 The Museum of World Religions in Yonghe, New Taipei celebrates religious traditions and artifacts from all over the globe. It includes a permanent exhibit of world religions, as well as changing spiritual exhibits, which help to foster understanding among world cultures and religions. Overall it is a fun and educational journey for the whole family.
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The Museum of World Religions was established in 2001 by Buddhist Monk Hsin Tao (心道) and the Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Foundation in Gongliao District of New Taipei near Fulong. The Lingjiu monastery was started by a former ROC soldier who fought against the PRC in Burma during the 1960s. He then retired near Shuangxi and started this monastery. His religion is now international, has raised tons of money, and also owns two monasteries. The interior design and exhibition planning were led by the renowned U.S. design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates, with Dr. Laurence Sullivan of Harvard University’s Center for the Study of World Religions spearheading the development of the religious exhibition content. Through its collections, exhibitions, activities, research, and publications, the museum aims to showcase the power and uniqueness of religions while fostering a shared understanding of world religions among visitors. Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM Closed on Mondays Price: 300 NT per person. You can buy tickets for a discount on Klook here or KKday here. Also, socks are required. If you do not have socks, you will need to buy some for some exhibits. Where to stay: We recommend Fullon Hotel which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here). We have stayed at and recommend Gold Mountain Ranch, which is a horse ranch and glamping destination in Jinshan. You can book a night at Gold Mountain Ranch on Klook here. You can also check out our full blog on the ranch here. We have also stayed at and recommend Hai Xia Your Home which is right in front of Fulong Beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here). Activities in Taipei: There are many activities available to enjoy in Taipei such as kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, SUP / paddle boarding, water biking, and more activities which you can book on Klook here or KKday here. How to get there: By Car/Scooter: From Taipei Main Station, take Chongqing South Road South to the Zhongzheng Bridge until it crosses into Yonghe, then continue onto Zhongshan Road and take a right. The museum is in the same building as the Beyond Plaza shopping mall. There is paid car parking underground, but it can fill up quickly. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By MRT/Bus: Take the yellow line MRT to Yongan Market Station. The Museum is about a 15-minute walk from the MRT station. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan’s many Youbike sharing stations, search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. Map: Please see below to see:
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Beigang was once the second largest city in Taiwan, second only to Tainan City, and was central Taiwan's most important maritime trading post. After the silting of the Beigang River, the town mostly relies on agriculture for its economy, but Beigang Old Street is also one of the most important religious sites in Taiwan due to the worship of Mazu in Beigang Chaotian Temple. Besides the temple, there are also many food and shopping options nearby. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to central Taiwan.
Historical Background: Before Chinese settlers came to the area, Yunlin was inhabited by native peoples. During the Dutch era in Taiwan in the 1600s, Chinese farmers first began to move here. One notable Chinese pioneer was Yan Siqi (also known as Pedro Chino, or the Pioneer King of Taiwan). He created a settlement in Ponkan (笨港 Bengang, modern day Beigang) and recruited over 3000 farmers from Fujian and nearby regions in China to come farm in Taiwan. He also had 13 ships and a merchant trade and formed an alliance with the local indigenous population. Dutch and Chinese farmers introduced mango, sweet potato, pineapple, and many other crops to Taiwan at this time. When Koxinga invaded Taiwan, many local Chinese farmers such as Chen Lixun supported Koxinga and were rewarded with lands once the Dutch were conquered. During the Qing Dynasty, the waterways around the Beigang River were made deeper than other areas in central Taiwan, allowing for larger ships and more trade. Beigang soon became one of the most prosperous areas in central Taiwan. In 1700 Chen Lixun donated to build the "Penkan Tianfei Temple," now the "Beigang Chaotian Temple 北港朝天宮." The temple housed a statue of Mazu brought from Meizhou in Fujian. Soon, it became the most important temple in the area. The temple has undergone reconstruction in 1730, 1770, and 1884. Currently the temple sees more than a million visitors a year and is considered one of the most important Mazu temples in Taiwan, and is part of the annual Mazu pilgrimage. After many Typhoons and floods, the Beigang River became silted and shallow, and also due to silting the seashore moved further and further westward away from the town. In 1750, due to the southward shift of the river channel, Beigang Old Street was divided into two: North Street (now Beigang Town) and South Street (now Xingang Township, Chiayi County). Up to the Japanese colonial period, the port lost its function as a maritime trading location, but it remained a center for agricultural commerce. The establishment of sugar mills during the Japanese colonial period