27/04/2023
We are receiving considerable interest in our new tour to the island of Taiwan. This destination is at present at the centre of world geopolitics, as China claims the island as part of the People's Republic and the islanders, backed by the West, make their claim for continued independence.
The island itself is fascinating, having retained many of these historic features, long since wiped away on the mainland, while storing many of China's treasures whisked away to Taiwan as the Communists took hold in Beijing. This is an ideal opportunity to explore this controversial island state to get its full flavour while we still can. Taipei, the capital and starting point of this tour can be easily reached by direct flights and our tour of this fascinating island may also be easily combined with our Japan Autumn Colours.
Our October Tastes and Treasures of Taiwan is led by Mark Goodwin and he has written a brief introduction of the highlights of this tour, which we hope you enjoy reading:
Introducing the stunning scenery, historic cities, magnificent monasteries, outstanding food and friendly people of this beautiful, fertile, thriving and youthfully democratic island-state, this ruggedly mountainous and scenically beautiful island, which Portuguese sailors named 'Ilha Formosa', has long attracted invaders and settlers, including the Dutch, the Spanish and the Japanese, but predominantly those from the Chinese Mainland, who mixed with the indigenous peoples to create a colourful cultural mosaic, one of the highlights of this fascinating island.
In many of our minds, Taiwan is known for its manufacturing prowess and perhaps also for being an irritant to its larger neighbour, having moved rapidly from martial law to its own style of modern democracy. However, the country boasts a rich treasure trove of traditions, with its distinctive old towns, its ancient monasteries and its museums housing a vast quantity of Chinese treasure, brought from the mainland by Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists. The island is also a trove of natural scenic splendours, from its fertile western flatlands to its pristine mountains and unspoilt, craggy east coast.
Our comprehensive 17-night circular tour of the island allows us to discover in depth not only its history, culture, peoples but also its industry while at a leisurely pace. We learn how Taiwan has preserved its ancient traditions but embraced modernity: an intriguing mix for the curious traveller.
Our tour commences in Taiwan's twenty-first century capital, Taipei, which is a delightful metropolis in which to spend time. It is safe and easy to get around and offers many museums and temples, together with a charming hinterland and interesting cuisine. The Taiwanese capital is not an ancient city. Much like Tokyo, Hong Kong or Singapore, it is a new arrival. Just three hundred years ago it was merely swampland inhabited by the indigenous Ketagalan tribe. Chinese immigrants from Fujian began to arrive in the 18th century and turned an elbow of land between the Danshui and Xindian rivers into a flourishing trading port. By the late 19th century, the Chinese Qing dynasty established its major administration in Taipei when the city centre moved to today's Zhongzheng district, where we still find the Presidential Office and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The Japanese made Taipei their capital when they colonised the island but even when the Chinese Nationalists established their government here, Taipei was no more than a sleepy county town. Today this booming, vibrant capital is a cosmopolitan city which remains steeped in Chinese, Japanese and native Taiwanese cultures - a compelling combination for us to explore.
Here we gain an overview of Taipei with a visit to the observation deck of the Taipei 101, once the world's tallest building, before learning about some of the city's cultural heritage with visits to the Longshan, Bao-an and Confucius Temples, the Qing era Lin An-Tai Homestead and some of the country's more recent Nationalist history at the imposing Martyrs' Shrine and compelling Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Naturally we view the Presidential Square and get a feel for the modern city but a highlight of our stay in the city will be a visit to the National Palace Museum, which displays a vast array of unimaginable imperial Chinese artworks and treasures.
With Taipei serving as a base, we explore the surrounding countryside along the island's north coast with its interesting landscapes and the historic, prosperous old gold-mining town of Jiufen as well as the Yangmingshan National Park with its distinctive volcanic scenery and thermal baths, mainly in colonial Japanese style, at Beitou. Naturally we also experience some of the night culture with a traditional Taiwanese puppet show and sample the local cuisine at one of the city's famous night markets and at typical local restaurants.
From Taipei we travel south towards the city of Taichung on the west coast. Pausing first at 'Rainbow Village', near Taichung, a military dependents' village that has been colourfully converted into street art, after which we continue our culinary experience with a special lunch at one of the popular state banqueting restaurants, renowned for its traditional Taiwanese cuisine in Nantou County, as well as visiting the Antique Assam Tea Farm, prior to our arrival at Sun Moon Lake.
Sun Moon Lake is one of Taiwan's most attractive and enduringly popular resorts, located 750 metres above sea level in the western foothills of the Central Range. Entirely enfolded by mountains and dense tropical foliage, there were originally two lakes, the Sun and the Moon, before the Japanese built a hydroelectric dam and raised the basin's water level. Before the dam, the aboriginal Thao tribe had their village between the two lakes but now only their burial grounds survive with their village moved elsewhere. Still, under sunny skies, the dreamy landscape of turquoise waters, jade-green hills and drifting mountain mists lend a special atmosphere to this area of national scenic beauty.
