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TarokoNational Park &the East Coast

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YushanNational Park &Western Taiwan

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SouthernTaiwanp240

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THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Robert KellyChung Wah Chow

Taiwan

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Welcome to Taiwan. . . . . . .6

Taiwan Map . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Taiwan’s Top 15 . . . . . . . . .10

Need to Know . . . . . . . . . .18

If You Like… . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Month by Month . . . . . . . 23

Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Taiwan Outdoors . . . . . . . .31

Eat & Drink Like a Local . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Regions at a Glance . . . . 48

TAIPEI . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Sights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Festivals & Events . . . . . . . 78Sleeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Drinking & Nightlife . . . . . . 95Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . 99Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101Around Taipei . . . . . . . . 106Tamsui (Danshui) . . . . . . 106Bali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Beitou . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111Yangmingshan National Park . . . . . . . . . . 114Guandu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117Taipei Zoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117Maokong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117Bitan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

NORTHERN TAIWAN . . . . . . . . . . 122New Taipei City . . . . . . . 124Wulai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124Pingxi Branch Rail Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129Pinglin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

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Contents

Yingge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133Sansia (Sanxia) . . . . . . . . 135Manyueyuan Forest Recreation Area . . . . . . . . 137Highway 2: the North & Northeast Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137Baishawan Beach . . . . . . 138Fuguei Cape . . . . . . . . . . . 13818 Lords Temple . . . . . . . 138Yeliu Geopark . . . . . . . . . . 138Keelung (Jilong) . . . . . . . 139Jiufen & Jinguashi . . . . . . 140Bitou Cape . . . . . . . . . . . . 143Longdong . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Fulong Beach . . . . . . . . . . 143Caoling (Tsaoling) Historic Trail & Taoyuan Valley Trail . . . . . 145Wai’ao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145Jiaoxi (Jiaoshi) . . . . . . . . . 147National Centre of Traditional Arts . . . . . . . . 147Su-Hua Highway: Suao to Hualien . . . . . . 147Nanao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148North Cross-Island Highway . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149Cihu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150Shimen Reservoir . . . . . . 150Fuxing (Fuhsing, Fusing) 150Xiao Wulai Waterfall . . . . 151Lower Baling . . . . . . . . . . 151Lalashan Forest Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151Mingchih Forest Recreation Area . . . . . . . . 152Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area . . 153Wuling Forest Recreation Area (Wuling Farm) . . . . . 154Sheipa National Park . . . 156Hsinchu & Miaoli Counties . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158Hsinchu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158Dabajianshan . . . . . . . . . . 161Beipu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161Shitoushan . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Nanzhuang . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Taian Hot Springs . . . . . . 165Sanyi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

TAROKO NATIONAL PARK & THE EAST COAST . . . . . . . . . . . 170History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Hualien . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172Taroko National Park . . 179Highway 11 . . . . . . . . . . . 185Cow Mountain Beach . . . 186Jici (Chichi) Beach . . . . . 186Shitiping (Shihtiping) . . . 187Caves of the Eight Immortals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187Platform of the Three Immortals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187Dulan (Doulan) . . . . . . . . 188Hsiao (Xiao) Yeliu . . . . . . 189Highway 9 & the East Rift Valley . . . . . . . . . . . 190Liyu Lake & Mugua River Gorge . . . . . . . . . . . . 190Lintianshan . . . . . . . . . . . 190Hualien Sugar Factory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191Matai’an . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191Fuyuan Forest Recreational Area . . . . . . 192Ruisui (Rueisui) . . . . . . . . 193Yuli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194Antong Hot Springs . . . . 194Walami Trail . . . . . . . . . . . 195Loshan (Luoshan) Scenic Area . . . . . . . . . . . 196Guanshan (Kuanshan) . . 196Luye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197Taitung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198Chihpen (Zhiben) . . . . . . . 199Taimali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199South Cross-Island Highway . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200Wulu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200Lisong Hot Spring . . . . . . 201BAO’AN TEMPLE (P65),

