It’s been 9 years since I first travelled to Taiwan; a trip which was made possible thanks to the study programme I was on in The Netherlands. Living in Taiwan for half a year gave me the opportunity to complete my Minor study abroad – a novelty that was not lost on me given that I already studying abroad for my Major! Heading to Taiwan meant it was also going to be the first time I’d been outside of Europe since visiting the USA aged 5. For my best friend Em, who moved to Taiwan with me, this was to be her first time on another continent, period.
On our way to Taiwan, we first stopped in Xiamen, which is in the Fujian region of south-eastern China. Our layover in Xiamen was fairly brief and so we saw little more than the taxi rank outside the main entrance and some of the surrounding township off in the distance. If we’d had a bit more time there I’d have liked to have explored the city – which is something I often make a habit of doing when facing a lengthy layover. I often choose the longest possible journey duration for any given flight, to maximise the time I have between connecting flights.
Once we made it to Taiwan our first port of call was Taipei. Although our final destination would be Tainan (Taiwan’s old capital city), we’d scheduled for a month’s worth of backpacking around South East Aia before University term-time started and we began our Minor study programmes. This also meant we’d be leaving Taiwan again in just a few short days, so we decided to stay put and acclimatise in the capital. You can read about some of my South East Asia adventures elsewhere on my blog. Posts such as ‘Cat Ba Island, Ha Long Bay: Getting There by Bus & Ferry’ can be found by digging a bit deeper through my blog feed.
After whirling our way through Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, on a myriad of planes, trains, buses, and ferries, we were finally back in Taiwan and ready to start what we’d actually came to do. Study! We hopped on a train from Taipei and zoomed down to Tainan Central Station. From there we had little time to decompress and get our bearings as we had to make our way immediately by bus to the Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (STUST) campus. When we arrived at STUST we found ourselves at the bottom of a busy road, full of street-food style poky little restaurants, and a steady buzz of students. We slowly made our way up this chaotic side-street towards guarded gates where we’d be able to gain access to the University campus.
Before arriving in Taiwan, Emilija and I had both elected to pay for dorm rooms on campus and had even paid our deposits before leaving The Netherlands. During our orientation, however, it quickly became apparent that neither of us felt much like taking our rooms after all. I know that sleeping in a dorm would have added something new to the entire experience, but we’d been used to having privacy for quite some time and Emilija didn’t relish the thought of sharing a small confined space with three other girls and I wasn’t so hot on the idea of having a ground floor dorm room which was basically right next to the buildings busy entrance. This left only one option: we had to find an apartment to rent and we had no idea where to begin.
Luckily for us, a friend of ours who we’d met in The Netherlands was back in her hometown of Taichung and so whilst visiting her at her family home one weekend, she was able to help us kick start our pressing flat search. It was quite fortuitous (a theme which seemed to follow us no matter where we went whilst travelling) that managed to get a positive response from the landlady of the first apartment we enquire about. She agreed to meet us the next day, back in Tainan, and take us to check out her place.
We planned to meet at a cafe in the centre of Tainan and sure enough, later the next day we were greeted by a smiley lady driving an old Nissan Micra. She ushered us from the coffee shop we were in and then speedily drove us through the streets of Tainan to her apartment. The location was perfect, with the University just a 15-minute walk away. The only snag which presented itself was that the apartment was on the 3rd floor and there was no elevator. At first, my heart sank a little bit; could I really be bothered with traipsing up and down several flights of stairs each day? Especially in extreme heat and humidity! The apartment itself can only be described as adequate. It served its purpose and there were two good sized bedrooms (one of which was themed in a Japanese style). There was also an office and a kitchen-come-lounge area, which suited us both down to the ground. The decor was basic and there was a mechanical issue with the shower – meaning we had to resort to using a tap in the bathroom and a large bucket to wash ourselves out of. We were in a pinch and it seemed like this was our only viable option.
Our minds were made up, however, when we found out that the landlady (her name was Lisa) was actually a professor at STUST. Once we heard that she’d be able to help us get our deposits back for the dorm rooms we’d decided against, we were sold. Why let a few stairs and a wash bucket come between allies?
Things were slowly starting to fit into place, and we spent the next five months fully embracing the life of a Taiwanese student. We’d spend the weekdays attending classes and taking naps in the library, and on the weekends we’d either roam around Tainan or we’d take trips to other towns within Taiwan (where more napping would ensue). You don’t actually get a grade at the end of your Minor study abroad; just a pass or a fail, and as a result, it is often the case that the emphasis of your time spent away is less about actually studying, and more about making every moment count and seeing as much of the country you’re in, as possible. We spent Christmas up in the Alishan mountains with friends we’d met online and then partied with these same people on New Year’s Eve in Tainan. We took day trips to nearby cities whenever we could – from Kaohsiung, to Chiayi, and even to the other side of Taiwan – visiting the likes of Taitung and the Dulan Forest. We made sure to see as much of this awesome island nation as we could. Play hard and nap harder!
