings ranging from traditional wuxiang (five flavors) to hot and spicy. Samples are available before buying your choice to take home in a bag, or you can eat a bowl there and then. The selections are stewed right in front of you in a big pot!

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜47

TOWN WANDERINGS

NANZHUANG

If you’re feeling adventurous, try the pig skin with rice at Songhe Snack Foods, close to the intersection of Zhongzheng Road and Minsheng Street (in the front of the market building there). It’s well worth a try for the taste alone, and the collagen-rich skin is very popular with the Taiwanese for another reason – eating it, it is believed, improves the complexion.

From Nanzhuang Old Street you can see the colorful gate of the village’s main center of worship, Yongchang Temple, reached by taking stairs uphill. Close to the temple is the Nanzhuang Old Post Office, built during the late years of the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945) to replace an older structure damaged in a powerful earthquake in 1935, which devastated the region. Next to this lovely old wooden building, in the playing field at Nanzhuang Elementary School, is a beautiful old maple tree with a gnarled, gracefully arched trunk that is believed to be as much as 150 years old.

Another heritage attraction, this one dating to the beginning of another era, is the Nanzhuang Theater, located west of the village center. Oldstyle movie posters wrapped round three sides of the building make it immediately recognizable. Today Nanzhuang Township’s permanent population of just 10,000 residents is hardly enough to support a movie theater, but 60 years ago it was supported by a much larger population, with many people working in coal mines or engaged in logging operations in the mountains above the village.

Walk west from the theater and you’ll soon come to the Zhonggang River; follow the river south and you’ll reach the spot where it meets the Dadong River, which is spanned by the 143-meter-long Kangji Suspension Bridge, one of Nanzhuang’s newest tourist attractions (built in 2010). From the bridge you can enjoy great views of the village and the beautiful surrounding mountains.

Nanzhuang Theater Osmanthus Alley

XIANGTIAN LAKE The source of the Dadong River is high up in the foothills of the central mountains east of Nanzhuang. This area is home to one of the smallest of Taiwan’s 16 recognized indigenous tribes, the Saisiyat, numbering only about 7,000 members.

The Saisiyat are famed for their Pasta’ay or Sacrifice to the Short Spirits. Stories passed down orally from generation to generation tell of a group of short, dark-skinned people called the Ta’ay who once lived peacefully alongside the Saisiyat in today’s Hsinchu County. Relations eventually soured, however, with culture-changing results. In one version of the tale, one day a young Saisiyat man saw a woman of his tribe being harassed by a Ta’ay man. He took revenge by sabotaging a log bridge, which collapsed as a Ta’ay group passed over it the following day. Only two survived the fall, and the Ta’ay threatened to curse the Saisiyat and their crops. The former relented only when the Saisiyat agreed to learn various rites and songs to commemorate and appease the spirits of the dead Ta’ay, to be performed every two years over a period of three consecutive nights. The festival falls on the 15th day of the 10th month (usually in November); the full rituals are only carried out every 10 years (the next such occasion won’t be until 2026), with a smaller version conducted at other times.

Xiangtian Lake

Tangyuan ice

Jiangji Flower Honey Osmanthus Alley Tang Yuan Ice ( 江記花蜜桂花巷冰鎮湯圓 ) No. 15, Wenhua Rd., Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County ( 苗栗縣南庄鄉文化路 15 號 ) (037) 823-386 www.823386.com.tw (Chinese)

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Zhangmuniang Dried Tofu ( 丈母娘豆干 ) No. 52, Zhongzheng Rd., Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County ( 苗栗縣南庄鄉中正路 52 號 ) (037) 822-010 www.dok.tw (Chinese) Songhe Snack Foods ( 松鶴小吃店 ) No. 13-43, Minsheng St., Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County ( 苗栗縣南庄鄉民生街 13-43 號 ) (037) 822-435

Nanzhuang Elementary School Nanzhuang Old Post Office Zhangmuniang Dried Tofu

124

Old Street

Museum of Saisiyat Folklore ( 賽夏族民俗文物館 ) No. 25, Xiangtianhu, Neighborhood 16, Donghe Village, Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County ( 苗栗縣南庄鄉東河村 16 鄰向天湖 25 號 ) (037) 825-024 www.facebook.com/rareme037825024/

Songhe Snack Foods

Osmanthus Alley .