TAIPEI

Siangyang Forest Recreation Area & Jiaming Lake National Trail . . . . . . . . . . 201

YUSHAN NATIONAL PARK & WESTERN TAIWAN . . . . . . . . . . 202Yushan National Park . . . . . . . . 204Dongpu (Tungpu) . . . . . .208Greater Taichung . . . . . 208Taichung . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208Dasyueshan Forest Recreation Area . . . . . . . . 211Alishan National Scenic Area . . . . . . . . . . 213Chiayi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213Alishan Forest Recreation Area . . . . . . . . 217Fenqihu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219Rueili (Juili) . . . . . . . . . . .220County Road 169 . . . . . . .220Yuyupas Park . . . . . . . . . . 222Changhua & Yunlin Counties . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222Changhua . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222Lukang (Lugang) . . . . . . . 224

Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228Sun Moon Lake . . . . . . . . 228Puli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Chung Tai Chan Temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Huisun Forest Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Jiji Small Rail Line . . . . 233Ershui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233Jiji (Chi Chi) . . . . . . . . . . . 233Shuili . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234Checheng . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Sitou (Hsitou) & Shanlinhsi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Taichi Gorge . . . . . . . . . . . 235Highway 14 . . . . . . . . . . 236Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area . . . . . . . . 236Nenggao (Neng-Gao/Nengkao) Cross-Island Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236Cingjing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237Hehuanshan (Hohuanshan) Forest Recreation Area . . . . . . . . 238

SOUTHERN TAIWAN . . . . . . . . . . 240Tainan City . . . . . . . . . . . 242Anping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245Southwest Coast . . . . . 251National Museum of Taiwan History . . . . . . . . . 251Taijiang National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252Black-Faced Spoonbill Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252Houbi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252Taiwan Salt Museum . . . 253Aogu Wetlands & Forest Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 253Guanziling (Kuanziling) . . . . . . . . . . . 253Kaohsiung City . . . . . . . . 255Foguangshan . . . . . . . . . . 263Meinong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263Maolin Recreation Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265Pingtung County . . . . . 267Donggang . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267Little Liuchiu Island . . . . 269Sandimen . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271Beidawushan . . . . . . . . . . 272

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Contents

Jin-Shui Ying Old Trail . . 273Kenting National Park . . 273

TAIWAN’S ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . 279Kinmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281Kincheng (Jincheng) . . . 283Around Kincheng . . . . . . . 285Little Kinmen (Liehyu Island) . . . . . . . . 289Matsu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290Nangan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291Beigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296Matsu’s Outer Islands . . . 297Penghu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298Makung (Magong) . . . . .300Around Penghu Archipelago . . . . . . . . . . . .304Outer Islands . . . . . . . . . . 307Wang’an . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307Chimei . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307Chipei . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307Tongpan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .308Lanyu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308Green Island . . . . . . . . . 313

Taiwan Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320

History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323

The People of Taiwan . . 338

Religion in Taiwan . . . . 342

The Temples of Taiwan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347

The Arts of Taiwan . . . . 353

The Landscape of Taiwan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356

Taiwan Wildlife Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .361

Directory A–Z . . . . . . . . 368

Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . 378

Language . . . . . . . . . . . . 383

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392

Map Legend . . . . . . . . . . 399

SURVIVAL GUIDE

UNDERSTAND

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Top: Jiufen Teahouse (p142)

Bottom: Grilled cuttlefish

One of the most popular dishes is fó tiào qiáng (佛跳牆, ‘Buddha Jumps Over the Wall’), a stew of seafood, chicken, duck and pork simmered in a jar of rice wine. Alleg-edly the dish is so tasty that even the Bud-dha – a vegetarian, of course – would hop over a wall to get a taste.

CantoneseThis is what non-Chinese consider ‘Chi-nese’ food, largely because most émigré restaurateurs in other countries originate from Guangdong (Canton) or Hong Kong. Cantonese flavours are generally more subtle than other Chinese styles – almost sweet, with very few spicy dishes. Canton-ese cooking emphasises the use of fresh ingredients, which is why so many restau-rants are lined with tanks full of live fish and seafood.

