Travel in Taiwan (No.66, 2014 11/12) by Travel in Taiwan

1112

No. 66, 2014

BACKPACK BUS TOURS

Southwest Coast

Oysters, Temples, Mangroves

Beitou-Yangmingshan Tourist Shuttle

FOOD JOURNEY

Orange Daylilies in Taimali

Nenggao Historic Trail Marathon Running Rush Weaving in Yuanli

Welcome to Taiwan! Dear Traveler, The cool of late autumn has settled snugly in among us, and in this issue of Travel in Taiwan we present a medley of “cool” ideas for outings sure to bring you happy experience and the warmest memories. In our Feature we travel with you along the southwest coast, one of Taiwan’s earliest areas of Han Chinese settlement, a place of grand old temples, key national heritage sites, quiet fishing villages, fish and oyster farms, wetlands, lagoons, mangrove swamps, and teeming, wonderfully colorful bird life. In our accompanying Eat/Buy file we describe the tremendous fresh seafood feast you’re in for, along with such attractive Buy options as “sword lions” and traditional mijian (honey-preserved dried fruit). In our Backpack Bus Trip department we ride the Zhuzihu Route of the traveler-friendly Taiwan Tourist Shuttle service, first exploring the varied attractions of the Beitou hot-spring resort area, then the charms, natural and man-created, of Yangmingshan National Park, which caps the mountain massif on the city’s north side. In Top Ten Taiwan Tours we delve into the scenic and cultural attractions of the city of Hualien and the East Rift Valley, on the island’s east side, and stay in the region for three other offerings. In Indigenous Artists you’ll meet Nadolan, a member of the Truku Tribe, an expert weaver dedicated to preserving the weaving traditions of her people. In Hiking you’ll enjoy one visual thrill after another on a trek up and down Mt. Nenggao in the Central Mountains Range. And in Food Journey you’ll revel in the orange beauty of the daylilies that cover the rolling hills of the township of Taimali in Taitung County and savor how the flower is used in unique farm cuisine. Elsewhere, in Old Style/New Ideas you’ll meet 72-year-old Liu Cai-yun and the other weavers of the Taiwan Yuan-li Handiwork Association in Miaoli County’s Yuanli Township, who practice traditional triangle-rush weaving, creating unique hats, mats, handbags, and other great souvenir ideas. And in Active Fun you’re not “on” Taiwan at all – you’re in the cool surrounding ocean waters, enjoying the superb local diving and snorkeling opportunities. We warmly welcome you to our beautiful island home. Enjoy your stay with us.

David W. J. Hsieh Director General Tourism Bureau, MOTC, R.O.C.

CONTENTS

November ~ December 2014

10 26

PUBLISHER David W. J. Hsieh Editing Consultant

Producer Vision Int l Publ. Co., Ltd. Address Rm. 5, 10F, 2 Fuxing N. Rd., Taipei, 104 Taiwan

Wayne Hsi-Lin Liu

TEL: 886-2-2711-5403 Fax: 886-2-2721-2790 Publishing Organization E-MAIL: editor@v-media.com.tw Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Ministry of General Manager Frank K. Yen Transportation and Communications Editor in Chief Johannes Twellmann CONTACT English Editor Rick Charette International Division, Taiwan Tourism Bureau DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & EDITING DEPT Joe Lee Add: 9F, 290 Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei, MANAGING EDITOR Gemma Cheng 10694, Taiwan EDITORS Ming-Jing Yin, Chloe Chu, Nickey Liu Tel: 886-2-2717-3737 Fax: 886-2-2771-7036 CONTRIBUTORS Rick Charette, Joe Henley, Stuart Dawson, E-mail: tbroc@tbroc.gov.tw Cheryl Robbins, Owain Mckimm, Dallas Waldie Website: http://taiwan.net.tw PHOTOGRAPHERS Jen Guo-Chen, Maggie Song, Sachiko Kishimoto 台灣觀光雙月刊 ART DIRECTOR Sting Chen Travel in Taiwan DESIGNERS Fred Cheng, Choc Hsu, Eve Chiang, Karen Pan The Official Bimonthly English ui-chun Tsai, Nai-jen Liu, Xiou Mieng Jiang Administrative Dept H Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism

Bureau (Advertisement) November/December, 2014 Tourism Bureau, MOTC First published Jan./Feb., 2004 ISSN: 18177964 GPN: 2009305475 Price: NT$200 www.tit.com.tw/vision/index.htm

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Where you can pick up a copy of Travel in Taiwan Abroad

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

ONLINE

Read the online version of Travel in Taiwan at www.tit.com.tw or download the iPad app from http://appstore.com/ travelintaiwan.

Oh! Bear, the mascot of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, in Penghu (photo by Vision Int'l)

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FEATURE 10 The Southwest Coast

— A Step Back into the Days and Ways of Taiwan’s Past — Endless Bounty of the Delicacies of the Sea

1 Publisher’s Note 4 Taiwan Tourism Events 6 News & Events around Taiwan

8 Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings 25 Fun with Chinese

SPLENDID FESTIVALS

22 The Taipei Marathon: Running Fever

— Taiwan’s Blooming Marathon, Triathlon. Anything-athon Passion

HIKING

26 Nenggao Historic Trail

— A Wonderful Hike Deep into the Mountains

SPECIAL REPORT 28 Taiwan: “Open” to All

— Tourism Bureau and National Scenic Areas Ensure Accessibility for Senior and Physically/Mentally Challenged Travelers

30 The Royal Treatment — International Cruise Lines Lining Up to Visit Penghu

36 Travel Taiwan, Film Taiwan! — Tourism Bureau and Google Team Up to Present the Beauty of Taiwan

TOP TEN TAIWAN TOURS 32 A Place to Relax

— Exploring Scenic and Cultural Attractions in Hualien

INDIGENOUS ARTISTS 38 Owls and Boars

— Preservation of Truku Tribe Weaving Traditions — A Family Business

OLD STYLE/NEW IDEAS 42 Hats and Mats

— Traditional Rush Weaving in Yuanli Township

FOOD JOURNEY 46 Orange Country

— The Daylilies of Taimali

BACKPACK BUS TRIP 50 Shuttling into the Mountains

— Taking the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle into Taipei City’s Outskirts

ACTIVE FUN

56 Taiwan Underwater! — Ilha Formosa, the “Beautiful Island” – Just as Beautiful Below the Waves

Travel in Taiwan

TAIWAN TOURISM EVENTS

Events in Late Autumn, Early Winter

Are we approaching the end of the year again? Time goes by fast, indeed! There is a wide range of festivities being staged in the late autumn/early winter season, from a band festival in Chiayi, to a flower festival in Taichung, to big New Year’s Eve celebrations in Taipei and elsewhere around Taiwan. Take part in these events and you’re guaranteed a wonderful time!

Last Festivities in 2014, First in 2015 Purple Butterfly Valley – Two Year Butterfly Viewing ( 雙年賞蝶 )

UNTIL MAR.

Location: Maolin District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市茂林區 ) Website: www.maolin-nsa.gov.tw Butterfly lovers from abroad are often delighted to find out that Taiwan is an excellent place for butterfly appreciation. The country is home to a staggering 377 recorded species. Just seeing a few here and there on walks through the countryside is a wonderful experience, especially if the specimens are big, colorful, and rare. If, however, you are going to the Maolin National Scenic Area in southern Taiwan during the winter, you are in for a wholly different kind of butterfly encounter. Not just a few are fluttering about in this eco-rich area, but millions! Maolin is home to one of just two places worldwide where butterflies overwinter in large numbers, the other being in Mexico. The butterfly species in question is the purple crow; this might not be Taiwan’s largest and most colorful butterfly, but because of its annual migration is definitely one of its most remarkable.

NOV.

DEC.

JAN.

The Sea of Flowers in Xinshe Festival ( 新社花海 )

Chiayi City Int'l Band Festival ( 嘉義市國際管樂節 )

Location: Xinshe District, Taichung City ( 台中市新社區 ) Website: http://flowersea.asia.edu.tw

Location: Performing Arts Hall, Chiayi City (275, Zhongxiao Rd., Chiayi City), and other venues in Chiayi ( 嘉義市政府文化局音樂廳嘉義市忠孝路 275 號 ) Website: www.cabcy.gov.tw

To the east of Taichung City’s urban core in central Taiwan lies the rural district of Xinshe. There, on a wide plain between foothills and high mountains, you can see a “sea of flowers.” A sea of flowers? This is what in Chinese is known as huahai , meaning large fields of flowers that appear like a sea, especially when the flowers sway in waves with the breeze. Held on the grounds of the Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation Station, the Sea of Flowers in Xinshe festival was first held in 2005 in an effort to promote the Xinshe area, highlighting its produce and boosting its leisure-agriculture industry. Now, each year, large swaths of colorful flowers are planted over 30 hectares of showcase fields – including sunflowers, lavender, cosmos, spider flowers, sage, and begonias – and a series of related events is staged, attracting close to 2 million visitors, who come for the joy of seeing the colorful floral-sea tapestries, flower-sculpture areas, and flower-related exhibits.

DEC.

Travel in Taiwan

This festival has been staged annually in the southern city of Chiayi for the past 21 years, first as the Symphony Festival, then as the Asia Band Festival. Now named the Chiayi City International Band Festival, it showcases orchestras and marching bands from Taiwan and abroad. While there is a large number of indoor concerts during the festival, the biggest draw is its outdoor parade of marching bands. Last year, 38 bands took part in the parade, marching through downtown Chiayi and entertaining thousands of spectators with brass music, drumming, and flag waving.

NOVEMBER~JANUARY

DEC. Taipei Marathon ( 臺北馬拉松 )

Locations: Civic Plaza, 1, City Hall Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City ( 市民廣場 ; 台北市信義區市府路 1 號 ) Street running has become very popular in Taiwan in recent years, and it seems as though there is a full marathon staged somewhere on the island each week (see “Splendid Festival” article in this issue). Among the many runs each year, the Taipei Marathon is arguably the most important and prestigious. More than 120,000 runners sign up each time, among them many professional runners from abroad. The start and finish is at Taipei City Hall, not far from the city’s most prominent landmark, the Taipei 101 skyscraper. Not all the participants will be running the full marathon (42.195km). There are also a half-marathon (21km), a 9km Run, a Fun Run (3km), and a Children’s Run (2km), giving runners of all types the chance to be part of this great sports gathering.

DEC. Highest New Year City Taipei – New Year's Eve Countdown Party ( 臺北最 HIGH 新年城 - 跨年晚會 )

JAN.

Location: Civic Plaza, 1, City Hall Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City ( 市民廣場 ; 台北市信義區市府路 1 號 ) Website: www.taipei.gov.tw Towering over Taipei’s Xinyi District, Taipei 101 is the city’s most recognizable landmark. Once a year, the tower appears to explode. When the clock strikes 12 on New Year’s Eve a splendid fireworks display is launched from the exterior of the tower, one of the most spectacular shows in the world to welcome in the New Year. Hundreds of thousands of revelers will head to the area surrounding the tower to celebrate the end of the year together, first watching a grand stage show featuring many top acts from Taiwan’s popmusic scene. If you want to avoid the large crowds, there are numerous other locations from which you can watch the fireworks display, including restaurants in high-rises close to the tower and outdoor spots on Four Beasts Mountain southeast of the Xinyi District, with superb unobstructed views of the sparkling lights of Taipei and majestic Taipei 101 not far away.

DEC.

JAN.

Alishan Sunrise Impression Concert ( 阿里山日出印象音樂會 ) Locations: Alishan National Forest Recreation Area; 59, Zhongzheng Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County ( 阿里山國家森林遊樂區 ; 嘉義縣阿里山鄉中正村 59 號 ) Website: http://recreation.forest.gov.tw After the fireworks that cap New Year’s Eve it’s just a few more hours till the first dawn of the New Year. In Taiwan, many people go to places where they can savor the first sunrise in a scenic setting. Many opt for spots on the east coast, where they can see the sunrise over the Pacific Ocean. Others head to the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, famous for its sunrises over Yushan (Mt. Jade, Taiwan’s highest mountain). While on January 1 it can get quite cold up in the high Alishan mountains, there is something that will warm you up, spiritually, when watching the sunrise – classic music performed live by an orchestra – sure to make your first day of the year a unique and unforgettable one!

Travel in Taiwan

WHAT'S UP

News & Events around Taiwan

Education

Tourism Promotion

Study in Taiwan

Oh! Bear

Need some reasons for choosing Taiwan as a place to study? Here are a few: Taiwan is the perfect place to learn Chinese, it is a repository of Chinese culture, you can learn traditional Chinese characters, scholarships are available, there is a high standard of living, the people are very friendly towards foreigners … the list goes on and on. Last year, more than 78,000 students found those reasons compelling enough to come for studies on this island, enjoying a great combination of modern living environment and affordable prices, not to mention the wide range of fascinating travel options. If you want to learn more about what’s in store for international students in Taiwan, visit www.studyintaiwan.org.

Have you met Oh! Bear yet? This is the new mascot of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. Here’s his profile – birthday: Dec. 3rd / sign: Sagittarius / height: 170cm / weight: somewhere above 210kg / job title: Director of the Tourism Bureau’s Super Task Force. He likes the color orange, drinks pearl milk tea, eats braised pork on rice, and is overall super cute. His brothers in Taiwan’s mountains are the Formosan black bears, which are endemic to Taiwan and are the largest land animals and only bears on the island. Easily recognized by the distinct yellow/white V-shaped marking on its chest, the bear is an endangered species, living in Taiwan’s rugged mountain areas at elevations of 1,000~3,500 meters. These days, the Oh! Bear mascot is busy promoting Taiwan tourism, and can be seen at numerous promotional events. If you want to meet him, you’ll have the chance during the Taiwan Cycling Festival this November, at the festival’s popular Sun Moon Lake Come! Bikeday event ( http://taiwanbike.tw ).

Culture

Former Air Force Headquarters Situated on Section 3 of Taipei City’s Ren’ai Road, the former Air Force Command Headquarters, covering an area of approximately 69,500 square meters, has been opened as an area for tourism, exhibitions, and other cultural activities. From 1949 to 2012 the complex was home to the Air Force Command, which was moved to Zhongyong Base in Taipei’s Dazhi area two years ago. Earlier this year the Taipei City Government took over management from the Ministry of Defense, and has since carried out a series of revitalization measures. The most eye-catching element on the grounds is a decommissioned F-104 fighter jet, a model that served as the backbone of the ROC Air Force for decades. For more info about the site, visit http://formerairforce.taipei.gov.tw/ (Chinese).

Travel in Taiwan

Bicycling

Complete Bike Path Network in 2015 A dream is gradually coming true for Taiwan’s cycling enthusiasts: a combined network of bike paths allowing bikers to complete a round-the-island trip conveniently and safely. A project is currently under way which will connect 60 already existing bike paths. The network will consist of dedicated bike paths separated from main roads, bike lanes on main highways, and convenient bike-on-railway options for sections of highway that are less suitable for bike riding. Since 2008, the total length of bikeways in Taiwan has grown from 700 to more than 4,000 kilometers, showing the commitment of local government at all levels to create a greener and healthier living and travel environment.

