When in Taipei, you have to visit at least one of the temples. You’ll witness some of the most detailed, finely crafted buildings you’ll ever see in your life, gold, red, wooden designs interwoven with candles, incense and soft colours. If I had to have a temple built, I’d have it modeled after the temples in Taipei. Unlike some other…

This lively and well-loved temple on Dihua St was built in 1856 to house the City God statue that the losers in the Wanhua feud took as they fled upstream. Little changed since those days, the temple is a terrific spot to witness folk worship rituals as well as admire some gorgeous pieces of traditional arts and crafts. The temple management deserves…

Founded in 1738 by Han immigrants from Fujian, this temple has served as a municipal, guild and self-defense centre, as well as a house of worship. These days it is one of the city’s top religious sites, and a prime venue for exploring both Taiwan’s vibrant folk faith and its unique temple arts and architecture. Longshan is dedicated to the…

Constructed by the famous Fujian craftsman Wang Yi-shun in the late 1920s, this temple is a beautiful example of Minnan (southern) style architecture and of Taiwan’s delightful local decorative arts. Throughout the temple there are informative displays (in English) on the history of Confucius, the temple and the Six Confucian Arts (such as archery and riding), many of which are…

This 18th-century triple-tiered temple is dedicated to Matsu, the black-faced Chinese goddess of seafarers. It marks the start of the Raohe Street Night Market and is one of Taipei’s busiest and most colourful temples. The rooftop mosaic-like decoration[jiǎnniàn] is particularly vibrant.   Travel Info Ciyou Temple [慈祐宮 / cí yòu gōng] -Main God/Godess:Mazu -Function:People usually pray for peace in their lives and families,…

Meaning ‘echo’, Bulowan is a former Taroko mountain village divided into a lower park-like terrace (with a small exhibition area) and an upper-level resort. Come here to watch Taroko Gorge transform from steep marble cliff walls into dense forest clinging to mist shrouded peaks. You can walk up to Bulowan via a short flight of stairs (starting at Km178.8), or…

At about 1km east of Lüshui (綠水), Cimu Bridge (Bridge of Motherly Devotion) is an attractive red suspension bridge built by former President Chiang Jing-guo in memory of his mother, Lady Soong May-ling. Guarded at both ends by formidable-looking marble Chinese lions, the 135m structure overlooks the point where where Laoxi River pours into Liwu River. At the eastern base…

The stars of the picturesque Plum Garden near the heart of Taroko National Park are the Chinese plum trees that famously form a sea of snow-white blossoms every winter. The best time to catch them in bloom is late December or January.   Travel Info Taroko National Park [太魯閣國家公園 / Tàilǔgé Gúojiā Gōngyuán] -Located in:Eastern Taiwan -County:Hualien -Features:Nature Landscapes, Scenic…

A trek to this high waterfall and back is 3.6km and takes about two hours to complete. The trail starts about 500m up the road from Tienhsiang. Look for the tunnel on the left; you have to go through this to get to the trail on the other side. Bring a torch as it’s 380m long!   Travel Info Taroko…

Along this half-kilometre slice of the old highway (starting at Km178), the gorge twists and towers in one of its most colourful and narrow sections. It’s a superb location for taking pictures. It’s best to visit here before noon as tour buses literally fill the entire stretch later in the day. If you are driving be aware that you can…