Forumosa has a great thread from two years ago on distinctive towns in its Travel forum -- not the usual places like Tainan, or Danshui, or Keelung, but lesser known smaller ones. User Timogan left this list:Wulai, Taipei County
Shuanghsi, Taipei County
Upper Baleng, Taoyuan County
Beipu, Hsinchu County
Huashan, Taichung County (hotels in Lishan)
Luku, Nantou County
Dongpu, Nantou County
Shuili, Nantou County
Shanmei, Jiayi County
Liukuei, Kaohsiung County
Lanyu Island (not one traffic light, if I remember correctly)
Kinmen (Jinmen) Island
Chengkung, Taidong County
Tayuling, Hualian County
Yuli, Hualian County
Guangfu, Hualian County
Suao, Yilan County
To which I would add:
Sanyi, Miaoli County (woodcarving)
Pinglin, Taipei County (tea)
Shiluo, Yunlin County (architecture)
Cigu, Tainan County (salt industry)
Taimali, Taitung County (slow paced mountain-sea lifestyle)
Tunghsiao, Miaoli County (lovely rolling farm country)
Jhuolan, Miaoli County (vineyards)
Dulan, Taitung County (art community, coastal living)
Lishan, Taichung County (awesome mountain views, fruit)
What would you add? Leave a comment below. UPDATE: Lots of good suggestions in comments below.
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Xiluo-Chang Hua County
ReplyDeleteHu Wei-Yun-lin County
Man zhou--Pingtung County
Wu Jie-Nantou County
Ai lan-Iilan County
Nan-Ao- Hua Lien County
Nanzhuang, Miaoli County
ReplyDeleteQingquan, Hsinchu County
Jinguashi, Taipei County (Jinguashi is often ignored as people visit its more popular neighbour Jiufen)
Word it be possible to sort out the romanization on this site (and get rid of that awful tongyong pinyin), or at least add Chinese characters for reference. At the moment it is a complete mess, rather like the situation on the ground.
ReplyDeleteAnybody ever been to Shiao Liu Qiu off the coast of Kaohsiung? That seems like it could be a cool place, and if it's not, someone with some money to invest could definitely make it so.
ReplyDeleteAlso isn't there Turtle Island off of Keelung / Ilan? Once inhabited, but now empty?
Haha. Sort out the romanization? That would spoil all the fun!
ReplyDeleteHsiao Liu Qiu is great if you know the history of the genocide committed by the Dutch out there. The caves the indigenous people used are still there too. The village at the top is on the site of the old indigenous village. With a little historical background the place comes alive.
ReplyDeleteImmorod Village--Tai Dong
ReplyDeleteI've only been to Lanyu, out of all those on that list, and it definitely is worth the rocky boat ride.. that left me ALMOST puking but just not quite (Another 15 minutes on that boat probably would have done it for me). And you're right, not one stop light. We were lucky when we went there as we had clear skies and sunny days for the 48 hours or so we were there. Beautiful scenery and great hiking (and took some climbing up cliffs) to get to this lake in the middle of the island.
ReplyDeleteNever been there, but my friend said it was a great old town to visit: Lugang in Changhua County.
I would agree with the David's suggestion of Jinguashi, and add the old Shinto shrine to Micheal's description of Tunghsiao.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't impressed with the old architecture in Xiluo. However, I might be biased as Xiluo is my wife's hometown, and I've been there more times than I care to remember :)
Maliguan, Hsinchu
ReplyDeleteNanren, Pingtung
Shilei, Hsinchu
Jhengsibao, Hsinchu
AnonII
WuShe - Nantou County
ReplyDeleteMingJian - Nantou County
CheCheng - Nantou County
JiJi - Nantou County
I used to live in MingJian and I would always take friends to these places.
Green Island-old prisons,freedom monument,hot springs,1 of only 3 in the world in the ocean
ReplyDeleteShengHsin next to SanYi-Abandoned train station and mountain village
Romanization? That a CE thing? :D
Ditto on what Kaminoge said-my wife is from Shilo other than cool temple there what is special about the architecture? You're not thinking of that fine looking baseball stadium in DouLiou?? :D
ReplyDeleteMark,
ReplyDeleteIf you go to the old street it is a great combination of art deco, modernist, neoclassical and neo-baroque. It is a fantastic mishmash of everything the Japanese wanted to be.
Huwei - Yunlin County (for it's japanese houses that could be renovated in their original style and make a fortune in tourism) as well as its renovated museum, its fire station and numerous old style tea houses.
ReplyDeleteOK I'm biased - I lived there for the first year I was in Taiwan ;)
Anon II, where is Shilei in Hsinchu?
ReplyDeleteDa hu...Miaoli
ReplyDeleteShitan....Miaoli (Xian shan is beautiful.)
Siluo-Yunlin County for its Soy Sauce fame, the big red Siluo Bridge, the "breadbasket" of Taiwan, largest vegetable/fruit market, and Fusing Temple of Taiping Matsu.
ReplyDeleteGukeng-Yunlin County for its oranges and the famous Gukeng Coffee, especially Barden Coffee
Michael, Shilei (石磊)is in Yufeng Township. It's along the old mountain road that connects Jianshih (Hsinchu) with Fusing (Taoyuan).
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wretch.cc/blog/tyjtt/12042917
AnonII
Shilei is also part of one of the better cycling circuits; Gaoyi - Sanguan - Lidongshan - Yulao - Maliguan - Shilei - Yeheng - Baleng - Gaoyi.
ReplyDeletehttp://skoda-eddie.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post.html
AnonII
Nan Ao, Yilan County!
ReplyDeleteKenting is intentionally left out as "too common" place to visit?
ReplyDelete