Although Taiwan ranks among the world’s most densely populated areas, opportunities for outdoor activities abound. About 40% of the land i...
Although Taiwan ranks
among the world’s most densely populated areas, opportunities for outdoor
activities abound. About 40% of the land is mountainous and sparsely inhabited,
and being an island, there is a long coastline.
Bird-Watching
Who knew Taiwan was a
top spot for birding? We sure didn’t until very recently. But the island has
15 endemic bird species and more than 60 endemic subspecies. Birders from
around the world are now paying thousands for organized tours to see them.
We’re not going to
pretend we can give you the same for free, but we know most of the places they
go and have included some in this edition.
These include Kenting, Wulai, Wulu, Aowanda
and Taiwan’s islands.
See the website of the International Taiwan Birding
Association (www.birdingintaiwan.com/index.htm) for more, and check out Kate Rogers’
Cycling
Taipei and Taipei County have over 100km of connected
bike-only routes along the rivers. For short day trips, head to Ping-lin.
You’ll find a good 25km of dedi-cated bike routes, and lots of back roads as
well. The stops along the Jiji Small Rail Line offer some pleasant wheeling
through the countryside, as does the route in Kuan-shan. At Sun Moon Lake
you’ll find scenic paths alongside the lake.
For longer rides, try Hwy 11 from Hualien to
Taitung, or the South Cross-Island Hwy. And check out May and June 2006
archives on this biking blog (http://rank.blogspot.com) and the forum pages of
www.formosafattire.com.
HIRE
You can hire bikes for around NT50 to NT100 an hour.
A full day might cost NT150 to NT300. Sometimes you are asked to leave a
deposit, sometimes not. In Taipei you can rent at one location and leave at
another. You can also take bikes on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) during certain
posted hours.
PURCHASE
A mountain-bike lookalike can be had for NT3000 to
NT5000. These are fine for riding on paved paths, or on relatively flat
stretches of grass or dirt. High-end models for real off-road riding can cost
NT20,000 and up.
It’s usually possible to resell.
Folding bikes are a great option for travel-ling in
Taiwan. You can’t take an ordinary bike with you on a train (they must be sent
a day ahead) but with a folder any little stop outside the congested urban
areas is yours to explore.
Diving & Snorkelling
Taiwan’s ocean conditions pose a serious challenge
to the diver. Strong currents exist just offshore and exits are hard. In the
north there
are good spots near Fulong but you’ll need to go
with local divers to find them. The tourism board recommends Longdong, but no -
one else seems to. Green and Lanyu Islands, however, are considered fantastic
venues by everyone.
For snorkelling, head to Fulong, Green Island, Kenting
and Little Liuchiu Island.
Check out the Leisure – Sports category of
www.forumosa.com for the SCUBA thread: a group of expat diving enthusiasts post
here regularly.
Golf
Golf driving ranges are everywhere, even in small
towns, and all major cities have golf courses, though they are often in the
suburbs as land is expensive. A lot of golf courses are illegally built and
controversial due to run-off from pesticides and fertilizers. Call the official
Hiking
It’s not well known, but Taiwan is a paradise for
hikers. One of the tallest peaks in East Asia is here (Yushan, 3952m), and
there are dozens more peaks above 3000m. Most require fitness and basic
equipment, but no technical skills.
There’s also a vast network of trails at lower
altitudes. These trails run through subtropical and tropical jungles and
broadleaf forests, and along coastal bluffs. Some are just a few hours long
while others go on for days. All three major cities – Taipei, Kaohsiung and
Taichung – have mountains and trails either within the city limits or just
outside.
A lot of time and money is going into developing a National
Trail System (http://trail.forest.gov.tw/index.asp). At the time of
writing, six of the longer national trails had been restored, including the
Nenggao Cross Island Trail, the Jin-Shui Ying Old Trail, and the trail up to
Jiaming Lake. All national trails are clear and marked with distance markers
and map boards. Good maps are also available. No advanced permits are necessary
to hike. Just apply for a d_ ng sh_n zhèng (mountain permit) at a
local police station, or secure this before you head out at the Ministry of
the Interior.