Kaohsiung in particular was a place we often frequented – trundling through for an hour on the train from our local station in Tainan. It was a convenient place to travel to in order to enjoy a change of scenery – and there was always plenty to see and do when we got there. The Dragon & Tiger Pagodas on Lotus Lake, for one, form part of a really beautiful area of Kaohsiung – and a perfect place to hang out. A decked pathway zig-zag’s towards each of the giant Pagodas, heading out onto the water beneath you as you walk. The Pagodas themselves dominate the skyline when admiring the lake’s view from either side. The towers were built in 1976 and are said to really represent Kaohsiung culture. Other places of note in Kaohsiung include the ‘Dome of Light’ MRT concourse at the Formosa Boulevard Station, in the Xinxing district of the city. The dome – designed by Narcissus Quagliata – is the largest art installation of its kind, completed with multiple singular pieces of glass. The striking design of the domed ceiling is intended to represent human life, as shown in four stages; water, earth, light, and fire.
Whilst we’re on the subject, if you’re ever in Kaohsiung then I also highly recommend taking a stroll down by Love River – which is a cool spot to take photos both during the day and at night. Whenever we were there we always found plenty of cute riverside cafes to choose from; perfect for grabbing an iced coffee to cool off with. If picturesque photos is something you’re after, though; then Xizi Bay should also be on your list of “must-see” places. Here you’ll be able to absorb some of the most epic sunsets in the whole of Taiwan.
With a theme-parks, hot springs, national nature reserves, and more temples than you could shake a spring-onion pancake at, there’s plenty of good reasons to check out Kaohsiung. You may even have the chance to arrive via cruise ship, as Kaohsiung Harbour is a very popular stop-off for international cruisers!
Back in Tainan, Emilija and I developed quite the comprehensive tour for whenever we had guests staying with us. Our highlights included; Anping Fort, the Eternal Fortress, Chikanlou, Chi-Mei Museum, and more. We also used to often visit the several different night markets which dominate central Tainan – where you can get some of the most scrumptious street-food you’ve ever the pleasure of wrapping your mouth around. We may have only been in Tainan for a little over five months, but it soon felt like home to us. Getting to know the city through relentlessly showing people around each weekend really gave us a sense of being closer to the region. With each new Couchsurfing guest we gave our tour to, we felt more and more familiar with the place (which I suppose, is only natural).
Chi-Mei Museum was a personal favourite of mine. It was slightly outside of the main city and required taking the train to Baoan Station and walking the short distance to the grounds of an impressive white building, which reminded me a little of The White House in Washington D.C. For all the museum itself is cool to look around in, with exhibitions which include historical weapons, natural history, musical instruments, and classical art; for me, it was the outside of the building which impressed me the most. The museum seemed to look fantastic in just about any photograph that we took, and the expansive grounds, featuring several lakes, ponds, and water sculptures, offered some amazing vantage points to get handy with the camera.
We also spent many occasions chilling in Tainan park – which isn’t far at all from Tainan Station. Not only did the park offer cooling shade in the midday heat, but there was also a gorgeous little pagoda out in the middle of a small central lake. Despite there being steps along the walkway to get to the pagoda, I often overlooked this and scampered my way across on my hands and knees, just to sit and have drinks with friends under its roof. There were conveniently placed stone stools, and stone tables, so it quickly became the “go-to place” when arranging to meet up with people. With 24/7 convenience stores on every street corner, we were never far away from a quick replenishment collection spot.
If I am to summarise my time in Taiwan I’d say it was illuminating beyond measure. Being so far away from home, for so long, and diving headlong into a brand new culture and way of living, really opened my eyes to all that was possible within the world of travel and backpacking. It’s where I started to take my blog way more seriously and also where I discovered what kind of traveller I was (flashback to those glorious naps). I met many amazing people whilst there and got to share so many interesting moments with them. For all Taiwan isn’t that big, I found it to be teeming with different things to see and do, from cultural sights to some of the best food I’ve ever tasted; and from adventures in breathtaking nature to learning about what life is like on a Taiwanese university campus. I don’t think there’s anything which I would change about my time in Taiwan, and I know that deep in my heart I am desperate to return.