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Welcome to Taiwan
Taiwan - An Ideal Travel Destination
Prepare yourself for the holiday of your dreams as Taiwan has it all: good food, a beautiful ocean, stupendous mountains and lots of sunshine!
Area :36,000 square kilometers
Population: 23 million
Capital : Taipei City
Language : Mandarin/Taiwanese/Hakka/Indigenous Languages
Religion : Buddhism/Taoism/Christianity/Islam
President : Chen Shui-bian
Taiwan's total land area is only about 36,000 square kilometers; it is shaped like a tobacco leaf that is narrow at both ends. It lies off the southeastern coast of the mainland Asia, across the Taiwan Strait from Mainland China-- a solitary island on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean. To the north lies Japan ; to the south is the Philippines. Many airlines fly to Taiwan, helping make it the perfect travel destination. Taiwan lies on the western edge of the Pacific "rim of fire," and continuous tectonic movements have created majestic peaks, rolling hills and plains, basins, coastlines, and other wonders. Taiwan sees climates of many types: tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate, providing clear differentiation between the different seasons. There are about 18,400 species of wildlife on the island, with more than 20% belonging to rare or endangered species; among these are the land-locked salmon, Taiwan mountain goat, Formosan rock monkey, Formosan black bear, blue magpie, Mikado pheasant, Hsuehshan grass lizard, and many more. The government has established 7 national parks and 13 national scenic areas to preserve Taiwan's best natural ecological environment and cultural sites. Take a hike in the splendor and sheer heights of the cliffs at Taroko Gorge; take a ride on the Alishan train--one of only three mountain railways in the world--and experience the breathtaking sunset and sea of clouds; hike up to the summit of Northeast Asia's highest peak, Jade Mountain. You can also soak up the sun in Kending, Asia's version of Hawaii; stand at the edge of Sun Moon Lake; traipse through the East Rift Valley; or visit the offshore islands of Kinmen and Penghu. It's fun in capital letters as well as an awesome journey of natural discovery!
The cultural aspects are also not to be missed. The blending of Hakka, Taiwanese,indigenous people and mainland Chinese cultures has produced a rich plethora of cultural and social color. Whether it is religion, architecture, language, living habits, or food, it's just one big exciting melting pot! Food is the best representative of this cultural mixing and matching. Aside from cuisines from different parts of the mainland such as Zhejiang, Hunan, Guangdong, Yunnan, Shanghai, Beijing, Sichuan, and others, there is also the local Taiwanese cuisine as well as the local delicacies of each area.
NATURE
Formosa (beautiful island) is what the Portuguese called Taiwan when they came here in the 16th century and saw the island's verdant beauty.
Located along the southeast coast of the Asian Continent at the western edge of the Pacific Ocean, between Japan and the Philippines and right in the center of the East-Asian island arc, Taiwan forms a vital line of communication in the Asia-Pacific region. It covers an area of approximately 36,000 square kilometers (14,400 square miles) and is longer than it is wide. Two-thirds of the total area is covered by forested mountains and the remaining area consists of hilly country, platforms and highlands, coastal plains and basins. The Central Mountain Range stretches along the entire island from north to south, thus forming a natural line of demarcation for rivers on the eastern and western sides of the island. On the west side lies the Yushan Mountain Range with its main peak reaching 3,952 meters, the highest mountain peak in Northeast Asia.
THE MOUNTAINS
Taiwan has been generously equipped with forests. Some 258 mountain peaks are more than 3,000 meters high, geographically making Taiwan incomparable to any other country in the world. As mountains can be found anywhere, mountain climbing is a popular leisure activity in Taiwan. One can choose to walk the mountains on the outskirts of the city or accept the challenge of climbing one of the numerous high mountains, follow the course of streams and valleys, trace back the source of rivers, or cross entire mountains. In any case, lush scenery will unfold before your eyes and it will not take too long before you'll be convinced of the beauty of Taiwan's mountains. In addition to this, six national parks offer a variety of distinct topographic landscapes: the Taroko National Park, a narrow ravine created by a river which has cut through the mountains ;Yushan(Jade Mountain) National Park containing the highest landmark of Taiwan and also the highest peak in Northeast Asia ; Shei-Pa National Park, featuring with its dangerously steep slopes; Yangmingshan National Park, offering volcanic craters and lakes; Kenting National Park, encompassing Taiwan's only tropical area which breathes a truly Southeast Asian atmosphere; and Kinmen National Park, with its storied granite hills.
WORLD OF THE SEA
Taiwan has a very rich marine ecology. In the Pacific Ocean on Taiwan's east, groups of bottlenose dolphins, spinner dolphins, Risso's dolphins, and pan tropical spotted dolphins can be seen jumping out of the water. Azure seas and magnificent coral reefs can be found in Kenting on the south end of Taiwan, and on Green Island and the islands of the Penghu Archipelago. It is there for you to discover and marvel at.
ECO-PARKS
Taiwan has a warm and humid climate and a variety of terrain, including sandbars, plains, basins, hills, plateaus, and mountains. As a result, the island is home to abundant animal and plant life, including various endemic species, and can therefore be regarded as one gigantic eco-park. Because of the formation of mud flats and mangroves along the coast, large numbers of migratory birds from around the world are attracted to Taiwan, where they use these coastal areas as a temporary shelter and rest area before they resume their journey. In spring and summer there are the birds that leave the tropics behind to spend this season in Taiwan, such as the eye-catching fairy pitta, known in Chinese as the eight-color bird, while during autumn birds from colder northern areas come to Taiwan to spend the winter, such as the black-faced spoonbill of which only 530 are left worldwide. Each year the gray-faced buzzard will be right on time to participate in the Double Tenth celebrations (Taiwan's national day), and there are also countless other migratory birds that use Taiwan either as a stopover or as their final destination, one way or the other adding exuberant vitality to Taiwan's wildlife. One surprise after the other will come to you when traveling in Taiwan.
