Two of Taipei’s finest temples are adjacent to each other, and offer a nice contrast in architectural styles and bearing. Both the Baoan and Confucius temples are located a short cab ride from the Yuanshan MRT station. The Baoan temple is the more ornate of the two, dedicated to Baosheng Dadi, the god of medicine. […]
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WoWasis drives Taiwan’s East Coast National Scenic Area
We here at WoWasis feel this is one of the most remarkable drives in Taiwan. Beginning just 24 km south of Taroko Gorge National Park is the city of Hualien, the northern terminus of the 170 km long East Coast National Scenic Area, which reaches its southernmost point near the city of Taitung. Like the […]
Read the rest of this entry »Taiwan’s Green Island Ferry from Fugang Harbor
Located 33 km off Taiwan’s southeastern coast, along the East Coast National Scenic Area, Green Island makes for a nice one or two-day stay. The beaches and sea views are worth noting, snorkelers can view colorful corals, and there’s a seawater-fed hot springs. The Green Island Human Rights Memorial Park, a former prison, has a […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Taiwan’s Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines in Taipei
The Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines is located one block away from Taipei’s National Palace Museum, and is a must for visitors wishing to learn more about Taiwan’s indigenous aboriginal peoples, which include the Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Sediq, Thao, Truku (Taroko), Tsou, and Yami (Tao) tribes. It was […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis book review: ‘Taiwan’s Aboriginal Peoples’ photo book
Visitors to Taiwan are often surprised by the richness of her aboriginal culture, but finding books in English describing the richness and variety of these cultures can be daunting. Taiwan’s Aboriginal Peoples (2002, ISBN 957-01-2744-9), with photographs and text by Wang Wei-chang, and English translation by Phillip Newell, is a lavishly photographed, bi-lingual, large-format book […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Taiwan’s National Museum of Prehistory in Taitung
Although it’s not the easiest place to find (see our GPS coordinates below), we here at WoWasis think the National Museum of Prehistory in the southeastern Taiwanese city of Taitung is definitely worth a visit in you’re in the area. The building itself is gorgeous, designed by noted architect Michael Graves, and the displays are […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis drives Taiwan’s Northeast Coast National Scenic Area
Beginning just 50 km east of Taipei is what we here at WoWasis believe to be one of the most scenic drive in Taiwan, the Northeast National Scenic Area route, along Provincial Highway 2. Here, you’ll see marvelous sea views, wonderful geological formations, and several lighthouses. It starts at Nanya, and runs 66 km south […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits the Taiwan Theater Museum in Ilan (Yilan)
Just a few km south of the northeastern Taiwan city of Jaosi is Ilan (Yilan), home of the Taiwan Theater Museum. Formally opened in 1990 as the Taiwanese Opera Museum, its exhibits include artifacts relating to Taiwanese and Beiguan Opera, and Puppet theatre. In the opinion of your review team here at WoWasis, the puppets […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits hot springs and the Sietian Temple at Jaosi (Jaoxi), Northeastern Taiwan
If you’re driving south on the eastern Highway 2 from the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area, a refreshing stop is at the city of Jaosi (Jaoxi), just north of the city of Ilan (Yilan). Jaosi is famous for its hot springs and temple. We’d recommend seeing the Sietian (Xietian) temple first, then staying, kike your […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Taipei’s Xingtian Temple and fortune tunnel
There’s more than first meets the eye at Taipei’s Xingtian temple. It’s deity is Guangong, patron saint of merchants. The temple itself has soaring, ship-prow roofs adorned with carved dragons, and inside you’ll see people standing in line to get blessed by nuns in blue robes, who wave incense onto the clothes of visitors in […]
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