Floral Seas in Taiwan (aka sea of flowers; flower sea; flower/floral ocean) are a popular attraction for locals all around the island. Many farmers actually harvest these flowers during winter months and allow tourists to come take photos with a backdrop of and ocean of flowers, usually for free. If you'd like to take a few photos of these places, there are quite a few options.

Where? 
You can find fields of flowers all over rural Taiwan during winter. For the more touristy places, you can to search 花海 into Google Maps and a bunch of places should pop up.
Floral Seas that I have visited include Guanshan Floral Sea, Liugui Floral Sea, and Xinshe Sea of Flowers. Another one is 60 Stone Mountain (see our full blog on 60 Stone Mountain here).

When are floral seas open?
Xinshe: November-December
Guanshan: December-February
Liugui Flower Sea: December-February
60 Stone Mountain: July-September
Others: go find them! Floral seas can be found literally all over Taiwan.

Maps: please see below:

Guanshan Floral Sea:

Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with any hotel or hostel in Taiwan. The following FAQ is only based on our opinion after years of booking accommodation in Taiwan, and should not be considered absolute fact.
 
What is the average price of a hotel in Taiwan?
According to Hikersbay.com, the average price of a hotel in Taiwan is 2,197 TWD.
In our experience, a fair price for a hotel in Taiwan that I like to stick to is around 1,500 TWD (about 45 USD).
 
What is the average price range for hotels in Taiwan?
The following prices are from personal experience booking over tens of hotels in Taiwan over 5 years (Please note 1000 NT is roughly equal to 31 USD):
Typically, the cheapest of the cheap hotels will go from 700-1000 NT
Lower range Hotels will go from 1000-1700 NT
Mid Range Hotels will go from 1500-2500 NT
High Class Hotels will go from 2500-5000 NT
Super Fancy Hotels will go from 5000-30,000+ NT per night!
Please note these prices also vary by location.

Sixty Stone mountain (aka Liushidan Mountain) is a beautiful flower and mountain landscape on the eastern flank of the eastern rift valley in Hualien County. The annual Daylily flower blooms and amazing views of the Eastern Rift Valley attract thousands of tourists each summer. Some of the picturesque and beautiful views anywhere in Taiwan can be seen from this mountain.

Background:
The main crop on Sixty Stone Mountain is the Orange Daylily (aka tawny dayliliy, hemerocallis, golden needle flower, etc.). Orange Daylily is a nutrient and iron-rich plant, and is traditionally used as a garnish, spice, and preservative. In addition it is also added  as raw materiel for rice paper and Chines medicine. You can buy dried bags of the stuff all over the mountain and surrounding areas.

According to some of the locals, Sixty Stone Mountain gets its name from the fact that instead of producing 50 stones (or dan, measure of flowers) per field, the fields on this mountain can produce 60 stones. Other people say that it is because during the Japanese Era, all the trees were cut down and there were 60 large boulders left on the mountain.

Nowadays the Mountain is a major tourist attraction, and has been highly marketed by the Taiwan tourism bureau. You can find pictures from this mountain on almost any Taiwan tourism brochure.

How to get there:
BY Car/Scooter: Take highway 9 south from Hualien. When you reach Dongzhu, there will be a sign to Sixty Stone Mountain just after the police station. The road up the mountain is small and closes after 6:00 PM. Only cars, small vans, and scooters are allowed up the road.
There are many tour groups that offer van rides up the mountain.

Hours: Technically open 24/7.

When to go: We suggest going during the Orange Daylily flowering season, which is from about July to September. If you go from 3-5 PM you should see an awesome view of the sunset if the weather is good.

​Map: Please see below:

Sanxiantai is one of the most beautiful spots on the East Coast, an area full of beautiful geology and natural scenery. It is known for its iconic arching footbridge that leads to the island of the three immortals (Sanxiantai, literally three immortals platform). The ocean views and unique rock formations make it an ideal place to take a stroll and enjoy nature's beauty.

Background:
Sanxiantai island is mostly made of coral and volcanic rocks. The wind and waves over time have turned the rocks into unique shapes, including tunnels, holes, and crevasses.  According to Amis tribal legend, a sea dragon once lived here. According to Han Chinese legend, three of the eight immortals (Toaist Deities having power over life and evil) rested on the island, leaving three pairs of footprints.

How to get there: From Taipei, take national highway 5 down to Yilan, then travel from Highway 9 to Hualien, then take highway 11 south along the coast. It will be on the left.
Also available by bus from Hualien or Taitung, though this may take a few hours.