Zhongzheng Rd

A whole day is barely enough to explore all that Nanzhuang and Xiangtian Lake have to offer, including exploring the old buildings, sampling the unique snack foods, interacting with the friendly local people, and learning a bit about the fascinating Saisiyat indigenous tribe, in their beautiful, unspoiled mountain setting. But rather than rushing round trying to see everything in one exhausting day, slow down and savor a few selected things at leisure, with the aim of returning another day to see the rest. It’s not without reason that Nanzhuang has been recognized by the Cittaslow association (www.cittaslow.org) as a “Slow City.” Established in Italy in 1998, Cittaslow recognizes places around the world where slow food and good quality of life are priorities, and Nanzhuang exemplifies these qualities. It’s a great antidote to the rush of Taiwan’s city living, so come for the day, slow down… and relax to the full!

Zhongshan Rd.

Nanzhuang Theater

One of the best, and certainly the most accessible, places to learn about the Saisiyat is Xiangtian Lake, a small body of water cradled in steep hills 12km southeast of Nanzhuang. The forest here is home to colonies of honeybees, which live in hives half hidden in the undergrowth. Stalls set up nearby sell their honey, together with millet wine, wild magao peppercorns, and wild-boar sausages. Beside the lake is the Museum of Saisiyat Folklore, which provides a good introduction to the ways of the tribe (especially the Pasta’ay festival) through exhibits on Saisiyat clothes, tools, and customs. Take time to view the fine museum building itself, which is decorated with traditional Saisiyat designs. The large grassy field nearby is the site of the Sacrifice to the Short Spirits.

Yongchang Temple

Jiangji Flower Honey Osmanthus Alley Tang Yuan Ice

Nanzhuang Visitor Center

Kangji Suspension Bridge

Xiangtian Lake / Museum of Saisiyat Folklore

Getting There Public Transport: Take a train to Zhunan Railway Station (on the main west coast railway line) and transfer to a Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus (No. 5805; Nanzhuang Route/ 南 庄 線 ; nine times daily). To get from Nanzhuang to Xiangtian Lake, take another Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus (No. 5824; Xiangtian Lake Route/ 向天湖線 ; eight times daily). Single-journey tickets are available for the bus routes, but if combining Nanzhuang and Xiangtian Lake it's much cheaper to buy a One-Day Pass (NT$150), which allows unlimited trips over the course of a day on both bus routes, as well as on the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle's Xianshan Route ( 仙山線 ). For more info about the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle network, visit www.taiwantrip.com.tw.

Self-Drive: National Freeway 1 to Toufen Interchange – County Road 124 east – Prov. Hwy 3 south – County Road 124 east/south – Nanzhuang; from Nanzhuang take Township Road 21 east to the village of Donghe, then take a minor road south of Donghe to Xiangtian Lake (direction signage with English at turnoff).

For more information about the area, including Lion's Head Mountain to the north of Nanzhuang, visit the website of the Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area (www.trimt-nsa.gov.tw ).

Museum of Saisiyat Folklore

English and Chinese braised pork with plum leaves 梅干扣肉 Dadong River 大東河 dried-radish omelet 菜埔蛋 guihua niang 桂花釀 Hakka stir-fry 客家小炒 Kangji Suspension Bridge 康濟吊橋 magao 馬告 Minsheng Street 民生街 Nanzhuang 南庄 Nanzhuang Elementary School 南庄國小

Nanzhuang Old Post Office 南庄老郵局 Nanzhuang Old Street 南庄老街 Nanzhuang Theater 南庄戲院 Osmanthus Alley 桂花巷 tangyuan 湯圓 Sacrifice to the Short Spirits 矮靈祭 Saisiyat 賽夏 wuxiang 五香 Xiangtian Lake 向天湖 Yongchang Temple 永昌宮 Zhonggang River 中港溪 Zhongzheng Road 中正路

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜49

R A I L T R AV E L

TAICHUNG

Old Neighborhoods and Windy Wetlands Taking the Coastal Railway Line in Central Taiwan

Situated between the modern downtown core of Taichung City and the Taiwan Strait are a number of districts worth exploring. Wander through old neighborhoods with narrow streets and busy temples, head to the coast for views of windswept wetlands, feast on fresh seafood at a fish market, and learn about local history at well-preserved heritage sites.

