Foreigners in Taiwan - 外國人在臺灣
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  • Home 首頁
  • Blog 部落格
  • Taiwan FAQ 常見問題
  • Blog Index 部落格指南
  • Maps 地圖
  • About 關於我們
  • Contact Us 聯絡我們
  • Privacy 隱私

Blog Posts

How Our Facebook Page got Hacked 我們的臉書粉絲專業怎麼被駭客盜

12/30/2022

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Update Jan 30th, 2023: our Facebook page was recoeverd! See how we recovered our Facebook Page here.

Hello faithful fans of the Foreigners in Taiwan website and blog.
I have some sad news. Our Facebook Page was recently hacked and stolen.

Whether or not we will ever get ownership and access to the old page remains to be seen. For now, the Facebook Support team has been no help at all.
In this blog, I will show you exactly how I was hacked so that you can avoid the same problem, and protect your business and assets that use Facebook Pages.

I own the Foreigners in Taiwan blog website https://www.foreignersintaiwan.com/ and I also have connected Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/foreignersintw/?hl=en), Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCeahPf5SIYB3KtQuFVS8bg), and Twitter accounts (https://twitter.com/foreignersinTW) which I fully control and have been running for years since the blog began. The entire Facebook Page was made for my website and blog, and everything I post is about life as a foreigner in Taiwan. 

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Beipu Old Street 北埔老街

12/28/2022

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Beipu Old Street is a popular old street in Beipu Township of Hsinchu county. Once an economic center for tea production, as well as coal mining in the area, later it became well-known for its traditional Hakka cuisine. Currently, the old street is crowded with tourists on weekends who come for treats such as Persimmon cakes and Taro Mooncakes.

Background:
The area around Beipu was first inhabited by Saysiyat Aboriginal peoples and was first settled by Han Chinese farmers in 1835. A wall of bamboo was built around the city to ward off attacks from Aboriginals. Later during the Japanese era, Beipu housed an experimental tea farm. Later in the ROC era, coal mining became the main economic activity nearby. Also, provincial highway 3 was built to skirt around the town, which meant that many shops decided to move off the old street. However, due to the many delicious Hakka snacks sold and restaurants on the old street, Beipu still attracted many tourists.
Famous historical buildings along the old street include Jinguangfu Mansion, Shui A-Hsin Mansion, and Beipu Citian Temple.
A period TV drama series called "Gold Leaf 茶金" was filmed here, based on novel by Huanh Kuo-hua, filmed in 2021. It went on to receive 16 nominations at the Golden Bell Awards. Maybe you have heard of it. It's on Netflix. 
Now Beipu Old Street has become a popular tourist location and can be very crowded on weekends. 

Hours:
9 AM to 5:30 PM every day.

Price:
Free

How to get there:
By car/scooter: Take highway 122 or expressway 68 to Zhudong, then turn south on Provincial Highway 3. The Old Street is hard to miss in the center of Beipu. There is free parking on the side of the road outside the old street. 
By bus: From Zhudong TRA station, you can take the 5700 shuttle bus to the old street, which takes about 20 minutes. 

Map:
​Please see below:

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Top 5 Expat Vlogger Clichés (5個外國YouTuber流量密碼)

12/23/2022

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Now that border restrictions are over, the long-awaited time for foreign Youtubers to make endless videos of family members trying out night market food has come. Foreign YouTubers in Taiwan have long utilized stereotypes, cliché's, and mindlessly yelling at the camera for views since the beginning of the internet. Many of them depend on YouTube to make a living, so they are afraid to stray away from the night market and stinky tofu bread and butter that has kept their views and likes through the roof.

Now I will list the top 5 clichés (aka volume hacks 流量密碼) that foreign Youtubers use to get likes, views, and clicks here in the open for the whole world to see.
I think it is high time we called out these low-brow YouTubers.  


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Our Guide to Yilan 宜蘭懶人包

12/21/2022

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Yilan is a gem on Taiwan's northeast coast. It has rugged mountains, waterfalls, a flat coastal plain, a volcanic island, hot springs, and some of the best beaches in Taiwan. In addition you can find night markets, seafood markets, museums, and much more to explore here. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taiwan. 