Price: Free, but parking is 50-60 NT for cars and around 15-20 NT for scooters.

Hours: 24 hours a day.

​Map: Please see below:

Dulan is a quiet coastal town just 20 km north of Taitung City. It has become a major surfing destination as well, especially for foreigners. Some would even say that it is the coolest beach hangout in Taiwan! There is no public transportation to Dulan other than by bus, so do not expect large crowds. It is for sure one of Taiwan's most beautiful and uncrowded seas side destinations.

Background:
Dulan is a village of the Amis Aboriginie Tribe (阿美族) which have lived there since at least 1500 BC, and most of the people that live there now are Taiwan Aborigines. The area is still a center for Amis rituals and traditional ceremonies, as well as aboriginal culture.

How to get there:

By Car/Scooter: We recommend taking highway 11 from Taitung north 30km to the town. Feel free to stop and enjoy the scenery along the way.

By Bus: You can take bus 8102 or 8103 from Taitung, but according to Google this will take about 3 hours.

Map: Please see the map below:

Water Running Up is a gravity defying stream that appears to run uphill in Donghe Township near Dulan, Taitung County. As one of the stranger sights in Taiwan that seems to defy nature and the laws of physics, it attracts people year round. Does the water really run uphill? Let's find out.

Historical Background:
Water Running up was originally built as an irrigation ditch by the Amis Aboriginal Tribe in 1870. The area around the trench was an important ritual training ground, but also a storage hub for food and water. Later on (I'm guessing in the past decade or two) people noticed that the water in the irrigation ditch appeared to run uphill when seen against a sloping background, and the Taitung County government quickly pounced on it, making it into a full fledged tourist trap. I mean tourist site.

How to get There:
By Car: From Taitung, take provincial highway 11 north to Dulan. Just before you enter Dulan it will be on the left.
By Train: Take the TRA to Taitung station, then take scooter or taxi via provincial highway 11 to Dulan. 
By Bus: Take bus 8101 from Taitung Station to Yu Bridge. From there you will have to walk about 300 meters north, and up hill to the left. The bus ride takes just under 2 hours according to Google Maps.

Hours: 24/7

Price: Free!

​Map: Please see below:

Little Yehliu (aka Xiaoyeliu) Geopark is a unique geological area on the coast of Taitung City. It bears the same name as Yeliu Geopark (famous for the Queen's Head Rock), because the rocks look similar to its more famous namesake. However Little Yehliu is much smaller as the name suggests, and its rock formations less spectacular. Despite this, it is still a beautiful and unique stretch of coastline.

Historical Background:
Similar to Yehliu, the geology of Little Yehliu is made up of volcanic rock placed over sandstone. This makes for a unique structures and shapes, with large sturdy volcanic rock sitting upon easily weathered sandstone below, worn away by wind and water. Taitung County has become masterful at creating major tourist destinations out of what would normally go unnoticed, and this is no exception (for instance there are tons of this kind of coastline in northern Taiwan). 

How to get there: Take highway 11 from Taitung City about 6km north and it will be on your left. If you do not have a scooter or car, buses also stop along this route.

Price: Parking is 50-60 NT for cars, and 15-20 NT for scooters. Otherwise entrance to the park is free.

Hours: 24 hours a day

​Map: Please see below:

Liji Moon World (aka Liji Badlands) is a rare geological formation right next to Taitung City in eastern Taiwan (not to be confused with the larger and better Tianliao Moon World). It is composed of easily eroding clay deposits, that erode faster than plants can grow on them, creating a unique moon-like landscape. If you are in Taitung, you should take the short trip across the Beinan River and enjoy these beautiful eroding masses  of clay and dirt.

Geological History:

Typical badlands are found in dryer climates, are composed of sedimentary rocks, typically have very little vegetation, and have deep valleys or ravines. The badlands in Taiwan are unique in that they are in a tropical rain forest. How is this possible? 

The soil at Liji Badlands formed under the ocean millions of years ago, forming a layer of sediment called a melagne. Over millions of years, the land was lifted up due to plate tectonics until it became dry land. The rocks are composed of mudstone, sandstone, shale, and chalk. Because of high alkaline levels due to chalk in the soil, trees and grass cannot grow, and basically the only plant that can grow in the soil is spiny bamboo. The lack of vegetation as well as high rainfall gives way to quick eroding hills, or badlands. The Beinan River (卑南溪) also helped to carve out the landscape and bare hills.

