The Luku Incident Memorial is a reflective arch statue in Shiding District of New Taipei that commemorates what is known as "the largest political event of the nation’s White Terror era." The incident involved two brothers who had started a communist party holdout in the mountains of Shiding. The resulting response, from the then martial law-era ROC government under then Dictator Chiang Kai-Shek, was thousands of police officers arresting hundreds of innocent people, with many of the people being falsely imprisoned and executed. 

Historical Background:　
Two brothers, Chen Pen-chiang and Chen Tung-ho (陳通和), created an armed communist party holdout in the Luku village of Shiding District. They also organized a youth group consisting of underage villagers, however this group did not participate in any illicit activity.
In response, on Dec. 28th, 1952, about 10,000 police officers and ROC armed soldiers raided the village over the space of four months, blocking off roads and arresting everyone while trying to remove the communists. 
Around 400 people in the surrounding areas were arrested, with 200 of those people being tortured and 35 killed. According to the Taipei Times: "Among the 200, 12 were not indicted or released for turning themselves in, while 98 were given prison sentences, 19 of whom were underage."
Due to the terrible injustice dealt to the village and the surrounding people, the Luku Incident Memorial was erected in the year 2000.

For more information on the incident, check out the articles written by the Taipei Times here andhere. You can also check out the Wikipedia article in Chinese here.

​Where to stay:
High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Nangang Marriott (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here or 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:
​Travel south on Academia Sinica Road in Nangang, and then take Jiuzhuang Street Sec. 2 (舊莊街二段) all the way up the mountain. The memorial sits at the border between Taipei City and New Taipei City.

Map: Please see below:

228 Peace Memorial Park is dedicated to the victims of the February 28 massacre of antigovernmental protestors not long after the KMT took control of Taiwan, and features a large memorial. The National Taiwan Museum also sits at the entrance to the park. Located in downtown Taipei, it is easily accessible, and you can spend an entire afternoon here. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Taipei.

Background:
​What is now 228 Peace Memorial Park was established in 1900 by the Japanese as Taihoku New Park near the then Governer General's Office (currently the Taiwan Presidential Office). A radio station was also established on the premises, as well as National Taiwan Museum. 

The National Taiwan Museum was originally established in 1908 to commemorate the opening of the north-south railway in Taiwan and began with over 10,000 items related to Taiwan's academia, art, and industry. A Newer building was later built to house the collection in 1915. After the ROC took over Taiwan, it was known as the Taiwan Provincial Museum until 1999 when it changed its name to the National Taiwan Museum. It is the only museum established during the Japanese era that still stands today. The museum also underwent renovations in 2017. 
The museum has four areas: the main National Taiwan Museum (which is the focus of this blog), the Land Bank Exhibition Hall, Nanmen Park, and Railway Department Park. In the future, the Monopoly Bureau and the Mitsui Bussan Company Building will be added. 

After the KMT took over Taiwan, the park was renamed Taipei New Park. As part of the 228 antigovernmental protests, protesters took control of the radio station in the park and began to broadcast accusations against the KMT government. The radio station was taken back, and a brutal crackdown ensued. As part of the 228 incident, over 18,000 Taiwanese people were killed.

As Taiwan moved toward democracy in the 1900's, the Taipei City Government renamed the park 228 Peace Memorial Park, and a memorial monument was placed inside the park. Now the park is a popular spot for recreation and exercise for local residents. 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

National Taiwan Museum: 30 NT per person.
You can book for a discount on Klook here or a museum combo ticket on KKday here. ​

Tours:
You can book a tour of Taipei on Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here.
​
Hotels in Taipei:
We have stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here). 
We have stayed at and also recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or 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 MRT: The closest MRT station is NTU Hospital Station, and is about a 5 minute walk from the museum. It is also about a ten minute walk from Taipei Main Station. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Car/Scooter: Driving or taking a scooter there can be hard because there is limited paid parking nearby. 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 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 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. ​

Nangan is the largest Island in the Matsu Archipelago. Besides being the main transportation hub to the other islands in Matsu, it also has traditional stone house villages, military  museums, a giant statue of Mazu, a variety of local food, and much more to explore.

Background:
Thousands of years ago, stone aged peoples once inhabited the Matsu Islands, including Beigan Island itself. These stone aged people later disappeared. 
The Matsu islands were inhabited again around the Song Dynasty (990 - 1200 AD) by Chinese Fisherman, the descendants of whom still inhabit the islands today. 
Because the Goddess Mazu's corpse washed ashore on this island, Nangan is also known as Matsu Island. 
During the Chinese Civil War, Matsu was used as a military  outpost for the retreating ROC. During the years that followed, it withheld shelling and threats of invasion from China, helping to keep Taiwan free of communist control.
In 1992 after cross straight relations had warmed up, martial law was lifted on the islands and tourists were allowed to visit.
In  the year 2000, a ferry link with Fuzhou started to provide constant China Mainland visitors to the island, as part of the three links with China. 
​In 2003, the Nangan airport was completed, which made Nangan the true transportation hub of Matsu. 
Nangan has a population of 4,000 people, and is the largest island in Matsu in terms of population and geographical size. 

When to go:
We recommend going between April and June when the "blue tear" phosphorescent microbes in the water will be the most visible at night. Also, winters can be cold and windy and summers very hot, and there could also be typhoons in the summer and fall. 

