Travel in Taiwan (No.83 2017 09/10 )

2017

SEP & OCT

No.

83

The Coastal Areas of

TAICHUNG NORTH COAST

Yehliu Geopark and Ocean World

TAIWANESE SPECIALTIES Restaurants DOWN TAIPEI Alleys

Android

iOS

ADVENTURES

River Rafting in the South

RAIL TRAVEL

Exploring Beautiful Hualien

Welcome to

Taiwan!

Dear Traveler, Greetings! Autumn has officially arrived, the summer heat is headed south, the island’s young folk are back in school, and local tourist spots have become noticeably quieter. What better time to explore scenic, friendly Taiwan? In this issue of Travel in Taiwan we’ll give you a look at a tasty buffet of destinations you can get to and things unique to Taiwan you can experience over the next few months.

Such as, you ask?

In our Feature you’ll find yourself in the west-central city of Taichung’s coastal area, on the Taiwan Strait. What awaits? Wide, busy wetlands and bird’s-eye-view lookouts, key national archeological digs and photogenic imperial-era residences, colorful fishing harbors and coastal cruises, old-time eateries, shops, and neighborhood enclaves, and tourist-focused cultural-creative enterprises. Sound good?

The focus is on water-theme fun in our Adventure department, with a whitewater-rafting excursion on the Laonong River in southern Taiwan, one of just two waterways on the island where such adventures are on tap.

There’s also water everywhere in Theme Park Joy. We spent time by the sea at Yehliu Geopark and adjoining Yehliu Ocean World on the North Coast – the first a place of fantastic wind/water-sculpted rock formations, the second an oceanarium of wonder and edutainment.

Irrigation works that date back well into the Qing Dynasty figure prominently in Hidden Treasures introducing you to Wanluan Township and bucolic farm country in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County. Other treasures featured in this article are the heritage Hakka-style clan residences of old Wugoushui Community, Taiwan’s oldest church at Wanjin, Wanluan’s famous pig trotters, and a much-photographed river-leaping 3D-painted bridge.

Elsewhere, in Island Feast get a sweet and savory taste of life in Taipei with time spent exploring Taiwanesecuisine restaurants down its clusters of lanes and alleys. The Wulai hot-spring resort area, just south of Taipei, is showcased in 5 Things to Do; the distinctive charms and nostalgic surprises of Chiayi, one of Taiwan’s oldest urban areas, are celebrated in A Day in the Big City ; and we leap over Taiwan’s soaring central mountains to its idyllic “backyard garden,” the east coast region, for a railway journey through the East Rift Valley in Rail Travel .

Come and find out just what makes Taiwan the Ilha Formosa, the “Beautiful Island,” this autumn!

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

CONTENTS September ~ October 2017

10 PUBLISHER Joe Y. Chou Editing Consultant

Producer Vision Creative Marketing & Media Co. Address 1F, No. 5, Aly. 20, Ln. 265, Sec. 4, Xinyi Rd.,

Where you can pick up a copy of Travel in Taiwan

Wayne Hsi-Lin Liu

Taipei City 10681, Taiwan TEL: 886-2-2325-2323 Fax: 886-2-2701-5531 E-MAIL: editor@v-media.com.tw General Manager Frank K. Yen Editor in Chief Johannes Twellmann English Editor Rick Charette DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & EDITING DEPT Joe Lee MANAGING EDITOR Krista Yang EDITORS Ming-Jing Yin, Nickey Liu, Jenny Chung CONTRIBUTORS Rick Charette, Owain Mckimm, Steven Crook, Joe Henley, Luke Martin PHOTOGRAPHERS Chen Cheng-kuo, Maggie Song DESIGNERS Andy Chang, Maggie Song, Carrie Chang, Erin Chen ui-chun Tsai, Nai-jen Liu, Administrative Dept H Xiou Mieng Jiang, Chen Wen-ling

Abroad

Publishing Organization

Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications CONTACT

International Division, Taiwan Tourism Bureau Add: 9F, 290 Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City, 10694, Taiwan Tel: 886-2-2717-3737 Fax: 886-2-2771-7036 E-mail: tbroc@tbroc.gov.tw Website: http://taiwan.net.tw

台 灣 觀 光 雙 月 刊 Travel in Taiwan The Official Bimonthly English Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau (Advertisement) September/October, 2017 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

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Dajia Zhenlan Temple (photo by Chen Cheng-kuo)

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In Taiwan

ONLINE

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FEATURE

10 The Other Side of Taichung – A Multi-Day Meander Through the City’s Coastal Districts

24

ISLAND FEAST

24

Traditional Meets Fancy – Taiwanese-Cuisine Restaurants in Taipei Lanes and Alleys

28

RAIL TRAVEL The Train to Eden – Exploring Hualien County by Rail

1 4 6

Publisher's Note Taiwan Tourism Events Convenient Travel

7 News 8 Culture Scene 54 My Travel Log

THEME PARK JOY

34 The Yehliu Experience

– Peculiar Rock Formations and Frolicking Sea Creatures

HIDDEN TREASURES

38

38 Where the Past Anchors the Present – Pingtung County’s Bucolic Wanluan Township

44

ADVENTURES Heroes in Boiling Waters – Rafting the Laonong River in Southern Taiwan

A DAY IN THE BIG CITY

48 Nostalgic Surprises

– Taking in the Distinctive Charms of Chiayi

FIVE THINGS TO DO

50 Wulai: Atayal Culture,

Hot Springs, Grand Waterfall – A Refreshing Scenic Area Just to the South of Taipei’s Southern Suburbs

28

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

Taiwan Tourism Events Calendar website

Autumn Season Fun Traditional and Modern Art, Religious Passion, Musical Entertainment, and a Healthy Dose of Outdoor Exercise

10/20 10/23

Art Taipei

(Taipei International Contemporary Art Fair)

Oct.

臺北國際藝術博覽會

Yunlin International Puppets Arts Festival 雲林國際偶戲節

You are not an art dealer, so why should you go to Art Taipei, a fair where galleries (more than 400) from Taiwan and around the world present their latest works? One good reason is that the event presents outstanding art, but in a much more relaxed setting than your typical art museum. There is a wide range of creations on display, from traditional oil paintings to ultramodern avant-garde sculptures and large-scale installations. You also have the chance to see outstanding artists give demonstrations, creating amazing works, and listen to inspiring art lectures by prominent artists. Art Taipei is a premier option if you want to find out what is going in today’s art world.

Location: Hall 1, Taipei World Trade Center; No. 5. Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City ( 台北世貿一館 ; 臺北市信義區信義路五段五號 ) Website: art-taipei.com/2017/en/

This festival is not only for children who love to be entertained by puppets such as Punch and Judy or the Princess and the Frog. It is also a great event for anyone who wishes to learn more about traditional Taiwanese culture, notably the puppet-theater shows that are often part of temple festivals. Apart from performances by local puppeteers, you can also enjoy shows by invited troupes from abroad (performers from Japan, Hong Kong, and Russia were showcased last year). The festival, staged in Yunlin County’s Huwei Township in southern Taiwan, is also a great event for lovers of cosplay, with cosplay shows and a street parade featuring cosplay performers drawing large crowds each year.

Location: Agricultural Expo Ecological Area; Jiancheng Rd., Huwei Township, Yunlin County ( 農博生態園區 ; 雲林縣虎尾鎮建成路 ); Website: www.yunlin.gov.tw (Yunlin County Government)

Oct Nov

Sun Moon Lake “Come! Bikeday” 日月潭 Come! Bikeday 單車活動

Once a year, bicyclists are invited to circle what is the largest natural lake in Taiwan and one of its top tourist attractions, together with hundreds of other riders during Sun Moon Lake “Come! Bikeday” (Nov. 11). This is a funtheme event that starts in the early-morning hours. The pros will complete the clockwise route around the lake in about an hour, but most participants will pace themselves and enjoy the many attractions along the way and numerous vantage points from where you can take in marvelous lake-and-mountain views. “Come! Bikeday” is part of the annual Taiwan Cycling Festival, which also includes the Taiwan KOM (King of Mountain) Challenge (Oct. 20), during which professional riders tackle a challenging mountain route from the Pacific coast to the high mountains, and Formosa 900 (Nov. 4 ~ 12), a 9-day roundthe-island ride undertaking by several teams, each starting from a different city. For more on these events, visit taiwanbike.tw .

Locations: Xiangshan Visitor Center, Sun Moon Lake, Nantou County ( 南投縣日月潭向山遊客中心 )

4

Travel in Taiwan

S E p tem b er ~ O C T O B E R

10/07 10/15

Taichung Jazz Festival 臺中爵士音樂節

Oct.

Kaohsiung Zuoying Wannian Folklore Festival 高雄左營萬年季

Taichung in central Taiwan, the island’s third-largest city, is justifiably called by many a city of culture. It is known for its excellent museums, such as the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, and premier venues for cultural performances, such as the world-class National Taichung Theater. For more than a decade the annual Taichung Jazz Festival has been setting the tone for the city’s cultural vibe. The main stage is set up in Civic Square in the center of the city, a large square-shaped park surrounded by modern highrises. Music lovers flock here to take in open-air performances by local jazz troupes and well-known jazz artists from abroad. The Calligraphy Greenway, a popular pedestrian area connected to Civic Square, is the festival’s other key performance venue.

The modern Wannian Folklore Festival dates from 2001, when the Kaohsiung City Government's Civil Affairs Bureau began coordinating and sponsoring traditional events in Zuoying District. Since 2005 the Taiwan Tourism Bureau has been lending a hand, and the festival has grown steadily in popularity.

The star of the event is the Great Wannian Fire Lion, a cute yet dignified effigy far larger than a real lion. This lion will tour temples in the district for eight days, accompanied by lion dancers, drum and gong musicians, and constant firecracker explosions beneath and around it. On the final day the lion will arrive at Lotus Pond, where it will be set ablaze in spectacular fashion. The festival allows you to experience Taiwan folk religion up close, and witness the passion of the people of Kaohsiung for their customs and traditions.

Location: Taichung Civic Square & Calligraphy Greenway; Taichung City, West District, near Gongyi Rd. and Zhongxing St. ( 臺中市民廣場 & 草悟道 ; 臺中市西區公益路及中興街口附近 ) Website: www.taichungjazzfestival.com.tw

Location: Lotus Lake; Liantan Rd., Zuoying Dist., Kaohsiung City ( 蓮池潭 ; 高雄市左營區蓮潭路 )

C onvenient O N V E N I E N T T rave R AV E l L

Taiwan Tourist Shuttle website

Bus Rides to Sun Moon Lake How to Get to Central Taiwan’s Premier Tourist Destination

Sun Moon Lake, located close to the geographical center of Taiwan, is one of the island’s top tourist attractions. Since there is no railway service to the lake, getting there by public transport means taking a bus. There are two main options: taking a Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus (en.taiwantrip.com.tw ) on the Sun Moon Lake Route, or taking a local public bus from the nearby town of Checheng, the terminal station of the Jiji Line, a railway branch line popular with tourists.

You can board a bus on the Sun Moon Lake Route at Taichung Gancheng Station (a main bus station in central Taichung), Taichung Railway Station (conventional railway), and THSR Taichung Station (high-speed rail). It takes about 90 minutes to get from central Taichung to the lake. If you have time and want to explore more of Nantou County than just Sun Moon Lake, you might consider getting off at Puli, to the north of the lake. This is a town in a mountain basin known for its pure waters and quality produce. Among the attractions here are the Puli Winery, Guangxing Paper Mill, and impressive Chung Tai Chan Monastery. Between Puli and Sun Moon Lake the bus also stops at the settlement of Taomikeng, where you can visit the Paper Dome, a place of worship made of paper.

Finally, you’ll arrive at the village of Shuishe, on the northwest corner of Sun Moon Lake. From there you have the option to explore most of the way around the lake on a Nantou Bus route (www.ntbus.com.tw/s03.html ), which follows the lakeshore east from Shuishe, passing Wenwu Temple, the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway station (where you can take the cable car to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village), Ita Thao Village, Ci’en Pagoda, and Xuanguang Temple. Alternatively, from Shuishe Pier you can also take a boat to Ita Thao or Xuanguang Temple.

The second main option to get to Sun Moon Lake by public transport is taking the Jiji Line to its terminus, Checheng, and taking a bus from there. Trains on the Jiji Line start from Ershui Railway Station in Changhua County. Tickets one way are NT$90, and the trip takes about 50 minutes. Consider getting off at Jiji to explore this interesting town. Checheng is also worth a closer look, for its rich history (notably the Checheng Wood Museum and Mingtan Power Station).

There are eight buses a day between Checheng and Sun Moon Lake (https:// goo.gl/yytvar ). The trip to Shuishe takes about 40 minutes, and costs NT$100.

Consider getting off just past the town of Shuili on the way, at the excellent Snake Kiln Ceramics Cultural Park (www.snakekiln.com.tw ), and at Sun Moon Lake’s Xiangshan Visitor Center, to marvel at the center’s unique architecture and get a first glimpse of the lake.

Xiangshan Visitor Center

Sun Moon Lake (photo by Ye Shi-xian)

Sun Moon Lake Ropeway

Paper Dome Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Sun Moon Lake Route Stops Taichung Gancheng Station ( 臺中干城站 ) => Taichung Railway Station ( 臺鐵臺中 站 ) => Daqing Railway Station ( 臺鐵大慶站 ) => THSR Taichung Station ( 高鐵臺 中站 ) => Puli Visitor Center ( 埔里遊客中心 ) => New Era Sculpture Park ( 牛耳石 雕公園 ) => National Chi Nan University ( 暨南大學 ) => Taomikeng (Paper Dome) ( 桃米坑 [ 紙教堂 ]) => Dayan (Seshui Community) ( 大雁 [ 澀水社區 ]) => Yuchi ( 魚 池 ) => Antique Assam Tea Farm ( 日月老茶廠 ) => Sun Moon Lake ( 日月潭 ) Fare: NT$190 one way; NT$350 round trip (cash, EasyCard, and iPASS card accepted)

Departures: Every 35 minutes to one hour on weekdays (every 15 minutes to one hour on weekends and holidays); first bus from Taichung Gancheng Station at 7:45am, last bus at 7:45pm; first bus from Sun Moon Lake at 7:25am, last bus at 7:25pm.

Note: A few of the buses stop at the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village and the Xiangshan Visitor Center. For more details, please check the timetable on the Sun Moon Lake Route website.

6

Travel in Taiwan

NEWS

NEWS & Events around Taiwan

The Place

Six New Hotels in Eastern Taiwan The eastern region of Taiwan is, for many, the island’s most scenic and attractive area. There are accommodation options aplenty for travelers visiting the counties of Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung. The following fine hotels opened earlier this year in eastern Taiwan: The Walden, The Place, The Westin Yilan Resort, and Dancewoods in Yilan; Adagio in Hualien; and Gaya Hotel in Taitung.

Taiwan HSR + Taipei MRT + Double-Decker Tourist Bus Ticket If you plan to use the High Speed Rail (HSR), Taipei Metro (MRT), and Taipei Sightseeing double-decker tourist bus services on your next visit to Taiwan, consider buying a combo ticket and saving some money! A ticket includes a return trip on the HSR (25% off regular price), a 2-day MRT ticket (37% off), and one tourist-bus ticket. Buy a ticket using an ibon machine in any 7-Eleven convenience store in Taiwan.