Regional trails (usually shorter) are being repaired
and signposted and by the time you
read this a booklet (in Chinese only) will be
available listing about 70 of these. If you drive around you can also see signs
for many trails in English and Chinese.
BOOKS & MAPS
For the north, pick up either volume of Taipei
Day Trips by Richard Saunders or his new
Yangmingshan, the Guide.
These books are very detailed, with transportation information included,
and we’ve been using them to good ends for years.
Taiwan Jiaotong Press publishes a series of 14 maps
at a scale of 1:25,000. These only cover the north (from Sansia/Wulai up) and
you can pick them up at mountain equipment stores around the Taipei train
station. Be aware that not every trail on these maps will be walkable when you
get to them. Trails get washed out and overgrown all the time.
The forestry bureau puts out a useful fourvolume
set of books, called Taiwan Forest Va-cation Guide, which cover 21
forest recreation areas around the country.
For the six national trails, you can pick up good
waterproof foldable maps with a 1:25,000 scale at equipment shops or San Min
bookstores. These maps include itineraries, though the information is in
Chinese only.
CLUBS
Richard Saunders (richard0428@yahoo.com), author of Taipei
Day Trips, runs a free weekend hiking club. Also check out the Events
thread on www.forumosa.com for hikes organized by yours truly. Mountaineering Association (www.523.org.tw/English/index) runs a
couple of free hikes a month as well as longer hikes that charge a
reasonable fee.
Hot Springs
The diversity of Taiwan’s hot springs is so amazing
we wrote a special chapter for this edition.
Kayaking
We’re told there are some good rivers for kayaking
in Taiwan, and Nanao has a fantastic coastline for sea kayaking. Contact Andre
at Cloud 9 (www.cloud9tw.com) in Pinglin about lessons or
just advice on where to go and how to contact local clubs.
Martial Arts
You’ll find the full range of martial arts schools
in Taipei, from Wing Chun to Brazilian Jiujitsu. Check out the expat websites
for recommendations from people who live for this kind of stuff.
Mountaineering
Great news! First, Taiwan has some fabulous climbs
and anyone in decent shape can conquer most of them. Second, the routes have
all been improved in recent years, with map boards and distance markers added
along the way; good route maps are also available. Third, the old Class A
permit system that required hikers to travel in groups with a ‘qualified’ guide
is gone (in part because of the improvement mentioned above). Anyone can now
climb the high mountains in Taiwan, though for safety reasons we include in
this book only those hikes that we feel a pair of properly equipped travellers,
with some mountain experience, can tackle on their own. Fortunately, these are
some of the high-est and most beautiful mountains, such as Snow Mountain and
Yushan.
Permits are still needed to climb, and possibly by
the time you read this a new streamlined application form will be in place. The
easiest way to apply, however, is to contact the folk at Mountaineering
Association (www.523.org.tw/English/index). This association is a
registered nonprofit organization (NPO) with a mandate to help introduce the
foreign community to Taiwan’s mountains. For a nominal fee it will get you your
permits. It can also help arrange for a driver for private transportation to
the mountains. The staff at speak English, though it’s best to email Doris
Juan (doris@523.org.tw).
The best time to climb is always the autumn, when
weather conditions are dry and stable. Spring is good if you get a patch of steady
clear weather. Summer can be fine as long as there are no typhoons. Be aware of
the ferocity of the sun, though, in the thinner mountain air. Winter hikes to
the high mountains should not be attempted unless you have proper experience and
equipment. If you have to ask whether you have these, then you don’t.
EQUIPMENT
Most high mountain routes have cabins, though a tent
is needed on some of the longer hikes
through Yushan National Park. Since the weather is extremely changeable, always
be prepared with a Gortex jacket and pants (a climber died recently for want of
these). A good sleeping bag, warm socks with reinforced toes and heels, quick
drying shirts, comfortable pants, fleece jacket, thermal underwear, gloves and
an all-weather hat are also necessary. Other useful items include a compass,
stove (and something to cook in) and water filter.
