Before visiting Taiwan in 2013, veteran travel writer Matt Long knew very little about the country. Once he arrived, he was blown away.

smithsonian.com
Date: May 17, 2018
By: Matt Long

“There simply is nothing else like it,” he says. “It’s totally unique.”

Founder of LandLopers.com, Matt has visited dozens of countries. What impressed him most about Taiwan was its astounding natural beauty combined with a unique commingling of cultures. Visitors can listen to traditional indigenous music at Tiehua Music Village one day; the next, visit old Dutch forts and step inside Qing Dynasty temples.

From innovative restaurants in Taipei to lush mountain gorges in Hualien and historic architecture in Tainan, the island holds something for every traveler. Only slightly larger than the state of Maryland, Taiwan is easy to traverse, with major sights only a few hours from each other connected by a robust network of high-speed rail, trains and buses.

“If you’re an affirmed urban explorer, Taipei and Tainan can keep you occupied for days with shops, cafes, restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. But if you’re more of an outdoorsy type, the options are truly incredible,” says Matt. “No matter what you decide to do, be sure to slow down and connect with the local culture. Spend some time eating dinner at a night market or pull up a stool for an impromptu lunch. Food is an important part of the travel experience in Taiwan, and one that shouldn’t be an afterthought.”

A gateway to Asia, Taiwan is an ideal stopover destination. Not only is it safe and affordable, but the locals are also exceptionally friendly and hospitable. What’s more, U.S. passport holders can visit without a visa. Drawing on Matt’s experiences, we developed a five-day itinerary featuring Taiwan’s must-see highlights. Though eight to 12 days is the ideal amount of time to experience the country, five days is the perfect addition to any Asia itinerary. Starting in the capital city of Taipei and looping around the coast to Tainan, this trip will introduce you to the best of Taiwan, both contemporary and historic.

Day 1 – Taipei City
Taipei is a strikingly modern and global city. Neon billboards and international stores dominate its streets, and in certain areas you feel like you’re walking through Times Square, Matt recalls. “It’s as advanced a city as exists in the world,” he says. However, reminders of old Taiwan are ever-present. Constantly evolving, the city simultaneously embraces its roots.

Begin your first full day in Taiwan at Longshan Temple. Set against the backdrop of modern skyscrapers, it is a colorful reminder of a bygone era. Built in the mid 18th century by immigrants from China’s Fujian province, today Longshan Temple is a cultural centerpiece of the city. Inside, time seems to stand still. Intricately carved dragons survey passersby from their rooftop stations, incense swirls in and out of quiet rooms, and the faithful bow in prayer.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-05-17

Academia Historica is working with the National Taiwan Museum for the first time to make

public its collection of gifts that Taiwan’s past and current presidents have received from diplomatic allies.

A ceremony was held announcing the opening of an exhibit of gifts that Taiwan received mostly from allied nations. Academia Historica’s head Wu Mi-cha was there to pass a spear of the local Tao tribe that was given to President Tsai Ing-wen to the National Taiwan Museum director Hung Shih-yu.

Academia Historica has selected 82 out of more than 860,000 gifts in its collection to be displayed at an exhibit at the National Taiwan Museum. Wu said it is only appropriate for the museum to be exhibiting the items which will receive better care.    [FULL  STORY]

New Taipei City has just inaugurated a bike park that has bike lanes with wave-shaped and bowl-shaped gentle slops and other interesting designs

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/05/17
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—New Taipei City has just inaugurated a bike park that has bike

lanes with wave-shaped slopes, bowl-shaped depressions and other interesting designs, the city’s Water Resources Department said in a news release on Thursday.

The city’s Water Resources Department (WRD) said the bike park is located right under the Ankeng Interchange (安坑交流道) on the right bank of the Xindian River, and the park has an area of about 4,500 square meters.

The space was originally strewn with deserted vehicles and miscellaneous objects, the department said.

The bike park, which has the advantage of being shaded by the interchange, is a bike-themed recreational spot that gives cyclists a taste of cross-country cycling, the department said, adding that it’s a place suitable for families to enjoy the fun of cycling.

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/17
By: Yang Su-min and Kuan-lin Liu

Taipei, May 17 (CNA) Responding to a demonstration against the abuse of migrant

fishermen in Taiwan on Thursday, the Fisheries Agency (FA) cited the many protections afforded foreign fishermen under the “Regulations on the Authorization and Management of Overseas Employment of Foreign Crew Members” that went into effect on Jan. 20, 2017.

