Northwest of Taiwan

When most people think of Taiwan, they think of endless factories churning out textiles and computers and crowded streets filled with business-suit types rushing from business meeting to business meeting. While this may be true of the cities, the picture over in the northeast – Taiwan's vacation paradise, is far different and a whole lot prettier.

Being a small island, you don't have to travel too far from the heart of Taipei to find yourself feeling as if you're a thousand miles away from the big city. The last stop on Taipei's MRT line is the old town of Tamshui, where the river of the same name meets the ocean. Here you can revisit the Qing dynasty on Chongjian Street, where narrow lanes and unevenly paved stones harkens back to ancient times, or Yinshan Temple, a house of worship that was built in 1822 with strict adherence to the principles of .

Whether you go by bike, motorcycle or bus, a drive along the north coast of Taiwan will tell you quickly why so many Taipei city dwellers head north on the weekends. Carved by the ocean from an underwater rock, Shimen Cave (the name means stone gate) is a popular spot for exploration, fishing or ocean gazing. Another popular spot is the Yeliou Scenic Area, where visitors can check out strange rock formations like the famous "Queens Head" rock (really does look like an Egyptian Queen in profile) or reel in excellent fish meals at the nearby Yeliou Harbor. If you're interested in hang gliding, the hills nearby Feicueiwan, a 1.5km long beach of white sand is popular. The beach itself is beautiful and great for swimming, sailing and windsurfing in all but the coldest months. You'll easily be able to find places to rent all needed equipment once you get there, so don't bother trying to put your windsurfing board in your carry-on.

The most famous of north Taiwan's "Old Towns" is the hillside village of Jiufen, where the three main streets have been designated historical landmarks. Jishan Street is the best place for traditional snacks and many tea shops are clustered along the stone steps of Shuci Road. Of course, Jiufen is also a good place for souvenir shopping. Bitou Cape is a well maintained trail running along the edges of a small finger of land jutting out into the sea. The tip of the cape has a lighthouse, which is open to the public. Just south of the cape lies the Taoyuan Valley Trail which brings hikers to a gently sloping carpet of green grass from which a 360 degree view of the pacific can be had. This area also offers other hiking opportunities, so comfortable footwear is a must.

Heading south along Route 2, you'll have the mountains to your right and the ocean to your left. In most spots, the ocean is pretty rocky and rough. Yanliao Beach, Fulong Beach and Honeymoon Bay are all popular with people who dig the beach, Fulong Beach is the spot of many all night parties on the weekend and all three places see some surfing action – apparently the best waves are right before the typhoons hit.

South of Honeymoon bay is the Lion's Kingdom Museum/ Leo Club, a museumthat doubles as a hotel (or is it vice-versa).Aside from being a stunningly beautifulresort, the owner, Mr. Kao, is a man with apowerful affinity for stone lions. Thisobsession has resulted in his owning thelargest collection of stone lions in the world,6,000 pieces and rising –definitely worth avisit for fans of lions, sculpture or both. Justnext door is the Beiguan Tidal Park, a seriesof trails that lead over the rocks and alongthe beach. There's a set of excellent foodstalls next to the park where you can eatseafood caught fresh from the sea, or justhang out and snack on apple soda andpeanut candy.

Until recently, Kueishan Island was off limits to the public. It's now possible to get a permit to visit, but it's still a bit of a hassle. However, the sunrise over the island is beautiful and for those who want to see the island closer or see the superheated water of underwater hot springs turn the ocean at the head of the island a strange shade of green, there are several boat tours leaving every day from nearby Wushih Harbor.

Even if the island doesn't interest you – it looks like a turtle, complete with a stony face and a long sandy tail, the boat trip is well worth it, as the ocean east of the island is rich with opportunities for dolphin and whale watching.

Though the entire road down the east coast is amazing and loaded with sightseeing opportunities, this brief narrative is concerned only with the North East, and thus must end at the town of Jiaosi, just north of the city of Ilan. Jiaosi is best known as hot spring resort and all of the hotels boast having superheated water – reputed to cure a number of physical illnesses, pumped into their rooms.