Rough Guides - The Rough Guide to Taiwan (Travel Guide eBook)

This Rough Guide is one of a new generation of informative and easy-to- use travel- guide ebooks that guarantees you make the most of your trip. An essential tool for pre-trip planning, it also makes a great travel companion when youre on the road.

From the section.

Detailed area maps feature in the guide chapters and are also listed in the , accessible from the table of contents. Depending on your hardware, you can double-tap on the maps to see larger-scale versions, or select different scales. The screen-lock function on your device is recommended when viewing enlarged maps. Make sure you have the latest software updates, too.

Throughout the guide, weve flagged up our favourite places a perfectly sited hotel, an atmospheric bar, a special restaurant with the author pick icon . You can select your own favourites and create a personalized itinerary by bookmarking the sights, venues and activities that are of interest, giving you the quickest possible access to everything youll need for your time away.

Taiwan remains largely undiscovered and seriously underrated by Western travellers, but those that make it here are in for a real treat. Modern Taiwan an eclectic mix of Chinese, Western, Japanese and indigenous cultural influences has given us everything from Ang Lee, Jay Chou and Mandopop to Acer computers, Giant bikes, instant noodles, General Tsous chicken and the global bubble tea phenomenon. Yet first-time visitors should expect some real surprises, beginning with mesmerizing scenery: though cities such as Taipei, Taichung and Kaoshiung are enticing cultural hubs, Taiwan is above all a land of mountains, tranquil forests, whitewater rapids and rustic hot-spring resorts.

Packed onto this small island are the mighty central ranges, the wild, beautiful beaches and gnarly surf breaks of the east coast, the giant cypress trees of Alishan and the plunging waterfalls of Shifen and Wufengchi. You can sample tasty snacks at Taipeis night markets, go windsurfing in Penghu, laze on Kentings tropical beaches, soak in the saltwater hot springs of Green Island, hike up Taroko Gorge and explore the lavish Taoist temples of Tainan. Or you could plan a trip that takes in striking Chinese and aboriginal celebrations, from the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage and Tsou Mayasvi Festival to the beehive fireworks of Yanshui and heavenly lanterns of Pingxi.

One of the islands most endearing qualities is the overwhelming friendliness of its people Taiwan is one of the most welcoming countries in the world and you are bound to encounter numerous acts of generosity or kindness, whether its a taxi driver rounding down a fare, a stranger helping with directions or a family providing a bed for the night. Eating in Taiwan comes a close second, with everything from Imperial-style Chinese banquets served in ornate restaurants to the oyster omelettes and sumptuous beef noodles cooked up quickly at street stalls. Travelling around the island is relatively straightforward, though the lack of English speakers can be a challenge at times, particularly as most timetables tend to be displayed solely in Chinese but the willingness to help from almost everyone you meet means its practically impossible to get stuck.

Fact file

Taiwans 23 million people enjoy the worlds nineteenth largest GDP (PPP) per capita in the world, while only Brunei, Hong Kong, Singapore and Macau are higher in Asia.

Despite the Taiwan Miracle, prices are generally lower than in other developed nations.

No country has more 7-Eleven stores per person than Taiwan over five thousand in total.

Taiwans national sport is baseball; it actually holds the most Little League World Series titles (seventeen as of 2014).

At 222nd place, Taiwan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world (although Macau and Singapore are even lower).

Yuan T. Lee is Taiwans only Nobel Prize winner he won the prize for chemistry in 1986.

Chinese Taipei has won a total of 24 Olympic medals (including three golds).

The best-known Taiwanese celebrity internationally is Oscar-winning director Ang Lee, though Mandopop singers such as Jolin Tsai and Jay Chou are wildly popular in Asia.

Yushan (3952m), the highest peak in Taiwan, is also the highest mountain in the western Pacific region outside of the Kamchatka Peninsula. It is even higherthan Japans famous Mount Fuji (3776m).

The most popular surname in Taiwan is Chen (), at around 12 percent of the population, followed by Lin () and Huang ().

from top Raohe Street Night Market, Taipei; Basalt Fishing Fence, Penghu

Where to go

Most visits to Taiwan begin in Taipei, the capital and largest city, home to the Taipei 101 skyscraper, the National Palace Museum and some of the islands best restaurants, bars and night markets. It promises a host of worthy day-trips too, including the cable car to the teahouses of Maokong, the hot springs at Beitou and the volcanic peaks of Yangmingshan National Park. The storm-battered North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area is a short ride away, as is the picturesque Pingxi Branch Line Railway. Also nearby, the old mining towns of Jinguashi and Jiufen are deservedly popular for their historic streets and teahouses, while the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area contains some of the most rugged coastline on the island. Southwest of Taipei, Hsinchu makes a fine base for trips to Hakka country, the primary home of Taiwans small but influential Hakka minority, while Shei-Pa National Park provides an opportunity to tackle some of Taiwans largest and most memorable peaks.

Central Taiwan is home to some spectacular scenery, though it pays to spend a couple of days in vibrant Taichung, renowned for its teahouses and lively nightlife. Not far from the city,