TAIWAN HOLIDAYS BLOG

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.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Taiwan won the 1996 Little League World Series in the U.S city of Williamsport. Baseball is the national sport in Taiwan.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Like France, Italy and the United States, Taiwan is very famous for its films in the world. The prizes attained include the Golden Lion awarded by the Venice International Film Festival to Hou Hsiao-hsien´s “City of Sadness”(1989). In 2001, Ang Lee´s “Crouching, Tiger, Hidden Dragon” won four Oscars at the 73rd Annual Academy Awards: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Art Direction, Best Music, and Best Art Cinematography.He is considered one of the best film directors of all times. Ang Lee was born on October 23, 1954, in Pingting, Taiwan.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Taiwan is a democratic country. Freedom and democracy are more than just slogans in Taiwan. The first article of the Constitution National says: “The Republic of China (or Taiwan), founded on the Three Principles of the People, shall be a democratic republic of the people, to be governed by the people and for the people”.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Taiwan is slightly bigger than Belgium.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

The Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded to Lee Yuan-tseh. He was born on November 19, 1936, in Hsinchu, Taiwan.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

After Cold War, Taiwan emerged as one of the most powerful economies in the Third World.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan, is the Asia capital of art and culture. It gathers some of the most famous museums in Asia. Taipei´s National Palace Museum has the world´s largest collection of oriental art treasures. Much of the immense collection of porcelain, jade, sculptures, paintings, and bronzes is regularly rotated. The National Museum of Prehistory is a famous Taiwanese museum situated adjacent to the Puyuma archeological site in Taitung County.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

On November 9, 1961, Miss Taiwan, Grace Li, competed in the international beauty pageant Miss World, held in London, England. Miss Taiwan was the first runner-up at the Miss World 1961.She was long considered one of the most beautiful women in Taiwan.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Master Chen Yen is known by many as “The Mother Teresa of Asia”.She is an advocate for the poor and homeless in Asia.In 1996, Chen Yen was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her fight against poverty.She once said: ” The Buddha became the Buddha because he gave up his life to save people. Donating our bone marrow does no harm to us. We can save people without hurting ourselves. So, I hope you donate. I also hope to set up a Data Bank of 20,000 donors, or 50,000 donors, or 100,000. If there is a Bank of 100,000, the opportunity for a patient to be saved will be as high as 95%.”