Cantonese diǎnxīn (點心, dim sum) snacks are famous and can be found in restaurants around Taiwan’s bigger cities. As well as chāshāobāo (叉燒包, barbecued pork buns), you’ll find chūnjuǎn (春卷, spring rolls), zhōu (粥, rice porridge) and, of course, jī jiǎo (雞腳, chicken feet) – an acquired taste.

AboriginalTravellers who visit Taiwan without sam-pling the dishes of the tribal peoples who called the island home millennia before the first Han sailor ever laid eyes on Ilha Formosa are definitely missing out. The product of hunters, gatherers and fishing people, aboriginal dishes tend to be heavy in wild game and mountain vegetables, as well as a variety of seafood.

One must-try dish is tiĕbăn shānzhūròu (鐵板山豬肉, fatty wild boar grilled, sliced, and grilled again with onions and wild greens). A staple that’s easy to carry and an excellent source of calories to bring along on a hike is zhútŏng fàn (竹筒飯, steamed rice – with and without meat – stuffed into a bamboo stalk); these bamboo-inspired energy bars are a speciality of the Tsou aboriginal tribe in Alishan, who are also known for their love of bird’s nest fern, tree tomatoes and millet wine.

Over in Sandimen, millet is the staple of the Rukai diet, while qínàbù (奇那步), or taro and meat dumplings, and grilled wild boar with papaya (木瓜拌山豬肉, Mùguā bàn shānzhūròu) can also be

tasted in many Rukai villages. The Baiyi in Cingjing, who originally came from Yunnan, infuse their mushroom and meat dishes with herbs such as mint, chillies and stinging ‘flower peppers’.

VegetarianTaiwanese vegetarian cuisine has plenty to offer any traveller, vegetarian or not. The country’s Buddhist roots run deep, and while only a small (but still sizeable) percentage of Taiwanese are vegetarian, a fair chunk of the population abstains from meat for spiritual or health reasons every now and again, even if only for a day or a week.

Buddhist vegetarian restaurants are easy to find. Just look for the gigantic savastika (an ancient Buddhist symbol that looks like a reverse swastika) hanging in front of the restaurant. Every neigh-bourhood and town will generally have at least one vegetarian buffet. The Taiwanese are masters at adding variety to vegetarian cooking, as well as creating ‘mock meat’ dishes made of tofu or gluten on which veritable miracles have been performed.

Drinks

TeaTea is a fundamental part of Chinese life. In fact, an old Chinese saying identifies tea as one of the seven basic necessities of life (along with fuel, oil, rice, salt, soy sauce and vinegar). Taiwan’s long growing season and hilly terrain are perfectly suited for produc-ing excellent tea, especially high-mountain oolong, which is prized among tea connois-seurs the world over (and makes a great gift for the folks back home).

There are two types of teashops in Taiwan. The first are traditional teashops (more commonly called teahouses) where customers brew their own tea in a tra-ditional clay pot, choosing from several types of high-quality leaves, and sit for hours playing cards or Chinese chess. These places can be found tucked away in alleys in almost every urban area, but are best visited up in the mountains. Taipei’s Maokong is an excellent place to experi-ence a traditional Taiwanese teahouse.

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Taiwan Outdoors . . . . . . . 31Eat & Drink Like a Local . . . . . . . . . . . 42Religion in Taiwan . . . . 342The Temples of Taiwan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347

The Landscape of Taiwan . . . . . . . . . . . . 356Taiwan Wildlife Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361

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Taipeip52

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Start with four days in Taipei being awestruck by the National Palace Museum collec-tion, sensory-overloaded at Longshan and Bao’an Temples, over-caffeinated at gourmet cafes, as well as shopping and snacking at night markets and local design shops.