Taiping Suspension Bridge

Qingjing Skywalk

(photo by Chen Quan-rui)

The new Taiping Suspension Bridge in Chiayi County is an impressive feat of engineering. It’s located just above the Taiping 36 Bends, a section of Route 162A leading up from the Jianan Plain to the northern part of Alishan National Scenic Area. From the bridge, 281 meters in length, enjoy spectacular views across the coastal plain as far as the Taiwan Strait. Tickets are NT$100.

Skywalks and suspension bridges are popular tourist draws in mountainous Taiwan.

Opened earlier this year, the Qingjing Skywalk, located at Qingjing Farm in Nantou County, is now the island’s highest-elevation skywalk. This elevated pathway, an impressive 1,200 meters in length, presents breathtaking views of the amazing mountain scenery around Qingjing on relaxed walks. Tickets are NT$50.

Travel in Taiwan

7

C U LT U R E S C E N E

CULTURE Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

Until 09/17

Huashan 1914 Creative Park

9/22 9/23

National Taichung Theater

Israel Galvan: La Edad de Oro

佛朗明哥王者 卡勒凡《黃金時代》

God’s Architect: The 165th Anniversary of Gaudi

www.npac-ntt.org

Performing can be so simple, yet so intense.

One man dances to the sound of another playing classical guitar and another singing and clapping with his hands. The dancer is Israel Galvan, a famous Spanish flamenco dancer and choreographer known for his avant-garde flamenco style and complicated rapid-fire footwork.

上帝的建築師 – 高第誕生 165 周年大展 www.mediasphere.com.tw/show/show/GaudiExhibitionTW

This interactive exhibition features 63 architectural models that give visitors hands-on experience for better understanding of the architectural feats of Antoni Gaudi, the exceptionally creative architect best known for Sagrada Familia, an amazing unfinished church in Barcelona, Spain.

Until 9/27

Songshan Cultural and Creative Park

Songshan Cultural and Creative Park

SML Expo 10th Anniversary Exhibition

Zaha Hadid Architects – Global Design Laboratory

www.stickymonsterlab.com

www.zaha-hadid.com

SML is short for Sticky Monster Lab, a multidisciplinary studio founded in South Korea 10 years ago. Among this studio’s most popular works are animations featuring cute characters in the shape of peanuts. This exhibition gives visitors a fun introduction to SML creations over the last decade.

Founded by the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, the international architecture and design firm Zaha Hadid Architects operates worldwide, creating groundbreaking buildings that have often become symbols of social progress and modernity. This exhibition gives an overview of the latest projects the firm has been working on.

SML EXPO 黏黏怪物研究所十周年展

8

Until 10/10

Travel in Taiwan

札哈 - 哈蒂建築師事務所 全球設計實驗室特展

C U LT U R E S C E N E

Until 10/15

10/20 Taiwan Design Museum

Dialogue – Red Dot awarded Communication Design

啟動全球對話世窗 – 2017 紅點傳達設計獎特展

10/22

Dajia Riverside Park, Taipei

World Music Festival Taiwan 2017 世界音樂節 @ 臺灣 wmftaiwan.com

www.tdm.org.tw

The Red Dot Award: Communication Design is presented each year by the German Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen for achievements in the fields of corporate design, advertising, interactive media, and sound design.

This exhibition is a showcase of more than 130 design works for which the creators have been honored with this prestigious award.

This annual music festival is more than an open-air music event. It is a celebration of international cultures and a peaceful gathering of people interested in local and international folk music, and it is also an event where you can find a wide variety of cultural-creative products and delicious international snack foods.

FEATURE TAICHUNG

A Multi-Day Meander Through the City’s Coastal Districts

Text: Rick Charette Photos: Chen Cheng-kuo, Maggie Song

Taichung’s coastal area is catching the eye of ever more international travelers. What’s there to see and experience? Fishing harbors and harbor cruises, vast wetlands and scenic plateau-top lookouts, old-time eateries, shops, and neighborhood enclaves, archeological digs and ancestral residences, and dynamic tourist-inviting cultural-creative enterprises serving everyone from youngsters through seniors.

10

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE TAICHUNG

T

aichung, west-central Taiwan’s hub city, is a dynamic place long known for universities and intellectual ferment as well as for blue-collar industrial dynamism.

Its factories and major port played a key role in Taiwan’s famed “economic miracle” of the past century, and they remain the driving force behind central Taiwan’s economic élan, the scholastic institutions playing a key supporting role. Over the past two decades, however, a third actor has entered the play – the city has been reinventing itself as a destination of cultural and recreational enticements, creating an ever-widening array of residentand tourist-friendly cultural and green-space attractions.

The city’s central area is in a basin. In this article we visit its coastal area, on the Taiwan Strait, separated from the core by the low-elevation Dadu Plateau. The north-south National Freeway No. 3 rides high up on the western side of this plateau, providing marvelous bird’s-eye views over the coastal districts and the freighters and fishing boats riding atop the waters out to sea.

Evening sky at Gaomei Wetlands

Travel in Taiwan

11

FEATURE TAICHUNG

Dajia Zhenlan Temple

12

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE TAICHUNG

Heritage Culture – Old Dajia Town Three major rivers run through the city to the Taiwan Strait: the Da’an and Dajia rivers in the north and the Dadu River in the south. We first visit Dajia District, centered on what was called the town of Dajia up to 2010 (when Taichung City and the former Taichung County were amalgamated), located between the Da’an and Dajia rivers. The people of Dajia take great pride in its title as one of Taiwan’s “Top 10 Tourist Towns.”

Inform any Taiwan citizen that you’ve been to Dajia and you’ll likely be asked if you visited Dajia Zhenlan Temple, Dajia’s key attraction (also often spelled “Jenn Lann”). Taiwan, an island nation, venerates Mazu – the Goddess of the Sea – like no other deity. She is worshiped at almost 900 temples. Zhenlan Temple, which dates to the 1700s, is among the most famous and powerful, and the annual Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage is the best-known event celebrating her springtime birthday. This is one of the world’s three largest religious celebrations. The Dajia goddess celebrates with a pre-birthday visit to over 80 temples in central Taiwan (she is carried in a palanquin, the shaking of the palanquin said to indicate the presence of the goddess’ spirit in the deity statue), traveling 300-plus km in a nine-day round-trip journey joined by thousands of devotees and otherworldly minions/protectors, marching bands, and lion dancers.

Over one million line the route seeking her blessing, touching her palanquin and – the most powerful blessing – braving firecracker blasts to lay under it as she passes. Over 100,000 crowd Dajia for her send-off and homecoming celebrations. She is regaled with puppet and opera shows, float parades, and lion/dragon dances, massive firecracker explosions protecting temple and town by frightening off demons and other nasty supernatural types.

Right beside the temple is a spacious, brightly-lit basementlevel showroom with a heavenly trove of exquisite freshly-minted Dajia Zhenlan Temple ( 大甲鎮瀾宮 ) Add: No. 158, Shuntian Rd., Dajia Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市大甲區順天路 158 號 ) Tel: (04) 2676-3522 Website: www.dajiamazu.org.tw (Chinese)

carvings of religious theme, large and small, inexpensive and very dear. Walk away wearing a protective amulet for just a few hundred New Taiwan dollars, or have a large, intricately crafted work shipped to you at a price ending with many zeroes.

A short drive from the temple (too far to walk) is another freshlyminted gem, the grandiose Dajia Zhenlan Temple Cultural Museum. Designed in the style of an ancient Chinese fortress, it was recently opened as a dedicated venue for display of the magnificent collection of priceless heritage artworks accumulated by the wealthy temple over the years, commissioned and donated. The works are important enough that they have even been on tour overseas.

All around Dajia Zhenlan Temple are eateries of venerable pedigree that have long been satisfying the needs of pilgrims – and locals – who have come to the temple to fulfill their spiritual needs.

Dajia Ma Mianxian, just a minute away on foot, is specially recommended. Taiwan’s central-south coast is renowned for plump, meaty oysters, and the signature dishes here, oyster rice noodles and oyster omelets, are indeed especially good. While eating, enjoy the wall-decoration photos of the area from the 18951945 Japanese colonial period.

The Taichung region has also long been known for high-quality traditional weaving crafts. In the early 20th century the Japanese colonial government promoted the commercialization of straw hats, and by the 1930s Taiwan panama hats, commonly called Dajia hats, had a global reputation, in 1936 becoming Taiwan’s No. 3 product after sugar and rice. Visit Dajia’s very last traditional straw-hat shop, Sanyang Mao Di Hang (“Sanyang Hat and Mat Shop”), a short walk from Zhenlan Temple.

Dajia Zhenlan Temple Cultural Museum ( 大甲鎮瀾宮文物館 ) Add: No. 223, Heping Rd., Dajia Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市大甲區和平路 223 號 ) Tel: (04) 2676-3566

Dajia Ma Mianxian ( 大甲媽麵線 ) Add: No. 127, Jianggong Rd., Dajia Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市大甲區蔣公路 127 號 ) Tel: (04) 2686-4718

aoli

to Mi

Dajia Zhenlan Temple Cultural Museum

Dajia Ma Mianxian

Dajia Zhenlan Temple

Taiwan

to Qingshui District

Dajia District Sanyang Mao Di Hang

to H oul i Di str ict Dajia Zhenlan Temple Cultural Museum

Travel in Taiwan

13

Gaomei Lighthouse

FEATURE TAICHUNG

stric jia Di to Da

Qingshui District

Wuqi Fishing Harbor

Zhao Family Ancestral Residence

Wuqi District Shalu District Niumatou Cultural Park

Taichung Harbor Hotel

New Palace Restaurant

14

Travel in Taiwan

to Lo ngjin

g Dis

Sanyang Mao Di Hang ( 三陽帽蓆行 ) Add: No. 48, Jianggong Rd., Dajia Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市大甲區蔣公路 48 號 ) Tel: (04) 2687-2558

Gaomei Wetlands

trict

The Gaomei Wetlands, 3,000 hectares in area with a seawall stretching 3.5 kilometers facing the Taiwan Strait, is a popular birdwatching hotspot. Members of over 120 species reside here, among the most conspicuous from the heron, ibis, goose, and godwit families. This is also an important migratory-bird stopover point, and if lucky you’ll go home with a wall-mountable photo of the endangered black-faced spoonbill, a species for which Taiwan is working as a key protector.

A long, meandering boardwalk brings you far out into the wetlands, beyond the sedge-grass marsh into the intertidal zone, putting you just a few feet above the teeming world of busy fiddler crabs, mudskippers, and other tiny local denizens. The birds swoop in when the tide is out, feasting on the exposed buffet. When the tide is out, visitors are permitted to step off the end of the boardwalk in the intertidal zone, where the footing is comparatively firm and the mud thickness limited, to explore the animal goings-on on the mudflats (back on dry land there are facilities available to wash off your shoes/feet).

Breezy pavilions top the shoreprotecting seawall, but otherwise there is no protection from the sun, so prepare yourself with a big hat and sunblock. Be aware as well that yummy handmade popsicles bursting with flavor are to be had at a grandma-run shop just a few steps up Gaomei Road, just off the boardwalk entrypoint seawall, all healthy-sweet and made with fresh regional ingredients: pineapple, papaya, and taro among them.

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Eco-Exploring – Gaomei Wetlands

Taiwan

Wuqi Fishing Harbor

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Fresh Catch & Harbor Tours – Wuqi Fishing Harbor Wuqi Fishing Harbor is just off the north end of massive Taichung Port. The latter is busy with much, much larger craft. The former’s different draws are enjoyed at varying times of the day.

There’s a lively, raucous daily fishauction market. Most boats come in during the one or two hours before sunrise; the scene is cacophonous, to say the least, and photo-captivating. If not a night-prowler, fret not; individual craft continually chug-a-lug in during the day, knowing local buyers punctually appearing to provide you with unposed photo opps among the weary sailor folk.

Directly before the fish-auction area you’ll see sleek white-painted tour-cruise craft and their joint-operation ticket office (cruises 1-3hrs; NT$270-540; Chineseaudio guidance). These cruises are surely different from anything you’ve previously experienced – an intimate fly-by past Taichung’s thick, broad-shouldered powerhouse world of port refineries, crayon-style painted smokestacks, docks and warehouses, Gaomei Wetlands on the north, and small-craft Lishui Fishing Harbor on the south, at the mouth of Dadu River.

Directly behind the fish-auction area is a daytime-operation market that will test your knowledge of the marine-creature world. It’s not likely that, like Taiwan locals, you’ll be heading off with ice-filled styrofoam boxes of fresh catch; the scores of stall-owners, however, make life easy for you by providing the freshest prepared seafood delicacies, from grilled squid to deep-fried oysters to sashimi platters with the best from Taiwan’s waters and unexpected treasures such as salmon from as far away as the Faroe Islands.

Fish market at Wuqi Fishing Harbor Travel in Taiwan

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Taichung Harbor Hotel The Most Stylish Coast-Area Accommodation This contemporary-style hotel, close to Taichung Por t, is the premium place of accommodation in the Taichung coastal area. Opened just a few years ago, the modern-façade facility stands head and shoulders above the surrounding architecture.

From the higher floors, look out on views of cloud-topped peaks of the Central Mountain Range far off one way and/or ships plying the Taiwan Strait far off the other.

The hotel’s clientele mainly consists of business people, either involved with port-area enterprises or wanting proximity to Taichung’s airport, and families visiting the coastal area. Access to major motor-vehicle thoroughfares is another key draw – the north-south National Freeway No. 3 and West Coast Expressway (Provincial Highway No. 61), plus chief roads jumping the Dadu Plateau into the city center (30 minutes away).

T hough t h e e qual of hotels in dow ntow n Taichung in terms of quality, the room rates here are markedly lower. Amenities include a gym, spa, business center and meeting room, selfservice laundry, and voluminous children’s play area with indoor and outdoor sections. There are two high-quality restaurants, plus a ballroom used for special event s; the quiet, mood-lit Fukuminato Chinese Restaurant serves differentregion Chinese classics amidst Zen Japanesestyle trappings, with a well-stocked sake bar, and the high-window, open-concept Gladden Buffet Restaurant presents Western, Japanese, and Chinese treats, the seafood selections especially fresh and rich in taste.

Lobby

(Rooms start at NT$5,600; look for enticing online-booking deals; Gladden buffet breakfast included.)

Taichung Harbor Hotel ( 台中港酒店 ) Add: No. 388, Sec. 2, Dazhi Rd., Wuqi Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市梧棲區大智路二段 388 號 ) Tel: (04) 2656-8888 Website: www.tchhotel.com

Gladden Buffet Restaurant Taichung Harbor Hotel facade

Standard guestroom

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New Palace Restaurant Local Dining Elegance Non-Pareil Just a few doors from Taichung Harbor Hotel is the “original” outlet of the New Palace restaurant chain, among Taiwan’s best-known names in seafood. Management here proudly proclaims this is the Taichung region’s oldest seafood restaurant.

The chain started as nothing more than a small, simple eatery with fish tanks out front, opened in 1947 – this, the “true” original outlet, was located not far away, a bit closer to Wuqi Harbor, and was moved to this much larger, dedicated facility 16 years ago.

The exterior of the multi-story building echoes that of a French chateau. Inside, the elegant décor evokes the sumptuous banquets of Versailles. The first delicious thing you’ll find before you is a tall glass of coconut milk, a New Palace signature.

Be careful – it is soft and silky with just the right sweetness, refills come quickly, and it is near impossible to stop yourself from filling up just on this, before the courses come.

