Taroko Gorge National Park

Taroko became a national park in 1986, including Hualien County, Nantou County and Taichung County. It is the second largest national park in Taiwan. Taroko is famous for its spectacular mountains and marble canyons. Cliffs and canyons stretch along Li Wu River. Four million years ago, the island of Taiwan was formed by the collision of plates. After millions of years of wind erosion, the marble rocks were exposed and cut by Li Wu River, creating impressive grand canyons. From Tsing Shui to Nan Hu Peak, the drop height is 3,742 meters. Such special geography has also bred special flora and fauna in this area. The waterfalls characterized Taroko National Park and the most famous ones are Pai Yang Waterfall, Yin Tai Waterfall, Chang Chun Waterfall, and Lu Shui Waterfall. Yen Tze Kou and Chiu Chu Tung are the most impressive natural scenes in Taroko and the canyons here are the narrowest. Tourists can appreciate the natural beauty along the tour track. Swallows nest on the cliff, chirping and flying back forth. The Taroko monumental is designed in Chinese style and Chang Chun Temple is to remember those who sacrificed their lives for building the central highway.

Eternal Spring Shrine

The Eternal Spring Shrine is one of the most photographed sights in Taroko Gorge. What most people don't know is that it hides one of the most pleasant short trails (1.5 km/50 minutes) in the park. Crossing the Changchun Bridge, one soon reaches the shrine and escapes the mobs of camera wielding tourists. If not unnerved by the spiritual world this is a wonderful place to compose a poem or contemplate life. The gurgling sound of water rushing over the cliff edge matched with the cool shade offered by the shrine has a most relaxing effect.

Swallow Grotto

This part of Taroko Gorge is composed of marble cliff faces covered with small holes, the result of long-term erosion by river and ground water. House swifts and Pacific swallows often forage and nest here, giving the place its name.

Tunnel of Nine Turns

The tortuous course cut by the river has produced a gorge of many curves, and the path of the highway that has been carved out of the cliff face here seems to be an endless aerie of turns. Hence the name. The gorge is so narrow that only a very narrow width is open to the heavens, in what the Chinese call "a thread of sky." The marble cliff face opposite the highway varies in color from deep gray to pure white in a multitude of changing designs. A walk through the Tunnel of Nine Turns takes about 30 minutes and gives access to enchanting scenes of the gorge, the river, stone strata, the tunnel itself, and the surrounding vegetation. This is one of the most scenic parts of the gorge, and the best place to observe the gorge's ecology.

Tiansiang Lodge

This is the site of an old Atayal village at the confluence of the Liwu and Dasha rivers. Its name commemorates Wen Tian-siang, who lived in the 13th century and was the last prime minister of the Song Dynasty. Scenic spots at Tiansiang include Siangde Temple, Tianfong Pagoda, a suspension bridge, the Wen Tian-siang Memorial Garden, the Plum Garden, and Tiangsiang Church. In winter each year the Plum Garden blooms forth, forming a sea of white blossoms stretching from the highway to Siangde Temple. Shanyue Village at Bulowan, another old tribal settlement in the gorge, offers a new and unique type of accommodation for the area.

Chi Hsing Beach

Just north of Hualien (and directly east of the airport) is the obscure coastal village of Chi Hsing Bay. The beach here is still largely undeveloped and boasts a spectacular backdrop of mountains. It would be a great place to relax were it not for one drawback: the sand has high gravel content, making it uncomfortable to sit on. On the south side of the village is a large teahouse that overlooks the sea.

Sun Moon Lake

The Sun Moon Lake, located in the middle of Taiwan, with an elevation of 748 meters above sea level, is the only natural big lake in Taiwan. The southern part of Kuang Hua Island is shaped like a new moon, and the northern part is shaped like a sun; hence the name Sun Moon Lake. Scenic resources, the most famous sights around Sun Moon Lake, are the Te Hua House, Kuang Hua Island, the Hsuan Tsang Mosque, the Tzu-En Pagoda, and the Wen Wu Temple and so on. The natural forests bordering these roads are good places for bird watching. There are a lot of birds that live on the mid-elevation, such as the Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, Grap-throated Minivet, Formosan Yuhina, Gray Tree Pie, Bamboo Partridge, Chinese Bulbul, Muller's Barbet, and the Black Bulbul. Colonies of Black-crowned Night herons and Egretta garzettas, and birds such as the common kingfisher and the Green-winged Teal can be seen at the Chu Hu water reservation, situated around the water gate. Besides these birds, fish, wild pigs, raccoons, insects and wild vegetables are flourishing in the region as well. These are all natural resources of the Sun Moon Lake region. The Shao Clan is the earliest clan that lived in the Sun Moon Lake region. The Harvest Festival, Sowing Festival and their special handicraft fair every year, as well as their articles has helped to preserve the particular culture of the Sun Moon Lake region.