It can be warm enough to wear shorts during the day
but it can get close to 0°C at night even in autumn. We don’t need to tell you
to take out your rubbish but consider an extra bag to carry away the waste of
the less enlightened.
See also for natural dangers.
MAPS
Sunriver publishes maps of most of the main high
mountains. The maps give detailed daily itineraries, including how long (in
hours) each section takes to hike and the distances covered. They are in
Chinese but if you get someone to translate the itinerary and pertinent places
on the maps (cabins, peaks, water sources etc) you should be fine. Most
national parks have basic maps (in English) of the climbing routes on their
websites to give you a general overview.
Swimming & River Tracing
Suòx_ (river tracing)
is the sport of walking and climbing up a riverbed. At the beginning
stages it involves merely walking on slippery rocks. At advanced stages it can
involve climbing up and down waterfalls. Taiwan is fantastically suited for
the sport: there are hundreds of good streams and rivers to trace, no
dangerous animals in the water (though beware of snakes on the rocks), and the
terrain is so thick and jungly in places you feel like a kid in a Tarzan movie.
Summer is a great time to trace as it’s too hot for regular hiking; in and
above the water the temperature is mild.
Basic equipment includes a life jacket, helmet and a
waterproof bag. You can buy dry bags for your regular knapsack but there are
also specially made dry-bag knapsacks. Some people wear Neoprene to keep warm.
Even in summer it can get chilly in some streams, especially when you’ve been
wet all day.
The most important piece of equipment, though, is
the felt-bottomed shoes that allow you to grip the rock and walk normally. You
need to try these to believe how well they work. Don’t bother with rubber-soled
boots (no matter what your local equipment shop says). These will not grip the
rocks in Taiwan. You can pick up shoes for NT300 to NT400 in the equipment
shops near the Taipei train station.
Unfortunately there are no local river-tracing
groups we can recommend. The ones that charge money don’t impress us. We have
literally seen leaders unable to swim across river pools with mild currents we
were playing in.
Around Wulai and Pinglin you can safely trace with a
couple of friends in the smaller streams.
Surfing & Windsurfing
Taiwan has some good surfing beaches, though it’s
become a little too trendy up in the north in the last few years. Real surfers
will be frustrated with the hoards of floaters obstructing their path, and the
general lack of surfing etiquette. Honeymoon Bay at Daxi has gotten
particularly crowded but it’s still popular with experienced surfers.
Some places to get away from the crowds include
Jialeshui in Kenting and various points
along Hwy 11.
You can also surf the Penghu Islands – and
windsurfing in autumn and winter is the tops. Makung holds international
windsurfing competitions in November.
White-Water Rafting
See Rueisui, for information on rafting along the
Hsiukuluan River. See for information on rafting the rougher Laonong River.
Contact Andre at Cloud 9 (www.cloud9tw.com)
in Pinglin for innertubing down the Beishi River.
BUSINESS
HOURS
Standard
hours are as follows. Reviews won’t list business hours unless they differ from
these standards.
Banks (9.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri)
Convenience
stores (24hr)
Department stores (11am-9.30pm)
Government
offices (8.30am-noon
& 1.30-5.30pm) Museums (h9am-5pm, closed Mon)
Night
markets (6pm-2am)
Offices (9am-5pm Mon-Fri) Post offices (8am-5pm
Mon-Fri)
Restaurants
(11.30am-2pm &
5-9pm) Shops (h10am-9pm)
Supermarkets
(to at least 8pm,
sometimes 24hr)
CHILDREN
The Taiwanese
are very welcoming, and doubly so when it comes to children. If you’re
travelling with kids, they will probably attract a lot of positive attention.
The website
www.parentpages.net has all kinds of Taiwanese children-related forums. You’ll
be able to find information from birthing and midwifery to raising kids to
keeping them amused. The Parenting forum on www.forumosa.com is also helpful.
