See the True Taiwan: an insiders guide

Spring has finally arrived in Taiwan, which means there is about a two week window to get out and enjoy what may be the best hiking weather on earth until the temperature cranks up to unbearable levels. If you want to go somewhere that's close to Taipei, doesn't involve cramming it into a train to cat town, and is not full of other foreign faces, get down to Shiding 石碇. This is a day trip isn't far down the road from Shenkeng, the self proclaimed stinky tofu capital of Taiwan, but you'll still be getting long looks for being a foreigner here. The river view west and slightly south of the old street. A tribute to the village's mining history. Highway 5 runs overhead, Tanlan trail below. Off the beaten path? Not really, anymore, but still a great place to be for a day out of the city. It features genuine hiking, low-tempo river walks, and old street, and is based around an old school mining community. The main draw here is the hike at Huangdidian ...

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 ...

Foods to Write Home About For foreign visitors and ex-pat residents alike there are some foods which instill suspicious, fear, nausea, etc. When talking with Taiwanese locals it is not unusual to hear people ask if you "dare" to try some of the more local food items. While intrepid, seasoned, or do-it-once-so-you-can-say-you-did types are likely to have tried the following things, most Taiwanese correctly assume that foreigners wont eat most of it. For those who do, its always the kind of experience you write home about. Stinky Tofu 臭豆腐   This is arguably the most famous contribution that Taiwan has made to food. In its common form this fried or boiled tofu is fermented before cooking. The deliciously bathroom-like smell of it cooking will fill your nose as you walk the streets, beckoning you from afar and boldly wafting deep into your long-term memory. The taste and texture is similar to strong blue cheese. Fried stinky tofu has more tofu flavor than its boiled brot...