Category: Travel journals

Prologue

(Reading time: 2 minutes) In 1544, Portuguese sailors arrived at the shores of an island and named it Formosa – “beautiful island.” During the 17th century, the southwestern part was

Visiting the former ruler of China

DAY 1 (Reading time: 7 minutes) Our journey to Taiwan was partly accidental. One chilly February evening, we were searching for affordable flights to another Asian country and found out

Almost the fourth floor

DAY 2 (Reading time: 5 minutes) The second day began with beautiful weather, perfect for our planned trip to Jioufen, and continued with a revelation regarding bus transportation. But first,

101 and a zoo without animals?

DAY 3 (Reading time: 5 minutes) We love skyscrapers, towers, lookout points, hilltops and mountains. Basically, any elevated place offering a panoramic view into the distance. So, including a visit

The majestic temple of New Taipei

DAY 4 (Reading time: 3 minutes) Temples and shrines are scattered all over Taiwan, much like churches or chapels in most of Europe. Almost every one of them is richly

Elephant mountain, Rainbow bridge

DAY 5 (Reading time: 3 minutes) Taipei 101 may not be the tallest tower in the world or in Asia, but it IS an iconic structure. People want to see

Ita Thao on the shores of Sun Moon Lake

DAY 6 (Reading time: 4 minutes) It was time to move on to the next destination, which was Sun Moon Lake, the largest lake in Taiwan nestled in the heart

Jungle bike trip

DAY 7 (Reading time: 6 minutes) Our accommodation in the Sun Moon Lake area – a small cosy hotel – is run by a cute elderly lady. Although her English

Chirping frogs beneath Mt. Maolan

DAY 8 (Reading time: 3 minutes) After a demanding bike ride yesterday, we didn’t want to spend the next day the same way. So, we changed our means of transportation

Toushe, even unknown villages have their stories

DAY 9 (Reading time: 4 minutes) On the last day on the shores of Sun Moon Lake we wanted one more experience as cyclists. When planning, we chose to explore