Because of the white greyish color, the hills seem to glow when in moonlight, hence the name "Moon World." However to the casual observer, the landscape looks like the surface of the moon as well. The name "Liji" comes from the name of the village where the formations are located.

How to get there:
By car: From Taitung City, take the East 45 highway out of the city, across Beinan River and the badlands will be on your right.

By train: Get off at Taitung Station, and from there you can literally walk to the badlands; its only 2KM away. Alternatively you can rent a scooter or take a taxi. 

By plane: From Taitung Airport, hire a scooter or taxi and then take highway 11 then the East 45 Highway to the badlands.

Price: Free!

Hours: 24 hours a day!

Map: Please see below:

Luye Highland (aka Luye Platform, Luye Gaotai), is a hill in Taitung County's Eastern Rift Valley, and is one of the most popular spots in the country for hot air ballooning and paragliding. Every summer since 2011, the longest running hot air balloon festival in Taiwan has been held here. Even if you are not a fan of going high in the sky, the area has beautiful scenery, especially of the surrounding eastern rift valley.

Background:
Luye Highland rests on a hill in Luye township of Taitung County that is about 350 meters above sea level. In 2011, the Taitung government organized the first "Taiwan International Balloon Festival" with over 350,000 people in attendance, which has been held every year since. Because the festival lasts for more than a month, according to Taiwan Everything this makes it the longest hot air balloon festival in the world.

Apart from the festival, Hot Air balloons and para-gliders take off from Luye Highland year round, weather permitting. There are paragliding lessons and rides daily which you can sign up for on site. There is also a large grassy area in the center of the hill for public use, such as push car rides. 

How to get there:
By Car: From Taipei, take National Highway 5 to Yilan, then drive south on provincial road 9 until you get to Luye. See the map below for the location of the Highlands. It will be hard to miss.
By Train: Take the TRA to Luye station, and then walk, take a taxi, or take a bus to Luye Highlands (the train station is roughly 2 kilometers away from the highlands).
By Plane: Fly into Taitung Airport from Taipei, then take a taxi to the highlands.

Price:
Paragliding: 1800-2500 NT
Hot Air Ballooning: 500 NT and above depending on time
Push Car Rides: 100 NT per ride

Hours:
The grounds are open 24 hours, but if you want to paraglide or ride in a hot air balloon, you should go between 8:30 am and 6:00 pm.

When to Go:
The Taitung balloon festival runs from June to August, which is when we recommend going. For exact dates of the festival, check here.
Other than that, go when the weather is good. However, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to ride in a hot air balloon any day of the year, but it is much more likely you will be able to paraglide.

Map:
Please see below:

Are you a fan of rice fields, biandang, and rice in general? Chishang is the place for you! As the unofficial rice capital of Taiwan, its unspoiled views of rice fields with a backdrop of the eastern rift valley is one of the most unique and unspoiled scenic areas in Taiwan.

Historical Background:

The name Chishang comes from the town being located near Dapo Pond (or Daopochi 大坡池). The area was first settled by aboriginal tribes relocated from Pingtung. Qing dynasty Chinese farmers started settling there in 1875, as a reaction to Mudan Incident of 1871 (in which a crew of shipwrecked Japanese were beheaded by Taiwan aborigines) and the Japanese punitive expedition to Taiwan in 1874. After the Japanese took control of Taiwan, Chishang's main industries were growing sugar cane and rice. A train station was completed in Chishang in 1926 as part of the eastern railway line.

Because of its flat land and and abundant water, Chishang naturally became a great place for growing rice. It's rice fields and biandang (lunchbox) have generally been accepted as the best quality in Taiwan. Many of the rice varieties grown here can trace their roots to Japanese rule. Besides its unadulterated rice fields, the area also became famous due to a Mr. Brown coffee commercial shot here (at what is now know as Brown boulevard) as well an ad for EVA Air featuring Takeshi Kaneshiro (金城武）a Taiwan born Japanese actor (famous for many movies, the one which I remember him best in is the male protagonist in House of Flying Daggers), in which he drinks tea next to a tree. The tree is still there and is growing strong, although it was damaged in 2014 by typhoon Matmo.