Activities abound. If you like tea, take the gondola to mountainous Maokong and its traditional teahouses. For hot springs, historic Beitou is just an MRT ride away. For fun, go on a stinky tofu tour along the restored old street of Shenkeng. To burn off calories, rent a bike and ride along the river paths in Taipei or hike the trails in Yangmingshan National Park or Wulai, a mountainous district with pristine jungles and natural swimming pools.

On day five, bus further afield to the old mining towns of Jiufen and Jinguashi, used for historic movie settings and music videos. The next day head to nearby Ruifang and catch the Pingxi Branch Rail Line down an 18km wooded gorge to photograph the old frontier villages, and hike paths cut into steep crags.

On day seven round off the trip, head back up the coast, stopping at the bizarre rocks of Yeliu and renowned sculptures at Juming Museum. From Tamsui, a seaside town with beautiful colonial houses, the MRT takes you back to Taipei.

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Start with a few days in Taipei to see the sights and catch the groove of this dynamic Asian capital. It has the best Chinese art collection in the world, a thriving street food and coffee scene, a living folk-art heritage, and some world-class cycling and hiking in Wulai and other on-the-doorstep locations.

Then hop a train to Hualien and spend two days wandering the bedazzling marble-walled Taroko Gorge. More scenic delights await down Hwy 9, which runs through the lush Rift Valley. Take a train to Yuli and hike the nearby Walami Trail, an old patrol route running deep into subtropical rainforest, then recuperate at Antong Hot Springs. Next, head to Taitung and catch a flight or ferry to Lanyu, an enchanting tropical is-land with pristine coral reefs and a unique indigenous culture.

Back on the mainland, another train ride – across Taiwan’s fertile southern tip – takes you to Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s buzzing second-largest city. For beaches or scootering along beautiful coastline, head down to Kenting National Park. In winter take a two-day side trip to Maolin Recreation Area, home of Rukai aborigines and where millions of purple butterflies await spring.

Continue by train up the coast to the old capital of Tainan for a couple of days of temple touring and snacking on local delicacies. Rent a car or scooter for the drive up the winding Dongshan Coffee Road then spend the evening in rare mud hot springs in Guanziling. The following day continue up into the wild expanse of mountain ranges in the Alishan National Scenic Area. Check out sunset and sunrise, then hike around Tatajia in the shadow of Yushan, Taiwan’s highest mountain.

The drive from Yushan to Sun Moon Lake the following morning passes some sublime high-mountain scenery and should be taken slowly. At the lake, stop to sample oolong tea and maybe catch a boat tour. Heading north, fans of traditional arts and crafts will enjoy the following day’s stops in Lukang, home to master lantern, fan and tin craftsmen; Sanyi, Taiwan’s woodcarving capital; and Yingge, a town devoted to ceramics.

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After Taichung your first stop is the Chung Tai Chan Temple in Puli, an amazing centre of Buddhist art and research. After Puli the highway rises into the Central Mountains, where one gorgeous landscape after another begs to be photographed. For a side trip head to Aowanda Forest Recreation Area, a top birdwatching venue, and spend a night in little cabins among cherry and plum trees.

Returning to Hwy 14, continue to the end to find the Nenggao Cross-Island His-toric Trail. You can walk the whole thing or just hike in and spend a night in the cabin before heading north up Hwy 14甲. Prepare for an endless windy road and numerous washouts – and a stunning landscape of receding blue-tinged mountain ranges.

After Wuling Pass (3275m), the highest bit of road in Northeast Asia, stop in He-huanshan Forest Recreation Area to photograph (and maybe stroll over) the treeless hills of Yushan cane. Then head up Hwy 8 to Hwy 7甲 and follow this north to Wuling Forest Recreation Area, an area of thick forests, high waterfalls and cool mountain streams, some of which are home to the endangered Formosan landlocked salmon. If you have a few days to spare, climb Snow Mountain, Taiwan’s second-highest mountain.