The ex tensive ar ray of dishes is pr imar ily Chinese, but the well-traveled owner is fond of other cuisines, and incorporates favorites. The Thai coconut milk is but one example. The menu is rolled over every three months, in accordance with the regional seasonal changes in fresh seafood catch, and also to keep loyal clientele happy; many have been frequenting New Palace since their youth. Recipes are built around the head chef’s best finds at the local harbors. The dishes that have left the longest-lasting impressions on this writer are the buxom batter-fried oysters (the head chef’s personal favorite), the squid served with juicy fried sugarcane sticks, the halibut, in which the fish is quick-fried in oil then smoked over Taiwan tea and sugarcane, and the seafood “pizza,” featuring a medley of seafood chunks served in a tart-like shell and covered with melted cheese.

Smoked halibut New Palace Restaurant

(Dining is banquet-style; expect to pay NT$500~$800 per person.)

New Palace Restaurant ( 新天地梧棲創始店 ) Add: No. 400, Sec. 2, Dazhi Rd., Wuqi Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市梧棲區大智路二段 400 號 ) Tel: (04) 2656-2222 Website: www.newpalace.com.tw (Chinese)

Squid with sugarcane sticks

Seafood noodles

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FEATURE TAICHUNG

At the Aofeng Hill Viewing Platform

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FEATURE TAICHUNG

Looks Into the Past – Qingshui District Niumatou Cultural Park, an important archeological site, is on a terrace on the Dadu Plateau in Qingshui District, on what is called Aofeng Hill. The people of the neolithic Niumatou Culture, dating back to 4,500~3,500 years ago, lived predominantly by farming, supplemented with hunting. It appears the settlement was established here because the plain below was prone to flooding during typhoons, and enemies could be more easily spotted. The site was discovered by the Japanese during their colonial rule, on the site of a Shinto shrine, some remnants of which remain in place. The displays on the finds, explaining dwellings, graves, farming techniques, and more, are housed in the old cement-built barracks buildings of a recently-closed army camp set up after WWII. For even better views over the coastal region, head higher up Aofeng Hill to the park area immediately beyond, where two visually enticing architectural works await, Aofeng Jade Bridge and, higher still along the park’s pleasing pathway, Aofeng Hill Viewing Platform. The former is a curving waterway-leaping pedestrian bridge, the latter is perhaps the coastal area’s best spot for sunsets and star-viewing.

Nearby, back down on the coastal plain, is the heritage-status Zhao Family Ancestral Residence, a lyrically pretty traditional courtyard-style residential complex with the green slopes of the mountain plateau at its back. Built in the late Qing Dynasty in the old south China style brought over by the ancestors of the Taiwanese, before it is a pond entirely covered with lotus pads.

According to fengshui principles, such ponds deflect evil spirits from entering the gates of a complex, because they cannot travel over water. From the lotus pads a world of pastel art bursts to life in summer, drawing photo buffs aplenty.

Old Meets Cultural-Creative New – Shalu District How best to describe Shalu Dream Street? Let’s say an old shop street made something brand-new. Located right beside the pretty, foliage-profuse campus of Providence University, this is a short, now-covered lane converted into a dynamic “living incubator” for youth-oriented enterprises. The shop/bar/studio façades are designed as artworks in themselves (one original sausage shop hangs on), and 3D street art covers the ground. A constant stream of young folk line up for dynamic-background selfies. The street’s design-focused nightspots make this the coolest – and hottest – of after-dark gathering-spots.

Not far from Dream Street, explore the narrow lanes of Meiren Borough Painted Village. Meiren Village was long ago eaten up by the burgeoning urban agglomeration. Taichung has been on a wall-mural painting spree over the past decade, inspired by heritage-celebrating creations of a retired veteran in what is now called Rainbow Village, and here the murals – of an old grocery store, tailor shop, fruit shop, etc. – transport you back into the slow-paced, tight-community feel of Taiwan in the 1950s.

Niumatou Cultural Park ( 牛罵頭遺址文化園區 ) Add: No. 59, Aohai Rd., Qingshui Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市清水區鰲海路 59 號 ) Tel: (04) 2229-0280 Website: niumatou.taichung.gov.tw (Chinese)

Shalu Dream Street ( 沙鹿夢想街 ) Add: Ln. 3, Jinwen Rd., Shalu Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市沙鹿區晉文路 3 巷 )

Zhao Family Ancestral Residence ( 趙家古厝 ) Add: No. 476, Zhongshan Rd., Qingshui Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市清水區中山路 476 號 )

Meiren Borough Painted Village ( 美仁里彩繪村 ) Add: Meixiu Ln., Zhongzheng St., Shalu Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市沙鹿區中正街美秀巷 )

Zhao Family Ancestral Residence

Meiren Borough Painted Village

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" A long, meandering boardwalk brings you far out into the wetlands,

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beyond the sedge-grass marsh into the intertidal zone

"

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At Golden Ville

Golden Ville & La Cocinita – A Dream Coming True

Spaghetti with shrimp and pesto

Shalu Dream Street

Golden Ville/La Cocinita

Taiwan

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cottages tailor-designed for senior living.

There are also units designated for arts and crafts and other DIY activities, for both resident seniors and the general public.

An apartment building will also be built, for both seniors and local students (on different floors).

And there is of course the ultra-popular La Cocinita restaurant, a little bit of Spanish Mediterranean seaside ambience transported to this little piece of Taichung countryside. This warm, relaxed openconcept spot has a simple menu of hearty Western-style dishes, soon to be expanded, with fresh local ingredient usage stressed.

Among the delectables emerging from the open kitchen are German-style pig trotter with jalapeno, fettucine with dried cherry tomato and anchovies, and spaghetti with shrimp and pesto. And don’t forget the house beverage specialty, a heavenly mango smoothie. (Entry fee; free access to restaurant.)

Golden Ville/La Cocinita ( 好好聚落 / 好瓦小館 ) Add: No. 7, Yongfu Ln., Zhennan Rd., Shalu Dist., Taichung City ( 台中市沙鹿區鎮南路永福巷 7 號 ) Tel: (04) 2636-8826 Website: agoodvillage.blogspot.tw

Getting Around Taichung’s high-speed rail station and Taichung Railway Station are local bus-route hubs. The taichung.guide website provides helpful local-bus assistance with highlighted hotspots. Since this ar ticle’s highlighted sites are distant from each other, however, a rented car or scooter is recommended. The English-speaking staf f at the two aforementioned stations can provide guidance. Details on area Visitor Information Centers can be found at eng.taiwan.net.tw . The Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s 24H toll-free Tourist Hotline is 0800-011-765.

Shalu District Meiren Borough Painted Village

Golden Ville, run by a cultural-creative community-service organization, is in a protected little valley in Shalu District near the south end of the mountain plateau spoken of throughout this article.

The dream here, being built piece by piece, is “a village of art, design, and ecology,” and an enclave – a minienvironment within the busy surrounding urban environment – where seniors can live in peaceful, pleasant, stimulating environs and are able to move about outdoors freely and safely, life’s key necessities at hand.

And they won’t be isolated, for the village facilities are also attractive to the younger generations, who are warmly invited to visit – and have been in droves since the June 2016 opening. Golden Ville has, by design, become a tourist hotspot.

The seniors are not yet in place. What is? A lush eco-pond area and a bevy of garden plots, accessible by even-grade footpath. A mini-community of cargo containers decked out in clever, fetching artwork, loved by young folk and families as photo backdrops. Each of these has a specific function, including ice-cream stand, washrooms, etc., and most notably units ingeniously t ransfor med into compact workspace/cottage and demo

English and Chinese Aofeng Hill Viewing Platform 鰲峰山觀景平台 Aofeng Jade Bridge 鰲峰玉帶橋 Da’an River 大安溪 Dadu Plateau 大肚台地 Dadu River 大肚溪 Dajia District 大甲區 Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage 大甲媽祖遶境進香 Dajia River 大甲溪 Dajia Zhenlan Temple Cultural Museum 大甲鎮瀾宮文物館

Gaomei Road 高美路 Gaomei Wetlands 高美溼地 Lishui Fishing Harbor 麗水漁港 Mazu 媽祖 Meiren Borough Painted Village 美仁里彩繪村 Qingshui District 清水區 Rainbow Village 彩虹眷村 Shalu District 沙鹿區 Wuqi District 梧棲區 Wuqi Fishing Harbor 梧棲漁港

Sautéed Spare Ribs in Orange Sauce

Peng Yuan ( 彭園 ) Affection – Giving Warmth to Fine Food Only with a strong sense of cultural roots and a deep affection to food is it possible to bring out the true characteristics of fine cuisine.

Dining is not just about the taste of food entering your mouth; it’s also about experiencing the meaningful story behind the food. That’s the spirit of Peng Yuan’s approach to creating fine cuisine.

Inspired by Taiwan’s pān-toh banquet culture, Pān-toh Bistro serves up exquisite dishes only usually seen on banquet tables and also merges in European bistro style. This eatery not only offers a wide variety of cocktails, it also provides a relaxing space to meet to enjoy authentic Taiwanese banquet dishes.

Add: 1F, No. 7, Guangfu N. Rd., Songshan Dist., Taipei City ( 台北市松山區光復北路 7 號 1 樓 ) Tel: (02) 2528-8182 Hours: 11:30 ~ 14:30 / 17:30 ~ 23:30

PENG’S GOURMET & BANQUET

Linsen Original Store Tel: (02) 2551-9157 Add: 2F, No. 380, Linsen N. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市林森北路 380 號 2 樓 ) (Near Exit 2 of MRT Shuanglian or Zhongshan Elementary School Station)

Wander Around Yongkang Shopping Area and Enjoy a Splendid Time in the City!

Citizen Hotel ( 星辰大飯店 ) Add: No. 80, Sec. 1, Jinshan S. Rd., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City ( 台北市中正區金山南路一段 80 號 ) Tel: (02) 2397-1377 Fax: (02) 2394-8726 Website: www.taipei-citizen-hotel.com.tw

Sec. 1 , Jinsh an S. Rd.

Located on Jinshan South Road, Citizen Hotel is a warm and welcoming place to stay, just a short walk from Yongkang Street. The newly renovated hotel has 52 guestrooms, appointed in various styles.

Elegantly decorated, this modern and comfortable residence offers a quiet retreat, and easy access to the cultural air of Yongkang shopping district famous for its distinguished restaurants. Citizen Hotel is a tranquil place where business travelers may relax after a hard day’s work and tourists can rest up. Our front desk offers multi-lingual assistance for our guests to prepare for the next day’s sightseeing.

Citizen Hotel Se c. 2 ,

Xin yi R d.

MRT Dongmen Station (Exit 1)

Din Tai Fung

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Traditional Meets Fancy Taiwanese - Cuisine Res t aurant s in Taipei L an es and Al leys

Text: Owain Mckimm Photos: Maggie Song

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ISLAND FEAST TAIPEI

The great variety of food options in Taiwan’s capital can seem overwhelming. Where to start, what to eat first? What are the must-eats? Once you have done the Taipei tourist favorites – beef noodles, steamed dumplings, mango ice, etc. – dig down a bit deeper and venture into the nooks and crannies of this always-full-of-surprises culinary hotspot city!

W

hat to do when you're hungry on an evening in Taipei?

For many visitors, the first instinct is to join the flock and head to one of the capital's many night markets to fill up grazing on Taiwanese xiaochi or “little eats.” But what if you want to give your feet a rest, sit down to a good meal with a group of friends, perhaps share a few drinks?

The main streets of the city are chocka-block with chain coffee shops, fast-food joints, and convenience stores, but where are the little local bolt-hole restaurants, the quirky little eateries that provide surprise and satiation in equal measure?

More often than not they're tucked away, just behind a main drag, down one of Taipei's many lanes and alleys. Hungry travelers are well advised to leave the big roads and get lost in the city's labyrinthine back streets, with neighborhoods such as Gongguan, Minsheng Community, Yongkang Street, and even the more modern East District all boasting expansive tangles of alleys that, when explored, reveal mouthwatering culinary surprises.

Sanhoyan

Along a lane off Zhongxiao East Road in Taipei's East District is Sanhoyan, a restaurant serving traditional Taiwanese cuisine, with a twist. That this is not your ordinary Taiwanese restaurant is obvious as soon as you walk in. While most local eateries content themselves with a minimalist jumble of stainless-steel tables and stools or, at the more upmarket places, round dark-wood banquet tables, the ground floor at Sanhoyan is instead decked out with crescent-shaped lounge chairs, a cocktail bar, and a large iron-frame mesh in a beehive design which climbs the walls and hangs down from the ceiling, giving the space a close-knit, cave-like vibe. If not for the duo of Taiwanese men sharing a plate of dongpo pork (braised pork belly) at one of the tables (at the time of a recent Travel in Taiwan visit), you would be forgiven for thinking that the place was a lounge bar and bar snacks the only food available.

Upstairs, things are a little more obviously culinarythemed. There is also a cocktail bar, and an area with comfy seating – sofas here – but near the windows to the right of the stairs are the familiar round banquet tables, while the windows themselves are decorated with wrought-iron latticework of the kind often seen down in Taiwan's southern cities.

The restaurant's name, Sanhoyan, is a transliteration of 三 合院 , the term for a traditional Chinese three-sided courtyard house, many of which can still be seen in the rural countryside of Taiwan. These houses consist of three long connected buildings surrounding a courtyard, and in the past typically housed an entire extended family. Kenny Chen, manager of Sanhoyan, informs us that like the three sides of those residences, the restaurant too has three main aspects: the food, the drink, and the atmosphere, which combine to bring people together.

The food, first, then. It, like the décor, is not your traditional Taiwanese affair. In fact, it might be more accurate to call it New Taiwanese Cuisine, an attempt to infuse traditional dishes with a bit of modern pizazz. On the menu – a swanky, colorful pictorial album with English translations (a far cry from the austere Chinese-text lists found in many other restaurants) – you can find dishes with Korean, Japanese, Thai, and Western influences. But that's not to say that this is fusion cuisine.

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ISLAND FEAST TAIPEI

Hoshing gift box

Rather, it's an attempt to broaden the range of Taiwanese food, introduce some new ingredients, and reinterpret the old ones in fresh ways, all the while keeping the locals happy eating their beloved familiar dishes.

The first dish I try is the Five-Flavor Abalone, according to Kenny the restaurant's most popular dish and a must-order. It's an intriguing appetizer consisting of an ice-cream cone stuffed with mashed potato salad and topped off with fresh abalone and a hearty dollop of five-flavor sauce. The abalone, thanks to its freshness, is light and tender, and the flavor overwhelmingly comes from the five-flavor sauce, a pungent, tangy mixture of soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, lemon juice, and tomato sauce.

The mashed potato, infused with crunchy shreds of cabbage, makes for a hearty and palate-cleansing final few bites.

Next I try the Fried Rice with Mixed Seafood. The rice comes served in a pyramid shape (not for any mystical or ancient Egyptian reason, though – but purely for spectacle), is permeated with tiny dried shrimp, and is finished with a generous sprinkling of flying-fish roe. Flying fish are the traditional quarry of the Tao (Yami) tribe of Lanyu (Orchid Island), off the southeast coast of Taiwan, and here their roe is really the star of the dish. Beautiful briny capsules that burst amongst the rice grains when you chew, giving this normally heavy dish a fresh and unexpected kick.

From the rice, we move on to the Pan Fried Buckler with Curry, batter-fried soft-shell crab with a powerful curry sauce.