I'm not sure if this is the original Mr. Brown Coffee commercial, but its at least pretty close:

If you only have a few days in Taiwan and you want to go somewhere outside of Taipei, you should definitely go to Taroko Gorge. On an island full of mountains, rain forests, beaches, and abounding natural beauty, Taroko Gorge might just take the top spot as the most beautiful scenic area in Taiwan. 

Taroko National Park is well known for its  amazing marble cliffs and canyons carved out by the Liwu River. It is also a popular spot for hiking, rafting, and river tracing. If you have the time, come to the East coast and see it. If you don't have time, then make some time!

​History and Background:

Taroko National Park is well known for its  marble cliffs and canyons, and is also known as "The Marble Gorge." Millions of years ago, the rock we see today was sediment at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, but oceanic and tectonic pressure turned it into limestone, and later into marble. Later the Eurasian plate was uplifted where Taiwan is today, and a gorge was cut out of the limestone thanks to the Liwu River. 

Taroko means "human being," from the Truku tribal language. Originally the Tupido Tribe settled in the area of what is now Tianxiang Taiti mesa. They built the Tupido Tribe Trail which was only 30 cm wide, and resided there until they were massacred by the Japanese in 1914. In 1917, the Japanese expanded the original trail made by the Tupido Tribe to 1.5 M and forced aboriginal tribesmen to carry goods along the trail to the east coast. This is now the Zhuilu Old Trail. Currently only 3km of the trail is open to the public. The Japanese created a national park in the Area in 1937, which was disestablished by the ROC in 1945, and then reenstated in as a national park in 1986.

How to get there:
By Car: From Taipei, Take National Highway 5 to Yilan and then drive on the Suhua Highway 9 to Hualien. A few miles before Hualien City, the gorge will be on your right.
By Train: Take the train to Hualien station, and from there you can rent a scooter or car, or take a tour bus to the gorge.
​For more travel information see here.

Hours: 8:30AM-5PM (Zhuilu old trail is open from 7AM to 10PM).

Flying a Drone? 
​Apply for a drone permit here.

Price: Free! (Except Zhuilu old trail, which is 200 NT per adult. See below for more info.)

​Map: Please see below:

​Here is a list of other Taiwan Blogs that we think are of note, as well as our list of blog lists (bloggoramma), and vlogs. We will keep this updated as best we can. If you feel that you should be on this list, please let us know.

Blogs:

If Taiwan is the best kept secret in Asia, then Penghu is the best kept secret of the best kept secret in Asia. It has just everything you could possibly want from a tropical island vacation getaway. Less than an hour plane ride from Taipei with multiple flights daily, its also easy to get to. We are sure that a trip to Penghu is one that you will not regret, and there will be more things to do than you could ever have time for.

History of Penghu:

The Penghu Islands were historically an important strategic position for trade and military defense in the area. The Dutch, French, and Japanese all led campaigns against these islands. The Dutch first invaded Penghu in 1622, but soon after retreated to Anping after a treaty was made with the Ming Dynasty.
Konxinga later took control of Penghu and Taiwan after defeating the Dutch in 1661, Later, Kongxinga's kingdom fell to the Qing Dynasty.
In 1885 during the Sino-French war for control of Vietnam, the French sent as fleet to Taiwan, but failed to take the island. Later they attacked the Penghu Islands and occupied them for a short time, before retreating to Vietnam due to the Treaty of Tianjin.
After Japan took control of Korea in 1894, they also attacked and occupied Penghu in 1895, after which the Qing Dynasty ceded the islands to them.
After World War II, the islands were given to the ROC government, who retreated to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil war and still control the islands today under a free democratic government.

How to get there:
By Plane: There are daily flights from Taipei Songshan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung airports to Makung. the flight takes roughly under and hour. Rates can range from around 2200-6000 NT for a round trip.
There are also flights to and from Chiayi, Tainan, Kinmen, and Chimei, with charted flights to Hong Kong starting September 2018.

By Boat: There are daily ferries from Chiayi and Kaohsiung. A one way trip takes about 4 hours from both locations. A one way ferry from Kaohsiung costs about 900 NT for just a reclining seat, and a one way ferry from Chiayi costs about 1000 NT.

When to go there:
Spring to Autumn. Winters are rather miserable.

Map: Please see below:

Qimei is a beautiful island getaway on southernmost end of Penghu County. The main attractions there are the iconic double heart rock (Twin Hearts Stone Weir), as well as little Taiwan rock. Getting there is not easy, but it is definitely worth the visit. 

