I was furiously brainstorming my topic for my weekly passion blog post when I remembered I indicated in my last week’s entry that I would cover some more of my adventures in Taiwan. I have created many remarkable memories there with my family since most of my relatives still reside there. I feel the need to stress Taiwan’s esoteric qualities since many have not even heard of the country, one of Asia’s hidden gems.

Striking view from a trail on Yu Shan, Taiwan’s highest mountain.

For instance, two summers ago, my family and my cousin spontaneously travelled to the southern tip of Taiwan to enjoy a weekend. Kenting beach enchanted me with stunning views of white-sanded beaches, lush foliage, and sapphire-blue water. The quaint little beach, only populated by locals, provided the perfect getaway. The gentle breeze and soothing sun merely heightened our satisfaction. Not only was this beach an ideal location to lounge and appreciate time with family (compared to the densely packed at most beaches on the East coast), the town was a short drive from Taiwan’s second largest city, Kaohsiung. Although we only stayed there for one night, our family enjoyed dinner with other family friends at Cardial. The hibachi-styled restaurant served exquisitely designed dishes, including succulent shrimp platters, tender beef tenderloins, and the best mango pudding I’ve ever tasted.

A similar version to Hibachi

Another one of my favorite tourist destinations in Taiwan is Hualien, a mountainous region located on the east coast of the island. There, you can explore Taroko National park, home to breathtaking gorges and other stunning views from various trails. Ten years ago, my mom’s side of the family decided to take a trip there for a few days. Along with my nine-year old cousins, we ran away from the tour group and sprinted through the Tunnel of Nine Turns, a trail known for its spectacular scenery yet ripe with hazards (including falling boulders). Although I was severely chastised, the rush of witnessing the interior of century-year old mountains, was more than rewarding. Not only does Hualien possess scenic geographical views, the region is also home to more beaches and thrilling cliff views. While I didn’t visit the beaches and cliffs, my cousin claims that they’re better than what we experienced in Kenting.

The stunning Hualien coast

Taroko National Park

The best part of being in Taiwan during anytime in the year is to explore night markets. Abundant with authentic food, quality products sold at cheap prices, and ebullient shoppers from myriad ethnicities, night markets serve as ideal locations for families, dates, or any other occasion. While Shilin Night Market, conveniently 10 minutes away from my grandma’s place, is our typical stop, my family would always stop at other night markets scattered throughout Taipei and Taiwan. One of my first memories of Taiwan includes my aunt taking me and my sister to Keelung Night Market when we were three and two years old. Clearly intimidated by the hectic atmosphere, my sister was bawling in my aunt’s lap because I was at a booth greedily eating her oyster pancakes, vermicelli, and soup dumplings. Later that night, apparently I ate her pineapple cake, and that also triggered more crying from my sister. Even to this day, she isn’t too fond of night markets for some reason (I’m not sure why, but I hope I didn’t ruin the experience for her).

If you think this crowd is packed, imagine a three year old trying to make his way through this.

Carefully garnished with oysters, this o-ah-jian (oyster omelet) is too aesthetically pleasing to the eye

Feel free to scroll down and look through my summer passion blog on Taiwanese cuisine. I sincerely hope you guys have the opportunity to spend some time in another country (it doesn’t have to be Taiwan but I highly recommend it). You’ll experience a different atmosphere, taste unique cuisine, and interact with inspirational natives, something I’m extremely grateful for throughout my travels.

It’s inevitable for me to cover my unforgettable Taiwanese adventures. In fact, my previous passion blog highlighted my obsession for Taiwanese cuisine. This past winter break, I had the opportunity to fly back by myself and explore Taipei and its proximity with my cousin. Despite dealing with a stomach virus on New Years Eve, I enjoyed an amazing stretch of ten days through ominous hikes, enjoyable night market adventures, and heartwarming relative gatherings.

The days leading up to New Years Eve were exceptionally memorable. While my cousin explored the New Taipei District on three separate Tinder dates (yes, in one night), I met up with my old friend to wander around New Taipei District. It’s worth mentioning that this is the first time that I’ve returned in the winter, so I had never witnessed the lights hung all around the city. Strings of emerald blue lights glittered around Taipei 101, while shimmering white lights cascaded down all around the infamous shopping district. Many buildings also emitted colorful light spectrums, impressing me everywhere I turned. We finished our stroll by eating at a Japanese Curry Restaurant later, which is a surprisingly tasteful blend of two cuisines.

Lights and sights of Xinyi District

After recovering from the stomach flu a couple days after New Years Eve, I was back exploring the city with my cousin in Xinmending (西門町) a popular shopping tourist destination. Despite the torrential downpour, we had an enjoyable evening which included sprinting from street to street to dodge the rain bullets. Weaving around the bustling Taiwanese citizens, we caught the subway home where our grandma prepared a robust, homemade dinner.

Bustling streets of Xinmending

The next morning, my cousin and I spontaneously decided to venture to a place we’ve never been before, so the next morning, we boarded a bus that took us an hour out of Taipei. The bus dropped us off at Jinguashi (金瓜石), a mining town rich in history. There, we found our way to the entrance to Teapot Mountain茶壺山. The fact that a sign warned “danger: snakes, bees, and cliffs” and that the thick fog obscured our vision fifty feet in front of us didn’t phase us one bit (except I’m terrified of snakes). It was one of my most interesting climbing experiences; the trek up the mountain involved climbing on ropes, crawling through holes, and walking over various terrains. We even daringly brushed past signs that restricted us from climbing on “unstable ground,” but hey, when do rules ever stop me?

While the fog covered the scenic views, we still enjoyed the thrills of our spontaneous trip (the bottom right picture says “danger”)

After a rejuvenating 2.5 hour hike, we caught a bus to Jiufen (九份) a quaint town nestled in the mountains. We walked up and down the hilly streets, with the historical inns and winding roads engendering a bit of serenity. Chinese lanterns lined the rooftops of traditional houses, creating a humbling view of the town and establishing a rich historical ambiance. Of course, no stop in a new place is complete without sampling the local food. Jiufen didn’t disappoint in this category; known as having the best taro balls in Taiwan, I ordered two more bowls after I downed the first portion of starchy taro balls.

It’s safe to say that Jiufen has cemented a lasting memory

The night before my flight back to America, my cousin and I made an obligatory stop to the Shilin Night Market. We purchased a backpack filled with cheap clothing and accessories while consuming savory fried chicken, delectable steam buns (水蒸包), rich papaya milk, sizzling oyster pancakes (蚵仔煎), and of course, mouthwatering mango shaved ice. No trip back to Taiwan is complete without visiting this cuisine-famous night market.

I come back and gain ten pounds from Shilin Night Market delights

This is simply one of multiple striking memories from Taiwan. I hope you enjoyed taking this journey through new and familiar places and take visiting Taiwan into consideration.