Text: Steven Crook

Photos: Vision

Zhuifen Railway Station

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R A I L T R AV E L TAICHUNG

Rinan Stn.

Dajia Stn. Taichung Port Stn.

臺灣鐵

Dajia Jenn Lann Temple

路局

區 間

Dajia Ma Mianxian

清 水站 至 臺灣

鐵路

區 間 大 甲 站

局

沙 鹿站 5 元 票價 1 日有效 限發售當

至

清 水 站 票價 21 元 限發售 當日有 效

Dajia Jenn Lann Temple ( 大甲鎮瀾宮 ) Dajia Ma Mianxian ( 大甲媽麵線 ) No. 158, Shuntian Rd., Dajia Dist., No. 127, Jianggong Rd., Dajia Dist., Taichung City Taichung City ( 台中市大甲區順天路 158 號 ) ( 台中市大甲區蔣公路 127 號 ) (04) 2676-3522 (04) 2686-4718 www.dajiamazu.org.tw (Chinese)

T

aichung is now Taiwan’s second-most-populous municipality.

With 2.79 million residents, it has overtaken both Taipei City and the southern harbor city of Kaohsiung. Only New Taipei City, an agglomeration of rural and urban districts that surrounds the capital, has more residents.

To meet the travel needs of denizens and visitors in this fast-growing metropolis, Taichung’s transportation infrastructure is being upgraded.

The Taichung Metro, due to begin operations by the end of 2018, will have 18 stations along its initial Green Line. A light-rail link between Taichung Airport and the southern suburb of Wufeng is planned. But for this issue of Travel in Taiwan, we’ll be making good use of a much older transportation system: the Coastal Line operated by the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) since 1922.

Because trains on the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) system are much faster than conventional trains, fewer people now use TRA trains to get from the north of the island to the south. But travelers shouldn’t ignore the conventional railway network. With more than 150 stations on the western half of the island (the THSR has just 12), the TRA can deliver you to within walking distance of a great many attractions.

The Coastal Line runs through Miaoli County, Taichung City, and Changhua County, and for most of its 90.2km it stays within 5km of the Taiwan Strait. The northern section from Zhunan to Yuanli was covered in the March-April 2017 issue of Travel in Taiwan. The southern section, which lies almost entirely within Taichung City, begins at Rinan in Taichung and ends at Changhua Railway Station in Changhua County.

The main attraction at Rinan is the 96-year-old station itself, a creamyyellow asymmetrical delight made largely of wood. Not surprisingly, it has become a popular venue for pre-wedding photography sessions, a popular Taiwanese custom.

With the exception of railway enthusiasts, few non-locals know anything about Rinan. However, the bulk of Taiwan’s population can tell you this, at least, about the next stop south: Dajia is the location

of one of Taiwan’s Wen wu busiest a nd most Rd. famous religious sites, Dajia Ma Mianxian 132 Dajia Jenn Lann Jian ggo ng R Temple. Founded in d.

Rinan 1732, this shrine is Dajia Jenn Lann Temple Dajia widely regarded as Guan gmin Taiwan g Rd Qingshui the most important . center of Mazu worship in Taiwan. Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea, is the most revered deity in Taiwan.

The temple, a five-minute stroll from Dajia Railway Station, is also where an annual multi-day pilgrimage in honor of Mazu’s birthday begins and ends each spring. The celebration, promoted in recent years as the key attraction in the Taichung Mazu International Festival, is said to be the largest annual religious event in the world outside India and the Middle East. Whatever time of year you visit, inside the temple you’ll see spirit money stacked almost to the ceiling, tables creaking under the weight of offerings, and a non-stop flow of Mazu believers offering prayers and incense. Some of the temple’s greatest treasures, among them Mazu icons made of solid gold and jade, are displayed in a basement annex.