You might recognize this as more of a Thai dish, but here it is served with guabao , a flat Taiwanese steamed bun traditionally used to wrap soy-stewed pork belly, and the two marry perfectly – the doughy guabao taking the sting out of the curry and providing a filling cladding to an otherwise light meat.

There is also, of course, the obligatory Crispy Deep-Fried Egg Tofu with Flying Fish Roe; this comes too with a topping of flying-fish roe (the more of this the better, in my humble opinion), and as a final savory treat, a Deep-Fried Barbecued Pork Bun in the shape of a hedgehog.

Banquet table on second floor at Sanhoyuan

Note: The portion sizes of the dishes at Sanhoyan serve 2-4 people, and so going with a medium-sized group of friends will allow you to order a wide range of dishes without breaking the bank.

Pan Fried Buckler with Curry

For dessert, I sample a selection of soft steamed buns with sweet fillings. Kenny tells us that the buns, which come in 20 variations, are modeled on things that the chef recollects from childhood – toadstools that look like they're from Super Mario, cute bunny rabbits, cartoon frogs and pandas – and have different and sometimes surprising fillings. We try a panda filled with a strong sesame paste; a red-and-white toadstool stuffed with sweet potato, cheese, and macadamia nuts; and my favorite, a mean-eyed purple orb packed with taro and mochi.

A glance at the drinks menu shows that the beverages here, as well, are something of a departure for a traditional Taiwanese Sanhoyan ( 叁和院 ) Add: No. 14, Lane 101, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市忠孝東路四段 101 巷 14 號 ) Tel: (02) 2731-3833 Website: www.sanhoyan.com.tw Hours: Mon~Thurs & Sun: 11:30am~midnight; Fri & Sat: 11:30am~1am

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Dining at Sanhoyan

Fried Rice with Mixed Seafood

ISLAND FEAST TAIPEI

restaurant. While most such restaurants will have a fridge full of the local lager, Taiwan Beer, the specialty of the house here is cocktails, with the menu even recommending pairings of cocktails and food. There's beer, too, a mixture of international brands and locally brewed craft beer, or for those abstaining, a selection of smoothies made with native fruit – guava, pineapple, and roselle.

As for the atmosphere, you might come to the conclusion that the restaurant is a lot like a high-end Taiwanese fast-fry joint. To say so is not a slight on the place at all. Fast-fry restaurants are absolute staples of the Taiwanese culinary scene and a fantastic place to spend an evening, drinking and eating copiously while generally being a bit loud and rowdy. Sanhoyan has captured that atmosphere and paired it with high-quality food and modern drinking trends, the result being a restaurant that has the best of both worlds.

Taiwan Bistro

Inside, the smartly-dressed owner serves up his soy-braised products alongside craft beer from the best of Taiwan's native craft-brewing scene, red wines, and whiskeys. Something akin to that of an izakaya (a type of informal Japanese gastropub), the atmosphere is a convivial mix of the traditional and modern, with lashings of hearty food and plenty of drinks to wash it down with.

It's lively enough to be fun, with a somewhat hipsterish taste for the artisanal added in.

At Fujin Tree – Taiwanese Cuisine and Champagne

Taiwanese food and champagne are not things you usually associate with each other. But that's exactly what At Fujin Tree – Taiwanese Cuisine and Champagne, a fancy restaurant hidden in the tree-lined streets of Minsheng Community, aims to combine.

The restaurant serves contemporary twists on classic Taiwanese dishes (such as stinky tofu with kimchi, Formosa vermicelli, and oysters with sliced dough sticks) paired with your choice of French bubbly. Pricier, quieter, and more deliberately upmarket than Sanhoyan or Taiwan Bistro, the restaurant is tastefully decorated with hanging plants and large floor-to-ceiling windows, which allow you to dine doused in natural sunlight. The perfect place for people who want to try local cuisine without the hustle, bustle, and noise associated with “grassroots” eating.

At Fujin Tree—Taiwanese Cuisine and Champagne

Taiwan Bistro

English and Chinese Crispy Deep-Fried Egg Tofu with Flying Fish Roe 飛魚卵老皮嫩肉 Deep-Fried Barbecued Pork Bun 刺蝟叉燒包 dongpo pork 東坡肉 East District 東區 Five-Flavor Abalone 五味九孔鮑 Fried Rice with Mixed Seafood 南台灣炒飯 Gongguan 公館 guabao 割包

Taiwan Bistro ( 渣男 Taiwan Bistro) Add: No. 12, Aly. 315, Ln. 150, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City ( 台北市信義區信義路五段 150 巷 315 弄 12 號 ) Tel: (02) 2720-9820 Hours: Daily, 5:30pm~1:30am

At Fujin Tree—Taiwanese Cuisine and Champagne ( 富錦樹台菜香檳 ) Add: No. 17, Lane 199, Dunhua N. Rd., Songshan Dist., Taipei City ( 台北市松山區敦化北路 199 巷 17 號 ) Tel: (02) 8712-8770 Website: fujintreegroup.com Hours: Daily, 12pm~2pm; 6pm~10pm

Tucked away in a lane at the foot of Elephant Mountain in Taipei’s east area is Taiwan Bistro, another excellent eatery selling traditional Taiwanese fare – this time soy-braised dishes. Stalls selling braised foods such as “small sausage in large sausage,” spicy duck's-blood cakes, and Taiwanese-style bagels can be found in pretty much any night market or bustling food street. Taiwan Bistro, however, is fronted not by the customary bright sign but rather by an abstract piece of metal art.

Kenny Chen 陳柏元 Lanyu (Orchid Island) 蘭嶼 “little eats”/xiaochi 小吃 Minsheng Community 民生社區 Pan Fried Buckler with Curry 咖哩軟殼蟹 “small sausage in large sausage” 大腸包小腸 Tao tribe 達悟族 Yongkang Street 永康街 Zhongxiao East Road 忠孝東路

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RAIL TRAVEL HUALIEN

The East Rift Valley between the cities of Hualien and Taitung in eastern Taiwan is one of the most scenic and popular tourist areas on the island.

If you want to explore this slow-paced bucolic region of rice paddies and rape fields, take a slow train, get off at stations along the way, and explore the local attractions on rented bicycles.

Text: Steven Crook

Photos: Vision

Exploring Hualien County by Rail

The Train to Eden

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RAIL TRAVEL HUALIEN

I

f you’re touring Taiwan, there’s a very high chance you’ll pass through Hualien City. Many tourists spend a night in the east’s biggest city before or after experiencing the geological wonderland that is Taroko Gorge. The city also serves as a launchpad for a long, splendid drive or bicycle ride south to Taitung County, either along the coast or through the East Rift Valley.

The East Rift Valley is a narrow strip of bucolic lowland between the Central Mountain Range and the Coastal Mountain Range. Cyclists and motorcyclists keen to avoid the traffic on Provincial Highway 11 (the coastal road) or Provincial Highway 9 (the main inland artery) may opt for the rift valley’s intensely scenic County Road 193, but this involves significant gradients, and places to stay or eat are thin on the ground.

Readers wanting a more relaxed way of exploring this part of Taiwan might instead look to the railroad that runs the entire length of the valley. When coupled with a willingness to cycle moderate distances on rented bicycles, train travel opens up this fascinating region for explorers who’d rather not resort to gasoline-powered transportation.

Without crossing the Hualien/Taitung county line into the more southerly of the two counties, there’s enough to keep you busy for at least a few days, the first of which can be enjoyably devoted to Hualien City itself. As in other parts of Taiwan, many of the city’s hotels and homestays loan bicycles to guests, often for free.

If you’re not overnighting in the city, and need to rent a set of wheels, visit the Giant bike store (closed Thursdays) in front of Hualien Railway Station.

Sea Breezes Visitors willing to cycle 25km over the course of a day can see a lot, starting perhaps with the Sunward Plaza. This colorful building at Hualien’s fishing harbor has coffee shops and a seafood restaurant. When the sun is shining, the plaza is an islet of Mediterranean ambience beside the Pacific. Climb the observation tower for views not only of the ocean, but also of scenes reminding you that Hualien's harbor is very much a working port.

For decades, before road and rail links with northern Taiwan were established, natural resources such as marble were shipped out from here, while a great many necessities arrived by boat.

If you've come this far, do pedal around the quay area, and not just to see the fishing boats close up. Taiwan’s tourism authorities hope visitors can see the cleaner, more modern side of local life, but this writer is going to drift from the party line and say that in this instance the saltier, traditional side of the fishing harbor is actually more intriguing. Opposite a little temple in which fishermen burn incense and pray before going out to sea, three eateries sell sashimi and freshly cooked seafood. They’re open approximately 9:30am to 6:30pm; prices are reasonable, and you can be sure the ingredients are fresh.

If seafood isn’t your preference, pedal downtown to Yi Xiang Bian Dumplings, one of the city’s most popular eateries. You may have to queue for a place to sit down, but ordering couldn’t be simpler. A portion of the delicious dumplings in soup costs NT$70; no alternatives or side dishes are offered. It’s open from 10am to 1:30pm, and from 4pm until they’ve sold out, which is often soon after 7pm.

Railway bridge near Yuli town, Hualien County (photo by Shi Wan-long)

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RAIL TRAVEL HUALIEN

Sunward Plaza

Less than 300 meters from the restaurant is Hualien Cultural Creative Industries Park, at the intersection of Zhonghua and Zhongzheng roads, on the site of what was originally a winery complex. The buildings date from Japan’s 1895-1945 occupation of Taiwan and ooze character. They’re now used by artists and entrepreneurs, and among them you’re sure to find an engaging exhibition or appealing souvenir shop.

When it’s time to leave the city, buy a railway ticket for the town of Shoufeng, the fourth stop south of Hualien City. This jaunt, which takes 14 to 26 minutes, never costs more than NT$39. Near the railway station, it’s possible to rent both conventional bicycles and electric scooters from a no-name establishment (look for the sign bearing the phone number 03-822-0797).

Alternatively, use an oBike (www.o.bike ). These robust-looking bicycles – easy to recognize, thanks to their orange wheel rims – are now appearing all over Taiwan. To rent one, you need to first download the oBike app (English version available for iOS and Android), register, and pay a refundable deposit by credit card.

This allows you then to search for available bikes near you by looking at the app map.

Hualien Cultural Creative Industries Park

mountain waterway, the Baibao River, where you can spot rarelyseen bird species and a great many butterflies. But this watercourse is more than an eco-tourism attraction. It’s a testbed for rivermanagement techniques that achieve human goals, such as holding back sediment without disrupting fragile ecosystems. The low, fish-friendly weirs in place here are strikingly different from the concrete barriers which punctuate many of Taiwan’s waterways.

The river can be reached less than 7km from Shoufeng Railway Station. Head north toward one of the area’s most popular tourist attractions, Liyu Lake, on Provincial Highway 9C and look for the bilingual signage. A good part of the ride is uphill; bring your swimsuit and a towel, as you’ll likely want to cool off in the refreshing waters.

East from Shoufeng’s train station, less than half the distance in comparison to the Baibao River, and flat all the way, is Fengzhigu Wetland Park. Note that some area road signs call the park “Productive Valley Nature Park.” There are various DIY activities you can join – papermaking is one, handkerchief dyeing another – but you may prefer to bring a picnic lunch, find a quiet spot, and watch the resident water birds instead.

A River for the Ages Once you’ve got wheels, you’re ready to explore. In this writer’s opinion, Shoufeng Township’s No. 1 attraction is a gorgeous

Ice Cream and Sugar Back in Shoufeng town, you deserve a treat after all that cycling. At Fengchun Ice Cream Store, near the railway station, choose from among several flavors of handmade ice cream, including sugarcane juice, created using antique equipment that seems half a century old.

Hualien Cultural Creative Industries Park ( 花蓮文化創意產業園區 ) Add: No. 144, Zhonghua Rd., Hualien City ( 花蓮市中華路 144 號 ) Tel: (03) 831-3777

Fengchun Ice Cream Store ( 豐春冰菓店 ) Add: No. 79, Sec. 1, Shoufeng Rd., Shoufeng Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣壽豐鄉壽豐路一段 79 號 ) Tel: (03) 865-1530

Yi Xiang Bian Dumplings

Fengzhigu Wetland Park

Bicycling outing at Baibao River

The next railway stop south of Shoufeng town is Fengtian, not to be confused with Fenglin, which is a further 13km down the line. Of several Japanese-immigrant settlements established by the Japanese during the 1895~1945 colonial period, Fengtian is one of the best preserved.

The old kendo training hall on the campus of Fengli Elementary School was undergoing renovation at the time of writing. Where there once stood a Shinto shrine, a torii gate – the only one of three to survive – and several stone-lantern columns have been incorporated into the layout of Bilian Temple. Three other buildings from the Japanese era within walking distance of the railway station have also been preserved.

We’ll skip the next few stops and continue on to Guangfu, a town which owes its importance to sugar. Taiwan’s sugar industry is now almost defunct, but for a period after World War II the sweet stuff was the island’s No. 1 export. The smokestack of the old Hualien Sugar Factory is clearly visible when you step out of the station. The operation of this industrial landmark ceased in 2002, and it is now a tourist attraction. Many of the original machines remain in place, and bear the insignia of the British, German, Dutch, and Japanese companies which supplied them.

The factory is 1km from the station, so you’ll probably want to get a bike. Try the rental shop (no English sign; phone number 0933-995-225) to the station’s left, or unlock one of the oBikes parked on the other side of Highway 9.

Huamulan Rental ( 花牧瀾機車出租 ) Add: No. 8, Sec. 1, Zhongshan Rd., Ruisui Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣瑞穗鄉瑞穗村中山路一段 8 號 )

Danong Dafu Forest Recreation Area

At Fengchun Ice Cream Store

In the industry’s heyday, cane was grown on large tracts of land south of Guangfu. Since 2001, more than 1,000 hectares of former plantation have been afforested. As well as countless trees, what’s now called Danong Dafu Forest Recreation Area features 20-plus plant species native to Taiwan. Everything is accessible by bicycle, and there’s neither an admission charge nor set opening hours.

If you’re staying nearby, consider coming here very early in the morning, when you have a better chance of spotting the birds that thrive here. Overnighting in Guangfu also gives you time to tour Matai’an Wetland, where you can learn about the traditional way of fishing of the local Amis indigenous people.

Bypassing a few more stops brings you to Ruisui, renowned since the Japanese colonial times for its hot springs. Spring water is piped to hotels clustered west of the railway line, a neighborhood also favored by cyclists.

If your legs have had enough by the time you get here, hire an electric scooter at Huamulan Rental (close to the railway station) for NT$500 per day. If they’re especially sore, go for a soak at an establishment like Yuan Hsiang Hot Spring Resort, where access to the public pools costs just NT$150 per person; swimsuits are required. R&R for your lower limbs is probably a good idea, because we’ve one more bike excursion before heading into Taitung – and it’s a good one.

Yuan Hsiang Hot Spring Resort ( 原鄉溫泉度假村 ) Add: No. 325, Wufu Rd., Neighborhood 5, Ruixiang Village, Ruisui Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣瑞穗鄉瑞祥村 5 鄰五福路 325 號 )

Matai’an Wetland

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Taroko Express

Sunward Plaza

Hualien Station

Hualien Cultural Creative Industries Park

Liyu Lake

Biking Over a Fault Line Trains from Hualien to the town of Yuli take between an hour and two hours, and cost NT$121 to NT$189. The new Yuli Railway Station stands at the same location as the old one, but the railroad south of here was rerouted during a recent upgrading.