Earlier that day an alliance of human rights groups called on President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to address the long-term problem of abuse of migrant fishermen in Taiwan’s fishing industry in a protest in front of the Presidential Office.

FA Deputy Director-General Lin Kuo-ping (林國平) said several task forces report regularly on the work conditions of migrant fishermen in an effort to protect their rights.

Furthermore, the Regulations on the Authorization and Management of Overseas Employment of Foreign Crew Members introduced a number of improvements, including a minimum monthly salary of US$450, which is higher than the global average of US$300, Lin said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: May 18, 2018
By: Staff writer, with CNA

At least 25 nations will voice their support for Taiwan’s participation at the World Health

Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said yesterday.

Department of International Organizations Director-General Michael Hsu (徐佩勇) told a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign and National Defense Committee that at least 25 diplomatic allies and countries that share the same values as Taiwan would speak out for the nation’s participation as an observer at this year’s WHA, which opens on Monday.

The number of countries could exceed 25, Hsu said.

Sixteen diplomatic partners have written a joint letter to the WHO asking that their proposal to “have Taiwan participate as an observer at this year’s WHA be included in the 2018 agenda of the WHA, a ministry official familiar with the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Taiwan launched its efforts to join the global healthcare body in 1997, but did not get invited to attend the WHA as an observer until 2009, when the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) was in office. The nation did not receive an invite last year and this year.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-05-16

The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), together with state-run oil

company CPC Corp and other domestic companies plan to establish a Taiwan petrochemical park in the Indian port city of Mundra.

TAITRA head James Huang said Wednesday that Mundra, in the western coastal state of Gujarat, opened India’s first multiproduct special economic zone in 2003. He praised the port’s proximity to the oil-producing countries of the Middle East and closeness to the massive Indian market.

Huang said Taiwan’s petrochemical companies have limited scope for development in their home market and have been seeking out more promising markets overseas. India, with its huge demand for petrochemical products, is such a market and Mundra an ideal place to set up a base, he said.    [FULL  STORY]

The News Lens
Date: 2018/05/16
By: Maureen Welscher

Interview conducted by Maureen Welscher

I’ve never been so busy with my biological family in Taiwan.

But not so long ago, I just felt purely Dutch. I have a home here, I thought, so why go to Taiwan? Then, around my 16th birthday, I met some other Taiwanese adolescent adoptees with the help of our Dutch adoption association, Meiling.

Some had already traveled to Taiwan. They told me what a cool country it was and how special it had been meeting their biological family.

I couldn’t help but be curious about the experience and what it might mean to me – I knew that I had two older sisters and that my parents had to relinquish me for adoption because I was born prematurely. I’d heard I had to stay in an incubator to survive, but my parents had no hospital insurance – that was about all I knew.

Emma’s journey
On my 20th birthday, I finally went to Taiwan with three adopted friends (whom you can see in the cover photo).

I stayed for two weeks at Cathwel (天主教福利會) children’s home, where I took on some voluntary work and met my family.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/05/16
By:  Central News Agency

Taipei, May 16 (CNA) Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Wednesday launched an online poll for people to select the best food and beverages sold at its shops, the airport management said.

The online poll, which will run until May 31, lists 32 choices from which the top 10 will be chosen, Taoyuan International Airport Corporation (TIAC) said.

The selections are grouped in five categories, namely beverages, rice dishes, noodle dishes, snacks and desserts, and special flavors, according to the poll site.

The selections include pearl milk tea, one of Taiwan’s most representative drinks; “lu rou fan,” which is a dish of braised pork on rice; beef noodles; steamed chicken soup with red dates; and traditional Taiwanese mixed tofu pudding.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/16
By: Lu Hsin-hui and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, May 16 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is supported by more than half of

Taiwan’s adults but only around four in every 10 of them are satisfied with her performance, a poll by Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has found.

According to results of the poll released Wednesday, ahead of the second anniversary of her presidency on May 20, 54.9 percent of respondents said they supported Tsai, compared with 40 percent who did not.

Only 41.7 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with her performance, however, while 48.4 percent said they dissatisfied.

When asking what policy they were most satisfied with, 16.6 percent of respondents said long-term care, followed by pension reform (15.7 percent), childcare (8.7 percent), raising salaries or the minimum wage (8.2 percent), and building up the country’s indigenous defense industry capability (3.3 percent).    [FULL  STORY]