The Rough Guide to Taiwan (Travel Guide eBook)

Rough Guides

Description

Discover this fascinating destination with the most incisive and entertaining guidebook on the market. Whether you plan to sample oyster omelettes at Keelung Night Market, catch some waves at Kenting National Park or marvel at the National Palace Museum's fabulous art collection, The Rough Guide to Taiwan will show you the ideal places to sleep, eat, drink, shop and visit along the way.

- Independent, trusted reviews written with Rough Guides' trademark blend of humour, honesty and insight, to help you get the most out of your visit, with options to suit every budget.
- Full-colour maps throughout - navigate Taipei's elaborate grid network or Tainan's ancient streets without needing to get online.
- Stunning images - a rich collection of inspiring colour photography.
- Things not to miss - Rough Guides' rundown of Taiwan's best sights and experiences.
- Itineraries - carefully planned routes to help you organize your trip.
- Detailed regional coverage - whether off the beaten track or in more mainstream tourist destinations, this travel guide has in-depth practical advice for every step of the way. Areas covered include: Taipei; Tainan; Meinong; Kinmen; Lugang; Lanyu; Matsu Islands; East Rift Valley; Alishan National Scenic Area and East Coast National Scenic Area.
Attractions include: Taroko National Park; Kenting National Park; Chung Tai Chan Monastery; Sun Moon Lake; Yushan; National Palace Museum; night markets and hot springs.

- Basics - essential pre-departure practical information including getting there, local transport, accommodation, food and drink, health, the media, festivals, outdoor activities, culture and etiquette, and more.
- Background information - a Contexts chapter devoted to history, Taiwan's indigenous peoples, religion, arts and culture, books, plus a handy language section and glossary.

Make the Most of Your Time on Earth with The Rough Guide to Taiwan.

Sujets

• Travel
• Taiwan
• East
• Asia

Informations

• Publié par: Apa Publications
• Date de parution: 01 juillet 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 18
• EAN13: 9781789194814
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 25 Mo

Extrait

Contents How to use Introduction Where to go When to go Author picks Things not to miss Itineraries Basics Getting there Visas and entry requirements Getting around Accommodation Food and drink The media Festivals Sports and outdoor activities Culture and etiquette Shopping Travelling with children Travel essentials The guide Taipei and around North Taiwan Central Taiwan South Taiwan The east coast The Taiwan Strait Islands Contexts History Taiwan’s indigenous peoples Religion in Taiwan Arts and culture Books Language Glossary Small print & Index


How to use this Rough 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 you’re on the road.
From the table of contents , you can click straight to the main sections of the ebook. Start with the Introduction , which gives you a flavour of both Taiwan, with details of what to see, what not to miss, itineraries and more – everything you need to get started. This is followed by Basics , with pre-departure tips and practical information, such as transport options and entry requirements. The guide chapters offer comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the whole of both countries, including area highlights and full-colour maps featuring all the sights and listings. Finally, Contexts fills you in on history, arts, culture and books and includes a handy Language section.
Detailed area maps feature in the guide chapters and are also listed in the dedicated map section , 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, we’ve 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 you’ll need for your time away.








Introduction to Taiwan
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 Tsou’s 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 Taipei’s night markets , go windsurfing in Penghu, laze on Kenting’s 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 island’s 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 it’s 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 it’s practically impossible to get stuck.





Fact file
• Taiwan’s 23 million people enjoy the world’s 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.
• Taiwan’s 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 Taiwan’s 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 Japan’s famous Mount Fuji (3776m).
• The most popular surname in Taiwan is Chen ( 陳 ), at around 12 percent of the population, followed by Lin ( 林 ) and Huang ( 黃 ).


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 island’s 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 Taiwan’s small but influential Hakka minority, while Shei-Pa National Park provides an opportunity to tackle some of Taiwan’s 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, Changhua is noted principally for its Great Buddha Statue, while atmospheric Lugang is celebrated for its craftsmen and classical architecture. East of Taichung, picture-perfect Sun Moon Lake makes a stunning introduction to Taiwan’s mighty central ranges. Just outside Puli, to the north of the lake, Chung Tai Chan Monastery is a man-made wonder, a remarkable blend of modern architecture and Zen Buddhism. Heading south, Chiayi provides a staging post for the cool valleys and Tsou villages of the Alishan National Scenic Area . Beyond this lies Yushan National Park and the scintillating hike up Taiwan’s highest mountain, commanding awe-inspiring, cloud-capped vistas.
South Taiwan is the most traditional part of the island, with Tainan making the obvious introduction to the region, a modern city crammed with historic sights, particularly temples, complemented by superb food. Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s second city and an earthy counterweight to Taipei, its smattering of sights enhanced by a growing number of parks, outdoor cafés and bars. Nearby is the elegant monastery at Foguangshan , while the dramatic Southern Cross-Island Highway heads east across the mountains to Taitung, slicing through the northern end of Maolin National Scenic Area , rich in Paiwan and Rukai culture. The southern tip of Taiwan is dominated by Kenting National Park , with its popular beaches and surf spots.
The east coast is a world apart and still home to the greatest concentration of Taiwan’s indigenous tribes. Most visitors make for Taroko National Park , which has spectacular Taroko Gorge at its heart, with its incredibly narrow gaps between lofty walls of stone. Hualien is the largest settlement on the east coast and makes the ideal gateway to Taroko, with plenty of opportunities to sample its tasty dumplings and sweet-filled rice cakes. From here there are two routes south: the East Rift Valley is noted for its hot springs and rafting on the Xiuguluan River, while the coastal road twists past isolated beaches and Amis villages. Both end up at the laidback town of Taitung , location of the National Museum of Prehistory and base for trips to Ludao (Green Island) with its exceptional outdoor springs and the more remote Lanyu, celebrated for its indigenous Tao culture.
Taiwan’s offshore islands have their own distinctive cultures and histories. Penghu , in the middle of the Taiwan Strait, is an archipelago of magnificent beaches, old temples, crumbling fishing villages and superb watersports, particularly windsurfing and, increasingly, kitesurfing. J