Sightseeing

New Attraction at Taipei 101 Already one of the biggest attractions for visitors to Taipei, a new reason has recently been added for tourists to take the world’s fastest elevator to the Taipei 101 Observatory. Mirrors have been installed on floor and ceiling, giving you the illusion of floating in mid-air when standing atop the floor reflectors. While not a true “sky walk” over a glass platform, you nevertheless enjoy a mild “in the clouds” thrill, adding to the excitement of viewing Taipei from one of the highest buildings in the world.

Travel in Taiwan

CULTURE SCENE

Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

Taiwan has a diverse cultural scene, with art venues ranging from international-caliber concert halls and theaters to makeshift stages on temple plazas. Here is a brief selection of upcoming happenings. For more information, please visit the websites of the listed venues. Until March 29, 2015 National Museum of Taiwan History

The Movement of People: Migration Stories in Taiwan 來自四方：近代臺灣移民的故事特展 Throughout its history, Taiwan has seen the arrival (and departure) of many a different people. For thousands of years it has been home to many different tribal peoples, some of whom have faded into the pages of history. European colonial powers stayed for brief periods in the 17th century; immigrants from mainland China’s Fujian Province came in large number in the late 17th through 19th centuries; the Japanese stayed for 50 years as colonial rulers from 1895 to 1945; then came a wave of immigrants from China during and after the Chinese Civil War, which ended in 1949. If you want to learn more about the fascinating migrations of people that have taken place over the centuries in Taiwan, this exhibition will provide you with a comprehensive overview.

November 1 ~ February 28, 2015 Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Taipei Expo Park “Million Flowers” Colorfest 花博公園萬花節 Starting this month, the Taipei Expo Park is serving as the venue for the 2014 Taipei Expo Park Million Flowers Festival, a combination of five flower shows. Flower-art experts from Taiwan and abroad are showing off their skills at the 2014 Fragrant Love International Flower Design Award event, while the 2014 Green View Green Design event combines green and beauty in inspiring landscape-garden design. The 2014 Taiwan Bonsai Exhibition features around 300 exquisite works from around the country, and the 2014 Taipei Flora Art Work Exhibition has “Traveling with Flowers” as its theme. Finally, the 2014 Taipei Flower Show brings together occasional flowers and Christmas, with the park being redecorated as a blissful “Christmas city.” For more info, visit: www.taipei-expopark.tw.

Travel in Taiwan

Until March 1, 2015 National Taiwan Museum

Mysterious Pescadores: The Four Islands of Southern Penghu Exhibition 菊島秘境－澎湖南方四島特展 Protection of the environment is taken seriously in Taiwan, and at the forefront of these protection efforts are the national parks, of which there are now 10 – seven on the main island, and three on offshore islands. The newest of these parks to be established (this June) is the South Penghu Marine National Park, encompassing four smaller islands of the Penghu archipelago – Dongju, Xiju, Dongyuping, and Xiyuping. Roughly located between and to the east of the larger islands of Wang’an and Qimei, which attract large number of tourists each year, the now-protected islands have unique geological features and rich marine ecological resources. This exhibition gives you a glimpse of the treasures in store on the islands, and explains why they need to be protected.

November 19 ~ December 27 National Theater and other venues in Taiwan

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre: White Water – Little Dusts 雲門白水。微塵 Founded in 1973 by choreographer Lin Hwai-min, the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre has been, for many years, the leading modern dance group in Taiwan. Lin is still the driving creative force behind the group, and White Water and Little Dusts are his two latest creations. His inspiration for the first dance work came to Lin when he took a picture of a mountain river in Taiwan. Upon printing the image in black-and-white format, he was impressed by the crispness of the whites. This type of imagery is projected as video on a large screen behind the performers on stage, who dance to the sound of a single piano. Moving gently, the dancers almost appear to be in the water. Little Dusts deals with people’s reaction to the disasters that happen in the world around us and at times seem overwhelming. The dancers, wearing black, dance to the music of Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8, which paints a bleak picture of human despair.

Venues Taipei

ATT Show Box Add: 12, Songshou Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市松壽路 12 號 ) Tel: (02) 7737-8881 www.attshowbox.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Taipei 101/World Trade Center

Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts （關渡美術館） Add: 1 Xueyuan Rd., Beitou District, Taipei City ( 台北市北投區學園路 1 號 ) Tel: (02) 2896-1000 www.kdmofa.tnua.edu.tw Nearest MRT Station: Guandu

Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei （台北當代藝術館）

Add: 39 Chang-an W. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市長安西路 3 9 號 )

National Palace Museum （國立故宮博物院）

Add: 221 Zhishan Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei City

Add: 1, Jingmao 2nd Rd., Taipei City

( 台北市至善路二段 2 21 號 )

( 台北市經貿二路 1 號 )

Tel: (02) 2881-2021 www.npm.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: Shilin

Tel: (02) 2725-5200 www.twtcnangang.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Nangang Exhibition Hall

National Taiwan Museum （國立臺灣博物館）

Add: 2 Xiangyang Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市襄陽路 2 號 )

Tel: (02) 2382-2566 www.ntm.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: NTU Hospital

Novel Hall（新舞臺） Add: 3 Songshou Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市松壽路 3 號 )

Tel: (02) 2552-3720 www.mocataipei.org.tw Nearest MRT Station: Zhongshan

Tel: (02) 2722-4302 www.novelhall.org.tw Nearest MRT Station: Taipei City Hall

National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall（國立中正紀念堂）

Taipei Arena（台北小巨蛋）

Add: 21 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City

( 台北市南京東路四段 2 號 )

( 台北市中山南路 21 號 )

Tel: (02) 2343-1100 www.cksmh.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: CKS Memorial Hall

National Concert Hall（國家音樂聽） National Theater（國家戲劇院） Add: 21-1 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City

Add: 2 Nanjing E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City Tel: (02) 2577-3500 www.taipeiarena.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Nanjing E. Rd.

Taipei Fine Arts Museum （台北市立美術館）

Taichung National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts（國立台灣美術館） Add: 2 Wuquan W. Rd., Sec. 1, Taichung City ( 台中市五權西路一段 2 號 )

Tel: (04) 2372-3552 www.ntmofa.gov.tw

Tainan National Museum of Taiwan History（國立臺灣歷史博物館） Add: 250, Sec. 1, Changhe Rd., Annan District, Tainan City ( 台南市安南區長和路一段 2 5 0 號 ) Tel: (06) 356-8889 www.nmth.gov.tw

Add: 181 Zhongshan N. Rd., Sec. 3, Taipei City

( 台北市中山南路 21-1 號 )

( 台北市中山北路三段 181 號 )

Tel: (02) 3393-9888 www.ntch.edu.tw Nearest MRT Station: CKS Memorial Hall

Tel: (02) 2595-7656 www.tfam.museum Nearest MRT Station: Yuanshan

National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Taipei International Convention Center（台北國際會議中心）

（國立國父紀念館）

TWTC Nangang Exhibiton Hall （台北世貿中心南港展覽館）

Kaohsiung Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts（高雄市立美術館） Add: 80 Meishuguan Rd., Kaohsiung City

Add: 1, Xinyi Rd., Sec.5, Taipei City

( 高雄市美術館路 8 0 號 )

Add: 505 Ren-ai Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City

( 台北市信義路五段 1 號 )

( 台北市仁愛路四段 5 0 5 號 )

Tel: (02) 2725-5200, ext. 3517, 3518 www.ticc.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Taipei 101/World Trade Center

Tel: (07) 555-0331 www.kmfa.gov.tw Nearest KMRT Station: Aozihdi Station

Tel: (02) 2758-8008 www.yatsen.gov.tw/en Nearest MRT Station: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

National Museum of History （國立歷史博物館）

Add: 49 Nanhai Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市南海路 4 9 號 )

Tel: (02) 2361-0270 www.nmh.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: CKS Memorial Hall

Kaohsiung Museum of History Taipei Zhongshan Hall （台北中山堂）

Add: 98, Yanping S. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市延平南路 9 8 號 )

Tel: (02) 2381-3137 www.csh.taipei.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: Ximen

（高雄市立歷史博物館）

Add: 272 Zhongzheng 4th Rd., Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市中正四路 27 2 號 )

Tel: (07) 531-2560 http://163.32.121.205 Nearest KMRT Station: City Council

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

The Southwest Coast A Step Back into the Days and Ways of Taiwanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Past Text: Rick Charette

Travel in Taiwan

Photos: Jen Guo-Chen

SOUTHWEST COAST

Pack your bags! We’re taking you on a multi-day excursion to a region of oyster farms, fish farms, old temples and old-time religion, and distinctive ecology. The plan: a leisurely “drive of discovery” from Tainan City’s coastal Anping District, perhaps Taiwan’s richest historical neighborhood, north to the rustic old fishing-port towns of Beimen and Budai, and on to the Hukou Wetlands in Yunlin County. Don’t forget your camera … or your appetite, for adventure and for seafood.

Sunset se en from t he Seaview Pavilion at Q igu

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

The Setting Along much of its length, the southwest coast is flat, flat, almost mesmerizingly flat. From far inland you see ships far out in the Taiwan Strait that seem to hover on the horizon, inching nigh imperceptibly forward, with nothing in between to block your view. It’s often near impossible to discern where land ends and saltwater begins. This is a region formed over the eons by a sea of sediment washed down from the soaring north-south central mountains, in clear view not far further inland, still growing at a rapid clip and providing ever more coast-expanding material. Along the coast dry land gently eases into vast intertidal flats, the flats at low tide slipping under the water’s surface far, far from dry shoreline. Boats of any appreciable size and displacement head straight out into the strait from harbors, keeping to ever-shifting silt-free channels. Coast-hugging north-south travel is impossible. Man lives everywhere, and over recent centuries this region, long only grudgingly hospitable to humans, has been sculpted into a tapestry of fish farms, heritage salt pans, and tidal-flat oyster farms. This region was among the earliest in Taiwan to be developed by settlers from mainland China. In recent decades Mother Nature the artist has been allowed to retake previously farmed areas where land subsidence has occurred, washing over waterlogged farmland to form “new” wetlands, adding to the beauty of the wetlands, lagoons, and estuary areas, large and small, never tamed.

Note: The majority of sites in this article are in the Southwest Coast National Scenic Area (www.swcoastnsa-gov.tw) and Taijiang National Park (www.tjnp.gov.tw).

Day 1 Your Travel in Taiwan crew rolled into Tainan and went straight for Anping. This is ground zero for Taiwan's modern history. The Dutch staked a claim as Taiwan overlords in 1624, seeking to control regional trade and being unable to force a base on the mainland China coast or on Penghu. The dream ended in 1662 when they were invited to leave, at the point of many a sword and spear and the muzzle of many an arquebus, by the Chinese, led by the celebrated Ming Dynasty general Koxinga. Their grand bastion, Fort Zeelandia, was here. It stood at the north tip of a great sandbar that, with others, formed a calm harbor ships could enter. Said “inner sea” is now history, mostly silted over, and the fort’s ruins reside in a site simply called Anping Gubao – “Anping Ancient Fortress.” There’s

Travel in Taiwan

SOUTHWEST COAST

4 1. 2. 3. 4.

not much left, but the site is impressive nonetheless, with good English signage explaining the ruins and on-site digs, plus a small museum in a hilltop maritime-customs building built by the Japanese when they staked their own claim to Taiwan (1895~1945). We next meandered the narrow, winding streets of the adjacent Anping Old Street neighborhood, centered on Yanping Old Street. The brick- and stone-paved arteries are crowded with tourist-focused eateries and sellers of handicrafts, many handmade. I enjoyed a tingle of excitement, for I am an avid reader of Taiwan history, this is the site of the first Dutch settlement, and Yanping is called “Taiwan’s 1st Street” – the first-ever commercial street to form.

Anping For t Fisherman in Sicao area Old Tait & Co. Merchant House Anping Tree House

Also in the neighborhood is the Old Tait & Company Merchant House, built by a British trading firm after the Second Opium War forced the opening of Tainan and other Chinese ports in 1858. The firm eventually abandoned the attractive colonial-style arcaded structure as the Japanese systematically took over the lucrative opium and camphor trades. The structure was later used by a salt company, and today houses a museum on the Dutch through the Han Chinese pioneer periods. Behind is the Anping Treehouse, originally a company warehouse, abandoned after WW II when the Japanese went home. It is completely overrun by massive banyan trees, creating a fairytale maze. A display center introduces the facility and local ecology.

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

Day 2 Next morn, more thrills were in store when we picked up just northwest of where we’d left off the day previous, in the Sicao area. This is a place of estuaries, alluvial terrain, old irrigation canals and small-craft shipping channels, mangrove swamp, and wetlands. Much of today’s land was once open water – the great sandbar-created inner sea of Dutch days. Our two biggest thrills were guided-tour boat excursions (in Chinese) out on the local waters. In the first, we raft-plied the narrow Mangrove Green Tunnel (NT$150 per person), a long-disused section of Taiwan’s first canal, built in the 1870s, used to transport sugar and salt from local farms. In the second, we headed out into the larger local canal/river channels on a much larger craft on the Taijiang Boat Tour (NT$250), passing by fishermen on rafts, oyster farmers, and myriad photogenic waterfowl.

Travel in Taiwan

4 1. & 2. Mangrove Green Tunnel 3. & 4. Birds and crabs seen on Taijiang Boat Tour

5. Sunset at Qigu 6. Luermen T ianhou Temple

SOUTHWEST COAST

Just north is the grandiose Luermen Tianhou Temple, which stands on the spot where Koxinga is said to have landed his army. According to one legend, he himself had this temple’s forerunner built, in honor of Mazu, Goddess of the Sea, for the safe passage of his ships across the often treacherous Taiwan Strait.

Dazhong Temple & Sicao Battery History buffs, also visit the ornate Dazhong Temple and Sicao Battery ruins, near the boat-tour ticket office. The temple, on the site of the first Dutch/Koxinga battlefield clash, was built in 1701 (rebuilt 1987) to soothe the spirits of the Dutch, who fell to earth so far from home. An ossuary behind contains their bones, gathered in the 1960s. Sicao Battery was built in 1840 to protect against British attack during the First Opium War; one 118.6m stone wall remains, graced with ten large cannon holes, today used as a most unusual elementary-school perimeter wall.

We spent the next while rambling the Qigu area. The pyramid-shaped Taiwan Salt Museum has stellar displays on Taiwan’s 300-plus years of saltwater-evaporation salt production (ceased in 2001), and on salt harvesting around the world. The next-door Qigu Salt Mountain is surely the largest pile of salt you’ll ever find yourself standing atop. The giant Qigu Lagoon is home to Black-faced Spoonbill Reserve, a major physical node in the recovery of the magnificent Black-faced Spoonbill, a critically endangered species.

Tip: Time your sunset for the boardwalk-style Seaview Pavilion, overlooking Qigu Lagoon. I’ll wager you’ll never see so many oyster racks in one place, extending “to the ends of the Earth” left to right and off to the horizon, bathed in glowing light.

