Taiwan

This is the Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park chapter from Lonely Planet’s Taiwan guidebook.

It was sightings of the east that led the Portuguese to call Taiwan Ilha Formosa, meaning ‘Beautiful Isle’. Steep ridges of thickly forested mountains rise from the Pacific in wave after wave, often leaving only a narrow strip of oceanside land.

• get beyond the tour-bus viewpoints in Taroko Gorge, Taiwan’s most celebrated area of spectacular canyonland
• maps
• zigzag up past a monastery viewpoint, through thick woodlands and onto rolling upland fields that blaze orange with blooming lilies in August on Sixty Stone Mountain
• transport
• meander through Chishang’s rice fields and lakesides on gentle, bucolic cycle rides
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Taroko National Park, Hualien, Central East Coast, Fengbin, Shihtiping, Chenggong, Dulan, East Rift Valley, Ruisui, Yuli, Chishang, Luye, Taitung, Chihpen, Green Island, Lanyu.

This is the Northern Taiwan chapter from Lonely Planet’s Taiwan guidebook.

For many travellers, the north gives them their first taste of how big this little island is. Its mountains – and their valleys and meadows – seem near endless, and that around every corner is a rustic hot-spring village, forest reserve or indigenous hamlet.

• ride the rails between heritage stations on a beautiful branch line railway in Pingxi District
• maps
• have your spirits lifted by Sandiaoling Waterfall Trail, a trio of gorgeous cascades
• transport
• catch summer surf vibes and seafood on a sleepy stretch of coast in Toucheng
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: New Taipei City, Yingge & Sansia, Wulai, Cihu, Baling, Northeast Coast, Jiufen & Jinguashi, Pingxi District, Fulong, Toucheng, Nanao, Hsinchu & Miaoli Counties, Hsinchu, Beipu, Nanzhuang, Shitoushan, Sheipa National Park.

This chapter contains the Welcome to Taiwan, Taiwan’s Top 15, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like..., Month by Month, Itineraries, Taiwan Outdoors, Family Travel, Eat & Drink Like a Local, and Regions at a Glance chapters from Lonely Planet’s Taiwan guide-book.

Your journey to Taiwan starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on family travel.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about the best food & drink
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to Taiwan, Taiwan’s Top 15, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like: Temples, Food, Outdoor Activities, Night Markets, Traditional Festivals, Beaches, Mountain Retreats, Unique Wildlife, Hot Springs, Tea, Month by Month, Itineraries, Taiwan Outdoors, Family Travel, Eat & Drink Like a Local, and Regions at a Glance.

This is the Southern Taiwan chapter from Lonely Planet’s Taiwan guidebook.

Southern Taiwan is a land of timeless rituals and vibrant folk culture. The yearly calendar is chock-full of some of Taiwan’s most unforgettable festivals. To many, Tainan – the island’s for-mer capital – is Taiwan’s most Taiwanese city.

• experience ancient temples and relics of a maritime era by day in Tainan, then sleep in a charming old house by night
• maps
• enjoy art, jazz and craft beer by Kaohsiung’s harbour; visit vibrant markets and feast on seafood
• transport
• swim, surf and cycle year-round in Kenting National Park
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Southwest Coast, Kaohsiung, Meinong, Tainan, Houbi, Pingtung County, Donggang, Kenting National Park, Little Liuchiu Island.

This is the Taipei chapter from Lonely Planet’s Taiwan guidebook.

This unhurried but vibrant capital has taken a while to become comfortable in its own skin. As with its multifarious street food, the traveller is advised to try as much as possible when it comes to exploring.

• enjoy an art legacy spanning millennia at the National Palace Museum
• maps
• cycle around the city and the river
• transport
• explore the Japanese-era architecture of Dihua St
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: History, Sights, Activities, Courses, Festivals & Events, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping, Taipei’s Suburbs.

This is the Taiwan Strait Islands chapter from Lonely Planet’s Taiwan guide-book.

The very existence of Taiwan’s outlying islands comes as a surprise to many foreign visitors, although the three main archipelagos are rapidly growing as domestic tourist destinations. Attrac-tions include traditional villages, beaches, birdwatching, marine life.

• pose for desert island photos on Jibei Sand Tail, an often-empty stretch of paradisaical beach
• maps
• potter about the stairway-alleys of Qinbi Village, Taiwan’s best preserved historical vil-lage
• transport
• take a night-time boat ride through Beihai Tunnel to observe the twinkling algae
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Kinmen, Kincheng, Little Kinmen, Shuitou Village, Matsu, Beigan, Nangan, Penghu Islands, Magong, Outer Penghu Islands.

This chapter contains the History, People of Taiwan, Religion & Temples in Taiwan, Taiwan-ese Arts, The Landscape of Taiwan, Wildlife Guide, Directory A–Z, Transport, and Language chapters from Lonely Planet’s Taiwan guidebook.

All the info you need on everything from history, arts and religion to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and lesbian travel-lers, travellers with disabilities, and travellers with kids. And get the most out of your conversa-tions with a handy language guide and glossary.

• a rundown on the people, culture and religion of the region
• info on opera, music, puppetry and all the best Taiwanese arts
• full coverage of the island’s history, from colonisation to contemporary tensions
• details on the landscape and wildlife of the Beautiful Isle

Coverage includes: History, People of Taiwan, Religion & Temples in Taiwan, Taiwanese Arts, The Landscape of Taiwan, Wildlife Guide, Directory A–Z, Transport, and Language.

This is the Western Taiwan chapter from Lonely Planet’s Taiwan guidebook.

If you’re looking for variety in your Taiwan travel experience, go west. The Mazu Pilgrimage, one of the country’s biggest and holiest celebrations, is definitely a highlight. Head to Yushan National Park to climb the highest peak in Northeast Asia.

• visit graceful Longshan Temple, grazing your way through Lukang’s winding streets, and end your day with a coffee in an old house
• maps
• enjoy Taichung’s excellent museums, stroll in lovely urban parks, have great ice cream, and party at hidden dives into the wee hours
• transport
• seek the spiritual at the legendary Mazu Pilgrimage, which starts in Dajia
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Yushan National Park, Taichung, Dasyueshan Forest Recreation Area, Alishan National Scenic Area, Alishan Forest Recreation Area, Chiayi, Changhua, Lukang, Nantou County, Cingjing, Hehuanshan Forest Recreation Area, Jiji, Sun Moon Lake.