The Quaint Towns of Shifen and Jiufen

The North East Scenic Zone of Taiwan is something that I have read from Lonely Planet and not one that is often mentioned in blogs and Tripadvisor. It is a collection of beautiful locations around the north east coast that is usually best reached by private transportation, I have tried to visit see some of these places during my 16-day sojourn because aside from natural landscapes, there are also a number of historic and cultural sites that visitors like me would definitely enjoy. I made my way to New Taipei to see the towns of Shifen and Jiufen to explore some of the country's finest destinations.

Getting Lost Around the Taoyuan Valley and Caoling Historic Trail

Taiwan will surely be enjoyed by hikers. There are lots of beautiful mountains located nearby Taipei so if you only have a few days, you can easily sneak in about 3 or 4 hikes in your schedule. After my travels around Central, South and East Taiwan, I decided to settle again in the capital and explore the neighboring cities around New Taipei for six more days and find out why the locals are raving about the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area.

Breathtaking view of Taoyuan Valley

DIY Day Trip to Nantou's Sun Moon Lake

One destination always pops up in my search feed when I was researching for things to do for this trip to Taiwan. All blogs and travel forums that I have browsed recommended going here as well. Of course, my curiosity was piqued. What’s in this place that draws not just local but foreign tourists as well? Since I was already in Taichung, I thought I might as well visit the Sun Moon Lake and see what all the fuss was about.

Taiwan's Sun Moon Lake

Two Days of Art and Flower Power in Taichung

My main objective in Taichung was to see the amazing sea of flowers at Xinshe Flower Festival, it’s also the most convenient gateway for travelers going to Sun Moon Lake or Alishan, but not knowing much about this city didn’t stop me to see what it has to offer. Taichung is pretty laid back, yet packed with interesting things to see that I really wasn’t able to cover much during my two-day stay.

Downtown Taichung by night

Xinshe Flower Festival in Taichung, Taiwan

When I booked this trip to Taiwan, I just set it at around November because I thought it will be cold by then. I was surprised that I’d be able to catch a festival during my travel dates (I probably ought to look up different events in the country I want to visit, and then book along those dates next time). Anyway,I happened to know I’ll be just in time for the Xinshe Flower Festival in Taichung. I have never really heard of this city prior to coming to Taiwan, but as I browsed through the pictures I made it a point to visit, and I can say that this has been one of the highlights of my 16-day stay in the country. 

Your Two-Day Introduction to Taipei

I hate to admit it but I wasn’t so enthusiastic about Taipei when I landed at Taoyuan Airport. The capital city of Taiwan will be my first destination for this trip. I am not big on cities and probably enjoy it the least, that’s why I thought I’d explore it first because I adhere to the saying, save the best for last. As I got to know Taipei bit by bit, I started to fall in love with its amazing sights, affordable yet unlimited choices in food, accessibility and its people.

Holy Week Penitence and Crucifixions in San Pedro Cutud, Pampanga

Spending the Holy Week in the Philippines can be a colorful and almost as festive as the major holidays in the country. Lenten traditions that have been passed from different generations are still practiced, making this season not just religious but culturally relevant as well. One province in the Philippines that surely has an interesting Easter tradition is Pampanga. It annually gathers thousands of local and foreign tourists for an event that literally shows true Filipino sacrifice and "blood". This is a famous sacred practice in the country that is mentioned in almost every travel guide about the Philippines.