#30 best destination in the world
Taipei 101
- 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
- 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
- Landmark gorge of the Taroko National Park, carved by the Liwu River
Eternal Spring Shrine
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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