Qimei's History:

The name Qimei, meaning seven beuties, refers to seven women that committed suicide during the Ming dynasty on the island (in the mid 1500s), rather than be defiled by raiding Japanese pirates.
The name also has come to mean the seven beautiful things about the island: the scenery, seawater, products, hearts of the people, geology, buildings, and history. Taiwan touch your heart!
This island and double heart rock are also central to some of Taiwan's tourist marketing in the recent past.
The island is 7km2 and has a population of just under 4,000 people. The main industry is fishing and fish farming, but goat and cattle farming is a growing industry as well.

How To Get there:

By Boat: Boats leave daily from Magong (Makung) from 6:30-9:30, stop at Wangan island, and make the round trip back in the afternoon. It takes about 2 hours to get to Qimei from Magong, and then 2 hours back. A boat ticket for one person round trip from Magong is around 800 NT.
You can buy ferry tickets at the dock or via travel agency (travel agencies include scooter rental, but times are not as flexible).
You can also reach the island by boat via port of Kaohsiung for about 900 NT.

By Plane: There is an airport on Qimei with service to Kaohsiung and Magong.

By Swimming: Do not try to swim there!

Map: Please see below:

Whale Cave is a natural basalt sea cave on the north side of Hsiaomen Island in Penghu (Shomom 小門嶼) , and one of the many tourist attractions in the area. According to some it looks like a whale, but that is not the true origin of its name.

The actual reason for the cave's name "Whale Cave" is that, a long time ago, a whale got stuck in the cave and died. According to local legend, a bone from that whale is now inside Dayi Temple. See more about Dayi Temple in our blog here.

How to get there:
The best way to get there is via scooter or car from Magong. But be careful to park in a designated spot because the cops there are strict.

Hours: Open 24 hours every day.

Price: Free!

Map: Please see below:

Erkan Historical Village is a unique place in Taiwan that preserves nearly 300 years of Southern Min culture. Isolated and cut off from the rest of Taiwan for quite some time on Siyu island of Penghu County, the village is a living museum for visitors. Every home is built in traditional red brick Southern Min style, and offering a unique splice in time. 

How to get there:
The easiest Way to get there is by car or scooter from Magong.

Price: Free, except for the Chen family ancient house which charges an admission of about 30 NT.

Hours: 8:00 AM - Dusk

Map: Please see below:

Siyu East and West forts are some of the best preserved fortifications in Taiwan dating back to the Ming Dynasty. They provide a rich history of the many invasions of Taiwan throughout the ages. Currently they are open to the public if you can get yourself over to the west side of Penghu.

​
How to Get there:
The easiest way to get there is to take a car or scooter from Magong to the very southernmost part of Siyu (Xiyu, or Fisher) Island.

Hours:
Siyu East Fort: 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, closed on holidays
Siyu West Fort: Open all day every day!

Price:
Siyu East Fort: Free!
Siyu West Fort: 30 NT per adult, 15 NT for students and seniors

​Map: Please see below:

Dayi Temple Lies in the northern part of Siyu Island in Penghu County, Taiwan. On the outside, it is a normal Taiwanese Daoist temple like any other, but due to its collection of live endangered sea turtles, whale bones, rare marine specimens, and coral rocks kept in an underground chamber, it has become one of the main tourist attractions on the archipelago. 

The morality of keeping these endangered species in the temple chamber has been a topic of debate over the past few years, and it is clear to see that they are not living in an ideal environment. This, including allegations of animal rights violations, will be discussed further below.

How to get there:
Go across the cross-island highway to Siyu Island. On the top of the first hill you will see a brown sign pointing left to Dayi Temple. Keep going down the hill and the temple will be on your right.

Address: No. 76 Zhuwan Village, Siyu Township, Penghu County
​西嶼鄉竹灣村76號 

Price: Free, but donations are welcome.

Hours: 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Map: Please see below:
​

Guanyin Temple Swimming Area (aka. Guanyinting, Guanyin Temple Leisure Park, and Guanyinting Recreation Area) is one of the main tourist attractions in Magong and Penghu. It is a relaxing place to enjoy views of the ocean and the sunset, as well as other activities such as jogging, swimming, parasailing, and fishing. 

How To Get There:
It lies on the very west part of Magong City. It's really quite hard to miss.

Price: Free!

Hours: Open all day every day.
​
Map: Please see below:

Magong is the biggest and important city in the Penghu (Pescadores) Island chain, with a rich cultural and historical heritage. Among the many historical sights in the city, perhaps some of the most significant are the remains of the ancient wall surrounding the city during the Qing Dynasty, as well as the first military dependents village established by the KMT surrounding these old walls. 