No amount of such bustle and color can stop your stomach from rumbling when chow time arrives, however, so you’ll likely want to explore the food options nearby. Fortunately there are a great many: Dajia Jenn Lann Temple draws thousands of visitors per day, and this is Taiwan, where the number of local eateries and street vendors invariably mirrors the amount of foot and vehicle traffic.

A good place to try is Dajia Ma Mianxian, a short walk from the temple, where the most popular dishes are vermicelli in a thick soup with oysters and gooey omelets featuring oysters or shrimp. All three items are priced NT$60 each. The vermicelli, in particular, slides down easily; because the noodles are so fine, and are chopped into short sections, chopsticks are redundant. Grab a spoon and dig in.

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜51

R A I L T R AV E L

TAICHUNG

Shalu Stn. 臺

局 灣鐵路

區 間 沙 鹿站 至

大 肚站 5 元 票價 1 日有效 限發售當

Qingshui Stn.

臺灣鐵路局

區 間 大 肚站 至

追 分站 票價 15 元 限發售當日有 效

Wuqi Harbor fish market

Gaomei Wetlands

Continuing south along the Coastal Line, there’s little point getting off the train at the next stop, as Taichung Port Railway Station doesn’t get you near either of the two main seaside attractions in this corner of Taichung.

One of these is Wuqi Fishing Harbor and its popular fish market.

Taiwanese gourmands don’t expect seafood to always come to them.

They’re willing to go to it, happily driving an hour or more to places like this because they believe they can get fresher produce and better deals at no-frills harborside restaurants than in downtown establishments.

The other is the Gaomei Wetlands, a birdwatchers’ paradise during late fall and winter and a splendid location for enjoying sunsets throughout the year. To get to the wetlands, get off at Qingshui Railway Station and take bus no. 178 or 179 via the district of Qingshui’s bustling Zhongshan Road. Bus no. 111 connects the station with the wetlands and with Wuqi Fishing Harbor as well. If you want to get there from downtown Taichung, bus no. 309 runs every 25 minutes to the wetlands, starting from Taichung Railway Station, and the route terminates at the fish market.

Not far from Qingshui Railway Station are a number of sights you can explore, either on foot or by renting a YouBike public bicycle (www. youbike.com.tw). The YouBike station closest to the railway station is at Qingshui School Japanese-Era Dormitories, adjacent to the town’s main elementary school (No. 59, Zhennan Street). Built between 1934 and 1940, and thoroughly restored in recent years, these single-story dormitories are a picture of classical Japanese elegance; think sliding doors, paper 1

Wu Gao qi Fish me ing i We Har tlan bor ds /

Qingshui Gao Family Migao

Ziyun Temple

From the lookout you’ll also see the roof of Qingshui’s most important place of worship, on the flatlands almost directly below. Ziyun Temple is on the Buddhist side of the religious spectrum, yet it is as colorful and intricate as many folk shrines. On a typical day hundreds of people pass through the temple’s doorway, some of whom stay for hours, meditating or reading Buddhist texts. To get to the temple from Aofeng Hill, follow Dajie Road’s Guanyin Lane.

If you’d like something to nibble on while riding the train to your next stop, drop in at the bakery on the right as you exit the temple. English is neither spoken, nor does it appear on any labeling, inside Bai Zhen Xiang Cake Shop. You’ll need to know how to read “mushroom and braised pork” and “adzuki bean” if you’re particular about flavors. I went for the former and found the traditional-style Chinese pastry slightly sweet, yet very satisfying. Priced NT$70 to NT$80, each item is big enough for four people to enjoy a proper tasting.

If you prefer a hot snack you’re in luck, because Qingshui is synonymous with migao. The Chinese name of this delicacy is often but misleadingly translated as “rice cake,” but it’s far closer to a zongzi Niumatou Cultural Park

jia Da

Bai Zhen Xiang Cake Shop

partitions, and polished wooden floors. They now serve as rehearsal spaces and meeting rooms for the school.

From there, head east along Zhennan Road, cross Zhongshan Road, and turn left onto Dajie Road. Look for a broad path leading uphill just before Dajie intersects with Wenchang Street. This path leads to the intriguing Niumatou Cultural Park, where traces of Taiwan’s Neolithic Period inhabitants have been discovered. Also at this site is what little remains of a Shinto shrine constructed during the Japanese colonial era.

