Taiwan,
2 weeks

I thought it was an alpine lake with serene beauty. Don’t miss this one! You can hike or bike along the encircling 33 km road and enjoy the wonderful mountain and water scenary. Don’t forget to stop at the Wenwu Temple, and take The Year of Steps (yes, that’s 365 steps ☺) down to the lake.

Tip!

I rented a good Merida bike at Lane 12, Zongxing Rd, Shuishe

An hour of Taipei is a vast geological area. Set yourself up for sniffing sulfur fumes. Crazy! Take the park shuttlebus (108) and get out at stop 5 for the highly photogenetic sulphuric steam vent eating into a mountain. Stop 6 has a greenish-milky white sulphur lake which is also worthwile (and a little restaurant).

Tip!

Take the nr. 5 Red bus from Jiantan MRT to the park bus station

Here, out of this world statures emerge from the sea. Sea and wind erosion caused the most bizar rocks. The bus from Taipei takes one hour and 20 minutes.

Tip!

The park is nearly empty at 12 o’clock, as the Chinese tourists and their selfie sticks get into the tourist buses for lunch.

Go to a different night market every night! They are foodie heaven. I loved Shilin Night Market for it’s the largest one of the bunch. Try stinky tofy, takoyaki (octopus balls), paper pork and giant grilled quids. 101 Jihe Rd. Another favorite is Raohe St Night Market, a smaller market but with the best bun ever: Hújiāo bǐng (beef pepper bun). You cannot miss the food, it’s the first one at the entrance and has a huge queue. Raohe St, btw Tayou Rd and Bade Rd.

Try these too!
Gongguan Night Market, Gongguan MRT
Guangzhou St Night Market, Guangzhou St, btw Xiyuan Rd and Wuzhou St

The best trail I did was the Baiyan Waterfall, it’s an easy one and the reward is a stunning view of three (yes, three!) waterfalls. And if you dare…a bonus is a cave walk on a small ledge to get to the Water Curtain Tunnels. Bring a raincoat or get really, really wet. And a flash light could save your life. The trailhead is 1 km north of the village Tianxiang.

Tip!

If you loooooove blue water, do the Shakadang Trail.

Between Sun Moon Lake and Alishan, lies this gem. It’s a valley surrounded by three mountains, it’s cool and the forest is lush and rich and did I mention it’s cool (16C). I especially liked the ‘Forest Trail’, where you’re amazed by hundreds of tall trees.

This redheaded scamp is a household name in Taiwan, he symbolizes a railway line between Chiayi and Fenqihu was built in 1912 for the logging. It takes you two and a half hours to get to Chiayi (or Fenqihu). I was unlucky and saw a lot of fog and rain… It doesn’t matter whether you sit on the right or left side, views are the same.

What a night! I slept in a Catholic hostel/church t run firmly by the 80-year-old Swiss non Etmara. It is a bit spartan, no hot water and lights off at 9PM ... But what a great woman!