Travel to Taiwan..Central valley in East Rift Valley National Scenic Area

This area is located in the middle section of the East Rift Valley with Yuli at its center, Ruisui in the north, and Fuli in the south. This is an important area offering plentiful information, community services and transportation. The area is connected with the Yushan National Park and the East Coast area. Its main features include rural villages, hot springs, and river valleys among mountain forests. The area can be subdivided into two smaller areas.
(1) Ruisui
With Ruisui as the main focus of development, the area offers hot springs and tea plantations as tourist attractions. For the adventurous travelers, white-water rafting on Xiuguluan River is the top choice.

* Fuyuan Forest Recreation Ares: Camping, mountaineering, hiking, bird-watching, butterfly-watching, green showers, nature exploration, cycling, etc.
* Ruisui Hot Spring, Hongye Hot Spring, Antong Hot Spring: Hot Spring bathing, accommodation, hiking, scenic views, and bird-watching.
* Wuhe Hegang Tourist Tea Plantation: Visiting tea-production facilities, bicycling, accommodation, etc
* Tropic of Cancer Marker: Aboriginal culture, outdoor exhibition of world technologies.
* Saoba Stone Pillar Park: Picnic, cultural sightseeing, etc.

(2) Yuli-Fuli
In cooperation with the spacious Changlang Holiday Resort, Yuli has been developed into a main tourist town. And the area is enlarged with the establishment of public transportation.

* Tiefen Waterfall: Picnic, hiking, nature exploration, bird-watching, etc.
* Yushan National Park Nan’an Visitors Center: Mountaineering, hiking, nature exploration, butterfly-watching, and bird-watching.
* Mt. Chike: Green showers, hiking, and nature exploration.
* Luoshan area (Luoshan Waterfall, Luoshan Mud Volcano, Mt. Liushishi, Xiao Tianxiang, Gongpu Prehistoric Site): Mountaineering, hiking, nature exploration, bird-watching, camping, visiting of production facilities, scenic views, accommodation, etc.

Share This

Come on..let’s travel to Liyu Lake-Guangfu (Hualien)

It’s ranging from Hualien City, through Prov. Rd. No. 9 on the southern side of Mugua River, passing Liyu Lake, Shoufeng, and Fenglin all the way to Guangfu.

This vast area comprises Hualien, part of the Taroko National Park and part of the East Coast. It has become a popular destination for visitors to recreational farms, forest recreation areas and aboriginal cultural sites.

This area can be subdivided into two smaller areas:
(1) Liyu Lake
Liyu Lake is situated at the northern end of the Hualien-Taitung Rift Valley. A recreational center is going to be established around the lake, which is combined with the Chinan Forest Recreation Area.

* Liyu Lake Scenic Area: Rowing boats, fishing, camping, bicycling, hiking, scenic view, etc.
* Chinan Forest Recreation Area: Picnic, camping, mountaineering, accommodation, fitness activities, immersion in the green showers.

(2) Shoufeng-Guangfu
The area between Shoufeng and Guangfu features 3 big resorts, the Ideal Holiday Resort, Zhaofeng Farm and the Fengling Recreational Area. These resorts, with other main recreational facilities in the area, have furthered the tourist industry here.

* Zhaofeng Recreational Farm at Xinguang: Picnic, camping, accommodation, farm activities, fitness activities, etc..
* Jianying Scenic Area: Outdoor fitness activities.
* Matai’an/Taibalang Aboriginal Community: Ami aboriginal culture recreational area.

Look at the pretty photo below

Share This

Come on ..let’s travel to Taiwan Fort San Domingo

Fort San Domingo was built by the Spanish in 1626, and is one of the oldest buildings in Taiwan. It’s an impressive place with a tangible sense of history, and also great views of Guanyinshan and the Danshuei River.

The Spanish were evicted by the Dutch, who were in turn evicted by Jheng Jheng-gong, a Ming Dynasty loyalist fleeing the Cing takeover of mainland China.

