SUNDAY 25 AUGUST 2019Asia’s best-kept secret
From grown-up backpacking to hot springs, Taiwan is the travel
hotspot you never thought to visit, finds Hazel Plush
The sunset over the Dragon Tiger Towers in Kaohsiung says it all (iStock)
Welcome to east Asia’s best-kept secret: a bite-sized island with a vibrant foodie scene, hot springs by the
bucket-load and a gloriously crowd-free coast that’s ripe for exploring by bike.
Throw in some magnificent hiking trails and a fascinating, futuristic capital, and you’ve got the recipe for a
truly adventurous break. Here’s why you should go now – before the rest of the world catches on.
It’s Asia’s mountain climbing hotspot...
Most weekends, Taiwanese people head for the hills – and who can blame them? Over 70 per cent of the
island is mountainous: from small-scale fells topped with lush forests, to mighty peaks where only
experienced hikers should tread. Yushan (Jade Mountain) often steals the limelight: at 3,952m, it’s the