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FEATURE

Day 3 The attractions of Beimen, a sleepy, laid-back fishing village, are well worth an hour or two of your time – notably the Beimen Visitor Center, Qianlaiye Shop, Taiwan Black Foot Disease Memorial Hall, and Yonglong Canal, all within easy walking distance of each other. The center, in a converted salt warehouse that was part of a large refining plant, has extensive displays (with English) on the region’s history, culture, and ecology. The shop building, originally housing a company-run grocery for salt-industry workers, now houses a handicraft gift shop. The memorial hall is housed in the area’s oldest clinic for black-foot disease treatment; the disease prevailed along the southwest coast in the 1950s/60s, caused by arsenic seeping into deep drinking-water wells. Mashagou Salt and Sand Sculpture Arts Festival The Mashagou Coastal Recreation Area, just to the north of Jiangjun Harbor, is a popular destination to beat the summer heat, with swimming, jet-skiing, and banana boating on offer. The annual summertime sculpture-arts festival features displays of ingenious works of art sculpted from the local salt and sand, sightseeing tours highlighting the best that the region has to offer, musical performances, bike and ATV rentals, and much else. (Note that the various salt-sculpture activities are at Qigu Salt Mountain.)

Travel in Taiwan

SOUTHWEST COAST To Beimen’s south are the Jingzaijiao Tile-paved Salt Fields. Set up in 1818, these are the oldest salt fields still existing in Taiwan, where salt is still produced the traditional way. These are a good example of how the bottom of evaporation ponds were paved with pottery shards, producing cleaner salt and making harvesting easier. Demonstration workers show you how everything is done. From here we moved up to the Budai area, first visiting the bustling, expansive Budai Fish Market, a tourist favorite (see accompanying Eat/ Buy article), then it was on to the Hukou Wetlands, to Budai’s north. The subsidence that has occurred in these wetlands is clearly in evidence, with a small slope all along its length leading up to the still-farmed land on its east. An old double-track farmers’ trail takes you straight through at the base, the former farms still clearly demarcated by raised-earth perimeters and windbreaks. You disturb flock after flock of little egrets, cattle egrets, and black-crowned night herons as you move along. (Note: This is also a great place for sunset shots.)

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1. Jingzaijiao Tile-paved Salt Fields 2. National scenic area administration office in Beimen 3. Qianlaiye Shop 4. & 7. Budai Fish Market and harbor 5. Public art near Beimen Visitor Center 6. Dongshi Harbor Park

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

Tip: Two other area eco-touring destinations well worth exploring are the Haomeiliao Nature Preserve and Aogu Wetlands. The first features an offshore sandbar, lagoon, coastal windbreak forest, and mangrove forest, attracting many foraging birds. The second features still-farmed paddy and farm fields, fallow fields, and grassy swamplands. Over 120 bird species have been recorded here, many protected. And that was it! Last spots on our wellstuffed itinerary, done! Without further ado, we hustled back to the Budai Fish Market, loaded up on fresh-catch seafood purchases, and struck out north for Taipei and home, well-satisfied. Getting Around Sights are spread out, so driving a car is recommended. Scooter-driving is perhaps a bit ambitious, unless you tackle only those sights in a selected area or two, or give yourself more time, adopting a “half the fun is getting there” approach. Reputable scooter-rental shops are found outside both Tainan and Chiayi railway stations (NT$600 for 24H; international driver’s license needed). Another option is the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle hop-on, hop-off bus service, which has three routes – Southwest Coast Route, 88 Anping Route, and 99 Taijiang Route – that cover various locations introduced in this article. Visit www.taiwantrip.com.tw .

Plague Gods Just north of Beimen is Nankunshen Daitian Temple, just south of it Sanliaowan Donglong Temple. Temples dedicated to “plague gods” are a phenomenon unique to southern coastal China and to southwest Taiwan. In imperial days, to rid settlements of pestilence, junks would be loaded with effigies of the gods and sacrificial offerings, put to sea, and set on fire. Most would sink, but some would drift ashore elsewhere, and temples would often be built on such spots in appeasement. Daitian Temple, founded in 1662, is Taiwan’s oldest and largest plague-god temple. At Donglong Temple, founded in 1665, you’ll find an intriguing plague-god display in the adjoining cultural center, and even better, a full-size mock-up of a plague-god boat. Such temples still carry out ritual boat burnings every few years, drawing many tourists.

English and Chinese Anping District 安平區

Sunset at Hukou Wetlands

Anping Gubao 安平古堡 Anping Old Street 安平老街 Anping Treehouse 安平樹屋 Aogu Wetlands 鰲鼓溼地 Black-faced Spoonbill Reserve 黑面琵鷺保護區 Budai 布袋 Budai Fish Market 布袋魚市場 Dazhong Temple 大眾廟 Haomeiliao Nature Preserve 好美寮自然保護區 Hukou Wetlands 湖口溼地 Jiang jun Fishing Harbor 將軍漁港 Jingzaijiao Tile-paved Salt Fields 井仔腳瓦盤鹽田 Luermen Tianhou Temple 鹿耳門天后宮 Mangrove Green Tunnel 紅樹林生態綠色隧道 Mashagou Coastal Recreation Area 馬沙溝濱海遊憩區 Nankunshen Daitianfu Temple 南鯤鯓代天府 Old Tait & Company Merchant House 德記洋行 Qianlaiye Shop 錢來也雜貨店 Qigu Salt Mountain 七股鹽山 Sanliaowan Donglong Temple 三寮灣東隆宮 Seaview Pavilion 觀海樓 Sicao (Battery) 四草 ( 砲台 ) Taiwan Black Foot Disease Memorial Hall 台灣烏腳病醫療紀念館 Taiwan Salt Museum 台灣鹽博物館 Yanping Old Street 延平老街

SOUTHWEST COAST

The Great

Seafood Feast

The Southwest Coast – Endless Bounty of the Delicacies of the Sea As shown in our main Feature article, when touring the southwest coast you are regaled with scenes of fishing boats returning to small port settlements laden with treasure, oyster-farm racks expanding to the horizon over tidal flats, and “dry” land quilted with fish farms. The result for the tourist: seafood feasting morning, noon, and night, and a “Buy” haul taken home rich in fresh catch and specialty processed-seafood treats.

Eat My most interesting and satisfying “Eat” experience on this trip was a visit to the busy, colorful Budai Fish Market, a large, covered facility bursting with marine abundance fresh from the docks just a short distance away. It is kept spic-andspan, and free of the sometimes unpleasant “fishy” smells enjoyed at other such places. The fresh-harvested treasure is sold from stands lining the center aisles, and along the walls are small eateries, a number air-conditioned. We arrived at lunchtime, and it seemed the whole town was strolling in with us – this is obviously “the” place to dine out for Budai locals, not just tourists. Recommended are the large oyster wraps, a Chiayi-coast specialty: plump oysters, shrimp, fresh egg, rice noodles, and green onion wrapped in a thin dough shell and deep-fried. Each wrap is almost a meal in itself, big as a man’s fist. Two other simple yet filling and tasty dishes are the oyster fried noodles and fried thin rice noodles with oysters.

Text: Rick Charette

Photos: Jen Guo-Chen

Say the words “three cups” to me and I start salivating like one of Pavlov’s dogs, so the “three cups squid” was the culinary catch of the day for your gourmand writer. “Three cups” is a quintessential Taiwanese dish, invented in southern China and perfected by Han Chinese pioneer folk way back when. Simple to put together, the ingredients are long-simmered in an earthenware pot, which enabled womenfolk to escape the hearth to work outside. Ingredients include your meat of choice (normally chicken), one cup each of soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil (which caramelize – delish!), and liberal doses of basil

Fresh fish

O yster wraps

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EAT AND BUY

leaf, ginger, and whole garlic cloves. A German tourist at the next table, eating the same dish and apparently for the first time, let out a contented “Wunderbar!” as he pondered his first mouthful. So true. The next most enjoyable Eat experience on this journey was a collective one enjoyed along the narrow arteries of the Anping Old Street area. Bright and airy Chen’s Oyster Rolls, at 786 Anping Road, serves up rolls that fully deserve their farflung reputation. My travel gang voted this Chen’s No. 1, and gave No. 2 to its milkfish thick soup, thicker than a chowder and brimming with sea treats. Anping has long been known for its oyster omelets, and we gave Chen’s No. 3 to the house version. A griddle-cooked Taiwan culinary icon, it’s made with potato and sweet-potato starch mixed with egg batter and cilantro, topped with a sweet-and-sour sauce. Tanks already close to full, we nevertheless had new happy experiences at Chou’s Shrimp Rolls (408-1 Anping Road) and Yifeng Winter Melon Tea (768 Anping Road), two other old-time Tainan enterprises. Like Chen’s rolls, Chou’s shrimp variation features a crunchy skin of deep-fried batter, green onion, ground pork, and the star ingredient. The traditionalstyle fruit tonic at Yifeng is handmade by boiling the melon with brown sugar on an old-style stove. An honorable mention goes to the yummy popsicles sold at Qigu Salt Mountain. While Western popsicles are not much more than frozen sugar water, Taiwan’s are closer to the field, made with such good things as fresh pineapple, lightly sweetened taro, red bean, and green bean, etc. Best of this tourist attraction’s popsicle adventures is egg yolk with walnut, a combo that you might find counter-intuitive (like I did) in theory but delicious in practice. The other distinctive offerings – plum, almond with walnut, and grape/spirulina (check Wikipedia) – were also most satisfactory.

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You’ll no doubt notice these treats are called “salt popsicles.” Fret not – it’s a normal ingredient, locally produced salt is used, and there’s no hint of saltiness in the tasting.

Buy Back again to Budai Fish Market. Many Taiwan tourists schedule Budai for the last day of any trip to the area so that they can load up on fresh catch just before heading home. We did the same. I made my wife and dad-in-law, Taiwanese and passionate about their seafood, two very happy campers by showing up back in Taipei with a big styrofoam box filled with crab on ice. Prices here can be as much as 50% lower than what you’ll find in Taiwan’s big cities. As well, note that many people buy their own seafood and eat it on site – the air-con eateries will prepare it for you for a nominal fee. This is generally cheaper than similar dishes on their menus. My most treasured purchase, from this and other Tainan area visits over the years, is a “sword lion” that now adorns my front door and protects my home. Ubiquitous in Anping until as recently as 30 years ago, today sword lions grace the exteriors of about 40 old homes and businesses. Legend has it that Koxinga’s troops carved fierce lion heads on their shields, and when barracked in Anping residences hung them on doors. The practice spread among local residents. Each lion clamps a sword (or two) in its mouth – handle on the right invites good luck, handle on the left dispels evil. You’ll find a wide selection in the tourist shops along Yanping Old Street in Anping. When browsing Yanping, also drop in at the quaint centuryold wood-façade, wood-interior shop at no. 84, which sells delectable traditional homemade mijian , dried fruit preserved in honey. Taiwan is nicknamed the “Kingdom of Fruit,” and the southwest inland area is prime fruit-growing country.

SOUTHWEST COAST

English and Chinese Anping Road 安平路 Chen Family Oyster Rolls 陳家蚵捲 Chou's Shrimp Rolls 周式蝦捲 mijian 蜜餞 milkfish thick soup 虱目魚羹

oyster omelet 蚵仔煎 oyster wrap 蚵仔包 sword lion 劍獅 three cups squid 三杯大卷 Yifeng Winter Melon Tea 義豐冬瓜茶

1. winter melon tea 2. shrimp rolls 3. oyster omelet 4. p opsicles 5. homemade mijian 6. Budai Fish Market 7. Entrance to sword lion shop

World - Renowned Mango Snowflake Ice Shop Colorful, Sweet, and Delicious The ice treats of Smoothie House are made with fragrant aiwen mango cultivated in Taiwan. This type of mango has a firm texture and is very juicy. The fruit meat melts in your mouth and creates an amazing sweet and sour sensation. No one seems to be able to resist this unbelievable treat.

Fres Sno h Mang wfla ke Ic o e

Flagship Store： 1F, 15 Yongkang St., Taipei City Tel: +886-2-2341-8555 me

o Welc

2F, 15 Yongkang St., Taipei City Tel: +886-2-2395-8770

www.smoothiehouse.com

For overseas franchise opportunities,please contact : service@smoothie.com.tw

splendid festivals

The Taipei Marath A contagion is consuming this land – an unquenchable thirst in ever more people to run its riversides, oceansides, mountains, trails, valleys, plains, gorges, expressways, islands, and even skyscraper stairs.

All was

calm until the 1980s. Then it hit. The spread was slow at first. Then came a quickening, and an explosion in the 2000s. The numbers tell the story: today there are over 200 running clubs in Taiwan, almost 50 full marathons are staged each year, and there are countless runs of shorter length. The government of the main city, Taipei, stages almost 40 major/minor running events each year.

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Taiwan’s Blooming Marathon, Triathlon.

The Story Here’s how it happened. It is generally agreed that the source of the contagion was Chi Cheng, a Taiwan national hero, setter of many trackand-field records and 1968 Mexico Olympics bronze-medal winner in the 80-meter hurdles. Later, as a high-level government official, she transplanted the knowledge and techniques developed in running the prestigious Boston and New York marathons to Taiwan, and the first Taipei Marathon was run in 1986. The key organization in the Taiwan running movement is the Chinese

Taipei Road Running Association (CTRRA; www.sportsnet.org.tw ), established in 1993, which today runs up to 25 major events each year in cooperation with various public/private bodies. Its stated vision is to transform the marathon from “professional sport” to a “diversified civil-health roadrunning activity,” bringing “health and happiness to civilians.” In the late 1990s/early 2000s government bodies at all levels latched onto this concept with enthusiasm, seeking to get citizens outdoors and engaged in more vigorous forms of exercise for the sake of national health.

MARATHONS

on: Running Fever Anything-athon Passion

This was the same time Taiwan’s renowned “bicycle fever” began to spread over the land, in keeping with the same concepts. Two other key themes in the run/bike movements have been government showcasing of steadily improved infrastructure, thereby promoting tourism, and charity education and support.

Taipei Marathon What is today officially called the Taipei Fubon Marathon is Taiwan’s biggest road race, attracting over 120,000 runners each year, from around Taiwan and over 50 other countries. Staged in

Text: Rick Charette

Photos: Chinese Taipei Road Running Association

December, the starting point is the grand plaza before Taipei City Hall; the course zigzags through the closed-off downtown area, winding by Taipei 101 and other city landmarks. There is a carnival atmosphere, with many fun side events, enthusiastic spectators lining the course, and live TV coverage. Serious runners join the full marathon, half marathon, or 9km run, competing in age/gender categories. Approximately 50,000 of the total of 120,000 or so participants are in these sections. There is also a 3km fun run, and a special 2km run for kids. The organizers (CTRRA

and Taipei City Government) use rolling starts to handle the tremendous numbers of participants that come out to hit the pavement. As mentioned, the first Taipei Marathon was run in 1986. The Fubon Group, one of Taiwan’s largest financial conglomerates, has been the main sponsor since 2009. To entice the best runners from around the globe to come, significant prize money is offered – including NT$1.2 million each for the men’s and women’s full-marathon winners, NT$2 million if they best the course record. These are Taiwan’s highest marathon payouts.

splendid festivals

Colorful Race Options Among the key promotional ingredients in Taiwan running is a collective one, the distinctive range of character in the race calendar. By way of example, the Taroko Gorge Marathon is among the world’s most “gorge-ous” – you run the bottom of magnificent Taroko Gorge, Taiwan’s greatest scenic attraction. In the Tainan Ancient Capital International Marathon you run around the grand treasury of historic structures in Tainan, Taiwan’s imperial capital and oldest city. In the Taipei 101 Run-Up you scale the tower, not long past the world’s tallest building, by tackling its stairs. And in the Taipei Expressway Marathon you are taken “above” the city, flying along a closed-off elevated expressway.