The park is open 9am to 5.30pm every day but Monday.

Outdoor types will certainly want to continue on and up to the nearby Aofeng Jade Bridge and Aofeng Hill Viewing Platform. The former is a pedestrian bridge over a spillway designed to drain water from the hillside during the rainy season; at other times it’s often bone-dry. The views are good, but for even better panoramas go up further to the observatory, from where you’ll see the cranes of Taichung Harbor, wind turbines on the coast, and likely a cargo ship or two out at sea.

Aofeng Hill Viewing Platform

Aofeng Jade Bridge Niumatou Cultural Park Qingshui School Japanese-Era Dormitories

Sha lu

Qing shu i

10B

52

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN

10

Taiwan

Aofeng Jade Bridge

R A I L T R AV E L TAICHUNG

Longjing Stn.

Shat ian R d. eng

Dadu

Taiwan

St.

Meiren Borough Painted Village

.

St

ngzh

Taiwan

th

Lon gjing

Huangxi Academy

Longjing

5 ing

Zho

Zhuifen Stn.

m Da

Shal u

Qing shu i

Dadu Stn.

Sec.2

, Wenc

hang

Rd.

Huangxi Academy Zhuifen

(commonly translated as a steamed “glutinous-rice dumplings/tamale”) than any baked product. Several neighborhood eateries serve them, and I opted for Qingshui Gao Family Migao, a modest three-table eatery a few blocks west of Ziyun Temple. The migao, the size of a coffee mug and costing NT$30, was delightfully peppery with just the right amount of soft pork inside.

Three of the four Taichung City stations south of Qingshui provide access to architectural curiosities. The train ride to Shalu takes a mere four minutes; once there, follow Zhongzheng Road inland to Shatian Road. If you arrive before lunch, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a very busy morning market where everything including the kitchen sink is for sale.

Crossing Shatian Road and continuing uphill along Zhongzheng, you’ll quickly come across a narrow alleyway on the right, colorful murals adorning building walls along it. This is one of the entrances to Meiren Borough Painted Village, an old neighborhood remade as a photogenic celebration of old ways of neighborhood life and of iconic Taiwanese brands like HeySong and Uni-President. The former, a maker of sarsaparilla and other soft drinks, was founded in 1925 and is still thriving.

Perhaps the best-known product of the latter, today an international food conglomerate, is the long-on-the-market Minced Pork Flavor Instant Noodles, sold in a distinctive white-and-pink packet. Wander at random, and snap away.

The stop after Longjing is called Dadu. It serves a suburb unremarkable but for Huangxi Academy, about 15 minutes by foot southwest of the station. This gorgeous classical Chinese building was used as a school facility for many years after its completion in 1888, but after catastrophic flooding in 1959 was largely abandoned until restoration was undertaken in the 1980s.

The station building at Zhuifen is reason enough to step off a train there. Every bit as old and picturesque as its counterpart in Rinan, it has been listed as a historic landmark by the Taichung City Government.

Zhuifen is an unusual place name, in that it doesn’t derive from an ancient indigenous toponym nor does it describe a location in the straightforward way that “Taichung,” for example, means “central Taiwan.” Instead, it comes from a Japanese term for the splitting of railroads. Just a few hundred meters east of the station, one set of tracks veers south to Changhua, while another heads inland to THSR Taichung Station.

Whichever direction you take, further Taiwan-by-rail adventures await.

Meiren Borough Painted Village

English and Chinese adzuki bean 紅豆 Aofeng Hill Viewing Platform 鰲峰山觀景平台 Aofeng Jade Bridge 鰲峰玉帶橋 Coastal Line 海岸線 Dadu 大肚 Dajia 大甲 Gaomei Wetlands 高美溼地 Huangxi Academy 磺溪書院 Jenn Lann Temple 鎮瀾宮 Longjing 龍井 Meiren Borough Painted Village 美仁里彩繪村 migao 米糕 mushroom and braised pork 香菇魯肉