Historical Background of Yilan:
Before Chinese settlers came, the area around Yilan was inhabited by the Ketagalan Aboriginal tribe, whose language is now extinct. The name Yilan comes from this language. 
The town Toucheng literally means "first town" in Chinese, because it was the first settlement in Yilan, settled in the late 1700s. With the nearby Wushih and Touwei Harbors around the same time, it became the economic focal point of Yilan. However, in the late 1800s and early 1900s Wushih Harbor and Touwei Harbor silted in, reducing their function.
With the advent of the Japanese-built Yilan railway line in the mid-1900's, as well as constant floods and continual silting of the harbors, Toucheng Old Street quickly lost its importance economically and fell into decay.
The Japanese also built logging railways up to Taipingshan to harvest lumber. 
The first path between Yilan and Hualien was a trail built in the Qing Dynasty that was completed in 1876, in order for the Qing to better control aboriginal peoples on the east coast. Later after Japan took control of Taiwan, they widened the path and built 9 bridges and 14 tunnels along the way, making it drivable for cars (one way only) by 1932. Because much of the road was next to cliffs that underwent constant landslides, it was considered one of the most dangerous roads in the world at the time. In the 1980s the ROC government further widened the road, and the two-lane highway was completed in 1990. In 2020, the section of road between Su'ao and Dong'ao was bypassed by a tunnel. 
Currently Yilan has a population of over 450,000. An High-Speed Rail extension is planned for Yilan, and is expected to be completed by 2036.

You can find a map of places we will cover in this blog below:

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Dong An Bridge 東安橋

12/19/2022

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Dong An Bridge is a large stone bridge in Guanxi Township of Hsinchu County, that dates back nearly 100 years back to the Japanese Era in Taiwan. It has become a popular destination to visit and take photos. It is definitely worth a stop on your next visit to Hsinchu.

Background:
Because of the Niulan River that cuts through Guanxi Village, the people here have long relied on bridges to stay connected. The first iteration of the Dong'An bridge was a wooden bridge that was quickly destroyed during a flood. After that, the local people banded together to build the bridge in 1933, with the help of Japanese architects and using local stones. The bridge was opened in 1935. The local people donated over 2000 Yen to build the bridge. 
As you can see, the bridge lasted the test of time.
In 2010, the bridge was declared a historical monument. 
The bridge was also featured in the films "
Ghost Love Letter" 《鬼情書》in 2008 and Our Time
《我的少女時代》in 2015. 
​From January to April 2020 the bridge underwent renovations (as documented below)..
​Now it has become a popular Instagram location.


Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

How to get there:
By car/scooter: The bridge is along Zhongshan Road in Guanxi Village. It's hard to miss. There is free parking on the side of the road. 
By bus: You can get there by bus from Hsinchu City in about an hour, or from Longtan in half an hour. 

Map:
Please see below:

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Nanfang'ao Lookout 南方澳觀景臺

12/14/2022

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Nanfang'ao is the third-largest fishing harbor in Taiwan and is an important part of the local economy. Just above the harbor along the Suhua highway is an amazing lookout that gives a 180-degree view of southern Yilan, Su'ao, and the surrounding area. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to the east coast of Taiwan. ​

Background:
The first path between Su'ao and Hualien was a trail built in the Qing Dynasty that was completed in 1876, for the Qing to better control aboriginal peoples on the east coast. Later after Japan took control of Taiwan, they widened the path and built 9 bridges and 14 tunnels along the way, making it drivable for cars (one way only) by 1932. Because much of the road was next to cliffs that underwent constant landslides, it was considered one of the most dangerous roads in the world at the time. In the 1980s the ROC government further widened the road, and the two-lane highway was completed in 1990. In 2020, the section of road between Su'ao and Dong'ao was bypassed by a tunnel. ​
Nanfang'ao is the third-largest fishing harbor in Taiwan and is an important part of the local economy. There is a popular fish and seafood market there that is open from 3 PM to 5 PM every day at the harbor if you a fan of fresh seafood.
​

Price:
Free

Hours:
24/7

How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: From Su'ao or Dong'ao, take Highway 9 east along the coast. You will have to take a dangerous U-turn or left turn across double yellow lines if you come from Su'ao, so it is better to come from Dong'ao. 
By Bus: Take the Nanfang'ao Blue line to Nanjian Shopping Center (南建購物中心) then walk up the Nanfang'ao Lookout trail about 15 minutes to the lookout. 

