Tour of Taiwan

Taiwan will touch your heart

TAIPEI — Only two-and-a-half hours from Seoul, Taipei is a great option for a quick getaway. The Taiwanese capital has everything from rare ancient Chinese relics and splendid Confucian temples to a wide array of local cuisine and lots of places for a shopping spree. It is modern, clean and safe, not too different from other cosmopolitan cities.

Taipei has a combination of rich tradition, a subtropical climate and kind people that gives the city a unique atmosphere. Geographical proximity is another bonus for travelers to Taiwan from Korea. You can even leave after work and enjoy a beautiful night view from the observatory of the signature Taipei 101 building the same day.

The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall was built to commemorate Chiang Kai-shek, former President of Taiwan, the Republic of China.

It is a city of many faces, where the splendor of China and modernity coexist. Taiwan is beckoning Korean tourists who showed some 34 percent increase in 2011. This time of the year is a nice time to visit Taiwan, as its subtropical clim­ ate gives a warm relief from the early cold spell in Seoul.

Rich tradition

Taipei is a city built by Chiang Kai-shek, when he moved to the island of Taiwan in 1950. Chiang brought many relics of China when he came to Taiwan and more than 670,000 treasures are now at the National Palace Museum, Taipei. Since the collection is very large, the artifacts are on exhibit alternatively, except for selected permanent ones such as Jadeite Cabbage and Carved Olive-stone Boat.

Minquan Old Street in Sanxia District, southwest of Taipei, shows an example of buildings during the Japanese colonial era of Taiwan in the early 20th century. / Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo

The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall gives a good explanation of the history of Taiwan, Republic of China. Its guard shift change ceremony, taking place every hour, shows the respect of Taiwanese people to the former president.

Taipei 101, one of the highest skyscrapers in Asia, graces the skyline of the city. The 508-meter building is the fruit of Taiwan’s science and architecture with an elevator reaching the observatory on the 89th floor in only 37 seconds, not to mention the breathtaking view of the city seen from there.

Foodies’ heaven

Taiwan has many delicacies from Chinese dishes with a twist to drinks and desserts.

The flagship store of world-famous dim sum house Din Tai Fung is located on Xinyi Road, Taipei. The three-story restaurant is rather small for the influx of locals and tourists who want to taste the juicy pork dumplings. Xiaolongbao is its signature dumpling and customers are advised to have it on a spoon, so they can relish the juice first.

A souvenir key ring in the shape of the island of Taiwan

Milk tea with tapioca, often called bubble tea, is a common drink in Taiwan. One will see people carry around plastic cups of bubble tea, enjoying the chewiness of tapioca. There are a variety of flavors — from chocolate to fruits, but basic milk tea with tapioca is the most popular.

Queen’s Head rock from Yehliu Geopark

Taipei is also known for many exotic night markets, jam-packed with shops, stalls and people. Shilin Night Market, located near MRT Jiantan and Shilin Station, is the biggest one. Some of the must-try dishes and desserts at night markets include crispy chicken cutlet, pan-fried oyster, sausages, fish cakes and fried seafood such as squid or shrimp. If you feel more adventurous, try stinky tofu. It is a type of fermented tofu with a strong odor.

Mango shaved ice is a nice dessert to wrap up the night market tour. Ripe mango pieces are put on finely shaved milk ice, creating a sweet harmony.

Shilin Night Market has an array of local delicacies from panfried oyster to stinky tofu.

For souvenirs, Taipei has its famous pineapple cake called “fengli su.” Chia Te Bakery has been named the best pineapple cake maker in Taipei for years. Its cakes are soft and buttery and the pineapple filling has just the right amount of sweetness. There are other flavors including cranberry and walnut, but pineapple flavor is the one that sells out fastest.

A Taiwanese wishes for good luck at Zushi Temple in Sanxia District

Out of city

Taiwan has a lot to offer outside of Taipei. About an hour away, Yehliu Geopark on the northeast coast offers a spectacle of rock strata created over thousands of years. The most famous feature of the Geopark is the Queen’s Head, a rock eroded by waves to the shape of a queen’s profile.

Guard shift change ceremony of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

Jiufen, well-known as the filming location of the Korean drama “On Air,” is adorned with red lanterns on hillside alleyways and is also an hour bus ride from Taipei. Souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants and tourists fill the alleys, enjoying the romantic atmosphere of the area as well as the breathtaking ocean view.

Air travel between Seoul and Taipei is available via two routes — from Incheon International Airport to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport or from Gimpo Airport to Taipei Songshan Airport.

For more information about Taiwan tourism, visit www.tourtaiwan.or.kr. <The Korea Times/Kwon Mee-yoo>