Niumatou Cultural Park 牛罵頭遺址文化園區 oysters omelet 蚵仔煎 oyster vermicelli 蚵仔麵線 Qingshui 清水 Qingshui School Japanese-Era Dormitories 清水公學校日式宿舍群 Rinan 日南 Shalu 沙鹿 shrimp omelet 蝦仁煎 Wuqi Fishing Harbor 梧棲漁港 Zhuifen 追分 Ziyun Temple 紫雲巖 zongzi 粽子

Bai Zhen Xiang Cake Shop ( 百珍香餅行 ) No. 53, Guanyin Ln., Dajie Rd., Qingshui Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市清水區大街路觀音巷 53 號 ) (04) 2622-4104 Qingshui Gao Family Migao ( 清水高家筒仔米糕 ) No. 34, Zhongxing St., Qingshui Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市清水區中興街 34 號 ) (04) 2623-6591

TRAVEL IN TAIWAN ｜53

TAIPEI GALA HOTEL

Hotels of Taiwan Visitors to Taiwan have a wide range of choice when

North Taoyuan City

Taipei City

Keelung City

to affordable business hotels, to hot-spring and beach resort hotels, to privately-run homestays located in

Yilan County

Miaoli County

the countryside there is a place to stay that satisfies

Taichung City

every traveler’s needs. What all hotels of Taiwan —

Central Nantou County

Yunlin County

small and big, expensive and affordable — have in common is that serve and hospitality are always of the

Hualien County

Tainan City Taitung County

East

have been checked for each hotel, but are subject to change without notice. Room rates at the hotels apply.

Desk Personnel Speak: English, Japanese, Chinese

Northern Taiwan TAIPEI GAL A HOTEL

53 HOTEL Southern Taiwan

THE GRAND HOTEL

HOTELDAY+ KENTING

MADISON TAIPEI HOTEL MIRAMAR GARDEN TAIPEI

South

NT$ 6,400 NT$ 7,000 NT$ 7,800 NT$ 12,000

Restaurants: Golden Ear Restaurant (Western semi buffet); Golden Pot (Chinese Cuisine)

Central Taiwan

GLORIA PRINCE HOTEL TAIPEI Pintung County

No. of Rooms: 160 Room Rates:

Single Room Deluxe Single Room Deluxe Twin Room

Suite Room

highest standards. The room rates in the following list

Chiayi City Chiayi County

Kaohsiung City

it comes to accommodation. From five-star luxury hotels that meet the highest international standards,

New Taipei City

Hsinchu City Hsinchu County

Changhua County

Taipei 台 北

慶泰大飯店

PARK TAIPEI HOTEL

Special Features: Business Center, meeting rooms, airport transfer service, parking lot, laundry service, free Internet access, LCD TV, DVD player, personal safety box, mini bar, private bathroom with separate shower & bath tub, hair dryer

HOTEL SENSE No. 186, Songjiang Rd., Taipei City 台 北 市 松 江 路 186 號 Exit 1 of MRT Xingtian Temple Station on the Luzhou Line.

Tel: +886-2-2541-5511 Fax: +886-2-2531-3831 Reservation Hotline: +886-2-2541-6888 E-mail: galahtl@ms18.hinet.net

＊ Hotel list in alphabetical order from Northern to Southern Taiwan.

GLORIA PRINCE HOTEL TAIPEI

THE GRAND HOTEL

華 泰 王子大 飯 店

圓山大飯店

Taipei 台 北

Taipei 台 北

MADISON TAIPEI HOTEL 慕軒飯店

No. of Rooms: 220

No. of Rooms: 500 (Suites: 57)

No. of Rooms: 124

Room Rates: Single / Deluxe / Executive NT$ 6,000- 8,500

Suite NT$ 9,500-20,000

Room Rates:

Single/DBL

Suite

Room Rates:

Classic Room

Deluxe Room

Oasis Room

Madison Room

Skyline Suite

Madison Suite

Desk Personnel Speak: English, Japanese, Chinese Restaurants: L’IDIOT RESTAURANT & BAKERY (Western), CHIOU HWA RESTAURANT (Chinese) Special Features: Coffee Shop, Fitness Center, Business Center, Meeting and Banquet Facilities,Laundry Service, Non-smoking Floor, Parking Lot, Airport Transfer Service

