See the True Taiwan: an insiders guide

Yeliu 野柳 is a small town located north of Keelung 基隆 which is home to the Yeliu Geopark, a narrow strip of rock which juts out into the ocean. In addition to the park there is a Sea-World-like dolphin show and a string of restaurants which seem hell bent of having tourists eat there. The parking lot which spans the area between the docks, the park, and the marine spectacle is perhaps one of Taiwan's most obnoxious tourist traps. There is even a flea market which reportedly never has good prices unless you're a local, a criticism which has been leveled at the restaurants as well. Despite what I feel is well-earned criticism, Yeliu is worth a stop if you're interested in seeing the geopark. Plan to spend time walking the entire park area if you come inside because there are many quirky little areas to explore. The geopark is a great spot to add to any north coast itinerary assuming you see the park and get out of the surrounding area ASAP. When you come here you should ge...

The National Palace Museum 台灣故宮博物館 is one of the few places that is a genuine must see on your trip to Taiwan. It's possibly even worth making a stop in Taipei if you're going to be outside of the capital just to be sure you get to see the treasures it houses. Some of the pieces in this museum are just that stunning. To make a long history lesson short, the bulk of the collection housed at the palace was brought over from China during the civil war. There was a limit to how much the army could take with them as they bounced around the country, so only those objects deemed truly valuable were brought along. As a result, the Taiwanese half of the museum - the other is in the Forbidden City in Beijing - houses a disproportionately high volume of culturally meaningful art. Thankfully, the curators at the museum have packed the permanent collection with great pieces, and there are which come out of storage in rotation. With all the great pieces of art from China's past ...

Sanxia (三峽) has become a major dormer community for Taipei, emerging from a small town to hosting massive new apartment complexes and redesigned boulevards. Young families who couldn't afford houses in Taipei or other areas of New Taipei helped drive development here, although I doubt that prices stayed low for very long. Yet floating among this very new and at time times very crowded area there is a well restored Japanese era old street and a beautifully maintained temple called the Zushi Temple 祖師廟. Sanxia is worth a visit in its own right if you have extra time on a trip - or live in Taiwan - and want to see something farther afield from Taipei City. If you're thinking of heading to nearby Yingge 鶯歌 for the old street there, it is worth slotting time for Sanxia into your day. The only way to get here is by bus, car/scooter, or cab because the MRT ends at Yongning (north of here) and the TRA stops in Yingge. Another option on a nice day is to take a long bike ride from the ...

Yangming Mountain, hereafter to be called yangming shan (陽明山) is a volcanic area set in Taipei City's northern Shilin and Beitou districts. For anyone in the city the name implies a vast area of peaks and valleys which include entire communities, colleges, hot springs, farms, and basically any area shaded green on a map of Taipei. Getting up all of the lower mountains eventually leads you up to the ultimate peak at Qixing shan (七星山). View from the top on a nice day Climbing qixing shan is a rewarding experience for anyone looking to get to the top of the tallest point in northern Taiwan. The next highest peak, snow mountain, requires a permit to get into, so qixing shan becomes the defacto mountain that lay people must conquer. And conquer they do. On busy days everyone waits around to get a photo with this. Note the heavy fog. A view up towards the eastern peak. Weekends are rather busy on the trails and on the roads during the early spring flower season when th...

Nestled in a quiet neighborhood dotted with farms on the outskirts of TaiChung City (臺中市) proper, this small complex of buildings is a neat little attraction if you're looking for a great place to take some photos. Its called 黃永阜 and comes up on any map software. The story goes that an old man was at risk of losing his house because it had not been maintained properly. In a bid to prevent the government from tearing down his place he set to work painting the facades, sidewalks, and even the pipes around his home. Due to his creative use of colors, characters, and photogenic slogans his place became a bit of a tourist attraction. Then a small park got built next door and his house, which despite being somewhat ill kept, has survived to this day.  Visiting the house is free and there is free parking on the streets nearby and in a lot which connects to the playground. Many of the designs from the house have been turned into postcards and stickers which can ...

While enjoying a picnic lunch in a park gazebo on a rain soaked afternoon recently, I watched a foreign couple scampering from shelter to shelter trying to stay dry under their undersized umbrellas. Due to the sheer volume of rain for the previous days there were deep, foot drenching puddles which were best avoided. The guy jumped a tiny baby hop over the puddle in his shoes, the girl side stepped the deepest part in her sandals. The guy fell flat on his ass, and the girl didn't. This is from where I was sitting when he fell. He slipped on the exact same tiles which - seen here - are obviously an accident waiting to happen. Get off balance for a single second, and down you'll go. At the risk of jinxing myself to fall and break something, I'd like to say that Taiwan on a rainy day becomes half ice rink half obstacle course. Visitors be warned, and residents, be re-warned. The above sidewalk is outside of a massive twenty story apartment complex. Chi...