When Robert Chen (
"Some of the scenery was breathtaking. Just like from a postcard," the 32-year old computer engineer said.
Chen was not alone in his high praise for the area. A National Science Council-sponsored study made public yesterday showed that the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area in the Hualien-Taitung area was the No. 1 tourist destination among Taiwanese.
The research, conducted by National Taiwan University's Department of Horticulture Professor Lin Yen-chou (林晏州), compared 13 national scenic locations and surveyed 374 people on their travel habits and factors they took into account when choosing a place to visit in Taiwan.
Top factors included overall cost, commuting time and the purpose of the trip.
Lin's study showed a strong positive correlation between commute time and the popularity of a destination. Long commute time kept tourists from visiting or returning to a destination, he said.
Although the East Rift Valley -- a long, narrow valley flanked by the Central Mountain range to the west and the Coastal Mountain range in the east -- was the favorite destination, the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area, which includes popular locations such as the Beitou Cape and Turtle Island, was the most frequently visited because of its proximity to the cities, he said.
"There is no place like the east coast of Taiwan because of its unique landscape. People there were also very friendly and their hospitality made a big difference in my trip," Chen said, adding that his favorite activity was cycling at the Mataian Wetland Ecological Park.
Kong Chien-ming (
"I think all foreigners should go to Taroko Gorge at least once while they are in Taiwan to experience the majestic scenery," he said, likening the area to Arizona's Grand Canyon.
One downfall about these destinations, Chen said, was the lack of clear English signs and descriptions.
"The scenery is beautiful, but I think it would have a bigger impact on foreigners if they knew what they are looking at. It would be nice to know the history of the area," he said.
Taiwan yesterday expelled four China Coast Guard vessels that entered Taiwan-controlled restricted waters off Lienchiang County (Matsu) shortly after the Chinese People’s Liberation Army announced the start of its “Joint Sword-2024B” drills around Taiwan. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said in a statement that it had detected two China Coast Guard ships west of Nangan Island (南竿) and another two north of Dongyin Island (東引) at 8am yesterday. After Chinese ships sailed into restricted waters off Matsu shortly afterward, the CGA’s Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch deployed four patrol vessels to shadow and approach the vessels, it said. The incidents pushed up to 44 the number
Renovations on the B3 concourse of Taipei Main Station are to begin on Nov. 1, with travelers advised to use entrances near the Taiwan Railway or high-speed rail platforms or information counter to access the MRT’s Red Line. Construction is to be completed before the end of next year, Taipei Rapid Transit Corp said last week. To reduce the impact on travelers, the NT$95 million (US$2.95 million) project is to be completed in four stages, it said. In the first stage, the hall leading to the Blue Line near the art exhibition area is to be closed from Nov. 1 to the end
The government has issued a deportation order for a Spanish fugitive, ordering him to leave the country within 10 days, as he is wanted by European authorities for allegedly operating a car rental scam. National Immigration Agency (NIA) officials yesterday said Salvador Alejandro Llinas Onate, 48, had been notified that he must leave Taiwan, as he was wanted for committing serious crimes. The Spaniard has been indicted by Italian prosecutors for allegedly leading a 30 million euros (US$32.74 million) car rental scam and setting up a fraudulent company in Trento, Italy. The deportation order is based on Article 18 of
Taipei’s Ximending (西門町) shopping area welcomed the most international visitors, followed by Taipei 101, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山國家公園), a list of the city’s most popular tourist attractions published by the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism showed. As of August, 69.22 million people had visited Taipei’s main tourism spots, a 76 percent increase from 39.33 million in the same period last year, department data showed. Ximending had 20.21 million visitors, followed by Taipei 101 at 8.09 million, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park at 6.28 million, Yangmingshan at 4.51 million and the Red House Theater (西門紅樓) in