Magong Ancient City Wall

Historical background:
The original walls of "Penghu Pang City" or Magong were completed 1889 after the Sino-French War in order to improve Qing defenses in the region. Afterwards, the walled city of Magong became the economic, military, and government center of Penghu.

In 1895 Japan took control of Taiwan. During the Japanese rule, most of the walls were torn down starting in 1905 in order to build the harbor and to conform with city planning (that's right, many of the old walls stood on what is now open harbor water). The South Gate, Minor South Gate, East Gate, and North Gate were destroyed. The only parts of the wall that are left are on the western side, including the Major West Gate and Minor West Gate.
As a side note, the Japanese changed the name of the City from  媽宮 (Magong, meaning mother's palace, probably a reference to the goddess Matsu) to 馬公 (Magong, same pronunciation but meaning Horse Gong).

After the KMT took control of the island, they turned the surrounding area a military base and military dependents village (篤行十字村 Duxingshi Village). The Major West Gate was renamed Chunghsing Gate (中興門） and the Minor West Gate was renamed the Shuncheng Gate （順承門）.
Currently the Chunghsing gate (pictured below) is the entrance to the military base on site, and is the only gate that was built without a tower.

The above photo was taken from here.

Price: Free 

How to get there: The gate is on the westernmost part of Zhongshan Road in Magong.
​
Map: Please refer to the map below.

​​Foreword: Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of questions. This is meant to only give a basic overview of Taiwan's schooling landscape to those who have never been there. 

Are there foreign schools for my children in Taiwan?
Yes, there are a number of American and European schools in Taiwan. Please click here for a full list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_schools_in_Taiwan

Is Taiwan Safe?
Yes, Taiwan is one of the safest countries in the world according to Prescavve, due to low crime and high economic freedom and devolopment.
 
How to study in Taiwan? How do you Study in Taiwan?
There are many coffee shops, book stores, and libraries with free internet. Here is a map of working café’s made by Alexander Synaptic:

Raohe Street Night Market is a bustling night market in Eastern Taipei, and one of the most popular in the city. One could argue that Roahe street is the best night market in Taipei, but this blog was not written to prove that debate. With a large assortment of great food and snacks, along with the usual night market cheap clothes and everyday items, along with a close proximity to public transport, Raohe street is a must see destination when you come to Taipei.

Price:
Free! But don't you dare come with an empty wallet.

How to get there:
By MRT:
Take the MRT green line to Songshan station (the last station), and get out at exit 2, 3, or 4, and continue walking north for about 1 minute to Raohe street.
By Car or Scooter:
Don't take a car. But if you do, there is a parking garage on Bade street.
There is scooter parking next to Songshan elementary school and on Songhe street in front of Rainbow bridge. Do not park on areas with a red line; this place is a hot spot for parking tickets, so beware.

Map:

Historical Background:
The name Raohe comes from a county in Heilongjiang, China, meaning the place of many birds. Starting in the Qing Dynasty, the area around Raohe Street and Songshan station was called Xikou (tin port), an important transportation hub in Taiwan (for more information about this old industrial area in East Taipei, check out our blog here). From Songshan station, goods from Taipei, Keelung, and Yilan could be directly loaded to the Keelung River and transported to the sea. However due to silting, the Keelung River became less and less import in terms of transportation, and Raohe Street became obsolete, especially after the much wider Bade street was built right next to it.

In order to help business in the area, the Taipei city government established a tourist night market on Raohe Street on May 11th, 1987, which was the second tourist night market established in Taipei.

Qingjing Farm (aka Cingjing Farm) is a high mountain farm in Renai Township of Nantou County. It features beautful mountain scenery, sheep petting zoo, animal shows, horse riding, and horesmanship shows. 

Historical Background:
During Japanese rule, the area around Qingjing farm was originally pasture for the cattle of the Seediq aboriginal tribe. This is the same tribe that caused the Mushe Incident, the biggest rebellion against the Japanese during that era involving mass killings of Japanese and even more Aboriginals in return. If you don't know what I'm taking about, you should watch the film Warriors of the Rainow: Seediq Bale. The Mushe incident memorial can be found a littler further down the road in Wushe as the Mona Rudo Resistance Monument. 

