PHOTO: Taiwanese itineraries used to be Taipei plus other destinations in Taiwan, now Taiwan plus Taipei. (Courtesy of Taiwan Visitors Bureau)
In January, when the New York Times put Taiwan on its list of 50 Best Places, writer Robyn Eckhardt cited the destination's ability to deliver a comprehensive yet compact vacation in a land "roughly the size of the Netherlands" with an "easy to navigate public transport network that links a cosmopolitan capital with a bounty of natural and man-made wonders." She points out that it's only a four-hour high speed train ride between urban Taipei in the north and Kenting National Park with all of its wetlands, beaches and fishing villages on the southern tip of the island.
It wasn't too long ago that Taiwan was primarily viewed as a business destination or as a transit point for flights throughout Asia via EVA Airlines. Taiwan's tourism fortunes have risen ever since the Taiwan Visitors Burea began stressing the island's natural resources. Two thirds of the island is covered in mountains, some towering 13,000 feet over a sub-tropical island.
It's interesting that Eckhardt also cites the island's robust art scene, which recently earned its selection as the World Design Capital for 2016, because since the island received the exiled population that came from the mainland in 1948, Taiwan has been known for traditional crafts. The fact that the traditional Chinese artisans who came with Chiang Kai-shek are now being followed by modern craftsmen in a next generation is extremely interesting.
That older generation of craftsmen brought highly talented people from the world of art with painters, opera singers, potters and last but not least, chefs. Taiwan offers what is arguably Asia's finest Chinese food at all levels, including top restaurants, markets and street foods. Those artists also made Taipei a preserve of fine Chinese art and gave the city the roots of a tremendous night life.
Visits to Taiwan have always been dominated by "Taipei plus hinterland" itineraries. It's been the elevation of locations beyond Taipei that have elevated the island to its growing popularity today as an off path natural wonderland plus Taipei. The scenic Taroko Gorge with Sun Moon Lake are icons of Taiwanese rural beauty. Increasingly, the country's bounty of hot spring resorts is drawing attention.
The Xin Beitou area, about 30 minutes by train from Taipei, is the center of Taiwan's hot spring culture. Beitou is also the original home to the Ketagalan indigenous people. The Beitou Park Open-Air Hot Springs, which opened in 1999, offer a Budapest-like public bathing for under $2 admittance. The warm pools come in four degrees of heat (the hottest is 113°), with two cold pools as well. Altogether it's a relaxed humane community rite, good for body and soul, as you lower in through the steam with people from all walks of life. Xin Beitou also offers a number of hot spring resorts that have hot spring tubs in every guest room. Yangmingshan, a mountain dotted with hot springs, 40 minutes north of Taipei and the Wulai Valley offer other hot spring areas.
Eckhardt also cites the country's 17 bike trails, which offer a great way to commune with the surprisingly ample natural areas on the island. Two thirds of Taiwan's land mass is mountainous. The country has eight national parks: Pingtung County's Kenting National Park, Kinmen County's Kinmen National Park, Miaoli County's Shei-Pa National Park, Hualien County's Taroko National Park, Taipei City's Yangmingshan National Park, Nantou County's Yushan National Park, Greater Kaohsiung's Dongsha Marine National Park, and Greater Tainan's Taijiang National Park.
Taipei's nightlife is famous for karaoke clubs and night markets. Some history buffs visit the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, a mausoleum worthy of a pharaoh, but for most visitors Taipei's biggest draw is the National Palace Museum, home to 8,000 years of Chinese art. It is beyond question the top place to view classic Chinese art. Some 650,000 objets d'art from Celadon bowls and jade carvings to landscape paintings and scrolls of Chinese calligraphy cross over the full catalogue of dynasties. The horde was brought over with Chiang Kai-skhek from the mainland in 1948. The museum draws two million visitors annually. Last year, Taiwan came within a few hundred thousand votes of 8 million visitors.
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