If you yourself have a case of running fever, or would like to come out and cheer on those who do, check out the impressive list of events at this website address: www.taipeimarathon. org.tw/contest.aspx (Chinese).

English and Chinese Chi Cheng 紀政 Chinese Taipei Road Running Association 中華民國路跑協會 Fubon Group 富邦集團 1. Running the Taroko Marathon 2. Running the Taip ei Marathon

北

東北 l

l l l l l ll l l ll ll l l ll l ll lll l ll l ll l ll l l ll ll

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西北

ll l l

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l l l l l ll l l l l l l l l l lll l l ll l l

東

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l ll ll ll ll l l l l l l ll l

南

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西南

西

FUN WITH CHINESE

東南

East, South, 東南西北 West, and North

dong

Illustration: Fred Cheng

“East,

nan

South, West, North.” Sound a bit strange to you? Shouldn’t it be “North, South, East, West”? Well, in Chinese “East” comes first when naming the four points of the compass. This is because in the past the natural world was seen as having its origin/orientation point in the east, where the sun rises. Learning the Chinese characters for the cardinal directions, 東 (dong , East), 南 (nan , South), 西 (xi , West), and 北 (bei , North), is very useful because they are very common in daily conversations. Many Taiwan place names, for example, contain one of the four characters. Here are a few samples:

Ximen 西門 (lit. West Gate), Dongmen 東門 (lit. East Gate), Beigang 北港 (lit. Northern Harbor), Nangang 南港 (lit. Southern Harbor), Taipei 台北 (lit. Taiwan North), and Tainan 台南 (lit. Taiwan South). Tainan literarily means “Taiwan South,” but if you want to say that you want to go to the southern part of Taiwan you use the characters 南部 (nanbu ; southern part) instead. Likewise, you use 北部 (beibu ) for the north and 東部 (dongbu ) for the east.

bei

The Chinese characters for western Taiwan are 西部 (xibu , western part) and the central part is 中部 (zhongbu ; central part), with the character 中 meaning “center/middle.” Taichung, the third-largest city in Taiwan, located on the west coast, is written 台中 (lit. Taiwan central). And, as you might know, the Chinese for “China” also contains the character 中 – 中國 (zhongguo) – and literally means “Middle Kingdom.” Travel in Taiwan

HIKING

Nenggao Historic Trail A Wonderful Hike Deep into the Mountains Text & Photos: Stuart Dawson

The Nenggao

Historic

Trail is a wonderful hike deep into Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range. The trail was first used by indigenous tribes for travel and trade. As the Japanese began to expand their influence in Taiwan during the 1895~1945 colonial era, it was expanded and garrisoned. Finally, in the 1950s, the route was used by the Taiwan Power Company during its building of east-west transmission lines. The trail has today been given over to hikers, and makes for a great 2~3-day outing. Like most hikers, we began our 2-day trip on the Wushe side of the trail in Nantou County. We spent the night before the hike in a small B&B in Wushe village. From there it’s about a 1-hour drive to the trailhead, up a rough and winding road, passing the small hotspring town of Lushan. We had to get up early

Travel in Taiwan

to ensure we had enough time to make it to the cabin where we would stay before dark fell. The beginning of the trail is deceptively steep, and even with the higher altitude giving us a cooler temperature, everyone began to strip off layers within minutes of starting the hike. After a short climb, however, the trail levels off, making it much easier. One of the great things about the Nenggao Historic Trail is the abundance of good signage. There are notice boards all along the route, offering information about the local flora and fauna, and it’s worth taking a moment to stop and read each one. After a few kilometers we arrived at the first cabin, called the Yunhai Line Station (4.9km from trailhead; 2,360 meters above sea level). The station was built during the colonial

era by the Japanese, and there’s a small garden area outside with a number of cherry-blossom trees, making it a pleasant place to stop for lunch. Shortly after heading out from the cabin, we reached the first and largest landslide area on the trail. The rock in this area is weak schist, susceptible to falls. This particular spot is exceptionally long, some 1,200m, and is covered in loose scree. When we crossed it, we were in the clouds and, not being able to see the bottom or the top, an eerie feeling pervaded one and all. Quite a thrill. The rest of the walk to the second cabin, Tianchi Cabin, was very enjoyable. It’s relatively easy going, and there is wonderful scenery. We crossed creaking (but safe) suspension bridges, and passed by the spectacular Three Level Waterfall, before finally arriving at the cabin.

1. Mountain scener y at Nenggao Historic Trail 2. Three Level Water fall 3. L arge landslide area 4. On the Nenggao Historic Trail

We camped

Route outside the

brand-new Tianchi Cabin (13km; 2,860m). It’s an impressive three-story structure that offers hikers dining facilities as well as a place to shelter from the weather. The Forestry Bureau operates a lottery system for bedspaces in the cabin (for more information in Chinese, check http://

tconline.forest.gov.tw/order/ ), and the chances of winning spaces on a weekend are pretty low – so low in fact that we didn’t even apply, camping outside the cabin instead. That evening, the clouds that had followed us all day Saturday began to disappear, and by the time our alarms went off at 2:30am on Sunday morning, the skies had cleared and we were entertained with countless stars. We set off after a quick breakfast, heading towards Mt. Qilai South Peak (17km,

3,358m). Hikers have to move pretty fast to cover the 4km from cabin to peak in time for the sunrise. On the way we passed by a number of deer that had ventured out from night cover to forage. After a couple of hours, we reached the peak just in time for the sunrise over Taiwan’s high soaring mountains, reveling in its glory.

Wushe – (30 min. by car) – Lushan – (30 min. by car) – trailhead – (2 hrs) – Yunhai Line Station – (3.5 hrs) – Tianchi Cabin – (1.5 hrs) – Mt. Qilai South Peak

From Qilai’s south peak, you have the option to head north and bag several of Mt. Qilai’s other peaks, including the main peak (3,560m), and then end your trip at Mt. Hehuan’s Songxue Lodge (Prov. Hwy 14A). Another option is to hike to Mt. Nenggao (3,262m), south of Tianchi Cabin, or follow the Nenggao Historic Trail further east to reach Prov. Hwy 14 on the Hualien side.

English and Chinese

Safety and Practicalities Nenggao isn’t a technical hike, but it is in the high mountains, and it is recommended that anyone wishing to do the hike gets in contact with a hiking group to go on an organized trek with a guide.

Central Mountain Range 中央山脈 Lushan 廬山 Mt. Hehuan 合歡山 Mt. Nenggao 能高山 Mt. Qilai South Peak 奇萊主山南峰 Nenggao Historic Trail 能高古道 Songxue Lodge 松雪樓 Three Level Waterfall 三疊瀑布 Tianchi Cabin 天池山莊 Wushe 霧社 Yunhai Line Station 雲海保線所

Travel in Taiwan

SPECIAL REPORT

A clear indicator of the level of development of any society is how seniors and the physically/ mentally challenged are treated. In keeping with trends in all the leading countries of the world, over the past decade-plus Taiwan has taken great strides in ensuring public spaces are open to all, including seniors and the physically/mentally challenged, methodically improving quality of living for residents and the quality of the local travel environment for visitors. Guguan Hot-Spring Park

Examples

abound. Low-rider, low-step public buses have been put on the streets, and upcoming stops are clearly posted, as well as called out using automated systems, for rider convenience. In new metro, railway, and bus stations, as well as other publicuse buildings, ramps, escalators, and elevators are available wherever there are stairs. Older facilities are retro-fitted wherever possible. Dedicated personnel are available at all public-transportation facilities for all users who suffer difficulty of movement and require assistance. Metro trains and other trains are fitted with wheelchair-accessible carriages. Bicycle paths that double as walking paths have been systematically introduced around the country, easygrade in all but the most unusual circumstances to guarantee access to all. Well aware that Taiwan is now an aging society, and that the travel market for seniors and the physically/mentally challenged is surging, the Taiwan

Travel in Taiwan

Taiwan: ''Open'' to All Text: Rick Charette

Photos: Taiwan Tourism Bureau

Fulong

Sun Moon L ake

Fulong

Baishawan

ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL

Tourism Bureau and the administrations of the national scenic areas that it oversees are hard at work enhancing infrastructure and services to ensure the most rewarding and movement-free travel experience possible for those who choose Taiwan – and to entice those who may not have considered Taiwan previously. Under Tourism Bureau guidance, over 95 percent of tourist hotels in Taiwan have set up accessible facilities.

Tourism Bureau and National Scenic Areas Ensure Accessibility for Senior and Physically/Mentally Challenged Travelers

Accessible facilities, information, and direction signs are provided in national scenic areas. Demonstration routes for accessible tourism have already been set up in five national scenic areas, all chosen for their proximity to urban centers: North Coast and Guanyinshan, Northeast and Yilan Coast, Sun Moon Lake, Tri-Mountain, and Dapeng Bay. Information on the routes, as well as links to transportation options that are friendly to movementchallenged travelers, can be found on the Tourism Bureau website (www.taiwan. net.tw ); click on Travel Suggestions , then on Accessible Travel .

at a number of hotels with accessible rooms and facilities, in different price ranges, are also listed, along with info on accessible boat tours, a de rigueur Sun Moon Lake experience. In addition to the continued development of such routes, a wide range of hard and soft facilities have been revamped in national scenic areas to serve the physically/mentally challenged, elderly individuals confined to wheelchairs, and other movement-restricted individuals such as parents pushing babies in strollers, with such improvements also to continue. Some 176 such facilities, including barrier-free paths, hoisters, restrooms for the disabled, and special parking and wheelchair spaces were established in 2013. Welcoming Taiwan – open to you, and to all your loved ones.

By way Fulong

Fulong

of example, a 2-day tour has been set up at Sun Moon Lake, one of the nation’s most popular attractions, nestled in a basin in the low central mountains. You visit such hotspots as the Shuishe shopping area, a waterfront district of eateries and souvenir shops, enjoy the scenic waterside Xiangshan Trail and Bikeway (wheelchairs available free of charge), and take the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway (accessible facilities) over the hills to Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village. Transportation to Taichung from elsewhere in Taiwan is via Taiwan High Speed Rail train (accessible stations/carriages), and you can take an accessible coach bus to the lake. Options

Fulong

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SPECIAL REPORT

The Royal Treatment

Text: Rick Charette

Photos: Vision Int’l, Penghu National Scenic Area

Up until just ten or so years ago, the pretty Penghu Islands, floating about midway in the Taiwan Strait, were pretty much known only to people living in Taiwan, including expatriates with a fondness for Taiwan offshoreisland exploration. Other foreigners then started to come when word got out that some of Asia’s best windsurfing was to be enjoyed here. Even bigger change is now about to be launched, for the world’s cruise lines have become aware of the islands’ distinctive scenery and culture, a world apart from what you’ll experience in mainland Taiwan, and want to come a’calling.

International Cruise Lines Lining Up to Visit Penghu

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Getting the Royal Treatment Royal Caribbean International, the world’s largest cruise-line operator, has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Taiwan International Ports Co. to build a pier and terminal in Magong, Penghu’s main town, that will be able to handle its liners, including the Oasis of the Seas , the world’s largest. Royal Caribbean will invest over US$33 million in what is its first construction project in Asia, and is also formulating plans for a recreation area designed to further promote cruise tourism. The pier, which is to be 435 meters long, is expected to be put into service in the spring of 2016.

The existing Magong harbor facilities are at the same time being expanded and tourism infrastructure added. Discussions are also afoot regarding the building of a second pier, again in cooperation with Royal Caribbean. These plans have attracted the attention of other operators; the world’s major lines are intent on tapping into Asia’s rapidly expanding travel market. It is expected that, eventually, cruise ships will be bringing in as many as 8,000 to 10,000 visitors at a time. At the MoU signing, John Tercek, Royal Caribbean vice president of commercial development, said a

PENGHU

The Penghu Magic So what is it about Penghu that is making the globe’s cruise-line operators feel like they’ve found hidden treasure? Said Tercek: “We think Penghu has attributes that can be marketed … It is quite an attractive place, with beautiful beaches, culture, and food. The ports in Taiwan proper have interesting stories, but Penghu is more like a resort.” Here’s what Travel in Taiwan wrote in our most recent Feature article on the archipelago, The Penghu Pearls: Islands Close to Taiwan’s Heart, Yet a World Away, in our August 2013 issue:

key reason in targeting Penghu is its proximity to two of the operator’s base ports, Hong Kong and Xiamen. Increased traffic is expected in the near future from these ports, and ships may call on Penghu from as far away as Beijing and Shanghai, which are experiencing cruise-tour passenger growth of 15 percent per year.

“The Penghu Islands will be whatever you wish them to be. What is it you desire? Beach-action and water-play tour? Island-hopping tour? History tour? Seafood and fishing tour? … The islands are very much a world unto themselves, with a geology and culture wholly different from the Taiwan mainland. Characterized by small fishing ports and farm plots, the latter with earth-hugging crops such as peanuts, melons, and gourds because of the strong northern winter winds that blow down the Taiwan Strait, there are few towns, and just one “city,” Magong, population 56,000plus. You’ll see coral reefs along the shorelines, fine coral-sand beaches, low walls of coral protecting crops, and countless old residences with coral used as a primary building material. … You’ll also see (huge volcanic) basalt columns, by the thousands.”

Virtually all international travelguide publishers are enthusiastic boosters, including the Michelin Green Guide Taiwan , which bestows a coveted two-star rating:

“… a place of rare natural beauty, with dramatic seascapes, sandy beaches and gentle grass covered hills … famous for its sea birds, nesting sea turtles and other wildlife … It is historic as well, (with) abandoned forts, atmospheric temples, and traditional villages ….” Get the picture? No need to wait until the cruise ships begin to roll in. There are regular f lights from mainland Taiwan. For more info, visit taiwan.net. tw, www.penghu-nsa.gov.tw, and www. penghu.gov.tw.

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Harb or in Penghu Water fun Firewheel f lowers Beach on Wang'an Island Sea tur tle

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TOP TEN TAIWAN TOURS

A Place to

R elax

Exploring Scenic and Cultural Attractions in Hualien and the East Rift Valley Text: Joe Henley

Photos: Sachiko Kishimoto

But te r f ly Valley Rarese e d Ranch

But te r f ly Valley Resor t

Rarese e d Ranch Saoba Ruins

But ter f ly Valley

Hualien Sugar Fac tor y

HUALIEN

On Taiwanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s east side, between Yilan County to the north and Taitung County to the south lies the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest county, Hualien. This place is long on area and short on people, with just over 300,000 of the country's approximately 23 million people calling it home. That means that with one-eighth of Taiwan's total land and just a small fraction of Taiwan's population, Hualien gives residents plenty of space to live, and visitors much land to explore.