Rather than crossing the Xiuguluan River, the tracks now take a more direct route toward Taitung County – and not merely to shave the distance. This waterway is also a geological boundary. Everything east of the river, including the Coastal Mountain Range, is on the Philippine Sea Plate; the land to the west is part of the Eurasian Plate. The problem is that the east side is gradually rising relative to the west, so bridges have to be modified every few years. The new route avoids this problem, and what used to be the railway bridge has been repurposed as part of the Yufu Bikeway. This 9.8km-long route gets its name because it connects Yuli to the adjacent township of Fuli.

Pedal bikes and electric scooters can be rented at Huilanshanshui Vehicle, near Yuli Railway Station, or the Giant Yihong Bike Shop, a five-minute walk away. The bikeway ends at the old railway station in the village of Dongli, but there’s nothing stopping tourists with plenty of time and energy from exploring more of the area, and perhaps visiting the Antong Hot Springs.

Huilanshanshui Vehicle ( 洄瀾山水租車 ) Add: No. 135, Guangfu Rd., Yuli Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣玉里鎮光復路 153 號 ) Giant Yihong Bike Shop ( 捷安特義宏車行 ) Add: No. 47, Heping Rd., Yuli Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣玉里鎮和平路 47 號號 ) Getting to Hualien Hualien City can be reached by train (more than 30 express trains per day from Taipei) or plane (two services per day from Taipei Songshan Airport). On weekends and around national holidays, getting rail or air tickets can be difficult, so book as early as possible or travel mid-week. If all else fails, consider catching a bus to Yilan, then one of the dozen or so local trains that proceed to Hualien. This is slower, but the scenery en route is enthralling.

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Fengchun Ice Cream Store

Shoufeng Station

Fengzhigu Wetland Park Bilian Temple

Fenglin Station

Guangfu Station

Matai’an Wetland

Danong Dafu Forest Recreation Area

Pacific

Yuan Hsiang Hot Spring Resort

Ruisui Station

Yufu Bikeway

Yuli Station Antong Hot Springs

English and Chinese Amis tribe 阿美族 Antong Hot Springs 安通溫泉 Baibao River 白鮑溪 Bilian Temple 碧蓮寺 Central Mountain Range 中央山脈 Coastal Mountain Range 海岸山脈 Danong Dafu Forest Recreation Area 大農大富平地森林園區 Dongli 東里 East Rift Valley 花東縱谷 Fengli Elementary School 豐裡國民小學 Fenglin 鳳林 Fengtian 豐田

Taiwan

Fengzhigu Wetland Park 豐之谷溼地公園 Fuli 富里 Guangfu 光復 Hualien Sugar Factory 花蓮糖廠 Liyu Lake 鯉魚潭 Matai’an Wetland 馬太鞍濕地 Ruisui 瑞穗 Shoufeng 壽豐 Sunward Plaza 向日廣場 Taroko Gorge 太魯閣峽谷 Xiuguluan River 秀姑巒溪 Yufu Bikeway 玉富自行車道 Yuli 玉里

Recommended Room Type Western-style Two Hot-Spring Double Room The Two Hot-Spring (hot and cold spring) Double Room is a spring bathing room type unique to Ar t Spa Hotel. Based on the careful design by the hotel’s CEO comfortable and elegant Western-style hot spring rooms were created. As well as a private two-person hot-spring bath, the rooms also have a one-person coldspring bath with a water temperature of only 8 degrees Celsius. Two people can bathe together in the hot-spring bath and take turns bathing in the cold-spring bath.

Excellent-Quality Spring Water Straight from the Source

A

rt Spa Hotel is conveniently located next to Jiaoxi Railway Station, not far from Tangweigou Park. Based on the planning of the hotel’s CEO, the overall space is ingeniously designed.

A life style based on Eastern health wisdom and a landscaped garden that is full of southeast Asian charm are combined to offer more than 50 spa facilities and water play pools that make full use of Jiaoxi’s renowned sodium bicarbonate spring water, which leaves your skin moist and smooth. With a total of 54 elegant Westernand Japanese-style rooms and an outdoor café the hotel offers diverse hot-spring bathing fun.

Getting there: Taking a bus from Taipei Bus Station or Taipei City Hall Bus Station to Jiaoxi Bus Station takes just about 40 minutes.

Taking a train from Taipei to Jiaoxi takes about 80 minutes. From the railway station it’s 3~5 minutes by foot to the hotel.

If self-driving, take Freeway 5 to Toucheng Exit, drive in the direction of Jiaoxi, then turn left onto Deyang Road to reach the hotel.

Art Spa Hotel ( 中冠礁溪大飯店 ) Add: 6, Deyang Rd., Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County ( 宜蘭縣礁溪鄉德陽路 6 號 ) Tel: +886-3-988-2011 Website: www.art-spa-hotel.com.tw Check in: After 15:00, Check out: Before 11:00 The hotel provides a car park that can be used free of cost by guests.

THEME PARK JOY YEHLIU

Yehliu Experience

The

Peculiar Rock Formations and Frolicking Sea Creatures Text: Joe Henley Photos: Maggie Song

At Yehliu Ocean World

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T

Yehliu Geopark, on Taiwan’s north coast, has long been one of the top tourist draws on this island. Millions of visitors can’t be wrong; the park’s unique rock formations make it a place well worth visiting. Another part of the Yehliu experience is Yehliu Ocean World, an oceanarium both educational and entertaining.

aking up a thin spit of land projecting out into the sea in New Taipei’s City’s Wanli District is Yehliu Geopark, a cape formed by geological forces pushing the Datun Mountain Range up and out of the sea. Today, parts of the narrow 1.7 kilometer-long promontory look as though they're one rough wave away from being taken by the sea, but luckily for visitors the shoreline is holding its ground.

The park is best known for its unique rock formations, most prominent among them the various hoodoo stones that dot the almost alien-looking landscape, jutting out of the sedimentary rock in delicate spires boasting precariously balanced heads upon their thin necks.

The main attraction for most tourists, as evidenced by the invariably long, snaking lineups each day, is the hoodoo stone Queen's Head

known as the Queen's Head, supposedly named for its likeness to the ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti or England’s Queen Elizabeth I. According to recent stats, as many as three million tourists visit Yehliu Geopark and the Queen’s Head every year, though since the number of tourists from mainland China has declined recently, there might be fewer visitors these days.

Photographic evidence has shown that over time the beloved monarch's thin, tapered neck has been eroding ever so slowly, stirring up debate as to whether technology should be used to save the “head” or if nature should be allowed to take its course. Some experts say the 4,000-year-old structure

could, through exposure to the elements and the cruelties of erosion, topple any time between 2020 and 2025; some go even further, saying that the next strong typhoon or earthquake could take it down.

There are also many other Yehliu Geopark geological features worth having a closer look at, whether you're an amateur rock hound, an aspiring geologist, or just in search of the most peculiar rock formations to use as selfie backgrounds. Among these are mushroom rocks, so named for their low-slung caps potted with indentations made by the acidic secretions of sea creatures that clamped on them in eons past when the stones were under the ocean’s surface. And there are pothole micro-ecosystems, ginger rocks, sea candles, and trilobite fossils well preserved in the bedrock protruding from the sea.

Yehliu Geopark

The geopark is just one part of the Yehliu experience. Next to the park is Yehliu Ocean World, a facility offering both education and entertainment. This oceanarium educates visitors about the various marine-creature species in the seas surrounding Taiwan and those that habituate the waters of the world further away.

Visiting the facility’s exhibition area begins with a stroll through the life cycle of jellyfish, then you walk through a cave-like environment with tanks around every bend, each home to creatures both common and on the list of endangered species. Highlights include the green and hawksbill turtles, both classified as endangered species due to overfishing – the turtles often get caught

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THEME PARK JOY YEHLIU

up in fishing nets as incidental catch – and through consumption of harmful plastics which have come to contaminate the world's oceans on an unprecedented level. According to information posted at the facility, only about 200,000 female green turtles remain in the wild at the present time.

From this section you move on to explore the oceans of the world, moving past tanks containing a wide variety of species, from tiny sea horses to the giant grouper (which, as is pointed out, was first commercially farmed in Taiwan to take pressure off the overfished wild population). All signage is bilingual, English and Chinese, so foreign visitors will feel right at home and can take full advantage of the exhibit’s educational benefits.

The educational exhibit is of course just one part of Ocean World’s appeal. People also come for the shows at the Ocean Theater, an amphitheater overlooking a large, deep pool and the ocean beyond.

The pool is venue for various forms of entertainment, including a high-dive show that I watched on a recent visit.

dancers playing off one another throughout the performance. All in all, it's a good bit of fun for the young and the young at heart in the audience.

Not to denigrate the swimmers or the divers, but the real stars of the show are the marine creatures, namely the sea lions and the dolphins. The sea lions, which as becomes immediately apparent really are the puppy dogs of the sea, are up first.

These highly intelligent creatures are put through their paces in a routine meant to entertain, but the performance also clearly shows why they are worthy of both our respect and continued efforts at protection.

A pair of sea lions does numerous tricks for the amusement and amazement of the crowd, balancing and bouncing balls on the ends of their noses, playing a game of basketball, catching rings around their necks both in the water and on land, and putting on a number of comedy routines.

In one sketch, the sea lions belly up to a bar, after which one appears to become quite inebriated and in need of revival. At

Yehliu Ocean Park aquarium

Featuring an international team of divers, the high-dive show is more than just tautly muscled men jumping off of high platforms. Yes, of course it has that, but the divers aim to put a bit of theater into the experience. It's not exactly Shakespeare, but is most definitely inventive and entertaining, with a James Bond-style routine in which a diver styled after 007 faces off in comedic fashion with a masked villain. The show keeps the children in the crowd entranced.

Throughout the program the divers play to the onlookers, engaging them in games, calling out for spectator support and participation, and wowing the crowd with feats of athletic skill and courage as they climb higher and higher up the poolside ladder for their leaps, the performance concluding with a dive off the penultimate platform tens of meters above the water.

Complementing the male divers is a troupe of female synchronized swimmers, who put on an impressive display of Olympic-caliber under- and above-water acrobatics. The routines range from the graceful to the comedic, the divers and the water 36

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the scene's end the sea lions, as they do throughout, prompt the crowd to applaud with a vigorous slapping together of their fore flippers. With such adorable encouragement, it's near impossible not to comply.

Next up are the dolphins, who also deftly demonstrate their grace and intelligence, obeying with speed and accuracy a plethora of commands for all manner of complex tasks. Dolphins, for the uninitiated, are one of the few creatures on earth other than humans thought to have their own language, and are possessed of a strength that sees them kick up a wake comparable to that of a small motorized watercraft when swimming at full tilt.

The pair performing at Ocean World goes through routines of synchronized diving, basketball tricks, ring and Frisbee catching, and hula-hoop spins. It's impressive, to say the least, the debate surrounding the conservation and education efforts of places such as Ocean World vs. making a dolphin dance to Gangnam Style notwithstanding.

THEME PARK JOY YEHLIU

Acrobatic high-dive show

Yehliu Ocean World ( 野柳海洋世界 ) Add: No. 167-3, Gangdong Rd., Yehliu Borough, Wanli District, New Taipei City ( 新北市萬里區野柳里港東路 167-3 號 ) Tel: (02) 2492-1111 Website: www.oceanworld.com.tw (Chinese) Practical Info Getting There by Bus Yehliu Ocean World and the adjacent Yehliu Geopark are both easily accessible from Taipei City. Catch bus No. 1815 from Taipei City Hall Bus Station (just above MRT Taipei City Hall Station), which takes one hour to bring you to the Yehliu bus stop. From there it's about 15 minutes on foot to the entrances of Yehliu Geopark and Yehliu Ocean World.

Alternatively, take a train to the city of Keelung and then a Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus (Keelung Shuttle Bus West Line) to Yehliu Geopark. Buses depart from the visitor center close to the old railway station building in Keelung. Tickets (one-day pass) are NT$50; buses depart once an hour from May through October and every two hours from November through April.

Self Drive If driving yourself, take National Freeway No. 1 to the Xizhi System Interchange, change to Freeway 3, and drive to Keelung. At the end of the freeway, switch to Provincial Highway No. 2 and follow that highway nor th to Wanli, then follow the signs to Yehliu Geopark.

Tickets Yehliu Geopark: NT$80 for adults, NT$40 for students and children 6~12 Yehliu Ocean World: NT$450 for adults, NT$380 for children over 6 App For Yehliu Geopark, download a free bilingual guide app for use on iOS and A ndroid smar tphones.

Search for “Yehliu Geopark” in the App Store or in Google Play or scan the QR code you’ll find at the entrance to the park. The app comes in English, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean versions.

to J

insh an

Wanli District

YEHLIU GEOPARK YEHLIU OCEAN WORLD

Obstacle-Free Areas Yehliu Geopark is wheelchair accessible for the most part, though there are sections where the terrain is either too rugged or there is a lack of ramps. The entirety of Yehliu Ocean World is wheelchair friendly.

Strollers and wheelchairs are available for temporary use from the Yehliu Visitor Center, close to the park’s entrance, and there are nursing stations and baby care rooms in both the park and the aquarium.

Green Bay to Keelung

English and Chinese Datun Mountain Range 大屯山系 Keelung 基隆 Queen's Head 女王頭 Wanli District 萬里區 Yehliu Geopark 野柳地質公園

Taiwan

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HIDDEN TREASURES PINGTUNG

Text: Rick Charette Photos: Maggie Song

Ask locals about the best pig trotters on the island, and chances are that they will reply “Wanluan.” If you head to this rural township in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County in search of succulent pig feet, note that the historical villages of Wugou (Wugoushui) and Wanjin are well worth exploring.

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Wanluan Painted Bridge

HIDDEN TREASURES PINGTUNG

Wall painting in Wugoushui

Where the Past Anchors the Present

Betelnut farmer

Pingtung County’s Bucolic Wanluan Township

P

ingtung is Taiwan’s southernmost county. Overall a quiet region – save for tourist-busy Kenting National Park and Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area – this is a tropical region with South Pacific-like charm, a place of graceful palm trees, clement sunny weather, and freedom from light pollution, making for star-filled nights.

Wanluan Township is a rural enclave of flat farmland tucked up tight against the base of the Central Mountain Range about an hour’s drive west of the great, broad-shouldered port city of Kaohsiung on the Taiwan Strait.

Always in looming view, the north-south wall of mountains has the look of a massive curtain drawn across a theater stage. Spend a little time with us now on a sauntering exploration of this unhurried, history-proud township’s charms.

Wugoushui – Can Time Really Stand Still?

There’s perhaps no better way to get to know Wanluan Township than with a guided walking tour of pocket-sized, somnambulant Wugou Village, better known as Wugoushui Community. This village, settled centuries ago during the Qing Dynasty, is bursting with heritage residences and many other structures of historical interest. Today it looks very much like it did at the turn of the 20th century, when

China was still ruled by an emperor (and Taiwan was a colony ruled by the Japanese).

There you’ll find the workshop operated

by Pretty Woogo (“Wugoushui Guardian Work Station”), a community organization which provides tours in Chinese, on Xisheng Street. On a recent Travel in Taiwan visit Mr. Lin Pin-xuan served as our guide.

Directly across the street from the workshop is one of the village’s architectural highlights, the Liu Family Ancestral Hall. Wugoushui is a Hakka settlement, with many heritage residences in different styles, notably 3and 4-side courtyard-style residences and architectural elements distinguishing the homes of imperial scholars from regular folk.

