TAIWAN: Of Cold Climbs, Hot Springs & Colourful Alleys

To witness the diversity of tourist attractions that Taiwan possesses, it is perhaps enough to discover three small towns, Jiufen, Deyang Village and Yilan Park that combine heritage, nature and art.

- VARSHA SINGH

At the first glance, it could have been Darjeeling, Shimla, Gangtok or another of the numerous beautiful hill stations that are sprinkled all over India. Lining up all along the steep hillslopes are colourful houses, narrow and almost vertical alleyways, surrounded by an immense variety of greenery.

But I was not in any of the Indian hill stations, instead I was soaking in my first view of Jiufen, a tiny but iconic hill town in Taiwan, that attracts tourists from all over the world to enjoy the variety of experiences and sights that it offers. Jiufen is said to be the most popular town in all of Taiwan and is a must-visit site for practically all tourists.

I was in Taiwan, along with some leading Indian influencers, at the invitation of Taiwan Tourism Administration and one of the most enriching experiences for us all on that visit was the tour of Jiufen, that is located in the mountains, about an hour’s drive to the north of Taipei.

With its narrow hill streets, with steeply rising stairs connecting different levels of the town, just as one can spot in towns in Himachal Pradesh or Sikkim. The streets are lined with cosy cafés, eateries as well as shops vending a variety of locally-crafted objects and souvenirs.

One of the highlights of Jiufen is the richly decorated, A-Mei Teahouse, which dominates the landscape here as this multi-storeyed teahouse is strategically located just a little off the main street, perched on top of a hill.