Taiwan Travel Guide

/ Asia / Taiwan / Introduction

When they landed at the island in 1544, the Portuguese explorers were so captivated by its landscape that they nicknamed it "Ilha Formosa" which means "Beautiful Island." The same thing can still be said true about Taiwan today. Roughly two-thirds of the country is dominated by forested mountains, while having some of the best hot springs in the world and an energetic capital, Taipei.

Taiwan today almost always makes the impression of being a country with both feet firmly in the modern age. While that may be the case (as it is one of the richest in the world), it is also among the few places that have been able to balance ancient cultural traditions with a forward-thinking attitude.

Technology Paradise

What Taiwan is most known for, of course, is being a hotspot for technology. It is a world leader in information technology, and one of the original "Four Asian Tigers" (the region's first industrialized countries). A testament to its modern advancements is the Taipei 101, which at 509 meters was once the tallest skyscraper in the world. It's not the height that impresses, but more so the technology involved in erecting such a building in an earthquake-prone land.

Another is the Taiwan Speed Rail that connects the country's two largest cities, which has some of the fastest and most advanced trains around. There are also no less than 22 million cell phones used by the Taiwanese, with around 75 percent of the island households connected to the Internet.

Unsung Destination

Unfortunately, it doesn't always get the recognition that it deserves. Often, when talking about Asian destinations, other countries like Thailand and China come to mind. Perhaps the main culprit is the lack of knowledge about Taiwan's sights and attractions. The future is bright, though: the nation has just posted a 14.29 percent tourist arrival growth since 2008, and is expected to surpass four million foreign visitors in the coming years.

The fact that Taiwan has some of the most unspoiled coastlines and tallest mountains in the region seems to help its cause immensely, with tourist paradises like the Green and Orchid Islands, as well as the Taroko Gorge. Not to mention that it possesses one of the largest art museums on the planet - the National Palace Museum, with its roughly 650,000 exhibits.