Travelling To Taiwan Tips

Alishan National Forest Recreation Area

As you ride the train from Taipei down to Chiayi on the west coast railway, you can enjoy the scenery of Taiwan’s western plains. After arriving in Chiayi, you will have to switch to the Alishan Forest Railway.

The Alishan line is one of only three mountain railways left in the world, the other two being the tracks from Darjeeling to the Himalayas in India and the line across the Andes from Chile to Argentina. The Alishan line is divided into two sections, a flatland section stretching 14.2 kilometers from Chiayi to Zhuchi, and a mountain section running 57.2 kilometers from Zhuchi to Alishan. When the train reaches Mt. Duli, because of the steep slope it has to wind its way around the mountain like a screw for three revolutions until it reaches the peak, ascending 200 meters in about five kilometers. The scenery along the tracks is beautiful; as you ascend, you will pass through changes of tropical-, subtropical-, and temperate-zone vegetation as you enjoy majestic views of mountains and valleys.

Once you reach Alishan it is a must to take the branch railway to Zhu Mountain (Zhushan) to see the sunrise, the sea of clouds, and the enchanting beauty of the natural scenery. The Alishan National Scenic Area has many other attractions for visitors as well, including Sisters Pond, Shouzhen Temple, the Alishan sacred tree, Ciyun Temple, and Three-Generation Trees, among others.

After you enjoy the beauties of nature in the Alishan Forest Recreation Area you can go to Fenqihu, which is known primarily for natural scenery such as gushing waterfalls and clear streams, odd stones and strange trees, all exhibiting the features of the primeval wilderness and making you feel like a fearless explorer of the forests. Fenqihu also produces mountain vegetables, bamboo shoots, and other wild delicacies that beg you to try them.

(Article source : http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002039&jid=83)

Visiting the Ten Drum Culture Village in Tainan

GrammyAward-nominated Ten Drum Art Percussion Group has created a fascinating culture park centered on traditional drumming on the site of a disused sugar refinery in Tainan County.

TRADITIONAL TAIWAN moves to the beat of a drum. During temple rites, massive mechanized thuds alternate with the tolling of a bell. When chanting litany, Daoist priests keep up a constant tick-tocking on small, fish-shaped solid-wood drums. During the solemn rites every September 28 at Taiwan’s Confucian temples, drums of five different sizes are played.

Even in the 21st century, drums, bells, gongs, fireworks, and firecrackers form the soundtrack for religious parades and temple celebrations, and thanks to the efforts of Ten DrumArt Percussion Group, a performance and educational troupe, drumming –inspired by, yet not beholden to, tradition – is becoming a part of Taiwan’s modern urban culture too.

The group has performed at the Summer Olympics in Sydney in 2000, at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea, and more recently in the Czech Republic.

Since 2007, Ten Drum’s base has been a disused sugar refinery in the south Taiwan city of Tainan. On one of those beautifully sunny and supremely comfortable days that make winter travel in southwest Taiwan so pleasurable, Travel in Taiwan toured what’s now called Ten Drum Culture Village, met with the group’s founder and “regimental commander,” Hsieh Shih, and took in a thrilling performance.

Ten-Drum Art Percussion Group / Drum Music Land Video

Thinking of where to travel during holiday seasons? Try Taiwan! Hello Holidays offer a very attractive Taiwan group tour packages – 8 Days 7 Nights Taiwan Discovery – Ten Drum Cultural Village / Mt. Alisan / E-DA Theme Park / Leisure Farm Resort / Hot Spring Resort / Luxury Home Stay