HISTORY
Taiwan's history can be traced back to at least 7000 years ago. Between 7000 and 400 years ago, Austronesian ancestors of the Aboriginals arrived in Taiwan in small groups and became the earliest known inhabitants of Taiwan. During the Age of Discovery of the 16th Century, Western sailors arrived in the Far East to set up colonies and conduct trade. As Taiwan was located at the conjunction of East Asia and the oceans, as well as being where the Northeast Asian waters meet the Southeast waters, it became the focus of Asian and Western powers that were operating in East Asian waters at the time.
In the first half of the 17th Century, the Dutch established a presence at Anping (modern day Tainan). There they conducted missionary activities, trade and the production of various goods. They also recruited many Han settlers from the coast of China, ushering in the multicultural history of Taiwan.
Welcome to Taiwan - a Melting Pot of Different Cultures
If this is your first visit to Taiwan, you will most certainly be amazed at the diversity of things this beautiful island has to offer, as a rich historical background has provided Taiwan with a multifaceted culture. People from many different places and backgrounds, such as Taiwan's indigenous people, the southern Fujianese from early China, Hakka immigrants, the Dutch, Spanish, and Japanese, and the recent immigrants from mainland China have all played a role in Taiwan's development. While gradually developing a new culture indigenous to Taiwan, they also held on to their respective customs and traditions; as a result, you will be able to sample indigenous, Taiwanese, and Chinese cultures and even find
traces left by the Dutch and the Japanese when traveling in Taiwan.
Taiwan - A Paradise for Gourmands
The culinary culture of the Chinese people goes back a very long time; and while Chinese food can be enjoyed in every large city in the world today, true gourmets know that only in Taiwan is it possible to enjoy fine authentic cuisine from all the different regions of China. In Taiwan, where it seems the people live to eat, it is said that there is a snack shop every three steps and a restaurant every five. These establishments serve all kinds of Chinese food, from the roast duck, smoked chicken, lamb hotpot, fish in wine sauce, beef with green peppers, and scallop and turnip balls of the north to the camphor-tea duck, salty fried chicken with spices, honey ham, stir-fried shrimp, dry-fried eggplant, and spicy bean curd of the south. As the island's economy has developed rapidly in recent years, its culinary culture has expanded beyond the traditional Chinese foods to Chinese-style fast-food chains, thus bringing greater complexity than ever before to the art of Chinese dining. Foreign foods from all over the world have also made their appearance in Taiwan, and the island is now filled with eateries serving American hamburgers, Italian pizza, Japanese sashimi, German pig's knuckles, Swiss fondue, and just about everything else. All of this makes Taiwan a veritable paradise for gourmands. Taiwan's own native cuisine has also become known around the world, and if you try it just once you will remember it forever.
Climate
If you are from a high-latitude country, you can leave your winter coat behind when coming to Taiwan and indulge in the pleasant warmth of the sun. If you'd rather experience the carefree sensation of healthy beads of sweat running down your forehead, then you should visit the beach at Kenting in southern Taiwan where it is summer all year round.
Don't worry too much about getting burnt by the dazzling sun; the island of Taiwan is located in the subtropical climate zone, and the sun is not as stinging hot as it seems bright. Furthermore, the island is surrounded by oceans; and the ocean breezes, which are the reason for Taiwan's humid weather, will surely make you completely forget the dry cold back home. If you are from a low-latitude country, you will certainly revel in the nice warmth of Taiwan's sun. Because of the coolness that hangs in the air, it is a welcoming change from the simmering heat of your native country. You can do some hiking in the mountains, surrounding yourself with the beautiful trees of the forest while inhaling some of that pure and fresh air that blows on the island of Taiwan. Taiwan enjoys warm weather all year round. The strongest fluctuations in weather conditions are during spring and winter, while during summer and autumn the weather is relatively stable. Taiwan is extremely suitable for traveling, as the annual average temperature is a comfortable 22 degrees Celsius with lowest temperatures ranging from 12 to 17 degrees Celsius (54-63 Fahrenheit). Therefore, with the exception of a few mountain areas where some traces of snow can be found during winter, no snow can be seen throughout Taiwan. When summer is about to dismiss spring (March to May), continuously drizzling rain will sometimes fall on Taiwan. When visiting Taiwan during this period, remember to carry an umbrella at all times; because although it might seem romantic to have a stroll in the rain, it is no fun to travel when you're soaking wet. During the summer (June to August) typhoons sometimes reach the island. During this period we suggest you keep an eye on weather reports, because during typhoon weather the roaring waves at the coast are not to be regarded as one of Taiwan's tourist scenes. During autumn (September to October) you can wholeheartedly enjoy the cool and soothing weather, while Taiwan's relatively warm and short winter (November to February) is the time for you to admire the beautifully colored maple trees. The cold fronts that reach Taiwan sporadically are greatly favored by the island's hot spring lovers. In short, Taiwan, where it always seems to be spring, is your perfect travel destination!
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