Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

Posted on 27th May 2009 by admin in taiwan attractions - Tags:

 

Built after the death of the former President, the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall is a must-do when in Taipei. The building alone is worth the visit but the museum and library contained within the hall is an extra bonus worth seeing. You can even make a day of it and visit the National Theatre or the National Concert Hall on the evening – both of which are joined to the Memorial Hall via stunning gardens and parkland.

Duration : 0:4:17 [youtube k_oczEt-oJA]

Technorati Tags:

Travelling in PengHu Taiwan

Posted on 14th May 2009 by admin in taiwan holidays - Tags:

Penghu is Taiwan’s largest offshore island and is situated in between mainland China and Taiwan. This stunning archipelago of strangely shaped volcanic islands is located about 20 miles off the west coast of Taiwan. The basalt magma that makes up the islands has been gradually eroded over the years to leave a landscape like nothing else on earth. Leave a full day free for a visit to the islands and take in the quaintness of Penghu County at the same time.

Duration : 0:3:24
[youtube Y09pbj7-cVg]

Technorati Tags:

Ten Essential Things to Do When You Visit Taiwan

Taiwan is also known as Treasure Island for its beautiful scenery and landscapes. The island is a popular destination for tourists who want to enjoy its grand mountains, theme parks, beaches, and cultural offerings. Enjoy its friendly people, fine weather, excellent tourist facilities, and convenient transportation.

1.) Mt. Yushan

Don’t miss seeing the Jade Mountain, Mt. Yushan, which is Northeastern Asia’s highest peak. Exercise your limbs by climbing this 3,952-meter-high mountain. You’ll be treated to crisp mountain air and a breathtaking view at the top.

2.) Yang Min Shan National Park

This a favorite place due to its hot springs, wonderful flora and wildlife and spas. Its mineral springs are popular with people from Taipei. Just 45 minutes by bus or 70 minutes by train, visitors can go hiking or have a picnic here.

3.) Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

This palatial structure is also known as the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall. Built to commemorate Chiang Kai Shek, the building represents the flag of Taiwan with its blue roofs, red flowerbeds, and white walls. Lush gardens flank the hall, and it is located close to the National Theatre and National Concert Hall.

4.) Penghu

Penghu is an archipelago of 64 islands between Taiwan and the mainland. It has sandy beaches, fishing villages, and delicious seafood. Its only city of Makung is a beautiful place with an outdoor market, fishing harbor, and temples.

5.) Tienhsiang

Located in Tienhsiang is the Taroko Gorge, probably Taiwan’s most beautiful tourist attraction. It is 19 km long with cliffs dropping away to a rushing river of water. The Eternal Spring Shrine straddles a waterfall and is a memorial to the 450 workers who died constructing the Taroko Highway.

6.) Lung Shan Temple

Also known as the Dragon Mountain Temple, this temple is very impressive for its architecture and religious practices where worshippers give offerings to the various gods here, the main one being the Goddess of Mercy. Offerings such as fruit, flowers, and money are made here to the deities, and this is done by burning paper money or putting it in the offertory box. The temple is situated in the Wanhua district, just near the Huashi Night Market.

7.) Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

Don’t miss this great hall where a 30-foot statue of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, who played a pivotal role in Taiwanese history, adorns the entrance. Tourists can watch the changing of the guard. They can also watch world-class shows in the theatre on the upper floors.

8.) The National Palace Museum

Comparable to the best museums in the world like the Louvre, the National Palace Museum contains one of the most extensive collections of Chinese artifacts and objects d’art. It is twin to the Palace Museum in Beijing, which was split in twain by the civil war, which also resulted in the formation of Taiwan. It contains masterpieces which provide glimpses of Chinese craftsmanship.

9.) Taipei 101

Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world standing at 509 meters. Opened in November 2003, it is shaped like a Chinese pagoda with 8 floors in each pagoda roof and was designed according to traditional feng shui principles. It is situated near the Taipei Exhibition Convention Center, the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and the Japanese department stores of Sogo and Mitsukoshi.

10.) Guang Hua Night Market

This is a street food market made up of food stalls catering to local residents. This exciting array of snack shops offer tasty and cheap treats such as soup made from beef bone stock and different kinds of dumplings, pancakes with tangy sauce, and roti bread. In the market you will find locals who come here to grab a bite or buy food to take home.

Jonathan Williams is the travel writer for Destination Guide TV – the place to share travel videos Visit http://www.destinationguide.tv/taiwan to view or share Taiwan travel videos

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

Posted on 2nd May 2009 by admin in taiwan attractions, taiwan holidays, taiwan tours - Tags: ,

Tienhsiang is the tourist centre of the Taroko Gorge – an area of natural beauty located around 50 miles from Taipei City. The town of Tienhsiang offers all of the mod cons of the larger cities but is also the starting point for some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the country. For enthusiastic hikers and trekkers this region is a must. Here are some travel photos from Taroko Gorge in Taiwan …

Duration : 0:5:41

[youtube bNurG45L97M]

Technorati Tags: ,

I Have Been Looking For The Best Travel Deals Online

Posted on 19th May 2009 by admin in Uncategorized

I’ve been doing quite a bit of research into the world of travel websites and how best to save money on vacation travel. Of particular interest is trying to find the best hotel deals online.

Of course travel is a huge category at search engines like Google and Live Search, and there are tons of websites that offer to help us find the best pricing. Some are well known because of all their advertising on TV and elsewhere. But there are lots of websites that I had never heard of, all of them wanting to set me up with hotel reservations or other services.

I have come to the opinion that there is no magic source for travel deals, but there are numerous great sources that will help us get the best possible pricing assuming your brother-in-law isn’t the CEO of say Starwood Hotels.

One option is to use a website that runs your search on several other travel sites and airline sites; they basically organize the search for you. That’s helpful to a point, but since major websites like Travelocity offer a low-price guarantee, you’re not likely to see big differences in price most of the time, even when checking a lot of other competing sites.

Some of the websites will monitor prices for you over time, to grab any great travel deals or airfare discounts that come along. That works OK if you start early enough in advance of your trip to let them watch for you. And, of course, you can look for last-minute deals at nearly all the major websites; they usually have a page or more just for such specials. That option requires that you have quite a bit of flexibility in your travel plans.

It might be best to find a major travel site that offers all the important search options, last-minute deals, price guarantee, etc., and also has a well-established track record of top-notch customer service. A great deal on a hotel room doesn’t mean much if the reservation is lost or the hotel doesn’t know anything about the special price you found online. So my inclination is to stay away from the secondary travel sites for the most part.

Powered by Critex