Introducing Northern Taiwan

If you don’t have the time, or perhaps resources, to travel all over Taiwan, you can see much of the best it has to offer within a few hours of Taipei. The north has one of the best networks of hiking trails, an abundance of hot springs, a strong aboriginal presence and three towns devoted to traditional industries.

For something fresh, try swimming or river tracing in the jungle-lined rivers of Pinglin or Wulai. The opportunity to engage in such a splendid sport almost year-round has kept more than one expat happy with life in Taiwan.

The northern trail system begins right at the edge of Taipei and extends, with easy connections, as far as the North Cross-Island Hwy and the northeast coast. Most trails take you through thick forest or steamy jungle, but some run along coastal bluffs or grassy headlands or even across ridges so thin only one person can cross at a time.

The northern towns of Sanyi, Pinglin and Yingge still thrive as centres of traditional industry, producing fine wood carvings, tea and ceramics respectively. It’s not uncommon for people to visit Pinglin for tea, then Yingge for a teapot set and finally Sanyi for a traditional table to display everything on handsomely.

Two weeks in the north would just begin to do it justice, while a month would not be too much. We have lived in this area for years and never tire of getting out to explore.