Much later, British diplomats occupied the fort for more than a century (during which time they didn’t pay any rent). In 1891, they constructed a beautiful two-floor redbrick residence for the consul; to this day, it is a superb addition to Danshuei’s streetscape.

Within the old consulate are offices, bed chambers, and what used to be jail cells. The latter were for British nationals awaiting trial or deportation. Britons doing business or missionary work in Taiwan enjoyed extraterritoriality - effective immunity from local laws. This did not, however, mean they would not be punished by their own government if they broke laws.

In Chinese, the fort is called “Hung Mao Cheng,” meaning “fort of the red-haired foreigners,” because it was built and used by Westerners.

Fort San Domingo is around two kilometers from Danshuei MRT Station. Because Danshuei’s streets are narrow, and because a lot of the less famous - but equally interesting - sights are to be found in backalleys and other nooks and crannies, walking is an excellent way to get here if you have energy.

The fort is currently closed for renovation: When it reopens to the public on July 1, 2005, it will be a centerpiece of Tamsui Cultural Relic Park. Tamsui is the 19th-century name of Danshuei.

Address: No.1, Lane 28, Jhongjheng Rd., Danshuei

TEL: (02) 2623-1001

Open Time 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Public Transit: Fort San Domingo can be reached by Tzunan Bus Co. A route, from Hongshulin MRT Station, or Red Bus 26 from Danshuei MRT Station.

Personal Transit You are advised not to attempt to drive to or park nearby this spot.

Share This

Taipei Taiwan New Year Eve Party Details (II)

2006 New Years Eve Party will be one of the most extravagant ever party ever.

To help you join the party, city government is giving away free brochures with maps of the Xinyi District and a list of activities. 2006 party will continue until 5am, January 1.

Street lights, lamp posts, Christmas trees, and department store windows will be decorated with pretty light.

The city government has organized roadside events: the final rounds of the MRT Cup pop music contest, street dance performances, the Hakka Mobile Tea House, WhiteNight Crazy Music, three-on-three street basketball, HO-Yi-Yam indigenous cuisine, and the New Year’s Dance Party.

Shopping centers and department stores will extend their hours, including New York New York, Taipei 101, Warner Village, Neo 19, and the Novel Hall for Performing Arts. The new Eslite Bookstore will be open 24 hours.

In addition to maps, the DOI pamphlet comes with coupons. Some 20,000 pamphlets will be available throughout the city, beginning December 14. Get a copy at: Taipei’’s district offices, Taipei Public Library (Main Branch), Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei Cultural Center, Taipei Children’s Recreation Center, Taipei Zoo, and the Neihu Technology Park Service Center.

Other locations to get a pamphlet: the city’’s six tourism centers, MRT stations (after December 22), Discovery Center of Taipei, United Service Center, stores in the Xinyi District, and the information desk at Taipei City Hall.

The MRT stations carrying the pamphlets are as follows: Danshui Station, Guandu Station, Jiantan Station, Taipei Main Station, NTU Hospital Station, CKS Memorial Hall Station, Gongguan Station, Dingxi Station, Taipei City Hall Station, Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, Ximen Station, Longshan Temple Station, Xinpu Station, Nanjing E. Road Station, and Taipei Zoo Station.

Below is a list of activities in the Xinyi Business District:

1. Taipei New Year’s Eve Party 2006 (2005/12/31, 19:00 ~ 2006/1/1, 01:00): Civil Plaza. Major pop artists such as A-mei, MAY DAY, FIR, and Stephanie Sun; Taipei 101 countdown fireworks show. Do not miss this once-a-year event!

2. MRT Cup Pop Music Contest Finals (2006/1/1, 01:00 ~ 05:00): Taipei City Hall’s southeastern “street-dancing” corner. In addition to the finals, the band “Soda Green” will perform.

3. Performances by street artists (2005/12/31, 23:00 ~ 2006/1/1, 05:00):Xinyi Business District. Sketch artists, visual artists, and musicians.

