(Published by Fujinsha in 1995)
Taipei suburbs
Taiwan is a volcanic island with hot springs, but it also experiences unwelcome earthquakes and typhoons. Sixty percent of the country is mountainous, with 3000-meter-high peaks rising from the center of the island, and monsoon rains flow from these peaks into countless waterfalls and canyons.
Taiwan's diverse landscapes are hard to appreciate if you stay in Taipei alone. Head out to the suburbs and explore the outdoor activities of Genki Island.
If you're an antique lover, you should definitely visit the National Palace Museum, which is packed with so much to see that you could easily spend days exploring it. The lush greenery of the nearby Zhishan Garden, a large Chinese-style garden, will also soothe your soul.
The town of Tamsui has a unique atmosphere, with a fortress called Fort San Domingo, a remnant of the time when the Dutch occupied the island, and rows of stylish antique shops. The evening view of the Tamsui River is quite spectacular and has long been a favorite among people.
Recently, the town of Jiufen, which was used as a filming location for the movie "A City of Sadness," has become a boom town. Originally built on a mountainside overlooking the sea after a gold mine was discovered, the town was eventually forgotten once the gold was mined out. This, in turn, has left a sense of sadness and dreams of the old days, making it the perfect filming location. The town, with its many stairs, exudes a retro vibe, and is now a new tourist destination for people of all ages, who wonder what Taiwanese towns were like in the past.
Just north of Taipei, Beitou Hot Springs, once a popular destination for amorous Japanese visitors two decades ago, is now a leisure destination for Taiwanese people. Its former red-light district atmosphere is long gone, and it has become a popular entertainment spot for Taipei residents who come to enjoy the outdoors, dine on Mongolian barbecue, local chicken dishes, and devour hot spring eggs. The pre-war hot springs remain as popular as ever, but the majority of visitors are Taiwanese. Locals apparently hope that Japanese people will also return to enjoy healthy leisure activities.
If you travel a little further, you will find Wulai, the village of the Gaoshan people, and Yingge, a ceramics town, so there is certainly plenty to see near Taipei.