Wen Wu Temple

Wen Wu Temple is located at the shoulder of mountain where is on the north of Sun Moon Lake. It was built in 1938. People worried the water of Sun Moon Lake might cover Lungfung Temple and Ihuatang of Shuishotsun, they built Wen Wu Temple. The Wen Wu Temple is 2 (Lungfung Temple and Ihuatang) in 1. It was rebuilt in 1969. Its gate is face to the north. People pray the Civil Saint of Confucius, the Military Saint of Kuankung, and the Established God of two temples at the Wen Wu Temple. The temple is popular among students.

Cih-en Pagoda

Historical Background：Cih-en Pagoda is located on Sha Ba Lan Mountain near Sun Moon Lake. It was built by Chiang Kai-shek in memory of his mother in 1971. The construction was very difficult because the materials had to be shipped over the lake and moved up the mountain. The Cih-en Pagoda is 46 meters in height and has become the famous landmark of Sun Moon Lake. Surrounding the tower are beautiful plants and trees and there are stone tables and chairs for visitors to take a rest. The Cih-en Pagoda overlooks Lalu Island and Sun Moon Lake. Cultural Highlights：Cih-en Pagoda is an octagonal building; the 3 stories at the base are painted in white, while the 9 stories of the main body are painted in golden red. Tourists can appreciate the magnificent scenery of Sun Moon Lake from the Cih-en Pagoda. The tourist tracks as long as 700 meters lead to the Cih-en Pagoda. Alongside the track are beautiful trees and flowers, which make the track easy and comfortable to walk along.

Puli Town

Puli is at the center of Taiwan. With an elevation between 380~700 meters, Puli is a basin surrounded by rising & falling mountains, hills and farmland. The most famous tourist spots include the Puli Brewery Factory, Guangshing paper Manufactory, and Chung Tai Chan Monastery; its special products (fine food) are wild rice stems, passion fruit, red sugar canes, rice-noodles, and Shaushing wine.

Lukang Historic Area

Lukang is situated on the west-central coast of Taiwan, at the edge of the coastal plain. Although once a harbor, severe silting of the sea and the Lukang River have left it some distance form the shore. The climate is temperate to tropical; summers are hot with occasional thunderstorms, the spring and fall have moderate temperatures, and winters are cool. From September to the following March strong northeasterly monsoons blow in large amounts of sand and dust, forming what is known locally as the "September winds". Traditional Architecture The most fascinating aspect of Lukang is a number of ancient streets and lanes lined with old houses. The most unique of these are deep, narrow-fronted buildings that serve as stores and residences; this type of sky-lighted structure, however, can be seen today only at the Yuan Chang Shop on Chungshan Road, along Old Market Street, and at the Lukang Folk Arts Museum. Others, the half-old, the half-new shop residences along Chungshan road are products of the Japanese occupation period (1895-1945), when the front rooms of the buildings were dismantled because of a road-widening project and the modern arch-type facades were added. The old temples of Lukang, too, are veritable collections of art and masterpieces of architecture. They are well worth careful observation. Handicraft Shops on Chungshan Road carve palanquins for the gods. You can see how the chairs that transport the deities on their processions are made with meticulous woodworking techniques and carving skills. Shops that produce the religious images themselves continue to practice carving in the traditional Chuanchou style of Fuchien province. Makers of traditional wooden furniture still use the materials and exquisite handwork of former times to turn out sacrificial offering tables and other items. Other handicrafts produced on this street include fans, incense, tin sculptures, and ornamental lanterns, among other things. Old Market Street This Street is made up of the curved, red-tiled lanes of today's Putou, Yaolin, and Tayu streets. Both sides of the streets are lined with newly renovated old-style shop buildings that feature intensely interesting internal room layouts and old-style exteriors. Here you can feel some of the atmosphere of old Lukang.

Maopitou

Literally "Cat's Nose", Maobitou is one of the two promontories that form the southernmost part of Taiwan, the other being the Eluanbi promontory. Not reaching quite so far south as Eluanbi, its claim to fame rests on the fact that the rocks here, which have been undermined and have fallen into the sea, are said to resemble a crouching cat. From a pavilion on top of Maobitou it is possible to look across the length of Kenting's southern coastline and the hills that rise above it. Closer at hand, geological formations such as Skirt Coast also provide considerable interest. There are a number of shops in this location and it is an excellent place for a picnic. To reach Maobitou, follow Provincial Route No. 26 from Hengchun for three kilometers until you reach Mt. Ma-an. From there take Road No. 153, which leads straight down to the coast.