Fuyuan Water fall Wuhe Tea Plantat ion

Hualien Sugar Fac tor y

Hualie n Sugar Fac tor y

TOP TEN TAIWAN TOURS

The region

was called by the Han Chinese settlers that “Huilan” began arriving in the mid-19th century, a word that translates as "eddies," referring to the swirling waters of its short, twisting rivers, tumbling down from the peaks of today’s Taroko National Park and Yushan, or Mt. Jade, Taiwan's tallest peak. These waters satiate the thirst of the tremendously fecund land that produces the county's great agricultural and environmental bounty, twin treasures that today attract visitors to this place of abundant natural beauty. Before we get to the natural wonders elsewhere, let's start in the county's main urban center, Hualien City. Getting there is easy and direct via Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) trains leaving from the cities of Taipei in the north or Kaohsiung in the south. The fastest trains (Puyuma Express) need just two hours for the Taipei to Hualien run (NT$440 one way). From Hualien City you can either continue south on the train through the East Rift Valley – headed for the city of Taitung – or use the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle network, hopping on a Hualien Route bus (www.taiwantrip.com.tw/Besttour/ Info/?id=36 ), which goes as far as the Danong Dafu Forest Park. Sun and surf lovers will want to check out Qixingtan, a well-known beach area at the north end of the city. With the northern mountains of the Central Mountain Range for a backdrop and the blue waters of the Pacific to look out upon, the beach is known for its smooth white-and-black gravel. On clear days you can also see the spectacular Qingshui Cliff to the north. This is also an ideal spot to watch the sunrise, or look up at the stars at night. Another good location for watching the sunrise is coastside Beibin Park, south of Hualien’s harbor. Going there is a good excuse to take a trip along the Hualien City Coastal Bikeway, a bicycle path that, as the name promises, winds along the coastline.

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Beyond enjoyment of nature’s art, Hualien also offers much for lovers of manmade art to appreciate. Stop by the Hualien County Stone Sculpture Museum (http://stone.hccc.gov.tw/ ), west of the harbor, to learn all about Hualien's history as an important center of stone art thanks to its ready supply of malleable forms of rock such as marble, jade, and rose stone. From the city, we move south into the heart of rural Hualien County. Our first stop in the idyllic, north-south East Rift Valley, which is framed by the Central and Coastal mountain ranges, is Guangfu. As with countless other small towns in Taiwan, Guangfu was built on the backs of hardworking men and women toiling in blue-collar industries that shaped an economy far different from the one today led by glittering producers of semiconductors and sophisticated high-tech consumer-electronics gadgets. In Guangfu, you can take a trip back in time to when towns were centered on factories focused on simpler, more rugged technologies, where men and women would flock every morning to put in an honest day's worth of sweat and toil. One of those factories is the Hualien Sugar Factory (www.hualiensugar. com.tw ), also called the Guangfu Sugar Factory. Sugar production stopped here in 2002, and today tourists can meander the grounds to learn how sugar was taken from cane to burlap sack to packet. Tours in English can be arranged if you call in advance or contact the factory via its website. These guided excursions cost NT$100 per person, with a popsicle thrown in at the end, or NT$120 if you would rather have ice cream – the factory now produces the latter summer treat in a variety of savory traditional and unique flavors. Try the wasabi version if you fancy giving your taste buds a wake-up call. The tours take between an hour and 90 minutes. The Japanese-style dorms that once housed workers have been converted into inn-style rooms, and Guangfu is as good a place as any

in Hualien to hang your hat for the night before continuing on your way. A short distance away is Danongdafu Forest Park, a lyrically scenic expanse spread out over the rift-valley floor that has become popular with cyclists in recent years; the bicycle path that winds through is a treed corridor framed by maple and various species that runs over five kilometers, ideal for a leisurely family outing.

N ext u p,

one of the crown jewels of Hualien, Butterf ly Valley and Butterf ly Valley Resort (www. bvr.com.tw ), within Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area. From March to August each year, the valley comes alive with the colors of the delicate wings of butterf lies from various species as they take f light and alight on the valley's lush plant life. Hiking trails run throughout the valley, with routes running as short as 800 meters up to around 1.5 kilometers. The resort has an outdoor hot-spring pool and spa to relax in, open to guests and non-guests alike. One of the most popular trails follows the Fuyuan River, also known as the White River for its clear waters. The highlight is at its culmination – Fuyuan Waterfall (Longyin Waterfall). Like the butterflies that populate the area, the waterfall has a certain delicate character, spurting in a thin stream through a crack in the towering stone monolith rising above the rushing river below. The nearest train station is Fuyuan Railway Station, approximately 3km from the resort. The resort has a pickup service for guests and, should you not be staying overnight, taxis wait at the station to shuttle tourists to the recreation area. For non-guests, a pass for the hiking trails is available for NT$100. If you're a city slicker and looking for a bit of rugged rural sporting adventure, head further down south to Ruisui, a hotspot for adrenaline junkies

HUALIEN and outdoor enthusiasts, the launchpoint for white-water rafting on the Xiuguluan River. Ruisui is also home to dairy farms, one of which is Rareseed Ranch (www.rareseed.com.tw ). It's a working dairy farm that's a good place to snap some pictures with the blackand-white cows as main attractions, as well as a pair of ostriches that share the grassland with their bovine sisters. The farm also churns out various milk-based goodies such as ice cream, cheesecake, and bread, all of which are available at the ranch cafe – along with good oldfashioned milk itself, of course. Just a few minutes' drive away from the ranch are a couple of attractions worth at least a quick look. First are the Saoba Ruins, a pair of ancient stones jutting out of the ground that were placed there by an ancient people somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 years ago, according to archeologists' best estimates. These stones, several meters in height, offer a glimpse into the New Stone Age culture of Taiwan. Here, the view of the confluence of the Xiuguluan and Hongye rivers far below on the valley floor, mountains in the background, is alone worth the journey. Just down the road from here is a Tropic of Cancer Marker, one of three such monuments in Taiwan showing where the invisible line runs across the island.

What is the main consequence of being on the Tropic of Cancer, other than finding yourself enjoying an agreeble subtropical climate? According to the Japanese, during their rule of Taiwan as a colony from the late 19th century until the end of WWII, the tropic was the best place to grow the perfect coffee bean. For an example of that belief in action today, stop off at Wuhe Tea Plantation, just a few minutes down the road from the TOC marker. Coffee beans and tea leaves have been cultivated at this farm for over 100 years, and today the harvest is 100-percent organic. Oolong tea, green tea, honey black tea, and the farm's own Princess Coffee brand are available for sample and sale. A couple of other products the Ruisui region is famous for, pomelos and oranges, are also grown here. Take a time-out to learn about tea and coffee culture with a walk around the grounds. Free tours are available with a reservation, and for NT$350 you can try harvesting coffee, tea, or pomelos, and attempt some DIY coffee-making. Whatever you choose to do, take time to sit and relax on the farm's roofed observation deck and look out over the valley, the mountain peaks, and if your luck holds true, an endless stretch of blue sky. Hualien is all about two things – the space in which to relax, and the time in

which that feeling of calm can truly be enjoyed. Just take your time, and let it all sink in. For more info about Hualien, visit the websites of the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area (www.erv-nsa.gov.tw ) and East Coast National Scenic Area (www. eastcoast-nsa.gov.tw ).

English and Chinese Beibin Park 北濱公園 Butterfly Valley (Resort) 蝴蝶谷 ( 溫泉渡假村 ) Central Mountain Range 中央山脈 Coastal Mountain Range 海岸山脈 Danongdafu Forest Park 大農大富平地森林園區 East Rift Valley 花東縱谷 Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area 富源國家森林遊樂區 Fuyuan River 富源溪 Fuyuan Station 富源車站 Fuyuan Waterfall 富源瀑布 (Longyin Waterfall 龍吟瀑布 ) Guangfu 光復 Guangfu Sugar Factory 光復糖廠 Hongye River 紅葉溪 Hualien Sugar Factory 花蓮觀光糖廠 Hualien City Coastal Bikeway 花蓮市海岸自行車道 Hualien County Stone Sculpture Museum 花蓮縣石雕博物館 Huilan 洄瀾 Qingshui Cliff 清水斷崖 Qixingtan 七星潭 Rareseed Ranch 瑞穗牧場 Ruisui 瑞穗 Saoba Ruins 掃叭石柱 Tropic of Cancer Marker 北回歸線標誌 Wuhe Tea Plantation 舞鶴茶園 Xiuguluan River 秀姑巒溪

Tang Spa Resort

The best beauty hot spring with the most enjoyment together Tang Spa Resort is located at the foot of Guanyinshan which is a volcano 200 thousands years ago. The quality of our hot spring contain large amount of HCO3, 767mg/kg. It is twice much as Japanese beauty hot spring water. And the PH is 7.8. This made our hot spring water to be the best one in Taiwan.

Enjoy Various Hot Spring Facilities At One Time Night Market with All Kinds of Entertainments for You Formosa WonderWorld CO.,LTD. Address: No.112, Sec. 3, ZhongShan Road,Pali District, New Taipei City, 24941,Taiwan Tel: (02)2610-5200 Fax: (02)2610-1885 http://www.formosafuncoast.com.tw

Operating hours: 10:00-22:00 To enjoy our Hibiscus Garden (public pools), swimming suits is required.To enjoy our Maple Bridge’s Night (private hot spring room), food and beverage, shop at souvenirs stores and game center, charges would be applied.

SPECIAL REPORT

Travel Taiwan, Film Taiwan! Tourism Bureau and Google Team Up to Present the Beauty of Taiwan

Text: Editorial Department

Photos: Taiwan Tourism Bureau

Are you coming to Taiwan in the near future? Are you going to bring your camera, smartphone, or other recording equipment? If the answer to both questions is Yes, read on. There is a big contest going on, and there’s a chance that (a big chunk of) your travel expenses will be covered as reward for your efforts, and that you will win a grand prize of even greater value! (From right) W. J. Hsieh, Direc tor General of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau; Scot t Beaument, Managing Direc tor, Google Greater China; and Stanley Chen, General Manager, Google Taiwan, at the k ick- of f press conference of the Film Taiwan, Ac tion! campaign.

This August, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau announced that it is cooperating with online searchengine giant Google in the running of a global Taiwan promotion campaign on YouTube. The campaign is entitled “Anytime for Taiwan – Film Taiwan, Action!” and asks for the participation of you, the traveler. All you need to do is film your travel experience in this wonderful land and upload your video to the dedicated channel set up by the Tourism Bureau on YouTube (www.youtube.com/ user/taiwanbesttrip). If your submission is well received, you may well be the recipient of a cash award to cover part of your travel expenses, and in addition have a chance at the grand prize. Sound good?

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Here is what you have to do in order to participate:

1. Register online and agree to the Terms and Conditions of the event. 2. Buy a return airplane ticket to Taiwan. 3. Visit Taiwan and film your Taiwan travel experience. 4. Create a video and upload it to your personal YouTube channel. 5. Submit your video to the Tourism Bureau’s YouTube channel. After this, if you get the number of votes needed, you will receive prize money. Beyond the above, there are certain important things to note. Participants need

to be holders of a foreign passport. You need to present a return economy-class airplane ticket to Taiwan. The maximum amount you can receive in prize money cannot exceed the price of your airplane ticket. Videos must be shot in 2014 or 2015 and must be submitted before August 14, 2015. You can submit up to three videos. You will receive a cash prize only if more than 1,000 people vote for your video on the YouTube channel of the Tourism Bureau within 30 days of submission (Likes on your private channel don’t count). Cash prizes will be given out until the total amount of prize money allotted for this event (NT$2 million) has been used up (so don’t wait too long before sending in your videos).

PROMOTION CAMPAIGN

The top 10 vote-getters from among submitted videos will advance to a final round, from which the Tourism Bureau will choose the winner of a round-the-world plane ticket! You will no doubt be confident that your video will be among the best, so note that the grand prize will be given for one of the entries receiving the most votes. The top 10 vote-getters from among submitted videos w ill advance to a final round, from which the Tourism Bureau will choose the winner of a round-the-world plane ticket!

Two Wheels, Time to Shop, Time to Eat, Time for Nature – giving you an idea of what type of videos the Tourism Bureau hopes to receive. There have already been submissions, so you might want to check out what other travelers/videographers have created before you go out and craft your own work of art.

On the event’s

In the Time for Love category, you might add a video showing you and your loved one(s) traveling in Taiwan. There are numerous locations around Taiwan suitable for filming romantic scenes, for example a marvelous sunset in Tamsui or Alishan during the cherry-blossom season. Any video that showcases places and things in Taiwan that makes your eyes sparkle fit in the Time to Marvel category, be it the impressive Taipei 101 skyscraper or the breathtaking Taroko Gorge. Time for Two Wheels is for videos in which you explore Taiwan on a bicycle (or a motor scooter). You could film yourself riding a publicrental YouBike around Taipei City or, if you are a serious biker, your attempt

YouTube channel you can see the following categories for videos – Time for Love, Time to Marvel, Time for

at circling the island or challenging yourself on a climb up to Wuling, the highest point of any highway in mountainous Taiwan. In other categories you can focus on other aspects that make visiting Taiwan worthwhile, shopping till you drop, sampling the best of Taiwan’s culinary riches, or going on eco-tours to experience the wonderful Taiwan world of birds and butterf lies. You don’t have to be a professional videographer to take part, and you don’t have to buy expensive equipment to shoot and edit great videos. The idea is not to be perfect, but to share your favorite experiences of traveling in Taiwan with others. So feel free to use your smartphone if you don’t have an expensive camera or other nifty dedicated equipment. The point is to always remember – HAVE FUN! Read the detailed Terms and Conditions for the event here: https:// anytimefortaiwan.eventaiwan.tw/ moreinformation.html . Travel in Taiwan

INDIGENOUS ARTISTS

Indigenous artist Nadolan of the Truku is an expert weaver who continues the weaving traditions of her tribe. Travel in Taiwan visited her in Hualien to find out more about her creations. Text: Cheryl Robbins

Photos: Sachiko Kishimoto

In Hualien

County, nestled near the coastal entrance to Taroko Gorge is Xiulin Village, the residents of which are mostly from the indigenous Truku Tribe. This is the birthplace of Hu Xiu-lan, whose Truku name is Nadolan, which means “one who often falls down.” In the naming traditions of her tribe, the characteristics or expectations of the child are taken into consideration. Nadolan was quite clumsy when she was young, and it was her grandmother who gave her this name.