The Hakka, a Han Chinese minority group, faced severe discrimination through imperial times, with tenuous land rights, and for group security emphasized education and success in imperial exams, which brought governmentofficial positions.

Somet h i ng ver y special about t he Wugoushui walking tour is that the old houses are still very much lived-in residences, and Mr. Lin brought us right in (after a polite “heads up”) as people went about their business much in the way their ancestors did a century ago. The Liu residence, occupying 2.5ha, is perhaps south Taiwan’s best-preserved Hakka

Irrigation pond

Wugoushui residence wall

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HIDDEN TREASURES PINGTUNG

Wanluan Painted Bridge

Wall decoration Pretty Woogo ( 五溝水守護工作站 ) Add: No. 70, Xisheng Rd., Wugou Village, Wanluan Township, Pingtung County ( 屏東縣萬巒鄉五溝村西盛路 70 號 ) Tel: (08) 783-0475 Website: www.facebook.com/prettywoogo/ Tours: In Chinese; 3hrs each; NT$1,600 on weekdays, NT$2,000 on weekends/holidays; phone two weeks ahead.

complex. Clan members still occupy the wings off the central shrine hall. Proverbs invoking good character and dedicated studies adorn the walls. Showcasing the clan’s past power and social status are the beams, columns, door slabs, incense burner, and koji-pottery adornments, all imported from mainland China’s Canton area. The graceful swallow-tail roof indicates success in imperial exams and government promotion.

Running from left to right in front of the Liu residence is one of Wugoushui’s two waterways. The L-to-R motion is in accordance with fengshui principles, said Lin, drawing good qi and welcoming riches and success. Both waterways were harnessed early on for use as irrigation channels. Most people mistakenly think “Wugoushui” means “Five irrigation channels,” according to Lin, but in fact the “5/wu / 五 ” indicates the march of settlers east across the Pingtung Plain – this was the “fifth settlement with irrigation channels set up,” and the last in the group.

Just west is “Sigoushui,” the fourth, and just west of that “Sangoushui,” the third.

Until the late 1600s, the Pingtung Plain was indigenous territory. The first Han

Chinese settlements were established in 1684, and by 1734 most of the plain was being cultivated. As elsewhere in Taiwan, most Chinese came from south Fujian, across the Taiwan Strait, with some (almost all Hakka) from mountainous northeast Guangdong. And as elsewhere, on the frontline before native territory were mostly Hakka settlements, Wugoushui being one of them.

Interestingly, both of the village’s waterways bubble up right from the plain not far east of the village, toward the mountains. Wugoushui was long surrounded by a world of rice paddies, but today it is betelnut and bananas that rule the settlement’s economy. Though all the original irrigation infrastructure remains – dikes walls, barriers, valves – by no longer washing clothing and kitchen items at waterside, residents have allowed the natural ecology to return.

In different locations they still practice an old form of food production – Chinese watercress grows freely in the shallow waterways, and villagers will cut away whole areas, which promotes fast new growth, ensuring a steady supply for all. A staple on Taiwan tables, the cooked shoots taste like spinach.

Liu Family Ancestral Hall

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HIDDEN A D V ETREASURES RTISEMENT PINGTUNG

On the village’s south edge is a wide irrigation pond, no longer in use with the demise of the rice paddies. However, it still plays an important fengshui role, as a conduit for good qi to flow freely and deeply into the village via the plaza behind – and blocking evil spirits, which cannot traverse the open water. It also draws cooling breezes in.

Close to the protective pond is a colorful Earth God shrine. Worship of the Earth God, as the deity’s title suggests, protects the land and promotes its fecundity. Lin reminded us that farming villages would often have such shrines in all directions, but a south-boundary one was obligatory, for the south is the “source of the sun.”

On the village’s east side is its old theater, not much bigger than a singlefamily home. Entertainment was enjoyed both inside and on the fronting plaza.

Of especial interest is its location – just to the village’s east is Wanjin, the last Chinese settlement before the mountains.

Established in the mid-1800s by Christian converts whom, according to Lin, the Wugoushui residents alternately considered “tenants, squatters, or bandits.” Clashes were common. Once things settled down,

Wanjin Church

Wanjin folk would be invited to share in the east-side theater fun.

Wanjin Church Wanjin is close enough to the mountains that you instinctively crane your neck a bit to look at the peaks. As you approach from Wugoushui, you see the Wanjin Church filling up the visual space at the far end of the settlement’s main (eatery-lined) street.

Officially called the Wanjin Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, this is both Taiwan’s oldest church and its first basilica. The parish was established by the Dominicans in 1861, converts led here by a Philippine missionary priest. After a mud church was destroyed by an earthquake in 1865, work on the present structure was completed in 1870. Attractive 3D lighting brings many tourists to the site before Christmas each December.

Wanluan Painted Bridge West of Wugoushui, this suspension bridge stretching 168 meters across the Donggang River – both Wugoushui and Wanjin are on tributary waterways upstream – was built as a facilitator bridge for the local walkway/bikeway system.

The brightly painted architectural work,

Cycle to Lighthouses at Extreme Points in Taiwan! ●

Experience the beauty of lighthouses at extreme points of the island!

●

Take part in three rides and receive one memorial jersey!

●

Join the pushbike competition for children aged 3 to 6!

Sep. 2nd (Sat.) Southernmost Point – Eluanbi Lighthouse (Kenting) ‧Fun ride 28km ‧Challenge ride 41km Sep. 16th (Sat.) Westernmost Point – Guosheng Harbor Lighthouse (Qigu) ‧Fun ride 36km ‧Challenge ride 64km ‧South Twin-Tower Challenge 200km Oct. 28th (Sat.) Northernmost Point – Fugui Cape Lighthouse (North Coast) ‧Fun ride 20km ‧Challenge ride 62km Sep. 2nd~5th Bike+Railroad Round the island cycling Register now!

For more info, visit: lightuptw.cyclist.org.tw (Chinese)

lightuptw.cyclist.org.tw

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HIDDEN TREASURES PINGTUNG

Lin Family Wanluan Pig Trotters

central mountains in full view one way and Kaohsiung skyscrapers seen far to the west, the latter appearing as though fantasy-land miniature models, has been made even more attractive with 3D paintings of a charging rhinoceros, shark attack, whirlpool, and other thrilling scenes festooning its deck – Taiwan’s only 3D-artwork suspension bridge.

Wanluan Pig Trotters Bantiao , a type of thick, broad noodle made from pure rice-flour milled into paste served with broth, scallions, marinated meat, and bean sprouts, is a must-order staple at Hakka restaurants in Taiwan. But the signature Hakka culinary staple in Wanluan is the Hakka-style pig trotter.

According to local lore late ROC President Chiang Chiang-kuo, while on a local inspection tour, enthused about the Hakka Wanluan-recipe trotters, till then eaten as a bantiao side dish. A new Taiwan tourist must-have was born. As with many other foods given the “stamp of (an) authority,” it lead to today’s always-busy strip of trotter-specialty eateries on little Wanluan town’s Minhe Road.

Lin Family Wanluan Pig Trotters is one of the town’s two big names. Its story began with a bantiao shop opened in 1949 by the grandmother of current owner Lin Jia-yi. Images of grandma are prominent on the walls, along with other black-and-white period photos in a supporting role. Wanluan trotters are braised in a savory mix of soy sauce, Chinese herbs, salt, sugar, and water.

The secret is in the proportions – each seller harbors a deep family-recipe secret, and Lin thought it humorous when Travel in Taiwan politely “requested” revelation of hers.

Note that each trotter is big, 1.5~2kg, and is chopped into small chunks for Chinese group-style eating. Note also that it is served cold. Finally, note that the Lin restaurant is a good place for gift/souvenir buying as well, offering pork-jerky take-home packages (NT$100~130), strips paper-thin and crispy or thick, fibrous, and tender.

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Travel in Taiwan

Wugoushui

to

u zho o a Ch

Taiwan Getting There / Getting Around

Public Transport Take a t r ain to C haozh o u R ai l way S t at i o n, south of Pingtung City. Transfer to Pingtung B u s C o. b u s N o. 8 212 , w h i c h s to p s at Wanluan, Wugoushui, and Wanjin (www.ptbus. c o m.t w , C h i n e s e). T i c ket s a r e N T $28 f r o m Chaozhou to Wugoushui; t wo buses depar t from Chaozhou each day, at 9:30am/5:20pm, and from Wugoushui around 10:15am/6:20pm.

Alternatively, hire a taxi at Chaozhou Railway Station for your tour of the rural villages (however, note that finding a taxi in the villages might be difficult).

Self-Drive If you have your own car, take Freeway 3 to the Zhutian System Interchange, and change to Provincial Highway 88 East (an expressway). At the end of the expressway, turn left onto County Route 85, then, at the next large intersection, turn right onto Provincial Highway 1. After this, turn left onto Route 187 to first reach Wanluan, and from there take Route 102 to Wugoushui and Wanjin.

If you want to rent a car, you can take a High Speed Rail train to Kaohsiung’s Zuoying Station.

Re nt al - ag e nc y c o unte r s are l o c ate d insi de the station directly before the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s Visitor Information Center; staff can provide English-language assistance if needed.

English & Chinese bantiao 粄條 Donggang River 東港溪 Lin Jia-yi 林家怡 Lin Pin-xuan 林品軒 Liu Family Ancestral Hall 劉氏宗祠 Minhe Road 民和路 Wanjin 萬金 Wanjin Basilica of the Immaculate Conception 萬金聖母聖殿 Wanluan Painted Bridge 萬巒彩繪吊橋 Wanluan Township 萬巒鄉 Wugoushui Community 五溝水社區 Wugoushui Guardian Work Station 五溝水守護工作站 Xisheng Street 西盛路 Lin Family Wanluan Pig Trotters ( 林家萬巒豬腳 ) Add: No. 1~4, Minhe Rd., Wanluan Village, Township, Pingtung County ( 屏東縣萬巒鄉萬巒村民和路 1 號之 4) Tel: (08) 781-1785 Website: www.wanluan-lins.com.tw (Chinese)

Taiping Suspension Bridge (photo by Chen Quan-rui)

Put a tea basket on your back and a straw hat on your head like a tea-picker and enjoy the special experience of picking tea leaves

Experience making herbal tea in a herbal garden. Enjoy various exquisite combinations of tea and herbs

Savor different teas with your five senses and enjoy the sweet taste of tea that ranges in color from golden to bright red

Alishan’s Taiping Suspension Bridge 阿里山．太平雲梯 Taiwan’s longest scenic suspension bridge, Taiping Suspension Bridge, will open this September. It is located in the Alishan National Scenic Area at Taiping Village, Meishan Township, Chiayi County.

The bridge is 281 meters long and 2.1 meters wide and, at an elevation of 1,000 meters, it offer stunning views. From the bridge you can see the Taiping 36 Bends (a winding stretch of County Road 162a), the Jia-Nan Plain, and, beyond the plain, the Taiwan Strait in the distance. When clouds gather, you can literally walk through the clouds or take in a “sea of clouds” below. Viewed from a distance, the bridge itself, sometimes hidden in the clouds, sometimes visible, presents a breathtaking scene.

Follow County Road 162a from Meishan uphill, passing the Taiping 36 Bends, and you come to the mountain village of Taiping. Cross Taiping Suspension Bridge and enjoy the spectacular views, then stroll along Taiping Old Street and soak up the old-time charm.

Taiping was once a distribution center for mountain produce and to

Tea can be enjoyed with a few friends anywhere on the tea plantation and along wild streams

Drink fine tea sitting near a wild stream in the cool of the forest soothed by the gushing crystal clear stream water

Alishan New Impressions Website: www.ali-nsa.net

this day the village retains many old buildings. In recent years, the Alishan National Scenic Area Administration has provided guidance to help owners of old stores to give the street a new look, bringing the village back to life.

Bihu Village is famed for its sunrise, sea of clouds, and tea plantations. The sprawling green carpet-like tea plantations and the lush mountains compose a beautiful scene. The scenery is especially enchanting when the dew drops on the tea leaves sparkle under the first rays of sun in the morning.

Longyan Village is the birthplace of high-mountain tea and, in recent years, award-winning coffee beans have been grown here as well, giving the mountain village a distinctive aroma of tea and coffee.

From the area’s ridge trail, the plantations spread out over the hills like green carpets and join with the distant mountains. Occasionally, cloud and mist swirls all around, and you will feel like you are walking in the clouds looking out over the picturesque scenery.

Let grandma show you how to make exclusive sweet and savory chewy herbal rice cakes

Drink prize-winning coffee and hear stories about Longyan Village sitting in the courtyard of an old house

Alishan National Scenic Area Administration, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transport and Communications Advertisement

A D V E N T U R E S RAFTING

Rafting on the Laonong River in Kaohsiung

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ADVENTURES RAFTING

A

mong the things in Taiwan you will find in great supply are mountains and rain. Mountains over a thousand meters in elevation account for nearly a third of the land mass of Taiwan proper. The average annual rainfall for the country as a whole weighs in at a sopping-wet 2,500 millimeters. When you combine high mountains with abundant rainfall, what do you get? Rivers flush with rapids and dreams come true for whitewater-rafting enthusiasts.

Heroes in Boiling Waters Rafting the Laonong River in Southern Taiwan Text: Joe Henley Photos: Maggie Song, Heroes Rafting

The Laonong River in southern Taiwan is one of two major rivers on the island suitable for river-rafting trips, the other being the Xiuguluan River in eastern Taiwan. Rafting on the Laonong is a thrilling ride over muddy-gray waters, with adrenalineinducing rapids and enchanting mountain scenery along the way.

There are two ways whitewater rafting in Taiwan can be experienced – with a paddle in your hands or without (when water levels are high and rapids are strong). The former requires a bit more training and instruction before you can hit the river, of course, and grants you at least a modicum of control over the direction of the inflatable craft you are sitting in, novice paddling skills notwithstanding. Near the town of Ruisui in Hualien County, in Taiwan's east-coast region, outfitters take paddle-bearing funseekers of all skill levels on the Xiuguluan River for excursions that last three to four hours. The trips cover over 20 kilometers and you pass over 20 sets of rapids along the way. It's a challenge, and an exhilarating one, providing the chance to work together with friends and strangers – an excellent team-building exercise, adrenaline-rush experience, and bonding session all rolled into one.

To take on roaring currents without paddle, head for the mountainous Liugui District in the sprawling expanse that is south Taiwan’s Kaohsiung City. The Laonong River runs through the district north to south. The scenery here is stunning, with the 18 Arhats Mountains (named for the Mahayana Buddhist tale of the 18 original followers of the Buddha) to the west of the river providing views of tightly grouped, densely forested peaks that, in fact, number more than 40.

The river, the source of which is found on the east side of Yushan (Mt. Jade), Taiwan's highest mountain, has seen hard times in recent years. In 2009 Typhoon Morakot ravaged southern Taiwan, the deadliest storm to hit the island in recorded history. By the time it moved on, nearly 700 people had perished, and over US$3 billion in damages had been suffered.

The Laonong, a favorite spot for whitewater rafting since the mid-1980s, was also drastically affected. It took years to restore the roads in Liugui and repair the damage done to the riverbed by the raging floodwaters, and it was only in June 2016 that area rafting operators were given the all-clear to resume their business.

One of those outfitters now back in business is Heroes Rafting, which has been taking thrill-seekers down the Laonong since 2000. According to the business manager, Mr. Hu Jun-xiang, the Laonong River ranks a four on the International Scale of River Difficulty, out of a possible six. For those not versed in the intricacies of the ranking system, a Class I means “Very small rough areas, requires no maneuvering," with virtually no skill required whatsoever. A Class IV, however, means "Whitewater, large waves, long rapids, rocks, maybe a considerable drop, sharp maneuvers may be needed."

