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<\/p>\nHistory meets hyper-reality on this pulsing, picturesque island.<\/p>\n
Taiwan is a modern industrialised megalopolis clinging to the fringes of an ancient culture; a string of of teeming cities at the feet…<\/p>\n
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History meets hyper-reality on this pulsing, picturesque island.Taiwan is a modern industrialised megalopolis clinging to the fringes of an ancient culture; a string of teeming cities at the feet of a glorious mountain range. Here you’ll find traditional noodles at the 7-Eleven, and a day of temple rituals followed by waterslide rides.<\/p>\n
If you step outside chaotic Taipei you’ll discover why Taiwan is known as Ilha Formosa, the ‘beautiful island’. Mountain peaks puncture a sea of clouds, slick black volcanic rock wraps the coastlines, and waterfalls shroud themselves in mist. Taiwan is a computer-generated Chinese watercolour.<\/p>\n
Taiwan: When to Go
\nPeople often remark that Taiwan has no seasons, but in reality you must take the time of year into account when travelling. In general, autumn (September to November) is best, as conditions tend to be warm and dry, air pollution is at a minimum, and prices lower. Spring can be clear and dry, or wet and grey, or even blighted by a sandstorm from China. Sometimes you get all three conditions in one day.<\/p>\n
Summer (June to August) is a great time to visit the east coast, especially for outdoor activities, but be aware of typhoons, which can hit the island from June to October. Summer is not a good time for travel to the outer islands as they are crowded with tourists, and flights and hotels are difficult to secure. Try October to November when rates have dropped but the weather is still great. The cities are always hot and sticky in summer.<\/p>\n
Beach lovers can swim comfortably anywhere from May to October. But if you want to swim in winter, head south, not southeast.<\/p>\n
Avoid travelling during the Chinese New Year holiday as the entire country pretty much shuts down. Some good holidays not to avoid, however, include Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and the Matsu Pilgrimage.<\/p>\n
In general, July and August, Chinese New Year, and Saturday nights are considered high season and accommodation prices are often double the off-season rates. Outside touristy areas, however, there is little change in price from month to month (only perhaps weekday and weekend).<\/p>\n
Weather
\nAlthough Taiwan is sub-tropical, the mountains can be chilly in summer (June to August) and snowy in winter (December to February). The dry season lasts from November to January in the north but extends to April in the south. Summer is hot and sticky all over the low parts of the island, with drenching rains in the mountains. Daytime temperatures in Taipei are around 33\u00b0C (91\u00b0F) in summer and 19\u00b0C (66\u00b0F) in winter, while the southern regions experience warmer winters with daytime highs of around 24\u00b0C (75\u00b0F). In winter monsoon winds can sweep across the island from Central Asia and cool the air by 10\u00b0C (50\u00b0F) or more in a matter of hours.<\/p>\n
Taiwan: Events
\nYou’ll need to get hold of a lunar calendar if you’re to have any hope of attending Taiwan’s big events – very few of them occur on the same date every year. If fireworks and crowds crank your engine, visit Yenshui, Luerhmen or Beigang for the Lantern Festival, on the 15th day of the first lunar moon (also Pingxi for the release of the sky lanterns – one of the most sublime events of the year). Kuanyin’s Birthday, on the 19th day of the second moon, is a good time to see temple festivities in full swing.<\/p>\n
During the Ghost Festival (seventh lunar month), ghosts from hell walk the earth (Keelung has the best festival as various clans compete each year to put on a good spectacle; the old custom of pole climbing has been revived in Toucheng on the coast near Ilan). Matsu’s birthday (23rd day of the third lunar month) is also a huge event: good places to see festivities include Lugang, Beigang and especially Dajia where the week-long Matsu pilgrimage around Taiwan begins and ends. It’s Taiwanese folk religion at its best. National Day (10 October) is celebrated with gusto, fireworks and light shows in various places around Taiwan. Chinese New Year (first day of the first lunar month) is not a good time to visit since many businesses and sights close during this period.<\/p>\n
Taiwan: Sights<\/p>\n
Chung Tai Chan Temple
\nPhone tel: Transport taxi Email ctworld@ms16.hinet.net Web www.chungtai.org Keyword religious\/spiritual, religious\/spiritual Completed in 2001, the massive Chung Tai Chan Temple is more than just another modern temple – it is an international centre of Buddhist academic research, culture and the arts.<\/p>\n
The temple is 150m tall and sits on a 60-acre lotus hill outside Puli. It took 10 years and the donations of countless members of the Chung Tai Chan Buddhist community to complete. Chung Tai Chan is an international branch of Buddhism founded by the Venerable Master Wei Chueh – the Master who is said to have revived the Zen tradition in Taiwan.<\/p>\n
From the start, the Master was determined to build something grand, something that would appeal to the modern eye as much as the soul. To achieve this, modern technology was embraced rather than shunned. Only top-quality materials and artists, both Taiwanese and foreign, were used during construction. One master craftsman is said to have spent 10 years collecting coloured jade for the delightful 18 Lohan reliefs. Marble from 15 different countries was imported and pure teak used for the seven-storey indoor pagoda. Interestingly, the pagoda was built the old way without metal nails or screws.<\/p>\n
Beyond the skilled artwork and engineering, however, the temple exists for those who have an interest, curiosity or passion for Buddhism. Several Westerners live in the temple and teach English to the nuns and monks. It is the responsibility of several of these nuns to give guided tours to any and all visitors.<\/p>\n
Unlike some temples, where the emphasis of the tour is on teaching you purely about the religious and ritual aspects of Buddhism, at Chung Tai Chan you can take an historical or cultural tour if that is your interest. In other words, the nuns will help you to understand the statues, motifs and iconography as well as the art and engineering feats of the temple, as if you were in a museum. They will explain the 22 physical markings of the Buddha, why one holds a medicine ball in his hand while another holds a lotus, and why one sits on a white elephant with six tusks and another is so fat.<\/p>\n
National Palace Museum
\nAddress 221 Zhishan Rd, Sec 2, Waishuanghsi Phone tel: (02) 2881 2021 Transport bus: 213, 255, 304, red 30, minibus 18 & 19 to National Palace Museum stop Hours 09:00 – 17:00 Web www.npm.gov.tw Keyword art-related, museum This extraordinary collection was begun during the 10th century, when Chinese Emperors began to annex art treasures. In the 20th century, thousands of artworks were ferried in crates from city to city, and finally to Taiwan to escape invading armies. Miraculously, most of the collection survived and is considered the top collection of Chinese art in the world.<\/p>\n
Tainan
\nTransport plane: from Taipei
\ntrain: from Taipei
\nbus: from everywhere Keyword religious\/spiritual Tainan, on the southwest coast, is Taiwan’s temple town. Designated the provincial capital for over 200 years, until the 1880s, Tainan still has a firm grip on Taiwan’s traditional culture. It’s also one of the best places in the country to witness Buddhist parades and festivals.<\/p>\n
There are hundreds of temples in Tainan: some of the most interesting are East Mountain, a busy Taoist temple where people come to communicate with dead relatives or exorcise ghosts; Mito, with its magnificent statue of the 1000-armed goddess Kuanyin; Chuhsi, Tainan’s largest and most beautiful temple, set in an athletic park; and Kaiyuan, a classical Buddhist temple with spacious grounds and plenty of pagodas.<\/p>\n
To see temple building in action, visit the suburb of Luerhmen, where three temples are constantly trying to outdo one another for the title of ‘biggest temple in Taiwan’. Choose your favourite and donate some cash to building expenses – your name will be engraved on a temple artefact in gratitude.<\/p>\n
Taroko Gorge
\nTransport taxi: from Hualien Keyword valley\/canyon An awe-inspiring canyon with marble-walled canyons, lush vegetation and cliffs so giant they block out the sky, Taroko covers 120,000 hectares with mountain peaks rising to 3700m. The environment of this massive park is filled with high mountain peaks and the Liwu River, which cuts through the centre of the gorge, forging many deep valleys, ravines and waterfalls in its course. There are an abundance of hiking trails that lead visitors to shrines, temples, hot springs and panoramic vistas of the mountains and the sea.<\/p>\n
Taiwan: Money & Costs
\nIn Taiwan, costs for the traveller are on a par with a good number of European countries, reflecting the rise in the standard of living on the island. However, Taiwan is still cheaper than Japan (which isn’t saying much). If you stay in youth hostels, live on noodles and travel by bus, you could get by on US$15.00 to US$20.00 a day. If you want a bathroom of your own, a few souvenirs, a couple of taxi trips and a decent feed or two a day, budget US$35.00 to US$50.00 a day. Staying in Taipei will cost you more than heading out to the country.<\/p>\n
Travellers cheques and cash can be changed at international airports and large banks, but you’ll have trouble in rural areas. When changing money it’s best to stick to US dollars for cash and cheques if you can – other currencies will cause you problems. When changing cheques, shop around, as commission costs can vary widely. For the most part, only larger banks such as the International Bank of China (CBC) and Bank of Taiwan can change money. There are no legal private money changers in Taiwan, but if you’re stuck some jewellery shops will change cash. Major international credit cards can be used at big hotels and flashier restaurants or to get cash advances at your card’s offices.<\/p>\n
Tipping is not the done thing in Taiwan. (However, at some nicer bars in Taipei the waitresses and waiters may expect a tip especially if they are used to Western customers.) The only people who really expect you to shell out are hotel bellhops and airport porters, who will expect about US$1.00 a bag. Big hotels and restaurants will stick 10% service charge and 5% value added tax on your bill. Taiwan is not a developing country, so don’t expect to haggle yourself a bargain – you may be able to get a slight discount (around 10%) in street markets and small shops.<\/p>\n
Currency
\nName New Taiwan Dollar
\nSymbol NT$ Sample Price Guide
\n2L bottled water NT$ 35 bowl of beef noodles NT$ 80 cup of coffee NT$ 80 basic fare on Taipei’s MRT (underground rail) NT$ 20 admission to National Palace Museum NT$ 100 paper umbrella NT$ 600 handmade Kinmen knife NT$ 800 Average Room Prices
\nLow Mid High
\nNT$300-1600 NT$1600-4000 NT$4000+
\nAverage Meal Prices
\nLow Mid High
\nNT$50-150 NT$150-400 NT$400+<\/p>\n
Taiwan: Getting there & around
\nGetting There