However, she has grown up to be a very skilled weaver. At the age of 12 her mother encouraged Nadolan to watch her weave, and at age 16 the youngster began weaving on her own, using a modern, manual loom. It was not until the age of 30 that she began to weave on a traditional loom. The Truku Tribe has strong weaving traditions. Truku women have traditionally woven cloth of complicated patterns on a simple horizontal backstrap loom. This loom features a hollow wooden base to which a weaving frame and strap that fits around the back are attached. Women sit on the ground with their feet pressed up against the base, leaning forward or backward to adjust the tension. They use fibers from the ramie plant, an East Asia fiber plant similar to hemp, which they cultivate themselves. The process used to obtain, prepare, and dye these fibers is quite long and difficult. Nadolan notes that due to this, Truku women cherish them, adding, “That is why everything that we weave is beautiful.” Although Nadolan left her village for a period of more than 15 years to pursue a career in music, she did not stop learning

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Owls and Boars and practicing weaving techniques. When she became proficient enough, and her works became sought-after, she returned to her village and opened the Nadolan Studio in 2000. Since then, she has focused her efforts exclusively on this traditional art form, the third generation of her family to do so. It is not just the traditional techniques that Nadolan hopes to preserve, but the tribe’s motifs as well. She has learned traditional Truku patterns from her

mother and other women in her village. For example, rhombuses are a very important Truku motif, as they represent the “eyes of the ancestors” and as such are considered to provide protection. There are more than 70 rhombus patterns. When used on clothing they are small, and it is difficult to differentiate them; thus, one of her favorite works is a large tapestry on which five rhombus patterns have been enlarged so that their variations are clear. This is a purely artistic work. In recent years, she has created more and more such pure artworks,

WEAVING

features, such as the eyes, snout, and ears, are made with woven cloth that features a traditional rhombus pattern. Nadolan says that according to her grandmother, the owl, another important Truku symbol, is a protector of women, especially pregnant women. An owl will perch on the roof of the home of a pregnant woman, and can determine the sex of the unborn child, which it reveals through its calls. Her owl-theme handbags feature the triangular shape of the owl head, and owl patterns are included in the woven cloth used to make them. Other popular Nadolan Studio items are long woven strips of cloth that can be used as table runners or scarves.

A secondary inspiration for her products comes from her travels throughout Taiwan and abroad. “We are careful not to lose our local cultural elements,” she says. “We have two main themes, wild boar and owl, and they will continue to be important, but there can be some variations.” Nadolan also listens to customer feedback. For example, she is working to develop woven camera straps, after one customer commented that they are much softer than conventional leather straps and suggested she make indigenoustheme versions.

Preservation of Truku Tribe Weaving Traditions – A Family Business which have been shown in exhibitions around Taiwan and in mainland China. Nevertheless, since the establishment of her studio Nadolan has primarily concentrated on creating modern and functional products for everyday use, the most popular is an award-winning series of handbags based on boar and owl themes. The wild boar has long been an important game animal among many of Taiwan’s indigenous tribes, including the Truku, and a key offering at many traditional

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Bag with owl motif Bags with wild b oar motif Weaving ar tist Nadolan Owl purses Wine b ot tle covers

ceremonies and celebrations. Obtaining a wild boar is not easy nowadays, as over time hunting and human population growth have reduced their numbers and made them more and more reclusive. In response, some indigenous people have turned to raising them. In addition to being more docile, many domesticated boars even fail to grow tusks. On Nadolan’s handbags, the main color of her boar motifs is black, representing the coarse black fur of the animal. Other

Nadolan

is not the only member of her family who develops and produces woven products. Her son, Jiang Bo Li Han, has also taken up this art form. According to Truku cultural tradition, males are not allowed to touch a weaving loom. This taboo is interpreted as applying solely to traditional looms, so he learned how to weave on a modern manual loom rather than a horizontal backstrap loom. As a teenager, he helped his mother to sell her works, which stimulated his interest in weaving. He began to learn how to weave when he was in high school, and upon graduation made the decision to stay in his village and help out with the family business. He says that although the loom

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INDIGENOUS ARTISTS

he uses is not traditional, he is helping to preserve traditional Truku culture, and while the response to his interest in weaving has not always been positive among the residents of his village, due to his gender, he has persisted with the support of his mother. Teaching others to weave is a priority for both mother and son. Nadolan teaches students of all ages, from those in elementary school age to the elderly, while her son teaches at a vocational college. Visitors to the studio can learn about Truku culture and weaving by participating in a variety of DIY activities, including the use of a manual loom to produce a woven work of art.

Nadolan notes that her business has outgrown her current studio space. Thus, she is planning to construct a larger facility on a piece of land provided by her older brother. The new complex will include a workshop area, DIY classroom, showroom, and place for preparing and serving meals of indigenous cuisine.

“When you get to that point of breakthrough and create something of beauty – that feeling is indescribable.” English and Chinese Hu Xiu-lan 胡秀蘭 Jiang Bo Li Han 將博里漢 Taroko Gorge 太魯閣峽谷 Truku Tribe 太魯閣族 Xiulin Village 秀林村

Weaving is difficult, she states, especially when it comes to maintaining proper proportions. Before the work begins, it is necessary to draw a design sketch, used to determine proportions in advance. Although weaving is a timeconsuming and difficult art form, Nadolan notes that, “When you get to that point of breakthrough and create something of beauty – that feeling is indescribable.”

Nadolan Studio ( 那都蘭工作室 ) Add: 40, Neighborhood 11, Xiulin Rd., Xiulin Village, Xiulin Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣秀林鄉秀林村秀林路 11 鄰 40 號 ) Tel: (038) 612-213; (0912) 243-040

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1. 2. 3. 4.

Nadolan's son Jiang Bo Li Han Cute figurines Woven p ouches Woven bracelets

OLD STYLE/NEW IDEAS

Hats and Mats Traditional Rush Weaving in Yuanli Township Text: Owain Mckimm

Photos: Maggie Song

Rush weaving has a long tradition in Miaoli County’s Yuanli Township. Travel in Taiwan recently visited the weavers of Yuanli to find out more about this fascinating craft.

Seventy-two-

year-old Liu Cai-yun is sitting on a low stool weaving a mat. Her hands move busily, quickly plaiting strands of triangle rush into a dense mesh of overs and unders. Beneath the blur of her hands, a pattern slowly emerges – the distinctive zigzagging crisscross of the “two-over-one” weave. By varying the weave, she tells me, she can create patterns such as “pineapple skin”, “turtle shell”, “horse’s teeth”, or “Chinese coin.” Around her, the workroom bustles. The weavers of the Taiwan Yuan-li Handiwork Association, all of them women, most of them middle-aged, are hard at work. Some sit on the floor also weaving mats; others sit on stools weaving handbags or hats or small trinkets; and a few are pounding rushes with a club in preparation for weaving. All chatter and laugh and gossip – but their hands move fluidly all the while. The workshop is situated at the back of a temple in the Shanjiao Borough of Yuanli Township in Miaoli County. Yuanli has had a reputation as the home of rush weaving in Taiwan for several centuries, Chen Zhi-xuan, the workshop’s project manager, tells us. The craft was pioneered

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Rush weaver Liu Cai-yun

by members of Taiwan’s plains-dwelling indigenous tribes, who made practical items like mats, bags, and pouches from reeds and rushes gathered from the banks of the Da’an River, which borders Yuanli Township. “The Han Chinese, who came later, learned these skills from the indigenous tribespeople,” says Chen, “and over time added their own ideas and developed their own techniques.” The rushes were also taken from their natural habitats – wetlands, riverbanks, and estuaries – and transferred to paddy fields, where they could be selectively cultivated for strength and suppleness. The variety of rush used by the weavers of Yuanli, known as the “triangle rush,” is particular to the area around and just north of the Da’an River. Chen

Shopping bag with but ter f ly and bird motif

tells my travel companions and I that attempts to grow the rush elsewhere have resulted in plants of inferior quality that have not been as supple or as fragrant after drying as those grown in the paddy fields of Yuanli. When fully grown, each stem is about 180 cm long, and has a distinctly triangular cross-section – hence its name. The stems are flexible, but not robust enough to be processed by machine; weaving the rush by hand is therefore a must.

RUSH WEAVING

The association grows its own rushes in a paddy field near its workshop, with three harvests a year. Members plant the rush early in the year, take the first harvest around May, the second around September, and the third around November. Liu says that the rushes gathered in the second harvest are of optimal quality, and so these are the ones used for making complex, high-priced items like hats and mats. The shorter, thinner stems harvested in the late autumn are used for more basic items. Throughout the 18th and 19 th centuries, Yuanli’s rush-weaving industry largely remained a local affair.

The industry began to boom, however, during the period when Taiwan was under Japanese colonial rule (1895~1945). According to local legend, a weaver named Hong Yang had a son whose head was ridden with sores, and who was plagued by flies and mosquitoes. To protect him from these pests, she wove a hat from the local rushes. The hat was admired not only by her peers, but also by the Japanese officials who supervised the town. Hong was encouraged to teach the other weavers how she had made the headwear, which resembled a Western dress hat, and the resulting products were exported to Japan as luxury handmade items. The “Taiwanese Panama hat,”

Yuanli has had a reputation as the home of rush weaving in Taiwan for several centuries Simple shopping bags

as it was known, became an instant hit in Japan, and after a few years up to 700,000 hats were being produced and exported to Japan annually. During the Japanese era, weaving was a lucrative vocation for the women of Yuanli, Chen says. “They could earn even more than men. And as such, when a woman who could weave got married, her family would receive a larger-thanusual sum of betrothal money from her husband-to-be, as she would end up earning a lot of money for the family she was marrying into.” Liu, like most girls born during that time, began weaving around age eight. “I’d come home from school and help my mother with her weaving,” she says. “During that time, just about everyone in the town was involved in the industry, and the skills would be passed down from mother to daughter.” After Taiwan’s retrocession to Nationalist China in 1945, however, the industry went into a slow decline. With the loss of the Japanese market, and mechanization/industrialization

Sit ting cushion

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OLD STYLE/NEW IDEAS

The association produces purses, notebooks, pillowcases, tablet covers, smartphone pouches, pencil cases, bookmarks, hand fans – all, of course, handmade making cheaper products available, by the 1970s Yuanli’s hat-and-mat industry was almost completely moribund, and most of the young weavers had become factory workers, contributing to the manufacturing boom that led to Taiwan’s reputation as one of the later 20th century’s Four Asian Tigers.

again. And after securing government funding, and holding weaving classes to pique the interest of Yuanli denizens, the Taiwan Yuan-li Handiwork Association now has a full-time salaried team of craftswomen, who work with young Taiwanese designers to create objects for the association’s own line of products.

Then, around the turn of the millennium, something changed. A retired teacher named Ye Wen-hui set out to revive Yuanli’s former glory days as the rush-weaving capital of Taiwan. “The first thing Director Ye had to do was to find people who knew how to weave,” Chen says. “Weaving had been dead for around 30 years, but he managed to find some of the older generation who still remembered how to do it.” From there, the local industry began, slowly, to bloom

the traditional staples of hats, mats, and bags, the association produces purses, notebooks, pillowcases, tablet covers, smartphone pouches, pencil cases, bookmarks, hand fans – all, of course, handmade. Some of these products are pure rush; others have but a hint, with the tactile yellow patches of weave used as decorative appliqué. One of the most striking items is a hand-woven hand fan

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As well as

– not just because of the mind-boggling spiral weave that makes the surface of the fan seem like ripples in a pool, but for the intense fragrance of fresh straw and honey that exudes from it as you waft. This intoxicating scent – particular to Yuanli’s triangle rush – only manifests after the rush has been harvested and dried in the sun for anywhere up to a month. The sunshine is also responsible for the rush’s soft golden hue. After sun-drying, the rushes are put into storage until needed by the weavers. “When we want to use the rushes, the first step is to strip them,” says Liu. She takes a needle, pierces the rush just below one of its three corners, and strips it away from the pith. She does this for each of the corners, and the pith is discarded. “Then, we pound the stems to make

RUSH WEAVING them more pliable, and roll them to get rid of any of the pith that’s still stuck to the stems. After that we spray them with water so they don’t split. Then we can start weaving.” This processing is part of what makes the rushes so durable. Liu says that, if cared for correctly, rush-woven products can last for decades. One of the most interesting qualities of the triangle rush is its remarkable ability to absorb sweat

and dispel heat. Many of the association’s products have been designed especially with this function in mind. The bed mats, pillow cases, and hats, for example, are perfectly suited to Taiwan’s hot, humid summers, allowing users to remain relatively cool during the island’s more climatically challenging months.

era dormitories opposite the temple. A 30-minute DIY session is available for NT$80. You can also visit the nearby Yuan-li County Triangle Rush Exhibition Hall, set up by the Yuanli Farmers’ Association, for a detailed history of the industry.

Visitors to Yuanli can stop in at the association’s exhibition rooms, open on weekends, in a set of Japanese-

1. Work shop of the Taiwan Yuan-li Handiwork A ssociation 2. Rush weaving 3. Intricately woven straw hats

Taiwan Yuan-li Handiwork Association ( 台灣藺草學會 ) Add: 378, Neighborhood 14, Shanjiao Borough, Yuanli Township, Miaoli County ( 苗栗縣苑裡鎮山腳里 14 鄰 378 號 ) Tel: (037) 744-252 Website: www.facebook.com/trianglarlin Exhibition Rooms Opening Hours: 9 am~12 noon, 1 pm~5 pm (weekends only) Yuan-li County Triangle Rush Exhibition Hall ( 藺草文化館 ) Add: 99, Wanli Rd., Yuanli Township, Miaoli County ( 苗栗縣苑裡鎮灣麗路 99 號 ) Tel: (037) 741-319 Hours: 9 am~5 pm (closed Mondays)

English and Chinese

Getting There

Chen Zhi-xuan 陳芷萱 Cihu Temple 慈護宮 Da’an River 大安溪 Hong Yang 洪鴦 Liu Cai-yun 劉彩雲 triangle rush 三角藺草 Ye Wen-hui 葉文輝 Yuanli 苑裡

Yuanli can be reached easily by train. Direct trains leave from Taipei, and the journey takes 2 to 2½ hours depending on the type of train. To get to the Taiwan Yuan-li Handiwork Association workshop, it’s best to take a taxi from the station. There is a taxi stand just to the right of the station exit. Tell the driver to take you to Cihu Temple.

Your Journey Begins Here

www.mytaiwantour.com

FOOD JOURNEY

Orange Country The Daylilies of Taimali

Text: Joe Henley

Photos: Sachiko Kishimoto

In late summer, the orange blossoms of daylilies cover the rolling hills of Taimali, a township in southeastern Taiwan. Visiting the area, you can enjoy a great combination of marvelous scenery and unique cuisine.

TAITUNG

Toward the

southern end of Taitung County lies a coastal strip of land fronted by the endless blue waters of the Pacific and backed by the southern mountains of the Central Mountain Range. With a history of human settlement going back a millennium, Taimali Township, the main village of which is located on a coastal alluvial plain, first attracted an indigenous people, ancestors of the Paiwan Tribe, later followed by others. Thanks to its abundant sunlight and fertile soil, Taimali today remains a place where numerous agricultural products are grown. Chief among them are the bright orange-and-gold daylilies, which carpet the steep mountainsides and manmade terraces during the summer months. Stepping out of the small Taimali Railway Station after a quick 20-minute trip from Taitung City, I was greeted by an expansive view of the sea spread out before me, beyond a wide street angling down toward the sparkling water. However, I was not headed down toward the beach, but up into the hills to Jinzhen (Daylily) Mountain. In order to reach the daylily farms, my traveling companions and I had arranged for a taxi to shuttle us around for the day. However, during the flower season (August~ September) there are also tourist buses that take travelers on day-trips to the various farms dotting the mountain. Up we climbed, slowly traversing a winding road higher and higher into the hills. Stopping at a viewing point beside a roadside watermelon stand, we took in a vista encompassing Green Island to the north and Lanyu (Orchid Island) to the south. Signs pointed the way to the “Flowers Route,” but we had yet to sight any specimens of our soil-bound quarry. Then, as we hit an elevation of around 600 meters above sea level, there they were, blossoming petals curling up and outward, black stamens raised toward the life-giving orb blazing brightly in

2 the early-morning sky. After a drive of around 25 minutes, we had entered daylily country.

