The Minxiong Haunted House (aka Minxiong Ghost House or formally as Liu Family Historical Residence 劉氏古厝) is a popular abandoned mansion in Minxiong Township of Chiayi County, dating back to the Japanese era of Taiwan. Urban legends about the house along with its prominence in the area have made it an attractive place for curious visitors. It has been listed as the number one most popular abandoned house in Taiwan.

Historical Background:
The Minxiong Ghost house was originally built by Liu Rong-yu (劉溶裕) in 1929 as a family residence. Liu was a wealthy merchant and land owner in the area, and he is also known as the one of the first truly wealthy people to come out of Taiwan's southern plain. It was built in western baroque style like many other residences of wealthy merchants in Taiwan during the time.
The building was built of brick and lumber, and featured three rooms on each floor, with three main stories and a fourth story tower on the top.
Like many residences in Rurul Taiwan, this one was abandoned as the family wanted to live closer to the city where there was more convenient transportation and likely better job opportunities.
During WWII, part of the building was damaged during American bombing raids.
There is also rumors that someone committed suicide in the house.
After years of typhoons and weathering the elements, most of the roof and wooden parts of the building have collapsed.
A plan was presented by Minxiong Cultural Foundation to restore the building, but these plans were rejected by members of the Liu family, so the building sits abandoned to this day.

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free. But when I went there was an artist asking for donations.

How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: From Chiayi take provincial highway 1 north toward Minxiong. Turn west into the rice fields and then right on county road 82. The road leads to the house which sits at the end of a tree covered lot. There is paid parking at the coffee shop next door (or free parking anywhere near the rice fields).
By bus: Take Chiayi Bus 7316A from central Chiayi north until you reach Yiqiao Station (takes about 1 hour). The haunted house is about a 5 minute walk south.

Map:
Please see below:

During the Covid 19 pandemic, Taiwan has been lucky to avoid lock-down due to great government procedures and policies. In Taiwan we can still go out, but safe social distancing is still required, after all this is a global pandemic and we do not know when the next COVID-19 case will be detected. Obviously the best place to social distance is at home, but to help you have fun in Taiwan while at the same time keep safe social distance, we have made a list of the top 15 sites in Taiwan that are usually free of other people. 

Of course the list of social distancing locations in Taiwan is limited, with two thirds of the island filled with mountainous area. Below is a full list of all the tourist sites we have blogged about in Taiwan for your reference. 

Hinoki Village (aka Cypress Forest Life Village 檜意森活村 Guìyì sēnhuó cūn) is the largest group of Japaneses era buildings in Taiwan, with over 30 restored era wooden structures. Located in Chiayi City, it is a remnant of the logging industry that existed in Chiayi during the Japanese era. As one of the best preserved historical sites in Taiwan, it is definitely worth a stop on your trip to Chiayi. 

Historical Background:
Hinoki Village dates back to 1914 when the Japanese built the Alishan Forest Railway for exploitation of lumber in the mountains of Chiayi. The village acted as a residential area for loggers, lumber industry management, and dependents. 
The village included a building for top management, two buildings for management dependents, another four dormitories for dependents, a dormitory for single workers, a public bath house, and a hostel. 
After WWII, it became a residential area for the ROC's forestry bureau and their dependents. In 2005, many buildings were listed as historical buildings under protection. In 2009, the area was planned as one of Taiwan's six major city renovation projects. It took NT 400 million dollars and 4 years to complete. The renovation of the village was completed in 2013 and is now operated by the public.  
The village now contains 21 bookstores, restaurants, coffee and tea shops, and a farmers market.

Hours:
10 AM to 6 PM
Closed Mondays

Price:
Free

How to get there:
By Train/Bus: The village is a short walk across the street from Chiayi Beimen (North Gate) Station.
By Car/Scooter: From Chiayi Station, turn north on County road 159 until you reach Beimen Station. The village is across the street from Beimen Station. There is free and paid parking on the street nearby.

Map:
Please see below:

Bangka Old Street (aka Mengjia Old Street, officially Guiyang Street 貴陽街) is a historical street in Wanhua District of Taipei and the site of the oldest settlement in northern Taiwan. It is one of three official old streets in Taipei, and dates back hundreds of years to the first Chinese settlers in northern Taiwan. Besides the historical buildings here, you can also enjoy the nearby Huaxi Street Night Market which was known for snake meat.
​
Historical Background:
The land that Bangka Old Street stands on was once part of Basay tribal land. The Basay people had lived on the land for thousands of years before the first Chinese settlers. The area at Bangka was a trading center for the Basay people before Chinese settlers ever came. 
Maps dating to the Dutch rule in the 1600s marked Bangka as a trading location.
The name Bangka (or Měngjiǎ in Taiwanese Mandarin) comes from the fact that the Basay tribe called the Chinese trading ships that visited "Bangka" which means canoe, and was transliterated into Southern Min as (Bangkah 艋舺) which literally means small boat. 
Later when the Japanese came they mistakenly heard Bangka as “Mange” in Japanese (Wàn huá 萬華 in Chinese), which is the current name of the area. 
The settlement at Bangka (Měngjiǎ ​ 艋舺) quickly grew into the largest settlement in Northern Taiwan. Settlements at Dadaocheng and Bopiliao nearby also began to sprout up.  
Important products that were sold here include coal, tea, as well as various other goods. It was the most prosperous area in Taipei for a while, until in 1860 the harbor near the area silted in, and so Dadaocheng became the new center of commerce in northern Taiwan. 
Currently Bangka Old Street has very few shops and is more of a residential area compared to Dadaocheng and Bopiliao Old Streets which are much more popular with tourists. 