NT$ 8,200-13,000 NT$ 18,000-30,000

Desk Personnel Speak: English, French, Spanish, and Japanese Restaurants: Western, Cantonese, Northern China Style Dumplings, tea house, coffee shop, steak house Special Features: Grand Ballroom, conference rooms for 399 people, 10 breakout rooms, business center, fitness center, sauna, Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, billiards

www.galahotel.com.tw

Taipei 台 北

MIRAMAR GARDEN TAIPEI

Taipei 台 北

美麗信花園酒店

No. of Rooms: 203 NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

14,800 16,800 18,800 20,800 60,000 90,000

Desk Personnel Speak: English, Chinese Special Features: Workout Room, VIP Rooms, Underground Parking, Italian Restaurant, Whisky Bar

Room Rates:

Deluxe Room

Business Room Executive Deluxe Room

Boss Suite

Premier Suite

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

9,000 11,000 13,000 17,000 21,000

Desk Personnel Speak: English, Japanese, and Mandarin Restaurants: Rain Forest Buffet Restaurant, Tic-Tac-Toe Bakery, Light Café, JIU BAR Special Features: Business Center, Pyramid Club, Sauna, Fitness Club, Outdoor Swimming Pool, Multifunction Room, Car Park

- Recommended by Michelin Guide Taipei - Luxury City Hotel by World Luxury Hotel Awards - Top 10 Business Hotel by Hotels.com

No. 369, Lin-sen (Linsen) N. Rd., Taipei City 台北市林森北路3 6 9 號 Tel: +886-2-2581-8111 Fax: +886-2-2581-5811

No. 1, Chung Shan N. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City 台北市中山北 路4 段1號 Tel: +886-2-2886-8888 Fax: +886-2-2885-2885

No. 331, Sec. 1, Dunhua S. Rd., Taipei City 台北市 敦化 南 路1段 3 31號 (8 minutes by foot from Exit 2 of MRT Xinyi Anhe Station or Exit 4 of MRT Da’an Station) Tel: +886-2-7706-3600 Fax: +886-2-7726-9070 E-mail: guestservice@madisontaipei.com

No. 83, Sec. 3, Civic Boulevard, Taipei City 台北市市民大道3段83號 Tel: +886-2-8772-8800 Fax: +886-2-8772-1010 E-mail: info@miramargarden.com.tw

www.gloriahotel.com

www.grand-hotel.org

www.madisontaipei.com

www.miramargarden.com.tw Travel in Taiwan ｜55

PARK TAIPEI HOTEL 台北美侖大飯店

Taipei 台 北

No. of Rooms: 143 Room Rates:

Standard Room

Superior Room

Deluxe Room

Deluxe Triple Room

101 View Room

Executive Room Executive 101 View Room

Park Suite

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000 22,000 26,000 28,000 56,000

Desk Personnel Speak: English, Japanese, Chinese

Restaurants:

Food Symphony (Full Buffet)

Special Features: MRT Daan Station is right in front of the hotel entrance, 5 Mins to Songshan Airport by MRT,Separate Bathroom and Toilet, TOTO washlets, Denmark Damixa Merkur Bathroom Hardware, DVD player, Japanese Satellite Broadcast, Safety Deposit Box, Fitness Center, Business Center, High-speed Broadband Internet Access (computers available), Free High-speed WiFi Throughout Hotel, Conference Room, Balcony (smoking allowed) 317, Sec. 1, Fuxing S. Rd., Taipei City 台 北 市 復 興 南 路 1 段 317 號 Tel: 886.2.5579.3888 Fax: 886.2.5579.3889

www.parktaipei.com

HOTEL SENSE

Taipei 台 北

伸適商旅

53 HOTEL

Taichung 台 中

寶島53行館

No. of Rooms: 79

No. of Rooms: 70

Room Rates:

Superior Room

Business Room

Deluxe Room

Executive Suite

Sense Suite

Room Rates:

Standard Room

Superior Room

Deluxe Room

Family Room Deluxe Family Room

NT$ 7,500 NT$ 8,500 NT$ 9,500 NT$ 10,000 NT$ 15,000

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

Special Features: Business center, fitness center, meeting rooms, Club House with luxury furniture and advanced media facilities for private meetings and gatherings, wood-floored openair Sky Garden, parking tower, close to the MRT system near Zhongshan Elemen tary school MRT station and key commercial and entertainment districts.