The Community Services Centre (Map p100; %2836 8134; www
.community.com.tw;
25 Lane 290, Zhongshan N Rd, sec.6, Tianmu) in Taipei has lots of information
for families relocating to Taiwan.
Lonely
Planet’s Travel with Children is a useful book that prepares you for the
joys and pitfalls of travelling with the little ones. Also check out the Kids
to Go branch of the Thorntree forum (http://thorntree.lonely planet.com).
Practicalities
You’re not
likely to find high chairs or booster seats for kids at lower-end restaurants,
but you may well find them at more expensive places. Upper-end restaurants may
have set menus for families, or even kids’ menus. You can generally find
Western baby formula and baby foods at supermarkets.
If you’re
travelling by car, note that children under four years of age and weighing less
than 18kg must be in car safety seats. Parents who ignore the law can be fined
NT1500 to NT3000. This law does not apply to taxis, and don’t expect taxis to
have child safety seats.
If you need
a nanny, be aware it’s not legal to hire an overseas one despite what agents
may tell you. For a Taiwanese nanny in Taipei (NT15,000 to NT20,000 a month),
call 2726 0735.
Taiwanese
love children, and strangers may often want to touch or even handle your babies.
Some people use a sling to help minimize contact and interruptions as they move
about their daily business. You can also tell people your child has a cold. If
you can’t speak Chinese a little sign language will do.
See also p65
for information on dining out with children in Taiwan.
Sights
& Activities
In general
Taiwan is a great place for active families. The cities offer indoor adventure
playgrounds, museums, water parks and hiking trails, and courses on martial
arts, painting, yo-yoing, opera and dance. The gondola out to Maokong is a fun ride for kids of all
ages.
Here are
some suggestions for sights around the island that children will enjoy.
Hwy 11 Sleep in driftwood huts, camp on the
beach, explore bizarre rock formations and see water run uphill. Jiji
Small Rail Line Cycling and light walking. Kenting Beach activities,
aquatic museum and forest parks.
Northeast
Coast Sea-life
displays, a stone lion museum and a crab museum, and sandy beaches
perfect for kids.
Pinglin Cycling, swimming, camping, tree
climbing and nature observation.
Pingxi
Branch Rail Line
Little kids can sit right up the front of the train, and play with real
trains and self-propelled trolleys at the stations.
Sanyi Touch and feel giant wood statues,
walk along abandoned rail tracks and go through 1km-long tunnels. Yingge
Hands-on pottery making.
CLIMATE
CHARTS
For such a
small place, Taiwan has a great variety of climates. Plus, as the island sits
at the confluence of various trade winds, weather is known to change
frequently, especially in late autumn and winter.
The island
can be divided into essentially three climate zones: the north and east coasts
(including Taipei), the central mountains and the southwest coast.
Daily
temperatures in Taipei can be about 35°C in summer but rarely go below 12°C in
winter. Very cold weather and snow are a function of elevation: temperatures
can drop precipitously as you move from sea level to 2000m, and above 3000m
you’re likely to find snow in winter.
Taiwan’s most
agreeable weather is in autumn, specifically October and November. Winter in
the north and on the east coast tends to be overcast and occasionally chilly
with frequent drizzle – although more rain actually falls in the summer, it may
not feel like it! Spring is warm and mild, but it is known for frequent rain
(the locals poetically call it the ‘plum rain’). Spring is also notorious for
the sandstorms that blow in from China. These foul the air and people are
advised to stay indoors.
Summers are
hot and humid with frequent afternoon thunderstorms in the north. The mountains
are the island’s rainiest region, particularly in summer when rains fall in short
thundershowers, especially in the mid-afternoon. In winter, the west side of
the mountains tends to be drier than the east side. Southern winters are the
best: warm and dry.
If you’re
travelling to Kinmen or Matsu in winter, be prepared for cold, and don’t be
surprised if your flight or ferry is cancelled because of inclement weather.
Winter winds in the Penghu Islands can be severe. See for information on the
best times to travel.
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