Here we experience the lake with a boat ride and a trip on the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway, a cable car offering splendid views of the lake and surrounding countryside. We also learn about some of the region's religious culture with a visit to the Wenwu Daoist Temple, dedicated to Confucius, which also boasts great lake views, and to the lovely Xuanzang Temple or 'Holy Monk Shrine, famed for its precious Buddhist relics. We also strive to discover something about the local people with a visit to both the Ita Thao village, with its local street food, and the Formosan Aboriginal Village, the largest outdoor museum in Taiwan, composed of nine villages on a hillside, each representing a different aboriginal tribal community. The buildings were reconstructed based on fieldwork and blueprints drawn up by anthropologists in the 1930s and 40s.
Our onward journey to Tainan takes us through the fertile plains of western Taiwan. We pause first at the architecturally inspiring Yu-hsiu Museum of Contemporary Art, before visiting the ancient inland port of Lugang. This was a thriving port during the Qing period but was closed by the Japanese, so today it gives an interesting insight into an old Taiwan, where traditions live on. Here we visit the Dragon Mountain Temple, Taiwan's oldest, dedicated to Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, where local merchants gave thanks for a safe passage from the mainland, and the impressive Tianhou Temple, dedicated to Mazu, Goddess of the Sea. During the afternoon we pause at Beigang's 'Palace Facing Heaven', probably the most extravagant of Taiwan's temples and again dedicated to Mazu, so relevant to this island nation, before our overnight stay in Chiayi.
The next morning, we continue our journey via the Japanese style mud baths of Guanziling where we can enjoy a dip in the hot mud springs and view the Qing dynasty paved salt-fields at Jingzaljiao before our arrival in Tainan.
Taiwan's southwest is recognised, even by the self-assured northerners, as the cradle of the island's culture and traditions. Tainan is Taiwan's fourth largest city. It feels both clean and cultured, combining a modern social scene with a deep respect for the old ways in a maze of narrow lanes and an abundance of historic sites. Having long been a sleepy town of temples, old ruins and pleasant memories, Tainan is working hard to restore elements of its former glory. It is here that we find the last vestiges of Dutch colonisation and it is here where the 17th-century former Ming resistance leader, Koxinga, is still honoured as a hero on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
In Tainan we learn about the period of Dutch colonisation at Anping Fort. Originally founded as Fort Zeelandia by the Dutch in 1624, it was renamed Anping, meaning 'peace', by Koxinga, after a nine-month siege. It was reinforced during the O***m Wars and used as a customs post by the Japanese. The fort is a microcosm of Taiwan's history and our visit here is enhanced by a viewing of the nearby Old Tait & Co. Merchant House, where the former British warehouse has been completely overrun by banyan trees, creating a surrealistic maze resembling a tree-house.
We discover the story of Taiwan's 17th-century hero at the Koxinga Shrine, set in breezy pavilions in a garden composed of tropical trees, where at the Chikan Tower, built by the Qing dynasty on the site of another Dutch fort, Koxinga's sailing from China and his reigning over Taiwan are celebrated. We become acquainted with the belief systems of Tainan's residents with a visit to the City God Temple, where the locals still believe their behaviour is reported by the city's deity, Cheng Huang, to the emperors of heaven and hell, as well as a visit to the Confucius Temple, the oldest dedicated to the sage on the island. Naturally, we also soak up the atmosphere of this city's blend of traditional Chinese and modern Taiwanese cultures.
Kaohsiung is our next stop and since its foundation in the 17th century, the city has grown rapidly from a small trading village into the political and economic centre of southern Taiwan, with key industries such as manufacturing, freight transport and shipbuilding. It is Taiwan's third most populous city and largest city in southern Taiwan and it is the country's largest and busiest port. However, it is still a pleasant place to stay and provides an ideal base for exploring its more rural hinterland in the island's tropical southwest, such as the Lotus Lake, the remarkable Buddhist complex at Fouuangshan and the aboriginal Hakka community of Meinong.
Following our experience at Sun Moon Lake, we explore Koahsiung's lovely Lotus Lake, perhaps best known for its highly decorated and dramatic temples. We visit the Daoist Spring and Autumn Pavilions, which stand on islets connected to the lake shore by short causeways and are dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, and the nearby twin seven-tiered Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, which also sit on the water and are connected to the shore by a nine-cornered bridge. It is believed that entering down the dragon's throat and exiting via the lion's symbolises the transformation of bad luck to good fortune. We also learn about Buddhist tradition in the region, as we visit Foguangshan or the 'Light of the Buddha Mountain', a not-to-be-missed complex in lush rolling countryside housing the island's tallest Buddha. Here we deepen our understanding of Buddhism on the island and discover something about Sutra Calligraphy. We visit the Hakka village of Meinong, famed for its hand-crafted umbrellas, where we learn about the local Hakka culture.