4. Hakka Mobile Tea House (2006/1/1, 00:00 ~ 05:00): Songshou Park. Decorations in the area will be based on a Hakka bamboo-furniture theme. Waiters in traditional Hakka clothing will serve visitors Hakka Peng-feng tea and other Hakka dessert assortments. There will also be Hakka songs performances at set time. Visitors can drop by for a taste of Hakka-style leisure.

5. WhiteNight Crazy Music (2006/1/1, 01:30 ~ 04:40): Xinyi Business District Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Plaza. DJ Lin Chiang heats up the night; bands such as XL and Wang Fu will appear. Paper Dolls, a band of five high-school students from Yilan’s Datong Township, will demonstrate the energy of indigenous youths.

6. HO-Yi-Yam indigenous cuisine (2005/12/31, 22:00 ~ 2006/1/1, 05:00):Xinyi Business District A10 parking lot (next to Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A8). Boutiques selling handicrafts and food—this is the place to discover the beauty of Taiwan’s indigenous cultures.

7. Three-on-three basketball (2005/12/31, 15:00 ~ 2006/1/1, 04:30): Xinyi Business District A13 parking lot (next to Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A11). Divisions for men, women, high-school boys, high-school girls, middle-school boys, middle-school girls, elementary-school boys, and elementary-school girls (the elementary school divisions are limited to fifth and sixth graders). The middle-school and elementary-school divisions will have the finals at 18:30 pm. The finals for high school and adults will take place at the very beginning of 2006.

8. Healthy and Energetic Carnival (2005/12/31, 13:30 ~ 2006/1/1 03:30): Shing Kong Mitsukoshi Plaza and Walkway (between Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A9 and A11). One of the sponsors, Airwaves, will be hosting small competitions at the walkway starting 13:30 on 2005/12/31. Competitions include small obstacle races and shouting-volume matches. There will also be health examinations provided at the site.

9. New Year’s Dance Party (2005/12/31, 23:00 – 2006/01/01 03:00) Center court of Warner Village: DJs will be playing hot dance tracks for those who want to show off their skills.

10. New Years Day Morning Jog: 2006/1/1, 05:00 at the Civil Plaza. The flag hoisting ceremony will take place at 05:30; the whistle will sound at 05:45. The jogging trail starts at Civil Plaza, goes all the way through Renai Road, and ends at the Youth Recreation Center. First 2,000 participants will receive a small flag and T-shirt.

Xinyi Business District Store Hour Extensions:

Eslite Flagship Store 24 hours
Café Cape of Good Hope 2005/12/31, 14:00 ~ 2006/1/1, 05:00
Taipei 101 Shopping Center 2005/12/31: regular floors: until 22:30,
Snack court: until 02:00
Starbucks (Songshou Store) 2005/12/31, 07:00 ~ 2006/1/1, 02:00
Novel Hall bookstore 2005/12/31: until 24:00
Novel Hall center court café 2006/1/1: until 05:00
New York New York 2005/12/31: 2F ~ 7F until 24:00
1F and food court 2006/1/1: until 01:00
McDonalds 2006/1/1: until 03:00
Warner Brothers Village (movies) 2006/1/1: until 05:00
Food court 2006/1/1: until 03:30
NEO19 food court 2006/1/1: until 05:00

Share This

The name Jinshan, which means “Gold Mountain,” derives from the deposits of gold-colored sulfur found hereabouts. Like much of Taiwan - particularly the island’s east - this area seethes with geothermal energy.

Jinshan residents have been enjoying hot springs for well over a century, though the oldest hot springs establishment still operating is the 40-plus-year-old Huangjintang Spring (No. 2, Lane 2, Wencuan Road; tel; (02) 2498-2175).

The spring here is drinkable as well as suitable for bathing; it is claimed to be especially beneficial for those suffering from skin ailments, beriberi, or rheumatism. The sulfur content is moderate (and therefore appealing for people who don’t like the strong reek of sulfur you get at some other hot springs), and the site is a stone’s throw from Jinbaoli Street.