Past Wuling the road winds down the mountains past aboriginal villages, with their trademark churches and steeples, to the Lanyang River plains and one very large cab-bage patch. From here it’s a seamless connection with the North Cross-Island Hwy. First stop: Mingchih Forest Recreation Area and its nearby forest of ancient trees. More ancient trees can be found a couple of hours later at Lalashan, or you can continue on to enjoy stunning views of high forested mountains and rugged canyons. Stop for lunch at Fusing and then explore Chiang Kai-shek’s legacy at nearby Cihu. At Daxi head north towards Sansia and stop to look at the masterful Tzushr Temple before con-necting with National Fwy 3 to Taipei.

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From Hualien, a low-key coastal town with good eating and seaside parks, it’s a quick hop to Taroko Gorge, Taiwan’s premier natural attraction. After a couple of days hik-ing, biking and marvelling at the marble walls, head up Hwy 11 to the Qingshui Cliffs, among the world’s highest.

Return to Hualien and take Hwy 11 to Taitung. It’s three days on a bike alongside some of Taiwan’s best coastal scenery; otherwise rent a car or scooter. Plan to stop often, but in particular at Shitiping for seafood and jaw-dropping views, and Dulan, Taiwan’s funkiest town, for an art scene centred around a reclaimed sugar factory. From Taitung, catch a ferry or flight to Green Island and/or Lanyu for a few days of snorkelling, hot springs and exploring the island culture of the aboriginal Tao.

To head back north, take Hwy 11乙 west and connect with 東45 and later County Rd 197 for a scenic drive up the Beinan River Valley, with the crumbling Liji Badlands on one side and the jagged cliffs of Little Huangshan on the other.

The 197 drops you off on Hwy 9, near Luye, a bucolic pineapple- and tea-growing region with a stunning plateau. Just north, connect with the South Cross-Island Hwy for some yodel-inducing high-mountain scenery, and the chance to hike to Lisong, a wild hot spring that cascades down a multicoloured cliff face.

For more scenic eye-candy, stop at the organic rice fields of Loshan and the flower fields of Sixty Stone Mountain. Spend the night at Antong Hot Springs so you are fully rested for a cycle the next day out to historic Walami Trail, a Japanese-era patrol route.

Opportunities to indulge in local foods are numerous along this route, but don’t miss aboriginal Matai’an, a wetland area with some unique dishes. You’ll be well fed for the final stretch back to Hualien, which you should do along quiet County Rd 193. For one last adventure, veer off before Hualien and ride up the wild Mugua River Gorge for a dip in a marble-walled natural swimming hole.

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Robert Kelly Coordinating Author; Taipei, Northern Taiwan, Taroko National Park & the East Coast Robert Kelly has been living in Taiwan continuously since 1996 and to say this place is now home would be quite the understatement. This permanent resident has helmed the Taiwan guidebook three times now (his ninth title for Lonely Planet), and has written about the Beautiful Isle, and other topics, for publishers such as the BBC, Wall Street Journal and The South China Morning

Post. An avid hiker, cyclist and road-trip enthusiast, there are precious few places on this island he hasn’t been (and even fewer he wouldn’t go back to in a second). Robert is currently writing the script for a documentary on Taiwan’s outstanding but little-known temple arts.

Chung Wah Chow Yushan National Park & Western Taiwan, Southern Taiwan, Taiwan’s Islands From her base in Hong Kong, Chung Wah can’t help but be repeatedly lured back to Taiwan, where she spends part of every year revelling in its wonderful land-scape and culture. Researching this book provided her with the opportunity to join many colourful, only-in-Taiwan festivities and hop over to some of the coun-try’s most beautiful islands. Chung Wah has previously co-authored other Lonely

Planet titles, including ones on China and Hong Kong.Chung Wah also wrote the Eat & Drink Like a Local, Religion in Taiwan, The Landscape of Taiwan

and Taiwan Wildlife Guide chapters.

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9839th edition – Mar 2014ISBN 978 1 74220 135 1© Lonely Planet 2014 Photographs © as indicated 201410 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in SingaporeAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

Read more about Chung Wah Chow at: lonelyplanet.com/members/cwchow

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

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