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Taiwan

Taiwan

Continent

Asia

Best States to Visit

  • Taipei
  • Pingtung
  • New Taipei
  • Tainan
  • Taoyuan

Best Cities to Visit

  • Taipei
  • Taichung
  • Kaohsiung
  • Tainan
  • Hualien

Size

36,193 KM2

Population

2

GDP

$612,170,000,000

Spending Budget

$1,040 - $2,920

Famous For

  • Festivals
  • Unique Blend of Cultures

Best Time to Visit

  • January
  • September

History

Austronesian-speaking ancestors of Taiwanese indigenous peoples settled the island around 6,000 years ago. In the 17th century, large-scale Han Chinese immigration to western Taiwan began under a Dutch colony and continued under the Kingdom of Tungning. The island was annexed in 1683 by the Qing dynasty of China, and ceded to the Empire of Japan in 1895. The Republic of China, which had overthrown the Qing in 1911, took control of Taiwan on behalf of the World War II Allies following the surrender of Japan in 1945. The resumption of the Chinese Civil War resulted in the ROC's loss of mainland China to forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and retreat to Taiwan in 1949. Its effective jurisdiction has since been limited to Taiwan and numerous smaller islands.

Present Day

Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. It shares maritime borders with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south, with mountain ranges dominating the eastern two-thirds and plains in the western third, where its highly urbanised population is concentrated. The capital is Taipei, which, along with New Taipei and Keelung, forms the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. It lies on the Tropic of Cancer, and its general climate is marine tropical. The northern and central regions are subtropical, whereas the south is tropical and the mountainous regions are temperate. The average rainfall is 2,600 millimetres (100 inches) per year for the island proper.

Future

The majority of Taiwan’s success comes from the tourism sector, but it is also home to the world’s leading semiconductor industry, feeding an insatiable market for the most advanced chips for automobiles, 5G, and smart devices. Exports also make a large amount of business. Taiwan now has scope to more fully diversify its trade and investment partners as well as increase internationalization of Taiwanese society and its business community.
Must Visit Places ------------

Taipei 101

Once the tallest skyscraper in the world, now overshadowed by the Burj Khalifa, this building is not any less impressive. Upon completion, it became the world’s first skyscraper to exceed a height of half-a-kilometre. Its elevators, capable of traveling 60.6 km/h (37.7 mph) and used to transport passengers from the 5th to the 89th floor in 37 seconds, set new records. The tower houses offices and restaurants as well as both indoor and outdoor observatories. The tower is adjoined by a multilevel shopping mall that has the world's largest ruyi symbol as an exterior feature.

National Palace Museum

The National Palace Museum, located in Taipei, Taiwan, has a permanent collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of ancient Chinese imperial artifacts and artworks, making it one of the largest of its type in the world. The collection encompasses 8,000 years of history of Chinese art from the Neolithic age to the modern. Most of the collection are high quality pieces collected by China's emperors. The National Palace Museum shares its roots with the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City, whose extensive collection of artwork and artifacts were built upon the imperial collections of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Taroko Gorge

Taroko National Park is one of the nine national parks in Taiwan and was named after the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park carved by the Liwu River. The name "Taroko" derives from the Truku tribe, an indigenous group that continues to reside in Hualien County, including within the designated National Park area. A picturesque trail through the gorge leads up to the Eternal Spring Shrine, framed beautifully with the spray of a waterfall.

Yushan National Park

Yushan National Park is one of the nine national parks in Taiwan and was named after the summit of Yushan, the highest peak of the park. The park contains over thirty peaks more than 3,000 metres (9,843 ft) in elevation, and two-thirds of the area within the park is above 2,000 metres. Due to its remote location and entry control, Yushan National Park is not among the most visited national parks in Taiwan.

Alishan Scenic Mountain Area

Alishan is a lush green mountain range made special by the Alishan Forest Railway (1912), a remarkable narrow-gauge train originally built for logging the area's giant cedars. By the 1970s, logging had pretty much ended and tourism had become the area's primary earner. The altitude causes the flora and fauna to be more temperate than tropical, the transition of which is interesting to say the least.

Sun Moon Lake

The Sun Moon Lake bags the title of the largest body of water in Taiwan. The east side of the lake resembles a sun while the west side resembles a moon, hence the name. While swimming in Sun Moon Lake is usually not permitted, there is an annual 3-km race called the Swimming Carnival of Sun Moon Lake held around the Mid-Autumn Festival each year. The lake and its surrounding countryside have been designated one of thirteen national scenic areas in Taiwan.

Maokong

Maokong used to be the biggest tea growing area of Taipei. There are many intertwining footpaths which have been used to transport tea. Now, it is a popular place for tea culture and viewing the night scenery of Taipei City. The scenery is incredible on its own but the gondola ride is what makes this place an unforgettable experience.

Lotus Pond

Lotus Pond is an artificial lake and popular tourist destination on the east side of Zuoying District in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Opened in 1951, it is famous for the lotus plants on the lake and the numerous temples around the lake, including the Spring and Autumn Pavilions, the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, and the Confucian Temple.

Rainbow Village

Once a military village, a family began painting the houses to prevent them from being demolished. While there are no prominent attractions in the settlement, simply a walk through the colorfully painted village is a vision to sooth. The main artist still remains in the village and welcomes talks with all visitors.

Beitou Hot Springs

These natural hot springs located in Beitou Park are a winter’s delight. Filled with fresh, crystal clear water, these springs are not only safe to drink from but are also known for their rejuvenating properties due to the high mineral content. Lush flower gardens surround the traditional baths creating a sense of impeccable relaxation.

