Taiwan offers endless delighhts for travelers of every tastes. Exotic culture, priceless art, mouth-watering Chinese cuisine, hospitable people, and, most of all, breathtaking scenery. Recommend Taiwan, and your clients will come back completely satisfied with what they have seen and experienced here.
Northern Taiwan | Central Taiwan | Southern Taiwan | Eastern Taiwan
Northern Taiwan
City Sights and Picturesque Places
Northern Taiwan is an area of historic remains in ancient towns, elaborate temples, towering mountains, isolated aborigine villages, restful lakes, beautiful waterfalls, hot springs, and fantastic coastal rock formation, All are a short trip from the island's historic and vibrant capital, Taipei.
Cosmopolitan Fare
The National Theater and National Concert Hall are exotic venues for a legion of internationally renowned performers, including Pavarotti and the Joffrey Ballet.
National Palace Museum houses the world's largest assemblage of priceless Chinese art treasures, one which spans China's nearly 5,000-year history. Most of the museum's 620,000 art objects were part of the Chinese imperial collection, which began over 1,000 years ago in the early Sung dynasty.
The National Museum of History has a collection of priceless relics which almost rivals that of the Nation Palace Museum. The 24 galleries in the Taipei Fine Arts Museum display modern art. The World of Yesterday offers visitors a fascinating glimpse of Chinese history and culture with displays of mythology, ancient toys and games, traditional handicrafts, and folk culture.
Taipei's Carnival Nights
Night markets frequented by students generally have the best bargains on food, fashions, and curios. These include Shihlin and Kungkuan. Other major night markets are Huahsi Street; Tunghus Street; Sungshan; and Ching Kuang.
Lungshan Temple
Lungshan Temple is Taipei's oldest and most famous, and is also one of Taiwan's finest examples of temple design, The striking architecture alone is worth a visit: Stone columns come alive with historical figures dancing on the backs of intricately carved dragons, and the roof is adorned with more of the cavorting figures and dragons.
Yangmingshan National Park
A few minutes north of Taipei is the massive Yangmingshan National Park, a mountainous area where visitors can find charming waterfalls. Picturesque lakes, terraced rice paddies, volcanic craters, steaming hot springs and, in the springtime, cherry and azalea blossoms.
Northeast Coast National Scenic Area
Landscapes and seashores of enchanting beauty along with charming rural towns highlight the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area. A visit to this area, east of Keelung, is an unforgettable experience. Among the scenic area's notable features is the magnificent sandstone promontory that rises from the sea at Lungtung. White sand and azure water make Fulung one of Taiwan's best beaches.
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Central Taiwan
Mountains and Rivers Without End
The central region of the island displays the full range of Taiwan's spectacular beauty : mountain lakes and the shining sea, roaring rivers and steaming hot springs, lofty snow-capped peaks and lush tropical valleys, emerald forests and craggy ravines.
Taichung: Traveler's Gateway
Taichun's attractions inculude lovely classical Chinese style parks with pavilions and lakes, the peaceful Confucian Temple, bustling night markets, and lively beer houese. Taichung;s two premier cultural institutions are the Natural Science Museum--a hands-on teching museum with an interesting Space Theater-and the Taiwan Museum of Art, with 24 galleries.
Cultural Excursions
Just past Changhua, midway down Taiwan's western coast, is the quaint old village of Lukang, one of Taiwan's most important historical and cultural towns. Among the many tucked away in Lukang's narrow streets are the magnificent Matsu and Lungshan temples. The Palace of the Goddess of Heaven is one of Taiwan's most impressive Matsu temples, while the classical Sung dynasty-style Lungshan Temple, dedicated to Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, is one of Taiwan's oldest. Lungshan Temple's elaborately carved wooden ceilings and stone dragon pillars are especially interesting.
Sun Moon Lake
The beauty and pace of Sun Moon Lake's emerald waters amidst jade mountains have made it Taiwan's most popular honeymoon resort. Attractions include a panoramic view of the lake from the massive Wen Wu Temple, a peacock garden, butterfly museum, a small aborigine village, other temples, boat cruises, hiking trails, a golf course, and spectacular view from the Tzu En pagoda.
Alishan: Vivid Sunrise
Alishan is well known for its spellbinding sunrise over the celebrated Sea of Clouds that rings Yushan; blue peaks rise from a fleecy gray ocean which the rising sun turns vivid hues of silver, pink, and red below emerald crests. A leisurely morning stroll can take in Alishan's other attractions: enchanting Sisters ponds; a 3,000 year-old Sacred Tree; the Three-Generation Trees, one growing out of another, and a third from the second; several temples; cherry blossoms; a small museum; and a deer farm.