Map:
​Please see below:

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Hsinchu East Gate (Yingxi Gate) 新竹東門 (迎曦門)

12/12/2022

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Hsinchu City's East Gate, or Yingxi Gate, is the last standing gate of the old walled city of Zhuqian, and also one of the last remnants of the entire city wall itself. It is one of the most impressive historical sites in Hsinchu and is worth a visit for anyone in the area.

Background:

After the settlement of the area by Han Chinese farmers in about 1711, what was then known as Zhuqianshe became the most important economic area in northern Taiwan. By 1723, a walled city was built here out of bamboo, because brick walls were forbidden for fear of a revolt against the Qing authorities. The name Zhuqiancheng (竹塹城) literally means bamboo moat city. The bamboo-walled city had four gates and its perimeter was about 1.4 KM long. In 1806, the city was upgraded with earthen walls. In 1828, the city walls and gates were finally made into brick, with the perimeter covering 2.7 KM, and walls 5 meters high, the center of the city being the Chenghuang City God Temple. The east gate was known as Yingxi Gate (迎曦門), the west gate was known as Yishuang Gate (挹爽門), the South Gate was known as Gexun Gate (歌薰門), and the North Gate was known as Gengchen Gate (拱宸門). The east, west, and south gates all had cannons. There were also four main roads named after each gate. Outside the city, a moat was built. During the Opium Wars, another earthen half-circle of wall was built to fend off the English who had attacked the nearby. This earthen city was much bigger than the original brick city wall and included 8 more city gates. 
In 1901, the Japanese government decided to redesign the City of Hsinchu and destroyed all the gates and walls except the existing East Gate. Part of the old moat exists still as well.
The East Gate has been preserved, recently being renovated in 1999, and has now been made into a park and square, as well as an art exhibition space. 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

How to get there:
The north gate is within walking distance of Hsinchu TRA station. There is limited paid parking nearby.

Map:
​Please see below:

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How to Ruin Your Life as a Foreigner in Taiwan in 15 Simple Steps 外國人在臺灣破壞自己生活的15個簡單方法

12/12/2022

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Foreword: Never do any of the following. This list is simply ironic and satirical, and should in no way be taken literally. Any resemblance to real-life people or situations in the satire described below (except number two) is purely coincidental.
序言:不要做以下任何事情。這字額建議存粹只是爲了諷,完全不能當成真。如果以下描述的諷刺(除了第二以外)有像真實生活的任何人或情況,這不是故意而是巧合。

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Suhua Highway Monument 蘇花公路安魂碑

12/7/2022

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The Suhua Highway Monument (蘇花公路安魂碑) and nearby Kailu Xianfengye Temple (開路先鋒爺廟) commemorate the 13 workers who died building the road from Su'ao to Hualien from 1932 to the present. It sits on one of the most scenic viewpoints of the highway between Su'ao and Dong'ao, overlooking Dong'ao Bay. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to the east coast of Taiwan. 

Background:
​
The first path between Su'ao and Hualien was a trail built in the Qing Dynasty that was completed in 1876, in order for the Qing to better control aboriginal peoples on the east coast. Later after Japan took control of Taiwan, they widened the path and built 9 bridges and 14 tunnels along the way, making it drivable for cars (one way only) by 1932. Because much of the road was next to cliffs that underwent constant landslides, it was considered one of the most dangerous roads in the world at the time. In the 1980s the ROC government further widened the road, and the two-lane highway was completed in 1990. In 2020, the section of road between Su'ao and Dong'ao was bypassed by a tunnel. 
Kailu Xianfengye Temple was erected in 1994 near the Suhua Highway Monument to honor the thirteen lives that were lost during the construction of the Su'hua highway (two during the Japanese era and 11 during the ROC era). It is believed that the ghosts of these men had protected further construction along the highway.


Price:
Free

Hours:
24/7

How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: From Su'ao or Dong'ao, take Highway 9 east along the coast. You will have to take a dangerous U-turn or left turn across double yellow lines if you come from Su'ao, so it is better to come from Dong'ao. 
By Bus: No way to get there by public transport!