Later in 1959 the ROC government made the area a relocation area for a few military families to plant tropical fruits. In 1967 Chiang Chin-kuo (Chiang Kai-shek's son) visited the area and remarked: 「清新空氣任君取，境地優雅是仙居」meaning "There is fresh air for one to breathe, and the area is elegant like the dwelling place of a fairy." From then on the farm changed it's name from Rongmin Farm (榮民農場meaning honorary citizens' farm) to Qingjing Farm, meaning "Fresh Landscape."

By 1985 the farms around Qingjing all were making losses. But then the first hotel was built in the area, the income of which was greater than that of the farm itself. From then on the tourist sector of Qingjing farm began. Nowadays the farm is purely a tourist attraction, and many hotels and hostels have been built in the area. 

Price:
Full adult ticket: 200 NT on holidays, otherwise 160 NT
Student ticket: 130 NT
Elderly/disabled/children 6-12: 80 NT
Groups over 30 people: 120 NT

Hours:
8 AM - 5 PM every day!

How to get there:
By Bus:
From Taichung, take the Kbus, Nantou Bus, or Quanhang bus to the Puli bus station. You can also take Kbus from Taipei Main station straight to the Puli bus station. From there, you can buy entrance tickets to Qingjing and round trip bus tickets all in one via Nantou bus. The bus will leave and come back to Puli Station. Be sure to take the bus all the way to the Qingjing entrance.

By Car:
Take national Highway 6 to Puli and then continue onto provincial highway 14 all the way to Qingjing farm. There are private parking lots above the entrance for about 200 NT a day, and there are usually extra spots even on a busy day.

​Map:
Please refer to the map below:

For the last few months, I have been using Ivideo Wifi service in Taiwan. Basically it is flexible and cheap Wifi service that you can use pretty much anywhere in the world.

Here are some of the places we have been in the past few months while using iVideo:

Raohe Street Night Market

Qingjing Farm

Fulong beach.

But three months is a long time, and some things don't always go as planned as I explained in this IG post below:

I had the  Pocket WiFi T-Star (Battery Upgrade). The package included unlimited data, speed 4G LTE, and allowed me to connect up to 10 devices simultaneously, including laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
Ivideo includes daily plans suitable for tourists. You can instantly share your travel highlights at the Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Kenting Beach, and more.
​Monthly Plans are also Suitable for expats or business travelers who will stay for more than a month in Taiwan.
They Can be delivered to your hotesl or picked up at Taiwan airports, convenience stores, and iVideo stores.

​Use the Coupon Code FOREIGNERS to get 10% OFF!
Website Link: https://goo.gl/7ZbiLB

Click here for our experience using it in the Philippines. Have fun out there!

​-FiTW

Out in the foothills of former Kaohsiung County are tropical badlands, hills of easily eroding material that makes the landscape look so unique that you must think that it's on the moon. In the summer of 2014 the Foreigners in Taiwan team took a journey to this park in Tianliao which showcases these hills with trails and beautiful scenic views, and 4 years later here is the blog. It's definitely a strange landscape especially for Taiwan, and is worth a visit especially if you want to get some unique photos. You can also see some nearby mud hot springs.

Geological History:

Moon World is part of a stretch of badlands that cover a large swath of southern Taiwan near the central mountain range. Typical badlands are found in dryer climates, are composed of sedimentary rocks, typically have very little vegetation, and have deep valleys or ravines. The badlands in Taiwan are unique in that they are in a tropical rain forest. How is this possible? 

The rocks at Moon World are composed of mudstone, sandstone, shale, and chalk. Because of high alkaline levels due to chalk in the soil, trees and grass cannot grow, and basically the only plant that can grow in the soil is spiny bamboo. The lack of vegetation as well as high rainfall gives way to quick eroding hills, or badlands. The Caoshan River and the Ganglin Rovers also helped to carve out the landscape and bare hills.

Because of the white greyish color, the hills seem to glow when in moonlight,hence the name "Moon World." However to the casual observer, the landscape looks like the surface of the moon as well.

Hours:
All Day. However buses and restaurants will not run all day (there is no 7-11, only round-table chicken quick fry restaurants 土鷄).

Price:
Free!

How to Get There:
By Bus: You can either take the Kaohsiung City bus Red 70B from the Gangshan MRT station, or Kbus 8042 from Tainan HSR station.

By Car:
Take the Tianliao Exit on National Highway 3 and take provincial highway 28 to Tianliao.
​
Please refer to the map below: