The Secret Delights of Taiwan
By OCInSite Site Admin on December 22, 2011 5:28 PM
By Jude Tseui
I dip my toe gently into the dark granite tub filled with sulphurous spring water and smile — it’s the perfect heat for melting the day into evening. The lights are dim, jazz music soulfully streams from the surrounding speakers, and a blanket of quiet solitude warms the air outside my balcony. After cycling 75 miles through Taiwan’s idyllic landscape, the suite at the Grand View Resort Beitou in Taipei is proving nothing less than indulgent in every good way.
With exciting cosmopolitan nightlife in the north, sunny surf in the south, breathtaking landscapes in the east, and historical culture in the west, Taiwan is a veritable haven of inspiring exploration for the open-minded traveler. While once known solely for the mass production of inexpensive knick-knacks, this intimate island has quietly evolved into a must-visit international destination filled with tropical getaways, five-star luxuries and outdoor adventures. No matter what direction travelers decide to take, they are constantly greeted by the friendliest of people and most delectable of foods. And, with eight daily direct flights from Los Angeles to Taipei, getting to one of Asia’s most diverse destinations is simpler than ever before.
The Beautiful Isle
Originally named Ilha Formosa (“the beautiful isle”), the moniker is absolutely apropos. It begins with the naturally diverse terrain including sub-tropical and tropical climates, sandy beaches, marble-walled gorges, and tropical forests. Some of the most notable elements of Taiwan’s beauty are its hot springs. The country is home to one of the world’s top 15 hot spring sites with an array of types, including sulphur springs, cold springs, mud springs and seabed hot springs that range from exclusive resort destinations to wild mountain public locales. From a bit of pampering to outdoor adventures, this large mountainous island offers plenty of play on land and sea, with outstanding hiking, scenic and seemingly endless cycling routes, as well as world-class windsurfing.
Taiwan’s allure is accented by the welcoming culture and spirituality. The country hosts an amalgam of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and various folk faiths, giving rise to 15,000 temples (and counting) that combine art house, worship hall, community center and festival venue. Every district has a temple, as does every deity, and the lighting of incense is a common daily occurrence for welcoming good fortune. What truly brings the island’s beauty to life is the people you will meet. Whether dining at a family-owned restaurant, walking down the street, or sharing space on the subway, everyone is pleasant, helpful and open to friendly conversation. Thousands of people get by in Taiwan without being able to speak Mandarin, but if ever you need more assistance, a 24-hour tourism hot line is available with English/Japanese/Chinese-speaking operators. From the subtleties to the sublime, Taiwan is still Ilha Formosa.
Haute Hot Springs
More than 100 hot springs are scattered throughout Taiwan. The best-developed springs are set in forested valleys and meadows or overlooking the ocean, with both private rooms and public spas, usually available by the night or by the hour. The best hotel and resort hot springs are in Beitou, Taian, Yangmingshan, Green Island and Guanziling. Most wild springs deep in the mountains, especially Sileng and Lisong, can be hiked to relatively easily, while some require a journey of several days.
Whether filling a bath with spring water on demand or visiting a bath in nature, the water bubbling up from beneath the ground generates a variety of minerals that offer a host of healthful benefits, from improving skin tone, soothing sore muscles, alleviating arthritis, or easing general malaise. Depending on the type of spring and the region you are in, the experience will differ slightly.
The Grand View Resort in Beitou falls in the category of ritzy high-rise resorts, worth every penny. Rooms come with side-by-side expertly crafted granite tubs, one of which is to rinse off before and after entering your sulphurous hot spring bath, available at the turn of the faucet. Amenities are plenty, including fresh fruit and hot sake in your room upon arrival, a steam-style shower, and a calming breakfast with a view from glass floor to lofty ceiling of rich, lush greenery. Beitou also offers a co-ed outdoor public bath (Gonggong Lutian Wenquan) with a number of pools ranging in temperature, from comfortably warm to near scalding, as well as a frigid pool for the occasional jolt.
The Great Outdoors
The public transportation system (both by bus and subway) is incredibly easy to navigate with English-language signs and helpful MRT ticket booth employees. Because of this, every adventure in Taiwan is within reach.