For this, advanced whitewater experience is recommended.

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A D V E N T U R E S RAFTING

Tackling the roiling waters

Recently I headed down to Liugui with a few friends to take to the waters of the Laonong. After arriving at the Heroes Rafting facility, Mr. Hu assured us that the river is suitable for rafters "...of all experience levels, even those who can't swim." Remember ing a t r ip on the Xiuguluan, which ranks about a three on the scale, I recalled some fairly intense stretches on that river, making me wonder how thrilling my upcoming ride would be.

Before we went to the river, we watched an instruction video and learned what to do in case someone went overboard (pull on the life jacket, not the extremities of the person in the water!), and I just hoped I wouldn't be the one dunked into the chalky folds of the gray, sediment-laden water.

Following this seven-minute video crash course, I and the rest of our group, a crew of about a dozen altogether, were taken to the outfitting area to get our life jackets and helmets. The guides demonstrated how to put everything on the right way, and provided further instruction on the various things to do and not to do while out on the water (do hold on to the dual safety ropes at all times, and don't ever get out of the boat!).

Finally, it was time to head to the water. We got into a pair of passenger vans for the short drive to the river's edge. On the bank, the guides showed us how to properly straddle the sides of the inflatable and grasp the safety lines. My eyes kept wandering to our starting point, to my inexperienced eyes a rather gnarly section of rapids alive with frothing whitecaps and surging swells.

A pair of smaller motorized chase boats stood at the ready, tasked with following us down the river to nudge us along the safest path or assist us if we ever became grounded in the shallows stranded on exposed rock. We were told that if we heard someone yell out “jiao!” (“legs!”), it meant we were to tuck our outside leg up

onto the edge of the craft while the chase boat bumped us back to a safer path.

With all this in mind, we piled in. Getting that first stretch of rapids out of the way almost right away was actually good for the nerves (“if we can get through that, maybe the rest won't be so bad”).

From there the trip was interspersed with periods of calm and carefully controlled and supervised chaos. With the men in the two chase boats keeping a careful watch on our progress, in a light drizzle we passed by some of the Arhats Mountains looming over the green river valley to our right, farmers on the banks stopping their work to watch us float by traversing the undulating sections of whitewater.

Getting ready, safety first

46 Travel in Taiwan

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True to their word, any time we became stuck or drifted toward a section deemed a bit too lively, we were nudged cautiously towards less tempestuous or deeper, slower waters on the outer portions of the river bends. One of the final sections of rapids necessitated that we lower ourselves down and lean forward in order to traverse a particularly heart-pounding set of declines and inclines over what must have been a massive set of stones somewhere beneath the roiling waters. Of the 12 of us who had set out, only one wound up briefly in the drink, quickly hauled back in unscathed by the others.

When all was said and done, we had ridden the Laonong for about an hour, covering a distance of around 10 kilometers, enjoying both the moments of laconic serenity during which we could take in the beautiful mountain surroundings and those of bursting excitement when the river boiled around us and waves crashed across bow and stern. Without paddles, there's little in the way of something to do beyond holding on and appreciating the stimulating emotional rollercoaster. At the end of the ride we were picked up on the riverbank and driven back to the outfitter’s office, where shower facilities allowed us to wash off the gray sediment we'd all collected.

Tellingly, everyone was all smiles at the trip's conclusion.

Heroes Rafting operates every day from June through September. From Monday to Friday, the price for a one-hour trip is NT$700 per person, with departures twice a day at 10am and 2pm. Generally, says the staff, the morning weather tends to be more agreeable, and guests should show up one hour before the scheduled departure

Rafting on the Laonong, done

time for the prep session. On weekends the price jumps slightly to NT$800 per person, and the departure times change to 9:30am and 1pm, respectively. Buses are available from THSR (Taiwan High Speed Rail) Zuoying Station in Kaohsiung’s main urban area to the town of Liugui, and Heroes can pick you up there to take you to its staging grounds.

Note that Meinong, the township next to Liugui to the west, is worth spending some time in as well, especially to see the Meinong Hakka Cultural Museum or the Yuan Xiang Yuan Cultural Village.

Just west down Provincial Highway 28 from the latter, where all aspects of the famed traditional oil-paper umbrella art form are on display, is the aptly named Meinong Restaurant, featuring Hakka cuisine such as bantiao (thick, f lat) noodles, pork knuckle, and fiery stir-fry in its finest form.

Heroes Rafting ( 高雄荖濃溪同樂泛舟 ) Add: No. 154, Guangfu Rd., Liugui Dist., Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市六龜區光復路 154 號 ) Tel: (07) 689-3555, (07) 689-3111 Website: www.heroes-rafting.com.tw English and Chinese 18 Arhats Mountains 十八羅漢山 bantiao 板條 Hu Jun-xiang 胡竣翔 Laonong River 荖濃溪 Liugui 六龜 Meinong 美濃 Meinong Hakka Cultural Museum 美濃客家文物館 Meinong Restaurant 美濃餐廳 Ruisui 瑞穗 Xiuguluan River 秀姑巒溪 Yuan Hsiang Yuan Cultural Village 原鄉緣紙傘文化村 Yushan (Mt. Jade) 玉山

● Take part in the biggest cycling event in Taiwan, including a variety of cycling-related activities, displays, and entertainment programs! ● Experience and enjoy world-famous Sun Moon Lake in different ways on an exciting cycling tour! ● Join the Sun Moon Lake pushbike competition together with your family!

Nov. 11th (Sat.) Come!BikeDay ‧Challenge ride from Sun Moon Lake to Tataka (80km) Nov. 12th (Sun.) Come!BikeDay ‧Challenge Ride Round-the-Lake (30km) ‧Fun ride along the lakeside (10km) ‧Children pushbike competition ‧Variety entertaining shows and displays Register now!

For more info, visit: www.cyclist.org.tw (Chinese)

www.cyclist.org.tw

A DAY IN THE BIG CITY CHIAYI

Nostalgic Surprises Taking in the Distinctive Charms of Chiayi

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Text and Photos: Vision

Taiwan Majolica Tiles House

ade prosperous because of its role as the starting point of the Alishan Forest Railway, Chiayi City is one of the oldest cities in Taiwan and, as such, has quite a few historic sites and time-honored shops that offer much of interest to tourists. Below, we take you down the lanes and alleys of Chiayi in search of its distinctive local culture and stores with an old-time feel, experiencing the historical and cultural charms of this city at the foot of the Alishan Mountain Range. where B.

Add: No. 658, Zhongzheng Rd., West Dist., Chiayi City ( 嘉義市西區中正路 658 號 ) Tel: (05) 229-0533 Hours: Reservation in advance necessary.

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Proprietor A-Meng has turned an inconspicuous old house on a narrow lane branching off Zhongzheng Road into a wine-tasting room that merges East and West, old and new. Filled with the fragrance of wine, where B. brims with white and red wines sourced from all over the world; there is also a rich collection of artworks A-Meng has created himself, as well as old heritage objects of deep character that he has collected from points all over.

Bursting with artistic and nostalgia-inducing surprises, where B. has become the favorite “secret” hangout of many locals.

Chiayi Railway Station

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Minzu Rd

Dai Shi Turkey Rice

Chiayi Cultural and Creative Industries Park

Chiayi Cultural and Creative Industries Park 嘉義文化創意產業園區

Dai Shi Turkey Rice

This complex, at the site of a distillery established by the Japanese in 1916, is the oldest of five heritage distilleries that have been transformed into cultural-creative industry parks in Taiwan.

Notably, this was the first facility on the island to produce sorghum liquor. The park’s Traditional Arts Innovation Center was established in 2016; traditional-crafts experts, visual artists, and performing-arts exponents have set up shop in the center, developing an aesthetic space with distinctive local character.

A must-eat local delicacy, turkey rice originated with US servicemen stationed in Chiayi after WWII, who introduced turkey breeding to the locals. Dai Shi Turkey Rice is an eatery that has been pulling in customers with tempting aromas for more than 50 years, and is the first choice for snack food among many locals.

The tender, sweet turkey strips don’t stick together and, combined with a tasty sauce and white rice, form a dish that is delicious and not in the slightest bit greasy.

Add: No. 616, Zhongshan Rd., West Dist., Chiayi City ( 嘉義市西區中山路 616 號 ) Tel: (05) 216-0500 Hours: 10am ~ 6pm

Add: No. 665, Minzu Rd., West Dist., Chiayi City ( 嘉義市西區民族路 665 號 ) Tel: (05) 227-3051 Hours: 10am ~ 8:30pm

Travel in Taiwan

Minsheng

where B.

呆獅雞肉飯

A DAY IN THE BIG CITY CHIAYI

Hotel Day+ Teascape Chiayi iao Rd. Zhongx

桃城茶樣子 This Alishan-tea-themed hotel has an exterior that resembles stacked tea chests. The lobby counter has a full tea cabinet wall inspired by oldtime tea stores. When guests check in, hotel staff considerately serves them tea. Guestrooms are also equipped with tea sets to allow guests to enjoy tea in their room and tea infusion is also available for bathing, giving visitors a taste of Chiayi’s distinctive tea culture.

Hotel Day+ Teascape Chiayi

Add: No. 516, Zhongxiao Rd., East Dist., Chiayi City ( 嘉義市東區忠孝路 516 號 ) Tel: (05) 228-0555 Website: www.hotelday.com.tw/hotel04.aspx

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ChanYee Book Town 承億小鎮慢讀 Hinoki Village

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ChanYee Book Town

Tour Taiwan App in Chiayi Using the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s Tour Taiwan app makes traveling easier. Wherever you travel, the app provides real-time transport updates and information on nearby accommodation, shopping, and dining options, visitor service center locations, and much more, helping you to tour Chiayi without a hitch.

ChanYeeBookTown was originally a conventional bookstore that operated for 25 years; now, it has been transformed into an integrated bookstore.

The first floor has an indoor “house” in which customers can sit and quietly read the books of their choice; the second floor houses a cultural-creative product market with more than 30 Made in Taiwan brands on display and available for purchase.

Long Light on the third floor is a bar where you can relax and enjoy a drink. The fourth floor is a lecture space where authors and performing artists periodically give lectures.

Add: No. 203, Zhongshan Rd., East Dist., Chiayi City ( 嘉義市東區中山路 203 號 ) Hours: Weekdays 10:30am ~ 9:30pm, weekends 10am ~ 10pm Website: www.facebook.com/ChanYeeBookTown

Hinoki Village

Taiwan Majolica Tiles House

檜意森活村

台灣花磚古厝

The buildings in this complex were part of the Chiayi Forestry Station’s operations in the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945).

Logs transported down from the mountains on the Alishan Forest Railway were distributed from this station. The fact that the buildings were constructed from pricey cypress shows how prosperous Chiayi was at the time. The 28 Japanese-era dormitory buildings were reopened as Hinoki Village in 2014, with many local products and cultural-creative items offered for sale.

At Taiwan Majolica Tiles House, proprietor Hsu Chia-bin has preserved thousands of old majolica tiles and various pieces of attractive majolica-tile furniture that he has rescued from old houses across Taiwan over the past 30 years. The old cypress building itself has historical value, dating to the Japanese colonial era. It is located right next to the Alishan Forest Railway tracks.

The combination of old house, old tiles, and the whistle of passing trains creates an ambience of rich nostalgic charm.

Add: No. 1, Linsen E. Rd., East Dist., Chiayi City ( 嘉義市東區林森東路 1 號 )

Add: No. 282, Linsen W. Rd., West Dist., Chiayi City ( 嘉義市西區林森西路 282 號 ) Tel: 0979-060-750 Hours: Advance reservation necessary.

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FIVE THINGS TO DO WULAI

Wulai Waterfall

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Travel in Taiwan

FIVE THINGS TO DO WULAI

Atayal Culture, Hot Springs, Grand Waterfall A Refreshing Scenic Area Just to the South of Taipei’s Southern Suburbs Text and Photos: Vision On Wulai Old Street

W

ulai is a small indigenous settlement that can be quickly reached from central Taipei. For many decades it has been a popular day-trip destination for local residents and international visitors looking for some respite from the capital’s urban jungle. This is a great area to experience indigenous culture, do some hot-spring bathing, and take in refreshing mountain scenery. Riding a mini train and taking a hot-spring bath in an open-air riverside pool were part of the menu of things to do in Wulai until recently – the trains, however, are not operating for the time being (resumption of operations expected soon), and the hotspring pools were dismantled earlier this year. Nevertheless, Wulai still has a host of attractions that make a trip worthwhile.

1. Wulai Old Street

Bus No. 849 (see Getting there below) drops you off close to the northern end of Wulai Old Street, a narrow street lined with eateries and shops selling myriad indigenous specialties and souvenirs. Among the enticing foods you can try here are millet mochi, stir-fried mountain vegetables, bamboo-tube rice, millet and mountain litsea (pronounced “maqaw ” by local indigenous speakers) ice cream, wild-boar sausages, range chicken, millet wine, lamb chop soup, almond tea, and much more. If you are looking for souvenirs there is no shortage of indigenous-theme items, such as woven hats, purses, bags, and vests, glass bead bracelets, and also many packaged food and drink products, including mochi cakes and millet wine.

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FIVE THINGS TO DO WULAI

Wulai Atayal Museum

2. Atayal Culture

The inhabitants of Wulai are mainly from the Atayal tribe, the third-largest indigenous group in Taiwan. If – apart from eating the yummy indigenous food offerings – you want to learn more about this tribe while in Wulai, visit the Wulai Atayal Museum, located close to the northern end of Wulai Old Street (No. 12, Wulai Street). The museum provides you with plenty of info in Chinese and English about the origins of the Atayal and their traditional ways of life, including sections about hunting, weaving, facial tattooing, and so on. At the Waterfall Area (see below) you also have the chance to witness song-and-dance performances by tribe members.

3. Hot-Spring Bathing

Wulai is well known for its hot springs.

The name “Wulai” is actually derived from the Atayal term “uraikirofu,” meaning “steaming springs.” The clear and odorless Wulai spring waters, about 80 degrees centigrade at their source, are rich in alkaline sodium bicarbonate and believed to have beneficial properties for your skin.

While the free riverside open-air hot-spring pools, popular with experienced Taiwan soakers, were dismantled earlier this year, there is no lack of brick-and-mortar hotspring establishments in and around the village. You can choose from upscale hotspring resorts such as the Pause Landis Wulai, elegantly designed with private and public hot-spring facilities and offering fine-cuisine dining, to simple hot-spring hotels providing rooms with hot-spring bathtubs for less than NT$100/hour.

Atayal woven items

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Travel in Taiwan

Enjoying a hot-spring bath

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Wulai Waterfall and cable car

4. Waterfall Area

The scene most closely associated with Wulai is Wulai Waterfall. To get there, cross the bridge at the southern end of Wulai Old Street, turn left, and follow the road along the river, which is closed to vehicles. The walk to the Waterfall Area takes about 20 minutes. The waterfall is an impressive 80 meters high, and is in full view from observation spots on the opposite (road) side of the river it feeds (Nanshi River).

The Waterfall Area has a number of shops and eateries, plus a small museum, the Wulai Forestry Life Museum, which has information about the history of logging in the area and the mini-train railway, originally a loggingindustry ●facility.