Xinshe Sea of Flowers

Although a seasonal attraction, the Xinshe Sea of Flowers, located in the heart of Taichung attracts an incredible amount of visitors each year. Held during the winter months, this annual flower festival offers brightness in the midst of the cold, unforgiving grey of the season. The event showcases the best blooms of that year and often has a theme for the season which participants must adhere to.

The Lin Family Mansion and Garden

The Lin Ben Yuan Family Mansion and Garden in Banqiao District, New Taipei City, Taiwan was a residence built by the Lin Ben Yuan family. It is Taiwan's most complete surviving example of traditional Chinese garden architecture. The garden is divided into 7 parts and can only be accessed with a tour guide.

Zushi Temple

The Changfu Temple is a Taoist temple along Sanxia Old Street in Sanxia District. Qingshui, known locally as Zushi-Gong, is the principal god worshiped at Changfu Temple. Every sixth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar on Zushi-Gong's birthday, Changfu Temple holds a Pigs of God Contest. Farmers compete to raise the fattest pig, which during the competition day, the pig is decorated with ornaments. The fattest pig is then sacrificed to Zushi-Gong. Now, the live pig is replaced with a symbolic pig after concerns raised from animal rights activists

Wusheng Night Market

Unlike most markets that make an early start and early end, the Wusheng Night Market stays open till after midnight. Perfect for a leisurely stroll or to get just a bit of last minute souvenir buying done, the market is teeming with stalls filled with accessories, jewellery, and clothing. And like any good market, there are a vast number of finger foods on offer.

Chimei Museum

The Chimei Museum is a private museum established in 1992 by Shi Wen-long of Chi Mei Corporation in Rende District, Tainan, Taiwan. The museum's collection is divided into five categories: Fine arts (including painting, sculpture, decorative arts and period furniture); Musical instruments; Natural history and fossils; Arms and armor; Antiquities and artifacts. The museum is known for housing the world's largest violin collection and for its significant collections of ancient weapons and sculptures.

Pier 2 Art Center

The arts center was originally an abandoned warehouse site due to Kaohsiung's shift from industrial city to service city. The warehouses were built in 1973. Due to the persistence of local artists, the area was finally released and remade to be an arts center. In 2006, the Bureau of Cultural Affairs of Kaohsiung City Government and under management of the Kaohsiung Pier-2 Art Development Association and Shu-Te University's art development workshop took over the center, starting a series of exhibitions.

Longshan Temple

Bangka Longshan Temple is a Chinese folk religious temple in Wanhua District (alternately known as Bangka/Mengjia), Taipei, Taiwan. The temple was built in Taipei in 1738 by settlers from Fujian during Qing rule in honor of Guanyin. It served as a place of worship and a gathering place for the Chinese settlers. In addition to its Buddhist elements, it includes halls and altars to Chinese deities such as Mazu and Guan Yu.

Ximending

Ximending has been called the "Harajuku of Taipei" and the "Shibuya of Taipei". Ximending is the source of Taiwan's fashion, subculture, and Japanese culture. Ximending has a host of clubs and pubs in the surrounding area. This area is in the northeastern part of Wanhua District in Taipei and it is also the most important consumer district in the Western District of Taipei.

Taipei Zoo

The Taipei Zoo, sometimes referred to as the "Muzha Zoo", is a public zoological garden in Wenshan District, Taipei, Taiwan. It is the most famous zoological garden in Taiwan and a leader in conservation, research and education, and recreation. It is one of the largest zoos in Asia, with a total area of 165 hectares, of which more than 90 ha are developed.

Miramar Entertainment Park

The Miramar Entertainment Park is a shopping mall in the Dazhi area in Zhongshan District of Taipei, Taiwan. The department store also contains an IMAX theater. On the roof of Miramar Entertainment Park is a 70 meters (230 ft) tall Ferris wheel, third tallest in Taiwan after the 88 meters (289 ft) Sky Wheel at Janfusun Fancyworld and Sky Dream in Lihpao Land.

Nangang District Hiking Trail

One of the best Taiwan places to visit among hikers coming to the country is the Elephant Mountain, commonly dubbed as the Nangang District Hiking Trail. The hiking trail is a fairly easy one, with the hike taking no more than 30 minutes for beginners. The trail is well known for the rewarding views it offers of the surrounding town. Offering a fantastic panorama of the Xiangshan skyline, the hike is an absolute must try for photographers in the city. The views from the top are especially amazing during the sunset hours, just as the city lights come aglow with the waning of the light.

Carton King Creativity Park

This whimsical park, located in Taichung, is 1,600 square meters big and ideal for anyone who wants to have a fun afternoon seeing famous structures made out of sturdy cardboard and dine in a restaurant where everything is made out of cardboard as well. Even the garden planted is made out of cute cardboard creations!

Chungbuk Fall Pine

Blanketed in a thicket of pine trees, Chungbuk Fall Pine is the finest destination for those looking to get away from the noise of the city, into the heart of nature. The quaint forest is perfect for walks, relaxation, and picnics. While there is not much else to do, it is a wonderful location to partake in some photography too.

Gaomei Wetland

Nestled on the mouth of the Dajia river, the Gaomei Wetland is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Taiwan. Spread over 1,500 acres, the wetlands are an ecological marvel. The muddy lands are margined with boardwalks that visitors can use to explore the area on foot. There are some bike rentals available here as well. Tourists will come across several water animals as they walk along, with fishes and crabs being the most in number. The wetlands also witness a great flock of migratory birds during the winter months, making it one of the best tourist attractions in Taiwan among birdwatchers.

National Museum of Natural Science

The museum covers 22 acres (89,000 m2) and is a six-venue complex housing: the Space Theater, Science Center, Life Science Hall, Human Cultures Hall, Global Environment Hall, and Botanical Garden. The Research and Collection Division of the museum is divided into departments for zoology, botany, geology and anthropology. The museum is a must for curious children.