Map:
​Please see below:

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Four Four South Village 四四南村

12/5/2022

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Four Four South Village (aka Forty-Four South Village) is a former military dependents village that has been converted into a cultural park in Xinyi District of Taipei City. Now it is home to cafes, arts and crafts stores, bookstores, and a community center. Also, it has great views of the Taipei 101. It is worth visiting if you are in the area. 

Background:
Four Four South Village was named and built for the 44th Arsenal of the Combined Logistics Command and their families in 1948, after the ROC military retreated to Taiwan following defeat in the Chinese Civil War. The houses were cheaply built out of wood, concrete, bamboo, and tiles. The houses were small, and everyone had to share a communal bathroom. There was also no running water when it was built. Part of the village was destroyed in a fire in 1999, and the whole village was planned to be demolished in 2001, but local residents and cultural experts persuaded the government to preserve part of the village as a cultural heritage site. Now it sits as an important historical site close to the Taipei 101.

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free:

How to get there:

By MRT: Take the MRT red line to the Taipei 101/World Trade Center station. The village is just a short one minute walk south. 
By Car/Scooter: The village is just south of Xinyi Road, southwest of the Taipei 101. There is paid parking nearby.


Map:
Please see below:

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Luodong Night Market 羅東夜市

12/2/2022

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Luodong Night Market is the largest night market in Yilan and is one of the area's top tourist destinations. The night market covers a large area and usually is packed with people. Delicacies here include mutton soup, shaved ice, duck noodles, and onion pancakes. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Yilan.

Background:
Luodong Night Market was created in 1990 as part of the local government's plan. The main part of the night market was built in front of a movie theater, so moviegoers could go get food after seeing a movie. Soon a few stalls became many, and the night market soon turned into the large sprawling area that we see today. The night market covers areas along Minsheng Road, Gongyuan Road, and Minquan Road, and also sprawls onto Tianjin Road, Zhentai Street, Xingdong Street, and Zhongshan Road Section 3. 

Hours:
3 PM to 12 AM every day.

Price:
Free

How to get there:
Bar Car/Scooter: From National Freeway 5, turn west on provincial highway 9 toward Luodong. There is paid parking near Zhongshan Park.
By TRA: The night market is about 200 meters away from Luodong TRA station. 

Map:
Please see below:

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     Author 作家

    We are US Expats that have extensive experience living, working, and travelling in Taiwan. In our day, we had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But we have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. ​Our blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. We are just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country.

    ​​我們是在台灣的外國人!我們透過額部落格想要幫助外國人了解台灣生活,旅遊,和商業的環境!我們不代表所有在台灣的外國人, 我們只是想要幫助世界各地的人了解台灣美好的一切! (美國人在管理)