Eluanbi Lighthouse

Eluanbi is a plateau at the southernmost end of the Central Range. The 21-meter-high Eluanbi Lighthouse is one of the most impressive lighthouses in Taiwan. Known as the "East Asian Light," it is a historic preservation site. Eluanbi Park spreads out over a coral and limestone terrain rich in unusual formations, caves, and animal and plant life. Every September flocks of brown shrike stop here o­n their migratory journey, attracting equally large flocks of birders.

Kenting National Park

The centerpiece of the Hengchun Peninsula is Kenting National Park, Taiwan's only tropical national park. Established in 1982, Kenting National Park covers a total area of 33,268 hectares of land and maritime environments. This is Taiwan's most densely populated national park, and it includes large stretches of agricultural land's providing visitors with a view of typical Taiwanese rural life. In addition, the national park includes mountains, forests, pasture, lakes, sand dunes, beaches, and coral reefs imply everything you could desire when you want to get up front and personal with Mother Nature.

Kaohsiung City

Located in the southern part of Taiwan, the city of Kaohsiung is the island's largest industrial center. It has stayed abreast of Taiwan's recent progress and prosperity; expanding and modernizing, the city strides into the 21st century as a newly emerging international metropolis. Beginnin centuries ago, Kaohsiung was called "Dagou" or "Dahgu, "transliterated from the name of local aborigines. Disturbed by the violence of pirates in the area, in 1563, the"Takuo"tribe eventually moved to the site of present-day Pingtung city. This name persisted until 1920,when the city's name was changed to Kaohsiung.

Cheng Cing Lake

Cheng Cing Lake is located in Kaohsiung County's Niaosong Township. It is the largest lake in the Kaohsiung area, developed originally as a reservoir to meet the need for water for industrial use. Later on the lake was improved through environmental landscaping, until today it offers the beauty of a forested park. It was opened to the public as a tourist destination in 1960. The surface of the lake has a water area of more than 300 hectares, and the highway that has been built around it stretches for a total of seven kilometers. The tranquil beauty of the area has led it to be given the sobriquet, "West Lake of Taiwan." The best known of the lake's attractions is probably its Bridge of Nine Turns, which was built in 1960; it is 230 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, and does indeed have nine turns. Under the hill behind the Chuanxizhai is an aquarium that was originally built in 1961 as an anti-nuclear underground bunker. Its winding, 200-meter length was later remodeled into a tourist aquarium with exhibits of all sorts of oceanic organisms divided into eight display areas: special animals, treasures of the sea, shellfish, coral, strange rocks, and sperm whales. It is a place that is perfect for both entertainment and education.