Taiwan has a striking and heavily landscaped forest that is possible to hike year-round. Its National Trail System features an island-wide network of well-maintained paths designed for everyone from leisure strollers to altitude-seekers. In Yangmingshan National Park, on the northern part of Taiwan, hiking is the main thing you do. With tropical and mixed forests, river valleys, coastal bluffs, and narrow ridges, it’s a perfect traverse when hiking with groups of mixed levels. For more intense inclines, Yushan and Sheipa National Parks are the place to go. In fact, many travel books cite that a common hiking pace in most parts of the world is 3-4 km/hour, yet on Taiwan’s trails, however, 1 km/hour is more likely because of extremely steep conditions. With ropes and ladders already in place, hikers do not need technical skills (though a bit of brawn may help) even on high-mountain climbs.
Whether barreling up challenging altitude ascents to coasting along cross-island routes, Taiwan also offers a range of rides on bike-only paths, main roads, and mountain-biking trails with hundreds of kilometers in Taipei, Kaohsiung, and small towns down the east coast dedicated specifically for cyclists. One of the most beautiful routes along the east coast is through Taroko Gorge, widely considered one of Asia’s scenic wonders. Marble-walled canyons, deep slitted ravines, flowing blue-green waters of Liwu River, and slightly hidden shrines and statues are natural wonders are stunning to behold. If looking for a challenge, cycle up from the entrance to 3700m above sea level, being sure to take breaks for notable highlights, such as the Eternal Spring Shrine, Swallow Grotto, and Tunnel of Nine Turns. Nearby along County Road 193, Hualien County also provides rolling hill delights for the senses. Regarded as the most livable small city in Taiwan, Hualien offers flat land riding through lush landscape, rice paddies, tea fields, wild animals, and neighborhood temples. You can also use Hualien as a base for exploring Taroko Gorge, even choosing to cycle from the city to the start of the national park.
As surfing (yes, there’s surfing in Taiwan!) in the north is becoming increasingly crowded, namely when typhoon season hits and the swell rises, the less-crowded southern breaks are easily accessible using the newly developed High Speed Rail that travels from Taipei to Kaohsiung in just 90 minutes. Taiwan offers everything from beach breaks to reef points in the north, east and south that both longboarders and shortboarders will enjoy. Warm water temps and sizable waves can rival those in better-known eastern destinations, and in recent years, Taiwan has even hosted pro competitions.
To go off the beaten path, Taiwan’s outer islands offer a significant twist, especially in Penghu, Asia’s top windsurfing destination. During the winter and spring, the archipelago is possibly the windiest place in the northern hemisphere and what many have dubbed the Canary Islands of the Far East. Formed from solidified lava of volcanic eruptions approximately 17 million years ago, rock formations of basalt columns and stacks are everywhere.
Cuisine & Culture
In Taiwan, the customary greeting is “Have you eaten?” as opposed to “Hello.” And, as it continues to edge out Singapore for the “best street food in Asia” title, it’s a perfect first question to be asked. For a sampling of traditional foods, night markets are the places to go; Shilin and Shida are perhaps the most popular and easily accessible via the MRT Subway system.
Even if you don’t speak Mandarin, it’s easy to order by simply using your eyes and pointing to what looks tasty. Must-try dishes include Taiwan’s famous beef-noodle soup, luobogao (turnip cake), wen doujiang (warm soymilk), immense fried chicken in a bag, and chou doufu, a stinky tofu dish that you will immediately recognize. No visit to Taiwan is complete without a sampling of pearl milk tea, a light creamy drink with dark gelatinous tapioca balls on the bottom that make for a chewy sweet beverage.
If possible, visit the country during one of the many extravagant annual festivals are popular, namely the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Jie). In Pingxi of Northern Taiwan, people have been sending sky lanterns into the air for generations. Sky lanterns (tiandeng) are made of paper with a combustible element attached to the underside. When the element is lit, hot air rises into the lantern sack and the lantern floats into the sky like a hot-air balloon, illuminating the night sky with gently flowing lights that resemble glowing jellyfish in the sky. Long ago, remote mountainous villages were prone to attacks by bandits, so sky lanterns were used as a signal others, especially women and children, to head to the high hills for safety. Today, it is an uplifting homage to the past and a delightful invitation for wishes to come true, as many festival participants will write special desires on their lanterns before sending them floating towards the heavens.
For a truly beautiful and unique trip to the Far East, Taiwan will prove a destination that quietly beckons your heart again and again.