Huaxi Street Night Market used to be a red light district before prostitution was banned in Taiwan. Now it specializes in strange meats such as snake, turtle, and deer meat as well as animal blood. It is also known as "Snake Alley." You can also find normal Taiwanese night market snacks here. 

Price:
Free

Hours:
Bangka Old Street: 24/7
Huaxi Night Market: 4 PM to midnight every day

How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: From Taipei Main Station, go south on and take a right on Changsha Road. Take another slight right at the roundabout onto Guiyang Street and you are there.
By MRT: Take the blue line to Longshan Temple, then walk north three blocks to the old street.

Map:
Please see below:

Jialefu Night Market is the largest night market in Chiayi, located right next to the local Carrefour shopping center. Jialefu Night Market is a play on words, sounding like the Chinese for the popular department store Carrefour (家樂福 Jiālèfú) and adding in the first character in Chiayi (Jiāyì 嘉義). The Carrefour next door doesn’t seem to mind. Here you can find every kind of traditional Taiwan night market food you could ask for. The main delicacy here is Mongolian grill and barbecue. 

Background:
Jialefu Night Market has about 300 stalls, and includes the only indoor batting cage in a Taiwan night market. Parking is provided by the Carrefour shopping center next door, which has over 1500 parking spots. 
The night market is the largest in Chiayi, considerably larger than the night market on Wenhua Road in downtown Chiayi.

Hours:
About 6 PM to 12:30 PM
Closed Mondays

Price:
Free

How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: From the front of Chiayi Train Station turn south and take a right on provincial highway 159. After that take a left on Bo'ai West Road until you reach Carrefour. There is free scooter and car parking at Carrefour. The night market is right to the left of Carrefour.
By Train/Bus: From Chiayi Station, take bus 7320, 7325, or 7326 to Fulong Temple Station (伏龍宮 Fúlónggōng) after which you need to walk south about 10 minutes on Bo'ai West Road until you reach Carrefour. 

Map:
Please see below:

Banking in Taiwan as a foreigner can be a frustrating experience, especially with a language barrier and cultural gaps. Banking still is a major pain even for long time residents. However we have made this guide to help make banking in Taiwan a little easier, more efficient, and more beneficial especially for expats new to Taiwan. 

Foreword: The following Q+A is based on personal experience and and is for reference only. this is not an exhaustive analysis of Taiwan's banking sector. Each bank has different policies, and the employees in the banks may not even know their own policies for foreigners. 

Bopiliao Old Street (aka Bopiliao Historical District/Street 剝皮寮歷史街區) is a historical street in Taipei, made almost completely of one or two story brick buildings, many dating over 200 years ago and was one of the earliest commercial districts in northern Taiwan. Here you can find museums, shops, food options, and art exhibitions. It is definitely worth a stop on your trip to Taipei.

Historical Background:
The land that Popiliao Old Street stands on was once part of Basay tribal land. The Basay people had lived on the land for thousands of years before the first Chinese settlers.
Sections of the area indicate that there was settlements here during the Dutch rule in the 1600s.
The name Bopliao come from the fact that timber and animal skins were transported here, and the bark or skins of animals was also peeled here (Bopi 剝皮 means literally to peel skin).
The first recorded Chinese settlement of Bopiliao was in1763 during the Early Qing Dynasty. At the time it was a small cluster of houses near the larger settlement at Bangka (Mengjia 艋舺). 
Important products that were sold here include coal, tea, as well as various other goods. It was among the most prosperous area in Taipei.
During the Japanese era, Taipei City underwent new urban planning, which meant that Pobiliao was not longer an important intersection for trade. It slowly lost importance and fell into disrepair. 
In 2006 the Taipei City government underwent a renovation project for Bopiliao Old Street, including renovation of buildings and creating museums. Now there are many historical and art exhibits here, and it is a popular place for visitors on the weekends. 

Price:
Free

Hours:
9 AM to 9 PM
Closed Mondays

How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: From Taipei Main Station, go south on Zhonghua Road until you reach Nanning Street and take a right. Take another slight right on Gungzhou street until you reach the old street. There is paid parking near the street and free scooter parking.
By MRT: Take the blue line to Longshan Temple, then walk north one block to the old street.

Map:
Please see below:

Fenqihu (aka Fenchihu) is a charming mountain village in Chiayi, and is the largest along the Alishan Forest Railway. It has two old streets that feature great food, such as the famous Fenqihu lunch box and jelly fig seed drink. You can also see many Japanese historical sights such as a shinto shrine, train station, and residences. Also nearby are many beautiful sights such as bamboo forests and hikes in nearby mountains. Fenqihu Old Street is also known as the Jiufen of Southern Taiwan. This place is is definitley worth a stop along the Alishan Forest Railway.

Historical Background:
Fenqihu is a small settlement in Zhonghe Village of Zhuqi Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan (台灣嘉義縣竹奇鄉中和村奮起湖聚落). The village sits at 1,405 meters above sea level. The old street is about 500 meters long. 
The name Fenqihu comes from the name for "dustpan" (fenqi 畚箕) and "lake" (hu 湖). The name lake (hu 湖) means basin in Hakka.
The village was originally created along the road to Alishan before the railway was built by Hakka Chinese settlers. As the Japanese harvested more and more lumber, the town began to grow. 
Fenqihu Station was finished in 1912 by the Japanese and was the largest intermediate station along the Alishan Forest Railway. It was also a stop for trains to add coal and water on the way up the mountain. It was also usually a noontime lunch stop for loggers riding the train, hence the Fenqihu lunchbox tradition started. Because of this, Fenqihu became a central gathering place along the Alishan Forest Railway.
After the Alishan highway was completed in 1982, passengers along the railway dropped considerably. However, the railway has become popular again in recent years due to its unique and historic preservation. Before the railway from Fenqihu to Zhiqi station was opened, passengers had to disembark at Fenqihu to take a bus to Alishan.
However, Fenqihu is still very popular even on weekends when the train is not running, thanks to the Alishan highway that brings busses and cars.
Fenqihu Old Street is also known as the Jiufen of Southern Taiwan. 

Price:
Free

Hours:
About 9 AM to 6 PM
​
How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: From Chiayi, taken provincial highway 18 east up the mountain to Shizhuo （石桌), after which you need to turn left up the mountain to Fenqihu. The town is hard to miss. 
By Bus: Take the direct bus from Chiayi Station (leaves in the morning).
By Train: Take the Alishan Forest Train from Chiayi Station (leaves at 8:30 AM and 9 AM).

Map:
Please see below:

Filing taxes in a foreign country can be a scary prospect. However, Taiwan makes it easy by providing many tools and resources such as the E-file system. This is not a comprehensive guide, but is written to help give you an idea of how to file taxes online and avoid unnecessary confusion.
A complete guide to the system can be found here  although the whole thing is in Chinese. Here is a simple guide they have provided in English.

Filing online will require a basic understanding of Chinese characters (at least your own name, address, etc.). If you know no Chinese, either get a friend to help you or just file in person at the Tax office. Filing in person doesn't take long either, but it may be far away and you will have to wait in line. You can also hire an accounting firm or law firm to help.

For the government's e-filing guide FAQ, click here. 
For our full FAQ regarding income tax for foreigners in Taiwan, click here.

Okay, let's get started. The first thing you need to do is download the E-filing software here. 

Dihua Street is Taipei City's biggest and oldest Old Street. Here you can find a large area with historical buildings and unique old style shops. Also there are many art spaces, museums, and restaurants to explore in the area. You should definitely make a stop to this historically rich area on your trip to Taipei.

Historical Background:
The land that Dadaocheng (aka Twatutia in Taiwanese 大稻埕) stands on was once part of Basay tribal land. The Basay people had lived on the land for thousands of years before the first Chinese settlers.
Sections of Dadaocheng indicate that there was settlements here during the Dutch rule in the 1600s.
The first Chinese settlers came to the area in the mid-1800's during the Qing Dynasty. They created a public area for drying rice and grain, called Dadaocheng (大稻埕) from which the place gets its name, which also became the central market in the area.
The earliest trading shops were built in 1851, mainly selling rice, sugar, camphor, and tea. Dihua Street (迪化街), or center street (中街) was created around this time, making it the oldest street in Taipei.
In 1859 the City God Temple was completed, the religious center of the area, and many streets sprouted out of the area. Most of the buildings were one story and made of red brick in Fujian style, and later western style houses were built. 
In 1891, the first train connecting Keelung and Taipei was completed. In 1902, Dadaocheng station was completed on the Tamsui Railway line. Tea and rice were the major exports from Dadaocheng during the Japanese era.
After WWII, the main street, known as Center Street (中街) was changed to Dihua Street, to remember Dihua City in Xinjiang. 
Dihua Street is an important place to buy traditional food supplies and ingredients. It is particularly popular during Chinese festivals. 

Hours:
About 9 AM to 7 PM.

Price:
Free

How to get there:
By MRT: From Beimen MRT station, walk north to Tacheng Street. Keep going until the street becomes Dihua Street (about 500 meters).
By Car/Scooter: Take Shimin Blvd. west to Tacheng Street. Keep going until the street becomes Dihua Street (about 500 meters). There is paid car parking on Shimin Blvd.

Where can I find a tour guide?
​Check out MyTaiwan Tour.

Map:
Please see below: