Island Of ndustry

September, they say, is a great month to be in Taiwan. For the month denotes autumn and is a time for new starts, jubilant festivals, family reunions, moon gazing and delicious moon cakes. I was therefore in the right time at the right place.

From the aircraft, the betel-shaped island, especially Taipei, the capital city, looks like a concrete jungle (tall multiplexes, shopping malls and buildings of all contours). But once you land, a green carpet of vegetation proves you wrong. And this is despite Taiwan being billed as one of the four little dragons of Asia (the other three are Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea). Situated in the southeastern part of mainland Asia, Taiwan is one of the solitary islands on the western coast of the Pacific Ocean. The total land area is approximately 36,000 square kilometres. The population is 23 million.

It was drizzling when I touched down at Taipei. Dennis Ma, my guide, warm like the climate of the country, was present to greet me at the airport with a car. In a new country one usually first checks in at the hotel and then embarks on relishing the attractions of the place. Dennis Ma, instead of taking me to the hotel, to my surprise detoured to the National Palace Museum which is on the way and before I could ask him anything, he was quick to tell me, "There is so much to enjoy and so much to see. A week is too short to accommodate all that Taiwan has to offer."

The National Palace Museum, which is home to over 650,000 items in Chinese art making it the largest Chinese art collection, also serves as a good backgrounder on the history, culture and journey of the country. For me, it was an eye-opener, informing me about the progress of Taiwan’s industrial fortunes, especially in the fields of electronics and technology. An indication of Taiwan's progress also comes from Taipei's 1o1 building, currently under construction, and projected to be the world's tallest building aimed to bring a host of new business opportunities to Xinyi district. It will be a multifunctional skyscraper with shopping centres, health clubs, corporate offices, scenic restaurants and viewing platforms. An 'aerial walkway' is planned for this building which will stimulate development throughout the whole district.

On the business travel front, Taiwan has an excellent reputation as a host country for congresses and incentives. It offers the optimum combination for the success of a congress: easy access, state-of-the-art infrastructure and attractive cultural programmes and incentives.

"Taiwan hatches the craziest ideas because nothing is impossible," says Dennis.

Even when it comes to leisure tourism, the potential is enormous. Blessed with outstanding natural gifts and unique topographical features, Taiwan is the only country (so far) where I have seen sea and mountains so close to each other that there is hardly any distance between the two. Being an island you expect the deep blue waters but the great mountains take you by surprise.

There are number of places which should not be missed if in Taiwan. The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall in Taipei is a good place for cultural events, concerts etc. Then there is the magnificent Hualien Ocean Park in Hualien. Being built at a cost of 15 billion NTs (National Taiwanese dollar), this huge ocean park is created on an expanse of 51 acres of land. Partially operational, it houses amusement parks, resorts, theaters etc. It took 600 engineers to design the park which is yet to be completed. Another theme park, which is a great attraction, is Window on China, which serves the dual purpose of recreation and education. It is a scenic and architectural marvel in Taiwan housing miniatures of famous architectural wonders like Leaning Tower of Pisa, Tongtai Temple and Jilu City of Japan, Statute of Liberty of America, Opera House of France and even our very own Taj Mahal.

Taroko Gorge is also a must visit, showcasing nature at its best. Situated near the rocky East Coast of Taiwan, Taroko Gorge is a 19-kilometre-long canyon, a breathtaking spectacle of craggy rocks and cascading water.

With a wonderful landscape, Taiwan also offers lots of outdoor activities like hiking, white water rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking and nature excursions. These make for land-based adventures. But it also has loads to offer in the air and water - hot air ballooning, paragliding, windsurfing, surfing, sailing, diving, kayaking to name a few.

Healthy Country

Taiwanese, I was told, are health freaks. And this soon became apparent in the healthy routine they follow. At 6:30. a.m. when half of us are still asleep, they have their breakfast to start the day; 11:30 am is lunch and dinner is 6.00 p.m. Along with this routine in order to stay healthy and fit, the country offers many options like spas, saunas, traditional remedies like foot-sole massage, acupuncture and special neutraceutical diets.

Nature has been partial to Taiwan even in the health aspect. For example, the hot natural springs. The rich geothermal resources of Taiwan make it a destination for leisure and wellness tourism where you can find a variety of hot, cold, turbid and seawater springs surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty in over 100 locations in the country like Mt Datun in northern Taiwan followed by Beitou and Yangmaingshan. So apart from rejuvenating yourself through the medicinal value and therapeutic effects of these springs, enjoying natural beauty at the same time is only a bonus.

Treat For The Senses

Fun, frolic, food and fashion describe the 'hip' and cosmopolitan culture of Taipei and Taiwan. I enjoyed the fine authentic cuisine from the different regions of China - Cantonese, Sichuan, and Beijing, Hunan and Hakka food. There is a snack shop every three steps and a restaurant every five.

Taiwanese cuisine lays emphasis on light, natural flavours and freshness. It relies on an array of seasonings: black beans, pickled radishes, peanuts, chilli peppers, parsley and basil. In addition to Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine, other cuisines like Italian, Japanese, Swiss, German and Indian are also available in abundance.

My guide says, majority of people in Taiwan 'live to eat' and it is easily understood given the fact that food is not only exotic but is healthy, tasty and so full of variety. From members of the reptile family like snakes, to chicken, beef, pork and lamb, you will be served everything. And there if of course the seafood which the Taiwanese relish. Crab, octopus, prawns, shrimps, snails, oysters, fish, fish egg are just a few of the varieties from the deep waters. Many travellers, especially Indians, who are vegetarian think Taiwan does not offer them enough options. But that has changed now. However, while dining in Taiwan beware of table manners. Two important things will be missing on the dining table - cutlery and water. Instead there will be chopsticks and rounds of hot jasmine tea that not only helps digest food but cuts down the calories too. Serving these 'unstoppable' rounds of tea is typical of a Chinese tradition.

But be warned, the tastes of Taiwan linger long after you leave the country. And not just the tastes. The amazing contrast of a highly industrialised island-country which has, in its development, managed to successfully accommodate Mother Nature and her bounties is an imprint which will remain after a visit to Taiwan.

Accommodation

Taiwan provides excellent accommodation facilities, big, neat and clean rooms with almost all the facilities to make your stay comfortable. The Grand Hotel 1 Chung Shan N. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei, 104; tel: (02) 2886-8888; website: www.grand-hotel.org The Howard Plaza Hotel, Taipei 160 Ren Ai Road, Sec 3 Taipei; tel +(02 27002323; email: howard@howard-hotels.com.tw Ambassador Hotel Taipei No 63, Chungshan N. Rd, Sec. 2, Taipei; tel: (886) 2-2551-1111 Grand Hyatt Taipei 2 Song Shou Rd., Taipei; tel: (02) 2720-1234 Imperial Hotel Taipei 600 Linsen N. Rd., Taipei; tel: (02) 2596-5111; email: taipei@imperialhotel.com.tw Howard Beach Resort Pacific Green Bay 1-1 Fei Tsui Rd., Wan Li Hsiang, Taipei County; tel: (02) 2492-6565 Evergreen Laurel Hotel 62-1 Chung Cheng Road, Keelung, 202; tel: (02) 2427-9988; email: elhklg@evergreen-hotels.com; website: www.evergreen-hotels.com Evergreen Laurel Hotel 6 Taichung Kang Rd., Sec. 2, Taichung, 407; tel: (04) 2313-9988; email: elhtcg@evergreen-hotels.com; website: www.evergreen-hotels.com