See the True Taiwan: an insiders guide

Every year on the fifteenth and final day of the lunar new year a small temple in Neihu fills the winter night with massive columns of smoke and fire while packs of people crowd into the narrow lanes west of the BiHu park. It's loud, smoky, and a little bit dangerous in all the ways you'd expect a good Chinese New Year festival to be. Plumes of smoke and fire make for good times Many years ago when I'd first arrived in Taiwan I got brought to this this festival on a whim by a friend who thought it'd impress me. And impress it most certainly did.  For many people being in Taiwan during Chinese New Year is a little bit of a letdown compared to western expectations about the holiday. Neihu's take on the lantern festival is certainly a welcome nod to the noisy parade you were expecting to see. Selfies at the tiny temple on Neihu Road which hosts the event. For those only spending one new year in Taipei there is a choice to be made between this firec...

The Shifen waterfall is a once-private-now-publicly managed waterfall which sits just outside of the small railroad town of Shifen 十分. This is a must-see destination for people who are coming to the Pingxi 平溪 area on a day trip. The weekends get crowded and riding the tourist train can be a bit intense, and this write up focuses mostly on the waterfall which should be one of many stops on a full day trip along the old Pingxi rail line. The main drag in Shifen was built with the railroad running right down the middle of it and you used to be free to walk the rail lines unless the train was coming. There are new crowd control barriers but there is only one track so rail service is slow so you shouldn't be afraid of a passing train. Don't be afraid to walk out and grab a few pictures in downtown, although being on the tracks is technically a punishable offence. Getting shots of yourself and a passing train mere feet behind you are also an obvious must.  This street is a f...