How to get there:
By Boat: There are daily ferries from Taipei or Keelung that usually take an overnight trip to Nangan, passing through Dongyin Island. 
There are boats from Beigan Baisha Harbor (北竿白沙港) to Nangan Fu'Ao Harbor (南竿福奧港) every hour from 7 AM to 5 PM. 
You can book tickets between Nangan and Beigan Islands on KKday here. 
By Plane: There are flights to and from Taipei Songshan Airport three times a day via Uni Air. You can book flights on KKday here, Trip.com here, CheapO Air here, or Kiwi here.

Price:
By Boat:
500-2000 NT per person (one way from Taipei or Keelung). You can book ferry tickets to Matsu on KKday here. 
160 NT per person (one way from Beigan). You can book tickets between Nangan and Beigan Islands on KKday here. 
By Plane:
​About 2000 NT (one way from Taipei). There are flights to and from Taipei Songshan Airport three times a day via Uni Air. You can book flights on KKday here, Trip.com here, CheapO Air here, or Kiwi here.

Tours and Activities:
Beihai Tunnel Rocking Boat: about 150 NT
Blue Tears Museum: about 300 NT
SUP/Paddle experience: about 2300 NT
You can search for other tours and activities on KKday here or Klook 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. 

Hotels:
We have stayed at and recommend Fu Hwa Homestay​ on Nangan (you can book on Agoda here, Booking,com here, or Trip.com here), and B&B of Blueshine​ on Beigan (you can book on Agoda here, Booking,com here, or Trip.com here). Both places were excellent, and provided us a car ride to and from the airport for free. 
You can also check out our Taiwan hotels guide here.
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the island. 
You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Gigago here.  
Need travel insurance? Compare prices on Insubuy here. 

How to get around the island:
Nangan is a large, hilly island and it would be very hard to get around on foot or bicycle. We recommend one of the following
By Ferries: The only way to get to smaller islands without airports is by ferry. You can check KKday here for ferry tickets or buy them at the harbor. 
By Scooter: We recommend riding a scooter as your #1 choice. It's fast, convenient, and there isn't much traffic on the island. A scooter will cost about 500 NT per day to rent.
You can rent a scooter on Klook here or KKday here. 
When braking on hills, use both brakes, otherwise, you could lose traction on one tire and skid. Don't stop or park on a slope. Also, some hills that are too steep are closed off for scooters.
You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
By Car/Taxi: You can rent a car or hire a taxi for 200O NT per day. 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: There are buses that go around the islands, but wait times can be 30 minutes or more. 
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:

Baiyun Police Station is an abandoned police station in Xizhi District of New Taipei that was first established during the Japanese era in Taiwan. Later it was used as an outpost as part of Taiwan's White Terror by KMT police who were looking for communist spies nearby, and ended up killing and imprisoned many innocent people. Currently it has been turned into a historical park for all to enjoy.

Background:
Baiyun Police Station was completed in 1920 by the Japanese. It was also known as Shisanfen Police Station, because the area there was also known as Shisanfen at the time. The police station was also added on to in 1939. 
Two brothers, Chen Pen-chiang and Chen Tung-ho (陳通和), created an armed communist party holdout in the Luku village of Shiding District. They also organized a youth group consisting of underage villagers, however this group did not participate in any illicit activity.
In response, on Dec. 28th, 1952, about 10,000 police officers and ROC armed soldiers used Baiyun Police Station as a base to raid the village over the space of four months, blocking off roads and arresting everyone while trying to remove the communists. 
Around 400 people in the surrounding areas were arrested, with 200 of those people being tortured and 35 killed. According to the Taipei Times: "Among the 200, 12 were not indicted or released for turning themselves in, while 98 were given prison sentences, 19 of whom were underage."
Due to the terrible injustice dealt to the village and the surrounding people, the Luku Incident Memorial was erected in the year 2000.
For more information on the incident, check out the articles written by the Taipei Times here and here. You can also check out the Wikipedia article in Chinese here.
After use by the KMT, the police station was abandoned in 1980 and the roof collapsed.
It was restored and the roof rebuilt in 2019. Currently it is a relatively unvisited historical site, but we did find a group of Instagrammers when we visited there. 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

Tours in Taipei:
There are many tour itineraries that you can enjoy in Taipei that will take you to multiple destinations and arrange transportation. For more information, you can check out Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here, which are both great tour websites that can connect you with the right tour and tour guide for you. 

Activities in Taipei:
You can also look for more activities in Taipei such as Rock Climbing, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, Diving, Snorkeling, Cooking Class, Glamping, Motorcycling, and more on Klook here or KKday here. 

Hotels in Taipei:
We have stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here). 
We have stayed at and also recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or 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 Car/Scooter: Travel south on Academia Sinica Road in Nangang, and then take Dongshi Street (東勢街) all the way up the mountain. The police station sits near border between Taipei City and New Taipei City, in between Forest Elementary School (森林小學) and Fuan Temple (福安宮) on Xiding Road (汐碇路). 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 Bus: You can also take bus F903 to this location, get off at Forest Elementary School stop. 
*note: if you get lost, look for the brown sign that says "白雲派出所" in Chinese on the side of the road. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. ​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, 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 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. 

Map:
Please see below: