Tweet Share Nangang Old Street (aka Zhongnan Street) is one of the most unnoticed old streets in Taiwan, but here you can find historic buildings, great food, and a lack of crowds. Currently, Nangang is being turned into Taipei's "next Xinyi District" and is the new artistic and cultural heart of Taipei.  It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taipei.  Background: Nangang 南港means “South Port” in Chinese. This south port once rested on the southern banks of the Keelung River near what is now the Neihu MRT depot in Nangang District, Taipei. There was a "No ..read more

Share Tweet Xisheng Old Street (aka Wugoushui Xisheng Old Street) is a historical street in the township of Wanluan in rural Pingtung dating back over 300 years to the Qing Dynasty. Here you can find a group of well-preserved historical Hakka buildings that are religious sites with very few other tourists around. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Pingtung County. Background: For millennia Pingtung had been inhabited by plains aboriginal groups. Their biggest settlement was called Ahou, on the current site of Pingtung City, and another settlement to the northwest along the ..read more

Share Tweet The Former Taipei Child Amusement Park is an abandoned relic left in central Taipei. Here you can find old buildings, derelict structures, and artifacts from the original Taipei Child Amusement Park's former glory, some of which have been preserved and open for the public to visit. Please note that this area should not be confused with the (new) Taipei Children's Amusement Park in Shilin, which is in operation. Check out our full blog on that park here. ​ Background: The Former Taipei Child Amusement Park was built by the Japanese in 1937, near the old Yuanshan Zoo. In 1945, it ..read more

Share Tweet Lesser Mt. Nangang (aka Xiaonangangshan, Little Nangang Hill, or Hengke Mountain 橫科山) is a beautiful hike with amazing views of East Taipei. Getting here is easy, it's literally a 5-minute walk from Nangang Exhibition Center MRT Station. The views here are perhaps some of the best of Nangang (even though technically the mountain is in Xizhi District of New Taipei) and there are usually very few people here.  Background:Lesser Mount Nangang lies 90 meters above sea level, and 95 Peak, the highest peak on the trail, is 375 meters above sea level. This moun ..read more

Share Tweet Neipu Yangjiyuan Old Street is a historical street in the township of Neipu in rural Pingtung dating back to the Qing Dynasty. Here you can find a group of well preserved historical Hakka buildings and religious sites with very few other tourists around. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Pingtung. Background: For millennia Pingtung had been inhabited by plains aboriginal groups. Their biggest settlement was called Ahou, on the current site of Pingtung City, and another settlement to the northwest along the Gaoping River was called Aligang, which is where L ..read more

Share Tweet There are five tones in Mandarin Chinese. Flat, rising, dip, falling, and neutral. Practice using the five tones with words that you know. This can be very hard for English speakers who have never spoken in tones before. ​ ​You can really tell a polished learner of Chinese when they are nailing their tones correctly.  At the same time, is also really obvious when someone speaks Chinese with the wrong or just random tones.  I think a tutor or coach at this stage is also crucial to make sure you are pronouncing tones correctly. You should also listen to correct pronuncia ..read more

Share Tweet Taipei Expo Dome is a former soccer stadium that has been turned into an exhibition center. Originally created for the Taipei International Flora Exhibition in 2010, it is now commonly used for international exhibitions, concerts, trade shows, and other events. It is definitely worth a stop if you are in Taipei.  Background: The Taipei Expo Park was created in 2010 for the Taipei International Flora Exhibition which ran from November 2010 to April 2011. It used land from Yuanshan Park, Fine Arts Park, Xinsheng Park and Dajia Riverside Park.&nbs ..read more

Share Tweet Nangang Martyrs' Shrine (officially Taipei City Martyr's Shrine (臺北市忠烈祠), aka Nangang Veteran's Cemetery Martyrs' Shrine) is a little-known and forgotten building at the ​Taipei Military Cemetery (臺北市軍人公墓) in Nangang District of Taipei. Nearby is a steep hill that offers places to hike and enjoy the scenery. It is a secret paradise within Taipei City.  This shrine should not be confused with the National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (國民革命忠烈祠) in Zhongshan District of Taipei near the Yuanshan Hotel.  Background: The Taipei City Martyrs' Shrine was established in ..read more

Share Tweet Taiwan has some of the best food in the world; even if you are a picky American like me you can find something delicious here that you will be sure to miss if you ever leave. Food is one of the main things that has brought me back to Taiwan time and time again. Here I will list my favorite Taiwan foods. Try not to drool too much on your screen or keyboard.  My Food Journey in Taiwan: To be honest, as a 19-year-old picky snot-nosed kid coming to Taiwan for the first time, I ate a lot of 7-11 hot dogs (which I still enjoy). During my first week, someone gave me stinky tofu an ..read more

Share Tweet Shimen Ancient Battlefield (aka Shimen Historic Battlefield Macacukes 石門古戰場) in Mudan Township of Pingtung is where local Paiwan indigenous people fought a Japanese invading force in the aftermath of the Mudan Incident. Here the Paiwan people were able to stall the Japanese advance but were ultimately defeated and agreed to stop attacking shipwrecked ships. This spot along the river played an important part in Taiwan's history and is also important for the local Paiwan people who still live there. Now you can enjoy the natural scenery, historical markers, and hiking trails nearby ..read more