Our first stop was the farm that

Ching Shan Farm, started the floral feast, so to speak, in this idyllic corner of Taiwan. The family that runs the farm, which came to the region from the county of Chiayi in Taiwan’s southwest, was the first to cultivate daylilies here, back in the early 1950s. When others saw the family’s success they soon followed suit, and the hills took on a rapidly expanding late-summer orange hue set against the deep green of the dominant mountain foliage. Even at Ching Shan Farm's modest elevation the weather is noticeably cooler than that at sea level, a pleasant surprise on an otherwise sweltering summer day. Butterflies, some as large as small birds, flitted about among

the wide patches of blossoms tumbling down toward the valley below. Our table at the farm's restaurant afforded us an impressive view of mountain and sea. Ching Shan Farm specializes in dishes made using the daylily as the main ingredient. We first sampled some daylily soup, the broth reminiscent of vegetable soup, with the faint but noticeable natural sweetness of the lily adding a pleasant floral note. Next was daylily buns, also just a touch sweet, nicely complimented by cheese added to the dough for contrast. Then there were fresh-fried daylily buds, their seasoning countering the sweet highlights with an appealing savoriness. Smooth jazz played softly over the restaurant's sound system as we sat back, sipped on cups of coffee, and watched white clouds roll slowly down the mountain slopes. Ching Shan Farm is a place to slow down, take in the

4 1. Daylily farmer Peng You-fu and his son Peng Jun-zi 2. Mountain scener y at Taimali 3. Daylilies deep -fried 4. Daylily soup

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FOOD JOURNEY saccharine scent of flowers on the breeze, and contemplate the impossible beauty laid out before you.

Our next stop

took us further up the mountain road, the slow drive allowing more time to appreciate the tranquil isolation and peace that only such stone sanctuaries can provide. Continuing along the Flower Route, we drove upward for another 20 minutes or so, rounding the end of the valley that rises from Taimali village to the side opposite Ching Shan Farm. Where the road ends, we came upon the humble stone-and-mortar structure named Shitou (Stone) Farm. As we walked past buds laid out on large stretches of black canvas to dry in the sun, we were greeted by Peng You-fu, the farm's patriarch. At 75 years of age, he is a humble, friendly man showing no signs whatsoever of advancing years slowing his stride. Together with his son, Peng Jun-zi, he has worked this land for somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 years, and still shows the reverence and passion – not just for his work, but for its surrounding culture as well – that you might better expect of someone just starting out. The Pengs, Jr. and Sr., took us through their daily routine, flipping buds that had been laid out on flat wooden racks to dry in the sun, placing an empty rack on top of one covered in buds, then turning it over and placing it back down on the ground, resting on wooden beams. In the drying process the buds lose their orange color, turning a whitishbrown. Jun-zi showed us how they could be eaten raw, offering us some from a handful scooped straight from one of the racks. Indeed, they were soft with a slight crispness to them, something like a legume, and had a natural sweetness similar to that of fruits with a low fructose and glucose content. We had actually caught the pair in mid-process. These buds had already been steamed in an aluminum vessel

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placed in a spot overlooking the valley, with a wood-burning fire pit dug into the slope below it. It is the small innovations that make the master, and Jun-zi explained how the steamer is of his own design, built by hand to ensure that smoke escapes and the water that collects on the roof of the vessel runs down its sloped sides and away from the container. This method of preparing daylilies is all-natural – “organic” in the modern parlance.

from the family's own garden. The tea is not for sale, they say. It is something to be shared with friends and family. We then took a leisurely stroll around the grounds, father and son looking upon hills they've known for decades as though seeing them with fresh eyes. If a man like Peng You-fu can still look at these hills in such a way, imagine how they will look to you when seeing them for the first time.

When You Go: The process of steaming and drying the buds takes about two-and-a-half days. From start to finish it is a carefully orchestrated symphony of perfect timing. The buds, even after being harvested, are still alive, and will open after midnight that same day unless steamed. During our visit in late August, the Pengs were in the midst of their peak season, lasting from mid-August through September. Jun-zi confided that recently he had been able to sleep for only four hours a night due to the heavy workload he and his father endured. When asked why they did not hire additional hands, he said they had tried bringing in an outside man only once, but had to let him go. The reason: he wasn't committed enough, as Jun-zi put it democratically, an easy smile lighting up his dark complexion, tanned by years of working outdoors alongside his father. Officially joining the family business over 20 years ago, Junzi first began accompanying his father, a former truck driver who transported daylilies around Taiwan from the farms of Taimali, in his fields when he was still in elementary school. The two have been working side by side ever since.

TRA trains run from Taitung City to Taimali township (20 min., NT$53). If you're driving to Taimali, just follow Provincial Highway No. 9 south from Taitung. For transportation into the mountains, it is possible to book a private taxi driver for the day or for a single one-way trip. Inquire at the train station, and negotiate the price with the driver. A single trip to one of the farms is NT$600-800, depending on the location of the farm; if you hire a driver for half a day, the fare is about NT$2,500. Note that there are numerous homestays (B&Bs) and hotels in Taimali township.

Later, we sat

Ching Shan Farm ( 青山農場 ) Add: 196, Jialun, Dawang Village (Jinzhen Mountain), Taimali Township, Taitung County ( 台東縣太麻里鄉大王村佳菕 196 號 ) Tel: (089) 781-677, 782-078 Website: www.ching3.com.tw

on concrete benches around a flat boulder the two use as a table, which overlooks their crops on the mountainside. Heavy clouds rolled downward past our elevation of over 1,000 meters, dropping short sprinklings of rain on the fields as they moved through. Peng Sr. poured us tea, using small, white porcelain cups, made from leaves plucked

English and Chinese Central Mountain Range 中央山脈 Flower Route 賞花路線 Jinzhen (Daylily) Mountain 金針山 Green Island 綠島 Lanyu (Orchid Island) 蘭嶼 Paiwan Tribe 排灣族 Peng Jun-zi 彭俊智 Peng You-fu 彭有福 Taimali Township 太麻里鄉

Info about Taimali’s Daylily Season: www.daylily.com.tw/index.php (Chinese)

Shitou Farm ( 石頭屋 ) Add: 112, Minquan Rd., Dawang Village, Taimali Township, Taitung County ( 台東縣太麻里鄉大王村民權路 112 號 ) Tel: (089) 781-249

TAITUNG

5 6

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Pick ing f lowers Buds dr ying in the sun Flipping a rack Dried daylilies Farmer and f lower Blooming daylilies

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BACKPACK BUS TRIP

On a trip to Taiwan, you are almost certain to make a stop in the bustling capital of Taipei. Itʼs a beautiful city, with a little of something for everyone – shopping, fine cuisine, sightseeing, and much else. Another great thing about Taipei is how quickly you can leave the city center and spend a day with Mother Nature. Hiking trails, hot springs, and mountain scenery are just a short bus ride away.

If you want

to explore the mountains just to the north of central Taipei, you can make use of the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle network’s Zhuzihu Route, which has stops at the MRT Beitou and Xinbeitou stations. From the urban Beitou area, the buses head into high-mountain Yangmingshan National Park, where you can get off at places like Yangming Park, especially popular during the winter flower season, defined by cherry and azalea blossoms, and Zhuzihu, a farm area best known for its fields of ivorywhite calla lilies. Buses run from early in the morning to late at night, departing about every 40 minutes. In recent years, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau has set up numerous tourist shuttle bus routes like this around Taiwan, allowing travelers to easily reach many scenic spots on this island not in close proximity to railway lines. In the greater Taipei area, apart from the Zhuzihu Line, there is also a route connecting MRT Muzha station with Pingxi, a small, quaint town in a pretty valley that is a very popular tourist destination; a line along the north coast, connecting the port town of Tamsui in the west and the port city of Keelung in the east, including a stop at famous Yeliu Geopark; and one along the northeast coast, starting at Ruifang Railway Station and stopping at such tourist

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Shuttling into the

Mountains

Taking the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle into Taipei City’s Outskirts Text: Dallas Waldie

MRT Beitou Station

Beitou Hot Spring Museum (Beitou Park)

Sulphur Valley

Yangming Park

Grass Mountain Chateau

Yangmingshan Yangmingshan Bus Transfer National Park Station ( 2nd parking lot)

Photos: Maggie Song

Zhongxing Guesthouse

Zhuzihu

YANGMINGSHAN

come to Thermal (Hell) Valley, where you can examine one of the sources of Beitou’s hot springs. The valley is usually shrouded in mist, giving it a mysterious feel. After checking out the Xinbeitou attractions, we hopped on a shuttle bus at Beitou Hot Spring Museum, headed for Yangmingshan. Our next hop-off was at the Grass Mountain Chateau (www. grassmountainchateau.com.tw ). This is a complex of main building and subsidiary buildings constructed by the Japanese in the 1920s during the period of Japanese rule in Taiwan (1895~1945). The main structure is a mélange of Eastern and Western architectural elements fit for a king – or a president – which is why late president Chiang Kai-shek chose this location as his first residence in Taiwan, later using it for summer getaways. Our guide informed us that many decisions regarding national reform were made right here in the Grass Mountain Chateau. Today it is an official heritage site with a cultural-arts focus, housing an art gallery, restaurant, and artist studios, and serving as a scenic haven for tourists.

favorites as the hill-hugging towns of Jiufen and Jinguashi and the beach resort of Fulong. For more info, visit www.taiwantrip.com.tw.

So, on a

pleasant September day I headed to Beitou with a few friends to take the Zhuzihu shuttle. If you want to head straight into the mountains, you can take the MRT to Beitou Station and hop on the bus there. The 15-seater bus stops just outside the station and you can, upon boarding, pay with your EasyCard. If, however, you want to explore the hot-

Another heritage site along the shuttle-bus route open to the public is Yangming Shuwu (Yangming Villa), the last-built and largest of Chiang Kaishek’s retreats, which he occupied only briefly before his demise.

spring resort area of Beitou first, take the MRT Xinbeitou Line from Beitou Station to Xinbeitou Station (just one stop). We did just that. After exiting Xinbeitou Station, you can see the entrance to Beitou Hot Spring Park across the street, which is home to the very interesting and informative Beitou Hot Spring Museum (beitoumuseum. taipei.gov.tw ) and Plum Garden visitor center, both housed in heritage facilities, the impressive green-architecture Beitou Library, and public hot-spring pools. Further up the hill beyond the park, you

1. Beitou's T hermal Valley 2. Beitou Hot Spring Museum

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BACKPACK BUS TRIP

1 2

up was Yangming Park, which is a very popular destination during the flower season in late winter/ early spring, when the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cherry trees are in full bloom. But even on a hot latesummer day the natural surroundings are wonderfully attractive â&#x20AC;&#x201C; go for a walk, amidst birds chirping and butterflies fluttering about. The woods and pagodastyle gazebos create enchanting scenes. You can see people of all ages spending a peaceful afternoon here in the shade of the trees, playing chess, reading books, or chatting with friends and family.

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For those looking to raise their heart rate a bit, signs in English and Chinese direct you to numerous hiking trails in the area. However, be prepared for a lot of stairs. Most of the larger and more accessible trails and paths in Yangmingshan feature stone-block pavement and staircases. While this might take away some of the natural feel of hiking in the mountains, it makes the terrain much easier to traverse. It was then time to head on to our final destination on this whirlwind

Beitou-Zhuzihu jaunt. Calla lilies are what draw most people to Zhuzihu. They bloom from March through June, and for a small amount of money visitors can even pick their own bouquet. If you come during a time when the flowers are not in bloom, you can still go for a walk through the flower fields and take in the enchanting scenery of this mountainsurrounded farm area. There are also restaurants and teahouses where you can sit back, relax, take in the mountain vistas, and eat a healthful meal or sip a fragrant tea.

YANGMINGSHAN

Apart from

the places of interest along the route of the shuttle bus, there are many more attractions in Yangmingshan that you can get to with just a little more time and effort. At the Yangmingshan Bus Transfer Stop, one of the shuttle-bus stops, you can switch to bus No. 108, which takes you to such popular scenic spots as Erziping, Xiaoyoukeng, Lengshuikeng, and Qingtiangang. At Erziping you can go for a relaxed walk through the forest following what is known as the Butterf ly Corridor, a great place to spot – you guessed it – butterf lies. From there, you can also hike up Mt. Datun, which offers great views over the Tamsui River estuary and Taipei in the far distance. Xiaoyoukeng is one of the best spots in Yangmingshan to see volcanic activity, in the form of sulfur-pit fumaroles. This is also the start of the main trail to the peak of Mt. Qixing, which at 1,120 meters above sea level is the highest mountain in the Taipei region. If you have enough stamina, hike up Mt. Qixing from Xiaoyoukeng and descend on the other side to Lengshuikeng, where you’ll find a visitor center and a small public hot-

spring bathhouse. From Lengshuikeng you can either walk or take the No. 108 bus to nearby Qingtiangang, an expansive grassland on a plateau with grazing water buffalo. To return to the hustle and bustle of downtown Taipei after enjoying the scenic splendor of Yangmingshan, you have several options. From Qingtiangang you can take bus 108 back to the Yangmingshan Bus Transfer Stop and change to the tourist shuttle to get back to Beitou, or you can take bus S15 to MRT Shilin or Jiantan stations, both close to the immensely popular Shilin Night Market. If you feel the need for some soothing relaxation after hiking in the mountains, consider one of the many quality hotspring establishments in Beitou, ranging from the public pools in Beitou Hot Spring Park to upscale hot-spring resorts offering all the pampering you can wish for, easing away any aches and pains. For more information about Yangmingshan National Park, visit the park’s website at: www.ymsnp.gov.tw.