The pricing system is a little complex. There are pools for individuals, two people, and larger groups. If you come by yourself, you pay NT$100. Two adults together pay NT$150. Two adults and three children pay NT$600. There are additional charges if you want to hire a towel, and there are time limits of 40 minutes to two hours. The spring is open from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

More modern facilities are available at the Jinshan Youth Activity Center (No. 1, Cingnian Road), further from the downtown, but closer to the seashore.

There’s a public pool here where visitors can bath in swimming suits; admission is NT$10. With space for more than 500 people at any one time, this is said to be Southeast Asia’s largest hot spring facility.

Address: No. 1, Cingnian Road, Jinshan

TEL: (02) 2498-1190

Open Time 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Public Transit: Jinshan’s downtown is served by very frequent buses to both Danshuei and Keelung. All buses stop on Jhongshan Road.
…
Personal Transit Jinshan Youth Activity Center is on the seaward side of Jinshan and Taiwan Highway 2. There is some parking around Huangjintang Spring, which is best accessed via Jinshan’s Minsheng Road.

Share This

Jinbaoli Street used to be Jinshan’s main commercial thoroughfare. That honor now belongs to Jhongshan Road - which runs parallel and is considerably wider, and which is where you’ll step off the bus if you arrive using public transportation.

Jinbaoli Street - the name derives from a place name in the language of the lowland aborigines who lived here before Han Chinese settlers began to appear in the 1700s - was an important business district as early as the first half of the eighteenth century. These days, it is still busy, especially on weekend mornings. It’s a place for aimlessly wandering while browsing the stores and stalls.

The existing buildings along Jinbaoli Street aren’t especially old, however. And what remains of the old wood-and-redbrick structures has, in many cases, been obscured by the new sidealk coverings erected along the length of the street. But, if you look carefully, you’ll find some interesting carvings and other details that are worth a few minutes and a photograph or two.

Jinbaoli Street is a good place to see what farmers grow on the hillsides around Jinshan: sweet potatoes (several vendors sell ready-baked ones for immediate consumption), asparagus, flowers, bamboo shoots, and vegetables such as cabbages.

Open Time Late morning is the best time.

Public Transit: Parking near Jinbaoli Street varies between difficult and impossible.

Personal Transit Buses from Keelung and Danshui all stop in Jhongshan Road, a stone’s throw from Jinbaoli Street. If you’re on a bus that doesn’t terminate here (many do), get off when you see the Watson’s store.

Share This

Just 1 day before Christmas..there’s Plum Flower Appreciation in Nantou, Taiwan

If you love flower, it’s good news for you now.

Hsin-I County Farmer’s Association is hosting a Plum Flower Appreciation event at Hsin-I Township, Nantou County

It starts on Dec. 24 (one day before Christmas ) and lasts for a month.

Usually typical Plum flowers opens for about 20 days only.
However, due to the height differences within the plum flower gardens, the opening duration can be extended up to 30 days.

It is benefit for visitors to have flexible schedule to visit. There will also be an activity called ‘Couple-bearing competition’ to make this event more interesting to be participated.

For more information please call (049) 2792300 or 2791415

Share This

Travel to Taiwan Tamsui Oxford College

Tamsui Oxford College - now part of Aletheia University, a private Christian liberal arts establishment - was founded by Dr. George Leslie Mackay, the Canadian missionary whose work in the final quarter of the nineteenth century shaped Danshuei (then known as “Tamsui”).

Mackay put great effort into education, and for several years conducted classes and gave tests under the shade of some trees on this site. When he returned home on furlough, his supporters in Oxford, Canada, began raising funds to create this college.

One of the original buildings still stands, and the English words “Oxford College” can be seen on the front. Mackay was involved in every aspect of its construction, from drawing blueprints to ordering materials and supervising workmen. The structure has been classified as a second-grade relic by the central government.