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Southern Taiwan
Old Ways and the beaches of Paradise
Southern Taiwan is, in many ways, the island's cultural center. It was in this region that immigrants from the mainland first settled, bringing with them traditional culture that remains to this day. Southern Taiwan is also a study in contrasts. Primitive aborigine villages lie a short distance from the island's industrial center.
Taiwan's Oldest and Fourth Largest City: Tainan
Tainan is filled with reminders of the city's past: gates, memorial arches, remnants of forts, and temples that date back three centuries or more. Each is a voice from that past, telling its story of Taiwan's history, heritage, and intimate ties with thousands of years of Chinese culture. Tainan's more than 300 temples provide some of the best remaining examples fo traditional Chinese culture in Taiwan. Major temples include the Confucius Temple; the Kuan Ti Temple; the Great Queen of Heaven Temple; the Wu Fei Temple; and the Koxing Shring. The Old Fort of Anping, formerly Fort Zeelandia, was completed in 1634 by the Dutch, who occupied Taiwan at the time. Fort Provintia also built by the Dutch in the same period.
International Seaport : Kaohsiung
Taiwan's second largest city is the island's economic showcase, home to its largest international seaport and the only city besides Taipei with an international airport. The harbor is a major international container port, dry cock and ship salvaging center. Cheng Ching Lake, Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, and Fokuangshan are famous and beautiful resorts in Kaohsiung. Cheng Ching Lake has islands and bridges, towers and pavilions, boating fishing, aquariums, tree-lined paths, a nine-corner bridge, hiking, golf, and swimming pools. Dragon and Tiger Pagodas sit Lotus Lake and are joined to the shore by a nine-corner bridge. Fokuangshan, one of Taiwan's largest temple complexes and the island's center of Boddhist scholarship.
Kenting National Park
Kenting National Park's is located on the Hengchun Peninsula at Taiwan's southern tip. Two capes at the end of peninsula-Oluanpi and Maopitou-reach into the sea to form a broad bay containing some of the island's best beaches and diving reefs. This is Taiwan's only truly tropical area-stately palm trees, hot summers, and balmy "winters."
Penghu Archipelago
Tourists can see the island group's major places fo interest in a day trip from Taipei. The Matsu Temple at Makung, built in 1592, the Taiwan's oldest and one of the finest temples to be found anywhere. The ancient Four-Eyed Well near the Matsu Temple is still in use. Paisha Islad's 300-year-old banyan tree forms the canopy of a small temple's courtyard. On the islet of Hsiyu is the Ancient Fortress at Hsitai, built during the Ching dynasty. On the Island of the seven Beauties, a tomb honors the memory of seven Ming dynasty womwn who drowned themselves to protect their chastity from raiding Japanese pirates.
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Eastern Taiwan
Grand Scenery, Noble Tribes
Eastern Taiwan is isolated from the rest of the island by the towering peaks of the Central Mountain Range, and this isolation has left the region sparsely populated and relatively pollution-free.
Sidewalks of Marble: Hualien
Hualien is more than just a staring point for tours to Taroko, however. Artisans take advantage of the area's vast marble deposits to craft an amazing range of products, from inexpensive hand-carved animal figures and chess sets to kitchen utensils and furniture, available in hundreds of shops.
East Coast National Scenic Area
Points of interest along the East Coast National Scenic Area include lovely curving beaches, marvelous coastal views from shrines in steep mountainside caves, incredible natural rock sculptures and coral reefs, ancient banyan trees, picturesque fishing hamlets and aborigine villages, and the graceful Rainbow Bridge over the mouth of Hsiukuluan River.
Green Island and Orchid Island
Green Island's entire coastline is a tourist attraction: In Places along the rugged eastern side , tall hills rise abruptly from the sea; in other places are sensational rock formations, both on the shore and protruding from the water. Just south of Green Island lies a unique, tropical islet called Orchid Island. The Yami, Taiwan's smallest and most primitive aborigine tribe, call it home. The Yami fo some farming butlive mainly by fishing; flying fish are vital part of their diet, and they follow ancient rules and taboos in catching and preparing the fish. A Yami man's most prized possession is his graceful, high-prowed canoe, bult entirely by hand and intricately decorated.
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