Former British Consulate

The former Ching means the Ching Dynasty while Taka is the ancient name of Kaohsiung. The consulate was built in 1865 with more than a hundred years of history. It is now the most antique western building preserved in Taiwan, which is listed as the second-class historic spot. It was the western building designed by a British engineer and built by Chinese craftsmen, and it is the most meaningful ancient building of Chinese modern history with graceful and elegant proportion. Semicircle arches are rhythmically arranged in order with considerably rhyming. At the corner, the circle arch is smaller and the wall pillar is bigger, which has reinforced function in dynamics. It is the Baroque typed building of the Renaissance era. It emphasizes on the stylish regular pattern and its hollow pattern railings were built with excellent bricks. Harmonious sense of beauty is shown at every turn. Among the existing western style buildings in Taiwan, it provides an excellent example of technique and style and that possesses the value of historical architecture study and conservation value. The building brick and mortar used all continue using the traditional method of Fukien and Taiwan. Some parts are even filled with clay and soil, while wooden truss is built with complete western style. It is the building that has double function, administrative and residencial function, and its style also lies in between them. It is the portrayal illustration of modern Chinese and Western cultural communication, and also the first formal consulate built by foreigners in Taiwan. The occurrence of consulate opened up the development of western architecture for Taiwan in the future. The consulate is situated on Hsiao Chuan Tou Hill, Lian Hai Road of Ku Shan area with 900 square meters. Its site lies on Ku Shan on North bank of Kaohsiung Port with altitude 30 meters from water surface. East, west and south side are neighboring on steep cliff, while north side is neighboring on Ku Shan. Seating on North, it faces south with its back near the mountain, and forms the terrain of water circulating at three sides. The opposite bank of straight south is Chichin Mountain and it stands far apart from the lighthouse on mountain facing each other and jointly guards Kaohsiung port. Its lay of land is strategically located with exquisite landscape and for the field of view, also it can look down at Kaohsiung port from the east side, and look far into Taiwan straits from the west side. Formerly, Great Britain was a sea power country, which had trade relations with many countries and conquered many places as colonies. They built the buildings of their hometown style on the colonies or where having trade relations, which were called the western colony building. The consulate for performing official business was also built into western building style. Kaohsiung consulate was the first consulate in Taiwan, and the second consulate was built in Tainan Anpin. There was also a consulate in Danshuei, Hung Mao town. Formerly, the consulate had reserved plentiful rare photographs evolving the history during Taiwan development. The classical red brick building attracts numberless photographers and newly wedded pairs. Lovers come here to capture the instant of eternity, and overlook boundless seascape, which make people forget all noisy and annoying matters. In this land of humanism assembly, the spiritual land of pensive mood of memory valley, the Kingship Hotel will rebuild the atmosphere of poetry to let artists speak up and tell us the story. In the daytime, the mountain and sea are connected here. While leaning against the fence of winding corridor under gentle breeze, and quietly watching ships and boats sailing in and out of the port will outline the track of Kaohsiung port in opening up to world domain. In the dusk, the setting sun, the sun of fire appearance dyes the up surging seawater into red. The atmosphere of romance will be strengthened by sun set, and after dark, lamplights brighten the elegant demeanor of the whole place. Artists fitting works are the luminous body that knows focusing in the dark. In the space filled with English style, you can stop to embrace the most of Kaohsiung and take a broad view of the Taiwan under the edification of fine food, coffee, tea, art and culture, and beautiful scenery. Along with the signing of the Treaty of Tientsin in 1858 (Hsien Feng 8 years) and the Treaty of Peking in 1860 (Hsien Feng 10 years), the Grate Powers enforced Ch'ing Dynasty to open up four ports, Danshuei, Anpin, Keelung (Chilung), Kaohsiung (Ta Kau) of Taiwan. Great Britain was the earliest country among the Grate Powers that established consulate in Taiwan, and the first consul accredited by the Great Britain to provide consular service in Taiwan commercial port was Robert Swinhoe and his formal Chinese name is Xun He or biological academic field translated it into Si Wen Hao with post title of vice-consul. He was born in Calcutta of India, and was educated in London University of Great Britain. He was the amateur naturalist, highly praised at the time. He found that Taiwan had quite plentiful animal and plant kinds, among which were many rare treasured objects of the world.

Sizih Bay(Sizihwan)

Sizih Bay is perched on the sea at the western edge of Kaohsiung City, just southwest of Mt. Longevity, with the Qijin Peninsuna stretching southward. Its main feature is a swimming beach known for its clear blue water, the beauty of its sunsets, and its natural reef. The atmosphere and the scenery here change from morning to night; each time of the day has its special attraction, but the brilliant colors of the sunset are unparalleled in their beauty. The long breakwater here is the landmark of Sizih Bay, and basking in the sea breeze on the breakwater gives the most pleasant and comfortable sensation imaginable. The vessels both large and small scattered like stars on the surface of the sea are entertained by the intermittent sound of foghorns; and as the day darkens and the air of romance deepens, pairs of lovers stroll along the breakwater listening to the waves and watching the lights of fishing boats on the sea. From the parking lot at the entrance to the bay you can also get a good view of Kaohsiung Harbor. National Sun Yat-sen University is situated within the Sizih Bay Scenic Area, adding a bit more of a cultural flavor; here you will also find, in addition to the swimming beach, a salt-water aquarium, Seaside Park, and National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall . The swimming beach has fine, soft sand and a grove of stately coconut palms, filling the area with the flavor of the South Seas. In the summer this is a perfect place for enjoying the water, playing beach volleyball, and sunbathing, and in peak seasons the crowds are dense and the activities intense. Lounging under a palm tree and basking in the soft cool breeze as the sun goes down is an experience that lifts you out of the mundane world.

Spring & Autumn Pavilions

Two massive pavilions dedicated to Kuan Kung, the God of War, the Spring and Autumn Pavilions were completed in 1951. In front of the pavilions is a statue of Kuanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, riding a dragon. According to legend, Kuanyin appeared above the clouds riding on a dragon, signifying that believers must erect an image depicting this event between "pavilions of summer and autumn": The present-day structures are a result of this vision.