Surprisingly, on the roof - instead of crucifixes - there are eight small Buddhist-style towers

Address: No. 32, Jhenli Street, Danshuei

TEL: (02) 2621-2121

Open Time 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Public Transit: Tzunan Bus Co.’s A route links Hongshulin MRT Station with Aletheia University.

Personal Transit The streets near Aletheia University are narrow and parking is very difficult.

Share This

The Eighteen Lords Temple is different to most Taiwanese temples. It is opened 24 hours a day.

It is at its most active in the wee small hours, when crowds of people - including some who work in Taipei’s entertainment industry - throng this cramped and cluttered shrine.

The temple dates back to the Cing Dynasty (1644-1911), when seventeen people set out by boat for the island of Putuoshan - not far from Shanghai - on a pilgrimage to a shrine there.

The vessel sank and all 17 died; their bodies, together with a dog that had miraculously survived, were washed ashore near what is Shihmen Town.

The dog, brokenhearted, soon died, and was buried along with the 17 unfortunate pilgrims. The mass grave is visible in the temple’s basement, where you’ll also see paintings and carvings that commemorate the tragic voyage. In the main part of the shrine, you’ll see a number of dog statues.

Curiously, it is said that all 18 “lords” like to smoke, and for this reason cigarettes are usually among the offerings left at the temple.

This is an excellent place to see how the Taiwanese can ensure that what otherwise might be a pious pilgrimage to a religious site is in fact a fun day for the entire family.

On the west side of the temple, there’s a covered arcade with more than 50 businesses. Many sell food, a few sell betel nut. Other vendors ask you to play games of skill or chance; you may win a can of soda or a stuffed toy.

If you look at the hills right behind the temple, you’ll see - and hear the gentle hum of - six wind turbines used to generate electricity. And the rushing stream that meets the ocean a short distance to the east of the temple, the Chaohua River, supplies water to Taiwan’s first nuclear power station.

Open Time : Open 24 hours

Public Transit: The nearest bus stop is around 100 meters south of the temple. Buses only stop here if you tell the driver in advance.

Personal Transit The Temple of the Eighteen Lords can be seen from Taiwan Highway 2, around four kilometers east of Shihmen. There are are car parks on both sides of the temple, from where you’ll have to walk for a few minutes.

Share This

Li is one of Taiwan’s most common family names.
In the hills above Danshuei there are two splendid old houses which belong to the same branch of the Li clan.

One, the Stone-Walled Farm Garden, is open to the public. Within the compound, which covers 1.2 hectres, there are 100-year-old trees, various fruit trees, and - the principal attraction - a century old stone-walled, three-sided courtyard house.

In size and shape, this house is not so very different to many others in rural Taiwan. What makes it special is the quality of the construction, and the presence of various details, such as the beveled, fist-sized holes in the outer walls which, the owner says, were designed to allow the occupants to shoot at intruders without exposing themselves to danger.

The Stone-Walled Farm Garden can arrange meals for groups; there’s also karaoke, and plenty of picnic space outside.

Other Li buildings are more difficult to find, but worth the effort. If you head to the scattered hamlet called Jhuweizhih - about one kilometer west of the Stone-Walled Farm Garden - and locate the hospital (the tallest building around), by scanning the fields around, you should be able to see its clay red, almost crimson exterior.

From a distance, it is a strikingly beautiful abode. But up close, the dilapidation is obvious: A small part of the roof has collapsed, and foliage threatens much of the rest. The house is neither well maintained, nor open to the public.

…
Address: No. 3-3, Dapaitou, Jhongliaoli, Danshuei
…
TEL: (02) 2621-0252
…
Open Time 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
…
Public Transit: Buses on Road 101 from Danshuei to Beisinjhuang (which go onto Sanjhih) pass within a few hundred meters of the Stone-Walled Farm Garden. There is no public transport to the other Li house.
…
Personal Transit Take Road 101 from Danshuei to just past Jhuanjhoucuo. When you see the Siuming Temple on the right, turn left down a small road. You’ll see the Stone-Walled Farm Garden very soon.

Share This