\nTaiwan has international airports at Taoyuan (near Taipei), Kaohsiung and Taichung. You can fly to Taiwan from just about anywhere in the world except, ironically enough, mainland China. Ferries run between Okinawa in Japan and Keelung and Kaohsiung in Taiwan.<\/p>\n
Getting Around
\nFlights go between all the major cities and outlying islands, which are also serviced by regular ferries. With buses you can choose between government or private (cheaper and faster but more dangerous). A train line circumnavigates the island and the service is good. There are four classes – the first three are more expensive than buses, the fourth is cheap but slow. A high-speed rail (HSR) system on the west coast, from Taipei to Zuoying in Kaohsiung, opened in 2007. HSR stations are literally in the sticks – connecting shuttle services link to urban centres. Long-distance share taxis are expensive – there are several tourist trains with better facilities and service. Driving a car is not terribly difficult outside of the cities, especially on weekdays.<\/p>\n
Taiwan: History
\nPre-20th-Century History
\nLittle archaeological evidence remains from Taiwan’s early history. People – probably from Austronesia (though there is serious speculation that Taiwan is the origin of all Austronesian peoples) – are thought to have inhabited the island since 10,000 BC with migration from China occurring much later in the 15th century. In 1517 Portuguese sailors reached Taiwan and named it Ilha Formosa (Beautiful Island). The Dutch invaded in 1624 and built a capital at Tainan – two years later they lost the island to a Spanish invasion but returned the favour by booting the Spanish out in 1641. During the 1660s the Ming and Manchu (Qing) dynasties arrived on the scene, kicking out the Dutch and wrestling one another for control of the island. The Manchus eventually won, making Taiwan a county of Fujian province and triggering a flood of Chinese immigration. At the end of the 19th century, the Japanese decided to weigh in as well: Taiwan was ceded to them in 1895 following China’s defeat in the Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese quashed a republican rebellion organised by the local Chinese population and went on to establish a military base on the island and to promote education and economic development. After Japan’s defeat at the end of WWII, Taiwan was handed back to China.<\/p>\n
Modern History
\nWhen Communist forces took control of China in 1949, the president, General Chiang Kai-shek and his Nationalist Party, the Kuomintang (KMT), fled to Taiwan to plan their reconquest of the mainland. One and a half million Chinese also left the mainland for Taiwan when Mao took control. In 1971 the KMT lost the Chinese United Nations seat and in 1979 the USA withdrew its recognition of the Republic.<\/p>\n
When Chiang Kai-shek died in 1975 and was replaced by his son Chiang Ching-kuo, Taiwanese started muttering the word ‘dynasty’, and criticism of the one-party system rose. In 1986, with martial law in force, Taiwan’s first opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), formed and was elected into the legislature. Two years later Chiang Ching-kuo died and was replaced by the first native-born president, Lee Teng-hui.<\/p>\n
In 1995 relations between the two Chinas, always chilly, plummetted to a new low. Lee Teng-hui’s high-profile visit to the United States brought mainland China out in a rash of nervous jealousy. Determined to isolate Taiwan and sway the minds of its voters, China held intense military exercises near the Taiwanese coast. In response, the United States sent warships to monitor the situation. Despite the region’s sudden high concentration of itchy trigger fingers, the first direct presidential election was held without incident, and Lee Teng-hui was returned to office.<\/p>\n
Taiwan’s fortunes took a turn for the worse in September 1999 when a massive earthquake hit the island, the largest in its history, leaving over 2000 islanders dead and a rubble-strewn country. Even in this time of crisis, however, the snippy relationship between mainland China and Taiwan continued. A defiantly sulky China demanded that any country entering Taiwan to offer earthquake relief get permission from the Chinese government first: a demand that was met with less-than-hearty agreement from humanitarian organisations and other countries around the world.<\/p>\n
Recent History
\nIn March 2000, Taiwan elected as its president Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party, which believes in a formal declaration of independence for the island. This ended 54 years of Nationalist rule and alarmed China, which demanded a firm commitment to the ‘One China principle’.<\/p>\n
Reelected by the narrowest of margins in 2004, Chen’s second term as ROC president has been marked by scandals involving family members and island-wide protests that have widely gridlocked the government. If he’s not impeached beforehand, Chen’s constitutionally barred from seeking a third term in 2008.<\/p>\n
The question of Taiwan’s future vis-\u00e0-vis China looms large. While political leaders from one side creep slowly towards codifying the island’s de facto independence (renaming state-run departments and buildings to include the word ‘Taiwan’ rather than ‘China’, and removing Chiang Kai-shek statues from public spaces), those from the other camp have been making highly publicised pilgrimages to the mainland in order to create a framework for eventual unification. In the middle stand those who’d prefer to keep the status quo, neither admitting nor denying either Taiwan’s independence from, or inclusion within, the greater Chinese nation. If and how the situation will be resolved in the coming years is anyone’s guess.<\/p>\n