also brought significant economic benefits to Beigang for nearly a hundred years. The construction of Chaotian Temple and the widespread belief in Mazu further contributed to Beigang's fame. However, since the Japanese colonial period, due to the silting of the port, the lack of a main railway line passing through, and the absence of a major highway, its economic influence has diminished significantly. Currently the population of Beigang is about 38,000 and it continues to fall every year. Beigang Old Street is usually still busy especially on weekends due to religious pilmagriges. The street is especially busy during the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage. Hours: 24/7 Price: Free Where to stay: We have stayed at and recommend Ai Ni Ya Hotel, with great quality and service right in downtown Beigang (book on Agoda here or Booking.com here). We also recommend the Grand Earl Hotel, a high class hotel in central Douliu (book on Agoda here or Booking.com here) Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the islands. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. Tours in Yunlin: Tours and activities in Yunlin include Janfusun Fancy World Amusement Park, Kite Surfing, Tree Climbing , Chaoyang Green Energy Farm, Sam Siu Garden, Pink Castle Park, Gukeng Green Tunnel, Caoling Highway, and more. You can find more tours of Yunlin on Klook here or KKday here. Just to let you know, if you book using the links above, we get some commission at no cost to you, and you can help support our blog. You can click here to receive $5 USD on your first Klook purchase. How to get there: By Scooter: From Chiayi, go east on highway 164 until you Reach Beigang. There is free parking on the side of the road. Looking for scooter rental in Yunlin? Check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. By Car: From National Freeway 1, get off at the no. 257 Xingang / Minxiong Exit and keep going east on highway 164 until you Reach Beigang. There is paid parking near the riverside at the end of the old street. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bus/Train: From Chiayi HSR Station, you can take bus 7235 for about 40 minutes to Beigang Town. You can also book tickets to travel to Yunlin via inter-city bus on Klook here. You can book tickets to Yunlin via high speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. Map: Please see below: 
Dajia Old Street (aka Shuntian Road Old Street) is a historic area in Taichung, including Qing-era and Japanese-era buildings, shops, and Jenn Lann Temple. It is known as one of the oldest settlements in the Taichung. The town is also home to the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage, the largest religious procession in Taiwan. Here you can also find food stalls and restaurants as well as Chinese medicine, clothing shops, and jewelry shops. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taichung.
Background: The area where Dajia Old Street stands was originally the land of the Taokas Aborigine Tribe, which was a Taiwan plains tribe that has some members that now live in Puli Township of Nantou. The first Chinese settlers came to this area in the late 1600s during the kingdom of Tungming, and created a settlement known as Dajia, near the Dajia River. During the 1700s, more settlers from Lukang came north and began to settle the land. Soon the area became filled with shops and became the center of commerce for the area and a transportation hub for goods. In the 1800s, a bamboo wall was built around the town creating a city enclosure. During the Opium Wars, a British ship called the Brig Ann ran aground nearby and the survivors were attacked by local militia who thought they had launched an amphibious assault, and falsely claimed that they had sunken enemy ships and defeated their army. The city of Dajia was also captured during the Daichaochun Incident (戴潮春事件), a rebel uprising during the Qing Dynasty, which was soon quelled by the Qing soldiers. During the Japanese invasion of Taiwan, nearby Da'an port was barraged by Japanese ships, but the local people quickly surrendered to the Japanese. The old street also includes buildings from the Japanese Era with baroque facades. Today the old street is still a popular shopping area in Dajia with historical significance. The town is also home to the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage, the largest religious procession in Taiwan, which transports the sea goddess Mazu between Dajia and Xingang, Chiayi. Hours: 24/7 Tours: You can book a tour of Dajia Old Street on Klook here or KKday here. Hotels in Taichung: Most of the accommodation you will find is near the city center. If you will only visit downtown, you can consider a day trip from Taipei. We have stayed at and recommend the Norway Forest Travel Hotel, a convenient hotel right in front of Taichung Station (you can book on Booking.com here or Agoda here), and Sin Fu Business Hotel which is also a great value for the money and great quality in downtown Taichung (you can book on Agoda here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. How to get there: By TRA: From Dajia TRA station, the old street is just a short walk away. You can also book a Taichung sightseeing bus on KKday here. By Car/ Scooter: Take Provincial Highway 1 along the west coast until you reach Dajia The old street is in the center of town. Looking for scooter rental in Taichung? Check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Market Biking Tour in Taichung on Klook here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. Map: Please see below: |
Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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