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    2006120221
    Aboriginal Culture 原住民文化
    Alishan-384633732423665
    Alishan-384633732423665
    Amusement Parks 娛樂園
    Aquariums 海洋館
    Art 藝術
    Basic Info 基本資訊
    Beaches 海灘
    Blogroll 部落格名單
    Bridges 橋梁
    Buddhism 佛教
    Buddhism 佛教
    Business 商業
    Business 商業
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    Car Driving Test 考汽車駕照
    Car Rental 租氣車
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    Chiayi 嘉義
    Children Activities 小孩活動
    Chinese Film 中文電影
    Chinese Language 中文
    Chinese Language 中文
    Chinese Literature 中文文學
    Chinese Literature 中文文學
    Chinese Pollution 中國污染
    City Parks 都市公園
    Click Bait 點擊誘餌
    Coal Mining 煤礦
    Cycling 騎腳踏車
    Cycling 騎腳踏車
    Daily Life 日常生活
    Daoism 道教
    Driving In Taiwan 開車
    Drone Flying 飛空拍機
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    Ershui 二水
    Events 活動
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    Floral Sea 花海
    Food
    Food 食物
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    Fruit 水果
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    Geography 地理
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    Golf 高爾夫球
    Green Energy 綠色能源
    Growing Bananas 種香蕉日記
    Guest Blog Posts 客人部落格
    Hakka Culture 客家文化
    Hiking
    Hiking 爬山
    Historical Buildings 歷史建築
    Historical Buildings 歷史建築
    Hot Springs 溫泉
    Hot Springs 溫泉
    Hsinchu 新竹
    Hualien 花蓮
    Immigration/Visa 移民/簽證
    Japanese Era 日治時期
    Jiaoxi 礁溪
    Jiaoxi 礁溪
    Kaohsiung 高雄
    Keelung 基隆
    Kenting 墾丁
    Kinmen 金門
    Lakes And Reservoirs 湖及水庫
    Lighthouses 燈塔
    Longdong 龍洞
    Lukang 鹿港
    Luodong Night Market 羅東夜市
    Maolin 茂林
    Matsu Islands 馬祖列島
    Miaoli 苗栗
    Migrant Workers 外籍勞動
    Monkeys 猴子
    Monkeys 猴子
    Mountain Biking 越野
    Mountain Biking 越野
    Museums 博物館
    Nangang 南港
    Nantou 南投
    National Forest Recreation Areas 國家森林游樂區
    National Palace Museum 故宮
    National Palace Museum 故宮
    National Parks 國家公園
    Natural Scenery 自然風景
    New Taipei 新北市
    Night Market 夜市
    Northern Coast 北海岸
    Not Taiwan 台灣以外的地方
    Nuclear Power 核能
    Nuclear Power 核能
    Offroading 越野
    Old City Gates 古城門
    Old Streets 老街
    Old Trails 古道
    Orchid Island (Lanyu 蘭嶼)
    Outer Islands 外島
    Pathos And Logos 情與理
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    Pingtung 屏東
    Pingxi Railway 平息火車綫
    Politics 政治
    Politics 政治
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    Recreational Farms 休閑農場
    River Tracing 朔溪
    Rock Climbing 攀岩
    Scooter Driving Test 考機車駕照
    Scooter Rental 租機車
    Scooter Rental 租機車
    Seafood Markets 海鮮市場
    Shiding 石碇
    Shilin Night Market 士林夜市
    Shilin Night Market 士林夜市
    Shopping 購物
    Sicao Green Tunnel 四草綠色隧道
    Smokestacks 烟囪
    Snorkeling 浮潛
    Snorkeling 浮潛
    Starting A Taiwan Business 創業
    Starting A Taiwan Business 創業
    Sun Moon Lake 日月潭
    Sun Moon Lake 日月潭
    Surfing 3490928010
    Taichung 臺中
    Tainan 3327421335
    Tainan-3327421335
    Taipei 101 101
    Taipei 101 2148821271 101
    Taipei-101-2148821271-101
    Taipei 2148821271
    Taipei-2148821271
    Taipei Zoo 台北動物園
    Taipei Zoo 台北動物園
    Taipei 臺北
    Taipei 臺北
    Taitung 臺東
    Taiwanese Spouse 台灣配偶
    Taiwan FAQ 臺灣常見問題
    Taiwan History 台灣的歷史
    Taiwan History 台灣的歷史
    Taiwan's Economy 台灣經濟
    Taiwan's Economy 台灣經濟
    Taiwan Temples 臺灣的廟
    Tamsui 淡水
    Taoyuan 桃園
    Taroko Gorge 太魯閣
    Tax 稅
    Top 10 前十名
    Top 10 前十名
    Top 5 前5名
    Transportation 交通
    Tsai Yingwen 蔡英文
    Turtle Island 龜山島
    Turtle Island 龜山島
    Typhoons 颱風
    Ultimate Guide 極限指南
    Urbex 城市探險
    Waterfalls 瀑布
    Weather 天氣
    White Terror 白色恐怖
    Wildlife 野生動物
    Women In Chinese Society 女士們在中國社會
    Working In Taiwan 在台灣工作
    Working In Taiwan 在台灣工作
    Wulai Hot Springs 烏來溫泉
    Xiaoliuqiu 小琉球
    Xitou 溪頭
    Xitou 溪頭
    Xizhi 汐止
    Yangmingshan 陽明山
    Yilan 宜蘭
    Yunlin 雲林
    Yushan (Jade Mt.) 玉山
    Zhongtaishan 中台山
    Zoos 動物園

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