The life of any region arises out of its historical past, its remembrance of culture, and its hold on the future. The New Taipei City government has established museums of tea culture, pottery and ceramics, and other sites to help preserve the memory of the common history and culture.

New Taipei City is rich in cultural resources. It’s a major cultural county that hosts a rich variety of cultural activities. Come! Join us as we trace our cultural roots. The confluence of the Tamsui (Danshui), Xindian and Keelung Rivers gave rise to New Taipei City, which expanded gradually inland from the smallish river mouth to achieve its present scope. The meeting ground of the rivers stretches away in a scene of grandeur as the seashore, its terrain carved out by the hand of time, faces off with the low mountains standing peacefully in the distance of New Taipei City.

The narrow-shaped Taoyuan City is a plateau lies in the northwestern part of Taiwan Main Island, with Taipei and Yilan counties adjacent to it.

The cultural diversity of Taoyuan City is paralleled by an equal abundance of natural attractions, earning the county the nicknames of the “flower kingdom” and “land of a thousand ponds.” The scenic sites along the Northern Cross-Island Highway and the historic Chiang Kai-Shek and Chiang Ching-Kuo Cultural Park are just a few of the many good reasons to visit Taoyuan.

Over the past two years, the Chiang Kai-Shek and Chiang Ching-Kuo Cultural Park has attracted over three million visitors a year. The park is a successful example of efforts by the Taoyuan City Government to create tourism value, promote innovative and high-quality visitor services with private sector partners, and develop locally unique attractions that present the “Taiwan Experience.”

Taoyuan also has developed other distinctive attractions, such as the county’s Hakka culture, military communities, rustic areas, trails, bikeways, and local industries, hoping to attract more visitors to discover the story of Taoyuan.

The city of Yilan is located in the central and most favored part of the Lanyang Plain. Streams and rivers provide a constant source of replenishment for the nutrients in the soil here, making Yilan a breadbasket county.

Yilan looks out to the sea on Taiwan’s Northeast Coast, with mountains on the three other sides forming a unique geography that has nurtured an equally distinctive cultural landscape and human warmth. The county is home to Asia’s second longest highway tunnel, the Hsuehshan Tunnel, which has reduced the driving time between Yilan and Taipei to less than 50 minutes. From natural environments and cold and hot springs to a wealth of ocean recreation resources and verdant country scenes, Yilan offers the perfect setting to slow down and enjoy nature at its best.

Ancient Capital Tainan, the ancient capital of Taiwan, is situated on the southwestern coastal plains of the island and enjoys a warm climate year-round.

Tainan is the birthplace of Taiwan and the oldest city on the island. In 1661, the Ming loyalist Cheng Cheng-kung drove the Dutch from Taiwan and established his administration in Tainan. At the time, mainland Chinese immigrants were coming to Taiwan in droves, helping the young city to grow.

After the Qing pacification of Taiwan in 1683, the Taiwan Prefectural Capital was established in Tainan. In 1885, Taiwan became a province and Tainan’s position changed to that of Tainan Prefectural Capital, from which its current name derives. Tainan remained the political, economic and cultural center of Taiwan up to the late nineteenth century. As a result, Tainan is home to many famous historic sites. It also is the city with the longest history and earliest cultural roots in Taiwan.

In addition to its historic and cultural attractions, Tainan boasts a stunning natural landscape and well-known agricultural and fishery products and cuisine. In spring, the Taiwan International Orchid Show is held in Houbi Township’s Taiwan Orchid Plantation, presenting the early spring orchids in all their beauty and charm. Every year on the 15th day of the first lunar month, the spectacular Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival attracts throngs of visitors from across Taiwan and the world to Tainan. And for an educational family fun in the summer visitors can choose from firefly watching in Meiling, lotus watching in Baihe, and activities at Qigu Mangrove Tourist Park. With the arrival of the autumn cool, visitors can head to Dongshan to sample the fragrant locally-grown Arabica coffee. And in winter, you can sooth away those sore muscles at the Guanziling mud springs.

Located in the southern part of Taiwan, the city of Kaohsiung is the island’s largest industrial center.

A thriving international metropolis at the southern tip of Taiwan, Kaohsiung was the host city for the 2009 World Games. Due to the regulating effects of the marine climate, Kaohsiung is generally sunny and enjoys pleasant weather year-round. Known as “Taiwan’s Maritime Capital,” the city has worked hard in recent years to develop its tourism industry, including through beautification of the urban landscape.

Kaohsiung is home to several popular visitor sites, including the Love River, Shoushan (Mt. Shou), Xiziwan Bay, Lotus Pond, Qijin, and the Old City of Zuoying. It also is an ethnic melting pot, joining Hokkien and Hakka communities, the Pingpu, Tsou, Rukai, Bunun, and Paiwan indigenous tribes, and a military community culture. Kaohsiung also offers scenic mountains, ocean views, and rivers, as well as port, cultural, and historic attractions. Visitors to the city can experience the beauty of nature and savor fine cuisine, or head to the nearby Hakka village of Meinong to experience traditional oil paper umbrella art. The Neimen Songjiang Battle Array and the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist monastery in Dashu further add to the ethnic richness of Kaohsiung. Taiwan’s biggest mall and well-known night markets complete the scene for a thoroughly satisfying trip.

Pingtung County is the southernmost county in Taiwan. The shape of the county is slender. The county is backed by mountains and facing the water.

Taiwan’s southernmost county, Pingtung covers a long and narrow territory with a border defined by mountains to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Taiwan Strait to the west, and the Bashi Channel to the south. Due to its subtropical location, Pingtung enjoys spring-like weather all year round. Graceful coconut trees add to the county’s ample South Pacific charms.

Pingtung is home to Kenting National Park, Taiwan’s first National Park. Other visitor attractions here include the island Eden of Xiaoliuqiu, scenic forest-hemmed highways, Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area, Maolin National Scenic Area, and Taiwan’s best paragliding area, Saijia Air Park. Coastal areas in Pingtung are excellent choices for coastal recreation, whether donning a snorkel to explore the beauty of the corals or hunting for shells on the beach. At Eluanbi, marking the southernmost tip of Taiwan, you can enjoy the unusual sight of the Pacific to the left and the Taiwan Strait to the right. Pingtung is also a wintering stop for migratory birds, including shrikes, and in October, gray-faced buzzards, making this a good spot to enjoy the avian ecology. And if you like to gaze at the stars, the light-pollution free night skies over the Pingbei foothills offer the perfect tapestry to indulge. The local indigenous culture is also well worth experiencing.

Pingtung has a number of local specialties. Linbian Township is known for its juicy and sweet black pearl wax apple, Wanluan for its tasty and chewy pig’s feet, and Donggang for melt-in-your-mouth bluefin tuna. The coffee of Dewen, onions of Checheng and Hengchun, and preserved dates of Gaoshu are other delicious must-try treats. For recreation or dining fun, Taiwan’s southern border is hard to beat!