Main tourist attractions
ACCORDING to the 2018 Index of Economic Freedom released on February 2 by the Washington-based think tank The Heritage Foundation, Taiwan ranks 13th in the list among 186 countries and territories. It is also fifth among 43 countries and territories in Asia and the Pacific, behind Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.
And as Taiwan shifts from a manufacturing hub to a tourism destination with its many inviting spots for the whole world to see—it is worth to note some of the mustvisit sites of this highly industrialized realm in the Asia-Pacific region.
Figures show that between January and August 2017, more than 1.5 million Taiwanese visited Southeast Asia while 1.3 million tourists from the Asean region visited Taiwan, an increase of 38 percent over the same period in 2016.
Taipei 101. Formerly called Taipei World Financial Center, this skyscraper was officially classified as the world’s tallest building in 2004 until the completion of Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010. It still holds the record of having one of the fastest elevators in the world taking only 37 seconds to travel from the fifth floor to the 89th floor. It is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes, with the apparatus on the 88th floor an attraction by itself.
Sun Moon Lake. This is the largest inland body of water in Taiwan located at the foothills of Central Mountain Range in Nantou. Its east side resembles the sun while the west side resembles the moon, hence the name. Surrounding the lake are numerous trails for hiking. With the majestic Wen
Wu Temple, many people consider the site and its surrounding countryside as the most beautiful place in Taiwan. Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village is a place to observe Taiwanese traditional tribal style and aboriginal traditions. It is also a theme park, equipped with modern rides like the suspended roller coaster, free-fall ride, log flume ride, water coaster and cable car. Adding beauty to the village are cherry blossoms that flower between February and March, with a festival held annually since 2001. Chiang Kai- Shek Memorial Hall. This was erected in memory of Taiwan’s revered leader of 25 years. Both a landmark and a tourist attraction, the monument is surrounded by a park with the Liberty Square on the east end, the National Theater on the north and National Concert Hall on the south.
National Taiwan Museum. With a collection of 10,000 items, it was set up by the colonial government of Japan in 1908, first as Taiwan Governor Museum.The museum was designed by Japanese architect Ichiro Momura and Eiichi Araki carried out by Takaishi Group with a Greek temple façade and Pantheon-like vaulted ceiling.Walls are comprised of columns, with the windows built in Renaissance style.
National Palace Museum. Containing permanent collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of ancient Chinese imperial artifacts and artworks, it encompasses 8,000 years of history from the Neolithic age to modern China. Most of the collections are high quality pieces of China’s emperors, notably from the Ming and Qing dynasties, sharing roots with the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City in Beijing.