Special Features: Our guests enjoy easy access to all attractions lively Taichung City has to offer. From the hotel it’s a two-minute walk to Taichung Railway Station and a three-minute walk to the bus station, from where guests can easily reach popular tourist sites, such as Qingjing Farm, Xitou Forest Recreation Area, and Sun Moon Lake.

53 Hotel offers a wide range of services, including laundry/dry cleaning, a business center, a gym, and free wireless Internet access.

Special Features: Chinese/Western Breakfast, Courtyard Garden Pool, Business Center, Reading Room, Cultural-Creative Products Shop

No. 237, Kending Rd., Hengchun Township, Pingtung County 屏東縣恆春鎮墾丁路237號 Tel: +886-8-886-1272

www.hotelsense.com.tw

www.53hotel.com.tw

www.hotelday.com.tw

NT$1,500

3-Day Southern Taiwan Tour

NT$1,500

(Tainan, Kaohsiung, Kenting) (Taiwan High-Speed Rail – Bullet Train Ride) 三天二夜 台南 ‧ 高雄 ‧ 墾丁深度之旅 ( 含台灣高鐵體驗 )

NT$14,500

台北市松江路 190 號 4F

4-Day Central & Southern Taiwan Tour NT$4,200 (Stay at Sun Moon Lake)

(Stay at QingJing)

(Sun Moon Lake, Kaohsiung, Kenting) 四天三夜 台灣中南部觀光 ( 日月潭、高雄、墾丁 )

4-Day Eastern Taiwan Tour NT$6,600

NT$6,900

(Yilan, Hualien, Taitung) (Taiwan Railway Train Ride) 四天三夜 海岸、縱谷豐富之旅 ( 宜蘭、花蓮、台東 ) ( 含臺灣鐵路體驗 )

5-Day Round Taiwan Island Excursion NT$12,500

(All hotels are 5-star hotels) 五天四夜 台灣環島巴士之旅 ( 全程五星級旅館 )

Edison Travel Service specializes in Taiwan Tours and offers cheaper hotel room rates and car rental services (with drivers) .

Edison welcomes contact with other travel services around the world.

Travel in Taiwan

Desk Personnel Speak: English, Japanese, Chinese

( two minutes from railway station)

NT$1,200

NT$1,300

7,000 8,500 12,500 10,000 22,000 19,000

No. 27, Zhongshan Rd., Central District, Taichung City

NT$1,500

NT$1,500

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

Tel: +886-2-7743-1000 Fax: +886-2-7743-1100 E-mail: info@hotelsense.com.tw

NT$1,500

NT$1,300

Room Rates:

Standard Room

Elegant Room

Executive Room

Family Room Garden Family Room

Attic Family Room

台 中 市 中 區 中 山 路 27 號 (距離火車站 2 分鐘) Tel: +886-4-2220-6699 Fax: +886-4-2220-5899 E-mail: service@53hotel.com.tw

NT$1,300

56

4,500 5,000 5,500 6,000 6,500

Desk Personnel Speak: English, Japanese, Chinese

3 minutes by foot from Exit 2 of MRT Zhongshan Elementary School Station

承億文旅 墾丁雅客小半島 Pingtung 屏東

No. of Rooms: 56

Desk Personnel Speak: English, Japanese, Chinese

No. 477 , Linsen N. Rd., Taipei City 台 北 市 林 森 北 路 477 號

HOTELDAY+ KENTING

NT$ 14,000

NT$ 15,500

NT$ 16,900

Take Taipei Double-Decker Tour Bus to enjoy delicious food !

Taipei Double-Decker Tour Bus gives you a different elevated view of the city.

From the city’s abundant culture to Michelin-starred restaurants, it offers a novel and easy way to enjoy the best of Taipei.

ISSN:1817796

Take Taipei Double-Decker Tour Bus to 11 Michelin and 17 Bib Gourmand restaurants!

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4

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200 NTD