#30 best destination in the world

 

Taipei 101

2502899063_fd2f0e501c_b

  • Supertall postmodernist skyscraper that reaches the 5th to 89th floor in 37 seconds
  • The tower houses offices and restaurants as well as both indoor and outdoor observatories
  • Opened in 2004

 

Taroko National Park

Pagode_Taroko_National_Park_amk

  • Spectacular marble gorge of Taroko, the Qingshui Cliff rising high above the Pacific Ocean, the peaceful trail along the Shakadang River, and the cascading waterfalls of Baiyang trail are some of the treasures
  • Established in 1986

 

Taroko Gorge

24666966357_87cb150dc5_b

  • Landmark gorge of the Taroko National Park, carved by the Liwu River

 

Eternal Spring Shrine

1599px-Taiwan_Taroko-Schlucht_Eternal_Spring_Shrine_11

  • Landmark and a memorial shrine complex in Taroko National Park
  • It has been rebuilt at least twice, after being destroyed by landslides. The most recent shrine was built in 1989

 

Fo Guang Shan

32385536197_7fd3e3e147_b

  • International Chinese Buddhist monastic order based in Taiwan that practices Humanistic Buddhism
  • Largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan
  • Known for its efforts in the modernization of Chinese Buddhism
  • Established in 1967

 

Rainbow Family Village

Taichung_Rainbow_Village_28

  • A 87 year-old military veteran known as “Grandpa Rainbow” began painting the walls, doors, and ground of his small military dependents’ village
  • Grandpa Rainbow is now the only person living in the village, and despite the draw, Rainbow Family Village is currently under threat of demolition to make way for new development

Wanli UFO Village

1599px-三芝飛碟屋

  • Semi-abandoned holiday resort, home to the last pod of Futuro aka “UFO” houses in Taiwan, as well as what may be the largest pod of Venturo houses in the world
  • Abandoned beachside from the village’s bygone days as a hub of midcentury futurism

 

Houtong Cat Village

maxresdefault (2)

  • Once a rich small mining town, the area produced the largest coal output in a single area in Taiwan
  • When the coal mining industry began to decline in the 1990s, young residents started to leave to look for job opportunities elsewhere
  • In 2008, a local cat lover organized volunteers to start offering abandoned cats a better life
  • They posted the cats’ pictures online, resulting in an overwhelming response from other cat lovers around the nation
  • Soon Houtong became a center for cat lovers thus reviving a declining village, and transforming it into a tourist destination

 

The Dome of Light

image-asset

  • The world’s largest work of glass art hides in a Taiwanese subway station
  • Each of the dome’s four quadrants highlights themes from the lifecycle of the cosmos, humanity, and Taiwan’s own tumultuous political history

 

 

Costs

Number of Days: 15 days

Best Time To Fly: April-June, Sept-Nov

Airline tickets: $1,545

Seattle -> Taipei (round trip) = $1,545

Food: $12/day x 15 days = $180

Metro/bus pass: $42

Entertainment: $140

Airbnb: $68/day x 14 days = $961

TOTAL: $2,868