Our journey south from Kaohsiung takes us to Kenting with a pause at the immense and impressive National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium. The coastal crescent which comprises Taiwan's southern reaches is known as the Hengchun Peninsula but is most often referred to as Kenting, a vague term with specific reference to the Kenting National Park, which takes up a large part of the region, but also, confusingly, to the pleasant town of Kenting. The peninsula is surrounded on three sides by water: the Pacific to the east, the Bashi Channel to the south and the Taiwan Strait to the west. The merging of these waters creates a pastel tapestry of green and blue swirls with the great tail of the Central Mountain Range lumbering down the middle to create a largely unspoiled, sun-kissed landscape, with exotic flora, fauna and fine beaches.
Here we experience the outstanding natural landscapes, flora and fauna of the Kenting National, as we enjoy breathtaking ocean views of this, Taiwan's most southerly point. We admire unusual rock formations near Maobitou and visit the Eluanbi Lighthouse, whose lantern, said to be the brightest in Asia, has saved countless vessels from certain peril on the notorious coral shoals that reach into the sea.
The city of Taitung is pleasant and airy, but it is the area surrounding it which offers a soothing mix of indigenous cultures, invigorating hot springs and unspoiled forests. The slower pace of economic development on the east coast has meant tribespeople in this region have managed to retain some of their traditional habits and customs, a solid sense of historical and cultural continuity and a strong sense of community and solidarity. The region's weather is far less predictable, seas are rougher, hot springs are hotter, mountains higher, butterflies bigger and the people more robust than in the tamer regions of Taiwan so that travellers here are welcomed with a fusion of warm hospitality and curiosity.
Here in the east of the island we experience the region's natural beauty with a visit to the Chihpen Forest Recreation Area, where a gentle walk takes us through bamboo groves, past a botanic garden, and winds through an area of giant 'weeping figs' (banyan) trees, where it is not uncommon to see Formosan macaques, large swallow-tail butterflies and where there might even be a glimpse of a barking deer. The area is also renowned for its hot springs. We learn more about the people of the region with a visit to the National Museum of Prehistory, which is dedicated to increasing the understanding of the island's original inhabitants with high-quality displays on both Taiwan's prehistoric cultures and present-day indigenous tribes.
Our drive up Taiwan's east coast to Hualien allows us to discover some of the regions outstanding geology and coastal scenery, from the Geo-park at Xiaoyeliu to the spectacular dragon-like eight-arched sea-bridge crossing to the coral outcrop known as the 'Platform of the Three Immortals' at Sanxiantal. It also allows us to encounter another of Taiwan's tribes, the Amis, at Dulan, where the old sugar factory has now been converted into an indigenous art centre and at Pisirian, where we are treated to some traditional Ami music.
Hualien is eastern Taiwan's largest city and fills a narrow strip of flat land between the mountains and the sea. It is a pleasant and cheerful small city, famed for its marble, while its rugged environs provide a home for the indigenous Ami people. Insulated by a wall of mountains from the industrial and commercial developments of the western plains and the north, this part of eastern Taiwan, much like Taitung, remains an enclave of old-fashioned island culture. Here, parts of the island's rugged coast are unsurpassed and are said by some to resemble California's Big Sur coastline. The region also provides a base for the nearby Taroko Gorge, one of the most spectacular wonders of the world and Taiwan's foremost scenic attraction.
Our journey to Hualien has already introduced us to the Ami people and shown us the highlights of the regions coastal scenery, so we use our stay in the city as a base for our exploration of the dramatic scenery of the spectacular Taroko Gorge National Park. Here we learn about the human tragedy during the construction of the roadway and visit some of the most well-known highlights; such as the Eternal Spring Shrine, a most beautifully situated Buddhist monastery; the Swallow Grotto, a walkway through the magnificent cliff towers, where swallows' nests once hung; and the Water Curtain Tunnel, a series of waterfalls reached by a walk through a stunning landscape, where you may also encounter some of the local fauna.
Our journey from Hualien takes us to the Qixington or 'Seven Star' Lake for a leisurely walk along the beach before our visit to the Dajili Tribal House, run by a family of the Truku Tribe, where we learn to make our own aboriginal banana rice cake and enjoy a typical Truku lunch. Our last view of the coast is the spectacular Qingshui Cliff, but we console ourselves with a visit to the Kavalan Whisky Distillery for a taste of their prize-winning Taiwanese single-malt.
Our final night is spent back in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei, before transfers to Taipei International Airport for onward flights.
We really do hope that you find this tour of interest and are tempted to join me on this fascinating and memorable exploration, not too far from home. Please just contact us for further details.