English and Chinese Beitou 北投 Beitou Hot Spring Park 北投溫泉親水公園 Beitou Hot Spring Museum 北投溫泉博物館 Beitou Library 台北市立圖書館北投分館 Butterfly Corridor 蝴蝶走廊 Fulong 福隆 Erziping 二子坪 Grass Mountain Chateau 草山行館 Jinguashi 金瓜石 Jiufen 九份 Keelung 基隆 Pingxi 平溪 Lengshuikeng 冷水坑 Mt. Datun 大屯山 Mt. Qixing 七星山 Muzha 木柵 Qingtiangang 擎天崗 Shilin Night Market 士林夜市 Tamsui River 淡水河 Thermal Valley 地熱谷 Xiaoyoukeng 小油坑 Xinbeitou 新北投 Yangming Park 陽明公園 Yangming Shuwu 陽明書屋 Yangmingshan Bus Transfer Stop 陽明山公車轉乘站 Yangmingshan National Park 陽明山國家公園 Yeliu Geopark 野柳地質公園 Zhuzihu 竹子湖

1. Zhuzihu 2. Beitou Library 3. Inside Yangming Shuwu 4. Flower Clock at Yangming Park

5. Grass Mountain Chateau 6. Yangming Park 7. Flower outlet at Zhuzihu 8. Grass Mountain Chateau

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Tainan City – NCKU Shopping District

Fine Food Feast Around the NCKU Campus

Students from around the world walk to and fro on Daxue Road in Tainan. The area around the campus is like an international village and the food culture here is extremely diverse. There are various types of exotic-cuisine restaurants and cafés with a scholarly air where the good taste of cuisines from around the world can be enjoyed. After a good meal, why not browse through the second-hand book shops, clothes shops, gardening shops, and general goods shops around the campus, or take a leisurely walk around the campus. The famous Banyan Garden has a banyan tree over 100 years old that is not only the symbol of the spirit of NCKU (National Cheng Kung University), it is also the totem of NCKU shopping district. NCKU shopping district stretches to Daxue Road to the north, Qianfeng Road to the west, Changrong Road to the east, and Dongning Road to the south. Recently, a creative light arranging competition has been held, with NCKU’s banyan tree as the theme. Using environmentally friendly materials, each participating store has created an “NCKU happy tree,” imaginatively combined with its distinctive products, in front of the store. In future, the lights can be changed to match different themes such as Halloween or Christmas. Everyone is invited to follow the trail of the happy trees and you are sure to have a happy journey.

Classic Curry (經典咖哩)

Situated on Minzu Road, a fair distance from NCKU, this restaurant still attracts many students who don’t mind the 15-20 minute walk, the reason being the insistence on quality and flavor of Classic Curry. To serve up healthy dishes, only natural ingredients are used. The curry sauce is made by stewing pig thigh bones for a long period, then adding a large amount of vegetables and various spices The house special Deep-fried Pork Steak Rice has a thick pork steak covered in thick curry sauce. One serving costs just NT$75; various fried foods cost just NT$35 each and soups just NT$15, all real bargains. The “secret” dish, Crispy Chicken, is well worth trying; it isn’t on the menu and only a limited number of servings are available every day. Add: 88, Sec. 1, Minzu Rd., East District, Tainan City (台南市東區民族路一段88號) Tel: (06) 209-1689 Hours: Daily 11:00 ~ 20:00 Website: www.facebook.com/pages/經典咖喱/318197334864141 Credit cards: Not accepted

Kumamoto Ramen Restaurant (熊本式拉麵專賣店) On Daxue Road, close to NCKU, this ramen restaurant has been open for more than a decade. The boss spent time in Japan learning from an experienced ramen chef and serves up authentic Kumamoto Ramen noodles while following the operating principle of serving healthy and reasonably priced dishes.

The soup is made by stewing fresh pig thigh bones, 90-day-old native chicken, Hokkaido bonito, konbu seaweed, and several dozen kinds of fruit and vegetable for 16 hours. The specially-made ramen noodles are created using high-gluten flour and are chewy and don’t become soggy easily. The popular house special is Kumamoto Ramen, made with pork bone soup to which shaved fish stock is added and then roast pork, cuttlefish, abalone, and other ingredients thrown in, giving the dish the fresh sweet flavor of seafood. Healthy dishes worth trying are Chinese Yam Ramen and Tomato Ramen. Add: 1F, 1, Western Section, Daxue Rd., East District, Tainan City (台南市東區大學路西段1號1樓) Tel: (06) 235-9783 Hours: Daily 11:00 ~ 20:00 Website: www.laman.com.tw Credit cards: Not accepted

Advertisement by Tainan City Bureau of Economic Development

Noah’s Ark Restaurant (諾亞方舟主廚餐廳) On Lane 18, Daxue Road, this is a well-known long-established restaurant. It was designed by renowned architect Kung Shu-Chang who was able to retain the traditional Taiwanese architectural features of the original building, built in 1954. While enjoying good food, diners can also admire the beauty of the building.

The restaurant is very careful in its choice of ingredients, using only the finest local ingredients such as sakura shrimp from Donggang, milkfish from Tainan, and wild duck from Yilan, etc. The Cuttlefish Seafood Risotto, made using fish stock, is highly recommended, every mouthful having the flavor of seafood. Scallop, cuttlefish, fresh fish, shrimps, and clams stir-fried in fresh cuttlefish ink are served on a generous helping of rice, creating a delicious taste that will long be remembered. Add: 11, Lane 18, Daxue Rd., East District, Tainan City (台南市東區大學路18巷11號) Tel: (06) 238-1399 Hours: Daily 11:30 ~ 14:00, 17:30 ~ 20:00 Website: www.noahsark.com.tw Credit cards: Accepted

Oujiali Restaurant (歐加里餐廳)

This long-established restaurant is revisited by many NCKU graduates who make a special trip back to enjoy the good food and nostalgically remember their youthful days on campus. The menu is extensive, including steaks, pasta, fine hot pots, and afternoon tea, all prepared meticulously by the head chef who has over 40 years of experience. Prices are reasonable. Oujiali is a must-try restaurant in the NCKU shopping district The Roast Chicken with Rosemary set meal is made using 4-week-old tender chicken that is first marinated in rosemary and then roasted. The skin slightly crispy and the meat tender. As for drinks, there is a wide choice of fine fruit teas from Europe, coffee, and fruit juice. Meals include soup, bread, fruit vinegar, and dessert. Add: 19, Lane 18, Daxue Rd., East District, Tainan City (台南市東區大學路18巷19號) Tel: (06) 208-2525 Hours: Daily 11:30 ~ 23:00(14:30 ~ 16:30 afternoon tea; Italian noodles 30% off. 11:30 ~ 21:00 meals are served.) Website: www.facebook.com/pages/歐加里西式餐廳/147811671943824?sk=timeline Credit cards: Accepted

VS Flower Shop (清平調花坊)

Returning back to her home town after finishing her studies in Taipei, the proprietor, Ms. Liu, found that there were no flower shops geared to the needs of students in the NCKU area so she opened this flower shop in 1987. As well as providing a fresh flower design service, in recent years she has also made a big effort to encourage people to grow houseplants, showing that growing plants can be as much fun as keeping a pet. Apart from the flower design service, the shop also offers various cute ornaments and sundries. Add: 42, Dongning Rd., East District, Tainan City (台南市東區東寧路42號) Tel: (06) 237-0381 Hours: 10:00 ~ 22:00 Website: www.facebook.com/vsflower Credit cards: Not accepted

ACTIVE FUN

Taiwan

Underwater! Ilha Formosa, the “Beautiful Island” – Just as Beautiful Below the Waves

Ask the general traveler about diving and snorkeling in East Asia, and you get exotic place names in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. However, ask an adventurer with dive/snorkel experience and Taiwan will be at or near the top of his or her list. Text: Rick Charette

Photos: Vision Int’l

Snorke ling on O rchid Island

DIVING/SNORKELING

Surprised? Adding to the Taiwan underwaterexploration experience is the fact that its advanced economy wraps up your fun in sophisticated, high-quality transportation to/from the main island and to/from the main island and many offshore-island swim sites, top-flight accommodation and culinary destinations, et cetera, et cetera. This peace of mind, free of the surprises that lurk in less developed countries, enables you to concentrate fully on pleasure, free of unnecessary, unwanted, and much unenjoyed unexpected logistics, administration, and problem-solving.

The Taiwan Environment – An Overview Offering over 1,500 kilometers of coastline, studded with sandy beaches and coral reefs, edged with rugged cliffs and mountains that roll down into the sea, Taiwan is a vast playground for divers and snorkelers. The island, straddling the Tropic of Cancer, is primarily subtropical with a tropical environment in the far south. Summertime is prime time for underwater excursions on both the main and offshore islands. There are many hundreds of dive sites; in many areas you can pretty much dip in at any spot that looks attractive, though of course it is always best to check in with those in the know about safety. The water is clear and comparatively warm, even in winter, and sites are pristine. The best spots, in my experience and in my order of preference (generally agreed by regular divers) are: Kending in the far south, Green Island in the southeast, Penghu in the Taiwan Straits, and Longdong on the Northeast Coast. Lanyu (Orchid Island), not far south of Green Island, is given an honorable mention. Good shallow- and deep-water coral reefs

are found off the east coast, Kending, and Green Island/Lanyu. Visibility is about 20m, sometimes double this in Kending, less in Penghu in the winter.

Kending There is year-round diving/snorkeling in tropical Kending, which is part of the Kenting National Park, on the main island’s south tip. Visibility is best in winter. The waters are bright-blue and clear; on about the same latitude as Hawaii, average annual temperatures are in the mid-to-high 20s Celsius. Most local outfitters will pick you up from your hotel or guesthouse in the Kending area. A half-day boat rental (other expenses not included) is about NT$700, but first-rate diving is pretty much available wherever a reasonable spot allows you to go in. As a general rule, currents are kind off the south tip’s sandy beaches, more demanding (with a guide advised) on the south tip’s rocky shores and along the national park’s east and west sides. In the coral canyons beyond snorkeling range you’ve a good chance to meet up with such characterful denizens as blue-spotted stingrays, hawksbill turtles, and impressively big, confident lobsters. “(Our boat launched) from Houbihu Harbor. I had a grand time. The variety of marine life in terms of both color and shape was far beyond what I’d anticipated. More systematic, coordinated habitat-protection efforts over the past six years have resulted, our guides said, in the return of many species. Over 40 species of stony coral (reef-building) have been recorded off Kending, along with over 40 of soft coral, and 1,105 types of reef fish. What I know I saw was clown fish, angel fish, parrot

fish, surgeon fish, knife fish – and, yes, seahorses. What I don’t know but saw was much, much more.” – from my January 2013 Travel in Taiwan feature article about Kending

Green Island About 33km off the main island’s southeast coast, there is also year-round diving/snorkeling at Green Island, with visibility also clearest in winter. Nutrients from the south-tip saltwater hot spring nourish stunning coral and over 600 types of fish. The island is also known for its wintertime schools of visiting hammerhead sharks.

“The warm, shallow, clear sea water provides an excellent marine environment that supports countless beautiful coral formations and diverse aquatic life. There are over 150 types of hard coral and nearly 50 species of soft coral, some rare and quite exotic, (and) many varieties of ocean life not seen elsewhere in Asia. The water temperature is comfortable year-round and visibility is usually very good. But sometimes strong winds and water currents do affect the visibility. Adventurers Kevin, Naohiro, Deep, and Luke said they felt that diving in Green Island is fantastic. They went down quite deep, the visibility was superb, and they even spotted a sea snake, a rare (Green Island) sight.” – from a September 2005 Green Island Travel in Taiwan article by Monideepa Banerjee

Penghu Islands In the 1500s, the Portuguese christened the scores of islands in this archipelago the Pescadores, inspired by the tremendous abundance of fish found

Travel in Taiwan

ACTIVE FUN

in the local waters. Located toward the middle of the Taiwan Strait, there are strong currents here, and scuba outings are thus more suited to experienced divers, or at least to divers in groups led by experienced guides. A bonus brought by said currents, however, is the bigger oceangoing marine creatures that divers so love to “bag” visually. A freak cold snap attacked the Penghu coral in 2008, but it is making a strong comeback. The best dive spots are on the smaller islands, and in more remote spots on the main islands.

Longdong On the northeast coast, Longdong (Dragon Hole) Bay, or Longdongwan, is one of north Taiwan’s most popular swimming spots, and is the top diving location in northern Taiwan, featuring a great variety of marine life in its cool, clear deep-blue waters. The Kuroshio Current runs close to shore here, bringing in a wide array of tropical and temperature-zone fish. The northeast is rich in soft coral patches along coastal walls and concentrations of magnificent sea fans, especially in strongcurrent spots. Longdong Ocean Park is focused on snorkeling and diving. There is a large, shallow roped-off area with lifeguards, and if you rent diving/snorkeling equipment you can swim about on

Travel in Taiwan

your own here. Snorkel/dive classes are also offered, and you can pay to have a licensed instructor take you out into deeper water, where currents are stronger and a reef serves as a natural breakwater.

“Though not quite as colorful as Kenting National Park, the marine-life viewing is nevertheless splendid. Among the most colorful and/or interesting creatures I see are angelfish, puffer fish, starfish, clown fish, spiky urchins, flying gurnards, and scorpion fish. I repeatedly watch, fascinated, as fevered schools of small sweetfish attack and eat the small, almost invisible jellyfish that make it past the reef (your dive suit protects you from the latter). Our instructor stuns me by saying they love the poison.” – from my October 2013 Northeast Coast Travel in Taiwan feature article

Costs and Certification Snorkeling gear will cost NT$400$500 per day, a full set of dive gear about NT$1,000. There are licensed gear shops at all the dive/snorkel-site locations discussed in this article. For dives, a “C-card” (certification card) is required. Taiwan is among the most inexpensive places in Asia to obtain this, and more than 50 qualified dive operators await your business. Basic open-water programs are offered for as little as NT$3,000, for more complicated courses up to NT$10,000. These are generally spread out over 2~3 days.

Most enterprises offer PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certification, by far the most popular option worldwide. You undergo a short course in the physics, physiology, and techniques involved in navigating underwater, and are then tested with four training dives with an instructor. After this, C-card in hand, you can buy and/or rent all gear needed for life – at least on a temporary basis – among the fishes. Here’s a short-list of contacts, chosen for professionalism and quality of English services: Green Island Adventures www.greenislandadventures.com Liquid Sports www.liquidsportpenghu.com Taiwan Dive www.taiwandive.com

English and Chinese Green Island 綠島 Houbihu Harbor 後壁湖港 Kending 墾丁 Kenting National Park 墾丁國家公園 Lanyu (Orchid Island) 蘭嶼 Longdong Bay 龍洞灣 Longdong Ocean Park 龍洞海洋公園 Maobitou 貓鼻頭 Penghu Islands 澎湖群島

Let’s experience some exciting traditional Taiwan stage performances! TaipeiEYE stages shows for tourists visiting Taiwan, including folk music, aboriginal dance and music, Peking opera improved by new scenes of dances and martial arts, and much more. English subtitles are provided so that foreign visitors can easily follow the action. The performances at TaipeiEYE are a must-see for anyone interested in the amazing performing arts of Taiwan.

Performances: Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 20:30 (shows last 60 minutes) Saturday at 20:00 (shows last 90 minutes, divided in two parts) Please contact us if you need more detailed information

www.taipeieye.com

Tel: +886-2-2568-2677 Fax: +886-2-2568-2335 E-Mail: taieye@taipeieye.com Add: 【Cement Hall at Taiwan Cement Building】 .113, Sec. 2, Zhongshan N. Rd., Taipei City(Jinzhou Rd. entrance) 【台泥大樓士敏廳】台北市中山北路2段113號(錦州街入口)

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*Not valid with any other offers. *Rates are subject to 10% service charge. *Not valid on holidays. *Offer ends Oct 31, 2014 ISSN:18177964

Add. B1, No. 105, Songren Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City 110, Taiwan

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