There is also the Chief’s The biggest cycling fair in Taiwan, including a Cultural variety Village (wulai-shuucho.com which of cycling events, displays and),entertainment programs! is a cultural center with a souvenir shop, a DIY workshop,●and small performance hall where You acan always find a way to experience and to enjoy the world-famous Sun Moon Lake Atayal song-and-dance performances arecycling! staged four times●a day (adult ticket: NT$500).

Join the Sun Moon Lake pushbike competition together with your families!

5. Cable Car

The cable cars you see crossing the river and ascending to a spot above the waterfall have been part of the Wulai scenery for 50 years now. To get to the base station, take the stairs adjacent to the Chief’s Cultural Village. The cable car (adult return ticket: NT$220) not only takes you above the waterfall, but also to the Yun Hsien Resort (www.yun-hsien.com.tw ), a small recreation area – like the cable car built in the 1960s – where you can go for a walk among dense forest, row a boat on a small lake, and engage in other pleasantries.

Included in these is the Yun Hsien Hotel, should you want to stay a night at the resort.

If you are interested in a daring high-mountain cycling challenge you are welcome to go on a ride that will take you from sea level to an altitude of 3,275 meters.

This is a grueling ride, part of which is through the scenic world wonder Taroko Gorge, for true Kings of the Mountains (“KOM”)! ●

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Start at sea level on the coast of Hualien and climb to the highest point of any highway in Taiwan over a distance of 105 kilometers!

Riding to the top is like a rite of passage, breathtakingly beautiful, but also incredibly tough!

World-class top cyclists have been invited to ride in the race and test their mettle!

Register now!

For more info, visit: www.taiwankom.org

Getting there: Getting to Wulai is simple and convenient. Take the MRT Songshan-Xindian Line to its southern terminal, Xindian. Then take bus No. 849 to the last stop, Wulai, which is at the car park near Wulai Old Street.

For more information about Wulai, visit www.wulai.gov.tw.

Indigenous-warrior statue

English and Chinese Atayal tribe 泰雅族 Chief’s Cultural Village 酋長文化村 Nanshi River 南勢溪 Waterfall Area 瀑布區 Wulai 烏來 Wulai Atayal Museum 烏來泰雅民族博物館 Wulai Forestry Life Museum 烏來林業生活館 Wulai Old Street 烏來老街 Wulai Waterfall 烏來瀑布 Yun Hsien Resort 雲仙樂園

www.taiwankom.org

MY TRAVEL LOG

Passionately Sharing Taiwan Food Experiences

I

travel for the same reasons many tourists do: exploring culture, learning about history, and enjoying nature. However, my main life passion is food, and I travel for food. Food unifies, and if there is a country more obsessed with food than Taiwan, I definitely haven’t found it yet. From the stinky tofu at a bustling night market to the excellent xiaolongbao (steamed dumplings) at internationally renowned Din Tai Fung restaurant, Taiwan has it all.

Before I left my home country of Canada to explore the world, I had decided I especially wanted to go to Asia, for the varying cuisines I would find there. After landing a job teaching English here in Taiwan, I didn’t waste time trying to find information about the local food. I'm the type who spends a great deal of time reading, online and books. Unfortunately, I soon found that there is a lack of good English information on Taiwanese food, which was a little bit disheartening. This, however, led me to the decision to take it upon myself to document and report about the amazing variety of specialty foods available in Taiwan. As a Youtuber, filming vlogging

54

Travel in Taiwan

Text and Photos: Luke Martin

style, my aim is to eat all of the stunning culinary treats Taiwan has to offer, and share these experiences with my audience.

The passion of the people of Taiwan for cooking and eating really comes through in the flavors of the local dishes. For example, not long ago I filmed a chef in a township outside of Chiayi City in southwestern Taiwan who is known for cooking a rare dish.

It’s a mutton hotpot, but what makes this dish exceptional is the preparation method. Mutton, herbs, and a dozen bottles of rice wine are mixed in a clay pot – then the chef dons a full-face gas mask and takes the pot into a furnace room! As the chef enters the room heat wafts outward, enough to have you sweating in seconds though standing outside. An orange-tint light streams into the room through stained windows, radiating through the dusty air. The pot is placed in a hole in the ground, topped with rice hulls that are set on fire, then pot and hulls are covered with a layer of soil. This process must be repeated every eight hours for three days before the mutton meat is ready, emerging delectably tender.

This is truly a work of art. The very old recipe and traditional method was passed on to the chef by his grandmother. Due to the intense heat and dust, making this food is a highly challenging and even dangerous job. Despite these tough working conditions, however, the chef was more than welcoming in inviting me to document this unique tradition. This is just one of many examples I have witnessed to date demonstrating how the food of Taiwan and the friendliness of her people are incomparable in other places – and this is why I love Taiwan!

Follow Luke’s food adventures at www.youtube.com/user/ ToastWithJim and www.chopsticktravel.com.

HOTEL ÉCLAT TAIPEI

Hotels of Taiwan

台北怡亨酒店

Visitors to Taiwan have a wide range of choice when it comes to accommodation. From five-star luxury hotels that meet the highest international standards, to affordable business hotels, to hot-spring and beach resort hotels, to privately-run homestays located in the countryside there is a place to stay that satisfies every traveler’s needs.

What all hotels of Taiwan — small and big, expensive and affordable — have in common is that serve and hospitality are always of the highest standards.

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

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

THE GRAND HOTEL 圓山大飯店

Taipei 台 北

Taipei 台 北

TAIPEI GALA HOTEL

No. of Rooms: 60

No. of Rooms: 160

Room Rates: Deluxe Room Grand Deluxe Room Premier Room Premier 9 Éclat Suite

Room Rates: Single Room Deluxe Single Room Deluxe Twin Room Suite Room

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

12,000 12,500 13,000 15,000 35,000

(All rates are exclusive of 5% VAT and 10% service charge)

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese, Cantonese RestauRaNts: Éclat Lounge sPecial featuRes: Member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World; strategically located in the most fashionable and prestigious district of Taipei; offers guests great convenience for business and entertainment; Wi-Fi connectivity and in-room business facilities; variety of meeting rooms providing the ideal venue for professional meetings, corporate functions, and social gatherings.

6,000- 8,500 9,500-20,000

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

186 Songjiang Rd., Taipei City,10467 10467 台 北 市 松 江 路 186 號 Tel: +886-2-2541-5511 Fax: +886-2-2531-3831 Reservation Hotline: +886-2-2541-6888 E-mail: galahtl@ms18.hinet.net

369, Lin-sen (Linsen) N. Rd., Taipei City, 10447 10 4 47 台 北 市 林 森 北 路 3 6 9 號 Tel: +886-2-2581-8111 Fax: +886-2-2581-5811

www.eclathotels.com/taipei

www.galahotel.com.tw

www.gloriahotel.com

HOTEL SENSE 伸適商旅

Taipei 台 北

MIRAMAR GARDEN TAIPEI

MIRAMAR HOTEL HSINCHU

美麗信花園酒店

新竹美麗信酒店

Room Rates: Deluxe Room Business Room Executive Deluxe Room Boss Suite Premier Suite

www.grand-hotel.org

Room Rates: Single / Deluxe / Executive NT$ Suit NT$

Exit 1 of MRT Xingtian Temple Station on the Luzhou Line.

No. of Rooms: 203

1 Chung Shan N. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City, 10461 10461 台 北 市 中 山 北 路 四 段 1 號 Tel: +886-2-2886-8888 Fax: +886-2-2885-2885

Taipei 台 北

華 泰 王子大 飯 店

370, Sec. 1, Dunhua S. Rd., Da-an District, Taipei City 10684 10684 台 北 市 敦 化 南 路 一 段 370 號 Tel: +886-2-2784-8888 Fax: +886-2-2784-7888 Res. Hotline: +886-2-2784-8118

Room Rates: Superior Room Business Room Deluxe Room Executive Suite Sense Suite

sPecial featuRes: Grand Ballroom, conference rooms for 399 people, 10 breakout rooms, business center, fitness center, sauna, Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, billiards

6,400 7,000 7,800 12,000

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

No. of Rooms: 79

RestauRaNts: Western, Cantonese, Northern China Style Dumplings, tea house, coffee shop, steak house

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

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

Room Rates: Single/DBL Suite

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, French, Spanish, and Japanese

GLORIA PRINCE HOTEL TAIPEI

No. of Rooms: 220

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Chinese

No. of Rooms: 500 (Suites: 57) NT$ 8,200-13,000 NT$ 18,000-30,000

Taipei 台 北

慶泰大飯店

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

Taipei 台 北

No. of Rooms: 141 NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

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

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Chinese

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, and Chinese

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.

RestauRaNts: Rain Forest Buffet Restaurant, Tic-Tac-Toe Bakery, Light Café, JIU BAR

477 , Linsen N. Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City 10451 10451 台 北 市 林 森 北 路 477 號

Hsinchu 新 竹

sPecial featuRes: Business Center, Pyramid Club, Sauna, Fitness Club, Outdoor Swimming Pool, Multifunction Room, Car Park

Room Rates: CORNER 8 COMFY ZONE D ROOM QUEENS KINGS STUDIO M

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

6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 12,000 20,000

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, and Chinese RestauRaNts: The Zone Bar & Restaurant sPecial featuRes: Gym, Sky Lounge, Sky Garden

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

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

83 Civic Boulevard, Sec. 3, Taipei City, 10491 10491 台 北 市 市 民 大 道 三 段 8 3 號 Tel: +886-2-8772-8800 Fax: +886-2-8772-1010 E-mail: info@miramargarden.com.tw

111, Sec. 2, Gongdao 5th Rd., East Dist., Hsinchu City 30070 3 0 0 7 0 新 竹 市 公 道 五 路二 段111號 Tel: +886-3-623-1188 Fax: +886-3-623-1199 E-mail: info@miramar-hsinchu.com

www.hotelsense.com.tw

www.miramargarden.com.tw

www.miramar-hsinchu.com

Travel in Taiwan

55

PARK TAIPEI HOTEL

Taipei 台 北

台北美侖大飯店

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: Separate bathroom and toilet, TOTO washlets, Denmark Damixa Merkur bathroom hardware, DVD player, Japanese satellite broadcast, safety deposit box, gym with massage chairs, VIP lounge, high-speed broadband Internet access (computers available), free high-speed WiFi throughout hotel, conference room, balcony (smoking allowed)

53 HOTEL 寶島53行館

Taichung 台 中

HOTEL RÊVE TAICHUNG

HUALIEN TOONG MAO RESORT HOTEL

威汀城市酒店

花蓮統茂渡假莊園

No. of Rooms: 70

No. of Rooms: 125

Room Rates: Standard Room Superior Room Deluxe Room Family Room Deluxe Family Room

Room Rates: Standard Double Business Double Family Queen Deluxe Family Suite Family Suite Executive Suite

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

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

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Chinese 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.

27, Zhongshan Rd., Central District, Taichung City, 40042

Hualien 花 蓮

No. of Rooms: 84 Room Rates: Standard Room NT$ Tianye Double Room (two small beds) NT$ Daoxiang Double Room (one large bed) NT$ Zhuangyuan Triple Room (one large/one small bed) NT$ Zhuangyuan Quadruple Room (two large beds) NT$

NT$ 5,200 NT$ 7,000 NT$ 8,000 NT$ 9,000 NT$ 10,000 NT$ 10,000

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Chinese

5,500 7,700 7,700 9,350 11,000

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Chinese

RestauRaNts: RÊVE Kitchen (6:30-10:30 Daily Breakfast)

sPecial featuRes: Business Center, Conference Room, Fitness Gym, Parking Lot, Laundry, Bike Renting, Free Wifi, Personal Electronic Safety Box

RestauRaNts: Shi-man Breakfast Buffet, Shi-man Dinner (Taiwanese hot pot) sPecial featuRes: Multi-functional conference room, travel info desk, DIY handicraft studio, shopping area, reading room, souvenir shop, entertainment center, bicycles, table tennis room

100, Sec. 1, Minsheng Rd.,Daya Dist., Taichung City, 42866

199, Sec. 2, Jifeng Rd., Ji’an Township, Hualien County 97358

317, Sec. 1, Fuxing S. Rd., Taipei City 10665 10665 台 北 市 復 興 南 路 一 段 317 號 Tel: 886.2.5579.3888 Fax: 886.2.5579.3889

40042 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

42866 台 中 市 大 雅 區 民 生 路 一 段 100 號 Tel: +886-4-2568-0558 Fax: +886-4-2567-7134 Email: service@reve.com.tw

97358 花 蓮 縣 吉 安 鄉 稻 香 村 吉 豐 路 二 段 199 號 Tel: +886-3-854-2111 Fax: +886-3-854-1000 Email: tsb@uniongo.com.tw

www.parktaipei.com

www.53hotel.com.tw

www.hotel-reve.com.tw

www.toongmao.com.tw/hualien

( two minutes from railway station)

NT$1,100

Taipei City Tour 台北市區觀光

Pingxi Sky Lantern Experience & Old Street Walk

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 )

平溪天燈體驗、老街漫步

NT$1,500

Wulai Aboriginal Village Tour 烏來高砂族部落觀光

Taipei Night Tour

NT$1,500

臺北夜景觀光

NT$1,200

基隆港、野柳、北海岸公園觀光

Folk Arts Tour (Sanxia & Yingge)

NT$1,300

民俗藝術觀光 ( 三峽、鶯歌 )

Yangmingshan National Park & Hot-Spring Tour

花蓮太魯閣 ( 大理石 ) 峽谷觀光

Jiufen Village & Northeast Coast Tour

NT$1,500

NT$1,300

(Stay at QingJing) 2 天 1 夜 南投清境 世外桃源採果趣 ( 住清境 )

3-Day Tour to Sun Moon Lake & Alishan 3 天 2 夜 日月潭、阿里山觀光

TOUR TAIWAN! Our package tours include daily coach services

Travel in Taiwan

NT$4,200

2-Day Sun Moon Lake, Puli & Lukang Tour (Stay at Sun Moon Lake) 2 天 1 夜 日月潭、埔裡鎮、及鹿港觀光 ( 住日月潭 )

NT$14,500

台北市松江路 190 號 4F

4-Day Central & Southern Taiwan Tour

千島湖、坪林自然美景 茶飄香

2-Day QingJing & Fruit Picking Tour

陽明山國家公園及溫泉觀光國家公園 及溫泉觀光

九份、東北角海岸觀光

"Thousand Island Lake" & Pinglin Tea Plantation 1-Day Taroko (Marble) Gorge Tour

Northern Coast Tour

56

Taichung 台 中

(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.

NT$ 14,000

NT$ 15,500

4F, 190 Song Jiang Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. TEL: +886-2-2563-5313 +886-2-2563-4621 +886-2-2541-6785 FAX: +886-2-2563-4803 +886-2-2531-1353

NT$ 16,900

E-mail: edisonts@ms6.hinet.net http://www.edison.com.tw

Originating from

Ximending

Locally Regarded as the

No.1

Secret Recipes Creating the Taiwan Flavor – Highly Popular Gift Choices

Received national GSP certificate from the Ministry of Economic Affairs in 2003

Three-Time Champion (Pineapple Rhapsody Contest once and Pineapple Master Category at the Taipei Pineapple Cake Culture Festival twice)

Winner of the Gold Medal for Excellence in Quality Product in 2009

Winner of the Taipei City Gift Shop Award in 2010. 2012

ISSN:18177964

GPN:2009305475

200 NTD