Not to miss

Taipei

Not too long ago, the valley of the Danshui River was home to rice and vegetable farmers. Today it's the site of Taipei, the bustling centre of Taiwan's commerce, government and culture. Barely a century old, the capital is frenetic, energetic and busy, busy, busy; oh how it's made up for lost time!

Taipei is a boisterous and expensive city, and it lets you know it. It's packed full of people, cars and smog - a real hotbed of renao, or liveliness. It's not a relaxing stopover, but the food is excellent, the people are friendly and there are some top-notch sights.

If you haven't been to Taipei in the last decade - or even the last five years - you may be surprised. The city's bustling shopping malls and department stores, high-end restaurants, art venues, theatres, cafes and clubs feel undeniably cosmopolitan. New skyscrapers, including the world's tallest building, are adding an urbane feel and something of a skyline. The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Taipei's underground railway system, has helped unclog streets and reduce pollution.

Maolin

Maolin, an hour's drive from Kaohsiung (Taiwan's second biggest city), has to date avoided tacky developments and relies instead on the natural beauty of its mountainous surroundings. There are a couple of makeshift hotels in Maolin village, but most visitors camp out.

The area around the village is a web of river walks and scenic hikes, punctuated by suspension bridges and waterfalls.

About 15km (9mi) from Maolin is the aboriginal village of Dona. The residents have carved out a niche in stonecraft, producing large works as well as tables, chair seats and small decorative pieces to sell to tourists. There's a small hotel and some very simple restaurants in the village. Just past Dona is Dona Hot Springs, one of the few natural hot outdoor springs in Taiwan that hasn't been spoiled by commercial development.

National Palace Museum

This extraordinary collection was begun during the 10th century, when Chinese Emperors began to annex art treasures. In the 20th century, thousands of artworks were ferried in crates from city to city, and finally to Taiwan to escape invading armies. Miraculously, most of the collection survived and is considered the top collection of Chinese art in the world.

Taroko Gorge

An awe-inspiring canyon with marble-walled canyons, lush vegetation and cliffs so giant they block out the sky, Taroko covers 120,000 hectares with mountain peaks rising to 3700m. The environment of this massive park is filled with high mountain peaks and the Liwu River, which cuts through the centre of the gorge, forging many deep valleys, ravines and waterfalls in its course. There are an abundance of hiking trails that lead visitors to shrines, temples, hot springs and panoramic vistas of the mountains and the sea.

Chung Tai Chan Temple

Completed in 2001, the massive Chung Tai Chan Temple is more than just another modern temple - it is an international centre of Buddhist academic research, culture and the arts.

The temple is 150m tall and sits on a 60-acre lotus hill outside Puli. It took 10 years and the donations of countless members of the Chung Tai Chan Buddhist community to complete. Chung Tai Chan is an international branch of Buddhism founded by the Venerable Master Wei Chueh - the Master who is said to have revived the Zen tradition in Taiwan.

From the start, the Master was determined to build something grand, something that would appeal to the modern eye as much as the soul. To achieve this, modern technology was embraced rather than shunned. Only top-quality materials and artists, both Taiwanese and foreign, were used during construction. One master craftsman is said to have spent 10 years collecting coloured jade for the delightful 18 Lohan reliefs. Marble from 15 different countries was imported and pure teak used for the seven-storey indoor pagoda. Interestingly, the pagoda was built the old way without metal nails or screws.

Beyond the skilled artwork and engineering, however, the temple exists for those who have an interest, curiosity or passion for Buddhism. Several Westerners live in the temple and teach English to the nuns and monks. It is the responsibility of several of these nuns to give guided tours to any and all visitors.

Unlike some temples, where the emphasis of the tour is on teaching you purely about the religious and ritual aspects of Buddhism, at Chung Tai Chan you can take an historical or cultural tour if that is your interest. In other words, the nuns will help you to understand the statues, motifs and iconography as well as the art and engineering feats of the temple, as if you were in a museum. They will explain the 22 physical markings of the Buddha, why one holds a medicine ball in his hand while another holds a lotus, and why one sits on a white elephant with six tusks and another is so fat.