Central Taiwan: Full of Surprises Central Taiwan includes the counties of Miaoli, Taichung , Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, and Nantou. Some of the well-known tourist attractions of hilly Miaoli County are the Shei-Pa National Park, Lion's Head Mountain Scenic Area, and Longteng broken bridge (one of the best examples of railway architecture in Taiwan) and Shengsin train station (the highest spot of the western railway line). Among the major festivities of the area are the Sanyi Wood Carving Festival, the Miaoli International Mask Festival, and the Hakka Tong Blossom Festival. Miaoli is characterized by its strong Hakka heritage. It is also home to many charming "garden homestays" that invite you to stay. Taichung City is located in the center of the Taichung basin, in the middle of Taiwan . Lishan, the most important stop on the spectacular Central Cross-Island Highway , is famous for producing temperate zone fruits such as peaches and apples. The famous Guguan scenic area has a fine hot spring, and the beautiful cherry and maple trees here are a blaze of color in spring and autumn. Jhenlan (Mazu) Temple in Dajia has many followers and the International Mazu Tourism and Culture Festival attracts many visitors to Dajia each year. Changhua County has the only remaining fan-shaped railway garage in Taiwan , which is also Southeast Asia's only "locomotive hotel". Changhua has a well-developed floriculture industry and it hosts an annual flower fair. One of its famous tourist attractions is the Big Buddha of Mt. Bagua, which is illuminated at night to give it an especially solemn appearance. Yunlin County sits at the northernmost corner of the Jia-Nan plain. The natural landscape of Caoling Scenic Area is a wonderful place to enjoy Mother Nature. Chaotian Temple in Beigang attracts many believers year round. Gukeng Town , which became famous by hosting the Taiwan Coffee Festival, has recently become one of the hottest tourist attractions here. Chiayi County is one of the two counties in Taiwan (the other is Hualien) bisected by the Tropic of Cancer. The newly-built Tropic of Cancer Monument has become a new landmark of Chiayi. The mountainous area of Alishan is famous for five wonders: "railway, forest, sea of clouds, sunrise, and sunset". The Alishan forest railway, together with Darjeeling railway in India and the "Train to the Clouds" in Chile and Argentina , is classified as one of the three most important mountain railways in the world. Starting at an altitude of 30 meters above sea level at Chiayi, the railway travels all the way up to Alishan, 2,216 meters above the sea. On the way, the train circles Mt. Duli three times and changes directions several times to climb up the steepest section. On the way, the train passes three climatic zones -- tropical, subtropical, and temperate -- allowing passengers to get an idea of the wide variety of natural habitats in Taiwan . One of the major stops along the line is Fencihu Station where visitors can sample the famous local railway lunch boxes. Nantou is the only county in Taiwan that doesn't border the sea. It is Taiwan's most mountainous county and Yushan, the highest mountain in Northeast Asia , is located here. Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area, embraced by mountains, is one of the island's must-see attractions. During the time of Japanese occupation, the lake was created by damming a river to generate hydroelectric power. The lake, with Lala Island in its center, roughly resembles a sun and a half moon when seen from above. The beautiful lake, when shrouded in mist, often appears as if taken from a Chinese water color painting. One of the best ways to appreciate its splendor is taking a boat ride across the lake. |